Food and Energy Security最新文献

{"title":"Analysis of Genotype-by-Environment Interaction, Farmers' Preferences, and Gender Response in Groundnut Breeding in Tanzania Using Triadic Comparison of Technologies","authors":"Happy Daudi,&nbsp;Anthony Malehiwa Bujiku,&nbsp;Richard Oteng-Frimpong,&nbsp;James Mwololo,&nbsp;Chris O. Ojiewo,&nbsp;Abhishek Rathore,&nbsp;Biswanath Das,&nbsp;Kauê de Sousa,&nbsp;Mabel Nabateregga,&nbsp;Jacob van Etten,&nbsp;Hussein Shimelis","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70228","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70228","url":null,"abstract":"<p>High kernel yield and farmer- and market-preferred traits are overriding considerations for groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.) breeding, production and adoption. However, yield expression and cultivar selection responses in groundnuts are influenced by genotype-by-environment interactions (GEI) and management conditions. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate GEI to identify high-yielding and stable groundnut genotypes preferred by farmers and markets for breeding or variety recommendations. The objectives of this study were to assess the GEI and farmers' preference traits in groundnut to facilitate the selection of superior genotypes for release and guide breeding with specific or broad adaptation while integrating farmers' and gender perceived traits. The study was conducted across 18 environments representing agroecological zones and potential groundnut production areas in Tanzania. Sixteen genotypes, including two commercial checks, were evaluated in selected locations using a randomized complete block design. Furthermore, on-farm decentralized trials were conducted across 42 locations following the tricot approach. Significant (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) variations were detected among the tested genotypes (G), environments (E), and GEI effects on kernel yield. Genotype ICGV-SM 05534 had a relatively highest kernel yield of 927.232 kg ha⁻¹. The GGE biplot identified ICGV-SM 16645 and ICGV-SM 10014 as the most stable genotypes across locations, with mean kernel yields of 936.39 and 877.67 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. The triadic comparison of technologies (TRICOT) analysis identified gender differences in trait preferences among groundnut growers. Early maturity, ease of harvesting and shelling were the most preferred traits by female farmers, and haulm yield by males. Tan color and small-medium kernel seed size were identified as the top traits selected by farmers' overall varietal preferences. Additionally, early maturity is an important trait to consider in the market segment. Farmers' preference traits are crucial during the initial stage of designing the target product profile to increase the adoption of the deployed groundnut variety. The selected genotypes, test environments, and farmer-preferred traits are vital for breeding pipelines, targeted variety release, and production for different target population environments (TPEs) in Tanzania.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70228","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147668449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Photosynthetic and Transcriptional Regulation Reveals Divergent Mechanisms of Active Adaptation in C4 Maize and Passive Regulation in C3 Rice Under Long-Term Fluctuating Light","authors":"Wang-Shun Zhang,&nbsp;Zi-Mo Guo,&nbsp;Xiao-Ling Li,&nbsp;Rong-Xian Sha,&nbsp;Wen-Zhuo Yang,&nbsp;Cai-Qing Wang,&nbsp;Tong-Xin An,&nbsp;Jin-Yan Zhang","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70230","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70230","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fluctuating light is a key factor limiting crop photosynthetic efficiency, with C₄ maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) and C₃ rice (<i>Oryza sativa</i>) crops exhibiting distinct acclimation responses. However, the systemic differences in physiological and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms between C₃ and C₄ crops under long-term fluctuating light remain poorly understood. Herein, maize variety “Yunrui 408” and rice variety “Dianheyou 615,” both widely cultivated in Southwest China, were used to investigate responses to long-term fluctuating light (FL) versus steady light (SL) via integrated analyses of phenotypic traits, photosynthetic physiology, transcriptomics, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. Results showed that long-term FL causes greater yield losses (&gt; 30%) in rice, including reduced 100-grain weight and shoot dry weight, whereas maize exhibited milder yield suppression (&lt; 20%) and enhanced starch/sucrose accumulation in grains and leaves. Maize maintained stable photosystem function via a synergistic mechanism. A large plastoquinone (PQ) pool buffered electron transport fluctuations, while the transcription factor ZmMYB93 coordinated the upregulation of carbon storage (<i>ZmAGPS1</i>), energy supply (<i>ZmGAPC3</i>), and carbon assimilation (<i>ZmFBA3</i>) pathways to sustain metabolic homeostasis. In contrast, rice showed decreased photosynthesis under long-term FL, characterized by downregulated core photosynthetic genes (<i>OsPsaA</i>, <i>OsPsbA</i>) and ATP synthase genes (<i>OsAtpB</i>). This suppression was driven by the PEL-GLK inhibitory module; subcellular localization assays confirmed that OsPEL1 is a nuclear-resident protein that physically interacts with GLK transcription factors within the nucleus to repress the transcriptional activation of core photosynthetic genes. Rice also relied on passive cyclic electron flow (CEF) and exhibited increased dark respiration, forming a negative feedback loop that impaired carbon assimilation. Overall, C₄ crop maize exhibits stronger adaptability to long-term FL than C₃ crop rice. It adopts an active adaptation strategy by integrating PQ pool-mediated electron transport buffering and ZmMYB93-coordinated nuclear transcriptional regulation. In contrast, rice adopts a passive and inefficient regulatory strategy, where <i>OsPEL1</i>-mediated nuclear inhibition of GLK and enhanced dark respiration lead to photosynthetic apparatus damage and carbon assimilation suppression, ultimately resulting in severe yield loss. These findings provide a blueprint for improving C₃ crop light-use efficiency by leveraging the active regulatory mechanisms identified in maize to mitigate yield losses in dynamic field environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70230","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147668161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consequences of Market Disruptions on Fertilizer Intensification, Farm Productivity, Profitability, and Food Security in Egypt","authors":"Abdelrahman Ali,&nbsp;Yanwen Tan,&nbsp;N' Banan Ouattara,&nbsp;Mohamed Abdelhameed Ahmed","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70224","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70224","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fertilizers play a crucial role in feeding the world's population and achieving food security, yet recent disruptions in the global fertilizer market have affected pricing, usage, response, and efficiency of mineral fertilizers. We employed the Quantile Regression (QR) model to investigate the determinants of wheat and maize production across different productivity levels in Egypt and to analyze the impact of recent fertilizer market disruptions on farm productivity and profitability. Our empirical results indicate a 20.9% decline in total nitrogen fertilizer use per hectare in Egypt between 2018 and 2024, driven by a reduction in non-subsidized fertilizer use, highlighting a reliance on government support due to market volatility and high input costs resulting from geopolitical instability and global fertilizer market fluctuations. Furthermore, the results confirm that key production factors, such as nitrogen fertilizer use, land expansion, and institution structure, affect yields differently across production quantiles (farms), underscoring the limitations of a one-size-fits-all policy approach. Therefore, our findings advocate for context-specific policies, including tiered subsidies, differentiated extension services, and technology adoption strategies tailored to the specific context. Future policies should focus on empowering cooperatives to facilitate access to new technologies and training for farmers, as they are more likely to engage with cooperatives than with other organizations. In addition, supplementary investments in soil fertility, water management, and improved agricultural practices to reduce nitrogen fertilizer application and achieve economic and environmental benefits are crucial for long-term farm viability and food security. Furthermore, price transmission shifted from energy to agricultural inputs and then to food product prices, making government agricultural input subsidies essential for affordable food and food self-sufficiency. Finally, securing subsidized fertilizer is necessary to mitigate future shocks.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inflation Surges, Dietary Diversity and Healthy Diets, and Coping Strategies: Evidence From Rural Türkiye","authors":"Neville N. Suh,&nbsp;F. Abay Canan","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70227","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70227","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The recent 2021/22 global surges in inflation have remained heightened in most parts of the world, resulting in additional millions of people experiencing food insecurity and malnutrition, with disproportionate effects on the world's most vulnerable people, particularly poor rural farmers. Moreover, food prices are more likely to continue to surge in the foreseeable future. This is especially true in Türkiye, where food price inflation continues to record peak values with persistent increases and widening divergence from global food price inflation. Understanding how inflation surges (food price and nonfood expenditure shocks) affect dietary diversity and the different coping strategies poor rural farm households use remains a crucial gap in the global literature. Using household-reported inflation shocks during the height of the 2021/22 inflation surge, we test whether escalating inflation surges are severely undermining farm households' intake of diverse diets and healthy foods, and how they respond to these shocks in rural Türkiye. We show that households are especially vulnerable to the inflation shocks, which negatively affect higher intake of more diverse and healthy diets, though the effect is less pronounced for households with access to government premium input support. Meanwhile, we find that households that experienced an inflation surge implemented coping strategies, which are important for smoothing their consumption of diverse foods and healthy diets. However, some of the strategies implemented are associated with less diverse food varieties and greater intake of unhealthy diets, indicating that households use both beneficial and harmful strategies. Robustness checks show that inflation shocks significantly reduced the likelihood of consuming nutrient-dense foods. The evidence underscores the significance of more diverse foods and healthy diets within the nutrition and economic development framework and provides vital information on the extent to which non-erosive adjustment strategies can help rural poor farmers cope with inflation shocks. Furthermore, interventions aimed at stabilizing inflation surges are crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of shocks on the nutrition of poor rural farm households.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70227","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community Health Services, Market Access, and Food Insecurity: Evidence From Ghana","authors":"Edward Martey,&nbsp;Prince M. Etwire,&nbsp;Mustapha M. Suraj,&nbsp;Andrew Agyei-Holmes","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70226","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70226","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The role of community interventions such as market infrastructure and health campaigns on household welfare are increasingly gaining attention of policymakers as they seek to identify pathways to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs) one, two, and three. This study assessed the association between functional community health services and community market on household food insecurity and share of food consumption using the seventh round of the Ghana Living Standard Survey (GLSS). Using the multinomial endogenous switching regression (MESR) and accounting for unobserved heterogeneities, we find that the interventions significantly reduce food insecurity. However, we find evidence of a differential association of the interventions on the outcomes. Comparatively, community health service delivery was highly associated with a reduction in food insecurity compared to the community market. The implication of the study findings highlights the need for development practitioners and policymakers to prioritise and improve access to institutional services delivery and market infrastructure as strategies to address food insecurity.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70226","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147585263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silicon Nanoparticles Enhance Cold Tolerance in Elymus nutans Seedlings by Regulating Growth, Physiology, and Gene Expression Under Cold Stress","authors":"Yancui Zhao,&nbsp;Haoqin Liao,&nbsp;Huanhuan Lu,&nbsp;Liuban Tang,&nbsp;Yongsen Qiu,&nbsp;Ruofei Wang,&nbsp;Wengang Xie","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70222","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70222","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cold stress represents one of the primary abiotic stresses affecting forage growth, development, yield, and quality. As a novel agricultural nanomaterial, silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) demonstrate unique potential in regulating plant stress responses. However, their mechanism of action in forage cold responses remains poorly understood. This study aims to explore the role of SiNPs in the cold tolerance mechanism of <i>Elymus nutans</i> (<i>E. nutans</i>) through physiological and transcriptomic analyses. In this study, <i>E. nutans</i> seedlings were subjected to 3 h and 48 h of cold stress, with SiNPs applied to a portion of the samples. After 3 h of cold stress, the proline (Pro) content in seedlings treated with SiNPs increased by 16.38%. After 48 h of cold stress, the superoxide dismutase activity increased by 7.92%, the Chl content increased by 22.74%, and the abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased by 12.83%. Transcriptomic analysis revealed time-dependent regulatory effects of SiNPs; 3 h cold stress induced photosynthesis-related gene expression, while 48 h cold stress promoted upregulation of ribosome biosynthesis and amino acid biosynthesis genes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified two core modules (skyblue and floralwhite), enriched in photosynthesis, secondary metabolism, and ribosomal pathways, respectively, which were closely associated with cold-response physiological traits. In conclusion, SiNPs enhance cold tolerance in the QL20-04 (QL) variety of <i>E. nutans</i> by synergistically regulating photosynthetic protection, ribosomal rebuilding, and amino acid metabolism in a stress duration-dependent manner. This study provides novel molecular insights for improving cold adaptation in alpine grasslands and optimizing SiNPs applications in cold-vulnerable agroecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70222","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147585180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precision Controlled-Release Urea Blending by Maize Variety: Optimising Nitrogen Release to Reduce Ammonia Emissions and Boost Sustainability","authors":"Yiming Zhu,&nbsp;Mengjin Ma,&nbsp;Huan Li,&nbsp;Gaofeng Wang,&nbsp;Menglin Bai,&nbsp;Wushuai Zhang,&nbsp;Chenghu Zhong,&nbsp;Xinping Chen,&nbsp;Qinghua Yang,&nbsp;Jiameng Guo","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70223","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70223","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Agricultural ammonia (NH₃) emissions impair nitrogen use efficiency and exacerbate environmental pollution. While most research has focused on suppressing NH₃ volatilisation through nitrogen source modification, the synergistic role of matching fertiliser types with crop genetic traits remains largely overlooked. Here, we examined the potential of combining controlled-release urea (CRU) with maize varietal selection to mitigate NH₃ emissions in summer maize on the North China Plain, integrating data synthesis with a two-year field experiment (2021–2022). Results indicated an average NH₃ volatilisation rate of 10.35%, strongly governed by nitrogen rate, fertiliser type and maize variety. Field trials evaluated four nitrogen treatments at 180 kg N ha⁻¹—N180U (100% conventional urea), N180C1 (one-third CRU + two-thirds conventional urea), N180C2 (two-thirds CRU + one-third conventional urea) and N180C (100% CRU)—applied to an early-maturing (JNK728) and a late-maturing (ZD958) variety. The results show that compared with other treatments, N180C1 and N180C2 increased the grain yield of JNK728 by 10%–17.4% and ZD958 by 5.5%–24.5% over two growing seasons. Relative to conventional urea (N180U), N180C1 reduced NH₃ emissions by 23.52%–23.56% and enhanced agricultural sustainability by 154.11% for JNK728, whereas N180C2 achieved reductions of 23.62%–27.83% in NH₃ emissions and a 162.63% improvement in sustainability for ZD958. The structural equation model reveals the underlying mechanism: This fertilisation strategy tailored for different crop varieties not only reduces the peak concentration of ammonium nitrogen in the soil but also promotes root growth, enhances nitrogen absorption efficiency and ultimately reduces ammonia volatilisation losses. Our findings establish that coupling CRU with variety-specific management forms a potent two-dimensional plant–nitrogen strategy, effectively curtailing NH₃ emissions while advancing the productivity and sustainability of maize systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70223","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reducing Sulfur Dioxide and Boosting Agricultural Productivity: Evidence From China's Sulfur Dioxide Trading Pilot","authors":"QianYing Chen,&nbsp;Pengyu Chen,&nbsp;Guangwei Liu","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70225","DOIUrl":"10.1002/fes3.70225","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Food security is one of the key elements in guaranteeing agricultural productivity and promoting sustainable urban development. Some scholars have pointed out that environmental regulations can disrupt the natural deposition of elements in the atmosphere affecting soil nutrients and, consequently, agricultural productivity. Does this argument apply to countries with more severe pollution control, population pressure, and food security challenges? This study, using the 2007 China sulfur dioxide emission trading as a starting point, reveals the relationship between SDE (Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Trading) and agricultural productivity. The analysis yields the following results: First, SDE can suppress agricultural productivity. Second, the use of organic fertilizers, chemical fertilizers, and mechanized agriculture can mitigate the negative effects of SDE. Reductions in industrial sulfur dioxide emissions represent a potential pathway for mitigating SDE. Third, SDE has a greater negative impact on the output of cotton-growing areas, non-rice-producing areas, and non-fruit-producing areas. Lastly, SDE inhibits local urban agricultural productivity while promoting agricultural productivity in neighboring cities. This study provides new guidance for the reform of atmospheric environmental regulations and the promotion of food security in China and other developing countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70225","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147579807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal Variation of Nutrient Ratios Within Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions","authors":"Sam P. Bannon,&nbsp;Jens Thomas,&nbsp;Richard J. Webster,&nbsp;Hannah Whitby","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70220","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Indoor hydroponic farming enables pesticide-free food production with significantly lower water use than conventional agriculture. However, standard practices often involve frequent replacement of nutrient solutions to manage nutrient imbalances and microbial contamination, generating large volumes of nutrient-rich waste with both environmental and economic costs. We investigated the temporal dynamics of nutrient composition under two contrasting nutrient management strategies, focusing on the impact on cost per yield and sustainability on Red Batavia lettuce production. In Treatment 1, half-strength Hoagland's solution was replaced weekly to maintain an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.0–1.2 mS/cm⁻¹ as per typical industry practice to maintain target nutrient ratios. In Treatment 2, nutrient solution was not replaced, and instead topped up only to maintain sump tank volume, irrespective of EC. Macro and micronutrient concentrations were monitored across both treatments to evaluate EC as a proxy for nutrient availability. While Treatment 1 achieved significantly higher yields (&gt; 20%; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), the cost per gram of fresh and dry weight was substantially higher than in Treatment 2, by 63% and 66%, respectively. Nutrient depletion accelerated at later growth stages, particularly in Treatment 2, suggesting increased uptake efficiency under limited availability. Over both treatments, EC was found to be a poor proxy for actual nutrient changes. These findings highlight a trade-off between yield maximisation and nutrient-use efficiency, emphasising the need for more strategic nutrient management. Our results support the advancement of circular, resource-efficient hydroponic systems aligned with long-term sustainability goals. Specifically, the integration of solution reuse, targeted nutrient dosing, and non-disruptive pathogen control could improve environmental performance and economic viability in indoor food production.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70220","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147615149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporal Variation of Nutrient Ratios Within Hydroponic Nutrient Solutions","authors":"Sam P. Bannon,&nbsp;Jens Thomas,&nbsp;Richard J. Webster,&nbsp;Hannah Whitby","doi":"10.1002/fes3.70220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/fes3.70220","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Indoor hydroponic farming enables pesticide-free food production with significantly lower water use than conventional agriculture. However, standard practices often involve frequent replacement of nutrient solutions to manage nutrient imbalances and microbial contamination, generating large volumes of nutrient-rich waste with both environmental and economic costs. We investigated the temporal dynamics of nutrient composition under two contrasting nutrient management strategies, focusing on the impact on cost per yield and sustainability on Red Batavia lettuce production. In Treatment 1, half-strength Hoagland's solution was replaced weekly to maintain an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.0–1.2 mS/cm⁻¹ as per typical industry practice to maintain target nutrient ratios. In Treatment 2, nutrient solution was not replaced, and instead topped up only to maintain sump tank volume, irrespective of EC. Macro and micronutrient concentrations were monitored across both treatments to evaluate EC as a proxy for nutrient availability. While Treatment 1 achieved significantly higher yields (&gt; 20%; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), the cost per gram of fresh and dry weight was substantially higher than in Treatment 2, by 63% and 66%, respectively. Nutrient depletion accelerated at later growth stages, particularly in Treatment 2, suggesting increased uptake efficiency under limited availability. Over both treatments, EC was found to be a poor proxy for actual nutrient changes. These findings highlight a trade-off between yield maximisation and nutrient-use efficiency, emphasising the need for more strategic nutrient management. Our results support the advancement of circular, resource-efficient hydroponic systems aligned with long-term sustainability goals. Specifically, the integration of solution reuse, targeted nutrient dosing, and non-disruptive pathogen control could improve environmental performance and economic viability in indoor food production.</p>","PeriodicalId":54283,"journal":{"name":"Food and Energy Security","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/fes3.70220","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147615067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}