Comparative study of three low-tech soilless systems for the cultivation of geranium (Pelargonium zonale): A commercial quality assessment

The study evaluated the feasibility of simplified hydroponics for the growth of rooted cuttings of geranium (Pelargonium zonale) for commercial purposes in local farms in Northern Italy. Tested systems included a control where soilless system on substrate (peat) (T-1), usually adopted by local farmers, was compared against an open-cycle drip system on substrate (peat) (T-2), and a Nutrient Film Technique system (T-3). For commercial features, assessed parameters included flowering degree (flowering timing, numbers of inflorescences plant−1, and number of flowers inflorescence−1), numbers of leaves plant−1, number of branches plant−1, final height of plant, and the aesthetic-commercial assessment index. Assessed parameters also included fresh and dry weight, SPAD Index, the water consumption, and the water use efficiency (WUE). The soilless systems typology significantly affected rooted cuttings growth, commercial features, and WUE. The adoption of an open-cycle drip system (T-2) resulted in a significant improvement of all the crop commercial characteristics as compared with other treatments, making plants more attractive for the market. The water consumption was higher in T-2 as compared with T-1 and T-3, but it allowed for the highest fresh weight, and therefore also the highest WUE. The results indicate that the typology of soilless system significantly enhances the commercial characteristics of geranium

Eco-efficiency assessment and food security potential of home gardening: a case study in Padua, Italy

In the expanding urban agriculture phenomenon in Europe, home gardens are a traditional form that have kept agriculture within cities, even becoming crucial in certain historical periods (e.g., war periods). However, horticultural practices in home gardens can also have negative consequences. The goal of this paper is to assess the eco-efficiency of home gardens as a type of urban agriculture. To do so, a case study in Padua (Italy) was evaluated following life cycle assessment and life cycle costing methods. A home garden of 30.6 m(2) and 21 crop cycles were evaluated. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 kg of harvested fresh vegetable at the consumption point, and the ReCiPe method was employed for impact assessment. Environmental assessment indicated that organic fertilization, use of tap water, mineral fertilization and pesticides were the most contributing elements of the entire life cycle. Furthermore, the relevance of garden design and crop selection was a determinant in the eco-efficiency results. The assessed home garden could satisfy the food requirements of between 1 and 2 members of the household. Crop management and design recommendations are provided to improve eco-efficiency and food security potential of home gardens

Strategies for improved yield and water use efficiency of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) through simplified soilless cultivation under semi-arid climate

Simplified soilless cultivation (SSC) systems have globally spread as growing solutions for low fertility soil regions, low availability of water irrigation, small areas and polluted environments. In the present study, four independent experiments were conducted for assessing the applicability of SSC in the northeast of Brazil (NE-Brazil) and the central dry zone of Myanmar (CDZ-Myanmar). In the first two experiments, the potentiality for lettuce crop production and water use efficiency (WUE) in an SSC system compared to traditional on-soil cultivation was addressed. Then, the definition of how main crop features (cultivar, nutrient solution concentration, system orientation and crop position) within the SSC system affect productivity was evidenced. The adoption of SSC improved yield (+35% and +72%, in NE-Brazil and CDZ-Myanmar) and WUE (7.7 and 2.7 times higher, in NE-Brazil and CDZ-Myanmar) as compared to traditional on-soil cultivation. In NE-Brazil, an eastern orientation of the system enabled achievement of higher yield for some selected lettuce cultivars. Furthermore, in both the considered contexts, a lower concentration of the nutrient solution (1.2 vs. 1.8 dS m−1) and an upper plant position within the SSC system enabled achievement of higher yield and WUE. The experiments validate the applicability of SSC technologies for lettuce cultivation in tropical areas

Processing Eucalyptus cloeziana seed lots to improve purity, germination and vigor.

Eucalyptus cloeziana is one of the highest-density wood species offering significant added value, frequently used in the construction and furniture industries. Despite its suitability, it may be overlooked on account of its propagation difficulties due either to its low rooting cutting capacity or to its seeds having a low germination rate perhaps attributable to the high proportion of indistinguishable impurities within the seed lots. This study aimed to develop an efficient technique for Eucalyptus cloeziana seed processing to increase the physical purity and, consequently, the physiological quality of the seed lot. Three seed lots, separated by size in sieves with 1.18, 1.00, and 0.84 mm square openings, were used. X-ray analyses were carried out, the number of normal seedlings and germination rate identified and the percentage and speed of seedling emergence under greenhouse conditions ascertained. The greenhouse evaluation showed that the seed retained in the 1.18 mm sieve presented viability and vigor twice that of the control. Therefore, the processing technique by size classification is efficient in terms of improving the physical and physiological performance of Eucalyptus cloeziana seed lots

Storage potential of African mahogany seeds under different environmental and packaging conditions.

ABSTRACT African mahogany (Khaya grandifoliola) is a forest species with excellent wood quality. Due to the increasing demand for viable seeds in forest production programs, the storage capacity of this species must be evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the appropriate environmental and packaging conditions for the storage of African mahogany seeds. Initially, the water content of the seeds, germination rate, and seedling length were determined in two environments (cold chamber and laboratory), two packages (polyethylene and glass), and three storage periods (72, 144, and 216 d) as well as in additional treatment without storage. The variables analyzed during storage were water content, germination capacity, germination speed index, and seedling length. The experiment was conducted in a completely random design with four repetitions in a split-plot scheme and an additional treatment of 2 × 3 × 2 + 1. African mahogany seeds stored in a cold chamber (6 °C and 72% relative humidity) in a polyethylene packaging maintained their physiological quality for 216 d. RESUMO O mogno africano (Khaya grandifoliola) é uma espécie florestal que apresenta excelente qualidade madeireira. Com a crescente demanda por sementes viáveis para atender programas de produção florestal, tem-se observado a necessidade de estudos sobre a capacidade de armazenamento dessa espécie. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as condições adequadas de ambiente e embalagem para o armazenamento de sementes de mogno africano. Inicialmente, o grau de umidade das sementes; a germinação e o comprimento de plântulas foram determinados. Foram testados dois ambientes - câmara fria e laboratório; duas embalagens (polietileno e vidro); e três períodos de armazenamento (72, 144 e 216 dias). As variáveis analisadas no armazenamento foram: grau de umidade, porcentagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação (IVG) e comprimento de plântulas. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições em parcelas subdivididas e tratamento adicional 2 × 3 × 2 + 1. As sementes de mogno africano armazenadas em ambiente de câmara fria (6 °C e 72% UR) em embalagem de polietileno mantiveram a qualidade fisiológica por 216 dias

Effect of stocking density and use of environmental enrichment materials on the welfare and the performance of pigs in the growth and finishing phases

Aim of study: To evaluate the effects of stocking density and the use of environmental enrichment (EE) objects on the welfare and the performance of pigs in the growing and finishing phases.Area of study: The southern region of Brazil.Material and methods: A total of 240 pigs, 120 immunocastrated males and 120 females, with an initial weight of 22.38 ± 2.38 kg and mean age of 65 days, were submitted to two stocking densities conditions (0.85 and 1.28 m²pig) with and without EE for 117 days. The experimental design was a 2×2×2 factorial (two categories, two densities, and two EE conditions), with six replicates. Performance variables and behavior were evaluated.Main results: For stocking density, there was a significant difference in the finishing phase from 148 to 161 days of age for the final weight (FW), average daily weight gain (ADWG), and feed conversion rate (FCR). For the EE factor, there was no difference in any of the phases or in the overall period. In the overall period, the higher availability of space improved the results of FW (140.56 kg vs 136.63 kg), ADWG (1.005 kg vs 0.974 kg), and FCR (2.05 vs 2.10). There was no effect of EE, stocking densities, or their interaction on the frequency of different behaviors of the pigs in the growth and finishing phases.Research highlights: There was no effect of interactions between enriched environments, stocking densities, and sex for animal performance and behavioral frequencies; however, differences between the factors were observed separately. The higher availability of space improved the results of FW, ADWG, and FCR

Hydrodynamics of a high Alpine catchment characterized by four natural tracers

Hydrological processes in high-elevation catchments are strongly influenced by alternating snow accumulation and melt in addition to summer rainfall. Although diverse water sources and flow paths that generate streamflow in the world's water towers emerge from these two driving inputs, a detailed process understanding remains poor. We measured a combination of natural tracers of water at a high frequency, including stable isotope compositions, electrical conductivity (EC), and water and soil temperature to characterize hydrological processes in a snow-dominated Alpine catchment and to understand the diversity of streamflow sources and flow paths. Stable isotope composition of the sampled water revealed the prominence of snowmelt year-round (even during winter baseflow), and a strong flushing of the entire system with snowmelt at the start of the main melt period, sometimes referred to as the freshet, led to a reset, or return to baseline, of the isotopic values in most sampled water. Soil temperature measurements help identify snow-free periods and indicate sub-snowpack local flow, for example, in the case of rain-on-snow events. Water temperature measurements in springs can indicate flow path depth. EC measurements reflect the magnitude of subsurface exchange and allow for the separation of subsurface snowmelt contribution to streamflow from the contribution of stored groundwater. These insights into the details of streamflow generation in such a dynamic environment were only made possible due to intense, year-round water sampling. The sampled tracers are revealed to complement each other in important ways particularly because they were sampled during winter and spring, both snow-covered periods, the importance of which is a key implication of this work.</p

Managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: consensus recommendations from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Toxicity Management Working Group.

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of cancer. However, increasing use of immune-based therapies, including the widely used class of agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, has exposed a discrete group of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Many of these are driven by the same immunologic mechanisms responsible for the drugs\u27 therapeutic effects, namely blockade of inhibitory mechanisms that suppress the immune system and protect body tissues from an unconstrained acute or chronic immune response. Skin, gut, endocrine, lung and musculoskeletal irAEs are relatively common, whereas cardiovascular, hematologic, renal, neurologic and ophthalmologic irAEs occur much less frequently. The majority of irAEs are mild to moderate in severity; however, serious and occasionally life-threatening irAEs are reported in the literature, and treatment-related deaths occur in up to 2% of patients, varying by ICI. Immunotherapy-related irAEs typically have a delayed onset and prolonged duration compared to adverse events from chemotherapy, and effective management depends on early recognition and prompt intervention with immune suppression and/or immunomodulatory strategies. There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary guidance reflecting broad-based perspectives on how to recognize, report and manage organ-specific toxicities until evidence-based data are available to inform clinical decision-making. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) established a multidisciplinary Toxicity Management Working Group, which met for a full-day workshop to develop recommendations to standardize management of irAEs. Here we present their consensus recommendations on managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy