Optimising plant growth, biomass partitioning, and nitrogen use efficiency in taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott)

Introduction: Taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) is the fourth most important root crop globally, yet it remains understudied. Productivity is frequently constrained by nutrient-depleted soils. This study investigates how varying nitrogen (N) levels affect taro growth, particularly biomass accumulation, sucker production, and the formation of calcium oxalate raphides, which can be harmful when ingested. We hypothesized that: (1) Growth and photosynthetic rate are highest in plants receiving the highest concentration of nitrogen; (2) Optimal corm development occurs when N is neither deficient nor excessive; (3) Sucker production increases when corm N needs are met; (4) Tissue calcium concentration (a proxy for calcium oxalate) rises when growth is limited by N. Methods: Taro plants were grown using nutrient solutions with N concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 20 mM N. Plants were harvested at different growth stages up to 10 months to capture corm formation, filling, maturity and post-maturity stages. Biomass and nutrient concentrations were measured and nitrogen use efficiency indices were calculated. Results: The highest overall biomass was at 15 mM N, but corm biomass was highest in plants grown at the 5 and 10 mM N treatments. Sucker number and biomass increased with N concentration. Calcium concentration showed a strong positive correlation with N in corms but a weak negative correlation in leaves. Discussion/conclusion: Hypotheses 2 and 3 were supported; Hypothesis 1 was not. The optimal N level for maximizing corm biomass without compromising nutritional quality is around 10 mM N. These findings will inform biophysical models for taro to help its development as a food and nutrition security crop

Food Flavour Perception and the Measurement of Tastes and Smells

Flavour perception of food is discussed in this chapter in two main stages of the sensory evaluation process: how flavour evokes our senses and how we measure flavour perception. Flavour stimuli are inherently complex due to the mixed nature of flavour compounds in food. Both the food matrix and individual human factors further modulate this perception. Factors influencing the identification and intensity of flavour stimuli in water- and alcohol-based food matrices are explained, linking subjective and objective sensory assessments with the instrumental measurements. Sensations are understood as raw data transmitted from our sensory receptors to the brain for processing. Flavour perception represents processed data, shaped by integration with memory and emotions related to the flavour and the food medium. When sensations are evoked by flavour stimuli, they are translated and formed in the mind through these cognitive processes. This chapter focuses on measuring flavour primarily through the senses of taste and smell. Traditional instrumental techniques such as HPLC and GC, as well as emerging machine-learning technologies like electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue), which aim to mimic human flavour evaluation, are also presented and discussed

An Acetyl-CoA-Gated metabolic checkpoint links precursor supply to cordycepin biosynthesis in cordyceps militaris

The growth–specialized metabolism trade-off limits fungal natural product production. Here, we investigated cordycepin overproduction in Cordyceps militaris high-yield GYS60 and low-yield GYS80 via comparative proteomics, Post-Translational Modification (PTM) mapping, and metabolomics. We identified an acetyl-CoA-gated checkpoint centered on O-methyltransferase CCM_06472, whose activity is modulated by Lys123 acetylation and Ser34 phosphorylation in a manner consistent with activation and inhibition. GYS60 hyperactivates the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and β-oxidation to generate a 4.1-fold acetyl-CoA surplus, 62% of which is channeled into cordycepin synthesis. A single K123Q acetylation-mimetic mutation boosted cordycepin titers by >4-fold in wild-type strains. This acetyl-CoA checkpoint reveals PTM-gated flux allocation as a key regulatory mechanism, providing a minimal-intervention strategy for engineering fungal cell factories

Compound starch granule formation in grass seeds is associated with distinct temporal patterns of gene expression

There is extensive interspecies variation in starch granule morphology in the endosperm of grass species, but the factors underpinning this variation are poorly understood. The two major granule morphology types among species are simple and compound granules, where simple granules arise from a single initiation per amyloplast, and compound granules form from multiple granule initiations. Here, we carried out an extensive survey of seed starch morphology, examining specimens from 105 species within the Pooideae using electron microscopy. This not only expanded our current knowledge of the diversity of starch granule types but also confirmed the homoplasy of simple and compound starch granules. We then selected species representing independent origins of simple (Brachyelytrum japonicum, Phaenosperma globosa, and Brachypodium distachyon) and compound granules (Nardus stricta, Melica altissima, and Calamagrostis brachytricha) for analysis of starch structure and gene expression. There were no clear patterns in starch content, amylopectin structure, or amylose content that could distinguish the two granule types. However, comparative transcriptomics over seed development revealed gene expression patterns associated with granule type, most notably increasing expression of STARCH SYNTHASE 3a (SS3a), STARCH BRANCHING ENZYME 1 (SBE1), and limit dextrinases (LDAs) between 3 and 9 days post anthesis in species with compound granules. Mutation of these genes in rice, which natively produces compound granules, resulted in altered granule shape and/or size. Our work highlights differences in gene expression that could contribute to natural variation in granule morphology within the Pooideae while providing important new starch phenotype and gene expression datasets that can be widely used to study endosperm development

Phylogenetic history shapes the composition of floral scents in a specialized pollination mutualism

Most studies of the chemical ecology of plant–pollinator interactions emphasize the role of pollinator‐mediated selection in shaping floral scent composition. Nevertheless, phylogeny may constrain the metabolic pathways underlying these profiles, thereby influencing the evolutionary trajectory of the emitted signals. To investigate whether phylogenetic history constrains plant chemical communication, we used the obligate fig–fig wasp mutualism. We collected floral scents from receptive figs of 32 Ficus species, representing diverse lineages across tropical and subtropical regions, using dynamic headspace extraction. Chemical compositions were analyzed via gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and evaluated for the phylogenetic signal using multivariate analyses. Our results revealed a strong phylogenetic signal in the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by receptive figs. Conversely, using the same analysis, we found no relationship between the scent profile and the pollinator phylogeny. Our findings demonstrate, across diverse Ficus lineages, that phylogenetic constraints play a significant role in the diversification of VOC signals emitted by receptive flowers, suggesting constraints in the biosynthetic pathways of volatile compounds

A critical evaluation of the potential of an online agricultural forum as a space for supporting farmer well-being

Farming is associated with low levels of individual well-being with recent research exploring influencing factors, resulting consequences and potential support opportunities. Exploration of how online peer-to-peer interactions may support farmer well-being is yet to be fully explored despite suggestions that many turn to the internet when facing farming challenges. This original research study examined the potential of an online agriculturally focused forum, The Farming Forum (TFF), as a space for supporting farmer well-being, exploring the more varied formats of peer support and building on existing landscapes of support literature. Forum posts were analyzed using methods of sentiment analysis, classification of forum participant behavior, and reflexive thematic analysis. TFF acts as an information repository for farmers, based heavily on the lived experiences of those farming within the UK and beyond. This study revealed the willingness of farmers to share experiential knowledge they felt would benefit others with likely positive impacts on the well-being of those involved. Whilst there may have been more limited explicit reference to individual well-being outside of a specific ‘suicidal thoughts’ discussion thread,findings suggested TFF could enable and host conversations around farmer wellbeing. TFF offered a space for farmers to hold discussions with like-minded individuals and allowed them to seek advice or information anonymously. Whilst there appeared some limitations surrounding the forums' ability to professionally support farmer well-being due to the potential for negative remarks and disclosure of identifying information, these could be overcome with a degree of forum management. TFF likely has an influence on the well-being of those farmers utilizing the forum and this paper offers a starting point for further research in this area

Litchi flower targets integrating multi-scale attention and decoupled detection

In commercial litchi production, the scientific regulation of floral load is critical for ensuring consistent yields and high-quality fruits. However, litchi exhibits profuse and concentrated flowering. Accurately detecting these dense floral clusters in complex orchard environments is highly challenging. To address this challenge, this study proposes the Fusion Decoupled and Multi-scale Attention Network (FDMA-Net), an improved lightweight object detection model. The model employs High Performance GPU Network V2 (HGNetV2) as the backbone, incorporating depthwise separable convolutions (DWConv) to create a strong yet lightweight feature-extraction framework. A parameter-free simple attention module (SimAM) is integrated at the backbone output to enhance fine-grained feature discrimination. The C3k2_Star module, an enhanced cross-stage feature fusion block, reinforces context awareness and multi-scale feature fusion. Finally, a decoupled detection head integrating the spatial enhancement attention module (Detect_SEAM) leverages task decoupling and feature enhancement to improve localization accuracy and confidence in dense scenes. Experimental results indicate that the proposed model achieves a mean Average Precision ([email protected]) of 94.1%, outperforming the YOLOv11n baseline by 4.2%. Simultaneously, it reduces both the model size and floating-point operations (FLOPs) by 18.9% and 17.5%, respectively. Furthermore, robustness evaluations confirm that the model maintains high stability under non-ideal conditions. Consequently, the proposed method delivers superior performance in litchi flower detection, making it highly suitable for real-time, high-precision deployment on resource-constrained edge devices

Agricultural Soil pH in Fiji

Agriculture in the Pacific is driven primarily by small-scale private farmers, many of whom do not have access to soil testing services or advice, nor the means to interpret analytical results into soil management and agronomic recommendations. Soil degradation through the process of acidification poses a significant risk to food and income security as it directly threatens crop productivity. The nutritional quality of food crops may also be affected through sub-optimal nutrient uptake by plants and nutrient imbalances. The dataset reported here provides a useful platform for the development of a decision-support tool (DST) that will assist Fiji farmers in understanding and managing soil pH and soil acidity. The DST will enable making informed decisions about liming to help correct soil pH. To support this development, historical soil pH data available from the Pacific Soils Portal were combined with updated analyses of agricultural soils from 17 locations in Viti Levu Island (Fiji) collected during a field campaign undertaken in August 2025. The soils were sampled at two depth intervals (0–15 and 15–30 cm) and analyzed for pH using a variety of methods. These methods included direct field measurements using a portable pH-meter as well as traditional laboratory determinations. Of the soils sampled, it was found that most soils exhibited pH levels below 7, which were observed for both depth intervals. Across all samples taken in 2025, it was found that 54.3% of them had soil pH 6 (based on soil pH1:5 soil-to-water method). Depending upon specific land uses, climate and cropping intensity, it was recommended that routine liming be built into soil fertility management programs to help farmers overcome soil acidity-related constraints to production. Liming frequency, timing of application and application rate will need to be determined for specific soil and cropping situations; however, it was suggested that soil pH was not changed by more than 1 unit each time lime was applied. Such an approach should reduce the risk of soil organic matter loss through accelerated mineralization, which would be challenging to restore in that environment if soils remained under continuous cropping. The analytical information contained in this article expanded and updated the datasets available in the Pacific Soils Portal. Furthermore, this work provided an opportunity to build analytical expertise in aspects of soil chemistry at local organizations to support academic and extension activities as well as the ongoing development of the Pacific Soils Portal

Water–energy–food nexus in the circular economy: implications for climate mitigation

The Water–Energy–Food (W-E-F) nexus creates difficulties for policy makers, public and private organisations seeking to define a clear pathway towards a sustainable economy. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, global consumption and resource use have followed a ‘linear economy model’. This review examines recent developments in circular W-E-F innovations, sustainable design tools, life-cycle methodologies and policy developments. Evidence from recent technological studies, optimisation frameworks and empirical assessments demonstrates the potential for substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions, integrated resource planning and circular value creation within agriculture, water management and energy production. The review finds that integrating circular economy (CE) principles into the W-E-F nexus remains crucial for climate mitigation and advancing sustainable resource management. Greater efficiency and reduced emissions across interconnected systems are essential to achieving these goals. Recent developments, technological advances and new policies can support efforts in redesigning the resource flow, improving socio-economic outputs and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This review paper contributes to the knowledge by highlighting the conceptual and methodological gaps on the W-E-F nexus, while recommending a framework that links CE approaches with climate mitigation

Production Performance and Properties of Eggs from Hens Fed Diets Differing in Corn Grain Hardness, Vitamin A Supplementation Level, and Mineral Form

This study evaluated how corn grain hardness, vitamin A supplementation level, and trace mineral form influence production performance and egg properties in laying hens. In a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial design, 252 Lohmann Brown hens received diets containing soft- or hard-type corn hybrids; 5000, 10,000, or 20,000 IU/kg of vitamin A; and inorganic or organic trace minerals for 63 days. Hard-type corn increased daily egg mass, improved feed conversion ratio, and produced eggs with higher MUFAs and SFAs but lower PUFAs and n-3, resulting in a less favorable n6/n3 ratio, while also increasing susceptibility to Fe-induced lipid oxidation despite lower PUFAs. Increasing dietary vitamin A to 10,000–20,000 IU/kg increased egg weight and shell strength, linearly increased yolk retinol, and decreased tocols, with 20,000 IU/kg markedly increasing Fe-induced MDA formation without major changes in PUFAs. Trace mineral form had minor effects on performance and fatty acid profile. Overall, modest changes in laying hen diet, such as corn hybrid, vitamin A supplementation level, and trace mineral form, significantly modulated egg nutritional composition and oxidative stability. A high dietary vitamin A level may compromise the oxidative resilience of enriched eggs, while interactions of trace mineral form with corn hybrid and vitamin A suggest its potential modulatory role in lipid oxidation pathways