Agricultural Research最新文献

{"title":"Sustainable Eggplant Production Using Vermicompost and Biostimulant: Effects on Growth, Yield and Nutritional Quality","authors":"Hawar Sleman Halshoy","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00967-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00967-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Growing food demand and environmental concerns have intensified interest in sustainable agriculture, which depends on reducing conventional fertilizer use, improving crop varieties, and utilizing natural growth-promoting resources. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of vermicompost (0 and 5 t/ha) and a biostimulant (0, 2, and 4 g/L foliar spray) on plant growth and nutritional quality of eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) by integrating soil amendments with targeted foliar applications. The integration of 5 tons/ha of vermicompost with 2 g/L of biostimulant (F4) was the most effective treatment across most attributes in this study, including leaf chlorophyll content (56.50 SPAD), plant fruit number (23.00), plant fruit weight (2.52 kg), total marketable yield (72.00 ton/ha), pH (4.44), total acidity (0.50 g/100 g), chlorophyll <i>a</i> (2.96 µg/g FW), chlorophyll <i>b</i> (1.33 µg/g FW), carotenoids (0.91 µg/g FW), and saponin (9.20 mg /100 g FW). Followed by vermicompost with 4 g/L of biostimulant (F5) and then by 2 g/L of biostimulant applied alone (F2). These findings demonstrate that combining vermicompost with biostimulants can sustainably improve eggplant growth, yield, and nutritional quality under controlled or semi-controlled conditions, providing a practical strategy for eco-friendly vegetable production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1625 - 1638"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracing India’s Dairy Export Diversification in Asia: Key Drivers and Trends","authors":"Mrinmoy Das,&nbsp;Gunjan Bhandari,&nbsp;Rishita Sen,&nbsp;Biswajit Sen","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00969-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00969-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Export diversification is critical for enhancing trade resilience and long-term competitiveness. This study examines the patterns and determinants of India’s dairy export diversification across Asian markets during 2000–2023. Using product-level trade data for eight major dairy categories (HS 0401–0406, 1702, 3501), export diversification was measured through the Herfindahl Index, while key drivers were analysed using beta regression and the Augmented Inverse Propensity Weighted (AIPW) estimator. The results revealed a gradual but consistent diversification of India’s dairy exports, particularly in East Asia and the Gulf countries, whereas exports to Central and South Asia remained highly concentrated. Econometric evidence suggested that institutional and regional factors played a more decisive role than market size and price effects. In particular, Regional Trade Agreements significantly reduced export concentration, with AIPW estimates indicating a 21.1 per cent improvement in diversification for partner countries. These findings emphasize the need to strategically leverage trade agreements and strengthen domestic supply chains to enhance India’s dairy export competitiveness in Asian markets.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1859 - 1867"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903290","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of Electrode Topology for Electrostatic Pollination: A Finite Element Simulation Approach for Sustainable Agriculture","authors":"P. Athira,&nbsp;D. Dhalin,&nbsp;Dipak S. Khatawkar","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00970-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00970-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Electrostatics forces have substantial effect on natural pollination process, which can be potentially employed for artificial pollination technique. In an electrostatic pollinator, configurations of high-voltage electrostatic electrode significantly impact the electric field strength and its distribution pattern, initiating pollen detachment process. This study investigates the effect of electrode geometries, namely, ring, spherical, cylindrical and conical type electrode, on electric field generation and distribution by finite element analysis using ANSYS Maxwell 2024 R1.1. This paper also evaluates the effect of high voltage applied on the electrode and pollen-electrode distance on electric field. Simulation results demonstrate the intensification of electric field strength with increase in electrode voltage, which is highly dependent on the shape and arrangement of electrode. Ring and cylindrical electrodes generate uniform electric field, with maximum intensity of 1.01 × 10⁶ V·m⁻¹and 5.33 × 10⁶ V·m⁻¹ respectively. But in contrast conical electrodes produce localized high-intensity regions (E_max 1.07 × 10⁶ V·m⁻¹), which may induce corona discharge. Besides, the spherical electrode produces symmetrically distributed electric field due to uniform surface charge distribution. Conversely, reduction in the pollen-electrode distance resulted in a stronger electric field. Ring electrode offers relatively uniform and high electric fields suitable for broad-area electrostatic pollination, while spherical electrode provide lower, more localized fields advantageous for targeted applications. The findings highlights the pivotal role of electrode topology in enhancing electrostatic applications such as artificial pollination, controlled droplet delivery and particle collection, with broader implications for environmental sustainability and global food security.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1953 - 1968"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identification of Heat-Tolerant Impatiens platypetala Genotypes: Morphological Responses and Stress Tolerance Indices Under Elevated Temperatures","authors":"Suskandari Kartikaningrum,&nbsp;Minangsari Dewanti,&nbsp;Safani Ariyantika,&nbsp;Dani Nurdina,&nbsp;Herni Shintiavira,&nbsp;Dewi Pramanik,&nbsp;Fitri Rachmawati,&nbsp; Mawaddah,&nbsp;Dedeh Siti Badriah,&nbsp;Erniawati Diningsih,&nbsp; Hanudin,&nbsp;Wakiah Nuryani,&nbsp;Donald Sihombing,&nbsp;Wahyu Handayati,&nbsp;Rudy Soehendi,&nbsp;Nanda Utami,&nbsp;Muhammad Prama Yufdy","doi":"10.1007/s40003-025-00939-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-025-00939-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aimed to identify <i>I. platypetala</i> (balsam plant) genotypes with superior heat tolerance traits and to explore how temperature affects plant morphology. The research compared ten <i>I. platypetala</i> genotypes under heat stress and normal conditions. Measurements were taken during the vegetative and generative stages and at the end of the observation period. Results revealed significant genotype-specific responses to temperature, with genotype-by-temperature interactions. Some genotypes exhibited superior plant height, leaf number, and flower production traits. However, under heat stress, many traits generally declined, including plant height (by 24–38%) and flower number (by 31–45%), while others, such as leaf length and width, increased slightly (by 8–15%). We found the darker colors in leaves, stems, and flowers under heat stress compared to control conditions. We also calculated heat tolerance indices. The correlation and biplot analyses found that heat tolerance (<i>TOL</i>) often indicates susceptibility, while the stress tolerance index (<i>STI</i>), mean productivity (<i>MP</i>), and the geometric mean of productivity (<i>GMP</i>) reflect stress tolerance and yield performance under stress. <i>STI</i>,<i> MP</i>, and <i>GMP</i> showed strong positive correlations with both yield potential and yield under stress (<i>r</i> = 0.76–0.91) and were the most effective tools for selecting heat-stress-tolerant plants among our <i>I. platypetala</i> genotypes. The identified specific genotypes with high <i>STI</i> (0.82–0.89), <i>MP</i> (0.75–0.83), and <i>GMP</i> (0.77–0.85), along with low <i>TOL</i> value, such as 22.04.16 and 22.04.08, exhibit resilience and robust performance under heat stress.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 2","pages":"797 - 807"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148299871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Does Mechanization Improve Net Farm Income? Evidence from Household Survey in Eastern India","authors":"Soumya Mohapatra,&nbsp;Anjani Kumar,&nbsp;Sonali Katoch","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00960-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00960-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper seeks to address the impact of farm mechanization on the net farm income level of the farmers of Eastern India. This study uses the survey data of 2638 farming households from the Eastern Indian states namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. To assess the impact of machinery adoption on the outcome variable, the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method was employed and the probit model estimates revealed that crop diversification, access to credit, Govt. support, and market and extension facilities have positive and significant effects on the adoption of machines. The extent of mechanization was highest in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar. The kernel matching and nearest neighbour matching estimates reveal that the adoption of machinery has increased net farm income by 18, 12 and 30 percent in the case of rotavators, threshers and motor pumps, respectively. Overall, the net farm income of the adopters increased by almost 20 percent compared to the non-adopters. Given these significant positive impacts of mechanization, it necessitates a multi-stakeholder approach linking the Government, research, education and extension facilities to deepen the design and demonstration of low-cost and scale-appropriate agricultural equipment.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"2014 - 2027"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Phytochemical Profiling and Optimized in Vitro Propagation of Mango Ginger (Curcuma amada): Implications for Conservation and Commercial Utilization","authors":"Rakhi Biswal,&nbsp;Kailash Chandra Samal,&nbsp;Laxmipreeya Behera,&nbsp;Ashok Mishra,&nbsp;Parshuram Sial,&nbsp;Raghabananda Nayak,&nbsp;Jyoti Prakash Sahoo,&nbsp;Jannila Praveena","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00956-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00956-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"2028 - 2030"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consumer Perception Assessment of Leather Developed Using Discarded Fish Skins","authors":"Shubham Soni,&nbsp;Arpita Sharma,&nbsp;K. A. Martin Xavier","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00958-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00958-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The practice of transforming fish skins into leather has been in existence and documented; however, recently gained momentum by using fish skin waste. The demand for aquatic foods is on the rise and is expected to grow more. This growth is directly linked to the increasing fish waste across the globe. Notably, fish skins, comprising 3–10% of fish body weight, are often discarded and contribute to this fish waste. ICAR-CIFE has developed a Novel Fish Skin Leather using discarded fish skin waste of snakehead. This leather was tested and met quality standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards for leather products, including watch straps and bookbinders. The objective of this study was to evaluate consumer perceptions of this leather among various stakeholder groups, which included leather professionals, textile designers, leather crafts persons, leather consumers, and fisheries professionals. Adopting the standard protocols, the sensory evaluation was assessed for visual, olfactory, auditory, and tactile attributes. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in means among the groups. All sensory attributes had an overall score of 0.89 ± 0.10, which is a very high acceptance score. The tactile attributes had a very high acceptance score (0.92 ± 0.10), followed by olfactory (0.89 ± 0.08), visual (0.87 ± 0.14), and auditory (0.86 ± 0.10) attributes. ANOVA revealed no significant difference existed between the consumer groups (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). The leather developed from discarded fish skins holds significant promise as a sustainable alternative in the leather and textile industries. The positive consumer perceptions underscore its potential to contribute to the circular economy, achieve sustainable development goals, and reduce fish waste. Collaboration between the fisheries sector and fashion design industries can further promote the adoption of this leather.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1916 - 1925"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applications of Indigenous Farming Practices and Methods for Food Security Among Rural Communities in Southern Africa: A Review","authors":"Thembeni A. Khumalo,&nbsp;James L. Mwinga,&nbsp;Sonja L. Venter,&nbsp;Stephen O. Amoo,&nbsp;Adeyemi O. Aremu,&nbsp;John A. Asong","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00955-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00955-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The world is faced with an alarming food insecurity challenge. Although various strategies associated with conventional farming are currently available to enhance food security, many people still suffer from food insecurity especially in rural communities. This review explored the role of indigenous farming practices in combating food insecurity. We explored empirical data involving indigenous land management in agriculture, soil fertilisation, planting methods, and control of pests and diseases in southern Africa. Various databases were consulted using search engines, covering data from 2010 till 2023. The literature search yielded 15 eligible studies that covered countries in southern Africa except Mozambique and Eswatini. The four land management practices identified were fallowing, shifting cultivation, zero tillage, and minimum tillage. Four materials, namely farmyard/manure, grass/crop residue, ash, and mound from termites were used by indigenous farmers in southern Africa to increase soil fertility. Five crop production cultural practices including relay planting, intercropping, crop rotation, early planting and agroforestry were identified from the eligible studies. A total of 62 plant species were documented for protecting crops from pests and diseases by local farmers. The top three mentioned plant species were <i>Allium cepa</i>, <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, and <i>Tagetes minuta</i>, each of them having a frequency of five (5). This review re-emphasizes the longstanding interactions between local farmers and the environment rooted in the need for sustainably managing natural resources for crop production geared towards food security.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1509 - 1521"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40003-026-00955-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903366","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":"CO2 Fertilization and Cowpea Yield Loss Under Future Climate Scenarios","authors":"Prasanna G. Kelageri,&nbsp;M. A. Sarath Chandran,&nbsp;V. Visha Kumari,&nbsp;K. A. Gopinath,&nbsp;V. K. Singh,&nbsp;V. Girija Veni,&nbsp;Subrata Bag,&nbsp;B. Sunita","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00962-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00962-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Cowpea is a drought-tolerant legume which contributes to rainfed agriculture by improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and providing a reliable source of protein during dry seasons. A study was conducted using the DSSAT–CROPGRO–Cowpea model to assess the potential impacts of climate change on cowpea growth and yield under rainfed conditions. The model was calibrated and validated using field experiments. The study compared baseline climatic conditions (1980–2010) with projected future scenarios (during mid-century and end-century) using the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission pathways derived from an ensemble of 30 general circulation models. Results indicate that cowpea yields are expected to decline by 15% under end-century (RCP 8.5) if CO₂ fertilization is not considered. However, an increase in cowpea biomass (23% and 58%) and yield (4.2% and 32%) during the end century under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios was observed when CO₂ fertilization is considered. The study showed the delay in different phenological stages, which was mainly due to the increased vegetative phase. The study suggests that while climate change presents significant risks to cowpea production, the benefits of increased atmospheric CO₂ may offset yield losses in certain scenarios.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1881 - 1891"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activities in Cocoa Shells and Cotyledons during Fermentation in some Expanded Cameroonian Cocoa Clones","authors":"Jos Victor Evina Eyamo,&nbsp;Ivant Wabo Kuatse,&nbsp;Stéphanie Astride Mouafi Djabou,&nbsp;Rodrigue Pouengue Boutchouang,&nbsp;Franklin Tounkam Ketchiemo,&nbsp;Beaulys Fotso,&nbsp;Nicolas Niemenak","doi":"10.1007/s40003-026-00959-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40003-026-00959-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The cocoa fermentation process induces considerable modifications in cotyledons as well as in the shells. This study highlights the simultaneous evolution of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities in cotyledons and cocoa shells (Csh) from eleven cocoa clones of the Cameroonian cocoa farm during fermentation. The agronomic traits of clones were studied, and total phenols, flavonoids (Fvs), non-flavonoids (nFvs) and anthocyanins were analysed as well as ABTS and EC₅₀ (DPPH). The agronomic traits revealed a positive, significant and strong correlation between whole cocoa beans and Cocoa shell weights in unfermented (0.712*) and fermented (0.871**) status. The fermentation induced a significant reduction in phenolic compounds content and anthocyanins in cotyledons up to -60% (T79/467; ICS40) and − 95% (German cocoa), respectively. Meanwhile, in cocoa shells ICS40, UPA143, SNK6 and SNK19 and TIKO31 clones doubled their content, particularly the flavonoid fraction up to 2.29 and 2.42 fold for T79/467 and UPA134 respectively. However, no anthocyanin was found. After fermentation, the phenolic compounds content ratio between cotyledons and cocoa shells decreased by approximately 36% (30.48 to 19.5). In addition, the antioxidant capacity of the fermented cocoa shells increased up to 10.89 times higher (German cocoa) for the ABTS assay and 4.21 times higher for EC₅₀ (UPA143). PCA clustering of the samples according to the fermentation status and agronomic characteristics of clones revealed that ABTS and EC₅₀ parameters are highly correlated. Also, the clusters formed revealed a differential enrichment pattern in the fermented cocoa shells of the studied clones. Thus, fermented cocoa shells from Cameroonian farms could be considered as valuable sources of bioactive compounds.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7553,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Research","volume":"15 3","pages":"1664 - 1677"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2026-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148903596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}