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.

Pruning and nutrient supply after pruning are crucial to restore growth and productivity of old, unproductive coffee trees. The effect of pruning type (stumping, heavy pruning and light pruning) and fertiliser rate (100, 140, 180 and 220 g nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur (NPS) mixed fertiliser per tree per year) on coffee yield and yield components and fertiliser agronomic efficiency (AE) was studied in southwest Ethiopia to identify the best pruning type and fertiliser rate combination for high crop productivity and AE. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot design with three replicates, where pruning type was the whole-plot factor and fertiliser rate was the subplot factor. Both main and interaction effects of pruning type and fertiliser rate on response variables were significant. Stumping and heavy pruning showed a much higher number of primary branches and fruiting nodes per tree than did light pruning. The 100 g fertiliser rate showed a significantly higher number of verticals and fruiting nodes per tree, yield and AE than did the other rates. Besides, the combination of heavy pruning and 100 g, stumping and 220 g, and stumping and 100 g provided a much higher number of fruiting nodes per tree, yield and AE; number of fruiting nodes per tree, canopy diameter and yield; and yield and AE, respectively than others. These findings show the importance of stumping and heavy pruning each combined with 100 g NPS fertiliser for renewing coffee productivity and maximizing AE in the study area.

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.

Winter barley is mainly grown in Europe. Before new varieties are recommended for cultivation, they undergo evaluation in breeding and variety trials. Based on the results of these trials, the stability and adaptability of promising new lines or varieties are assessed. In the present study, based on results from post-registration trials, we compared varieties grown in the 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. We fitted two Bayesian mixed models and assessed the stability of the varieties using the posterior estimates of variance components from the preferred model. We also used Bayesian probabilistic methods to recommend the best varieties. Using the probabilistic methods, we identified the varieties that were the most stable and had the highest yield in the barley post-registration trials. The varieties Melia, Mirabelle and Zenek were shown to be the three most stable and highest yielding. Furthermore, these three varieties had the highest joint probability of superior performance and stability. This study demonstrates that probabilistic methods within a Bayesian framework are a powerful tool for recommending the best winter barley varieties. The R-codes for both models are provided in a Supplement.

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.

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop with notable economic and nutritional value; however, its productivity in newly reclaimed soils is hindered by nutrient deficiencies and complex soil conditions. This study examined the combined effects of magnesium (Mg) fertilisation and zinc (Zn) foliar applications on the growth, yield and oil quality of canola in newly reclaimed soils in Egypt during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 growing seasons. A split-plot experimental design was utilised, featuring Mg rates (12, 24, 48 and 72 kg/ha) as main plots and Zn foliar applications (0, 3, 5 and 6 g/L) as sub-plots. The results indicated significant improvements in plant growth characteristics, yield components and oil parameters with elevated levels of Mg and Zn. The treatment combination of 72 kg Mg/ha and 6 g/L Zn consistently improved plant height, number of primary branches, siliques per plant and 1000-seed weight in both seasons. Seed yield increased by 71%, achieving 3.50 t/ha, while oil yield exhibited a 134.9% rise, reaching 1,377.43 kg/ha. Principal component analysis revealed that the increased application of Mg and Zn significantly enhanced agronomic performance, with the first two principal components accounting for 90.7% of the total variance. Correlation and path analyses revealed intricate interactions among traits, with the number of siliques per plant and oil content demonstrating the most significant direct effects on seed and oil yields. This study highlights the significance of balanced nutrient management for optimising canola productivity.

Pearl millet is a vital nutri-cereal that serves as a staple food and a significant source of calories for millions of people in arid and semi-arid tropical regions. The present work aims to conduct various genetic interpretations using six generations of six crosses, which were evaluated during the South-west monsoon season 2021 and 2022 at IARI, New Delhi, India for different biochemical traits. Amylose content (AC) among all the genotypes varied from 21.3–26.4g/100g, starch content (SC) from 56.1–71.0g/100g, oil content from 5.37–13.2g/100g, total protein content from 5.7–14.7g/100g, phytic acid content from 0.86–1.01g/100g and total phenolic content (TPhC) from 0.06–0.19g/100g. Seed yield per spike (SYS) showed positive correlation with thousand seed weight (TSW) and SC while there was negative correlation with protein content. Significant variation was observed for almost all the traits except in a few cases. AC and SC were governed by both additive and dominant gene actions. However, phytic acid, TPhC, TSW and SYS exhibited a stronger bias towards dominant gene action, therefore selection can be delayed to later generations to achieve greater homozygosity and trait stability. In contrast, oil and protein content were primarily controlled by additive effects, indicating that early-generation selection may prove beneficial for identifying superior breeding lines.

This study investigated the effects of enzyme and/or sodium butyrate supplementation on the performance, eggshell quality, pancreatic enzyme activities and jejunum histology of laying quails-fed diets containing sunflower meal (SFM). A total of 140 24-week-old quails were randomly allocated into five experimental groups with 14 replicates each. The treatment diets were: NC (negative control without SFM), PC (positive control with 25% SFM), PC+E (PC + 500 g/tonne multi-enzyme), PC+B (PC + 1000 g/tonne sodium butyrate) and PC+EB (PC + 500 g/tonne multi-enzyme + 1000 g/tonne sodium butyrate).

As a result of this study, egg production was significantly higher in PC, PC+E and PC+EB groups compared to NC, while feed intake increased in PC but decreased with enzyme and/or sodium butyrate supplementation. Eggshell-breaking strength was highest in PC+B, whereas eggshell ratio and thickness increased across all groups compared to NC. Pancreatic lipase activity increased in PC+E and PC+B, but pancreatic amylase and protease activities decreased in all treatments compared to NC. Villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) improved with enzyme and/or sodium butyrate supplementation, with villus width and surface area significantly greater in PC+E and PC+EB. However, the VH/CD ratio decreased in all groups except PC+EB. In conclusion, diets containing 25% SFM did not impair performance or egg quality and improved eggshell thickness and ratio. Enzyme and/or sodium butyrate supplementation reduced feed intake enhanced pancreatic lipase activity, decreased amylase and protease activities and improved jejunum histology, with sodium butyrate notably increasing eggshell-breaking strength.

The investigation of structural variants that may govern complex traits has significant importance. This is particularly true for the crossbred dairy cattle of Pakistan, which are deemed ideal for achieving optimal milk production and enhanced environmental adaptability in tropical conditions. This research detected and described copy number variation regions (CNVR) within the crossbred cattle genome. A GGP_HDv3_C chip containing 139,376 SNPs was utilized to genotype a cohort of 81 animals. In this study, 1055 CNVs were obtained after quality control, distributed across animals and encompassing all autosomes. From these, 268 CNVRs were detected, which covered 31.03 megabases, representing approximately 1.24% of the bovine genome. Functional analysis of these regions yielded 97 genes primarily associated with the immune and defense systems. Additionally, other observed categories encompassed production, health and reproduction. These findings enhanced the CNV map of bovines, offering the variant identification linked to traits subject to selection in both crossbred and indicine breeds of cattle.

The effects of abomasal infusion of corn starch and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) on hindgut microbial fermentation characteristics and end-products in early lactation dairy cows were determined via in vitro gas production (GP). Four substrates, either fibre or starch sources differing in expected rate of degradability (slow – cellulose and corn grain; rapid – beet pulp and pregelatinized corn flour), were incubated with faecal inoculum from cows abomasally infused with water only, 1.5 kg corn starch/d + 0.0 mol BHB/d, 3.0 kg corn starch/d + 0.0 mol BHB/d, 0.0 kg corn starch/d + 8.0 mol BHB/d, 1.5 kg corn starch/d + 8.0 mol BHB/d, or 3.0 kg corn starch/d + 8.0 mol BHB/d in a 6 × 6 Latin square design. In vitro GP was measured using an automated GP system with methane (CH4) measured at specific times. After 72 h, volatile fatty acids (VFA), pH, ammonia, and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of incubation fluid were determined. Infusion of BHB had limited effect on hindgut microbial fermentation. Infusion of 3.0 kg corn starch/d increased GP at 3 h of incubation for all substrates but resulted in lower total GP, CH4 production, pH, ammonia concentration, and IVOMD after 72 h, while increasing total VFA concentration and molar proportions of propionate and butyrate vs. 0.0 and 1.5 kg corn starch/d infusions. Among substrates, IVOMD of cellulose was most affected by 3.0 kg corn starch/d infusion. Results suggest that in vitro fermentative activity of hindgut microbes decreases when higher levels of starch enter the hindgut.