Smart horticulture as an emerging interdisciplinary field combining novel solutions:Past development,current challenges,and future perspectives

Horticultural products such as fruits,vegetables,and tea offer a range of important nutrients such as protein,carbohydrates,vitamins and lipids.However,the present yield and quality do not meet the requirements of the rapid population growth associated with global climate change,the decline in horticultural practitioners,poor automation,and epidemic diseases such as COVID-19.In this context,smart horticulture is expected to greatly improve the land output rates,resource-use efficiency,and productivity,all of which should facilitate the sustainable development of the horticulture industry.Emerging technologies,such as artificial intelligence,big data,the Internet of Things,and cloud computing,play an important role.This paper reviews past developments and current challenges,offering future perspectives for horticultural chain management.We expect that the horticulture industry would benefit from integration with smart technologies.This requires the use of novel solutions to build a new advanced system encompassing smart breeding,smart cultivation,smart transportation,and smart sales.Finally,a new development approach combining precise perception,smart operation,and smart control should be instituted in the horticulture industry.Within 30 years,we expect that the industry will embrace mechanical,automatic,and informational production to transform into a smart industry.

Application of horticulture therapy as a health intervention for elderly people in nursing homes:a scoping review

Objective:To review the scope of interventional studies on horticultural therapy(HT)applied to elderly people in nursing institutions to support the efficient implementation of HT among this target group.Methods:In accordance with the scoping review framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute(JBI),the Pub Med,JSTOR,Web of Science,CNKI,and Wanfang databases were searched.Data from the retrieved literature were summarized and analyzed.Results:In all,18 studies were included in this review.The target population groups of interventions included self-supporting elderly people,cognitively impaired elderly people,elderly people with negative emotions,and elderly people with frailty living in nursing institutions.HT interventions,including planting,craft activities,derivative activities,and outdoor viewing activities,are implemented indoors,outdoors,or in mixed settings.The most common duration of the intervention was 8 weeks,the most common frequency was once per week,and the most common session duration was 60 min.Conclusions:The measurements used in HT interventions included assessments of physical,psycho-mental,and social health;quality of life;and activity effects.Future studies should include partially dependent groups and completely dependent groups of elderly individuals,interventions that last at least 6 months,scientifically designed activity intensity and safety-guarantee plans,and outcomeevaluation indicators such as compliance and intervention benefits.

Review and Application Prospect of Agricultural Film for Protected Horticulture

The development of Chinese agriculture is now facing the grim situation of decreasing farmland area, increasing population and social demands, so the devel- opment of protected horticulture becomes necessary to solve the issue. This paper reviewed the characteristics of traditional horticulture films and application prospects of new functional films.

Application and Development of Protected Horticulture Intelligent Monitoring System

Protected horticulture makes use of related facilities, engineering technolo- gy and management technologies to create or improve local environment in order to provide optimal environment concerning controllable temperature, humidity, and light for farming and breeding industry, as well as product storage. Protected horticulture is independent to some extent, instead of relying greatly on nature, targeting full use of soil, climate and biological potential. The research concluded production characteristics of protected horticulture and analyzed the application of protected hor- ticulture intelligent monitoring system in protected greenhouse cultivation. In addition, the future development was proposed on protected horticulture intelligent monitoring system.

世界一流科技期刊的创办路径探析--以园艺领域领军期刊Horticulture Research为例

以南京农业大学和自然出版集团(Nature Publishing Group,NPG)合作创办的英文期刊Horticulture Research为例,详细分析了其从创刊到快速发展成为园艺领域领军科技期刊的路径,主要包括明确办刊定位、争取办刊单位支持、科学组建编辑团队、选择合适国际出版商、推动编委国际化、加大新媒体宣传等6个方面的成功经验,以期为拟创办英文科技期刊的国内办刊单位提供借鉴,推动科技期刊的学术组织力、人才凝聚力、创新引领力、国际影响力明显提高。

Structure, Composition and Diversity of Horticulture Trees and Agricultural Crops Productivity under Traditional Agri-Horticulture System in Mid Hill Situation of Garhwal Himalaya, India

Productivity of agricultural crops under traditional agri-hortculture system alongwith structure, composition and diversity of fruit trees and shrub species in mid hill situation of Garhwal Himalaya, India between 1000 to 2000 m asl during summer and winter seasons on northern and southern aspect were studied. The tree density, composition and diversity in the system varied depending upon aspect, landholding and requirements of the farmers. A total of 12 fruit tree species were recorded in agri-horticulture system;of which 4 trees were common in northern and southern aspect and 6 trees were only noticed in northern aspect while 2 in the southern. The apple tree (Malus domestica) was recorded to be dominant fruit tree species with highest IVI values on both northern and southern aspect with prime preference by the farmers for high additional economic return in agri-horticulture system. Among the shrubs, the 6 shrub species were recorded on the northern aspect whereas there number was 16 on southern aspect. The agricultural crop diversity was higher on the northern aspect in summer and winter season. The average annual productivity of grain under agri-horticulture system recorded 1106 kg·ha–1·year–1 on northern aspect and 1122 kg·ha–1·year–1 on southern with a reduction of 34.56% and 38.29% compared to the sole agriculture crops. The aspect and season also played significantly role in grain, straw and biological productivity of agricultural crops present in agri-horticulture and sole cropping systems. In general there was reduction in yield of agricultural crops under fruit trees but this reduction is supplemented by fruit production which support and sustain the rural community of this hilly region.

Sustainable Development in Education of Horticulture in Bulgaria

Sustainable development in education of horticulture imposes involvement of new system in education of agricultural experts, in particular vegetable growers, such as ethical view off point to the reality of production, synthesis of traditional practices （crop rotation and mixed crops, etc.）, the love to the land inherited from ancestors and modem scientific achievements from this perspective which will have a positive environmental effect over the agrarian ecosystems and the environment in general. From this perspective, lectures and practices should be based on the principles of integration of different systems and methods of production, which will include sustainable management of fertilizing and irrigation, energy use associated with production and integrated control of pests with sustainable application in the farms. These principles should be presented in a special section entitled ＂Sustainable Growing of Vegetables＂ which will form the basic knowledge related to the topic. They should be included in an appropriate place in the relevant sections for each vegetable crop, with the active participation of trained people. In order to overcome the specified problems and ensure sustainable development of the sector, it is necessary to provide well-trained people who know not only the traditional technologies used at present, but also the principles of sustainable agriculture as well, especially related with keeping natural resources to next generations.

Controlled LED Lighting for Horticulture: A Review

As energy gradually becomes a more valuable commodity, the desire for reduced energy losses strengthens. Lighting is a critical field on this matter, as it accounts for a large percentage of the global electricity consumption and modern lighting systems are greatly more efficient than incandescent, discharge, and fluorescent lights. Previous research has proven that plants do not require the entire visible spectrum but react only to specific wavelengths, making it possible to control their growth and yield via artificial lighting. The flexibility of control of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights allows for the combination of great energy losses reduction and controlled plant growth, achieving the improvement of two major parameters in a single action. This review paper summarizes the current research on the effect different light wavelengths have on specific plant species and discusses the applications of LED lighting for horticulture, yield storage, and disease protection.

Who Will Triumph in the Horticulture Industry?

THE World Horticultural Exhibition held 20 years ago in Kunming catalyzed the development of China’s horticultural industry. The International Horticultural Exhibition 2019, held in Beijing from April to October this year, has set up a platform for horticultural cooperation and exchange among many countries, and also serves as a stage to showcase the progress of China’s horticultural industry.

Research on Gardening Status and Development Prospect of China Facilities Horticulture

Horticulture refers to the producing of horticultural plants in unsuitable season （cold or hot）, the use of keeping heat, preventing cold or keeping cool, rain facilities and equipment, to artificially create a suitable micro climate horticultural crop growth environment, not or less affected by natural seasons conduct horticultural crop production, which is known as horticulture. It Simply covers facilities include a variety of hotbed, cooling bed, a small shed, shade avoidance, shade, shade cover, etc.; ordinary protection facilities usually refers to plastic greenhouses, plastic shed and Greenhouse; modem greenhouse, usually refers to capable of temperature and humidity, environmental conditions, fertilizer, gas and other automatic control of single buildings or greenhouse.

Strategies and prospects for melatonin to alleviate abiotic stress in horticultural plants

Melatonin is a conserved pleiotropic molecule in animals and plants.Melatonin is involved in many development processes and stress responses;thus,exploring its function in plants,particularly in horticultural plants,has become a rapidly developing field.Many studies have revealed that phytomelatonin acts as a plant biostimulant and increase its tolerance to various abiotic stressors,including extreme temperature,drought,osmotic disturbance,heavy metals,and ultraviolet(UV).Melatonin appears to have roles in the scavenging of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and other free radicals,affecting the primary and secondary metabolism of plants,regulating the transcripts of stress-related enzymes and transcription factors,and crosstalk with other hormones under different environmental conditions.This pleiotropy makes phytomelatonin an attractive regulator to improve resistance to abiotic stress in plants.The recent discovery of the potential phytomelatonin receptor CAND2/PMTR1 and the proposition of putative models related to the phytomelatonin signaling pathways makes phytomelatonin a new plant hormone.Based on relevant studies from our laboratory,this review summarizes the phytomelatonin biosynthetic and metabolic pathways in plants and the latest research progress on phytomelatonin in abiotic stress of horticultural plants.This study will provide a reference for elucidating the regulatory mechanism of phytomelatonin affecting the resistance to abiotic stress in plants.

World Horticulture Expo'99 in Kunming

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Zooplankton community response to eddy during dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans blooms off Pakistan,northern Arabian Sea

Eddies are major elements of ocean dynamics that affect ocean production.Understanding their effects on plankton distribution may help understand the dynamics of harmful phytoplankton blooms.Previous studies on the effects of eddies in the northern Arabian Sea have primarily focused on the zooplankton community,and few have observed zooplankton dynamics during winter blooms of Noctiluca scintillans.We investigated zooplankton community structure and the related environmental variability during a N.scintillans bloom that was affected by an eddy in February 2018.The sampling stations were deployed at eddy core and eddy edge distinguished in salinity,temperature,and velocity.Results show that N.scintillans bloomed at the eddy core with high-velocity currents induced by warm eddies that moved from eddy core to eddy edge.As a result,blooms significantly changed the zooplankton community structure.Non-bloom stations had higher zooplankton diversity than bloom stations.Zooplankton at non-bloom stations were dominated by either tunicates or copepods,such as Thalia democratica and Pleuromamma gracilis.In addition to the influence of N.scintillans blooms,the velocity of eddy currents was a crucial factor on the similarities in the zooplankton community composition between eddy edge and eddy core.Moreover,the lower abiotic factors in bloom area contribute to the structuring of the zooplankton community during N.scintillans blooms.

Assessment of desertification sensitivity using an improved MEDALUS model in Northern China

Assessment of land sensitivity to desertification is an important step to support desertification monitoring and control.Based on the Mediterranean Desertification and Land Use(MEDALUS)model,we defined four quality indicators(soil,climate,vegetation and management)to evaluate the sensitivity of land in northern China to desertification.We improved MEDALUS via excluding cities from the areas at risk of desertification by means of defining a threshold value for population density.The framework,validated in northern China,further optimizes the model to link priority areas and land restoration programmed to support desertification control.We found that the four indicators influenced and restricted each other,which jointly affected the distribution of desertification sensitivity in northern China.The spatial distribution of sensitivity in northern China showed large regional differences,with clear boundaries and concentrated distributions of regions with high and low sensitivity;the overall sensitivity decreased,with some areas rated as having moderate,severe,and extremely severe sensitivity changing to slight sensitivity;and the influence weight was much higher for the management quality index than for the climate,vegetation,and soil indexes.This suggests that management was the main factor that affected desertification sensitivity in northern China,and that climate factors exacerbated sensitivity,but the factors that are driving the spatial heterogeneity of the influencing factors need further study。

Evaluation of Medical Prescribers’ Theoretical Knowledge on Medical Imaging in the Northern Region of Burkina Faso

Introduction: Medical imaging is a medical specialty that involves producing images of the human body and interpreting them for diagnostic, therapeutic purposes, and for monitoring the progress of pathologies. We aimed to assess the theoretical knowledge of doctors and interns in medical imaging in the northern region of Burkina Faso. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey based on a self-administered questionnaire. Prescribers knowledge was estimated based on scores derived from questionnaire responses. Results: We collected 106 questionnaires out of 163, i.e. a participation rate of 65.03%. The average knowledge score was 81.71% for the contribution of medical imaging to patient management. It was 60.02% for the indications/counter-indications of radiological examinations and 72.56% for the risks associated with exposure to radiation during these examinations. The score was 59.83% for the methods used to select the appropriate radiological examination. As regards the completeness of the clinical and biological information on the forms requesting imaging examinations, the score was 96.65%. Specialist doctors had the highest overall level of knowledge (74.68%). Conclusion: Improved technical facilities, good initial and in-service training, and interdisciplinary collaboration will help to ensure that imaging tests are properly prescribed, leading to better patient care.