Year 2024
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Item Herbicides in modern sustainable agriculture: environmental fate, ecological implications, and human health concerns(International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 2024-06-19) Parven, A.; Md Meftaul, I.; Venkateswarlu, K.; Megharaj, M.Abstract Herbicides play a crucial role in modern agriculture by controlling weeds and ensuring sustainable crop productivity. However, the use of herbicides has raised concerns regarding their contamination, posing serious threat to the environment, biodiversity, and food safety. Recent trends indicate a decline in the overall volume of herbicides usage, suggesting a shift towards more speciic and targeted formulations of herbicides. Also, there has been an increased use of systemic and preemergence herbicides. The global agriculture still faces several challenges because of the adverse environmental impacts caused by herbicide contamination, both at the application site and ofsite. In view of the growing concern, it is necessary to develop new herbicides with greater selectivity or bio-based herbicide that can degrade after successful control of the intended weed population and minimize or eliminate the environmental hazards. Furthermore, the adoption of integrated weed management practices rather than prolonged and repeated use of herbicide in agriculture can efectively reduce the growth of herbicide-resistant weed populations. The present review is a single valuable resource, providing insights into the recent trends and future challenges associated with herbicide use in modern agriculture, with a focus on human health and food safety. Also, we emphasize the advancements in herbicide technology, emergence of new herbicide-resistant weed species, regulatory considerations, and alternative approaches in herbicide use, all of which are particularly valuable to agroecology, policymakers, and stakeholders.Item Selenium and its nanoparticles modulate the metabolism of reactive oxygen species and morpho-physiology of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to combat oxidative stress under water deficit conditions(BMC Plant Biology, 2024) Hasanuzzaman, Mirza; Raihan, Md. Rakib Hossain; Siddika, Ayesha; Bardhan, Kirti; Hosen, Md. Sarwar; Prasad, P. V. VaraAbstract Background Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important cereal crop species worldwide, but its growth and development are adversely influenced by drought stress. However, the application of trace elements is known to improve plant physiology under water-limited conditions. In this study, the effects of drought stress on wheat plants were investigated, with a focus on potential mitigation by foliar application of selenium nanoparticles (Se(np)) and sodium selenate (Na2SeO4). The experiment was conducted in a net house using a completely randomized design with four replications. The treatments involved three levels of drought stress (mild, moderate, and severe) started at 30 days after sowing (DAS), with foliar sprays of Se(np) and Se (both 25 µM) initiated at 27 DAS and repeated 4 times at 7-day intervals until 55 DAS. Results Drought stress significantly reduced plant growth, whereas Se(np) and Se sprays enhanced it. Drought stress induced chlorophyll degradation, increased malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide levels, impaired membrane stability, and caused electrolyte leakage. Severe drought stress reduced the levels of antioxidants (e.g., proline, ascorbate, and glutathione by 4.18-fold, 80%, and 45%) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and others). Conversely, treatment with Se(np) and Se restored these parameters, for example, 1.23-fold higher total chlorophyll content with Se(np) treatment, 26% higher APX activity with Se treatment, 15% lower electrolyte leakage with Se treatment in wheat plants under severe drought stress. This Se-associated enhancement facilitated rapid scavenging of reactive oxygen species and reduced methylglyoxal toxicity, thereby diminishing oxidative stress and positively affecting the morphophysiological and biochemical responses of the plants under droughtItem Designing and development of agricultural rovers for vegetable harvesting and soil analysis(PLOS ONE, 2024-06-21) Das, Bristy; Sayor, Tahmid Zarif Ul Hoq; Nijhum, Rubyat Jahan; Tishun, Mehnaz Tabassum; Sakib, Taiyeb Hasan; Karim, Md. Ehsanul; Uddin, AFM Jamal; Islam, Aparna; Mohsin, Abu S. M.To address the growing demand for sustainable agriculture practices, new technologies to boost crop productivity and soil health must be developed. In this research, we propose designing and building an agricultural rover capable of autonomous vegetable harvesting and soil analysis utilizing cutting-edge deep learning algorithms (YOLOv5). The precision and recall score of the model was 0.8518% and 0.7624% respectively. The rover uses robotics, computer vision, and soil sensing technology to perform accurate and efficient agricultural tasks. We go over the rover’s hardware and software, as well as the soil analysis system and the tomato ripeness detection system using deep learning models. Field experiments indicate that this agricultural rover is effective and promising for improving crop management and soil monitoring in modern agriculture, hence achieving the UN’s SDG 2 Zero Hunger goals.Item Carbon dioxide sensitization delays the postharvest ripening and fatty acids composition of Capsicum fruit by regulating ethylene biosynthesis, malic acid and reactive oxygen species metabolism(Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 2024-06-23) Ghosh, Arijit; Hasanuzzaman, Mirza; Fujita, Masayuki; Adak, M. K.Present study would be significant in the sustenance of quality characters for postharvest storage of Capsicum fruit with CO2-sensitization in biocompatible manner. The present experiment describes effects of CO2 sensitization on delaying postharvest ripening through physiological attributes in Capsicum fruit. The experiment was conducted with acidified bicarbonate-derived CO2 exposure for 2 h on Capsicum fruit, kept under white light at 25 °C through 7 days postharvest storage. Initially, fruits responded well to CO2 as recorded sustenance of greenness and integrity of fruit coat resolved through scanning electron micrograph. Loss of water and accumulation of total soluble solids were marginally increased on CO2-sensitized fruit as compared to non-sensitized (control) fruit. The ethylene metabolism biosynthetic genes like CaACC synthase, CaACC oxidase were downregulated on CO2-sensitization. Accompanying ethylene metabolism cellular respiration was downregulated on CO2 induction as compared to control through 7 days of storage. Fruit coat photosynthesis decarboxylating reaction by NADP malic enzyme was upregulated to maintain the reduced carbon accumulation as recorded on 7 days of storage under the same condition. CO2-sensitization effectively reduced the lipid peroxides as oxidative stress products on ripening throughout the storage. Anti-oxidation reaction essentially downregulates the ROS-induced damages of biomolecules that otherwise are highly required for food preservation during postharvest storage. Thus, the major finding is that CO2-sensitization maintains a higher ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids in fruit coat during storage. Tissuespecific downregulation of ROS also maintained the nuclear stability under CO2 exposure. These findings provide basic as well as applied insights for sustaining Capsicum fruit quality with CO2 exposure under postharvest storage.Item Heavy metal and mineral analysis of cultivated seaweeds from Cox’s Bazar Coast, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh: a human health risk implication(Discover Oceans, 2024-06-24) Bhuyan, Md. Simul; Kunda, Mrityunjoy; Bakar, Muhammad Abu; Senapathi, Venkatramanan; Husain, Sk. Abid; Chowdhury, Enam; Ali, Mir Mohammad; Pandit, DebasishSeaweeds are grown for their use in food and other sectors, however heavy metals (HMs) contamination raises serious issues for the environment and public health. This study focuses on seaweed samples (Hypnea musciformes and Gracilaria lemaneiformis) collected from the Rezu Khal seaweed culture site, Cox’s Bazar coast, Bangladesh. HMs and minerals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Among the elements examined, H. musciformes displayed the highest mean concentrations of minerals and HMs, including Magnesium (Mg) (8663.00 ±2302.06 mg/kg), Copper (Cu) (10.59±1.61 mg/kg), Iron (Fe) (7566.29±2842.47 mg/kg), Manganese (Mn) (9.93±2.88 mg/kg), Zinc (Zn) (29.54±7.51 mg/kg), and Nickel (Ni) (11.77±2.63 mg/kg). Conversely, G. lemaneiformis exhibited the highest levels of Calcium (Ca) (798.14±143.40 mg/kg), Lead (Pb) (3.91±1.74 mg/kg), and Chromium (Cr) (0.59±0.30 mg/kg). Specifically, Mg was prominently abundant in H. musciformes, while Cawas more prevalent in G. lemaneiformis. Both seaweed types contained Pb and Cr. None of the elements was significantly different between the species (p <0.05). The consumers are not exposed to any carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risks related to these concentrations, according to the evaluation of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.Item Geospatial Assessment of Wetland Changes in the Fringe Area of Dhaka City: Past, Present and Future Scenarios(he Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2024-04-01) Ullah, Md. Sofi; Tuhin, Md. Khayrul Islam; Shapla, Tarulata; Suhi, Kazi Farha FarzanaThis study examines the changes in wetlands in the fringe area of Dhaka city using geospatial assessment techniques. The wetland in the area is crucial as they serve as a buffer zone for the Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) and play a significant role in maintaining the region’s ecological balance. Thirty-meter NASA Landsat 4-5TM and Landsat 8 OLI satellite imagery were used to extract wetland features in the fringe area of Dhaka city. The Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) was applied to delineate wetland features. Finally, ArcGIS geometric computing was used to detect yearly changes, and a Cellular Automaton (CA) Markov Model was applied to predict future transitions. The research findings reveal that wetlands in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area are declining at a rate of 1.1% between 1991 and 2016, indicating the urgency of addressing this issue to ensure the sustainability of the region’s natural resources. The percentage of wetlands in the fringe area has been decreasing significantly over the years, with wetlands making up only 12.98% of the fringe area in 2022, down from 28.22% in 1989. This trend is predicted to continue, with wetlands accounting for only 8.02% of the total area by 2034. The strong negative correlation coefficient between the year and wetland area suggests that the trend of decreasing wetland is likely to continue unless significant measures are taken to protect wetlands. The study highlights the importance of conserving and restoring wetlands in Dhaka’Item Enhancing food safety and security through organic agriculture and innovative fertilizer management(Asian-Australasian Journal of Food Safety and Security, 2024-06-25) Uddain, JasimIn recent years, the global discourse on food safety and security has increasingly focused on sustainable agricultural practices (Berry et al., 2015; Ala and Ridwan, 2020). As the world’s population continues to rise, with projections suggesting a global population of nearly nine billion by 2050, ensuring that everyone has access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food is a pressing challenge (Bahar et al., 2020; Oluwole et al., 2023). In this context, organic agriculture, the use of biostimulants, and innovative fertilizer and stress management practices emerge as pivotal elements in the pursuit of a more resilient and secure food system (Malik et al., 2020; Sani and Yong, 2021). Organic agriculture, which eschews synthetic chemicals in favor of natural processes and materials, has gained significant traction globally (Tal, 2018). This approach aligns with growing consumer demand for healthier food options and environmental sustainability (Jaeger et al., 2023). Organic farming emphasizes soil health, biodiversity, and ecological balance, which collectively contribute to improved food safety and security (Underwood et al., 2011; Gamage et al., 2023). The benefits of organic agriculture are multifaceted. Firstly, it promotes soil health through the use of organic fertilizers, compost, and crop rotations (Liu et al., 2024). Healthy soil is rich in organic matter, which enhances its ability to retain water and nutrients, thereby increasing crop resilience to adverse weather conditions (Lal, 2020; Wolf et al., 2023). This is particularly crucial in the face of climate change, which is expected to bring more frequent and severe droughts and floods. Secondly, organic farming reduces the risk of contamination from harmful pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, ensuring that the food produced is safer for consumption (Benbrook et al., 2021; Ramakrishnan et al., 2021). Studies have shown that organic produce generally contains lower levels of pesticide residues compared to conventionally grown produce (Barański et al., 2014; Vigar et al., 2019). This not only benefits consumers but also farm workers and the surrounding environment, reducing exposure to toxic chemicals.Item Dietary lacto-sacc stimulates the immune response of gravid mud crab (Scylla olivacea)(Comparative Immunology Reports, 2024-06-26) Hannan, Md. Abdul; Munir, Mohammad Bodrul; Asdari, Roslianah; Islam, Md. Shoebul; Lima, Rabina Akther; Islam, H.M. Rakibul; Rashid, Md. Harunor; Hing, Henry Wong YipMud crabs have a functioning innate immune system. Probiotics have a considerable effect in improving immune responses in gravid mud crab. The current study investigated the influence of three lacto-sacc concentrations (T1=0 %, T2=1 %, and T3=1.5 %) in a 45 % protein and 12 % lipid meal on the immune response of gravid mud crabs. Three groups of wild gravid mud crabs (average weight: 122.33±1.53 g) were raised individually in bamboo spawning boxes at mangrove pens for 12 weeks. Wild gravid mud crabs (T4) were also caught from the river during the breeding season and tested to offer a more exact assessment of the effect of lacto-sacc. After a 12- week feeding study, T3 therapy resulted in the highest total hemocyte count levels (P < 0.05), followed by T2 and T1. The T3 treatment results in somewhat faster hemolymph clotting, although there is no significant difference among the treatments (P < 0.05). T3 treatments significantly improved immunological parameters (PO, proPO, and SOD enzyme) and survival (61.67±2.89 %) when challenged with Vibrio parahaemolyticus. In the challenge test, the immunological markers THC, PO, and proPO correlated positively, but hemolymph clotting time and mortality linked negatively. Furthermore, T1 was compared to an untreated wild gravid female mud crab (T4), and the results were almost identical. Thus, 1.5 % lacto-sacc is recommended for gravid mud crabs.Item Seasonal Shifts in Diatom Species Dominance in the Tidal Mangrove Estuary of Bangladesh(Journal of Bangladesh Agricultural University, 2024) Hasan, Jahid; Shaha, Dinesh Chandra; Das, Mousumi; kundu, Sampa Rani; Ahmed, Salman; Haque, Md RashedulSustainable estuary management provides fishery resources, supports livelihoods and maintains estuarine food webs. However, these are highly dependent on hydrological factors and nutrients effects of the estuary itself. We studied seasonal phytoplankton quantity and composition of the Pasur River estuary in the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh to understand the phytoplankton structure and identify potential indicators of environmental changes. Water and phytoplankton samples were collected at 11 different locations around the study region from January to December 2019 to assess spatial and temporal differences. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in the average salinity were observed between the dry and rainy seasons. Elevated phytoplankton (blue-green algae) concentrations were associated with decreased salinity while increased diatom abundance was linked to higher salinity. Phytoplankton succession from blue-green algae (wet season) to diatoms (dry season) occurred due to variations in physicochemical parameters and nutrient factors. Simultaneously, phytoplankton diversity and density were shown to change in response to habitat quality and seasonal variation. This study highlights the potential impacts of both human activities and natural factors on the population structure in these estuarine environments.Item Comprehensive molecular epidemiology of Cryptosporidium species in Japan: An in-depth study(Elsevier, 2024) Kabir, Mohammad Hazzaz Bin; Kato, KentaroCryptosporidium species, causing diarrheal illnesses in humans and animals worldwide, are under investigation for their molecular epidemiology in Japan. The study focuses on detecting Cryptosporidium species in humans, animals, water, and the environment, revealing three species in people: C. parvum, C. meleagridis, and C. hominis. Subtype IIa of the C. parvum gp60 gene is prevalent, indicating potential zoonotic transmission. Animal studies identified sixteen species, mainly cattle and pets, with C. parvum (subtype IIa) common in cattle and C. canis and C. felis prevalent in pets. Additionally, C. bovis and C. ryanae were found in cattle and sika deer. Knowledge gaps exist, particularly in water and environmental source typing, with limited research revealing five species and five genotypes, suggesting a significant role of water in transmission. Further research is needed to understand the molecular diversity and transmission dynamics across humans, animals, water, and the environment in Japan.