Increased rice (Oryza sativa L.) production is no longer sufficient due to climatic factors and soil fertility; overcoming these problems requires irrigation and fertilization technology. The following study investigated the effects of a fertigation system via water management technology along with organic and inorganic fertilization on the productivity of rice (Oryza sativa L.), conducted in 2023 in the South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. A nested factorial experimental design with three factors, namely, two water management systems (light surface and intermittent), three different types of organic fertilizers (silica, trichocompost, and harmony compost), and three doses of NPK fertilizer (250:150:100, 200:100:50, and 150:50:50), successfully transpired. The results showed the macak-macak irrigation system with a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers gave the best outcomes for various parameters. These were the number of tillers, panicle length, and the number of panicle branches, 1000-seed weight, the number of hollow grains per panicle, and dry grain weight per plot. The type of organic fertilizer and the dose of NPK increased the percentage of plant height. The best productivity was evident at a dose of NPK 150:50:50 in intermittent irrigation with a combination of trichocompost organic fertilizer with an average value of 13.57 kg plot^-1. A combination of light surface irrigation with trichocompost fertilizer gives the best results.

Keywords: Rice (O. sativa L.), irrigation, organic fertilizers, NPK, silica, trichocompost, yield traits

Key findings: A considerable increase occurred in the production of lowland rice (O. sativa L.) by using irrigation management and organic and NPK fertilizers. These different inputs used through the fertigation system showed a significant influence on the lowland rice crop.

This study aimed to evaluate six quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) genotypes under two contrasting agro-ecological conditions in Uzbekistan: Tashkent (favorable for crop production) and Chimbay (a saline agroecosystem). Assessments of the agronomic performance of quinoa genotypes ensued during the 2024–2025 growing seasons through vegetative growth and seed traits and grain yield to determine genotypes’ adaptability and environmental response. Genotypes significantly varied in grain yield across the locations, and genotypes New22 and New21 showed the highest productivity in Tashkent and Chimbay, respectively. The Check-1 genotype maintained a moderate yield and stable seed weight across both sites, confirming its reliability as a control. Seed yield per plant and 1000-seed weight revealed genotype-specific reproductive potential, with New42 and New21 outperforming the rest. Notably, New21 produced a higher grain yield in Chimbay than in Tashkent, with 2836.3 kg/ha and 2316.7 kg/ha, respectively, exhibiting salt-tolerant characteristics typical of a halophyte. However, New42 had the maximum yields in Tashkent (3488.9 kg/ha) and in Chimbay (2941.2 kg/ha). Check1 consistently exhibited the tallest stature and highest biomass, whereas New21 demonstrated considerable panicle development and adaptability. Genotype-by-environment interactions identified the genotypes New21 and New42 as promising candidates for cultivation under saline-prone and marginal environments. This study contributes to the potential of quinoa as a climate-resilient crop for sustainable agriculture in Central Asia.

Keywords: Quinoa (C. quinoa Willd.), genotypes, arid condition, soil salinity, marginal environment, grain yield

Key findings: The study highlighted the valuable agronomic and compositional data through genotype-by-environment interactions, supporting targeted breeding strategies for climate-resilient quinoa (C. quinoa Willd.) cultivars in harsh environments of Uzbekistan. Genotypes New21 and New42 demonstrated considerable adaptability and high yield under arid and saline conditions, recognizing them to be promising candidates for cultivation in marginal environments like the Aral Sea basin.

This study examined the effect of water-saving irrigation technologies on potato crops, carried out at the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Growing, Almaty, Kazakhstan. The maintenance of soil moisture at the field capacity of 70%–72% required 5–6 irrigations (500–670 m³/ha) under furrow irrigation, 21–25 irrigations of 93–97 m³/ha under drip irrigation, and 18–20 irrigations of 158–164 m³/ha under sprinkler irrigation. The results showed sprinkler irrigation reduced water use by 10%–15%, while drip irrigation saved 37%–40% compared with the traditional furrow irrigation. Both irrigation technologies promoted intensive plant growth, robust biomass formation, and higher yields. On average, during 2022–2024, potato yields increased by 4.9–5.1 t/ha with sprinkler and drip irrigation relative to furrow irrigation. The findings revealed water-efficient irrigation systems significantly enhanced productivity and resource efficiency in potato farming. Therefore, the sprinkler and drip irrigation technologies emerged as highly recommended for use in agricultural enterprises and smallholder farms engaged in potato production across Kazakhstan.

Keywords: Potato, water-saving, sprinklers, drip irrigation, irrigated agriculture, soil moisture, furrow irrigation, crop biomass and yield

Key findings: The study confirmed that water-saving irrigation technologies (sprinkler and drip systems) considerably reduced water use and improved potato growth, yield, and profitability compared with the traditional furrow irrigation. The results underscore the need for broader implementation and continuous optimization of modern irrigation systems across the diverse irrigated regions of Kazakhstan.

The following study comprised identifying the genes associated with oleic acid through phylogeny tree and correspondence analysis in five cultivars of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L., the number of chromosomes, 2n = 34), carried out at the University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq. Five sunflower cultivars (Argensun, Awess xxxxl, Coban, Agway XL-10, and Royal 2), as selected, had their seeds grown during the first 10 days of October 2024. The genomic DNA extraction from younger plant leaves used test kits, while measuring the concentration and purity of DNA used the NanoDrop ND-1000. The calculation of ratios of genetic dimensions and similarities among the sunflower cultivars also transpired, with the phylogeny tree and correspondence analysis performed using the PAST3 program. The sunflower cultivars exhibited successful DNA extraction, with notable variations in DNA concentration and purity, reflecting the main genetic differences among these genotypes. Since the sunflower genotypes had the highest concentration of DNA, the cultivars Royal-2 and Argensun were ideal for gene amplification and genetic diversity analysis. The Coban cultivar had the highest content of oleic acid, while the Argensun cultivar had the lowest amount of oleic acid.

Keywords: Sunflower (H. annuus L.), genes associated with oleic acid, phylogenetic trees, crops, genomic DNA, correspondence analysis, genetic dimensions and similarities

Key findings: Significant changes in DNA content and purity occurred among the five sunflower (H. annuus L.) cultivars, reflecting the main genetic variants between these genotypes. Cultivars Royal-2 and Argensun were ideal for the genetic diversity analysis and gene amplification, and the sunflower genotypes exhibited the highest DNA concentration.

A factorial experiment succeeded in its conduct on maize (Zea mays L.) using a completely randomized block design with split-plot arrangement in sandy loam. The different organic fertilizers (control treatment, poultry manure at 10 μg ha^-1, and Agri M40 fertilizer at 80 L ha^-1) received the symbols M0, M1, and M2, respectively. The results showed a significant decrease in sodium and chloride concentrations once adding mycorrhizas for treatments F1 and F2. It has reached 16.56 mmol L^-1 and 15.71 mmol L^-1, respectively. For chloride concentration, it was 11.68 mmol L^-1 and 10.80 mmol L^-1, respectively, compared with the control treatment (F0), which achieved 17.12 for sodium and 12.40 mmol L^-1. The maize grain yield and nitrogen concentration also increased for the F2 treatment (10.57 μg ha-¹, 1.68%, 0.48%, and 32.22%). The M2 treatment reached 10.92 μg ha^-1 grain yield, 1.81% N, 0.57% sodium, and 44.07% chloride, compared with the control treatment (10.25 μg ha^-1, 1.58%, 0.41%, and 27.78%, respectively). The M2 treatment was superior to treatment M1 in all previous characteristics. The percentage of root infection with mycorrhizae in treatment M1 was 10.57 μg h^-1, 1.68%, 0.48%, and 32.22%, respectively, and in treatment M2, it was 10.92 μg h^-1, 1.81%, 0.57%, and 44.07%, respectively, versus the control treatment (10.25 μg h^-1, 1.58%, 0.41%, and 27.78%, respectively).

Keywords: Maize (Zea mays L.), mycorrhizas, organic fertilizer, saline irrigation water

Key findings: The maize (Z. mays L.) grain yield, the concentration of nitrogen in the grains, and the percentage of mycorrhizal infection of the roots had increased for the F2 treatment. It was 10.81 mg ha^-1, 0.54%, and 55.56%, respectively, compared with the F0 treatment. The F2 treatment was also significantly higher than the F1 treatment in all stated characteristics.

Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae), commonly known as oleander and rosebay, is a shrub cultivated worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas as an ornamental and landscaping plant. Oleander has a wide range of both internal and external medicinal uses. In the epidermis section, the stomata scattering on the lower surface is the type called unifacial, wherein the stomatal type is sunken. Distinguishing it is difficult in the surface view because of the epidermis and cuticle layer thickness. However, one can distinguish it in the cross-section of the leaf, which is an important taxonomic characteristic that separates this species from other species in the genus. The oleander plants varied in the cross-sectional shapes of their stems. Wild oleander plants showed higher contents of phenols, tannins, cardiac glycosides, and saponins than cultivated plants. Leaf extract evaluation serves as inhibitory agents for selected Gram-negative (Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis) pathogenic bacteria isolates. In N. oleander, the antibacterial efficacy of ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts differed among bacterial genera. Both aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts were effective against E. coli; however, they did not show any inhibitory activity against other bacterial strains, such as A. baumannii, S. aureus, and St. faecalis.

Keywords: Anatomical evaluation, antibacterial activity, Apocynaceae, aqueous and alcoholic leaf extract, oleander

Key findings: The latest research, comprising pharmacognostic and anatomy of the oleander (N. oleander L.), will help authenticate information about its medicinal values and species identification. Additionally, antibacterial activity investigation of N. oleander leaf extract against some pathogenic bacteria genera has also been successful.

The presented study carried out the numerical classification of eight cultivars belonging to five species of the genus Brassica L. (Brassicaceae), cultivated in Nineveh Governorate, Iraq. The morphological, pollen, and chemical properties obtained evaluation for the degree of equality and taxa classification. Thirty morphological qualitative and quantitative characters underwent cluster analysis. Moreover, the analysis of 11 chemical compounds supported taxonomic assessment. The coding of data succeeded numerically before analysis using SPSS software to generate equality indices and dendrograms. The polygon and the dendrogram demonstrated an apparent variation among the cultivars and their species, which supports the validity of species and selected properties of cultivars. The degree of equality among the cultivars ranged from 0.5% to 68.7%, depending on morphological and physiological features, while equality values based on the chemical compounds ranged between 6.9% and 82.8%. The analysis divided the genus Brassica L. cultivars into six groups and confirmed the effectiveness of the numerical taxonomy in portraying taxonomic relationships. The results emphasized the importance of integrating qualitative traits of leaves, pollen grains, and chemical features to improve the classification and understanding of Brassica cultivation.

Keywords: Brassicaceae, cluster analysis, cultivars, degree of equality, genus Brassica L., morphological and chemical features, numerical taxonomy, species

Key findings: Brassica cultivation exhibited broad morphological and chemical diversity, with equality indices ranging from 0.5% to 82.8%. Numerical analysis that integrates morphological, pollen, and chemical features divided eight cultivars into six groups. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the numerical taxonomy to improve classification and support breeding and conservation strategies.

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the phytochemical composition and biological activity of Ranunculus species distributed in Kazakhstan, highlighting their pharmacological significance and research potential. Ranunculus is an important and widespread genus of the family Ranunculaceae Juss. The genus comprises approximately 600 species distributed worldwide. About 57 species exist in Kazakhstan, wherein more than 10 species are medicinal and distributed around the country. More than 85 bioactive compounds have been identified in Ranunculus, including flavonoids, flavonones, alkaloids, saponins, and other bioactive compounds. Several species of this genus have been widely used in traditional medicine for anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-tuberculosis, antibacterial, and anti-malarial treatments. This review aims to summarize current knowledge on Ranunculus species, including their traditional uses and biochemical compounds, and recognize the biological activity of raw medicinal plants. The novelty of this study lies in summarizing, for the first time, all available data on Ranunculus species of Kazakhstan, including their phytochemistry, traditional uses, and biological properties, forming a foundation for further pharmacological and toxicological research.

Keywords: Ranunculus L., species, biochemical composition, biological activities, ranunculin, traditional uses, protoanemonin

Key findings: Genus Ranunculus extracts display diverse biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory effects, with potential in treating tuberculosis and pharyngitis. However, limited clinical evidence and insufficient data on safety highlighted the urgent need for further pharmacological, toxicological, and pharmacokinetic studies.

The presented research comprised the study of vegetation development and productivity in agrolandscapes using satellite imagery and ground surveys in the Upper Shirvan economic region. Climate change with uncertainties and rapid population growth has a significant impact on agrolandscapes and their vegetation. For a rapidly growing population, food security is an important challenge worldwide. The expansion of cultivated fields and their proper management causes numerous constraints. This research identified four administrative districts located in the economic region and analyzed their vegetation cover at different points. For the study, the authors used the data from Landsat 8 and 9 satellites. The NDV (normalized difference vegetation) and NDM (normalized difference moisture) indices with different bands served to study the vegetation cover and their dynamics in different phases of development. Studying plant productivity entailed the collection of plant samples from the research areas before their analysis in the laboratory. The vegetation development revealed higher indicators in the Gobustan BTS and Ivanovka settlements, while the lowest were in the Narimankend and Arabgadim settlements.

Keywords: Agrolandscapes, vegetation cover, vegetation productivity and development, zero hunger, landsat satellites, remote sensing, NDVI, NDMI

Key findings: Studies used multiple vegetation indices, such as SAVI (soil adjusted vegetation index), MSAVI (modified SAVI), OSAVI (optimized SAVI), ARVI (atmospherically resistant vegetation index), and SARVI (soil and atmospherically resistant vegetation index), derived from satellite data. Their combination with ground truth yield measurements achieved the highest predictive accuracy, with composite indices explaining over 83% of yield variance (R² ≈ 0.84). The findings highlighted those integrating high-resolution satellite-derived vegetation indices with ground measurements, which enhanced monitoring of vegetation dynamics and productivity across diverse agrolandscapes.

This study demonstrates the biosynthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using aqueous and alcoholic extracts of turmeric (Curcuma longa). The synthesized AgNPs entailed characterization by UV-Vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The UV-Vis analysis revealed absorption peaks between 300 and 520 nm, confirming nanoparticle AFM indicated nanoparticle size ranges of 0–23 nm for the alcoholic extract and 1–10 nm for the aqueous extract. The FTIR analysis identified the compounds responsible for reducing the silver nitrate. The antifungal activity measurement of the synthesized AgNPs ensued against three phytopathogenic fungi: Alternaria alternata, Alternaria dianthi, and Fusarium verticillioides. The results demonstrated silver nanoparticles effectively inhibited fungal growth, with an inhibition zone diameter of 52.4 mm in A. alternata, 52.0 cm in A. dianthi, and 41.5 mm in F. verticillioides. Treatment with biosynthesized AgNPs also resulted in reduced fungal biomass and elevated pH levels in the culture medium. The effectiveness of bio-silver nanoparticles against A. alternata, A. dianthi, and F. verticillioides fungi succeeded in testing at different concentrations. It further showed the highest inhibitory concentration (20 ppm) for all the fungi, averaging over colony diameters (3.1, 3.9, and 1.5 cm, respectively) for nanoparticles of the aqueous extract and fungal colony diameters (2.3, 3.1, and 2.2 cm) in the alcoholic extract.

Keywords: Silver nanoparticles, aqueous and alcoholic turmeric extracts, antifungal activity, fungal biomass, pH level, UV-Vis, FTIR, AFM

Key findings: Silver nanoparticles produced from turmeric plant extracts proved to be a safe antifungal substance and highly effective in inhibiting the growth of fungi A. alternata, A. dianthi, and F. verticillioides.