This study examined the effects of two organic matter sources of high carbon and low nitrogen (cocoa pod husk) or high nitrogen and low carbon (cattle manure) contents on the chemistry of a volcanic soil under cocoa production in Papua New Guinea (PNG), with a field study including eight treatments: no amendment (control), cocoa pod husk (CPH), cattle manure (CM), NPK, CPH+CM, CPH+NPK, CM+NPK, and CPH+CM+NPK, all replicated five times in five blocks with each treatment applied to five trees in a randomized complete block design, applied in a split manner initially and after two and a half months, with soil samples collected within 50 cm depth at the end of the fifth month using four out of five replicates, treatment averages calculated (n=4) and statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA to determine significant differences (p0.05), and where interaction between treatments and profile depth was found, one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD and pairwise comparisons was performed, and results showed that CPH and CM alone or combined improved all soil physical and chemical properties, with soil organic matter, organic carbon, organic carbon stock, and macronutrients more influenced by carbon (CPH) than nitrogen (CM), while soil water-holding capacity, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, and most micronutrients were improved by nitrogen, indicating these relatively inexpensive and readily available organic matter sources in PNG have implications for sustainable soil fertility management under cocoa production to enhance yields for smallholder farmers.

Jute is a fiber crop which is often referred to as “golden fibers”. The fiber of jute has been used for hundreds of years. It has been used for different purposes for many years. As it is biodegradable in nature, now it is considered a valuable and eco-friendly product. Jute is the second largest bast fiber source in the world, while first one is cotton. Its fiber is natural, strong, long, and shiny which makes it useful for both domestically and commercially across the world. Nowadays is becoming popular of making value-added industrial goods, such as, Paper, curtain, furniture, building materials, home decor, mulching materials. Moreover, currently, people are becoming concerned about using eco-friendly jute fibers. In consequence, this review paper focuses on enhancement of jute fibers production through biotechnological approaches.

Kedah’s Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) is the centre for Malaysia’s rice production and is now under immense stress due to water scarcity, climate variability and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. There are three water-saving irrigation techniques that could be used to help with this problem; AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying), SRI (System of Rice Intensification) and precision irrigation. These irrigation methods have been shown to be effective, however the adoption has been low and it is not clear what are the socio-economic and institutional barriers to adoption or how policy and governance are affecting the use of these irrigation techniques in Kedah and other similar rice-producing systems in Asia. This study uses a systematic review to synthesize data from 85 studies published in 2015-2025 (see appendix for details) using a PRISMA 2020 protocol to evaluate the impacts of AWD and SRI and to understand the barriers to adopting AWD and SRI as well as the governance structures affecting their implementation in Malaysia. The review found that both AWD and SRI can significantly reduce irrigation water use and maintain or increase crop yields; they also provide additional environmental benefits including reduced methane emissions and improved soil health. Data from local MADA pilot programs indicate that these results can be replicated in the climate and conditions of Kedah, however the rates of adoption remain very low, which is consistent with an “effectiveness – adoption” paradox caused by a number of factors including but not limited to: lack of access to capital; inadequate extension services; risk aversion among farmers; and the aging population of farmers, gender inequity, and division of responsibilities within government institutions, none of which are directly related to the technology itself. Technical viability and local relevance of water-saving irrigation strategies have been demonstrated in the review; however, their successful adoption by farmers at a large scale is contingent on a combination of coordinated, systemic policy actions. To this end, integrated initiatives that enhance the capacity of extension services, reduce economic risks associated with irrigated agriculture for both male and female farmers, and provide alignment of governance among agencies will be necessary to realize the technical potential for sustained use of these technologies among farmers. These types of reforms are essential for improving water security, climate resilience, and livelihoods for small-scale farmers in Kedah and other similarly dependent rice producing areas

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses impacting global agricultural productivity, and leafy vegetables are among the most vulnerable crops. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a humic and fulvic acid-based biostimulant in enhancing the resilience of a widely consumed vegetable, bok choy (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) under drought condition. Humic and fulvic acid biostimulant-treated plants (AR10R1 group) and -untreated control plants (NT10R1 group) were subjected to a simulated prolonged severe drought condition in greenhouse setting. Growth metrics including shoot and root growth, number and size of leaves, and wet and dry biomass of above and below ground parts were quantified. The survival and recovery rates of the experimental plants were also assessed. Our results revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in nearly all plant growth metrics, as well as the survival and recovery outcomes between the two groups. The AR10R1 group showed superior growth, greater biomass accumulation, and substantially improved survival rate compared to the NT10R1 group under drought condition. Remarkably, the AR10R1 plants exhibited a recovery rate ten-fold higher than that of the NT10R1 plants. The biostimulant was applied before commencement of the drought experiment. This suggests that the biostimulant has a long-lasting effect, as it was able to alleviate drought-induced damage in the AR10R1 plants, enhancing their survival throughout the prolonged severe drought condition (10% soil moisture level for 20 days), and subsequently their recovery during the rehydration stage. Our study provides useful insights into the efficacy of humic and fulvic acid biostimulants in mitigating drought-induced stress in bok choy. We believe the integration of humic and fulvic acid-based biostimulant in agriculture is a promising and sustainable strategy to mitigate drought-induced yield losses in bok choy production, and it can potentially be optimized to enhance resilience in other leafy crops in the face of climate change

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is one of the important crops grown mainly for its high nutritional and economic significance in the tropic and subtropic. The suitability of radiation from projector for inducing genetic diversity in okra was studied. Okra seeds were exposed to projected radiation at two distances from the projector (10 cm and 30 cm) for two durations (30 minutes and 1 hour), while seeds not exposed to radiations serves as controls for the study. The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method was applied for the extraction of genomic DNA from young leaves of M1-generation plants while yield of DNA as
well as the qualities were quantified using spectrophotometry. Similarly, the level of genetic variability was quantified using PCR amplification with three Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers to confirm the level of polymorphisms. Exposed okra seeds to radiation at a distance of 10 cm for 30 minutes significantly enhanced the DNA concentration, purity, and polymorphism, with the SCoT-1 primer detecting 100% polymorphism. When exposure duration was extended further to 1 hour, DNA degradation and reduction in the number of polymorphic bands were observed. Clustering followed genetic differentiation in relation to distance and duration of radiation exposure. The study indicates that projector radiation alters DNA concentration, purity, and create genetic variability in okra, with moderate doses optimizing genetic polymorphism while limiting degradation. These findings reveal that projector radiation is a potential cost-effective agent for generating genetic diversity during okra breeding programs.