The study comprised investigations based on the physical and mechanical properties of maize cobs and kernels using the ameliorated or upgraded threshing machine. The study considers the maize seeds classification into two shape categories of round and flat, based on their positional characteristics and dimensions. The measurement criteria included the average seed thickness (hor), width (bor), and length (lor). Additionally, the seed dimensions and mass determination primarily depended on the 1000-kernel weight and the scrutiny of variations in the biometric traits, moisture content, and other internal properties of various cultivars. The size and mass traits of the cob and its core, the frictional and aerodynamic properties, the natural inclination angle of the kernel, and the static forces affecting its dispersion also entailed analysis. The promising results can serve as a baseline for optimizing the threshing machine and minimizing kernel losses during postharvest processing.

Keywords: Maize (Z. mays L.), cob size, maize kernels, kernel mass and size, moisture, correlation, frictional properties, postharvest processing

Key findings: Physical and mechanical properties of maize (Z. mays L.) cobs with different maturity stages helped in selecting proper parameters and operating modes in the threshing machine used in postharvest processing to minimize yield losses.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth.) is a valuable essential oil-producing plant that considerably contributes to the global industry. Indonesia is prominent as a global leader in patchouli oil production, accounting for 80%–90% of the global market, with the Aceh Province supplying 70% of the production. The following study aimed to assess the morpho-agronomic diversity, yield, and quality of the essential oil in 14 patchouli accessions grown both in coastal and highland regions of the Aceh Province, Indonesia. The characterization of plants totaled 20 per accession, with the observed variables including quantitative traits (morphological and agronomic characters, yield components, and patchouli alcohol (PA)content) and qualitative traits (leaf and stem characteristics and branch and oil color). The results revealed significant diversity, with lowland genotypes generally exhibiting superior vegetative growth and higher oil quality. The accession AU04 recorded the highest PA content (42.8%), while AU05 produced the greatest biomass. In contrast, highland accessions, such as BM02 and BM03, showed lower PA levels but displayed adaptive traits linked to cooler environments. Cluster analysis disclosed two major clusters, largely reflecting ecological adaptation across altitude gradients. The results demonstrate that genotype × environment interaction strongly influences growth and oil. The findings provided a crucial genetic base for selecting superior accessions and developing agroecology-based conservation and cultivation strategies for patchouli.

Keywords: Patchouli (P. cablin), cluster analysis, plants’ characterization, morpho-agronomic traits, patchouli oil, qualitative traits

Key findings: Morpho-agronomic variations and oil quality in 14 patchouli (P. cablin) accessions showed the effect of environmental adaptation. The lowland accessions gave superior vegetative growth and oil quality compared with accessions from the highlands.

The following study aimed to explore the genetic diversity among 13 oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes (Alguda, Anatolia, Pimula, Genzania, Hamel, ICARDA short, Kangaroo, ICARDA tall, Mitika, Possum, UC-132, Monte Zuma, and Cayuse) with three potassium concentrations (0, 10, and 20 g/L). The experiment, carried out during the winter crop of 2024–2025, transpired in one of the farmers’ fields under the Kirkuk Irrigation Project. Foliar application of potassium had the form of potassium sulfate (52% K₂O). The degree of genetic diversity estimates through the genotypic variations in response to potassium used cluster analysis. The oat genotypes revealed significant genetic variability as influenced by potassium concentrations for biochemical traits. The oat genotype Kangaroo emerged with greater genetic potential in reaction to foliar application of potassium (20 g/L), showing the highest percentages of crude protein, soluble carbohydrates, moisture, and ash content (44%, 55.40%, 18.20%, and 3.13%, respectively). Cluster analysis disclosed substantial genetic diversity among the oat genotypes, with the Kangaroo identified as a stable genotype in the main group with potassium levels displaying superiority in biochemical features.

Keywords: Oat (A. sativa L.), genotypes, genetic diversity, potassium concentrations, cluster analysis

Key findings: The study showed the highest concentration of potassium (20 g/L) significantly improved the biochemical traits of the oat (A. sativa L.) genotypes, particularly in the genotype Kangaroo. Cluster analysis revealed substantial genetic diversity among the genotypes, supporting their potential use in breeding programs.

Blackgram (Vigna mungo [L.] Hepper) is susceptible to some of the most destructive diseases worldwide, including the yellow mosaic disease (YMD) and leaf crinkle disease (LCD). The development of resistant or tolerant varieties is an economical and long-term solution for controlling these diseases. This study visually assessed the response of 72 blackgram genotypes against the YMD and LCD under natural field conditions for two consecutive years. Seven genotypes proved resistant to the YMD, whereas 20 were resistant to the LCD. It was also evident that four genotypes, namely, 32596, 35678, Accession-4, and Accession-7, remained resistant to both diseases during both years. Therefore, the study suggests these genotypes’ use could be beneficial in breeding programs to breed multiple-disease-resistant or tolerant blackgram genotypes or could be recommended varieties for general cultivation following adaptation to different agro-climatic areas. Further verification of the virus involved in the YMD complex had the infected leave samples tested with virus-specific primer pairs of the mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV), the mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV), and the horsegram yellow mosaic virus (HgYMV). An amplification of approximately ~2700 bp resulted in all samples only with a full-length component of the DNA-A of MYMIV, the first time confirming the association of the YMD complex in blackgram in Pakistan with the MYMIV.

Keywords: Blackgram (V. mungo L.), germplasm, evaluation, virus, diseases

Key findings: Seven blackgram (V. mungo L.) genotypes emerged resistant to the YMD, and 20 were resistant to the LCD. However, among these, four genotypes (32596, 35678, Accession-4, and Accession-7) remained resistant against both diseases. The study succeeded in being the first to report the mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) to cause the YMD complex in blackgram in Pakistan.

Indoor farming using light-emitting diodes (LED) has received extensive assessment recently, but studies on cultivating local Madura cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) in indoor farming systems are still few. Using the Internet of Things (IoT) in farming systems can monitor and regulate plant cultivation activities. The existing study aimed to determine the effect of red-blue and white lights on the physiological response of local Madura cowpea plants using an IoT-based growbox. The study was in a factorial completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The first factor was the light spectrum, divided into three categories: L0 (sunlight), L1 (full-spectrum red-blue LED), and L2 (full-spectrum white LED). The second factor comprised five local Madura cowpea genotypes collected from various regions. The results revealed light significantly affected the plant height, leaf quantity, leaf area, root volume, root length, and wet and dry root weight. However, it nonsignificantly influenced the chlorophyll content in plant leaves. Additionally, no notable light treatment x genotype interaction occurred in all characters. This study discloses an effect of different light spectra on the growth and morphological traits of the local Madura cowpea.

Keywords: Cowpea (V. unguiculata L.), indoor farming, IoT, LED, growth and morphological traits, chlorophyll content

Key findings: Based on physiological studies, plants with the light treatment experienced an increase in plant length, plant stomatal index, and root and leaf characters. Light makes plants experience efficient photosynthesis processes, causing it to positively impact the growth and development of local Madura cowpea plants.

Calamus angustifolius Griff. (water rattan palm), C. caesius Blume (Sega rattan), Champereia manillana var. manillana (pucuk seminyak), Cleome gynandra L. (maman), and Plukenetia corniculata Sm. (pepina) traditionally served as food and herbal remedies in Riau, Indonesia. However, reports on scientific information on their bioactive compounds have yet to exist. This study aimed to investigate the histochemical traits and metabolite profiles of these medicinal plants to support their use in future medicinal applications. Leaves and petioles (pepina, maman, and pucuk seminyak) and young stems (water rattan and Sega rattan) underwent histochemical analysis and maceration using methanol, hexane, and ethyl acetate, followed by UPLC-QTOF MS/MS analysis. The histochemical staining identified alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and lipids, except for tannins in pucuk seminyak. Alkaloids emerged primarily in vascular tissues, while flavonoids were abundant in parenchyma. Metabolite profiling revealed a wide range of compounds. Epigallocatechin was notable across all species, whereas formononetin, isoliquiritigenin, and silybin were evident specifically in the Sega rattan and water rattan palm. Among the solvents, methanol yielded the most diverse metabolites through extraction. Based on these, the Sega rattan and water rattan palm have the greatest potential for therapeutic development, while methanol is the most effective solvent for extraction.

Keywords: Traditional medicinal plants, morphological and histochemical traits, metabolite profiles, herbal, UPLC-QTOF MS/MS, Sega rattan (Calamus caesius Blume), Riau

Key findings: Vascular and parenchyma tissues were high in accumulated metabolites in the studied plants. Sega rattan and water rattan palm exhibited the highest metabolite diversity. Furthermore, methanol showed as the best organic solvent for metabolite extraction. The vascular and parenchymal tissues of Sega rattan and water rattan palm are potential targets for breeding programs.

Intercropping is a well-known agricultural practice that capitalizes on the use of available land resources for higher output. The ensuing study aimed to identify the influence of intercropping on soil properties in the kiwi orchard after three years of intercropping. For the said study, two kiwi-based intercropping experiments took place. In the first experiment, the intercropping treatments were wheat intercropping (WI), oat intercropping (OI), pak choi intercropping (PCI), and no intercropping (NI) at Mianzhu County, China. In the second experiment, the treatments were corn intercropping (CI), pumpkin intercropping (PI), soybean intercropping (SI), and no intercropping (NI) at Cangxi County, China. The soil analysis comprised soil pH, organic matter, total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), available N, and available P, with the samples collected from five depths (0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm). The results revealed PI (191.30%) and CI (86.03%) significantly improved the available N; PI (32.69%) significantly enhanced the available P; OI (31.30%) considerably boosted the total N; and all the intercropping treatments improved the total P, except SI, which reduced the total P (24.62%). Therefore, the intercropping in fruit orchards has the potential to improve soil fertility and keep soil healthy for future generations.

Keywords: Soil profile, soil nutrients, soil health, intercropping, wheat, oat, pak choi, maize, soybean, pumpkin, young kiwi

Key findings: In the kiwi fruit orchard, the intercropping systems enhanced the available land resources. It was also helpful in improving soil nutrients and fertility.

The silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) belongs to an important category of insects that have succeeded in their domestication around 5,000 years ago and utilization by humans for their specific needs. The vital studies discovered artificial sex control, radiation-induced mutagenesis, reinterpretation of the heterosis, and genetic principles of the quantitative traits in the silkworm. In quality traits, the cocoon quality depends on the genotypes and their hybrids in the silkworm. Less development and use of high-productivity breeds and hybrids with better indicators of silk quality caused less boost in raw silk output, silk yield, and cocoon silkiness in the sericulture industry. For developing such types of breeds and hybrids, one must know how the various qualitative and quantitative traits reached inheritance through various gene actions in silkworms. The productivity characteristics of different sexes in such types of organisms vary, and mostly, one sex contributes to key economic traits. It follows from this that a comprehensive assessment of sex determination, as well as the expansion of its practical application in industrial sericulture, will contribute to improving economic efficiency in the future. This is the basis for increasing the scale of production in leading countries that develop silk production.

Keywords: Silkworm (B. mori L.), B. mаndarina, B. mori, sex-marking, eggs, lethal, mutation, larva, cocoon

Key findings: This review focused on various past studies conducted on the sex genetics in silkworms (B. mori L.), which transpired in leading sericulture countries, such as China, India, Japan, Korea, Bulgaria, and Uzbekistan. The present worldwide research data will serve as a key source and opportunity for advancing future research on silkworms.

Taro (Colocasia esculenta L.) is an important local crop supporting Indonesia’s food diversification. This study assessed the morphological and genetic diversity of 103 accessions collected from nine districts across low, middle, and high elevations in South Sulawesi. Morphological evaluation employed 34 qualitative and 13 quantitative traits, while genetic variation analysis used 16 inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers. Cluster and principal component analyses (PCA) revealed wide morphological variation, particularly in leaf and corm traits, but no clear grouping by elevation, suggesting a strong influence of environment and seed exchange practices. ISSR markers displayed high polymorphism (89%–100%), with the primer UBC856 showing the highest informativeness (PIC = 0.426). Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated most genetic variation resided within populations (85% at the district level and up to 98% across altitudinal zones), whereas among-population variation was scarce. A molecular dendrogram and PCA supported the absence of distinct genetic structuring by elevation. Overall, the findings imply the shaping of taro diversity is more by vegetative propagation and socio-cultural seed exchange than geographic barriers. These results provide a valuable basis for germplasm conservation, breeding strategies, and the development of improved cultivars to enhance local food security.

Keywords: Taro (Colocasia esculenta L.), diversity, domestication, ISSR primers, morphological traits, vegetative propagation, geographic isolation

Key findings: Genetic variation-based morphological traits and ISSR markers emphasize the potential of local taro (C. esculenta L.) germplasm as a crucial genetic resource for breeding cultivars adaptable to diverse agroecological environments.

Dendrobium is a genus of orchids comprising more than 1,000 species, renowned for its aesthetic appeal and commercial value. Species identification can take place by observing morphological characterization to determine the relationship among the species. This study builds upon previous research by conducting a comprehensive morphological characterization of the Dendrobium collection at the Liwa Botanical Garden. The morphological characterization proceeded using 25 leaf and flower traits, followed by an analysis of character variations and species grouping using the principal component analysis (PCA) and unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averaging (UPGMA). The eight Dendrobium leaf samples (D1 to D8) showed some similarities and differences in their morphological traits. PCA analysis divided the samples into two main groups; Group I has a contribution of 82.448%, while Group II has 12.505%. UPGMA analysis produced a dendrogram showing two main clusters, A and B, and subclusters based on the same morphological characters. Cluster A comprised D7, D8, D6, and D5, while cluster B consisted of D2, D4, D3, and D1. Morphological grouping enunciated the relationship among the studied Dendrobium samples, and the highest similarity index indicated close kinship. Dendrobium species with morphological characterization can aid as an effort to preserve orchid germplasm in the Liwa Botanical Garden.

Keywords: Dendrobium, kinship analysis, morphological characterization, PCA, UPGMA

Key findings: Identification based on morphological traits, such as leaves and flowers, allows an accurate differentiation among the species. Morphological characterization of Dendrobium species is essential for supporting the breeding program and conservation of orchid germplasm in the Liwa Botanical Garden.