Salinity stress is a major abiotic stress limiting rice productivity. The development of high-yielding and salinity-tolerant rice varieties is a key strategy for achieving global food security. Evaluation under contrasting saline field conditions is needed to validate salinity-tolerant rice genotypes. This study aimed to evaluate agronomic performance and select superior doubled haploid (DH) rice lines in yield trials in lowland saline-prone areas. The research was conducted during the 2025 dry season in two coastal areas in Indonesia-Subang (strongly saline: 1.61 dS/m) and Sidoarjo (saline: 0.62 dS/m)-using a randomized complete block design with one factor (genotypes) and three replications in Sidoarjo and two replications in Subang. The genetic materials consisted of 25 DH rice lines and three check varieties (Inpari 18, Inpari 30 Ciherang Sub1, Inpari 34 Salin Agritan). Observations were conducted on agronomic characters, including growth, phenological, yield components, and grain yield. The results showed that all observed traits were significantly influenced by genotype × environment interactions (p-values <0.01 and <0.05), indicating differential genotype responses across two environments. DH rice lines exhibited higher grain yield than the check varieties in Sidoarjo and comparable performance in Subang. Among them, GN12, GN18, and GN21 consistently outperformed the salinity-tolerant check variety, Inpari 34 Salin Agritan, across both locations. A weighted selection index enabled the identification of 14 DH lines with desirable agronomic performance in two lowland saline-prone environments, including a high number of productive tillers (23.8 tillers), a low number of unfilled grains (22.8 grains/panicle), and a high mean grain yield (6.96 t/ha) exceeding that of the check varieties. Those selected DH lines are promising candidates for salinity-tolerant rice breeding and should be further evaluated in multi-location yield trials for their yield stability and adaptability.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces interconnected challenges of climate change, land-use transformation, and persistent food insecurity. In this scoping review, we synthesized evidence on the interlinkages among land-use change, climate-smart agriculture (CSA), and food security under climate change in SSA, with particular attention to synergies, trade-offs, and feedback mechanisms. Following the PRISMA-ScR framework, relevant literature published between 2000 and 2025 was systematically identified and screened, resulting in 17 studies that were included in the final synthesis. Extracted evidence was analyzed using descriptive and thematic approaches. Agricultural expansion, deforestation, land degradation, agricultural intensification, and landscape fragmentation emerged as the dominant land-use transformations. While agricultural expansion may increase production in the short term, associated ecosystem degradation can undermine long-term productivity and food security. CSA practices, particularly agroforestry, conservation agriculture, integrated soil fertility management, climate-resilient crop varieties, and sustainable land management were associated with improved productivity, climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, and food-security outcomes. However, their implementation involved trade-offs related to land allocation, labor, investment requirements, and environmental conservation. The findings highlighted positive feedbacks between CSA, land restoration, productivity, and resilience and support integrated, context-specific landscape approaches for achieving sustainable and climate-resilient agrifood systems in SSA.

The growing demand for healthier and more sustainable food options is prompting the food sector to develop products that deliver nutritional benefits while reducing waste. This study examines a dual valorization strategy that integrates both vegetable and fruit by-products and underutilized seed oils into cracker formulations. Powders derived from Brassica oleracea var. sabauda (Savoy cabbage) by-products and Malus domestica var. Annurca peels were used to partially replace wheat flour (5% and 10%), while cold-pressed broccoli and cherry seed oils served as alternative lipid sources. This combined use of fiber-and polyphenol-rich powders with alternative seed oils represents a novel, circular approach to functional bakery design. Four experimental formulations (C1-C4) were prepared alongside a control, replacing wheat flour with 5% or 10% Brassica oleracea var . sabauda by-products plus broccoli seed oil (C1, C2) or with 5% or 10% Annurca apple peel powder plus cherry seed oil (C3, C4). Enrichment increased total polyphenol content and DPPH radical-scavenging activity compared with the control, with the highest values observed in the 10% Annurca peel formulation (C4; 267.7 μg GAE/g and 43.9%, respectively). The enriched crackers also showed lower IC50 values in the in vitro assays against α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase, particularly C4, which exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity. In vitro starch digestion resulted in significantly lower predicted glycemic index (pGI) values in all enriched formulations compared with the control, with reductions ranging from approximately 17.5 to 23.8%. These findings indicate that incorporating plant-based by-products can modify the DPPH radical-scavenging activity, in vitro digestive enzyme inhibitory potential, and predicted glycemic response of crackers. Overall, the results support the potential of these by-products for the development of more resource-efficient bakery products, while further studies are needed to characterize individual and combined contributions of these ingredients.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a widely used medicinal and aromatic plant whose preservation of bioactive compounds and essential oil (EO) yield is crucial for maintaining its quality. In this study, we evaluated the effects of five post-harvest treatments applied to peppermint leaves: control (fresh leaves–T1), oven drying at 40 ℃ with forced-air ventilation (T2), oven drying at 40 ℃ without forced-air ventilation (T3), room-temperature storage (23−27 ℃) (T4), and freezing at −20 ℃ for 30 days (T5). For each treatment, antioxidant activity (FRAP and DPPH), total phenolic content, EO yield and composition, and EO density and refractive index, were evaluated. Treatments T2 and T4 showed the highest EO yields among the evaluated treatments. Carvone (ranging from 75.79% in T1 to 33.08% in T5) and limonene (ranging from 25.83% in T4 to 7.77% in T3) were the major tentative compounds identified, with their relative abundances varying according to the post-harvest treatment applied. Freezing was associated with lower EO yields and reduced antioxidant activity compared with the other treatments. Overall, room-temperature storage (T4) and oven drying with forced-air ventilation (T2) showed the most favorable results for EO yield and antioxidant activity of M. piperita. Although both treatments showed favorable overall performance, differences in EO chemical composition indicate that treatment selection should consider the desired chemical profile and intended application.

This study aimed to develop a sustainable herbal tea product from teak and pandan leaves (HTP) by systematically comparing two distinct drying methods: hot air drying and greenhouse solar drying. Product quality, economic feasibility, and environmental carbon emissions were comprehensively evaluated. Specifically, the physicochemical properties, total phenolic content, and radical scavenging activity of the dried HTP powder were thoroughly assessed. The experimental results demonstrated that hot air drying preserved the highest total phenol content among the evaluated methods. An extensive economic analysis considered key financial parameters, including production costs (comprising labor, raw materials, and operational expenses), asset depreciation, initial capital investment, and projected revenue, using net present value (NPV) and payback period (PBP) as the primary indicators. While both drying systems proved to be economically efficient by yielding substantial NPV figures and relatively short PBPs, greenhouse solar drying exhibited vastly superior overall economic performance. Specifically, greenhouse solar drying reduced carbon emissions by 7.1832 kg CO₂ eq/kg and yielded between two and four times the NPV of hot air drying. Furthermore, the PBP was shortened by approximately five to fifteen months, while break-even points indicated that lower production volumes were sufficient to offset all total costs. Consequently, greenhouse solar drying offers an eco-friendly and economically advantageous approach to herbal tea production by effectively reducing environmental impact, eliminating electricity costs, and enhancing both production capacity and overall profitability. Ultimately, this processing method represents a highly sustainable processing strategy for organic farming community enterprises.

Crop diversification can contribute to climate resilience, but improvements in soil health, biodiversity, yield, income, or diet do not demonstrate the capacity to absorb, recover from, or adapt to climatic shocks. This structured narrative review critically synthesized a corpus of 81 references spanning 2008–2026, combining foundational literature with evidence. The review focused on farm-and household-level systems and distinguished three evidence categories: direct resilience evidence, indirect evidence based on intermediate outcomes or proxies, and conceptual or mechanistic inference. Diversification generally improved ecological functions, stabilized aggregate production, broadened income and food portfolios, and could strengthen social learning. Direct evidence was narrower and concerned performance during defined adverse conditions; general yield variability and consumption smoothing under unspecified risk remain proxies. Outcomes varied with agroecological conditions, market access, farm size, labor availability, gender relations, and diversification design; competition, added labor, weak demand, and insecure access to resources could offset benefits. A refined theory of change therefore positioned enabling institutions and adaptive feedback as necessary links between diversification and resilience. Policy implications were graded by evidentiary support, and priorities were identified for longitudinal, causal, multidimensional, and gender-responsive research. Sources were compared narratively by study design, diversification practice, measured outcomes, and exposure to climatic disturbance; heterogeneous evidence precluded a pooled effect estimate.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of combined supplementation of two rumen-isolated Pichia manshurica yeast strains (FFNLYFC1and FFNLYFC2), which were combined 1:1 and dosed at 1.4 × 10⁸ CFU/g dry matter (DM) from each strain on in vitro ruminal fermentation of diets in which almond hulls from Palestine (AHP) or Tunisia (AHT) replaced berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) as the primary forage source. Five experimental treatments were evaluated at a 60:40 forage-to-concentrate ratio: a control diet (berseem clover hay); AHP without yeast (AHP–); AHP with yeast (AHP+); AHT without yeast (AHT–); and AHT with yeast (AHT+). Three independent biological runs were performed using rumen fluid from three water buffalo males. The asymptotic gas production potential (b) was highest in the control and AHP+ (149.3 and 149.2 mL/g DM, respectively; P = 0.016) and significantly lower in AHT diets (140.4–141.1 mL/g DM). True dry matter digestibility was highest in AHP+ (81.4%) and lowest in AHT– (77.9%). The AHP+ diet yielded the highest total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration (129.6 mmol/L), representing a 37.6% increase over the control (94.2 mmol/L), alongside the greatest propionate proportion (35.4% vs. 21.1% in the control; P = 0.001). Microbial biomass production was highest in AHP+ (523.3 mg/g DM; P = 0.003). True digestible organic matter was significantly greater in AHT– and AHT+ (812.9 and 813.8 g/kg DM, respectively) than in the control (786.4 g/kg DM), reflecting lower lignification in Tunisian hulls. The true neutral detergent fiber degradability (TNDF) was markedly higher in the control (539.1 g/kg DM NDF than in all almond hull diets (357.4–421.5 g/kg NDF; P < 0.001), though yeast supplementation improved TNDF in AHP diets by 17.9%. Methane production per gram of DM was highest in AHP+ (32.6 mL/g DM; P = 0.039), though methane (CH₄) per unit of truly digested organic matter did not differ significantly among treatments (P = 0.059), indicating that the elevated absolute CH₄ in AHP+ reflects greater total fermentation activity rather than enhanced methanogenesis per se. Ruminal pH and protozoal counts were not significantly different among treatments. These findings indicated that P. manshurica yeast supplementation substantially enhanced fermentation efficiency and VFA output in Palestinian almond hull diets and exerted a meaningful but more modest benefit in Tunisian hull diets, with the geographic origin of the almond hulls appearing to modulate the fermentation response to yeast inclusion. P. manshurica-supplemented Palestinian almond hull diets (AHP+) produced the best combined fermentation outcome among the almond hull treatments evaluated.

The growing market for frozen bakery products has increased the demand for ingredients with suitable technological properties for frozen dough applications. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the technological performance of native, fermented, and precooked Colocasia esculenta starch in frozen bread dough by characterizing its physicochemical, functional, rheological, and microstructural properties, as well as its effect on bread quality after frozen storage. Three starch treatments were evaluated: native starch (T1), fermented starch obtained using baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (T2), and precooked starch obtained by steam treatment (T3). Starch extraction yield was highest for T1 (13.52%), followed by T3 (12.59%) and T2 (8.57%). The treatments produced differences in functional, chemical, and rheological properties. Fermented starch exhibited the highest peak viscosity (1520.01 cP), whereas precooked starch showed the lowest final viscosity (90.01 cP) and the highest degree of gelatinization. In bread prepared from frozen dough, native starch showed the highest expansion index (1.60), while fermented starch produced the highest hardness (3991.37 g) and the highest sensory scores for color (4.8), texture (4.6), and overall acceptability (4.6). These findings indicate that fermentation and steam treatment produced distinct starch profiles that were reflected in the physical, textural, and sensory characteristics of the resulting bread. The results provide evidence of the technological potential of C. esculenta starch treatments for frozen bread dough applications within the experimental conditions evaluated in this study.

Common bean is one of the most important food legumes worldwide. However, low grain yields among smallholder farmers are often associated with insufficient mineral fertilization and difficulties in identifying nutrient deficiencies. The crop can establish symbiotic associations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, meeting part of its nitrogen requirements through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF). We aimed to evaluate the effects of rhizobial inoculation and mineral nitrogen fertilization on the grain yield of common bean cultivars, as well as to assess the potential of the modified photochemical reflectance index (MPRI) as an indicator associated with grain yield. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Seven common bean cultivars and four nitrogen sources were evaluated: inoculation with the UFLA 02-100 and CIAT 899 strains, mineral nitrogen fertilization, and a non-fertilized control. Agronomic and physiological traits were evaluated throughout the crop cycle, and aerial images were obtained at 50 days after sowing to determine MPRI. The cultivar × nitrogen source interaction was not significant for the evaluated traits. Inoculation with UFLA 02-100 resulted in grain yield comparable to mineral nitrogen fertilization despite lower shoot N accumulation, whereas CIAT 899 did not differ from the non-fertilized control in grain yield. MPRI was significantly associated with grain yield but not with shoot N accumulation, indicating its potential as a non-destructive indicator of crop performance.

The spread of livestock diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF) or the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), caused by viruses and/or bacteria such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli, are currently reducing biosecurity; as such, EU regulations avoid the use of derived manure for biofertilisation. This is happening in a global context, where the price of food, fertilisers, and energy have a strong correlation. In fact, surges in the cost of these commodities contribute to strong tensions in food-insecure countries, very often resulting in food riots. This review paper addresses the current technologies available in the EU for the treatment of manure, including that derived from livestock affected by the above diseases. Additionally, within the agricultural sector, livestock farming is the major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as methane, nitrogen monoxide, and carbon dioxide, which contribute to global warming and, therefore, climate change. Thus, this paper also discusses manure management technologies aimed at reducing GHG emissions, considered as livestock farming footprints according to EU regulations. The literature review followed a widely implemented method divided into three phases: planning (theoretical background), execution (search strategy), and result analysis. The current technologies available in the EU for manure management are aerobic treatment, composting, anaerobic digestion (AD), decanter centrifuge, VP-HoBe, BENAS AD, Geamix housing system, belt press sieve–reverse osmosis, vibrating reverse osmosis, granulation, gasification, and pyrolysis. RENURE (REcovered Nitrogen from manure), i.e., an organic fertiliser that is partially or totally derived from manure, can replace synthetic chemical/mineral fertilisers, thereby building up a resilient food production chain capable of using locally available resources. This review indicates that pyrolysis and AD are the best suited technologies for processing manure that may be affected by the above diseases, as they have been proven to effectively avoid the spread of those specific pathogens. Moreover, these two technologies can reduce livestock footprints. However, further research will need to assess the selected manure management technologies through the computation of energy balance, in order to maximise energy efficiency.