Journal of Agriculture and Food Research最新文献

{"title":"Genome-wide transcriptomic analysis reveals novel insights into the response of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DMDL 9010 to nitrite stress","authors":"Yan-Yan Huang,&nbsp;Wei-Tong Wu,&nbsp;Fang Huang,&nbsp;Xiang-Ze Jia,&nbsp;Juan Huang,&nbsp;Xin-An Zeng,&nbsp;Dong-Mei Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrite is widely used as a color-fixing agent in food, but excessive intake poses health risks due to potential carcinogenicity. To understand how lactic acid bacteria (LAB) mitigate nitrite stress, this study employed RNA sequencing to investigate the global transcriptional response of <em>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</em> DMDL 9010 under nitrite exposure. Nine RNA libraries were constructed from three groups: a control and two treatment groups exposed to 5 mmol/L and 10 mmol/L nitrite, each with three biological replicates. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 1056 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Nitrite5 group (552 up, 504 down) and 1255 DEGs in the Nitrite10 group (639 up, 616 down), with consistent regulatory trends across concentrations. Functional enrichment placed these DEGs in key biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. Eight candidate genes were selected for temporal expression profiling under nitrite stress and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Up-regulation of <em>poxL</em>, <em>adhE</em>, <em>maeA</em>, <em>copA</em>, and <em>trxB</em> indicated activation of oxidative and metal transport pathways, while down-regulation of <em>pyrE</em>, <em>carB</em>, and <em>fabD</em> suggested repression of nucleotide and fatty acid metabolism. These findings provide mechanistic insights into the adaptive response of <em>L. plantarum</em> to nitrite, supporting further toxicological and applicative research on LAB under food-related stressors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103229"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148771760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Non-invasive microwave imaging for metallic contaminant detection in packaged peanut butter","authors":"Tonmoy Roy,&nbsp;Imtiaj A. Shohagh,&nbsp;Nathan Jeong,&nbsp;Yu Gan,&nbsp;Lingyan Kong","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a simple, fast, and non-invasive microwave imaging (MWI) approach for the detection of metal foreign objects embedded within commercially packaged peanut butter jars. The proposed MWI system consists of ten ultrawide-bandwidth (UWB) coplanar Vivaldi antennas arranged in a circular array operating over a frequency range of 3.32–8.71 GHz, a vector network analyzer for acquiring scattering parameters, an automatic high-speed switching system, and a computer. The scattering parameters are subsequently used to reconstruct microwave images of metallic inclusions. Experimental validation was performed on a commercial peanut butter jar, demonstrating that the system can reliably detect metallic foreign objects with diameters as small as 1 cm while providing accurate localization and size estimation. Furthermore, the proposed approach successfully identified the simultaneous presence of multiple metallic objects within the packaged product. These results indicate that MWI is a promising non-destructive technique for real-time foreign object detection in packaged peanut butter inspection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103180"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148738525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated management of nitrogen fertilization and planting density: coordinating photosynthetic characteristics and agronomic traits to enhance quinoa yield (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)","authors":"Jinhu Yang,&nbsp;Xinyao Zhao,&nbsp;Hongjie Zhang,&nbsp;Li Han,&nbsp;Lele Tian,&nbsp;Yanli Zhang,&nbsp;Li Zhang,&nbsp;Dongjuan Wang,&nbsp;Jiawei Wang,&nbsp;Jianqing Feng,&nbsp;Siyao Wang,&nbsp;Xiaorong Wu,&nbsp;Lijun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103212","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103212","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimizing nitrogen application and planting density is critical for improving canopy functional efficiency and yield formation in quinoa (<em>Chenopodium quinoa</em> Willd.) under wide-narrow row cultivation. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the individual and interactive effects of nitrogen application and planting density on leaf photosynthetic characteristics, canopy functional traits, agronomic traits, and grain yield. Nitrogen application primarily regulated leaf-level physiological processes, with moderate nitrogen supply enhancing gas exchange capacity, chlorophyll status, and water use efficiency, whereas excessive nitrogen application resulted in limited additional improvements. In contrast, planting density mainly influenced canopy development and population structure; moderate density promoted estimated canopy photosynthetic capacity, whereas excessive density reduced individual plant growth and agronomic traits due to intensified intra-specific competition. Grain yield exhibited a consistent response across the two growing seasons, with the highest yield achieved under the optimized N₁₈₀ × D_15.00 combination, demonstrating that coordinated nitrogen and density management, rather than excessive resource inputs, is essential for maximizing quinoa productivity. Correlation and principal component analyses further revealed that photosynthetic performance and agronomic traits were closely associated with grain yield variation. Overall, this study highlights the importance of synchronizing leaf physiological capacity, canopy functional efficiency, and population structure, providing a physiological basis for optimizing nitrogen-density management and promoting resource-efficient quinoa production under wide-narrow row cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103212"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148738528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficient extraction of mulberry leaf flavonoids using a deep eutectic solvent and anti-cancer activity","authors":"Yan Guo,&nbsp;Xin Hu,&nbsp;Zhiqiang Yuan,&nbsp;Zepeng Zhang,&nbsp;Junjie He,&nbsp;Man Xu,&nbsp;Jinjin Luo,&nbsp;Xiaoxue Ke,&nbsp;Liqun Yang,&nbsp;Muhan Lü,&nbsp;Hongjuan Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLF) are natural bioactive compounds derived from mulberry leaves. They possess certain medicinal value and are considered to have potential biological activity. Deep eutectic solvents (DES), as an emerging green extraction medium, serve as an ideal alternative to traditional extraction solvents. In this study, we first employed DES combined with ultrasonic technology to extract MLF. Choline chloride-triethylene glycol was ultimately selected as the optimal extraction solvent. Under optimal extraction conditions (molar ratio 1:2, water content 40%, solid-liquid ratio 1:100, extraction temperature 50 °C, extraction time 30 min), the extraction yield of MLF reached 22.13 mg/g, significantly higher than that achieved with traditional organic solvents. Then, we evaluated the greenness of this extraction method through five different methods. Subsequent component identification and screening were performed via UPLC-MS. The anti-gastric cancer activity of the MLF extract was validated through a series of in vitro assays (CCK8, EDU, colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis). Combined with network pharmacology, core targets for MLF's anti-gastric cancer activity were identified and screened, simultaneously pinpointing two potential core components (Rha and Pec). Molecular docking further predicted the affinity conformations between these core components and their target proteins, supported by in vitro validation. These findings indicate that MLF exhibit significant anticancer activity, offering a novel perspective for their application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103172"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148739357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Balancing yeast fermentation kinetics and ester synthesis in rosé wine through stage-specific micro-oxygenation driven by oxidation-reduction potential dynamics","authors":"Dongsheng Cui,&nbsp;Yupeng Cao,&nbsp;Yongce Huang,&nbsp;Mengqi Ling,&nbsp;Danyang Ma,&nbsp;Haibin Mu,&nbsp;Weiming Yang,&nbsp;Changqing Duan,&nbsp;Mengyao Qi,&nbsp;Yibin Lan","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103201","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103201","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Moderate oxygenation levels are essential for the development of wine flavor and style during fermentation. This study investigated the impact of stage-specific micro-oxygenation applied at early, mid, and late fermentation stages on fermentation kinetics, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) evolution, yeast viability, and ester formation in Cabernet Sauvignon rosé wine. Oxygen supply during the mid or late stages of fermentation was found to be essential for balancing yeast fermentation kinetics and ester accumulation. Appropriate intermittent oxygen supply improved fermentation kinetics, enhanced yeast activity, and increased fermentation efficiency, whereas excessive oxygen input accelerated fermentation but resulted in slightly increased volatile acidity. As a key variable in the fermentation process, the ORP levels induced by micro-oxygenation significantly affect the metabolic accumulation patterns of ester compounds. Higher alcohol acetates (HAAs) and ethyl esters of straight fatty acids (EEFAs) are more oxygen-sensitive, showing stage and dose dependent patterns, while branched ethyl esters remain relatively stable. Correlation analysis revealed that oxidation reduction potential negatively correlates with esters, while viable yeast count in mid and late fermentation positively correlates with esters. Sensory analysis revealed that wine samples treated with high oxygen doses exhibited stronger sweet aromatic notes (caramel, syrup, honey, fruit candy), whereas wine samples treated with low oxygen doses retained fresher, fruitier characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103201"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148739360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrostatic and garden spraying eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde for reducing Salmonella Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, and Enterococcus faecium on cilantro","authors":"Md Shafiul Islam Rion,&nbsp;Corey Coe,&nbsp;Zhenlei Xiao,&nbsp;Cangliang Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microgreens, often consumed fresh, are easily contaminated with foodborne pathogens. This study aims to evaluate eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde delivered by garden sprayer (GS) or electrostatic sprayer (ES) against <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium, <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em>, and <em>Enterococcus faecium</em> on fresh cilantro. Cilantro were inoculated with bacteria followed by spraying with eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde (1-3%) using GS or ES for 60 s. Samples were then spread-plated onto tryptic soy agar plus nalidixic acid for <em>S</em>. Typhimurium and <em>L. monocytogenes</em>, and on bile-esculin agar plus nalidixic acid for <em>E. faecium</em>. Eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde delivered by GS achieved additional reductions of 1-1.5 log₁₀ CFU/g (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than ES for the three tested microorganisms. GS or ES with 3% of eugenol was the most effective against <em>S</em>. Typhimurium and <em>E. faecium</em>, whereas GS or ES with 2% trans-cinnamaldehyde was the most effective against <em>L. monocytogenes</em> and <em>E. faecium</em>, respectively. The LS-Means of <em>E. faecium</em> reduction from cilantro samples was significantly lower than that of <em>S.</em> Typhimurium (2.04 vs 3.49 log₁₀ CFU/g). However, <em>L. monocytogenes</em> was the most resistant (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) of the three bacteria against 2-3% eugenol and trans-cinnamaldehyde using ES. <em>E. faecium</em> could be used as a conservative surrogate for <em>Salmonella</em> for on cilantro samples, but the results do not support the use of <em>E. faecium</em> as a surrogate for <em>L. monocytogenes</em>. Differences of the microbial reductions are mainly due to the delivered volumes differing between GS and ES not the type of sprayers; therefore, the observed differences cannot be attributed solely to the sprayer type.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103207"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148741007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive review on current strategies for managing coffee leaf rust, coffee berry borer and coffee leaf miner with reduced pesticide use","authors":"Saeedeh Afsar,&nbsp;Sebastien Garnier,&nbsp;Miguel Angel Lopez","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103206","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103206","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Synthetic pesticides have been widely applied to manage pests and diseases in coffee plantations. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current strategies and alternative approaches aimed at reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides, such as neonicotinoids, triazoles, and strobilurins, used against three major coffee pests and diseases: coffee leaf rust (<em>Hemileia vastatrix</em>), the coffee berry borer (<em>Hypothenemus hampei</em>), and the coffee leaf miner (<em>Leucoptera coffeella</em>). The review explores viable alternatives including biological control agents (BCAs), biopesticides, and resistant coffee varieties. Grounded in existing knowledge and experience, this review focuses on sustainable management practices for these pests, highlighting strategies to replace and reduce pesticide applications by using BCAs, conservation biology, and biopesticides as sustainable alternatives. The paper also examines monitoring and advanced detection tools such as pheromone traps, remote sensing, and multispectral imaging for early detection and targeted intervention. Agronomic practices such as cultural control, resistant coffee varieties, and agroforestry integration are discussed as part of a holistic framework for integrated pest management. Finally, the review identifies key challenges and future research directions needed to integrate ecological practices, emerging monitoring technologies, and chemical reduction strategies into a unified, decision-making framework for sustainable coffee pest management while highlighting key evidence gaps related to cost of alternatives, field validation and scalability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103206"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148741008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research progress on the functions of NUCLEAR FACTOR-Y family in legumes","authors":"Liyu Chen,&nbsp;Chunmei Liao,&nbsp;Jin Wei,&nbsp;Baohui Liu,&nbsp;Fanjiang Kong,&nbsp;Lin Yue,&nbsp;Hui Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nuclear Factor-Ys (NF-Ys) constitute evolutionarily conserved heterotrimeric transcription factors assembled from three distinct and functionally indispensable subunits: NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC. These regulatory proteins exert pivotal and versatile roles in modulating a wide spectrum of biological processes underlying plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation, including flowering-time control, nutrient acquisition, root development, symbiotic interactions, seed development, as well as comprehensive defense responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses. A defining feature distinguishing leguminous plants from other taxa is their unique ability to form root nodules and establish symbiotic relationships with rhizobia to achieve efficient biological nitrogen fixation. Notably, among all NF-Y transcription factors systematically summarized in this review, nearly half are directly implicated in this critical symbiotic nodulation and nitrogen-fixation pathway. This review systematically consolidates recent advances in the functional characterization of <em>NF-Y</em> family genes (<em>NF-YA</em>, <em>NF-YB</em>, <em>NF-YC</em>) in legumes, highlighting their considerable potential as reliable molecular targets for improving crop yield, stress resilience, and agronomic performance. We further integrate and analyze the subcellular and tissue localization patterns of functionally identified legume <em>NF-Y</em> genes reported to date. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that NF-Y proteins participating in conserved biological processes tend to cluster into the same clades, implying strong evolutionary functional conservation across plant species. Future studies will focus on translating mechanistic insights into agricultural applications, facilitating the breeding of elite legume varieties with enhanced nitrogen-use efficiency and stress tolerance. Moreover, we discuss emerging progress in artificial intelligence-assisted research on legume NF-Y transcription factors, providing new perspectives for accelerating functional gene discovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103175"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148645379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Edible flower powders of three Cucurbita species: Insights into metabolomic profiling and phytonutritional properties","authors":"Mogwale Janet Ramputla,&nbsp;Yusuf Olamide Kewuyemi,&nbsp;Semakaleng Mpai,&nbsp;Dharini Sivakumar","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assessed nutritional composition, antioxidant activity, and untargeted metabolomic profiles of pumpkin flower powders from three <em>Cucurbita</em> species: <em>Cucurbita pepo</em> (CPP), <em>C. maxima</em> (CMX), and <em>C. moschata</em> (CMS). CPP had the highest Calcium content (1.44 g/100 g), and zeaxanthin content (380.06 mg/100 g), while CMS contained the highest levels of iron (0.14 g/100 g), magnesium (0.56 g/100 g), phosphorus (0.69 g/100 g), and protein content (26.91 g/100 g). Highest carotenoids such as Trans-β-carotene (334.89 mg/100 g) and cis-β-carotene (20.92 mg/100 g), and lower oxalate (70.14 mg/100 g) were recorded in the flower powders of CMS, contributing to the highest antioxidant power (FRAP) (66.62 mM TE/g).</div><div>Lysine (1.30 g/100g), <em>phenylalanine</em> (1.16 g/100 g), and oxalate content (109.96 mg/100 g) were the highest in CMX. Antioxidant assays showed that CMX had the highest ABTS scavenging activity (0.34 mg/mL; IC₅₀). UPLC-Q-TOF-MS identified 49 metabolites in the flower powders, mainly phenolic compounds (68%), as well as iridoids, carbohydrate derivatives, and fatty acid and derivatives. Differential analysis revealed 27 regulated metabolites between CMS vs CPP, 16 of which were upregulated in CMS, primarily flavonoids and phenolic acid derivatives. KEGG pathway analysis showed flavonoid-related metabolic pathways contained the most differential metabolites. The study showed that pumpkin flower powders exhibited species-dependent differences in nutritional composition, antioxidant potential, and metabolomic profiles. CMS had higher protein content and antioxidant capacity, while CPP and CMX provided distinct mineral and carotenoid profiles. These findings highlight the potential of Cucurbita flower powders as functional food ingredients.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103146"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148644774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering eggplant yield prediction in West Bengal by an explainable AI-based stacking ensemble framework","authors":"Subhrajyoti Sengupta,&nbsp;Ayan Sarkar,&nbsp;Abhishek Paul,&nbsp;Manas Kumar Pandit,&nbsp;Arup Chattopadhyay,&nbsp;Kiranmoy Patra,&nbsp;Ritoban Pandit,&nbsp;Benukar Biswas","doi":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103170","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jafr.2026.103170","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate yield prediction under increasing climatic variability is essential for ensuring sustainable vegetable production in Eastern India. Eggplant (<em>Solanum melongena</em> L.), a major solanaceous crop in West Bengal, is highly sensitive to climatic fluctuations, soil heterogeneity, and moisture stress, particularly during early establishment and reproductive stages. This study developed a robust multi-model machine learning framework to predict district-level brinjal yield across diverse agro-climatic zones using integrated climato-edaphic and hydroclimate-related variables. Multiple base learners were trained and combined through a stacked ensemble approach to capture nonlinear interactions among predictors. Among individual models, Random Forest (rf) performed best, while models like k-Nearest Neighbors (knn) and Elastic Net (glmnet) showed relatively poor performance. Stacking further improved predictive accuracy, with the glmnet-based meta-learner (glmnet_meta) and random forest based meta learner (rf_meta) both achieved high predictive accuracy. Despite comparable performance among top models, glmnet_meta was selected for its structural parsimony and transparency, adhering to the principle of Occam's razor. Model diagnostics confirmed reliability, with near-normal residuals and no heteroscedasticity. SHAP-based analysis indicated that soil attributes were the primary predictive contributors of yield variability (44.9%), followed by weather variables (29.2%), hydroclimatic indices (22.1%) and engineered biophysical interactions (3.7%). Soil water holding capacity (WHC) and nitrogen (N) emerged as the most critical determinants for yield prediction. Temperature and rainfall extremes also showed significant effects, with distinct spatial variability across agro-climatic zones. Furthermore, spatial validation approaches confirmed that while the model is highly stable for temporal forecasting, it is subject to spatial boundary constraints. Overall, the proposed framework integrates predictive accuracy with interpretability, offering a robust understanding about yield prediction, predictive contributors and methodological proof-of-concept validated under West Bengal conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34393,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Agriculture and Food Research","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 103170"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148645287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}