Vegetation Monitoring of Palm Trees in an Oasis Environment (Boudenib, Morocco) Using Automatic Processing of Medium-Resolution Remotely Sensed Data
Oases are part of the natural wealth and heritage of Morocco and contribute to the social, economic, and touristic environment. Morocco has lost more than 2/3 of its oases during the past century due to water scarcity, succession of drought periods, climate change and over-exploitation of groundwater resources. Palm trees are strongly dependent on irrigation and availability of surface water as soon as the water table depth falls below the root zone of 9 m. Improving management and monitoring of oasis ecosystems is strongly encouraged by UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and RAMSAR guidelines. The Boudenib and Tafilalet oases are among the biggest palm groves located in the south-eastern part of Morocco. These oases belong to catchments of the rivers Guir and Ziz, respectively. This paper uses remotely sensed data from PROBA-V for monitoring vegetation in oases, and linking vegetation characteristics to water availability, water management and quality and quantity of date crops. The Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from optical images provides a good estimation of changes in vegetation cover over time. Images of various spatial resolutions (100 m, 300 m and 1 km) obtained with the frequently revisiting Belgian satellite PROBA-V and available since 2014, can be successfully used for deriving time series of vegetation dynamics. TREX—Tool for Raster data Exploration—is a Python-GDAL processing tool of PROBA-V NDVI images for analyzing vegetation dynamics, developed at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and available online. TREX has various applications, but the main functionality is to provide an automatic processing of PROBA-V satellite images into time series of NDVI and LAI, used in vegetation monitoring of user-defined points of interest. This study presents the results of application of TREX in the arid ecosystems of the Boudenib oasis for the period 2014–2018. The resulting NDVI and LAI time series are also compared to time series of groundwater depth and date crops quantity and quality. Low LAI is observed when water depth is low, and the palm trees lose their greenery. Low LAI is also correlated to low quantity and quality of dates in October 2015 and October 2017. PROBA-V images can therefore be used for monitoring the health of palm trees in oasis environments. However, considering the fact that the PROBA-V satellite mission has ended, this approach could instead be applied to Sentinel-3 data using the same analysis. These results have important implications for water management in the area and can help decision-makers to make better decisions about prevention of water scarcity in the region.
https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15030104
Upcycling Brazil nut press cake as an ingredient of an innovative spread and evaluation of its nutritional, functional, and sensory properties
Background: Brazil nut press cake (PC), a co-product of oil extraction, represents a promising alternative for developing sustainable and nutritious food products, meeting the growing demand for healthy and clean-label options. This study aimed to assess the effects of PC on spread composition, physical characteristics, sensory attributes, consumer acceptance, and storage stability assessed through oil separation. Results: Different PC levels (0-100 g kg-1) affected spread properties. Higher PC (100 g kg-1) levels significantly increased (P < 0.05) protein content and insoluble fiber (156.3 and 190.0 g kg-1, respectively). On the other hand, lipids and energy values decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Instrumental texture analysis revealed that firmness, spreadability, and adhesiveness peaked at the highest PC concentration: 383.87 g, 699.92 g s, and 384.62 g s, respectively. The 100 g kg-1 PC formulation exhibited the lowest oil separation (12%) among samples at 15 000 × g in the sixth week. Sensory analysis showed similar scores for most attributes. The 50 g kg-1 PC formulation scored the highest values for overall acceptance ('like regularly'), willingness to consume ('would probably consume'), and to buy ('maybe buy/maybe not buy'). Correlation analysis indicated that individuals with a controlled lifestyle are more likely to have a balanced diet and pay more for spreads. Principal component analysis suggested that the 50 g kg-1 PC spread is a promising formulation. Conclusion: These findings underscore the feasibility of using Brazil nut press cake in spreads, advancing the scientific, technological, and socio-economic uses of a nutritious co-product. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.14182
Root sweet root: how date palm uses osmotic adjustment to thrive in arid climates
Date palm has developed a variety of adaptation strategies to survive and even thrive in extreme environments such as deserts. Franzisky et al. (2025) investigated the different early acclimation processes that help date palm to survive harsh, arid conditions. They employed a wide range of approaches to uncover how date palm endures drought and high temperatures, providing valuable insights for developing drought-tolerant and productive genotypes—a topic of increasing importance as climate change intensifies aridity in many regions.
https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eraf022
Understanding the photosynthesis in relation to climate change in grapevines
Due to predicted global climate change, there have been significant alterations in agricultural production patterns, which had a negative impact on ecosystems as well as the commercial and export prospects for the production of grapevines. The natural biochemistry of grapevines, including their chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, Fv/Fm ratio, photorespiration, reduced yield, and quality is also anticipated to be negatively impacted by the various effects of light, temperature, and carbon dioxide at elevated scales. Grapevine phenology, physiology, and quality are impacted by the inactivation of photosystems (I and II), the Rubisco enzyme system, pigments, chloroplast integrity, and light intensity by temperature and increasing CO2 levels. Grape phenological events are considerably altered by climatic conditions; in particular, berries mature earlier, increasing the sugar-to-acid ratio. In enology, the sugar-to-acid ratio is crucial since it determines the wine's final alcohol concentration and flavour. As light intensity and CO2 levels rise, the biosynthesis of anthocyanins and tannins declines. As the temperature rises, the production of antioxidants diminishes, affecting the quality of raisins. Table grapes are more sensitive to temperature because of physiological problems like pink berries and a higher sugar-to-acidity ratio. Therefore, the systemic impact of light intensity, temperature, and increasing CO2 levels on grapevine physiology, phenology, photosystems, photosynthesis enzyme system, and adaptive strategies for grape producers and researchers are highlighted in this article.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12064-025-00435-w
Optimization of irrigation on walnut through the IRRIFRAME water balance model.
In recent years, reduced summer precipitation frequencies related to climate change have raised the probability of water scarcity, even in the Po Valley of Italy, thus requiring an optimization of the irrigation management for walnut cultivation which has become very present in the area. The aim of the present study was to evaluate, during four consecutive seasons (2018–2021), the physiological (stem water potential Ψw, leaf photosynthesis A and stomatal conductance gs), yield (nut weight, shelled yield, kernel colour) and water use efficiency (WUE) responses of walnut trees to different irrigation levels (100% ETc, 75% ETc, and 50% ETc) in order to obtain an improved water balance model, fit for walnut production under Emilia Romagna conditions. Water supply in 100% ETc (CTRL) was managed according to the IRRIFRAME water balance model. CTRL trees generally showed higher stem Ψw at midday, than those irrigated at 75% (DI75) and 50% ETc (DI50). Less sensitivity was found for gs and A, than for Ψw, to the different water regimes: in fact, differences among treatments occurred only in the first two years, when yield was reduced by 50% ETc irrigation, compared to 100% and 75% ETc. No differences were registered for shelled yield and kernel colour during the experimental period. On the contrary, irrigation treatments affected WUE in all the seasons, with CTRL being the less efficient treatment, followed by DI75 and DI50.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-025-01006-z
Carbon Sequestration Potential of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Plantations Across Climatic Gradients in Togo
The current study seeks to estimate the carbon sequestration capability of a cashew plantation in Togo as a function of climate gradient. The research was conducted in the Guinean and Sudanian climatic zones, on farmers' cashew plantations. The study was run from March to October 2023. This study was carried out in ten (10) cashew farms (five per climatic zone) which have ten years old. Cashew trees were classed based on their diameter at breast height (0-5 cm, 5-10 cm, 10-15 cm, and > 15 cm). To measure carbon stock in the biomass, allometric equations were utilized, and soil carbon stock was assessed using laboratory analysis. The Guinean zone has a higher soil carbon stock (86.89 ± 4.06 t C/ha) compared to the Sudanian zone (80.23 ± 3.78 t). The same trend can be observed in the various cashew tree components (trunk, branches and leaves). In general, the tree trunk had 79% of the carbon supply, compared to 19% and 2% in the branches and leaves, respectively. Carbon sequestration in the soil varies depending on the climatic zone and the soil depth (0-25 cm; 25-50 cm). Cashew-based cropping systems might be deemed carbon-efficient.
https://doi.org/10.9734/ijecc/2025/v15i14672
Halotolerant Pseudomonas-induced alleviation of salt stress and promotion of growth in peanut (Arachis hypogaea)
Salinity stress is a major abiotic factor limiting crop productivity, particularly in sensitive crops like peanuts (Arachis hypogaea). This study evaluated the potential of Pseudomonas geniculata ND09 in alleviating salt stress impacts on peanut growth under controlled and field conditions. In pot experiments, salt stress significantly reduced root and shoot lengths, biomass, and pod yield while increasing the Na+/K+ ratio and stress markers such as antioxidant enzyme activities and proline accumulation. Inoculation with P. geniculata ND09 effectively mitigated these effects, improving root and shoot lengths by 23.5% and 19.6%, respectively, and enhancing biomass and pod yield by 31.8% and 26.4% compared to untreated, salt-stressed plants. Field trials corroborated these findings, with P. geniculata ND09-inoculated plants irrigated with saline water showing 20.7% and 19.3% higher pod and haulm yields than untreated controls. These results demonstrate the potential of P. geniculata ND09 as a biotechnological solution for improving salinity tolerance and yield in peanut cultivation, addressing critical agricultural challenges posed by soil salinity.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01140671.2025.2454619
Land Use/Change and Local Population Movements in Stone Pine Forests: A Case Study of Western Türkiye
One of the important distribution areas of stone pine (Pinus pinea L.), a native tree species of the Mediterranean Basin in Türkiye, is the Kozak Basin. Pine nut production plays an important role in the livelihood of the rural people of the Kozak Basin. However, in recent years, as a result of mining activities, climate change, and damage caused by the alien invasive species, the western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann 1910 (Hemiptera; Coreidae), the decrease in cone and seed yield in the basin has reached significant dimensions. This process has caused the local people’s income sources to decrease. In this study, land use and land cover (LULC) changes and population changes in the Kozak Basin were discussed during the process, where changing forest land functions, especially economic effects, triggered vulnerable communities due to various factors such as climate change and insect damage. LULC classes of the Kozak Basin and their changes in three time periods are presented using the maximum likelihood method. In addition, the exponential population growth rates of the local people in three different time periods were calculated and these rates were interpolated in the spatial plane with a Kriging analysis. In conclusion, the responses of vulnerable communities to the cone and seed yield decline in the Kozak Basin are manifested by LULC changes and migration from the basin. Therefore, in the management of P. pinea areas, the creation of regulations within the framework of sustainability understanding regardless of ownership difference, stakeholder participatory approach management, close monitoring of ecological events occurring in the basin, awareness of vulnerable communities, and alternative livelihoods can be supported.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f16020243
Water use dynamics of almond and pistachio crops in the Mediterranean region amid climate change
Almond and pistachio are socio-economically significant tree crops grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley (SJV). Continuing commercial production with efficient irrigation planning under changing climate requires an extensive understanding of their biophysical interactions such as altered phenology, biomass accumulation, transpiration, and other processes. This study examines the phenology and water use (ETc) responses of almonds and pistachios under two scenarios: climate change (warming-only) and climate change with elevated atmospheric CO2 (eCO2), using an agrohydrological model, VIC-CropSyst. The model was calibrated and validated using observations on crop evapotranspiration. The simulated crop responses to warming-only and eCO2 revealed compounding effects on chill accumulation, phenology, biomass accumulation, and eventually on crop water use. The active growth period from bud break to dormancy was prolonged by 10–25 days for both crops under simulated Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) scenarios compared to the baseline. The annual ETc under warming-only scenarios showed a slight increase for almonds (1 % under RCP4.5 and 3 % under RCP8.5) and a higher increase for pistachios (8 % under both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) by the mid-21st century. These increases in ETc translate to 260 (almonds) and 180 (pistachios) million m3/year of additional water for irrigation in the absence of eCO2 effects. The eCO2 is expected to moderately reduce irrigation demand by 35 million m3/year for almonds and increase by 140 million m3/year for pistachios over the baseline. The outcomes can guide decision-makers to anticipate potential threats and concoct adaptive strategies by managing irrigation and choosing suitable cultivars or alternate crops.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109219
Native cover crops enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services in hazelnut orchards
Agroecological restoration aims to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function in agricultural landscapes while sustaining crop production. Adopting native plants as cover crops may restore ecological value to cropping systems such as nut orchards. We focused on Oregon hazelnut orchards and compared how four seed mixes (native annuals, native perennials, conventional cover crops and unseeded controls) performed under three levels of orchard floor disturbance (flailing, flailing and scraping, and unmanaged/none) across three different orchard ages with corresponding differences in canopy shade over a 2-year period. We evaluated cover crop performance by three criteria: the survival criteria (response to disturbance and shading), the production criteria (effects on weeds, erosion potential and soil moisture) and the ecological functioning criteria (abundance and diversity of native plants and pollinator visitations). We found that native species generally outperformed conventional cover crops and bare ground across these criteria. Plant survival was not affected by disturbance but shading reduced survival of most species. Native annuals had high cover in the first year, and native perennials had high cover across both years. Native perennial species provided the best weed reduction and erosion control while not reducing soil moisture, and hosted the highest pollinator abundances and diversity. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that agroecological restoration of orchards through native cover cropping is a viable strategy for improving ecological outcomes without compromising production needs.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14850