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Microplastic pollution is a largely unexplored yet pervasive environmental problem, in terrestrial environments, including impacts on plants and food crops. Plant growth and function are most often negatively impacted by plastic exposure, but these pollutants can also stimulate plant processes such as root growth and there is a tentative suggestion that monocotyledonous may be less sensitive to microplastics than dicotyledonous plants. Toxic effects include reduced plant biomass, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis, and changes to antioxidants, metabolites, and nutrients, with stimulatory effects often found at lower concentrations of exposure. There is strong evidence that roots can directly uptake and translocate plastic particles at 1 µm and under in size. Indirect effects include interactions of microplastics with other pollutants, soil properties, and soil organisms. These findings have potentially wide-ranging implications for terrestrial ecosystem function and human health. Future research should further elucidate the mechanisms of plant microplastic toxicity at realistic concentrations. This short review highlights the significance of microplastics in the terrestrial environment, where they can occur at higher concentrations than in the aquatic environment, with likely impacts on important food crop plants. The significance of these findings for human and ecosystem health remains to be elucidated and we make four recommendations to the scientific community for improved future experimentation.

Demand for fresh‐cut fruit and vegetables is increasing, in the face of global population growth and new interest in plant‐based diets. At the same time, year‐round supply across the world of popular vegetables means that post‐harvest losses, which can be significant, need to be minimized in the face of complex global supply chains and markets. Sweet corn (Zea mays L.) is harvested before physiological maturity when the kernel has high water and sugar concentrations making it a very perishable fresh produce and effective post‐harvest handling essential to reduce losses and ensure quality. Taste, aroma and colour are the main customer‐appreciated characteristics, hence the most important to preserve. Among the sweet corn post‐harvest disorders, loss of sweetness, dehydration, fungal growth and post‐cooking browning are the biggest issues impacting sweet corn quality, leading to post‐harvest losses. The critical factor driving these losses in sweet corn is temperature. Sweet corn is not a chilling sensitive product and has high sugar content. For this reason, temperatures as close as 0°C and the appropriate use of packaging films to create an altered gas composition with high CO2 and low O2 concentrations can significantly prevent post‐harvest decay. The use of low temperatures and effective choice of appropriate packaging films can control sweet corn respiration rates and prevent microorganism growth, subsequently delaying quality loss. This comprehensive review assembles a description of the most customer‐appreciated sweet corn characteristics. And it describes the major sweet corn post‐harvest challenges and provides a summary of four approaches to improve post‐harvest quality in this popular fresh‐cut vegetable. Sweet corn is harvested before physiological maturity when the kernel has high water and sugar concentrations making it a very perishable fresh produce and effective post‐harvest handling essential to reduce losses and ensure quality. This comprehensive review assembles a description of the most customer‐appreciated sweet corn characteristics, and it describes the major sweet corn post‐harvest challenges and provides a summary of four approaches to improve post‐harvest quality in this popular fresh‐cut vegetable. Summary of the fresh‐cut sweet corn production and some of the most important factors and common post‐harvest disorders. Preharvest factors are not considered in this review.

Bioenergy has been identified as a key contributor to future energy scenarios consistent with the Paris Agreement targets, and is relied upon in scenarios both with and without bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, owing to the multiple ways in which bioenergy can substitute fossil fuels. Understanding the environmental and societal impacts of land-use change (LUC) to bioenergy crops is important in determining where and how they could be deployed, and the resulting trade-offs and co-benefits. We use systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the existing literature on two poorly understood impacts of this LUC that are likely to have an important effect on public acceptability: cultural ecosystem services and biodiversity. We focus on the impact of LUC to non-food bioenergy crops on agricultural landscapes, where large-scale bioenergy planting may be required. Our meta-analysis finds strong benefits for biodiversity overall (up 75% ± 13%), with particular benefits for bird abundance (+81% ± 32%), bird species richness (+100% ± 31%), arthropod abundance (+52% ± 36%), microbial biomass (+77% ± 24%), and plant species richness (+25% ± 22%), when land moves out of either arable crops or grassland to bioenergy production. Conversions from arable land to energy trees led to particularly strong benefits, providing an insight into how future LUC to non-food bioenergy crops could support biodiversity. There were inadequate data to complete a meta-analysis on the effects of non-food bioenergy crops on cultural ecosystem services, and few generalizable conclusions from a systematic review of the literature, however, findings highlight the importance of landscape context and planting strategies in determining impact. Our findings demonstrate improved farm-scale biodiversity on agricultural land with non-food bioenergy crops, but also limited knowledge concerning public response to this LUC, which could prove crucial to the successful expansion of bioenergy to meet the Paris targets.

Pauses constitute a simple technique for enlivening and enhancing the effectiveness of lectures, or indeed of any form of instruction, whether a presentation or in an experiential setting. This book presents the evidence and rationale for breaking up lectures into shorter segments by using pauses to focus attention, reinforce key points, and review learning. It also provides 65 adaptable pause ideas to use at the opening of class, mid-way through, or as closers. Starting with brain science research on attention span and cognitive load, Rice bases her book on two fundamental principles: shorter segments of instruction are better than longer ones, and learners who actively participate in instruction learn better than those who don't. Pausing helps teachers apply these principles and create student engagement without requiring major changes in their lesson plans. With careful planning, they can integrate pauses into learning sessions with ease and significantly reinforce student learning. They will also gain feedback on students' comprehension. Rice sets out the characteristics of good pauses, gives advice on how to plan them and how to introduce them to maximum effect. She provides compelling examples and concludes with a repertory of pauses readers can easily modify and apply to any discipline. This book contains a compendium of strategies that any teacher can fruitfully use to reinforce learning, as well as a stepping stone to those seeking to transition to more active learning methods. It: Makes the case for using pauses Identifies the primary functions of pauses: focusing, refocusing, enhancing retention, or closing off the learning experience Provides research evidence from cognitive science and educational psychology Provides practical guidance for creating quick active learning breaks Distinguishes between starting, middle, and closing pauses Includes descriptions, with suggested applications, of 65 pauses

Given its total contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, the global electric power sector will be required to undergo a fundamental transformation over the next decades to limit anthropogenic climate change to below 2 °C. Implications for biodiversity of projected structural changes in the global electric power sector are rarely considered beyond those explicitly linked to climate change. This study uses a spatially explicit consumption-based accounting framework to examine the impact of demand for electric power on terrestrial vertebrate biodiversity globally. We demonstrate that the biodiversity footprint of the electric power sector is primarily within the territory where final demand for electric power resides, although there are substantial regional differences, with Europe displacing its biodiversity threat along international supply chains. The relationship between size of individual components of the electric power sector and threat to biodiversity indicates that a shift to nonfossil sources, such as solar and wind, could reduce pressures on biodiversity both within the territory where demand for power resides and along international supply chains. However, given the current levels of deployment of nonfossil sources of power, there is considerable uncertainty as to how the impacts of structural changes in the global electric power system will scale. Given the strong territorial link between demand and associated biodiversity impacts, development of strong national governance around the electric power sector represents a clear route to mitigate threats to biodiversity associated with efforts to decarbonize society over the coming century.

The advent of molecular breeding is advocated to improve the productivity and sustainability of second-generation bioenergy crops. Advanced molecular breeding in bioenergy crops relies on the ability to massively sample the genetic diversity. Genotyping-by-sequencing has become a widely adopted method for cost-effective genotyping. It basically requires no initial investment for design as compared with array-based platforms which have been shown to offer very robust assays. The latter, however, has the drawback of being limited to analyse only the genetic diversity accounted during selection of a set of polymorphisms and design of the assay. In contrast, genotyping-by-sequencing with random sampling of genomic loci via restriction enzymes or random priming has been shown to be fast and convenient but lacks the ability to target specific regions of the genome and to maintain high reproducibility across laboratories. Here we present a first adoption of single-primer enrichment technology (SPET) which provides a highly efficient and scalable system to obtain targeted sequence-based large genotyping data sets, bridging the gaps between array-based systems and traditional sequencing-based protocols. To fully explore SPET performance, we conducted a benchmark study in ten Zea mays lines and a large-scale study of a natural black poplar population of 540 individuals with the aim of discovering polymorphisms associated with biomass-related traits. Our results showed the ability of this technology to provide dense genotype information on a customized panel of selected polymorphisms, while yielding hundreds of thousands of untargeted variable sites. This provided an ideal resource for association analysis of natural populations harbouring unexplored allelic diversities and structure such as in black poplar. The improvement of sequencing throughput and the development of efficient library preparation methods has made it feasible to carry out targeted genotyping-by-sequencing experiments cost-competitively with either random complexity reduction systems or traditional array-based platforms, while maintaining the key advantages of both technologies.

The growing geographic disconnect between consumption of goods, the extraction and processing of resources, and the environmental impacts associated with production activities makes it crucial to factor global trade into sustainability assessments. Using an empirically validated environmentally extended global trade model, we examine the relationship between two key resources underpinning economies and human well-being—energy and freshwater. A comparison of three energy sectors (petroleum, gas, and electricity) reveals that freshwater consumption associated with gas and electricity production is largely confined within the territorial boundaries where demand originates. This finding contrasts with petroleum, which exhibits a varying ratio of territorial to international freshwater consumption, depending on the origin of demand. For example, although the United States and China have similar demand associated with the petroleum sector, international freshwater consumption is three times higher for the former than the latter. Based on mapping patterns of freshwater consumption associated with energy sectors at subnational scales, our analysis also reveals concordance between pressure on freshwater resources associated with energy production and freshwater scarcity in a number of river basins globally. These energy-driven pressures on freshwater resources in areas distant from the origin of energy demand complicate the design of policy to ensure security of fresh water and energy supply. Although much of the debate around energy is focused on greenhouse gas emissions, our findings highlight the need to consider the full range of consequences of energy production when designing policy.

Background Future breeding and selection of Cannabis sativa L. for both drug production and industrial purposes require a source of germplasm with wide genetic variation, such as that found in wild relatives and progenitors of highly cultivated plants. Limited directional selection and breeding have occurred in this crop, especially informed by molecular markers. Results This study investigated the population genomics of a natural cannabis collection comprising male and female individuals from various climatic zones in Iran. Using Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS), we sequenced 228 individuals from 35 populations. The data obtained enabled an association analysis, linking genotypes with key phenotypes such as inflorescence characteristics, flowering time, plant morphology, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, and sex. We detected approximately 23,266 significant high-quality Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), establishing associations between markers and traits. The population structure analysis revealed that Iranian cannabis plants fall into five distinct groups. Additionally, a comparison with global data suggested that the Iranian populations is distinctive and generally closer to marijuana than to hemp, with some populations showing a closer affinity to hemp. The GWAS identified novel genetic loci associated with sex, yield, and chemotype traits in cannabis, which had not been previously reported. Conclusion The study's findings highlight the distinct genetic structure of Iranian Cannabis populations. The identification of novel genetic loci associated with important traits suggests potential targets for future breeding programs. This research underscores the value of the Iranian cannabis germplasm as a resource for breeding and selection efforts aimed at improving Cannabis for various uses.

We quantified the natural genetic variation of a diverse collection of wild watercress germplasm, consisting of 32 accessions collected from 16 locations in nine countries worldwide and grown in a controlled indoor environment with contrasting blue light regimes. Significant phenotypic diversity was identified for all three categories of traits: morphology and yield varied by 68% across the population (leaf size, biomass production, and stem length), with sensory (sugar content and brix), and nutritional quality (glucosinolates, vitamin C, carotenoids) varying by 45% and 43% respectively. Using two LED light regimes, control and additional blue light exposure, revealed that the watercress nutritional profile is plastic, and that the magnitude and direction of plastic responses vary depending on genotype and trait. Two glucosinolate compounds responded differently to blue light, as indolyl-3-methyl-glucosinolate increased while 4-phenylbutyl-glucosinolate decreased, but the other glucosinolate compounds tested, namely, 6-methyl-sulfinyloctyl-glucosinolate, 7-methyl-sulfinyloctyl-glucosinolate, 8-methyl-sulfinyloctyl-glucosinolate, and 2-phenylethyl-glucosinolate, showed varying responses to blue light depending on genotype. Carotenoids, especially lutein, increased consistently across the population under the additional blue light treatment, while vitamin C, glucose, and antioxidant capacity (Ferric reducing antioxidant power of plasma) all decreased after the blue light treatment. Plants were smaller and had lower biomass, but developed more leaves and branches under additional blue light. Using this phenotypic information, we identified donor germplasm lines and proposed a breeding scheme for improved nutrition and flavor alongside enhanced yield in indoor, controlled environments where there is a paucity of data. Six elite genotypes were selected that will produce a new progeny population of favorable characteristics in this powerhouse leafy-green crop.

Background There is an increasing demand for renewable resources to replace fossil fuels. However, different applications such as the production of secondary biofuels or combustion for energy production require different wood properties. Therefore, high-throughput methods are needed for rapid screening of wood in large scale samples, e.g., to evaluate the outcome of tree breeding or genetic engineering. In this study, we investigated the intra-specific variability of lignin and energy contents in extractive-free wood of hybrid poplar progenies ( Populus trichocarpa × deltoides ) and tested if the range was sufficient for the development of quantitative prediction models based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Since lignin is a major energy-bearing compound, we expected that the energy content of wood would be positively correlated with the lignin content. Results Lignin contents of extractive-free poplar wood samples determined by the acetyl bromide method ranged from 23.4% to 32.1%, and the calorific values measured with a combustion calorimeter varied from 17260 to 19767 J g -1 . For the development of calibration models partial least square regression and cross validation was applied to correlate FTIR spectra determined with an attenuated total reflectance (ATR) unit to measured values of lignin or energy contents. The best models with high coefficients of determination (R 2 (calibration) = 0.91 and 0.90; R 2 (cross-validation) = 0.81 and 0.79) and low root mean square errors of cross validation (RMSECV = 0.77% and 62 J g -1 ) for lignin and energy determination, respectively, were obtained after data pre-processing and automatic wavenumber restriction. The calibration models were validated by analyses of independent sets of wood samples yielding R 2 = 0.88 and 0.86 for lignin and energy contents, respectively. Conclusions These results show that FTIR-ATR spectroscopy is suitable as a high-throughput method for lignin and energy estimations in large data sets. Our study revealed that the intra-specific variations in lignin and energy contents were unrelated to each other and that the lignin content, therefore, was no predictor of the energy content. Employing principle component analyses we showed that factor loadings for the energy content were mainly associated with carbohydrate ring vibrations, whereas those for lignin were mainly related to aromatic compounds. Therefore, our analysis suggests that it may be possible to optimize the energy content of trees without concomitant increase in lignin.