Reducing nitrogen (N) fertilizer application is a sustainable practice in rice production. The effects of reducing N fertilizer input on grain yield and rice quality of early- and late-season dual-use rice (ELDR) in South China remain uncertain. Therefore, a short-term field trial was conducted with a high-yielding ELDR cultivar (Yuehesimiao, YHSM) and a low-yielding ELDR cultivar (Meixiangzhan 2, MXZ). The rice was cultivated with a 20% reduced N application rate (RN2), a 10% reduced rate (RN1) and the conventional N application rate (CN). In the early season, compared to CN, RN2 reduced the grain yield of YHSM and MXZ by an average of 16.1 and 6.6%, respectively, while RN1 lowered YHSM grain yield by 11.2% on average and had no effect on MXZ yield. In addition, RN2 decreased the milling and eating qualities of the two cultivars in the early season, while RN1 did not alter their milling, appearance or eating qualities. In the late season, neither RN2 nor RN1 affected grain yield or rice quality for both cultivars. Therefore, short-term reductions of 10 and 20% in N application could maintain grain yield and rice quality at current N fertilizer application rates in the late season. However, the early-season results only recommended a 10% reduced N fertilizer application rate for low-yielding ELDR cultivars to sustain grain yield and rice quality. The findings of this study can provide a theoretical basis for N management of ELDR in South China.

Elephant grass [Cenchrus purpureus (Schum.) Morrone] is a tropical forage grass widely used in ruminant feeding in tropical and subtropical areas, mainly in cut-and-carry systems due to is high potential for herbage accumulation. However, most common genotypes (tall genotypes) generally show an early stem elongation, which contributes to a rapid decline in the forage nutritive value. Dwarf elephant grass types usually present less stem elongation and may be considered an option for the production of high nutritive value forage in cut-and-carry systems. The aims of this study were to evaluate and explain variations in herbage characteristics and kinetics of in vitro gas production of irrigated elephant grass genotypes (two tall-types – Elephant B and IRI-381 – and two dwarf-types genotypes – Mott and Taiwan A-146 2.37) under two harvest frequencies (60 and 90 days) in the dry and rainy seasons of two years. Herbage characteristics varied among genotypes, harvest frequency and seasons. Dwarf genotypes showed better in vitro fermentation parameters with the advancement of maturity compared to the tall size genotypes. Harvesting tall genotypes at a higher frequency (60-day) contributed to improving the fermentation, while dwarf elephant grass maintained greater fermentation when less frequent harvests were adopted (90-day).

Maize is one of the major agricultural commodities in the world, and a source of food in Africa, representing more than 40 million ha currently harvested on the continent. Despite sub-Saharan Africa's dependence on grain, the maize actual yield (Ya) of the crop is low when compared to its potential yield. In Brazil, the yield-gap between Ya and water-limited yield (Yw) is approximately 50% of Yw. The objective of this study was to carry out a case study, using upland maize as a reference to identify a set of agricultural areas with similar soil and climate in Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The climatic similarity between Brazil and SSA countries was verified, seeking homogeneous climatic zones that occur in both regions. The Ya was determined including the data of at least the last three years of cultivation and were taken from the database of the national institutes of agricultural statistics. The climatic data showed that the SSA had well-distributed rainfall throughout the crop season, being higher than in Brazil, as well as the average air temperature. The average Yw was 11.3 and 7.4 Mg/ha for Brazil and SSA, respectively. Maize Ya in SSA was 1.4 Mg/ha, while in Brazil Ya was 5.2 Mg/ha. Ya represented approximately 9% of Yw in the SSA. The low Ya shows the large yield-gap found in SSA. With this, it is evident that the technologies used and the crop management are largely responsible for the yield differences between Brazil and SSA.

Grazing is a crucial component of dairy farms across many regions of the world. This review explores challenges related to grazing infrastructure and opportunities for future improvement. Farmers who aim to increase pasture utilisation face heightened inter-animal competition necessitated by pasture restriction to achieve target post-grazing sward heights. Increasing the frequency of fresh pasture allocation beyond once per day has been observed to reduce milk production in primiparous animals, due to intensified competition for limited feed resources. Implementing grazing paddocks tailored for 24- to 36-hour allocations helps to mitigate inter-animal competition while concurrently preventing the grazing of fresh regrowth. Crucial to this approach is establishing farm roadway infrastructure that allows access to all sections of the grazing platform. However, the development of these roadway networks has often occurred without a comprehensive assessment of their impact on the efficiency of the dairy herd’s movement between grazing paddocks and the milking parlour. The efficiency of the dairy herd’s movement is most significantly influenced by the location of the milking parlour within the grazing platform. Extreme walking distances or challenging terrain on farm roadways may have an impact on milk production per cow. Factors such as farm roadway surface quality and width significantly influence cow throughput on farm roadways. Recent studies have highlighted inadequate roadway widths on many farms relative to their herd size, while surface condition may also be limiting cow throughput on these farms. Enhancing roadway width and surface condition of farm roadways may improve labour efficiency on commercial farms.

The study analysed corn harvested areas from 1960 to 2030, using data from the USDA open-access official dataset and 1000 autoregressive integrated moving average models. The global corn harvested area experienced a steady growth rate of 1.0 % in the 1960s, followed by a slight setback in the 1980s and a recovery in the 1990s. The early 2000s saw significant expansion, while the 2010s saw a slightly slower pace of 1.4 %. From 2020 to 2024, the global growth rate declined to 0.0 %, suggesting a potential shift towards a more stable or slower growth phase. The most likely scenario for the global corn area is an optimistic outlook with a 37 % likelihood of steady growth. China’s most likely scenario is a gradual expansion with a rate of 2.0 %. The United States’ most likely scenario suggests a neutral trend. Brazil has remarkable growth trajectories in its areas, reflecting land availability. Ukraine’s area by 2030 is projected to experience varying outcomes due to uncertainties in the agricultural landscape.

Soil health is essential for a resilient ecosystem. The European Union proposed a Soil Monitoring Law for a legal framework of soil health. This study proposes a way to assess the mineral soil health. A database of mineral soils containing <20% organic matter and consisting of 10 soil classes and 22 soil types was used. There were four altitudinal groups (HM [high mountains], LM [low mountains and high hills], LH [low hills], PL [low plains]), covering the vegetation/climate floors, two land uses (forestland and grassland combined and cropland) and three soil textures (coarse [CO], loamy [LO] and clayey [CL]). Both soil organic carbon (SOC)/clay ratios and observed per mean SOC (O/M SOC) ratios were calculated for 19 regions. For SOC/clay, the 1/13, 1/10 and 1/8 thresholds were used, whereas O/M SOC categories were grouped as ‘low’, ‘intermediate’, ‘high’ and ‘very high’ health. SOC/clay and O/M SOC ratios combined were used to characterize soil health. SOC sequestration depends on many factors that are specific for each pedo-climatic region and texture and so is the soil characterization as healthy or not healthy. The recommended simultaneous application of these two indicators revealed specific SOC content values as reference levels for good soil health, which decrease from the wetter climates towards the drier ones. SOC content considerably differed among pedo-climatic regions, and soil health should be compared within the same regions that have specific SOC sequestration conditions. Correlations between support points SOC values and the aridity index allow separation between ‘healthy’ and ‘non-healthy’ soil conditions for any climate, vegetation floor and land use.

Climate change is a global challenge to ecosystem services, altering crop yields and food security worldwide. In the context of climate change, Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (sainfoin) can offer a multitude of ecosystem services conferred by its multifaceted beneficial properties. We reviewed the morphological, biochemical and physiological responses to environmental stressors of O. viciifolia, summarized its ecological, agronomic, nutritional and biological interests, and we discussed its use under climate change. Onobrychis viciifolia is a hemicryptophyte forage legume adapted to arid and semiarid regions by evolving a diverse array of protective mechanisms against abiotic stressors at morphological, biochemical and physiological levels. In the present scenario of climate change, O. viciifolia has desirable forage characteristics such as high nutritive value, high voluntary intake and palatability to grazing animals, leading to satisfying animal performance for milk, meat, honey and wool production. Recent studies suggest that O. viciifolia has several highly beneficial phytochemical properties including condensed tannins and polyphenol content, which have been demonstrated to have anthelmintic activities, enhance protein utilization, and prevent bloating. In addition, O. viciifolia also has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequestrate atmospheric carbon and nitrogen into the soil. Ethnobotanical investigations show that O. viciifolia possesses antimicrobial, antiseptic and vulnerary activities. This review could be helpful for understanding of O. viciifolia characteristics, interests and uses, thus promoting its reasonable cultivation under a changing climate.

The objective was to evaluate the influence of supplementation of L-arginine at 10 g/kg on the performance of lactating sows and their litters by evaluating the milk amino acid composition, serum hormone levels, mammary tissue redox status indicators, mammary tissue histomorphology, and the expression of genes related to mammary gland metabolism. The study was conducted in the municipality of Oliveira, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2019. A total of 24 sows were selected. A completely randomized design was used in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with two diets (control and 10 g L-arginine/kg) and three mammary gland positions (thoracic, abdominal and inguinal), totaling six treatment groups. Each dietary treatment consisted of 12 replicates, with each replicate equivalent to one experimental unit, which was considered a sow and its litter. Females that were fed a diet supplemented with L-arginine had lower feed intake and greater weight loss. Piglets from sows that received L-arginine supplementation presented reduced weaning weight variation. L-arginine supplementation did not affect the amino acid composition of the milk, the plasma hormone levels of the sows, the oxidative stress parameters of redox, or breast tissue morphology. However, it may modulate the expression of genes important for mammary gland metabolism, such as the COX1 and SLC27A4. Piglets that suckled teats in the thoracic and abdominal positions had higher mean weights at 14 and 23 days, as well as greater daily weight gains. L-arginine supplementation to sows improves litter quality by increasing weaning weight uniformity; piglets that occupy the thoracic and abdominal positions perform better.

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for dairy traits (daily milk yield (DMY), daily milk fat yield (DMFY), and daily milk protein yield (DMPY)) and somatic cell score (SCS) of Iranian Murciano-Granadina goats. The analysis involved 99,839 records from 4,307 does, spanning from 2015 to 2021. A single-trait animal model was used to obtain estimates of genetic and residual (co)variances and heritabilities. In the model, both fixed effects (birth year, parity, litter size, age dam (day)) and random effects (additive animal genetic effects) were considered. R software was used to evaluate environmental effects, assess the model, examine genetic and phenotypic trends, and determine genetic-environmental correlations. Additionally, variance components and heritability were estimated using the Gibbs1f90 software. The heritability of dairy traits and SCS trait, namely DMY, DMFY, DMPY, and SCS, was estimated to be 0.244, 0.133, 0.188, and 0.023, respectively. The genetic correlations between DMY and DMFY, DMY and DMPY, DMY and somatic cell score (SCS), DMFY and DMPY, DMFY and SCS, and DMPY and SCS were 0.07, 0.16, 0.42, –0.08, –0.005, and 0.04, respectively. The study found moderate heritability for milk yield traits and low heritability for somatic cell score. Genetic correlations varied, with the strongest correlation between daily milk yield and somatic cell score, indicating useful genetic linkages for selective breeding.

A growing demand for wheat as a staple crop leads to an expansion of its production. The consequence is land use change and short rotations for wheat. But wheat grown in short rotations causes yield decline. To secure future food supplies, a deeper understanding of the physiological processes contributing to this yield reduction is needed. Therefore, a three-year data set from a long-term field trial in Northern Germany was analysed to investigate the impact of crop rotational position (CRP) (wheat grown in the first [W1] and in the third [W3] year in self sequence after break crop) in combination with three genotypes and four rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on intercepted radiation by the canopy (Q), radiation use efficiency (RUE), grain yield and yield components. All genotypes showed a reduction of Q, RUE and yields in W3. The focus was further set on differences in yield formation pre- and post-anthesis. This revealed a significant interaction between CRP and genotype. An overall reduction in intercepted radiation pre-anthesis as well as in kernels/m2 in W3 suggested, that yield formation under adverse pre-crop conditions was rather ‘source limited’. A possibility to compensate this limitation might be a prolonged phase of radiation interception post-anthesis.

A growth monitoring study (0–7 day of age) was conducted involving 87, one-day old Ross 308 male broilers to evaluate organ weights, bone parameters and ileal transcriptomic profile of broiler chicks as influenced by day 7 bodyweight (BW) grouping. The chicks were raised in a deep-litter house under common controlled environmental conditions and commercial starter diet. Chicks were grouped on day 7 into two distinct BW, super performer (SP) and under performer (UP) with bodyweights >260, and <200 g respectively. Results revealed that the SP chicks had significantly higher bone ash, sodium (Na), phosphorus (P) and rubidium (Rb) concentrations compared to the UP chicks on D7. In contrast, the UP chicks had significantly higher tibial cadmium (Cd), caesium (Cs) and lead (Pb) compared to the SP group; the UP chicks also had proportionally heavier relative gizzard weight than the SP chicks. The ileal transcriptomic data revealed differentially expressed genes (DEG) between the two groups of chicks, with 150 upregulated and 83 down-regulated genes with a fold change of ≥1.25 or ≤ 1.25 in the SP chicks relative to the UP chicks. Furthermore, functional annotation and pathway analysis revealed that some of these DEG were involved in various pathways including calcium signalling, Wnt signalling, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis. This study revealed that chicks of the same breed and of uniform environmental and diet management exhibited differences in digestive organ weights, tibial bone characteristics and ileal gene expression that may be related to BW.

A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of whey protein supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and carcase quality in broiler chickens. The dataset was compiled from studies published between 1964 and 2025, following the PICO framework, which included the following components: population = broiler chickens; intervention = various whey products (types of whey, inclusion methods and different inclusion levels); comparison = control versus treatment; and outcome = growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcase traits, humoral immunity, antioxidant properties, intestinal morphology and microbiota composition. Overall, the inclusion of whey protein in broiler diets significantly improved average daily gain, feed intake, breast percentage and villus height (g’ > 0.500; P < 0.001). In conclusion, this meta-analysis highlights the strong potential of whey protein as an alternative protein source in poultry nutrition.

The interest in the search for alternatives to antibiotics in poultry production has been increasing, especially with the focus on essential oils due to their remarkable bioactive properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of essential oils on the performance and gut morphometry of broilers, by using an approach of systematic review and meta-analysis. In the conduction of the systematic review, three electronic databases (PubMed, Science Direct and Scielo) were consulted in January 2023. Out of an initial amount of 162 papers, only 27 met the requisites to be included in the database. Furthermore, after the use of established criteria for the meta-analysis, only 16 papers were qualified for the evaluation of the aimed parameters. In the meta-analysis, it was observed that the supplementation had significant impact (P < 0.05) of 2.88% in weight gain, in comparison to the basal diet. In addition, the supplementation of essential oils significantly improved (P < 0.05) gut morphometry parameters such as villus height in the ileum (15.66% higher), and 8.26% increase in the villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum compared to the basal diet. Dietary essential oils improve the growth performance and gut histomorphometry of broilers, even when combined with antibiotics as growth promoters.

Silvopastoral systems (SPSs) constitute a modality of agroforestry systems in which trees or shrubs, pastures and animals mutually grow, interacting with the environment, and providing several ecosystem services. This review aims to comprehensively discuss the ecosystem services provided by SPSs in different countries, highlighting the diverse ways these systems can contribute to human well-being and environmental sustainability, also emphasizing the importance of management strategies, the differences among systems and the main shortcomings and challenges to optimizing ecosystem service delivery from SPSs. The review focused on global studies, mainly those published between 2010 and 2024, directly relevant to the topic. We used Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science databases for literature screening. SPSs have demonstrated worldwide potential to enhance human food and forage production, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, biological nitrogen fixation, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, erosion control, microclimate regulation, pollination, control of pests and diseases, biodiversity, residue absorption, water quality, spiritual enrichment, recreation and aesthetic experiences. However, most ecosystem services provided by SPSs depend on climate conditions, soil type, choice of species, system design and management practices to ensure that such benefits are not provided at the cost of other important services. Interaction among components is a major challenge for system management and evaluations. Adopting SPSs has the potential to promote sustainable agriculture. Long-term studies are needed to elucidate the implications of multiple interactions within the system and their impact on ecosystem service delivery. Public policies, including evaluating ecosystem services, should be developed to promote the adoption of SPSs.

Water and light are essential resources for crop development, and their limitations can significantly affect agricultural productivity. While irrigation systems are widely used to mitigate water scarcity, the role of nighttime artificial lighting in open-field conditions remains an emerging research area. This review explores the potential of nighttime light supplementation as a crop management strategy by analysing its physiological, morphological, and biochemical effects on plants. A key question addressed is whether supplemental lighting can enhance crop productivity in the field and under which conditions this approach is most effective. We examine which crops are more likely to benefit from artificial lighting based on their light limitations and physiological responses. Additionally, we discuss whether alternative agronomic practices, such as planting arrangements and canopy management, could achieve similar benefits without artificial light supplementation. The review also considers how the timing and spectral composition of supplemental light influence plant development. While continuous or nighttime lighting may alter physiological processes, it remains unclear whether these changes are beneficial or detrimental to productivity. Studies on light penetration, particularly the role of green and far-red wavelengths, suggest that spectral composition can impact plant morphology and light-use efficiency, raising questions about optimal lighting strategies. Finally, we address the feasibility of large-scale nighttime lighting in agriculture by discussing energy demands, potential environmental impacts, and economic viability. While preliminary studies suggest promising physiological responses, experimental validation under field conditions is still needed to determine whether this technology represents a profitable and sustainable investment.

Crop establishment system choice is crucial for growers, with various options differing in tillage type, depth and intensity. In Ireland, plough-based establishment dominates, but interest in and adoption of non-inversion systems is growing. These systems have proven successful in drier climates, where they evolved, but their performance under wetter Atlantic-influenced conditions is less studied. Limited research indicates challenges such as increased grass weed pressure, inconsistent yields, poorer crop establishment and reduced suitability for spring cropping. Additionally, the suitability of conventional replicated trials for extrapolating performance to farm level is frequently questioned for systems-type research. This research combines two complementary studies: a replicated field trial and detailed on-farm studies. The performance of wheat grown following a break crop in plough, min-till and direct drill systems was evaluated using both methods over three seasons. In the replicated trial, where management and input use were consistent across treatments, variation was recorded in plant densities and growth with only minor effects on yield. In contrast, the on-farm study, where management and input use varied between systems, showed no variation in plant densities and growth but did reveal significant yield differences. These were associated with input use and establishment system. The on-farm study provided valuable insight into the range of performance of these systems in commercial settings. However, it was less effective at isolating which specific components were responsible for the observed performance differences between systems.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a vital legume crop with significant global importance, yet its productivity is highly sensitive to environmental variability. This study employed advanced statistical modelling to identify key environmental drivers of chickpea yield and water-use efficiency (WUE). Field trial data from 29 experiments across 10 Australian locations were analysed, focusing on 19 climatic variables across four growth stages: sowing to flowering, flowering to podding, podding to maturity and the critical period around flowering. Using correlation analysis and Exclusive LASSO regression, the study quantified relationships between environmental factors, growth stages and chickpea performance metrics. Key findings identified soil evaporation and soil moisture supply-demand ratio during the sowing-to-flowering stage, along with frost during the critical period, as significant determinants of yield. Frost negatively impacted WUE across multiple growth stages, while mean photothermal quotient during early growth positively influenced transpiration-based WUE. Predictive models developed using daily climate data demonstrated strong performance (R2 > 0.68–0.72) for yield and WUE predictions. The study provides actionable insights for optimising chickpea production under varying environmental conditions, offering practical tools for farmers and agronomists to enhance crop management strategies, supporting sustainable and profitable chickpea farming in Australia and beyond.