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        <title>Frontiers in Agronomy | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/agronomy</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Agronomy | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-04-11T20:41:48.354+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1797361</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1797361</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Integrating phenological time-series and machine learning for remote sensing crop classification: a case study in the Hetao Plain, China]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-10T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yincong Xing</author><author>Yanzhong Li</author><author>Kang Liang</author><author>Jing Tian</author><author>Peng Bai</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To address the challenges of crop classification in China’s smallholder farming systems—characterized by complex cropping patterns and high spectral similarity—this study proposes a classification method based on remote sensing technology combined with phenological monitoring. Using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, the method integrates long-term Landsat satellite imagery with phenological feature analysis. Initial training samples are extracted using NDVI time-series decision rules, followed by spatial filtering to enhance sample quality. A random forest model is then applied to achieve high-accuracy crop classification. Taking the Hetao Plain as a case study, we generated 30-meter resolution crop classification maps (wheat, maize, sunflower, and vegetables) for the period 2000–2024. Validation with field survey points shows an overall accuracy exceeding 90% and a Kappa coefficient greater than 0.88, confirming the approach’s effectiveness. Spatiotemporal analysis reveals a shift in cropping structure toward higher-value crops over the past 25 year, with a significant decline in wheat acreage and continuous expansion of maize and sunflower cultivation. By effectively integrating phenological time-series information with machine learning, this study provides a robust solution for crop classification in complex agricultural landscapes, supporting sustainable agricultural and water resource management.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1752201</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1752201</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Potential use of treated wastewater for sustainable management of durum wheat under water-scarce environments]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Noemi Tortorici</author><author>Antonio Giovino</author><author>Carmelo Mosca</author><author>Mauro Sarno</author><author>Teresa Tuttolomondo</author><author>Nicolò Iacuzzi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Water scarcity increasingly threatens agricultural sustainability, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Treated wastewater (TWW) represents a promising non-conventional water resource for irrigation, offering economic and environmental benefits while contributing to freshwater conservation. Despite concerns over anthropogenic contaminants, its physiological effects on key crops such as durum wheat remain underexplored. In this study, durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) was irrigated with TWW or freshwater (FW) and subjected to four levels of water stress (100%, 70%, 50%, and 30% of full irrigation), with or without the addition of a microbial consortium, to assess growth, physiological traits, and stress adaptation mechanisms. Overall, TWW produced vegetative, physiological, and productive performances comparable to or slightly higher than FW, without evidence of phytotoxicity. The microbial consortium showed variable effects, including occasional negative interactions under severe water deficit, highlighting the importance of soil–plant–microbe interactions and local pedo-climatic conditions. Controlled water stress reduced yield even at moderate levels, although gas exchange data indicate that moderate deficit irrigation (70%) could be physiologically tolerated, but did not translate into higher yield under pot conditions. These findings support the potential use of TWW for durum wheat cultivation under water-limited conditions and provide new insights into plant physiological responses under combined irrigation and microbial treatments. Further studies should evaluate these effects across multiple seasons and in open-field conditions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1781888</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1781888</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Integration of mulch and liquid fertilizer improves productivity and quality of strawberries in the north-western Himalayas, India]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Avinash Chandra Rathore</author><author>Anand Kumar Gupta</author><author>Harsh Mehta</author><author>Charan Singh</author><author>Pawan Kumar</author><author>J. Jayaprakash</author><author>Lekh Chand</author><author>Dinesh Jinger</author><author>Tanushree Sahoo</author><author>Shreya Nivesh</author><author>R. B. Meena</author><author>Vijay Kumar Doharey</author><author>M. Muruganandam</author><author>M. Madhu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[India produces approximately 19.84 thousand metric tons of strawberries from 3.03 thousand hectares, but this amount needs to be increased to meet the growing demand. The USA (65.0 t ha−1) and India (6.55 t ha−1) exhibit very different levels of strawberry productivity. The average global productivity, however, is 23.37 t ha−1, which can be improved through the integration of multiple technologies, such as mulching, farmyard manures, and liquid fertilizers containing macro- and micronutrients. Therefore, the present study was conducted on strawberries (cv. Chandler, Camarosa, and Winter Dawn) with varying mulch and liquid fertilizer levels during 2019–2022 to improve strawberry productivity and quality. The experiment included 36 treatments (fertilizers with four levels, mulches with three levels, and cultivars with three levels), replicated three times and arranged in a split–split plot design (SSPD). The results demonstrated positive correlations among most traits under investigation, except for acidity, which was negatively correlated with fruit yield. Principal component analysis revealed a total variability of 85.5% among genotypes, contributed by PC-1 (77.2%) and PC-2 (8.3%). The Chandler variety with polythene + paddy straw mulch and liquid fertilizer level 1, exhibited the highest levels of vegetative growth, fruit output, fruit quality, and dry biomass. Therefore, to maximize net yield in strawberries, the use of liquid fertilizers supplying macro- and micronutrients in combination with polythene + paddy straw mulch on raised beds proved both effective and profitable.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1765116</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1765116</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Long-term manurial endowment on soil culturable bacterial dynamics, biological properties, and productivity of cabbage in acid Inceptisols]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Manisha Panigrahy</author><author>Narayan Panda</author><author>Sarmistha Priyadarshini</author><author>Akhilesh Kumar Gupta</author><author>Anshuman Nayak</author><author>Kshitipati Padhan</author><author>Shraddha Mohanty</author><author>Munmun Dash</author><author>Sanjib Kumar Sahoo</author><author>Hrusikesh Patro</author><author>Debadatta Sethi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionSoil culturable bacterial population dynamics is crucial for soil health which suffers due to overexploitation and other unsustainable practices. Long-term manurial endowments are becoming more common as a component of regenerative agriculture linked to crop productivity.MethodsThe present study was undertaken to give an insight into regenerative agriculture. A total of 10 manurial practices formulated with integrating soil test-based inorganic fertilizers (STD), farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost (VC), consortia biofertilizers (BFs), lime (L), organic I, and organic II were evaluated.ResultsThe integrated treatments T8 (STD + VC at 2.5 t ha−1 + BFs + L) significantly enhanced the diversity of beneficial bacterial genera such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Azospirillum, and Alcaligenes. Biological activities like soil enzyme activities (urease and dehydrogenase), microbial biomass carbon, and nitrogen were synergistically proliferated in T8 (STD + VC at 2.5 t ha−1 + BFs + L). After long-term utilization of STD + VC at 2.5 t ha−1 + BFs + L (T8) MBC, MBN, and DHA were enhanced by 36%, 85%, and 12% over soil test doses of the fertilizer application package. Physiological plant traits, leading to the highest cabbage yield (22 t ha−1), head circumference (42.53 cm), and total chlorophyll content (2.11 mg g−1), demonstrated strong interdependence between microbial health and plant performance. Combining bio-inoculants and liming techniques increased the economic yield of cabbage by 13%-21% at P = 0.05 over control. The antibiotic sensitivity profiling reflected adaptive responses by long-term manurial endowment on soil ecological dynamics. Multivariate analyses, including PCA, regression, and path modelling, confirmed the pivotal role of culturable soil bacterial population dynamics for optimizing both microbial functions and cabbage productivity.ConclusionThe study underscores the importance of integrating inorganics, organics, bio-inoculants, and strategic chemical amendments for a regenerative agriculture in acid Inceptisols.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1737831</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1737831</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi as a promising strategy to enhance root architecture in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars under salinity stress]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Neda Zavarshani</author><author>Mansour Taghvaei</author><author>Mehdi Zarei</author><author>Beata Dedicova</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Abiotic stress from salinity poses a significant challenge for crop plants, significantly impairing their growth. This study included three experiments: the first focused on evaluating the germination parameters of four durum wheat varieties under various salinity levels. The treatments involved four varieties (Shabrang, Taban, and lines D-98–8 and D-98-10) tested with NaCl solutions at nine salinity levels (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 18, and 20 dS/m). The second experiment assessed seed cell membrane permeability to differentiate between salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant cultivars. The third examined the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in enhancing salt tolerance in both cultivars. The same four durum wheat varieties were used in the second experiment. The third experiment involved two durum wheat varieties (the salt-tolerant Shabrang and the salt-sensitive D-98-8), nine NaCl salinity levels, and inoculation with the fungus Funneliformis mosseae. Results from the first experiment showed that salinity stress reduced germination parameters across all cultivars, with a greater decline in the D-98–8 line. Additionally, the seed electrical conductivity test from the second experiment indicated that salinity tolerance in durum wheat was linked to lower cell membrane permeability. The Shabrang cultivar demonstrated the lowest permeability and leakage, while D-98–8 exhibited the highest. Therefore, both experiments identified Shabrang as salinity-tolerant and D-98–8 as salinity-sensitive. The third experiment showed that introducing mycorrhizal fungi increased root phosphate levels and improved root structure under saline conditions, with more pronounced effects in the salinity-tolerant cultivar.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1822224</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1822224</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Performance of industrial hemp cultivars across U.S. Midwestern environments: evidence from multi-location trials in Missouri]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Sakina Haruna Mahdi</author><author>Joshua Yeboah Asiamah</author><author>Kusum Raj Tamang</author><author>Prabesh Koirala</author><author>Clement Akotsen-Mensah</author><author>Christian B. Carson</author><author>Emily Anne Reed</author><author>Kudiabor Kofi Ntsunyo</author><author>Swastika Sharma</author><author>Shreesha Padyana</author><author>Jaimin S. Patel</author><author>Babu Valliyodan</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1764002</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1764002</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Hybrid LSTM-edge correction architecture for physics-informed crop health monitoring in distributed agricultural robotics]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-31T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Rongchuan Yu</author><author>Yongsheng Xie</author><author>Rifeng Wang</author><author>Wenxin Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Agricultural robotics-enabled crop health monitoring faces critical trade-offs: standalone on-device models sacrifice accuracy for real-time responsiveness, while cloud-dependent approaches suffer from high latency and communication overhead. Additionally, data-driven models often lack biophysical plausibility, leading to unreliable predictions for agronomic decision-making under resource constraints. We propose a hybrid LSTM-edge correction architecture that hierarchically integrates lightweight Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks on field robots with physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) at the edge. On-device LSTMs process localized sensor data (soil moisture, spectral reflectance) to generate initial crop stress probability estimates with minimal latency. Edge-based PINNs refine these predictions by embedding biophysical dynamics—modeled via coupled partial differential equations (PDEs) governing the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC)—to ensure agronomic validity, mitigate sensor noise, and account for spatial variability. The framework is deployed on NVIDIA Jetson Nano (local inference) and AMD EPYC servers (edge processing), seamlessly integrating with existing farming infrastructures to replace rule-based thresholds with adaptive, physics-grounded control commands. A Fourier Neural Operator (FNO) optimizes the edge PINN’s computational efficiency for high-dimensional PDE solving. Experimental evaluations on two real-world datasets (soybean and citrus) demonstrate that the hybrid approach improves prediction accuracy by 18% compared to standalone LSTMs (F1-score: 0.89±0.02 for soybean, 0.83±0.03 for citrus) while maintaining real-time performance (end-to-end latency: 210 ms, energy consumption: 5.1 J/prediction). Field deployment on a 50-hectare soybean farm yields tangible agronomic benefits: 22% reduction in irrigation water usage, 18% fewer pesticide applications, and 95% system uptime under field conditions. The framework exhibits robust performance against sensor noise (≥80% accuracy at 30% noise-to-signal ratio) and outperforms cloud-based PINNs (72.8% lower energy consumption) and threshold-based methods (28–33% higher F1-score). This work advances distributed agricultural robotics by bridging data-driven machine learning and domain-specific physics, delivering a scalable, interpretable, and resource-efficient solution for precision agriculture. The hierarchical prediction-correction pipeline balances real-time responsiveness with biological plausibility, making it suitable for resource-constrained field robots. By integrating legacy sensors and adaptive actuation control, the architecture offers a practical pathway to upgrade existing farming systems, enabling data-informed interventions while reducing environmental impact.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1739828</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1739828</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Unveiling the legacy of traditional agroforestry systems and their role in enriching soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the Chhattisgarh Plain Region]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Risikesh Thakur</author><author>Somanath Sarvade</author><author>Atul Kumar Shrivastava</author><author>Surendra Kumar Rai</author><author>Naresh Kumar Bisen</author><author>Shailendra Bhalawe</author><author>Ajay Singh Lodhi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionA field study was undertaken during 2021–22 in a three-village cluster located within the Chhattisgarh Plain Agro-Climatic Zone of Madhya Pradesh to evaluate the influence of traditional agroforestry systems on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) reserves. The study examined how diverse land-use systems contribute to soil quality enhancement through carbon and nitrogen dynamics. However, a clear research gap exists in the region-specific quantification of SOC and nitrogen stocks under traditional, farmer-managed agroforestry systems in this agro-climatic zone. Most earlier studies have focused on mono-cropping or generalized agroforestry models, with limited landscape-level comparisons. The novelty of this study lies in its site-specific, comparative assessment of carbon-nitrogen dynamics across traditional agroforestry systems, generating empirical evidence from a relatively underexplored region and highlighting their role in soil fertility improvement and climate-resilient land management.MethodsEight land-use systems were assessed, namely Agri-silviculture (AS), Agri-horticulture (AH), Agri-horti-silviculture (AHS), Silvi-pasture (SP), Agri-silvi-pasture (ASP), Agri-horti-pasture (AHP), Home gardens (HG), and Cultivated land (CL). Soil samples were collected and analyzed for bulk density (BD), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), carbon and nitrogen stocks, and microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (SMBC and SMBN). Data were subjected to statistical analysis, including one-way ANOVA for significance testing (P ≤ 0.05) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify major sources of variation among systems.ResultsHome gardens consistently demonstrated superior soil quality compared to other land-use systems, characterized by lower bulk density and markedly higher soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), carbon and nitrogen stocks, and microbial biomass (SMBC and SMBN). In contrast, cultivated land exhibited greater soil compaction and comparatively reduced carbon, nitrogen, and microbial biomass levels. All soil parameters differed significantly among the land-use systems (P ≤ 0.05), indicating strong land-use influence on soil properties. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the first two components together explained 75.71% of the total variation, with PC1 alone accounting for the majority share (65.14%), highlighting that carbon-nitrogen dynamics and microbial attributes were the dominant factors differentiating the systems.ConclusionThe study demonstrates that traditional agroforestry systems, particularly home gardens and silvi-pasture, play a crucial role in enhancing soil organic carbon, nitrogen reserves, and microbial biomass compared to cultivated lands. The presence of perennial vegetation and diverse plant components contributes to improved soil structure, fertility, and biological activity. These results emphasize the ecological and agronomic benefits of integrating agroforestry practices for sustaining soil health and ensuring long-term productivity in the Chhattisgarh Plain Agro-Climatic Zone.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1789426</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1789426</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Can ligneous residues be recycled for weed control?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Mario Fontana</author><author>Luca Bragazza</author><author>Saïd Elfouki</author><author>Sandie Masson</author><author>Aurélie Gfeller</author><author>Pascal Boivin</author><author>Ophélie Sauzet</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The use of pesticides in agriculture causes problems for human health and the environment, so that alternative solutions for weed control are urgently requested. In this study we test the possibility to recycle composted wood and white fir bark as biopesticide at three different experimentation scales: (i) in Petri dish, hot water extracts of the ligneous residues were used for a germination test with rapeseed and winter wheat seeds; (ii) in greenhouse pots, two successive cycles of rapeseed sowings were carried out with an equivalent of 300 m³ ha-¹ and 600 m³ ha-¹ of ligneous residues so to assess the effect on crop seedling biomass; (iii) in a field experiment, 300 m3 ha-1 of ligneous residues were spread as mulch or incorporated into the soil just before the sowing of rapeseed in 2022 without any herbicide application. We observed that fresh bark extract prevented winter wheat and rapeseed germination, while extracts of decomposed bark and composted wood did not affect crop seed germination. In the greenhouse experiment, the biomass of rapeseed seedlings was lower with ligneous residues compared to the control, particularly with bark. In the field, only the bark had a negative effect on the number of emerging weeds during the autumn 2022, while no difference in weed biomass was observed between treatments in the following spring 2023. Overall, the 3-cm thick mulch alone was not sufficient to control the weed biomass in the field but seems promising as part of an integrated weed management strategy.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1786627</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1786627</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Short-term soil, growth and yield responses to Lablab intercropped with maize and sorghum in dryland agroecological zone of Tanzania]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Leonard R. Ndibalema</author><author>Edmond Alavaisha</author><author>Mkabwa L. K. Manoko</author><author>Charles O. Joseph</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions of Tanzania face multiple challenges, including erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and soil degradation, which threaten both crop yields and food security. Cereal-legume intercropping has been proposed as a sustainable strategy to enhance soil health, nutrient availability, and productivity under these conditions. This study evaluated the potential of intercropping maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) with three legumes Lablab purpureus, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) at TARI Makutupora, Dodoma, Tanzania. A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to assess effects on soil physical and chemical properties, microbial abundance, and crop performance. Intercropping systems significantly improved soil nitrogen (up to 0.17%), microbial populations (up to 4.8 × 105 CFU g−1), and soil moisture (up to 14%) compared with sole cereal crops. Path analysis indicated that soil moisture (β = 0.419) and nitrogen (β = 0.345) were the most influential factors for productivity. Among legumes, Lablab-based intercrops consistently enhanced soil fertility and crop yield, achieving land equivalent ratios above 1.5 and outperforming other legume intercrops. These findings demonstrate that cereal-legume intercropping, particularly with Lablab, can revitalize semi-arid soils, improve water and nutrient use efficiency, and enhance food security. This approach provides a scalable, climate-resilient strategy for sustainable intensification in Tanzania’s drylands.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1808128</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1808128</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Quantifying consumptive water footprints of soybean in rainfed and irrigated systems under climate change scenarios]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Wilfredo Barrera</author><author>Francesco Morbidini</author><author>Carmelo Maucieri</author><author>Maria Giordano</author><author>Tjaša Pogačar</author><author>Marko Flajšman</author><author>Graziano Ghinassi</author><author>Leonardo Verdi</author><author>Roberto Ferrise</author><author>Anna Dalla Marta</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1724331</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1724331</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Have we given up on IPM? Lessons from the Nordic cereal frontier - a critical review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Opinion</category>
        <author>Salim Bourras</author><author>Miguel Ángel Corrales Gutiérrez</author><author>Jiasui Zhan</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1770272</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1770272</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Plumbagin elicits evidence of apoptosis-like cell death and inhibits conidial germination and mycelial growth in ginger rot isolate Fusarium strain GI-FS1]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Suja Subhash</author><author>Bhoomi Thampy</author><author>Abhijith Shibu</author><author>Khaderbad Yasaswi</author><author>Ashwin Nambiar</author><author>Nidhin Thambi</author><author>Sreelekshmi Sreekumar</author><author>Arya Ramachandran</author><author>Muhammed Ashil</author><author>Akshay Nair</author><author>Pradeesh Babu</author><author>Anu Melge</author><author>Sanjay Pal</author><author>Bipin Nair</author><author>Chinchu Bose</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an economically important spice crop widely cultivated for its culinary and medicinal values. However, its productivity is severely constrained by soft rot disease, causing substantial yield losses, quality, and persistent challenges in ginger cultivation. In this study, the major pathogenic fungus GI-FS1 was isolated from Z. officinale with typical symptoms and was identified as Fusarium species through morphological and molecular identification. The antifungal potential of plumbagin, a plant-derived naphthoquinone from Plumbago rosea, noted for antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, was evaluated against GI-FS1. Plumbagin treatment significantly inhibited conidial germination and mycelial growth with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) values of 10 µg/mL and 15 µg/mL, respectively. Conidial germination assays, microscopy, onion peel epidermis penetration confirmed inhibition, as plumbagin-treated spores failed to germinate and penetrate epidermis. 4’,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining showed chromatin condensation and Acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) revealed membrane disruption, coupled with 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) detected Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, signifying oxidative stress-induced cell death by plumbagin. Elevated electrolyte leakage and DNA fragmentation supported apoptosis-like mechanisms underlying fungal growth inhibition; however, further studies on apoptotic factor gene expression are required to confirm this mechanism. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed spore shrinkage and thinner, collapsed, rough mycelia, indicating loss of cell integrity on treatment with plumbagin. Overall, these findings provide the first report on the targeted mechanisms of plumbagin in inhibiting Fusarium conidial germination and inducing apoptotic-like cell death. By disrupting fungal viability through oxidative stress and apoptosis-related pathways, the study highlights plumbagin’s potential as a natural antifungal agent for the sustainable management of soft rot disease in ginger.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1798195</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1798195</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Functional nanoparticles enhance wheat resilience to nickel toxicity through morpho-physiological, antioxidant, and agronomic modulation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Amjid Khan</author><author>Muhammad Anas</author><author>Dilawar Hassan</author><author>Tauqeer Ahmed Qadri</author><author>Rashid Abbas Khan</author><author>Bushra Ashiq</author><author>Ayesha Sani</author><author>Malik Maaza</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionNickel (Ni) contamination poses a serious threat to crop productivity by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting physiological and metabolic processes. This study explores green nanotechnology as a sustainable strategy for mitigating heavy metal stress to support climate-resilient agriculture (SDG 13).MethodsWe evaluated the efficacy of Withania coagulans–mediated, green-synthesized silver (Ag), copper oxide (CuO), and CuO-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) in alleviating Ni-induced stress in two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars: SKD-1 and Borlaug-16. NPs were applied at 250 ppm via seed priming and foliar spraying.ResultsNPs treatments significantly improved photosynthetic performance; total chlorophyll reached 36.9 µg/g FW in SKD-1 and 21.1 µg/g FW in Borlaug-16. Antioxidant defense was reinforced, with superoxide dismutase activities up to 37 U/g FW and catalase activities up to 0.8 U/g FW, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content reduced to 1.3 µmol/g FW. Ni translocation was restricted via root sequestration, limiting grain accumulation to 0.2 mg/kg. Agronomic performance improved, with spike lengths of 12.4 cm, biological yields of 2.4 g/plant, and grain yields of 1.0 g/plant. Furthermore, phytochemical enrichment was observed, with total phenolics at 51.4 mg GAE/g DW and total flavonoids at 448.8 mg QE/g DW.DiscussionCuO-Ag bimetallic NPs were the most effective in enhancing wheat resilience by limiting Ni translocation and sustaining yield. Future research should prioritize optimizing delivery strategies, elucidating molecular mechanisms of NP-mediated gene expression, and evaluating the scalability of these materials in diverse field-scale environments.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1760693</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1760693</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Converging technologies for next-generation plant protection: an integrated framework for fungal disease management]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Mojtaba Keykhasaber</author><author>Georgios Tzelepis</author><author>Vahideh Rafiei</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Contemporary agriculture is facing an escalating crisis caused by fungal pathogens. Soil-borne and vascular fungi, such as Verticillium and Fusarium species, are becoming more destructive under climate change, which alters pathogen ranges and virulence. Meanwhile, overreliance on broad-spectrum fungicides accelerates resistance evolution and imposes untenable environmental costs. This review critically synthesizes cross-disciplinary innovations and proposes an integrated framework for next-generation fungal disease management. Unlike analyses that treat technological advances in isolation, we adopt a convergence-driven perspective to construct a systems-level roadmap. We examine the synergistic roles of four interconnected domains: omics technologies and bioinformatics for decoding pathogen virulence and host resistance mechanisms, advanced biotechnologies (including CRISPR for genome editing and RNA interference (RNAi) for sequence-specific silencing), nanotechnology (enabling the stabilization, targeted delivery, and controlled release of bioactive agents), and artificial intelligence (AI) and digital agriculture (encompassing UAV-based remote sensing, predictive modeling, and automated decision-support systems). This review’s core establishes how integrating these fields creates a responsive, closed-loop defense architecture. We detail how omics-driven discovery informs CRISPR and RNAi targets, how nanocarriers translate these molecular tools into field-deployable interventions, and how AI-powered sensing guides their precise spatial and temporal deployment. This paradigm shift moves plant protection from reactive, calendar-based spraying to proactive, site-specific management. However, we also rigorously address the economic, regulatory, and societal barriers, including fragmented policies for edited crops and nano-agrochemicals and public acceptance concerns, which hinder large-scale implementation. By bridging the gap between molecular discovery and practical field application, this review articulates a transformative vision in which data-driven, targeted interventions enhance agricultural resilience, reduce ecological footprints, and safeguard global food security against mounting pressure from evolving fungal threats.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1755662</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1755662</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Natural farming as a sustainable agricultural approach enhances soil health and microbial diversity in wheat cultivation: a metagenomic perspective]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kartik Gajjar</author><author>Mahendra Chaudhary</author><author>Sweta Patel</author><author>Nandini Vasa</author><author>Rajiv Maniyar</author><author>Dhanvanti Agrawal</author><author>C. K. Patel</author><author>Doongar Chaudhary</author><author>Chaitanya Joshi</author><author>Madhvi Joshi</author><author>Darshan Dharajiya</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Natural Farming System (NFS) is an eco-friendly agricultural approach that avoids chemical inputs and promotes sustainability by utilizing locally available on-farm resources. Farmers are increasingly adopting NFS, but its scientific validation remains limited due to inadequate comparative studies with the Conventional Farming System (CFS). This study compared nine NFS treatments with a CFS control in wheat cultivation to assess impacts on soil microbial diversity, nutrient status, enzyme activities, and yield. Different NFS treatments showed significant improvements in soil health, including higher organic carbon, available nitrogen, and potassium (up to 2.47-, 1.30-, and 1.54-fold, respectively) along with enhanced microbial enzyme activities (1.35 to 2.49-fold) compared to CFS. 16S rRNA amplicon metagenomics revealed richer microbial diversity in NFS, with enrichment of beneficial bacterial genera such as Microvirga, Gp6, and Rhizobium, while ITS data indicated higher abundance of Humicola, Amesia, and Chaetomium in NFS, suggesting improved nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition. Co-occurrence networks in NFS showed more positive correlation (bacteria: 75.3% and fungi: 72.8%) than CFS (bacteria: 59.0% and fungi: 53.6%). Moreover, NFS achieved comparable yields (grain: up to 3807 kg/ha; straw: up to 6650 kg/ha) and Benefit-Cost Ratio (up to 4.0, under condition when farmer owns a cow) compared to CFS (grain: 4088 kg/ha; straw: 4451 kg/ha; BCR: 3.5). NFS treatments with groundnut haulm mulch (>5.0 t/ha) and Ghanjeevamrit (>1.0 t/ha) performed better, highlighting their potential as sustainable alternative for wheat cultivation. In contrast, under non-livestock scenarios, NFS was economically less favorable than CFS. Further long-term evaluation of NFS treatments across soil types and agroclimatic zones will strengthen and deepen the understanding of its effects on wheat cultivation.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1761663</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1761663</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Water use of interseeded cover crops in rainfed maize–soybean rotations in the Northern U.S.]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shuhui Liu</author><author>Hannah L. Rusch</author><author>Gregg A. Johnson</author><author>Jeffrey S. Strock</author><author>Lizabeth Stahl</author><author>Axel Garcia y Garcia</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionCover crop adoption in U.S. crop rotations is steadily increasing. In the upper Midwest, where the conventional maize (Zea mays L.)–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation is mostly rainfed, there is legitimate concern that cover crops may affect available soil water and the establishment of the subsequent main crop.MethodsA study was conducted to evaluate 1) the effect of interseeded cover crops on soil moisture at seeding and termination, and subsequent maize and soybean yields, and 2) seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) or water use of the main crops and cover crops. Field trials were conducted from 2016 to 2019 at three locations in the upper Midwest using four treatments: monoculture cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), two-species rye + crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), three-species rye + clover + forage radish (Raphanus sativus L.), and a fallow (no-cover planted) as the control.ResultsThe ET of cover crops varied between 52 and 110 mm, 70% of which was attributed to its evaporation component. Meanwhile the ET for maize and soybean ranged from 364–516 mm and 378–503 mm, respectively, 20% of which was attributed to evaporation. Regardless of the interseeding strategy, the biomass of cover crops was low in two out of the three experimental years due to weather conditions, resulting in little to no effect on soil water content or crop yield.DiscussionOur findings suggest that late interseeded cover crops for conditions in the northern U.S. may have limited impact on soil available water or the productivity of the subsequent crop when cover crop growth is low.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1760185</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1760185</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Assessing the farmers’ perception towards precision water application devices under the PMKSY scheme: a TAM-based structural equation modelling approach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Paul J. Mansingh</author><author>P. Sundarambal</author><author>Merlin Mathew</author><author>M. Annie Jenifer</author><author>A. Nisha</author><author>Atsu Frank Yayra Ihou</author><author>Mauli Shivram Kathule</author><author>P. L. Vetha Hanumand</author><author>K. Arunkumar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), which is initiated by the Government of India, is aimed at improving the irrigation and water-management structures to increase the efficiency of crop production by maximizing the utilisation of water. The current study aims to explore the attitude of the farmers towards precision water-application gadgets and the subsequent propensity to utilize such devices under the PMKSY program. The study has included beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the programme but has given specific attention to micro-irrigation devices. The sample comprised 3,134 farmers spread across seven different agro-climatic regions in Tamil Nadu and thus was representative in breadth. The structural-equation modelling on the basis of the technology-adoption paradigm was used to test the hypothesis based on SmartPLS software to perform a partial least squares path analysis. Findings have shown that the attitudes and perceived utility of farmers are the two main factors that influence micro-irrigation adoption; perceived ease of use has an indirect effect on the decision through these mediators but does not have a direct effect. Multi-group analysis also indicates that there are salient differences between beneficiary and non-beneficiary farmers. Among PMKSY beneficiaries, the pathways of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and behavioural intention are stable, resulting in actual adoption. Conversely, in the non-beneficiaries, the choice to adopt is only weakly related with intention but rather affected more by the visibility and observational signals rather than the experience of learning. Such findings correspond with the available research on the adoption of agricultural technology. Therefore, the study promotes farmers’ behavioural intention to micro-irrigation, which is complemented by the perceived usefulness and ease of use at once, as a successful approach to increase the level of adoption.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1767554</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1767554</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Automated coffee leaf disease classification via deep feature extraction with PhytoV2Net and InceptionV3 architectures]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Shyam Venkatraman</author><author>Muralikrishnan Mani</author><author>Ananthakrishnan Balasundaram</author><author>Ayesha Shaik</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Proper categorization of diseases in coffee plants is critical for their early detection and good crop management, which in turn has a direct impact on the quantity, quality, and long-term sustainability of agriculture. Early detection of diseases makes it possible to resort to selective interventions, which not only reduce the chance of total crop loss, but also help in the control of outbreaks. Until now, detection methods have relied on manual inspections that are slow, inconsistent and prone to human errors, making them very much dependent on experts. The present research uses deep learning along with machine feature extraction techniques for coffee disease identification using PhytoV2Net and InceptionV3, respectively. Both networks were trained on the JMuBEN and JMuBEN2 datasets, which consist of a total of 58,549 leaf images. These networks can differentiate between healthy and diseased leaves by learning to identify visual symptoms such as spots, discolorations, and lesions. The custom PhytoV2Net model produced an accuracy score of 99.87%, while InceptionV3 was based on 99.55% under K-fold cross-validation. PhytoV2Net performance was also above 95% in both precision and recall, indicating the high dependability and constancy of the model in its disease identification. The environmental changes posed difficulties, such as variations in lighting, leaf blocking, and background noise. Preprocessing techniques, particularly data augmentation applied to the JMuBEN dataset from an open-source data repository, helped improve image quality and enhance model robustness. Deploying these models in real time can significantly advance smart farming. When integrated into edge devices, handheld tools, or drone systems, they enable autonomous on-site detection of coffee leaf diseases and turn these platforms into intelligent assistants for plant health monitoring.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1778756</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fagro.2026.1778756</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Technical note: methodological choices influence root carbon exudation measurements]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sophie Obersteiner</author><author>Tamir Klein</author><author>Melanie Brunn</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Root exudation is an important pathway of belowground carbon (C) allocation in forest ecosystems, with profound implications for soil processes, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem functioning. Despite its importance, quantifying root exudation from mature trees in situ remains technically challenging, and methodological inconsistencies among studies hinder synthesis and upscaling. In this technical note, we systematically evaluated how variations in commonly used exudate collection protocols influence measured C fluxes. Specifically, we tested the effects of root resting, trap moisture, and trap solution composition on exudation rates in two contrasting biomes: a temperate forest in Germany and a Mediterranean forest in Israel. By incorporating both inter- and intraspecific root combinations, we also accounted for potential species interaction effects. Our results reveal several methodological sensitivities. Omitting a root-resting phase can streamline sampling without compromising measurements. Moisture conditions within cuvettes strongly influenced flux estimates, with saturated traps yielding up to six-times higher values than moist traps. Root exudation was further affected by trap solution composition, with initially increased exudation under P-deficient solutions in both biomes. Roots showed an adaptive response to the syringe environment, particularly to differences in trap-solution composition and moisture conditions; with effects partially diminishing after 48 hrs when a second flush was collected. However, the magnitude and direction of these responses differed between biomes. Within our experimental framework, first-flush sampling using a standard trap solution provided the most consistent basis for cross-biome comparison of root exudation fluxes. Species mixing had no detectable effect on exudation rates. Together, these findings emphasize that methodological variation can substantially alter root exudation C flux rates. Standardized approaches – or, at a minimum, transparent and detailed reporting – are essential to improve comparability across studies. Addressing methodological challenges will allow more accurate quantification of root exudation, strengthen its integration into terrestrial C models, and ultimately refine our understanding of belowground C allocation under global change.]]></description>
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