This study aimed to evaluate early-maturing rice (Oryza sativa L.) advanced lines for grain yield, grain-quality traits, and stability over three years (2019–2021). Four rice advanced lines (S-7-12, S-106, TSHD 20-13-1-3-1-1, and S-123) and one check cultivar (Guljahon) received assessments for agromorphological traits, milling quality, physicochemical properties (amylose and protein content), and pasting characteristics. The advanced line S-106 consistently revealed the highest grain yield (7.31–7.63 t ha⁻¹), early maturity, higher tillering ability, greater panicle fertility, and increased grain weight per panicle. Furthermore, the said line S-106 also exhibited the optimum milling quality and stable amylose content, supporting its suitability for both production and processing. Separately, the advanced line S-123 exhibited higher protein content and favorable eating-quality traits, while the advanced line TSHD 20-13-1-3-1-1 showed the lowest yield performance and stability. Overall, the advanced line S-106 emerged as the most promising line for varietal release because of its genetic potential for the highest grain yield, desirable grain-quality traits, and stability in performance.

Keywords: Rice (O. sativa L.), breeding lines, grain yield, milling quality, amylose content, protein content, pasting properties

Key findings: The rice (O. sativa L.) advanced line S-106 consistently achieved the highest grain yield (7.31–7.63 t ha⁻¹) with robust stability and broad adaptability across the three years, which was also in association with its early maturity (104.9–106.5 days), reduced plant height, and high tillering capacity.

The Aglaonema cultivar Silver Bay is distinct with its highest cost compared with other cultivars. In previous years, the necessity of research aimed at optimizing plant propagation processes has been increasing. The consequent study sought to conduct experiments on the optimization of the different stages involved in microclonal propagation of this important plant. Initially, clarifying the sterilization conditions of plant materials succeeded. Sterilization of materials in Domestos for 20 minutes, in 70% ethanol for two minutes, and in 0.1% AgNO₃ solution for three minutes allowed the increase in viability to 87.6%. Moreover, to enhance the efficiency of multiplication and rooting stages through microclonal propagation, standards for enriching the Murashige and Skoog nutrient medium with benzylaminopurine (BAP) and metatopolin were options. This tested combinations of substrates that increase the viability of regenerants at the rooting stage. Under selected optimal conditions, the number of shoots formed by explants was 2.6, reducing the emergence of shoots to 8.2 days, having root length at the fifth week of rooting at 6.7 cm, and the viability of seedlings during acclimatization reaching 89.4%. The obtained results could serve to increase the diversity of methods used in the propagation of indoor plants.

Keywords: Aglaonema, benzylaminopurine (BAP), cultivar Silver Bay, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), in vitro, microclonal propagation, Murashige and Skoog, sterilization

Key findings: Research into optimizing the stages of microclonal propagation of Aglaonema has provided scientific solutions for increasing the efficiency of seedling production. The results obtained will serve to improve methods for mass propagation of ornamental plants.

An evaluation of quantitative variations in the main taxonomic groups of the microbial community during long-term use of the direct seeding technology in Ismayilli Region, Azerbaijan, was the aim of this research. The assessment focused on the quantitative characteristics of the microbial community in agroсenoses using no-till and traditional plowing conducted for variants with various agricultural crops and with or without mineral fertilizer application. The abundance of ecotrophic microbial groups (nitrogen-fixing bacteria, ammonifiers, denitrifiers, amylolytics, and cellulolytics) received evaluation using the classical method of inoculation on selective media, while assessing the ribosomal genes of archaea, bacteria, and fungi used real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). The traditional plowing displayed an enhanced abundance of cultivable aerobic ammonifiers, denitrifiers, aerobic cellulolytics, actinomycetes, and micromycetes. However, the direct sowing with no tillage occurred with numerous anaerobic cellulolytics and nitrogen fixers, aerobic diazotrophs, and amylolytics.

Keywords: Bacteria, archaea, actinomycetes, micromycetes, traditional plowing, no tillage

Key findings: Microbial parameters provided valuable information about soil health under different management practices, contributing to the development of effective sustainable land use strategies. Their ratio can also serve as bioindicators of agricultural greening during the transition from traditional plowing to no tillage.

Breeding for soft-rot disease (SRD)-resistant Phalaenopsis cultivars is crucial for ensuring sustainable orchid production in tropical regions. Indonesia is one of the centers of origin and diversity of Phalaenopsis. However, information on potential Phalaenopsis donor parents and the mechanisms underlying SRD resistance remains limited, posing challenges for conventional and biotechnological breeding approaches. The concerned study aimed to identify SRD-resistant species among 20 Phalaenopsis species native to Indonesia and determine the viable role of pre-existing mechanical structures in post-infection resistance. The SRD screening successfully identified three additional resistant species, namely, P. corningiana, P. modesta, and P. tetraspis, along with the previously known resistant species, P. amboinensis. Leaf anatomy and epidermal traits were remarkably showing significant differences among the species; however, the correlation of leaf anatomy and epidermal traits with SRD resistance was nonsignificant. The staining of cell wall components (cellulose, pectin, and lignin) revealed no considerable differences between the Phalaenopsis resistant and very susceptible species. The newly identified SRD-resistant species has yet to reach frequent usage in the Phalaenopsis breeding program, recognizing its potential for integration into the Phalaenopsis SRD-resistance breeding program. Study results suggested that physical leaf traits exerted less influence on the resistance response.

Keywords: Phalaenopsis species, cultivars, Dickeya dadantii, pre-existing defense, soft-rot disease, SRD-resistance

Key findings: The newly identified SRD-resistant Phalaenopsis species, namely, P. corningiana, P. modesta, and P. tetraspis, are yet to be utilized in a breeding program to authenticate their potential for integration into breeding programs to produce SRD-resistant cultivars.

The study aimed to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of putrescine (Put: 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg L⁻¹) and forchlorfenuron (CPPU: 0, 0.4, and 0.8 mg L⁻¹) on the in vitro growth and multiplication of shoots in Japanese orange (Citrus japonica). Explants cultured on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium received supplements of 2 mg L⁻¹ BA (benzyl adenine) and 0.1 mg L⁻¹ NAA (1-naphthaleneacetic acid) for four weeks. Results revealed that increasing Put concentration in the multiplication medium significantly improved stem length, the number of leaves, fresh weight, and plant survival. The highest values were notable at Put (7.5 mg L⁻¹) for stem length (2.127 cm), leaves/explant (8.268), and 0.7944 mg and 85.6% survival, respectively, compared with the control. The latter recorded the lowest values (0.843 cm, 5.911, 0.7333 mg, and 67.8%, respectively). Similarly, increasing the CPPU concentration (0.8 mg⁻¹) revealed the highest values for shoots/explant (CPPU: 4.025), shoot length (2.090 cm), leaves/explant (8.687), fresh weight (0.8975 mg), dry weight (0.2192 mg), and survival (91.7%). The interaction between CPPU (0.8 mg L⁻¹) and Put (7.5 mg L⁻¹) concentrations recorded the topmost average stem length (2.750 cm), leaf number (9.533 leaves/explant), and survival percentage (100.0%).

Keywords: Kumquat (Citrus japonica), plant tissue culture, putrescine (Put), CPPU, NAA, BA

Key findings: The interaction between CPPU (0.8 mg L⁻¹) and Put (7.5 mg L⁻¹) concentrations recorded the highest average stem length (2.750 cm), leaf number (9.533 leaves/explant), and survival percentage (100.0%) in the Japanese orange.

The concerned study aimed to evaluate the biological control of root rot disease of common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which causes considerable yield losses, using endophytic bacteria isolated from halo-xerophytic plants. The vegetative experiment revealed P. vulgaris plants have the potential to control virulence of the fungus Rhizoctonia solani, which causes root rot, based on consortia of endophytic bacteria and chemicals. The severity levels of plant disease, as determined, employed the damage scale method. Using the damaged background + conditional microbial preparation + Topaz (10 μg/ml), very light damage (1 ≤ 1; 10%) was evident in the common bean. By treating P. vulgaris with conditional microbial preparation, the yield gained a significant increase, and the phytopathogen damage level decreased. The study proved the potential of microbial preparations based on endophytic bacterial strains for inhibiting the effects of R. solani in common beans. These results can become initial data that could serve to expand the diversity of agents used against diseases in crop production.

Keywords: Bacteria, common bean (P. vulgaris L.), damage, endophyte, Rhizoctonia solani, seeds, severity levels, Topaz

Key findings: The biological control of R. solani in common beans (P. vulgaris L.) using bacterial strains isolated from halo-xerophytes has provided a unique solution. The results could help in the development of strategies for biological control and reduce the use of chemicals in crop production.

With minimal soil tillage in mid-March, disking fields with LDG-10 harrow to a depth of 8–12 cm effectively destroyed emerging weeds and loosened the soil surface. In the favorable crop season of 2024, the highest dry hay yield (3.74 t/ha) obtained was under minimal tillage with simultaneous sowing of the early-maturing lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cultivar Krasnovodopadskaya and safflower cultivar Irkas, exceeding pure lucerne by 1.68 t/ha (with a 1.8-fold increase). Compaction of lucerne with Sudan grass produced 2.84 t/ha (1.4 times higher than pure lucerne). In the extremely dry crop season of 2025, minimal soil cultivation in integration with sowing lucerne alongside the safflower cultivar Irkas resulted in a dry hay yield of 2.09 t/ha. A comparable hay yield of 2.04 t/ha resulted in the sowing of early-maturing lucerne cultivar Krasnovodopadskaya in combination with the Sudan grass cultivar Ailana-2017, which obtained a hay yield 2.2 times higher than the yield of pure lucerne. Under minimal soil cultivation with a single-species lucerne sowing, dry hay yield reached only 0.93 t/ha, remaining substantially lower than in the compacted cropping systems.

Keywords: Lucerne (M. sativa L.), safflower, Sudan grass, minimal soil tillage, mineral fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, dry hay yield

Key findings: Under rainfed conditions, minimal soil tillage with direct sowing of lucerne (M. sativa L.) with simultaneous intercropping with safflower and Sudan grass significantly enhanced lucerne yield and produced a balanced fodder for livestock.

Nanomaterials and their use can be powerful tools for managing plant resistance and disease control and could play a remarkable role in the agrotechnological revolution. Addressing food supply issues using modern methods also requires increased efficiency and in-depth understanding of their impact on the environment and humans. Furthermore, it is also critical for producers to ensure the sustainable use of such technologies and understand their mechanism of action, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. The concerned study aimed to examine the modern approaches for improving the use of nanoparticles in plant disease management and control. Several methods for producing and analyzing nanoparticles, as well as their application in plant pathology, were in focus. The results associated with the synthesis of silver, copper, and zinc oxide nanoparticles were notable, with their morphology, structure, and biological activity also studied. Nanoparticles (<40 nm) appeared to exhibit the highest fungicidal activity against Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria solani, Phytophthora infestans, and Helminthosporium turcicum. The study described mechanisms of nanoparticles’ antimicrobial activities, proposing improved approaches for their beneficial use in plant protection.

Keywords: Nanoparticles, plant diseases, silver, copper, zinc oxide, fungicidal activity, nanotechnology, environment and human’s health

Key findings: Metals and metal-oxide nanoparticles (AgNPs, CuNPs, ZnONPs, and FeNPs) (<40 nm) exhibited robust antifungal activity against primary phytopathogens through membrane damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. The integration of AgNPs + ZnONPs revealed the highest efficacy, providing 90%–95% pathogen suppression with enhanced seed germination.

Crop breeding innovations with sustainable attributes are crucial for food systems of tomorrow; however, the economic worth of such innovations to producers and consumers has not received substantial assessment. This research aimed to fill up that gap by evaluating the effects of particular breeding-based parameters. Among these are climate resilience and nutrient-use efficiency (NUE) and other factors affecting consumer choice, willingness to pay (WTP), and welfare outcomes in food chains in Turkey and Eastern Europe. The study used the microeconomic model integrating farm-level production data with life-cycle assessment and a discrete-choice experiment (N = 472 consumers). The random-parameter logit model showed that breeding variables were the most influential determinants of market preferences, attributing 21%–35% variance in WTP and consumer welfare, which emerged considerably larger than sustainability labels (1%–3%) and income heterogeneity (4%–20%). Resistant cultivars considerably contributed to consumer welfare, and the producers were surplus by 15.8 index and 10.2 USD/ha, respectively. By providing evidence to breeders and policymakers, integrating climate resilience and NUE into germplasm, the congruent economic benefits reached their development across the entire value chain. This provided a scalable avenue for breeding programs to directly affect the sustainable agricultural consumption.

Keywords: Sustainable agricultural consumption, breeding innovations, agri-food systems, climate resilience, nutrient-use efficiency, discrete choice experiment, economic benefits

Key findings: Sustainability factors based on breeding innovations were the most significant consumer choice determinants, which enhanced the consumer’s willingness to pay and purchase likelihood. The disparity in income diminished the attained welfare of the lower-income consumers, showing distributional bottlenecks to adopting sustainable products.

This study aimed to develop special paths for genetic-environmental interference and classify them based on their economic yield. As for genetic composition, the appropriate environment is the basic condition in developing superior cultivars through breeding programs. Genetic variation helps in distinguishing genetic compositions under different environments and maintaining their economic yield for long and short terms. Flexible genetic variation enables the genotypes to adapt to the changing environment and develop genes for resistance to various stress factors while stabilizing their production. Based on this, the classification of environments depended on their productive capacity into ideal, very suitable, suitable, and weak, depending upon the crop goals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the percentage of genotypes’ contribution to ideal, appropriate, and specialized environments and their patterns of environmental distribution. The genetic-environmental interactions also reached either a positive or negative interpretation, depending on the genotypes’ response to the existing environment, as per plastic models and diagrams that facilitate the classification process.

Keywords: Genotypes, breeding programs, genetic pathways, environmental variations, environmental classification, genotype-by-environment interactions

Key findings: The results confirmed that knowledge of genotype-by-environment interactions is the key factor in developing plant cultivars resilient and adaptable to climate change.