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The shortage of food and freshwater sources threatens human health and environmental sustainability. Spirulina grown in seawater-based media as a healthy food is promising and environmentally friendly. This study used three machine learning techniques to identify important cultivation parameters and their hidden interrelationships and optimize the biomass yield of Spirulina grown in seawater-based media. Through optimization of hyperparameters and features, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, along with the recursive feature elimination (RFE) model demonstrated optimal performance and identified 28 important features. Among them, illumination intensity and initial pH value were critical determinants of biomass, which impacted other features. Specifically, high initial pH values (>9.0) mainly increased biomass but also increased nutrient sedimentation and ammonia (NH3) losses. Both batch and continuous additions could decrease nutrient losses by increasing their availability in the seawater-based media. When illumination intensity exceeded 200 µmol photons/m2/s, it amplified the growth of Spirulina by mitigating the light attenuation caused by a high initial inoculum level and counteracted the negative effect of low temperature (<25 °C). In large-scale cultivation, production efficiency would be reduced if illumination was not maintained at a high level. High salinity and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) addition promoted carbohydrate accumulation, but suitable dilution could keep the required protein content in Spirulina with relatively low media and production costs. These findings reveal the interactive influence of cultivation parameters on biomass yield and help us determine the optimal cultivation conditions for large-scale cultivation of Spirulina-based seawater system based on a developed graphical user interface website.

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The aim of the experiment was to determine the yield of Miscanthus × giganteus M 19 in the first three years of cultivation and its bioaccumulation of Zn and Ni in aboveground and underground parts in response to different doses of sewage sludge and substrate left after the production of white mushrooms. Miscanthus × giganteus is a grass species that adapts to different environmental conditions and can be grown in various climatic zones of Europe and North America. In April 2018 the experiment was established in a randomized block design and with four replications in central-eastern Poland. Waste organic materials (municipal sewage sludge and mushroom substrate) were applied to the soil in 2018 in the spring before the rhizomes of giant miscanthus were planted. Each year (from 2018 to 2020) biomass was harvested in December. The yield of fresh and dry matter and the total content of Zn and Ni, after wet mineralization of plant samples, were determined by optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). After the third year of cultivation, the content of Zn and Ni in rhizomes and in the soil was determined again. In relation to control, an increase in the yield of miscanthus biomass in response to organic waste materials was noted. Plants responded to mushroom substrate (SMS) with the highest average yield (16.89 Mgha-1DM), while on the control plot it was 13.86 Mg  ha-1DM. After the third year of cultivation, rhizomes of Miscanthus x giganteus contained higher amounts of Zn (63.3 mg kg-1) and Ni (7.54 mg kg-1) than aboveground parts (40.52 and 2.07 mg kg-1), which indicated that heavy metals were retained in underground parts.

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Limnospira maxima has been adapted to grow in high salinity and in an economically alternative medium using industrial-grade fertilizers under harsh environmental conditions in Saudi Arabia. A sequence of scaling-up processes, from the laboratory to large-scale open raceways, was conducted along with gradual adaptation to environmental stress (salinity, light, temperature, pH). High biomass concentration at harvest point and areal productivity were achieved during the harsh summer season (1.122 g L-1 and 60.35 g m-2 day-1, respectively). The average protein content was found to be above 40 % of dry weight. Changes in the color and morphological appearance of the L. maxima culture were observed after direct exposure to sunlight in the outdoor raceways. These results demonstrate a successful and robust adaptation method for algal cultivation at outdoor large-scale in harsh environment (desert conditions) and also prove the feasibility of using hypersaline seawater (42 g kg-1) as an algal growth medium.

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The Warburg Effect is a longstanding enigma in cancer biology. Despite the passage of 100 yr since its discovery, and the accumulation of a vast body of research on the subject, no convincing biochemical explanation has been given for the original observations of aerobic glycolysis in cancer cell metabolism. Here, we have worked out a first-principles quantitative analysis of the problem from the principles of stoichiometry and available electron balance. The results have been interpreted using Nath's unified theory of energy coupling and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, and the original data of Warburg and colleagues have been analyzed from this new perspective. Use of the biomass yield based on ATP per unit substrate consumed, [Formula: see text], or the Nath-Warburg number, NaWa has been shown to excellently model the original data on the Warburg Effect with very small standard deviation values, and without employing additional fitted or adjustable parameters. Based on the results of the quantitative analysis, a novel conservative mechanism of synthesis, utilization, and recycling of ATP and other key metabolites (eg, lactate) is proposed. The mechanism offers fresh insights into metabolic symbiosis and coupling within and/or among proliferating cells. The fundamental understanding gained using our approach should help in catalyzing the development of more efficient metabolism-targeting anticancer drugs.

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BACKGROUND: MicroRNA396 (miR396) plays an important role in the regulation of plant growth and development by repressing the expression level of its target growth-regulating factor (GRF) family genes. In our previous study, we found that overexpression of miR396 negatively regulated both tillering and biomass yield in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). We, therefore, speculated that blocking the expression of miR396 could enhance switchgrass tillering and biomass yield. Here, we produced transgenic switchgrass plants overexpressing a target mimicry form of miR396 (MIM396) in wild type (WT) and Os-MIR319b overexpressing switchgrass plant (with higher enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency, but reduced tillering), in which the expression of miR396 was blocked. The phenotype and biological yields of these plants were analyzed. RESULTS: Blocking miR396 to improve its target PvGRFs expression in switchgrass improved the tiller number and dry weight of transgenic plants. Further morphological analysis revealed that MIM396 plants increased the number of aerial branches and basal tillers compared to those of wild-type plants. The enzymatic efficiency of MIM396 plants was reduced; however, the total sugar production per plant was still significantly higher than that of wild-type plants due to the increase in biomass. In addition, blocking miR396 in a transgenic switchgrass plant overexpressing Os-MIR319b (TG21-Ms) significantly increased the PvGRF1/3/5 expression level and tiller number and biomass yield. The miR156-target gene PvSPL4, playing a negative role in aerial and basal buds outgrowth, showed significant downregulated in MIM396 and TG21-Ms. Those results indicate that miR396-PvGRFs, through disrupting the PvSPL4 expression, are involved in miR319-PvPCFs in regulating tiller number, at least partly. CONCLUSIONS: MIM396 could be used as a molecular tool to improving tiller number and biomass yield in switchgrass wild type and miR319b transgenic plants. This finding may be applied to other graminaceous plants to regulate plant biological yield.

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This study explores bioremediation's effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions through the use of microalgae Chlorella vulgaris, known for capturing carbon dioxide and producing biomass. The impact of temperature and light intensity on productivity and carbon dioxide capture was investigated, and cultivation conditions were optimized in a photobioreactor using response surface methodology (RSM), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and deep neural networks (DNN). The optimal conditions determined were 28.74 °C and 225 µmol/m2/s with RSM, and 29.55 °C and 226.77 µmol/m2/s with DNN, closely aligning with literature values (29 °C and 225 µmol/m2/s). DNN demonstrated superior performance compared to RSM, achieving higher accuracy due to its capacity to process larger datasets using epochs and batches. The research serves as a foundation to further in this field by demonstrating the potential of utilizing diverse mathematical models to optimize bioremediation conditions, and offering valuable insights to improve carbon dioxide capture efficiency in microalgae cultivation.

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The polyextremophilic Galdieria sulphuraria is emerging as a promising microalgal species for food applications. This work explores the potential of heterotrophically cultivated G. sulphuraria as a protein producer for human consumption. To this end, the performances of four G. sulphuraria strains grown under the same conditions were compared. Amino acid profiles varied among strains and growth phases, but all samples met FAO dietary requirements for adults. The specific growth rates were between 1.01 and 1.48 day-1. After glucose depletion, all strains showed an increase of 38-49 % in nitrogen content within 48 h, reaching 7.8-12.0 % w/w. An opposite trend was observed in protein bioaccessibility, which decreased on average from 69 % during the exponential phase to a minimum of 32 % 48 h after stationary phase, with significant differences among the strains. Therefore, selecting the appropriate strain and harvesting time is crucial for successful single-cell protein production.

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Arsenic (As) contamination of rice grain poses a serious threat to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the bioavailability of As in the soil and its accumulation in rice grains to ensure the safety of food and human health. In this study, mango (Mangifera indica) leaf-derived biochars (MBC) were synthesized and modified with iron (Fe) to produce FeMBC. In this study, 0.5 and 1% (w/w) doses of MBC and FeMBC were used. The results showed that 1% FeMBC enhanced the percentage of filled grains/panicle and biomass yield by 17 and 27%, respectively, compared to the control. The application of 0.5 and 1% FeMBC significantly (p < 0.05) reduced bioavailable soil As concentration by 33 and 48%, respectively, in comparison to the control. The even higher As flux in the control group as compared to the biochar-treated groups indicates the lower As availability to biochar-treated rice plant. The concentration of As in rice grains was reduced by 6 and 31% in 1% MBC and 1% FeMBC, respectively, compared to the control. The reduction in As concentration in rice grain under 1% FeMBC was more pronounced due to reduced bioavailability of As and enhanced formation of Fe-plaque. This may restrict the entry of As through the rice plant. The concentrations of micronutrients (such as Fe, Zn, Se, and Mn) in brown rice were also improved after the application of both MBC and FeMBC in comparison to the control. This study indicates that the consumption of parboiled rice reduces the health risk associated with As compared to cooked sunned rice. It emphasizes that 1% MBC and 1% FeMBC have great potential to decrease the uptake of As in rice grains.

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Optimization of fertilizer-N and -P is important to highland production of teff (Eragrostis tef) on Vertisols of central Ethiopia but may be affected by precursor crop and Vertisols type. On-farm experiments were conducted in three major teff growing districts of North Shewa (Moretina jiru, Ensaro, and Merhabete) in 2019 and 2020 with the main objectives was to determine the effect of precursor crops and Vertisols type on teff response to N and P rates. The N x P factorial combinations include 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N ha-1 and 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P ha-1 applied each to light and heavy Vertisols with either cereal or pulse precursor crops in each district. In Merhabete, grain yield was significantly influenced by Pc x Vt x N and Pc x Vt x P but always with the lowest and highest grain yield with 0 and 240 kg N ha-1, respectively. Yield was 394 % more with 240 kg N ha-1 compared with no N and P applied. The Vt x Pc × N interaction affected teff yield in Moretina Jiru as application of 240 kg N ha-1 increased teff yield by 440 %, 30 %, 23 %, and 7 % on light Vertisols compared with 200 %, 16 %, 13 %, and 2 % on heavy Vertisols. The 4-way interaction of Vt x Pc x N x P affected grain yield in Ensaro due to the low N and P status of the soil coupled with the distinct Vertisols type in the district. In all districts, yield response to N was greater with pulse compared with cereal precursor crops and with a greater response for heavy compared with light Vertisols in Moretina Jiru and Ensaro. In Moretina Jiru, application of 170 kg-1N and soil maintenance level of 30 kg-1 of P ha-1 are recommended as an economic optimum rate (EOR). In Ensaro, the EOR for teff following cereal on light Vertisols are 166 kg N ha-1 and 65 kg P ha-1. At Ensaro, needed rates for teff following pulse on light Vertisols are 198 N ha-1 and 48 kg P ha-1. At Ensaro, needed rates for teff following cereal on heavy Vertisols are 240 N ha-1 and 90 kg P ha-1. At Ensaro, needed rates for teff following pulse on heavy Vertisols are 240 N ha-1 and 80 kg P ha-1. In Merhabete, the EOR for teff following cereal on light Vertisols are 182 kg N ha-1 and 60 kg P ha-1. In Merhabete, needed rates for teff following pulse on light Vertisols are 206 N ha-1 and 64 kg P ha-1. In Merhabete, needed rates for teff following cereal on heavy Vertisols are 240 N ha-1 and 90 kg P ha-1. In Merhabete, needed rates for teff following pulse on heavy Vertisols are 218 N ha-1 and 58 kg P ha-1. Therefore, those N and P rate are recommended for the study area, soil type and precursor crops.

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Biomass yield is one of the important traits of sorghum, which is greatly affected by leaf morphology. In this study, a lobed-leaf mutant (sblob) was screened and identified, and its F2 inbred segregating line was constructed. Subsequently, MutMap and whole-genome sequencing were employed to identify the candidate gene (sblob1), the locus of which is Sobic.003G010300. Pfam and homologous analysis indicated that sblob1 encodes a Cytochrome P450 protein and plays a crucial role in the plant serotonin/melatonin biosynthesis pathway. Structural and functional changes in the sblob1 protein were elucidated. Hormone measurements revealed that sblob1 regulates both leaf morphology and sorghum biomass through regulation of the melatonin metabolic pathway. These findings provide valuable insights for further research and the enhancement of breeding programs, emphasizing the potential to optimize biomass yield in sorghum cultivation.

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This study was conducted to determine the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock change factor for green manure crops that was developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 method and compare this with the net global warming potential (GWP) index that is used to evaluate the contribution of green manuring to global warming. Four treatments were barley (Hordeum vulgare L.; B), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa R.; HV), a barley/hairy vetch mixture (BHV) and a conventional treatment (C). The aboveground biomass of green manure crops was incorporated into the soil on 25 May 2018, 26 April 2019, 29 April 2020, 30 April 2021 and 2 May 2022. Maize (Zea mays L.) was transplanted as the subsequent crop after the incorporation of green manures. SOC stock decreased with green manures, even though carbon input with green manures, including B, HV and BHV, was greater than that with C. The mean value of the SOC stock change factor for green manure crops, including B, HV and BHV was 0.627 and was significantly lower than that of the C. However, the net GWP also decreased with the incorporation of green manure crops, and the mean value of the relative net GWP index across B, HV and BHV was 0.853. These conflicting results were caused by different estimation methods between annual SOC change (△SOC) and net GWP. The estimation of SOC stock change using △SOC suggested by the IPCC method may overestimate the contribution of green manure crops to global warming. The net GWP method with comprehensive input and output of carbon in the soil system could provide a better understanding of the carbon balance in soil systems. In the current study, the comparison of △SOC and net GWP was conducted for at one site of upland soil for 5 years. Therefore, further research on estimating the effect of green manure crops on net GWP in various types of soil for longer years should be conducted.

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Sustainable aquaculture includes the aquaculture of non-fed crops that provide ecosystem services including nutrient extraction and water quality improvement. While shellfish are the most farmed sustainable aquaculture crops in the USA, shellfish farmers in the northeastern US have an interest in diversifying their crops and incorporating seaweeds into their farms. In this study, we worked with oyster farmers to investigate the potential for farming sugar kelp, Saccharina latissima, across different environmental regimes in coastal Rhode Island USA. Kelp seed spools were outplanted at two time points in the fall/winter of 2017 and 2018 at four sites and cultivated until harvest the following spring. Kelp performance (length, width, yield), tissue content, and nutrient extraction were determined for each line in each year; oyster growth was also measured monthly for one year at each site. We found that kelp could successfully grow in both shallow coastal lagoons and estuarine sites, although the timing of planting and placement of sites was important. Lines that were planted earlier (as soon as water temperatures<15°C) grew longer and yielded more biomass at harvest; overall, kelp blade yield ranged from 0.36 ± 0.01 to 11.26 ± 2.18 kg/m long line. We report little variation in the tissue quality (C:N) of kelp among sites, but differences in biomass production led to differences in nutrient extraction, which ranged from 0.28 ± 0.04 to 16.35 ± 4.26 g nitrogen/m long line and 8.93 ± 0.35 to 286.30 ± 74.66 g carbon/m long line. We found extensive variability in kelp growth within and between lines and between years, suggesting that crop consistency is a challenge for kelp farmers in the region. Our results suggest that, as there is a lower barrier in terms of permitting (versus starting a new aquaculture farm), it may be a worthwhile investment to add sugar kelp to existing oyster farms, provided they have suitable conditions. At current market rates of US$0.88-$3.30 per kg, farmers in southern New England have the potential to earn US$2,229 per 60 m longline. While seaweed aquaculture is growing, considerable barriers still exist that prevent wide-scale kelp aquaculture adoption by existing aquafarmers.

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This paper reports an evaluation of eleven oat genotypes in four environments for two consecutive years to identify high-biomass-yielding, stable, and broadly adapted genotypes in selected parts of Ethiopia. Genotypes were planted and evaluated with a randomized complete block design, which was repeated three times. The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction analysis of variances revealed that the environment, genotype, and genotype-environment interaction had a significant (p ≤ 0.001) influence on the biomass yield in the dry matter base (t ha-1). The interaction of the first and second principal component analysis accounted for 73.43% and 14.97% of the genotype according to the environment interaction sum of squares, respectively. G6 and G5 were the most stable and widely adapted genotypes and were selected as superior genotypes. The genotype-by-environment interaction showed a 49.46% contribution to the total treatment of sum-of-squares variation, while genotype and environment effects explained 34.94% and 15.60%, respectively. The highest mean yield was obtained from G6 (12.52 kg/ha), and the lowest mean yield was obtained from G7 (8.65 kg/ha). According to the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction biplot, G6 and G5 were high-yielding genotypes, whereas G7 was a low-yielding genotype. Furthermore, according to the genotype and genotype-environment interaction biplot, G6 was the winning genotype in all environments. However, G7 was a low-yielding genotype in all environments. Finally, G6 was an ideal genotype with a higher mean yield and relatively good stability. However, G7 was a poor-yielding and unstable genotype. The genotype, environment, and genotype x environment interaction had extremely important effects on the biomass yield of oats. The findings of the graphic stability methods (additive main effect and multiplicative interaction and the genotype and genotype-environment interaction) for identifying high-yielding and stable oat genotypes were very similar.

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OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biogas slurry application on biomass production and the silage quality of corn. METHODS: A field experiment was conducted in which corn was grown using different biogas slurry application rates. The effect of 25% to 500% biogas slurry nitrogen replacement (T1 to T14) on the yield and quality indices of corn were studied by field plot experiments. RESULTS: The results revealed that biogas slurry application improved the stem diameter and relative feed value of corn silage in treatments T13 and T11. Moreover, the fermentation quality of corn silage was improved due to an increase in lactic acid content; in comparison with the chemical synthetic fertilizer (CF) group. The crude protein contents of corn silage had no obvious change with increasing biogas slurry application. However, the forage quality index of acid detergent fiber was decreased (p<0.05) in the T11 group compared with the CF group. In addition, higher (p<0.05) 30 h in vitro dry matter digestibility and 30 h in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility were observed in the T11 and T13 groups than in the CF group. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, it was concluded that the optimum biogas slurry application rate for corn was approximately 350% to 450% biogas slurry nitrogen replacement under the present experimental conditions.

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Research on electroactive microorganisms (EAM) often focuses either on their physiology and the underlying mechanisms of extracellular electron transfer or on their application in microbial electrochemical technologies (MET). Thermodynamic understanding of energy conversions related to growth and activity of EAM has received only a little attention. In this study, we aimed to prove the hypothesized restricted energy harvest of EAM by determining biomass yields by monitoring growth of acetate-fed biofilms presumably enriched in Geobacter, using optical coherence tomography, at three anode potentials and four acetate concentrations. Experiments were concurrently simulated using a refined thermodynamic model for EAM. Neither clear correlations were observed between biomass yield and anode potential nor acetate concentration, albeit the statistical significances are limited, mainly due to the observed experimental variances. The experimental biomass yield based on acetate consumption (YX/ac = 37 ± 9 mgCODbiomass gCODac-1) was higher than estimated by modeling, indicating limitations of existing growth models to predict yields of EAM. In contrast, the modeled biomass yield based on catabolic energy harvest was higher than the biomass yield from experimental data (YX/cat = 25.9 ± 6.8 mgCODbiomass kJ-1), supporting restricted energy harvest of EAM and indicating a role of not considered energy sinks. This calls for an adjusted growth model for EAM, including, e.g., the microbial electrochemical Peltier heat to improve the understanding and modeling of their energy metabolism. Furthermore, the reported biomass yields are important parameters to design strategies for influencing the interactions between EAM and other microorganisms and allowing more realistic feasibility assessments of MET.

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The in-situ quantification of turbulent flux and evapotranspiration (ET) is necessary to monitor crop performance in stressful environments. Although cacti can withstand stressful conditions, plant responses and plant-environment interactions remain unclear. Hence, the objective of our study was to investigate the interannual and seasonal behaviour of components of the surface energy balance, environmental conditions, morphophysiological parameters, biomass yield and water relations in a crop of Nopalea cochenillifera in the semi-arid region of Brazil. The data were collected from a micrometeorological tower between 2015 and 2017. The results demonstrate that net radiation was significantly higher during the wet season. Latent heat flux was not significant between the wet season and dry season. During the dry-wet transition season in particular, sensible heat flux was higher than during the other seasons. We observed a large decline in soil heat flux during the wet season. There was no difference in ET during the wet or dry seasons; however, there was a 40% reduction during the dry-wet transition. The wet seasons and wet-dry transition showed the lowest Evaporative Stress Index. The plants showed high cladode water content and biomass during the evaluation period. In conclusion, these findings indicate high rates of growth, high biomass and a high cladode water content and explain the response of the cactus regarding energy partitioning and ET.

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Sweet sorghum is a high-yield crop with strong resistance, which has the potential to support the development of the forage farming industry in China where vast salt-affected lands are potentially arable. Nutrient management is imperative for sweet sorghum growing on salt-affected lands. Although nitrogen (N) synthetic fertilizers have long been recognized as a key factor for increasing crop yields, their effects on sweet sorghum cultivation are under debate. Consequently, this study integrated the current available observations of yield (n = 255) and partial factor productivity of nitrogen (NPFP, n = 242) of sweet sorghum in salt-affected lands, which included both inland (n = 189) and coastal (n = 66) areas. We quantitatively analyzed the effects of climatic, soil properties and management measures on biomass yield and NPFP of sweet sorghum, comparing the differences between inland and coastal salt-affected lands. We found that average biomass yield and NPFP of sweet sorghum in coastal areas were 19,082.48 ± 8262.75 kg/ha and 107.29 ± 51.44 kg/kg respectively, both significantly lower than that in inland areas (p < 0.05). The N application rate did not have significant promoting effect on the biomass yield of sweet sorghum in inland salt-affected areas (p > 0.05), whereas in coastal salt-affected areas, N application significantly increased the biomass yield of sweet sorghum. Increasing soil organic matter content could promote NPFP in inland areas. The recommended N application rate for inland salt-affected and coastal salt-affected areas were 100 kg/ha and 150 kg/ha respectively. The results indicate that it is crucial to apply nutrient management measures based on the local climatic and soil conditions, since the causes of salinity differ in coastal and inland salt-affected lands. More systematic field studies are required in the future to optimize the management of water and nutrients for sweet sorghum planting in salt-affected lands.

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The mycelial biomass of basidiomycetes is a promising source of compounds and represents an alternative for industrial and biotechnological applications. Fungi use light as information and hold photoresponse mechanisms, in which sensors respond to light wavelengths and regulate various biological processes. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of blue, green, and red lights on the growth, chemical composition, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of Lentinus crinitus mycelial biomass. The chemical composition of the mycelial biomass was determined by chromatographic methods, antioxidant activity was analyzed by in vitro assays, and antimicrobial activity was investigated by the microdilution assay. The highest mycelial biomass yield was observed under blue-light cultivation. Many primordia arose under blue or green light, whereas the stroma was formed under red light. The presence of light altered the primary fungal metabolism, increasing the carbohydrate, tocopherol, fatty acid, and soluble sugar contents, mostly mannitol, and reducing the protein and organic acid concentrations. Cultivation under red light increased the phenol concentration. In contrast, cultivation under blue and green lights decreased phenol concentration. Benzoic and gallic acids were the main phenolic acids in the hydroalcoholic extracts, and the latter acids increased in all cultures under light, especially red light. Mycelial biomass cultivated under red light showed the highest antioxidant activity in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) method showed that all light wavelengths increased the antioxidant activity of mycelial biomass, with the highest value under red light. Moreover, the ß-carotene/linoleic acid co-oxidation (BCLA) assay demonstrated that the antioxidant activity was affected by light cultivation. Mycelial biomass grown under all conditions exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activities. Thus, mycelial biomass cultivation of L. crinitus under light conditions may be a promising strategy for controlling the mycelial chemical composition and biomass yield.

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The Capsicum genus has significant economic importance since it is cultivated and consumed worldwide for its flavor and pungent properties. In 2021, Mexico produced 3.3 billion tons on 45,000 hectares which yielded USD 2 billion in exports to the USA, Canada, Japan, etc. Soil type has a dramatic effect on phosphorus (P) availability for plantsdue to its ion retention.In a previous study, novel fungal isolates were shown to solubilize and mineralize P in different kinds of soils with different P retention capacities. The aim of this work was to study the effects of the mineralogy of different kinds of "milpa" soils on the germination, biomass production, and P absorption of chili plants (Capsicum annuum). The germination percentage, the germination speed index, and the mean germination time were significantly increased in the plants treated with dual inoculation. Foliar phosphorus, growth variables, and plant biomass of chili plants grown in a greenhouse were enhanced in different soil types and with different inocula. Correlation studies suggested that the most significant performance in the foliar P concentration and in the growth response of plants was achieved in Vertisol with dual inoculation of 7 × 106 mL-1 spores per chili plant, suggesting this would be an appropriate approach to enhance chili cultivation depending on the soil type. This study stresses the importance of careful analysis of the effect of the soil type in the plant-microbe interactions.

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Biomass yield and Feed Quality are the most important traits in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), which directly affect its economic value. Drought stress is one of the main limiting factors affecting alfalfa production worldwide. However, the genetic and especially the molecular mechanisms for drought tolerance in alfalfa are poorly understood. In this study, linkage mapping was performed in an F1 population by combining 12 phenotypic data (biomass yield, plant height, and 10 Feed Quality-related traits). A total of 48 significant QTLs were identified on the high-density genetic linkage maps that were constructed in our previous study. Among them, nine main QTLs, which explained more than 10% phenotypic variance, were detected for biomass yield (one), plant height (one), CP (two), ASH (one), P (two), K(one), and Mg (one). A total of 31 candidate genes were identified in the nine main QTL intervals based on the RNA-seq analysis under the drought condition. Blast-P was further performed to screen candidate genes controlling drought tolerance, and 22 functional protein candidates were finally identified. The results of the present study will be useful for improving drought tolerance of alfalfa varieties by marker-assisted selection (MAS), and provide promising candidates for further gene cloning and mechanism study.