Black carbon, including char, is ubiquitous in soils from the incomplete combustion of biomass. Because chars are conductive, various redox and photocatalysis pathways are possible to transform biomass on surface soils. This study investigated the effects of wavelengths, conductive black carbon, and factory source on photolysis of the sugar processing byproduct (mill mud). During the course of photolysis, a new shortwave UV (250 nm) peak formed from mill mud extract if 700 °C biochar (20 wt %) was present. Generalized and moving window 2D correlation spectroscopy showed the greatest impact of photolysis on aromatic structures earlier (0.5 wk) in the 2-wk reaction. Conductive (700 °C but not 300 °C) biochar, electrochemically resembling graphite, putatively induces quinone-like structures capable of redox catalysis and photosensitization. Biochar-mediated photochemical production of aromatic structures could impact carbon cycles and nutrient availability, especially through sorption on nutrient-laden mineral surfaces.

Mogrosides are natural, zero-calorie sweeteners derived from Siraitia grosvenorii. However, conventional production based on plant extraction is constrained by low yields and long cultivation cycles, limiting large-scale application. To address this, we reconstructed the mogroside biosynthetic pathway in Nicotiana tabacum through stable heterologous expression. A multigene construct (pMogroside), containing seven key S. grosvenorii genes involved in triterpene cyclization, hydroxylation, and glycosylation (SgSQE1, SgCS, SgEPH2, SgP450, AtCPR, SgUGT269-1, SgUGT289-3), was assembled using a modular strategy with P2A peptides and introduced via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transgenic lines were confirmed by PCR and qRT-PCR, and HPLC-MS/MS analysis of leaves detected mogroside accumulation. Mogroside III was the dominant product (119.48 ± 25.17 ng/g FW), with lower levels of siamenoside I (21.74 ± 10.57 ng/g) and mogroside V (5.99 ± 0.61 ng/g). This work provides a sustainable plant-based platform for mogroside production and highlights the potential of N. tabacum as a versatile chassis in plant synthetic biology. Further enzyme engineering and pathway optimization will support future commercial applications in natural sweetener manufacturing.

Foliar selenium (Se) application can mitigate arsenic (As) toxicity and enhance Se accumulation in highland barley; however, the optimal dose, Se type, and application stage remain unclear. Field surveys across the Tibetan Plateau have revealed a widespread Se deficiency in grains. Therefore, pot experiments were conducted using sodium selenite and nanoselenium at three concentrations (12, 24, and 48 mg/L) under three As levels (20, 40, and 60 mg/kg), applied at the booting, filling, and booting + filling stages. The results showed that sodium selenite reduced grain As by 2.1–54.2% and increased grain Se by 197.1–2352.4 times, outperforming nanoselenium. Application of 24 mg/L Se at the filling stage achieved the greatest reduction in the amount of grain As. Tissue Se accumulation increased with the application dosage, particularly at the filling stage. Moreover, foliar Se application inhibited As translocation while promoting Se translocation. These findings support foliar Se application as a practical strategy to reduce As accumulation and alleviate Se deficiency in crops.

Recent advances in the synthesis of nanostructures and nanomaterials have catalyzed transformative developments across multiple scientific domains. Among these, vertically aligned nanostructures (VANs) have attracted considerable attention due to their unique architectural features─such as high surface area and roughness, unimpeded charge transport, and large aspect ratio. Specifically, their applications in the detection of agricultural pesticides have gained increasing importance amid rising global pesticide consumption. Such emerging environmental contaminants pose serious ecological and health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulation potential. This Perspective provides a comprehensive overview of recent progress in electrochemical sensors based on nanostructured materials for pesticide detection. The metal oxide nanostructure-based sensor usually gives the lowest detection limit compared with other nanomaterial-based sensors. Emphasis is given to both binder-free (directly grown) and binder-based (immobilized) nanostructures integrated onto working electrodes, highlighting their synthesis strategies, physicochemical properties, and performance in electrochemical sensing. Binder-free sensors have a superior detection limit compared to binder-based sensors. We systematically evaluate the comparative advantages, limitations, and mechanistic insights governing the sensing behavior. Furthermore, the review explores state-of-the-art synthetic methodologies for fabricating nanostructures tailored to sensor applications. Finally, we propose a future perspective on the development of biobased VANs integrated into portable and smart electrochemical sensing platforms. These next-generation sensors are envisioned to offer high sensitivity, long-term operational stability, and ultralow detection limits, enabling real-time monitoring of hazardous environmental pollutants directly at their sources.

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress limiting crop productivity and long-term soil health by inducing osmotic and ionic imbalances, disrupting water and nutrient uptake. Traditional mitigation methods like soil leaching, chemical amendments, and breeding salt-tolerant crops offer limited success due to high costs and environmental concerns. Therefore, attention has shifted toward utilizing the soil microbiome, including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and halotolerant microbes, which support through various physiological mechanisms. These include phytohormone modulation, antioxidant activation, nutrient acquisition and biofilm formation. Unlike earlier studies, this review provides a comprehensive synthesis of microbiome-mediated physiological mechanisms that enhance plant salt tolerance. Moreover, it explores how salinity affects microbial communities that disturbs soil nutrient cycles. The outcomes emphasize that there is a pressing need to transition from chemical-based methods to microbe-assisted approaches. Future research should prioritize the development of location-specific microbial consortia and long-term field trials assessing soil-microbe-plant interactions under salinity.

A green, water-based extraction method was validated for quantifying clothianidin residues in greenhouse-grown sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum) using LC–MS/MS. The method showed excellent linearity (R2 = 0.9947), precision (RSDr = 10.66%, RSDR = 14.31%), recoveries of 86.1–91.6%, and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.002 mg/kg. Clothianidin dissipation followed first-order kinetics, with half-lives of 2.91 days at the recommended dose and 2.61 days at double the dose. Preharvest intervals (PHIs) estimated from the kinetic model were 8.2–9.5 days at the EU MRL of 0.04 mg/kg and 14.0–14.7 days at the EU default MRL of 0.01 mg/kg. Dietary exposure based on terminal residues was negligible (maximum HQc = 0.006%). Postharvest washing (10 min, ∼25 °C) reduced residues; 1% NaHCO3 removed ≈ 60%, while vinegar and the NaHCO3–vinegar mixture had intermediate effects, and tap water was the least effective. Vinegar, NaHCO3, and their mixture also lowered total antioxidant capacity (TAC), consistent with losses of water-soluble phenolics. 1% NaHCO3 washing is supported as a practical household step to reduce residues, and reporting PHIs at both 0.01 and 0.04 mg/kg facilitates current compliance and historical comparability.

Banana peels, 30–40% of the fruit, often discarded, can be sustainably valued depending on postharvest quality preserved or modified by processing. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of two drying methods (drying at room temperature and in an oven at 45 °C) on the physicochemical, nutritional, and antinutritional properties of four clones of banana peels (Batard, Grande naine, PITA 14, and CARBAP K74) at different ripening stages. Fresh and dried peels were analyzed at five ripening stages based on color. Drying significantly influences (p < 0.05) these parameters. Dried peels had higher acidity, pH, and soluble solids. Drying could either increase or decrease the nutritional parameters, with protein (4.32–10.89%), lipid (2.72–14.97%), carbohydrate (55.64–70.17%), and dry matter (11.29–92.44%). Cyanide content remained below 1%. The study suggests that banana peels, particularly Batard and CARBAP K74, are rich in nutrients. Drying at 45 °C best preserves their nutritional and physicochemical properties while reducing cyanide in CARBAP K74 and Grande naine. These findings highlight banana peels as a valuable resource in human and animal feeding.