U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center

Understanding the ecology of fungi in Aspergillus section Flavi is necessary to identify factors that contribute to aflatoxin accumulation risk and to improve interventions to reduce contamination. For example, interactions between non‑aflatoxigenic and aflatoxigenic Aspergillus species play a key role in determining the aflatoxin-producing potential of crop-associated fungi. The non-aflatoxigenic species A. tamarii is often associated with agricultural soils and occasionally with crops, prompting the question as to whether A. tamarii and aflatoxigenic A. flavus compete on these crops. In this study, interactions between A. tamarii and A. flavus during co-colonization and sporulation on maize kernels were assessed. In co-culture experiments, mycelial and conidial growth was measured for each species using a custom quantitative PCR assay, and aflatoxin was measured via lateral flow. Both A. tamarii and A. flavus exhibited reduced growth under co-culture, confirming these species compete for shared resources in maize kernels. However, their responses diverged in ways that suggest distinct life history strategies. In competition, there was a significant relationship between mycelial growth and production of conidia for A. tamarii. In contrast, for A. flavus isolates mycelial biomass in kernels and conidia production during co-colonization of maize kernels with A. tamarii were not correlated. This suggests differences in resource allocation between growth and reproduction between the two species. Additionally, isolate identity influenced competitive outcomes and aflatoxin production, underscoring the importance of genotype-level variation in fungal interactions. Understanding these species-specific interactions provides insight into fungal dynamics on crops and may inform strategies for managing aflatoxin contamination events.

Introduction Ecosystem service (ES) supply–demand relationship, directly affects human well-being and has become a critical aspect of ecological civilization construction. However, previous studies have focused more on ES supply–demand relationship at a single scale, neglecting the scale sensitivity of ecosystems. Therefore, this study employs Guangxi as a case study. Methods A multi-scale analysis framework was constructed, embedding municipal, county, and grid scales. The InVEST and RUSLE models were comprehensively applied to evaluate the supply–demand relationships and matching patterns of key ESs, including food production, carbon sequestration, soil conservation, habitat quality, and water yield. A geographically weighted regression model was utilized to analyse the scale dependency and spatial non-stationarity of influencing factors. Results (1) the matching patterns of ES supply and demand in Guangxi exhibit significant scale dependency. The city level presents an “overall surplus with structural deficits” characteristic; the county level reveals localised imbalances masked by municipal averages; while the grid scale further identifies micro-deficit patches within continuous spatial patterns. (2) Spatial correlation patterns between ES supply and demand undergo systematic evolution with increasing scale resolution. Municipal scale predominantly exhibit low-supply–low-demand agglomeration, while county scale show positive agglomeration for food and soil conservation services alongside negative correlations for water production services. Grid scales highlight localised mismatches between soil conservation and habitat quality. (3) Driving mechanisms demonstrate pronounced spatial heterogeneity and scale sensitivity. Factors such as forest cover and precipitation generally exert positive influences, yet their effect intensity and directionality vary spatially. As the scale becomes finer, the dominant factors shift from natural baseline conditions to human activity factors. At the county scale, a dual-track driving mechanism emerges where “natural factors dominate supply services while human factors dominate demand services.” At the grid scale, the influence of human activities further intensifies. Discussion This study reveals the transmission patterns of ES supply–demand relationships and the scale effects of driving mechanisms from a multi-scale perspective, providing scientific basis for differentiated and precise ecological restoration and spatial governance optimized for national territorial space.

Abstract Biomass sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an alternative biofuel feedstock to maize [ Zea mays (L.)]. One advantage of biomass sorghum over maize is relatively lower nitrogen (N) requirement and its ability to tolerate late planting or fit into double cropping systems. To evaluate the most economic rate of N (MERN) for biomass sorghum in the Mid‐Atlantic region, a 3‐year (2017, 2018, and 2019) field trial was conducted at two locations (Holland and Hare) in Southeastern Virginia. Treatments were two planting dates (early [EP] versus late [LP]) and seven N rates (0, 56, 112, 168, 224, 280, and 336 kg ha −1 ) conducted in six environments. Data on dry matter yield of biomass sorghum, plant height, stem diameter, susceptibility to foliar diseases, and stalk lodging were recorded. Between the two planting dates, EP had 52%, 19%, and 16% higher dry matter, plant height, and stem diameter, respectively, compared to LP. However, LP exhibited lower disease pressure in four of 6 site‐years and lodging severity likely in response to weather conditions. Nitrogen rates between 112 and 224 kg ha −1 significantly improved dry matter, plant height, and stem diameter, with lower disease and lodging severity. At the MERN of 123 kg ha −1 , dry matter yield (20.66 Mg ha −1 ), plant height (454 cm), disease (61%), and lodging severity (34%) were least as compared to other treatments. Application of N at 123 kg ha −1 can provide the highest economic return while reducing the potential for N loss in the Mid‐Atlantic region.

The present research work was conducted to study the effects of heat treatments on the protein, vitamin, fatty acid and amino acid composition of camel milk. Camel milk samples were heated at 63 °C for 30 minutes (pasteurized) and at 100 °C for 3 minutes (boiled). β-Casein exhibited the most significant sensitivity to boiling temperature, decreasing from 14613 mgL−1 in raw milk to 2728 mgL−1 after boiling, and lactoferrin was entirely absent. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) did not show any significant variations under heat treatment, and the most sensitive unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) was oleic acid, with decreases of 6.16% and 16.33% after pasteurization and boiling, respectively. Pasteurized camel milk showed a reduction of 22.47%, 27.35%, and 99.1% in vitamins C, B3, and B2, respectively. After boiling, this loss of vitamins was more pronounced: 61.1%, 81.92%, and 99%. Raw camel milk samples were a rich source of EAAs. The amino acid most affected by boiling temperature was lys (56%), followed by leu (51.88%).

This perspective explores the emerging field of mechanochemical degradation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an innovative, scalable, and sustainable approach. The degradation of PFAS, particularly their robust carbon–fluorine bonds, remains a significant challenge. Mechanochemical methods utilizing co-milling agents can facilitate the destruction of PFAS compounds. Here, we highlight the importance of reported co-milling agents, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), silica (SiO2), alumina (Al2O3), sodium persulfate (PS), and lanthanum oxide (La2O3). Each co-milling agent demonstrates varying degrees of effectiveness in PFAS degradation. Mechanochemical degradation in the presence of KOH alone has strong degradation capabilities (99% after 3 h, 275 rpm) but also produces hazardous byproducts such as potassium fluoride (KF) that present waste management and safety concerns. In contrast, SiO2 and Al2O3 exhibit slower PFAS degradation rates (42.2 and 98% degradation efficiency, 2 h, 350 rpm) and require other additives, but yield product mixtures that have improved sustainability. Studies have shown a near-complete degradation (99.95–100%) of perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs), which entail stable Si–F bonds, by using co-milling agents, such as SiO2, and full degradation of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFBS using La2O3, through electron donation to the carbon atom, which destabilizes the C–F bond. Mechanistic stages of PFAS degradation, such as mechanical activation, bond cleavage, mineralization, and the role of protonation, electron transfer, and the formation of stable bonds in the degradation process, are emphasized. Further research to refine and optimize mechanochemical processes, with a focus on novel co-milling agents and synergistic approaches, can enhance PFAS remediation and address global environmental concerns.

As potable water becomes limited, alternative water sources, such as reclaimed wastewater, for crop irrigation have gained attention. However, reclaimed wastewater for irrigation may expose edible crops to compounds of emerging concern (CECs), which may include pharmaceutics, hazardous waste, and volatile substances. Of these CECs, carbamazepine (CBZ) is of particular interest because only 7% of CBZ is filtered out during traditional wastewater treatment processing methods. Two trials were designed to evaluate the uptake and partitioning of CBZ in lettuce grown in a deep-water culture system (DWC) at low and high concentrations. The first trial (0 µg L−1, 12.5 µg L−1, 25 µg L−1, and 50 µg L−1) of CBZ had few effects on lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) growth, and low concentrations of accumulated CBZ were found in lettuce tissues. As a result, increased concentrations of CBZ were used in the second trial (0 mg L−1, 21 mg L−1, 41 mg L−1, and 83 mg L−1). Greater amounts of CBZ accumulated in plant tissues and the application of higher rates of CBZ negatively affected the growth and overall health of the lettuce. Further research is needed to determine the impacts of CECs on plant uptake and growth, as well as the environmental conditions.

Aflatoxin-producing molds belonging to the genus Aspergillus can be important sources of crop contamination. We present whole-genome sequences for aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus texensis and Aspergillus toxicus assembled from Illumina short reads. This is the first report of A. toxicus genome and the second A. texensis genome, providing resources of agricultural relevance.

Management of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), using attract-and-kill (AK) strategies in orchard crops has resulted in reduced pesticide inputs and the reestablishment of integrated pest management programs but also increased labor inputs and damage in pheromone-baited AK trees. Here, we re-tool previously developed AK practices for H. halys management using long-lasting insecticide netting (LLIN) as a low-input, effective killing agent. Simple LLIN AK stations were evaluated for efficacy compared with grower standard practices when hung directly on orchard perimeter fruit trees, hung on posts near, but not touching perimeter trees, and placed outside the orchard perimeter in commercial Mid-Atlantic apple orchards from 2017 to 2019. Treatments in which LLIN stations were attached to or hung near perimeter trees were equivalent to grower standards in terms of H. halys injury. In commercial pear orchards in Washington State in 2018 to 2020, efficacies of several LLIN station designs were evaluated as supplements to grower standard practices. A novel LLIN station design, referred to as the poncho trap, consistently caught nearly 3-fold more H. halys compared to a simple post-deployed "ghost trap" design when installed outside orchard perimeters. However, only LLIN stations mounted directly to perimeter trees provided statistically significant reductions in fruit damage. Our overall findings underscore the importance of positioning the pheromone lure, host plant (fruit tree), and LLIN in close proximity for successful AK H. halys management. Results also indicate that poncho trap LLIN fabric flaps could be integrated into near-mounted LLIN stations to further increase efficacy.

While there is widespread recognition of the need to incorporate underserved minority communities into planning and design processes for just climate adaptation policies and programs, the dynamics of facilitating bilingual workshops are still significantly under-explored in the literature. This article addresses the strategies, challenges, and lessons learned from conceptualizing, preparing, and facilitating low-budget bilingual workshops for community engagement in green infrastructure (GI) planning in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The two case studies discussed are connected to multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at involving historically underserved Hispanic communities in GI planning to address environmental justice issues. We first describe strategies to foster participation and exchanges in bilingual participatory workshops, where limited resources made professional interpretation and translation services unfeasible. We then share four lessons learned from these experiences by drawing on the successes and challenges of our approaches, and examining how cultural conceptions about language—our language ideologies—can impact community engagement in bilingual settings. The two case studies make a compelling argument for taking bilingual design and facilitation seriously to advance procedural and recognition justice in climate resilience planning through co-production in multilingual communities.

The growing advocacy for greener climates, coupled with increasing global energy demand driven by urbanization and population growth, highlights the need for sustainable solutions. Repurposing food wastes as substrates offers a promising approach to enhancing cleaner energy generation and promoting a circular economy. This study investigated the potential of spent coffee grounds (SC) and biosolids cake (BS) from tea wastes as substrates for producing valuable fuels and chemicals through acetone–ethanol–butanol (ABE) fermentation. Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 was used to ferment 100% and 50% hydrolysates derived from Parr-treated enzyme-hydrolyzed (PEH, PEH50), Parr-treated non-hydrolyzed (PNEH, PNEH50), and non-Parr-treated hydrolyzed (NPEH) SC wastes, as well as enzyme-hydrolyzed (BSH, BSH50) and non-hydrolyzed BS wastes (NBH, NBH50). Fermentation of unmodified hydrolysates by C. beijerinckii was poor. Following CaCO3 modification of SC and BS hydrolysates, ABE titer, yield, and productivity increased, with the highest values obtained with PEH50 and NBH. Specifically, CaCO3 modification of SC hydrolysates led to increased butanol titer, yield, and productivity in PEH50, while the NBH exhibited higher butanol yield and productivity than the non-CaCO3-modified hydrolysates. Additionally, H2 gas production with PEH50 and NBH was 1.41- and 1.13-fold higher, respectively, than in other hydrolysates. These findings suggest that SC and BS hydrolysates can be valorized to butanol and hydrogen gas and, thereby, can contribute to global food wastes management, energy sustainability, and cost-effective biofuel production.