Search Results (3,482)

The objective of this research was to develop a mathematical model of the hot-pressing process for making flat-pressed wood–polymer composites (FPWPCs). This model was used to calculate and predict the temperature and time required for FPWPC pressing. The model’s performance was analysed using the experimental results of hot pressing FPWPCs. It was found that an increase in the content of wood particles led to a rapid increase in the pressing time. The model and experiment showed that the core temperature of the wood–polymer mat remained nearly constant for the first 20–30 s of the hot-pressing process. After this period, this temperature increased rapidly until it reached 100 °C, after which the rate of increase began to decelerate sharply. This transition was more distinct in FPWPCs with a high wood-particle content, while in those with a high thermoplastic-polymer content, it was smoother. Increasing the pressing temperature contributed to a reduction in the time required to heat the FPWPC, as confirmed by both experimental data and the modelling of the hot-pressing process. A decrease in the predicted density of the FPWPC resulted in a directly proportional increase in the time required to heat the mat. Validation of the mathematical model revealed a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of only 2.5%, confirming its high precision and reliability. The developed mathematical model exhibited a high degree of accuracy and can be used for further calculations of the time required for FPWPC pressing, considering variable parameters such as pressing temperature, wood–polymer ratio, mat thickness, and density. Full article

In recent decades, fabric-dyeing processes involved greener processes because, since ancient times, dyers used mordants based on metals to make the color better adhere to the textile fibers, but this is the reason for their increased pollution. To develop new strategies, attention was focused on finding the best condition for a dyeing method for natural fibers of vegetable and animal origin (cotton and wool) using an ancient natural dye known as folium. Folium was used mostly in miniature painting in an attempt to avoid the use of classical mordants and solvents. To this purpose, plasma treatment and chitosan coating were employed. Firstly, the textile fibers were analyzed through infrared spectroscopies to verify surface modifications; subsequently, the post-treatment morphological variations were observed via scanning electron microscopy. Both techniques highlighted a significant variation of the surface functional groups due to plasma treatments with He-O₂ mixtures, which allowed a greater adhesion of chitosan on the fiber’s surface. Finally, the color strength of samples dyed with folium was tested through fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy, and the folium absorbance peaks were still detected after fabric washing. It is thus shown how an ancient, traditional raw matter has become relevant for developing new modern technologies. Full article

This study investigates the fibers of tucum (Bactris setosa Mart.), a palm species native to the Atlantic Forest. The fibers manually extracted from tucum leaves were characterized to determine important properties that help with the recognition of the material. The fibers were also subjected to pre-bleaching to evaluate their dyeing potential. The extraction and characterization of these fibers revealed excellent properties, making this material suitable not only for manufacturing high-quality textile products but also for various technical and engineering applications. The characterization techniques included SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis), and tensile strength tests. These analyses showed that tucum fibers possess desirable properties, such as high tensile strength, with values comparable to linen but with a much finer diameter. The fibers also demonstrated good affinity for dyes, comparable to cotton fibers. An SEM analysis revealed a rough surface, with superficial phytoliths contributing to their excellent mechanical strength. FTIR presented a spectrum compatible with cellulose, confirming its main composition and highly hydrophilic nature. The dyeing tests indicated that tucum fibers can be successfully dyed with industrial direct dyes, showing good color yield and uniformity. This study highlights the potential of tucum fibers as a renewable, biodegradable, and sustainable alternative for the transformation industry, promoting waste valorization. Full article

In China’s Yangtze River and Yellow River basin cotton-growing regions, the complex terrain, scattered planting areas, and poor adaptability of the existing machinery have led to a mechanized cotton harvesting rate of less than 10%. To address this issue, we designed a crawler chassis for a brush-roller cotton harvester. It is specifically tailored to meet the 76 cm row spacing agronomic requirement. We also conducted a theoretical analysis of the power transmission system for the crawler chassis. Initially, we considered the terrain characteristics of China’s inland cotton-growing regions and the current cotton agronomy practices. Based on these, we selected and designed the power system and chassis; then, a finite element static analysis was carried out on the chassis frame to ensure safety during operation; finally, field tests on the harvester’s operability, stability, and speed were carried out. The results show that the inverted trapezoidal crawler walking device, combined with a hydraulic continuously variable transmission and rear-drive design, enhances the crawler’s passability. The crawler parameters included a ground contact length of 1650 mm, a maximum ground clearance of 270 mm, a maximum operating speed of 6.1 km/h, and an actual turning radius of 2300 mm. The maximum deformation of the frame was 2.198 mm, the deformation of the walking chassis was 1.0716 mm, the maximum equivalent stress was 216.96 MPa, and the average equivalent stress of the entire frame was 5.6356 MPa, which complies with the physical properties of the selected material, Q235. The designed cotton harvester crawler chassis features stable straight-line and steering performance. The vehicle’s speed can be adjusted based on the complexity of the terrain, with timely steering responses, minimal compaction on cotton, and reduced soil damage, meeting the requirements for mechanized harvesting in China’s inland small plots. Full article

In order to alleviate the shortage of water in Xinjiang cotton fields, to ensure the sustainable development of the cotton industry in southern Xinjiang, it is necessary to determine a suitable “dry sowing and wet emergence” water quantity plan for cotton fields in southern Xinjiang to change the current situation. In this study, to explore the irrigation regime of “dry sowing and wet emergence” for cotton in Korla, Xinjiang, by combining field experiments and modeling simulations, the effects of different irrigation amounts on the water–heat–salt and seedling emergence characteristics of “dry sowing and wet emergence” cotton fields were investigated; the soil, water, and salt transport under different irrigation regimes was simulated by using HYDRUS-2D, and the seedling emergence rate of the cotton under different irrigation regimes was obtained through the establishment of a regression model. The results indicated that, in the field experiment, the soil water content of the 0−40 cm soil layer showed an overall trend of first increasing and then decreasing with time, while the soil salt content showed an overall trend of first decreasing and then increasing over time. The soil water content at the drip heads and cotton rows position, as well as on the 15th day, increased by an average of 5.58 cm³·cm⁻³ compared to before irrigation, and the soil salt content decreased by an average of 2.74 g/kg compared to before irrigation. In the irrigation water range of 675−825 m³/hm², reducing the irrigation water amount increased the cotton emergence rate by 3.86% and the cotton vigor index by 70.53%. After the model simulation, it is recommended to choose the cotton “dry sowing and wet emergence” irrigation regime with a low to medium water amount (300−450 m³/hm²) at 14-day intervals or a low to medium water amount (300−375 m³/hm²) at 7-day intervals, which can obtain a higher seedling emergence rate. Full article

Carotenoids are vital organic pigments that determine the color of flowers, roots, and fruits in plants, imparting them yellow, orange, and red hues. This study comprehensively analyzes carotenoid accumulation in different tissues of the Brassica rapa mutant “YB1”, which exhibits altered flower and root colors. Integrating physiological and biochemical assessments, transcriptome profiling, and quantitative metabolomics, we examined carotenoid accumulation in the flowers, roots, stems, and seeds of YB1 throughout its growth and development. The results indicated that carotenoids continued to accumulate in the roots and stems of YBI, especially in its cortex, throughout plant growth and development; however, the carotenoid levels in the petals decreased with progression of the flowering stage. In total, 54 carotenoid compounds were identified across tissues, with 30 being unique metabolites. Their levels correlated with the expression pattern of 22 differentially expressed genes related to carotenoid biosynthesis and degradation. Tissue-specific genes, including CCD8 and NCED in flowers and ZEP in the roots and stems, were identified as key regulators of color variations in different plant parts. Additionally, we identified genes in the seeds that regulated the conversion of carotenoids to abscisic acid. In conclusion, this study offers valuable insights into the regulation of carotenoid metabolism in B. rapa, which can guide the selection and breeding of carotenoid-rich varieties. Full article

The rise of “fast fashion” has driven up the production of low-cost, short-lived clothing, significantly increasing global textile fiber production and, consequently, exacerbating environmental pollution. This study investigated the ecotoxicological effects of different types of anthropogenic microfibers—cotton, polyester, and mixed fibers (50% cotton: 50% polyester)—on marine organisms, specifically sea urchin embryos. All tested fibers exhibited toxicity, with cotton fibers causing notable effects on embryonic development even at environmentally relevant concentrations. The research also simulated a scenario where microfibers were immersed in seawater for 30 days to assess changes in toxicity over time. The results showed that the toxicity of microfibers increased with both concentration and exposure duration, with polyester being the most toxic among the fibers tested. Although synthetic fibers have been the primary focus of previous research, this study highlights that natural fibers like cotton, which are often overlooked, can also be toxic due to the presence of harmful additives. These natural fibers, despite decomposing faster than synthetic ones, can persist in aquatic environments for extended periods. The findings underline the critical need for further research on both natural and synthetic microfibers to understand their environmental impact and potential threats to marine ecosystems and sea urchin populations. Full article

Both annual (cotton, flax, hemp, etc.) and perennial (trees and grasses) plants can serve as a source of cellulose for fiber production. In recent years, the perennial herbaceous plant miscanthus has attracted particular interest as a popular industrial plant with enormous potential. This industrial crop, which contains up to 57% cellulose, serves as a raw material in the chemical and biotechnology sectors. This study proposes for the first time the utilization of miscanthus, namely Miscanthus Giganteus “KAMIS”, to generate spinning solutions in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide. Miscanthus cellulose’s properties were identified using standard methods for determining the constituent composition, including also IR and atomic emission spectroscopy. The dry-jet wet method was used to make fibers from cellulose solutions with an appropriate viscosity/elasticity ratio. The structural characteristics of the fibers were studied using IR and scanning electron microscopy, as well as via X-ray structural analysis. The mechanical and thermal properties of the novel type of hydrated cellulose fibers demonstrated the possibility of producing high-quality fibers from miscanthus. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the enhancement of A. gossypii control by A. colemani when Z. elegans was planted as a companion crop in cucumber greenhouses. The density and spatial distribution of A. gossypii and parasitized mummies were investigated across three treatment plots: (1) the simultaneous application of A. colemani and cultivation of Z. elegans (parasitoid-zinnia plot); (2) the application of A. colemani alone (parasitoid plot); and (3) a control plot (no application of both). A. gossypii maintained low densities in the parasitoid–zinnia plots, while its densities in the parasitoid plots initially decreased but rapidly increased thereafter. The spatial distribution patterns of A. gossypii and parasitized mummies showed similar trends across treatments. However, the parasitism rate of A. gossypii exhibited random distribution in parasitoid and control plots, while showing uniform distribution in the parasitoid–zinnia treatment. These results supported the idea that cultivating Z. elegans alongside cucumber could enhance the effectiveness of A. colemani as a biocontrol agent against A. gossypii, highlighting the importance of such companion planting in pest management strategies. Full article

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the most important fibre crop worldwide. Black root rot and Fusarium wilt are two major diseases of cotton caused by soil-borne Berkeleyomyces rouxiae and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov), respectively. Phenotyping plant symptoms caused by soil-borne pathogens has always been a challenge. To increase the uniformity of infection, we adapted a seedling screening method that directly uses liquid cultures to inoculate the plant roots and the soil. Four isolates, each of B. rouxiae and Fov, were collected from cotton fields in Australia and were characterised for virulence on cotton under controlled plant growth conditions. While the identities of all four B. rouxiae isolates were confirmed by multilocus sequencing, only two of them were found to be pathogenic on cotton, suggesting variability in the ability of isolates of this species to cause disease. The four Fov isolates were phylogenetically clustered together with the other Australian Fov isolates and displayed both external and internal symptoms characteristic of Fusarium wilt on cotton plants. Furthermore, the isolates appeared to induce varied levels of plant disease severity indicating differences in their virulence on cotton. To contrast the virulence of the Fov isolates, four putatively non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) isolates collected from cotton seedlings exhibiting atypical wilt symptoms were assessed for their ability to colonise cotton host. Despite the absence of Secreted in Xylem genes (SIX6, SIX11, SIX13 and SIX14) characteristic of Fov, all four Fo isolates retained the ability to colonise cotton and induce wilt symptoms. This suggests that slightly virulent strains of Fo may contribute to the overall occurrence of Fusarium wilt in cotton fields. Findings from this study will allow better distinction to be made between plant pathogens and endophytes and allow fungal effectors underpinning pathogenicity to be explored. Full article

The optimization of cotton defoliant application is critical for enhancing fiber quality and yield. This study aims to assess the impact of different defoliant duty cycles on cotton fiber quality by applying Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to High-Volume Instrument (HVI) data from two fields. Three duty cycles—20%, 40%, and 60%—along with a control treatment were evaluated. PCA was used to identify the key factors influencing cotton quality, with a focus on parameters such as fiber length, strength, and uniformity. The results revealed that the 40% duty cycle consistently produced the most stable and uniform cotton fiber quality across both fields, minimizing variability in critical parameters. In contrast, the 20% and 60% duty cycles, as well as the control, introduced greater variability, with the control treatment showing the most significant outliers. These findings suggest that a 40% duty cycle is optimal for balancing effective defoliation with high-quality cotton production. Future research should explore the robustness of the 40% duty cycle across different environmental conditions and investigate the integration of advanced technologies to further optimize defoliant applications. This study provides valuable insights for improving cotton production practices and ensuring consistent fiber quality. Full article

In the present work, we reported the synthesis and characterization [single crystal X-ray diffraction technique, spectroscopic, etc.] of two new Ni(II) and Zn(II) coordination compounds, viz. [Ni(2,6-PDC)₂]₂[Ni(en)₂(H₂O)₂]₂[Ni(en)(H₂O)₄]·4H₂O (1) and [Zn(2,6-PDC)(Hdmpz)₂] (2) (where 2,6-PDC = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate, en = ethylene-1,2-diamine, and Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole). Compound 1 is found to crystallize as a multicomponent Ni(II) compound with five discrete complex moieties, whereas compound 2 is isolated as a mononuclear Zn(II) compound. A deep analysis of the crystal structure of 1 unfolds unusual dual enclathration of guest complex cationic moieties within the supramolecular host cavity stabilized by anion–π, π-stacking, N–H⋯O, C–H⋯O, and O–H⋯O hydrogen bonding interactions. Again, the crystal structure of compound 2 is stabilized by the presence of unconventional C–H⋯π(chelate ring) interactions along with C–H⋯O, C–H⋯N hydrogen bonding, π-stacking, and C–H⋯π(pyridyl) interactions. These non-covalent interactions were further studied theoretically using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces, non-covalent interaction (NCI) plot index, and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) computational tools. The computational study displays that π-stacking or H bonds greatly tune the directionality of compound 1, although non-directional electrostatic forces dominate energetically. For compound 2, a combined QTAIM/NCI plot analysis confirms the presence of unconventional C–H⋯π(chelate ring) interactions along with other weak interactions obtained from the crystal structure analysis. Further, the individual energy contributions of these weak yet significant non-covalent interactions have also been determined computationally. Full article

The Actin Depolymerizing Factor (ADF) protein, highly conserved among eukaryotes, is essential for plant growth, development, and stress responses. Cotton, a vital economic crop with applications spanning oilseed, textiles, and military sectors, has seen a limited exploration of its ADF gene family. This research has identified 118 unique ADF sequences across four principal cotton species: Gossypium hirsutum L., Gossypium barbadense Linn, Gossypium raimondii, and Asiatic cotton. The study found that the structural domains and physicochemical properties of these proteins are largely uniform across species. The ADF genes were classified into four subfamilies with a notable expansion in groups III and IV due to tandem and chromosomal duplication events. A thorough analysis revealed a high degree of conservation in gene structure, including exon counts and the lengths of introns and exons, with the majority of genes containing three exons, aligning with the characteristics of the ADF family. RNA-seq analysis uncovered a spectrum of responses by GhADFs to various abiotic stresses with GhADF19 showing the most significant reaction. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiments were conducted to assess the role of GhADF19 in plant growth under abiotic stress. The results demonstrated that plants with silenced GhADF19 exhibited significantly slower growth rates and lower dry weights when subjected to cold, salt, and drought stress compared to the control group. This marked reduction in growth and dry weight under stress conditions highlights the potential importance of GhADF19 in stress tolerance mechanisms. Full article

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) causes significant yield loss in cotton worldwide. In 2012, its detection in the Dawson-Callide region of Central Queensland prompted extensive surveys of cotton fields. The nematode was confirmed in 68% of sampled fields, with populations ranging from 2 to 3870 R. reniformis/200 mL of soil. Soil monitoring revealed increasing populations associated with consecutive cotton crops. However, when corn or sorghum replaced cotton, soil nematode populations significantly decreased. A two-year replicated field trial demonstrated that growing a non-host crop (such as biofumigant sorghum ‘Fumig8tor’, grain sorghum, or corn) significantly reduced nematode populations in the top 15 cm of soil compared to cotton. Unfortunately, when cotton was replanted the following season, nematode populations rebounded regardless of the previous crop. Only the ‘Fumig8tor’-cotton rotation resulted in significantly lower nematode populations than continuous cotton. Vertical soil sampling showed that rotating with a non-host crop significantly reduced nematode densities to a depth of 100 cm compared to cotton. However, when the field was replanted with cotton, nematode populations recovered, unaffected by cropping or soil depth. This study emphasises the importance of monitoring reniform nematodes in cotton soils for early detection and defining distribution patterns within a field, which may improve the effectiveness of management practices. These results suggest that one rotation out of cotton is not sufficient, as populations return to high levels when cotton is grown again. Therefore, two or more rotations out of cotton should be considered to manage this nematode. Full article

There are many challenges in cotton cultivation, which are mainly linked to management practices and market demands. The textile commerce requirements are increasing but the effects of climate change on cotton cultivation are becoming an issue, as its commercial development depends significantly on the availability of favorable climatic parameters and the absence of insect pests. In this research, it was studied whether the use of two commercial strains as cotton seed coatings could effectively contribute to the previous obstacles. The experiment was carried out in semi-field conditions at the University of Ioannina. It used a completely randomized design and lasted for 150 days. The following treatments were tested: (a) coated seeds with a commercial strain of Beauveria bassiana (Velifer^®); (b) coated seeds with a combination of Velifer^® and a commercial strain of Beauveria bassiana (Selifer^®); and (c) uncoated cotton seeds (control). The biostimulant effect of the two seed coatings was assessed against the growth characteristics of cotton, and the total chlorophyll and proline content. The bioinsecticidal effect was evaluated by measuring the population of Aphis gossypii on the cotton leaves. The proline effect increased by 15% in the treated plants, whereas the total chlorophyll was higher in the use of both Velifer^® and Velifer^®–Selifer^® treatments by 32% and 19%, respectively. Aphid populations also decreased in the treated plants compared to the control plants (29.9% in Velifer^® and 22.4% in Velifer^®–Selifer^®). Based on an assessment of the above parameters, it follows that the two seed coatings can significantly enhance the growth performance of cotton and reduce the abundance of A. gossypii. Full article