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The unpredictability and large fluctuation of the climatic conditions in rainfed regions do affect spring wheat yield and grain quality. These variations offer the opportunity for the production of better quality wheat. The effect of variable years, locations and sowing managements on wheat grain yield and quality was studied through field experiments using three genotypes, three locations for two years under rainfed conditions. The two studied years as contrasting years at three locations and sowing dates depicted variability in temperature and water stress during grain filling which resulted considerable change in grain yield and quality. Delayed sowing, years (2009-10) and location (Talagang) with high temperature and water stress resulted increased proline, and grain quality traits i.e. grain protein (GP) and grain ash (GA) than optimum conditions (during 2008-09, at Islamabad and early sowing). However, opposite trend was observed for dry gluten (DG), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), SPAD content and grain yield irrespective of genotypes. The influence of variable climatic conditions was dominant in determining the quality traits and inverse relationship was observed among some quality traits and grain yield. It may be concluded that by selecting suitable locations and different sowing managements for subjecting the crop to desirable environmental conditions (temperature and water) quality traits of wheat crop could be modified.

Wheat holds crucial global importance as a staple food in many regions. Drought stress significantly impedes seed germination of wheat. The lack of drought-tolerant wheat varieties hampers wheat production, especially in arid regions of the world. This study investigated seed germination and seedling growth in eighty wheat genotypes under moisture stress stimulated by polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000 ). The study included two osmotic potentials induced by PEG-20% (ψ: -0.491 MPa) and PEG-25% (ψ: -0.735 MPa), as well as a control set without PEG. The data showed that dehydration caused by polyethylene glycol generally had an adverse effect on the morphological characteristics of wheat seedlings by causing substantial losses during the early germination stage. The results acquired from analysis of variance explained highly significant variances ( p  < 0.01) across genotypes (G), PEG-Treatments (T PEG ), and interactions between genotypes and PEG-Treatments (G x T PEG ) for all observed variables. Moisture deficit radically affected all studied seedling traits of bread wheat under rising osmotic stress, with germination percentage (GP), shoot length (SL), root length (RL), coleoptile length (CL), seedling length (SDL), root fresh weight (FRW), root dry weight (DRW), shoot fresh weight (FSW), shoot dry weight (DSW), seedling biomass (SBM) and seedling vigor index (SVI) reduced by about 30–95% compared to control (PEG-0%) to the maximum induced osmotic stress at -0.735 MPa. The coefficient of relative inhibition (CRI) rose in response to osmotic stress, demonstrating growth inhibition. Boxplots demonstrated a considerable decline under stress, although scatter plots and correlation matrices revealed significant positive associations for most seedling traits, except CRI. The histograms for most variables showed a wider value range and more diversified distribution patterns. Principal component analysis (PCA) and genotype by trait biplot emphasized that PC1 represented 94.29% of the cumulative variation, with an eigenvalue of 11.31 out of 12 components. The heatmap displayed diverse genotype and trait characteristics, indicating higher values for drought resistance and lower values for susceptibility in genotype performance. As indicated by a range of multivariate analyses, the wheat lines NR-499, NARC-2009 and Pakistan-2013 stood out as the most drought-tolerant among the genotypes; whereas Borlaug-2016, NR-514 and NR-516 were found to be highly susceptible, whereas SBM, SDL, SVI and CRI have been found key indicators for subsequent screening. These tolerant wheat lines offer promising potential for developing drought-tolerant varieties that could thrive in arid regions, thereby strengthening wheat production in water-stressed environments. Integrating these findings into breeding programs is crucial for realizing the potential of drought-tolerant wheat varieties in transforming global wheat production.

Organic wastes are naturally biodegradable, but they contribute to environmental pollution and management issues. Composting and pyrolysis are widely used technologies for recycling these wastes into valuable organic products for soil health and crop production. In the current study, fruits vegetables waste (FVW) was converted to biochar, compost, and co-composted biochar. The microcrystal structure, functional groups, surface morphology, and nutrient contents of organic materials were investigated by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, AAS, multi C-N analyzer, and ICP-OES techniques. Heavy metals contamination was not detected in the biomass used for pyrolysis and compost preparation. FVW had an acidic pH (5.92), while biochar, compost, and co-composted biochar had an alkaline pH. Total macronutrient (K, Na, S) and micronutrient (Cu, Fe) concentrations were higher in compost and co-composted biochar, with the exception of K, which was higher in biochar. Biochar had the highest surface area (4.99 m2g), followed by FVW, compost, and co-composted biochar. Co-composted biochar had a porous structure. Si, Ca, and Al contents were common in all organic materials, while P, K, Mg, and S were found with lower concentrations in both biochar and compost. Iron was only found in compost and co-composted biochar. Quartz, sylvite, and calcite were common minerals found in all organic treatments. Biochar contained more aromatic carbon ring structure C=C/C=O and aromatic C-H bending as compared to FVW and compost, thus, making biochar a stable carbon rich material suitable for soil carbon sequestration.

Growth and development of cereal crops are linked to weather, day length and growing degree-days (GDDs) which make them responsive to the specific environments in specific seasons. Global temperature is rising due to human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and clearance of woodlands for building construction. The rise in temperature disrupts crop growth and development. Disturbance mainly causes a shift in phenological development of crops and affects their economic yield. Scientists and farmers adapt to these phenological shifts, in part, by changing sowing time and cultivar shifts which may increase or decrease crop growth duration. Nonetheless, climate warming is a global phenomenon and cannot be avoided. In this scenario, food security can be ensured by improving cereal production through agronomic management, breeding of climate-adapted genotypes and increasing genetic biodiversity. In this review, climate warming, its impact and consequences are discussed with reference to their influences on phenological shifts. Furthermore, how different cereal crops adapt to climate warming by regulating their phenological development is elaborated. Based on the above mentioned discussion, different management strategies to cope with climate warming are suggested.

In this study the catalytic ability of green synthesized nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) is investigated for degradation of methyl orange as a hazardous environmentally contamination in water. The NiO NPs was prepared at ambient conditions using the antioxidant content of Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) juice extract and their bio-reducing ability were studied in details. This process is entirely green process, free from toxic and hazardous solvent. The biosynthesized NiO NPs were in nano scale and their morphology, sizes, surface area and optical properties were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), BET surface area analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The biosynthesized NiO NPs were found to be active catalysts, particularly with the reducing agents for instance sodium borohydride, for the degradation of the toxic organic dyes such as methyl orange (MO) in contaminated water. The NiO NPs are stable and reusable for reducing MO to its leuco-form, in a short time, in an aqueous medium in the absence of reducing agents. This method is much cheaper than the other methods. The catalytic activity of NiO NPs can be explained by its small size, compared with the bulk materials, which produce numerous active sites due to its big surface area per unit volume.

This research combined global climate, crop and economic models to examine the economic impact of climate change-induced loss of agricultural productivity in Pakistan. Previous studies conducted systematic model inter-comparisons, but results varied widely due to differences in model approaches, research scenarios and input data. This paper extends that analysis in the case of Pakistan by taking yield decline output of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) for CERES-Wheat, CERES-Rice and Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) crop models as an input in the global economic model to evaluate the economic effects of climate change-induced loss of crop production by 2050. Results showed that climate change-induced loss of wheat and rice crop production by 2050 is 19.5 billion dollars on Pakistan’s Real Gross Domestic Product coupled with an increase in commodity prices followed by a notable decrease in domestic private consumption. However, the decline in the crops’ production not only affects the economic agents involved in the agriculture sector of the country, but it also has a multiplier effect on industrial and business sectors. A huge rise in commodity prices will create a great challenge for the livelihood of the whole country, especially for urban households. It is recommended that the government should have a sound agricultural policy that can play a role in influencing its ability to adapt successfully to climate change as adaption is necessary for high production and net returns of the farm output.

Cost overruns are prevalent in global construction industries, propelled by the swift expansion of the construction sector. To tackle this difficulty, it is essential to comprehend the primary elements leading to these overruns. This research examines the correlation between systematic elements affecting construction costs via a literature review, expert interviews, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM). A theoretical framework analyzes contract management, resource distribution, and external environmental factors affecting cost overruns. Twenty-four criteria were selected via literature review and expert consultation, and data from 212 questionnaires were analyzed. The results identify 22 critical elements classified into project management, resources, supply chain, and external and environmental influences. Project management and resources, together with supply chain, exerted the most significant influence. SEM study indicates that management inadequacies intensify resource problems, whereas proficient internal management alleviates external difficulties. This research offers practical recommendations for mitigating budget excesses and enhancing project cost-effectiveness.

Background Conservation Agriculture (CA) is based on the simultaneous practice of three principles: (i) no or minimum mechanical soil disturbance, (ii) permanent soil cover, and (iii) crop diversity e.g. crop rotation and/or intercropping systems. In parts of Sub Saharan Africa (SSA), conventional tillage practice is still pervasive and includes the practice of crop burning, resulting in severe soil erosion. Moreover, there is heavy reliance on maize, which contributes to limited dietary diversity. Crop modelling efforts allow for future scenarios to be explored to support policy formulation and farmer decision making. Research exploring potential benefits of CA on food and nutrition security has been limited and existing crop modelling efforts have failed to model the full CA system and/or have been limited to comparisons against monocultures or a narrow range of crops. The APSIM crop model was used to simulate the productivity and protein yield of a variety of intercropping systems involving three crops (maize, cowpea and pigeonpea) under full CA practice relative to conventional tillage (CV) with the same intercropping system. A baseline scenario used site-specific daily historical weather data acquired between 1997 and 2015 for Pemba-Metuge district in Cabo Delgado province (Northern Mozambique). A second set of simulations used incremental changes in temperature corresponding to future climate scenarios. Results Results showed that temperature plays the most important role, contributing to nearly 60% of the variance in the combined protein yield. Projected trends further indicated that the combined protein yield of the three crops decreased from a median of 207 kg ha⁻¹ in the baseline scenario to 121 kg ha⁻¹ under a 4 °C temperature increase in the CV system. In the CA system, the median combined protein yield decreased from 230 to 135 kg ha⁻¹ under the same temperature scenarios. Median grain yields declined from the baseline scenario to a 4 °C temperature increase by 267, 97, and 29 kg ha⁻¹ for cowpea, pigeonpea, and maize, respectively, under the CV system. Under the CA system, the corresponding declines were 291, 107, and 27 kg ha⁻¹. Nevertheless, protein yields and overall productivity remained consistently higher under the CA system. Conclusions Our simulation work provides preliminary evidence that suggests Conservation Agriculture can sustain protein yield under changing climate dynamics in Northern Mozambique.

Climate change is increasingly affecting wheat phenology and productivity in semi-arid regions. This study assessed the impact of long-term climate warming on wheat developmental stages, yield, and management options in rainfed systems of Pakistan. Fourty one years (1980–2020) of phenological (days to anthesis and maturity), yield, and meteorological data (minimum and maximum temperature, and rainfall) were analyzed for two locations: Islamabad (33.67° N, 73.12° E) and Chakwal (32.93° N, 72.86° E). Growing degree days (GDD) were calculated using cardinal temperatures of 4 °C (base), 13.2 °C (optimum), and 35 °C (ceiling). Cumulative GDD ranged from 1,679 to 2,637 °C-days at Chakwal and 2,000–2,500 °C-days at Islamabad. Increasing mean temperatures (18.0 °C at Chakwal and 17.8 °C at Islamabad) were associated with accelerated crop development, reducing days to anthesis (from 127 to 70 days at Chakwal and 133 to 74 days at Islamabad) and maturity (from 155 to 85 days at Chakwal and 163 to 93 days at Islamabad). Consequently, grain yield declined from 2.0 to 1.5 t ha⁻¹ at Chakwal and from 2.3 to 1.4 t ha⁻¹ at Islamabad. Simulated sowing date scenarios showed that early sowing avoided heat stress, whereas delayed sowing caused yield losses of up to 27% at Islamabad and 25% at Chakwal. The results indicate that advancing sowing to 1–15 October and adopting climate-resilient wheat cultivars informed by process-based models can help mitigate warming-induced yield losses.

The narrow genetic base of modern cultivars is becoming a key bottleneck for crop improvement and the use of wild relatives is an appropriate approach to improve the genetic diversity of crops to manage the sustainable production under different abiotic and biotic constraints. In Pakistan, wild germplasm of grapevine viz Dakh, Toran, and Zarishk belong to Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris and Fatati belong to Vitis vinifera subsp. sativa is naturally present in humid and sub-humid areas of mountainous and sub-mountainous regions and showed varying level of tolerance against drought stress but have not been evaluated as rootstock. In this study, different tolerant behavior of wild grapevines as rootstock in grafted scion varieties were explored under different levels of PEG-6000 mediated drought stress i.e., -4.00, -6.00, and -8.00 bars. In response to drought stress, wild grapevines evoked several non-enzymatic and enzymatic activities. Among non-enzymatic activities, total chlorophyll contents of commercial varieties were sustained at higher level when grafted on wild grapevines Dakh and Fatati which subsequently reduced the damage of cell membrane via MDA. Whereas, to cope the membranous damage due to excessive cellular generation of ROS, wild grapevines triggered the enhanced activities of SOD to dismutase the free oxygen radicals into H 2 O 2 , then CAT enzyme convert the H 2 O 2 into water molecules. Higher accumulation of ROS in commercial scion varieties were also coped by wild grapevines Dakh and Fatati through the upregulation of POD and APX enzymes activities. Based on these enzymatic and non-enzymatic indices, biplot and cluster analysis classified the wild grapevines as rootstock into three distinct categories comprises on relatively tolerant i.e., Dakh ( Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris ) and Fatati ( Vitis vinifera subsp. sativa ), moderate tolerant i.e., Toran ( Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris ) and relatively susceptible category i.e., Zarishk ( Vitis vinifera subsp. sylvestris ).