Impact on Soil Organic C and Total Soil N from Cool- and Warm-Season Legumes Used in a Green Manure-Forage Cropping System

Annual forage legumes are important components of livestock production systems in East Texas and the southeastern US. Forage legumes contribute nitrogen (N) to cropping systems through biological N fixation, and their seasonal biomass production can be managed to complement forage grasses. Our research objectives were to evaluate both warm- and cool-season annual forage legumes as green manure for biomass, N content, ability to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil N, and impact on post season forage grass crops. Nine warm-season forage legumes (WSL) were spring planted and incorporated as green manure in the fall. Forage rye (Secale cereale L.) was planted following the incorporation of WSL treatments. Eight cool-season forage legumes (CSL) were fall planted in previously fallow plots and incorporated as green manure in late spring. Sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum bicolor var. sudanense) was planted over all treatments in early summer after forage rye harvest and incorporation of CSL treatments. Sorghum-sudangrass was harvested in June, August and September, and treatments were evaluated for dry matter and N concentration. Soil cores were taken from each plot, split into depths of 0 to 15, 15 to 30 and 30 to 60 cm, and soil C and N were measured using combustion analysis. Nylon mesh bags containing plant samples were buried at 15 cm and used to evaluate decomposition rate of above ground legume biomass, including change in C and N concentrations. Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. [Wilczek]) had the highest shoot biomass yield (6.24 t DM ha-1) and contributed the most total N (167 kg∙ha-1) and total C (3043 kg∙ha-1) of the WSL tested. Decomposition rate of WSL biomass was rapid in the first 10 weeks and very slow afterward. Winter pea (Pisum sativum L. spp. sativum), arrow leaf clover (Trifolium vesiculosum Savi.), and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) were the most productive CSL in this trial. Austrian winter pea produced 8.41 t DM ha-1 with a total N yield of 319 kg N ha-1 and total C production of 3835 kg C ha-1. The WSL treatments had only small effects on rye forage yield and N concentration, possibly due to mineralization of N from a large SOC pool already in place. The CSL treatments also had only minimal effects on sorghum-sudangrass forage production. Winter pea, arrow leaf and crimson clover were productive cool season legumes and could be useful as green manure crops. Mungbean and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) were highly productive warm season legumes but may include more production risk in green manure systems due to soil moisture competition.

Towards green asphalt materials with lower emission of volatile organic compounds: A review on the release characteristics and its emission reduction additives

Recently, researchers in the road field are focusing on the development of green asphalt materials with loweremission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The characterization methodology of asphalt VOCs and theinfluencing factors on VOCs release have always been the basic issue of asphalt VOCs emission reduction research.Researchers have proposed a variety of asphalt VOCs characterization methodologies, which also have mutuallyirreplaceable characteristics. Asphalt VOCs volatilization is affected by many factors. In this study, asphalt VOCscharacterization methodologies were summarized, including their advantages, disadvantages, characteristics andapplicable requirements. Subsequently, the influencing factors of VOCs release, such as asphalt types and environment conditions, are summarized to provide theoretical support for the emission reduction research. Theclassification and mechanism of newly-development asphalt VOCs emission reduction materials are reviewed. Thereduction efficiencies are also compared to select better materials and put forward the improvement objective ofnew materials and new processes. In addition, the prospects about development of VOCs release mechanism ofasphalt materials during the full life cycle and feasibility research of high-efficiency composite emission reductionmaterials in the future were put forward.

Sensory and Nutritional Properties and Stability of Formulated Organic Food Flavour Enhancers

Most food flavours have been shown to contain high quantities of cooking salt, followed by flavour enhancers such as sodium glutamate, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate and hydrogenated oils. Excess of these substances is associated with cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders. In an effort to reduce the harmful effects of these synthetic substances, this study therefore aimed to formulate organic, nutritious food flavours with good storage stability from less harmful locally available food ingredients. A survey was carried out in 130 households and restaurants in the city of Yaoundé Cameroon, in order to evaluate the level of consumption of industrial flavours. Certain ingredients such as prawns, onions, garlic, white peppers, gingers and salt were used in some households as organic flavours. These ingredients and others were used to prepare 5 organic flavours. Their sensory and nutritional analyses and stability to storage within 90 days were evaluated. The survey revealed that 74.6% of respondents consume industrial flavours, with the cube flavour being the most widely consumed (81%). Two of the 5 organic flavours (434 and 634) had highest scores for general acceptability. The nutritional analyses of the formulae retained (434 and 634), showed that they contained: 11.08% and 10.68% fresh weight for moisture, 47.63% and 43.53% protein, 16.52% and 13.62% lipids, 2.20% and 2.44% fibres, 11.69% and 16.39% carbohydrates. Formula 434, the most accepted, had higher contents of Ca (257.97), Mg (115.91), K (1163), Zn (2.98), Cu (1.02) and Fe (12.43 mg/100g DM) while the second (634) had higher contents of sodium (3270.48) and manganese (2.18 mg/100g). Their water activity during storage in polypropylene bags for 90 days ranged from 0.39 - 0.58 at a temperature of 26.6˚C - 37˚C. The oxidative stability (90 days), determined by the acid and peroxide indices, was 9.18 - 14.13 mg KOH/g and 1.98 - 6.46 meq O2/Kg, respectively indicating good stability for 90 days of storage. The high levels of proteins and minerals in our two products justify their umami taste and can be used as highly nutritional food flavour enhancers to prevent cardiovascular diseases, especially in the elderly.

Does Green Food Certification promote agri-food export quality?Evidence from China

The construction of a food certification system plays a vital role in upgrading export quality, which previous studies have largely overlooked. We match China's industry-level data of Green Food Certification with its HS6-digit export data of agri-food products to quantify the impact of Green Food Certification on export quality. We identify the significant and positive effect of Green Food Certification on export quality. The 2SLS estimation based on instrumental variables and a range of robustness checks confirm the validity and robustness of the benchmark conclusions. Further analysis discloses that Green Food Certification improves export quality by raising agricultural production efficiency and brand premiums. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of Green Food Certification varies across regions, notably improving the quality of agri-food products exported to developed regions and regions with high levels of import supervision. Furthermore, among various product types, Green Food Certification significantly improves the export quality of primary products and products vulnerable to non-tariff measures. The above findings could guide the future development of agri-food quality certification systems, potentially leading to a transformation and promotion of the agri-food trade.

Utilisation of green urban space for food sufficiency and the realisation of the sustainable development goals-UK stakeholders perspective

The exponential growth of food demand due to the increasing global population has the potential to seriously threaten the quality and quantity of food supplies due to climate change.This study explores the utilisation of green urban spaces for achieving food self-sufficiency by investigating the extent to which sustainable urban farms could be used to reduce the consumption of imported produce in the UK.It also examines urban farming stakeholders'perspective on how food self-sufficiency can help realise the SDGs especially SDG 2(Zero hunger)and SDG 13(Climate action).The study adopts a mixed method approach through a survey with 115 respondents and semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 respondents from 4 different urban farming stakeholder groups.The findings of this study presented a strong correlation between stakeholders who had concerns about where their food came from and the carbon footprint of imported produce.The research shows that,urban farms will no doubt play a vital role in the future of food security in our cities/communities and that the SDGs could be realised through sustainable urban farms implemented within the relevant planning regulations/policies.

Green‑Solvent Processed Blade‑Coating Organic Solar Cells with an Efficiency Approaching 19%Enabled by Alkyl‑Tailored Acceptors

Power-conversion-efficiencies(PCEs)of organic solar cells(OSCs)in laboratory,normally processed by spin-coating technology with toxic halogenated solvents,have reached over 19%.However,there is usually a marked PCE drop when the bladecoating and/or green-solvents toward large-scale printing are used instead,which hampers the practical development of OSCs.Here,a new series of N-alkyl-tailored small molecule acceptors named YR-SeNF with a same molecular main backbone are developed by combining selenium-fused central-core and naphthalene-fused endgroup.Thanks to the N-alkyl engineering,NIR-absorbing YR-SeNF series show different crystallinity,packing patterns,and miscibility with polymeric donor.The studies exhibit that the molecular packing,crystallinity,and vertical distribution of active layer morphologies are well optimized by introducing newly designed guest acceptor associated with tailored N-alkyl chains,providing the improved charge transfer dynamics and stability for the PM6:L8-BO:YRSeNF-based OSCs.As a result,a record-high PCE approaching 19%is achieved in the blade-coating OSCs fabricated from a greensolvent o-xylene with high-boiling point.Notably,ternary OSCs offer robust operating stability under maximum-power-point tracking and well-keep>80%of the initial PCEs for even over 400 h.Our alkyl-tailored guest acceptor strategy provides a unique approach to develop green-solvent and blade-coating processed high-efficiency and operating stable OSCs,which paves a way for industrial development.

Review on the Pollution-free,Green and Organic Vegetables

This article reviews the concepts, origin and development of pollution-free, green and organic vegetables; then discusses the certification methods, production standard and development orientation of them, which has greatly directive significance for vegetable production and consumption.

Application of New Slope Greening Technology——Reinforced Organic-Material and Plant Seeds Spraying

The research introduced the flowchart of organic-material and plant seeds spraying and a case of ＆quot;Dasi＆quot; Highway, the highway from Daxing to Sinan in Guizhou Province, a part of a National Highway from Hangzhou to Ruili, cal ed Hangrui Highway, slope protection. The flowchart included slope cleaning, net preparation, anchor fixation, adding vegetation-growth plate, spraying organic materi-als, coverage of non-woven fabrics, and maintenance. The technique is proved much efficient in protecting and greening road sideslopes consisting of weathered rocks or hard rocks, which provides a solution for abrupt slope greening technology.

Effects of Long-Term Winter Planted Green Manure on Distribution and Storage of Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in Water-Stable Aggregates of Reddish Paddy Soil Under a Double-Rice Cropping System

In agricultural systems, maintenance of soil organic matter has long been recognized as a strategy to reduce soil degradation. Manure amendments and green manures are management practices that can increase some nutrient contents and improve soil aggregation. We investigated the effects of 28 yr of winter planted green manure on soil aggregate-size distribution and aggregateassociated carbon（C） and nitrogen（N）. The study was a randomized completed block design with three replicates. The treatments included rice-rice-fallow, rice-rice-rape, rice-rice-Chinese milk vetch and rice-rice-ryegrass. The experiment was established in 1982 on a silty light clayey paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay（classified as Fe-Accumuli-Stagnic Anthrosols） with continuous early and late rice. In 2009, soil samples were collected（0-15 cm depth） from the field treatment plots and separated into water-stable aggregates of different sizes（i.e., 〉5, 2-5, 1-2, 0.5-1, 0.25-0.5 and 〈0.25 mm） by wet sieving. The long-term winter planted green manure significantly increased total C and N, and the formation of the 2-5-mm water-stable aggregate fraction. Compared with rice-rice-rape, rice-rice-Chinese milk vetch and rice-rice-ryegrass, the rice-rice-fallow significantly reduced 2-5-mm water-stable aggregates, with a significant redistribution of aggregates into micro-aggregates. Long-term winter planted green manure obviously improved C/N ratio and macro-aggregate-associated C and N. The highest contribution to soil fertility was from macro-aggregates of 2-5 mm in most cases.

Effects of long-term green manure application on the content and structure of dissolved organic matter in red paddy soil

Dissolved organic matter(DOM) plays important roles in soil biogeochemistry activity and nutrients transportation in soils, but studies regarding the long-term effects of green manures on the content and structure of DOM in red paddy soil have not been reported yet. A long-term green manure experiment established in 1982 was utilized to test the DOM contents in different treatments, and the spectral characteristics of DOM were investigated by using ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis) spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectrometry. The experiment included four cropping systems: ricerice-milk vetch(RRV), rice-rice-rape(RRP), rice-rice-ryegrass(RRG) and rice-rice-winter fallow(RRF), among them, milk vetch, rape, and ryegrass are popular winter green manure species in southern China. The results showed that the content of dissolved organic carbon(DOC), which is widely used to estimate the concentration of DOM, was significantly promoted after the incorporation of green manures compared with the other sampling stages. The contents of aromatic groups and the degree of humification of DOM increased in RRV and RRP, suggesting more complex compositions of the soil DOM after long-term application of milk vetch and rape. The contents of phenol, alcohol and carboxylic acid group at the mature stage of early rice were significantly higher than those at the stage of after green manures turned over, especially for the RRV treatment. The absorption ratio of FTIR indicated that winter plantation of rape increased the aromatic-C/aliphatic-C ratio, and ryegrass increased the aromatic-C/carboxyl-C ratio. In conclusion, long-term planting of milk vetch and rape as green manures increased the degree of aromaticity, humification and average molecular weight of DOM, and made the DOM more stable in red paddy soil.

2D organic semiconductors, the future of green nanotechnology

The discovery of 2D organic semiconductors of atomically thin structures has attracted great attention due to their emerging optical, electronic, optoelectronic and mechatronic properties. Recent progress in such organic nanostructures has opened new opportunities for engineering material properties in many ways, such as, 0D/1D/2D nanoparticles hybridization, strain engineering, atomic doping etc. Moreover, 2D organic nanostructures exhibit a unique feature of bio–functionality and are highly sensitive to bio-analytes. Such peculiar behavior in 2D organics can be utilized to design highly-efficient bio-sensors. Also, a bio-molecular integrated electronic/optoelectronic device with enhanced performance can be attained. Furthermore, the bio-degradable, biocompatible, biometabolizable, non-toxic behaviour and natural origin of organic nanomaterials can address the current ecological concerns of increasing inorganic material based electronic waste. This review highlights the benefits of 2D organic semiconductors. Considering the importance of strategic techniques for growing thin 2D organic layers,this review summarizes progress towards this direction. The possible challenges for long-time stability and future research directions in 2D organic nano electronics/optoelectronics are also discussed. We believe that this review article provides immense research interests in organic 2D nanotechnology for exploiting green technologies in the future.

The Research Comment on Organic Food Consumer Behavior

Since the development of organic food,to a great extent,depends on the needs of consumers,the studies on the consumer behavior of organic food would have far-reaching significance to the development of the whole organic food industry. The recent studies in this field mainly include the following four aspects: the consumers' recognition of organic food; the consumers' attitude towards organic food; the consumers' purchase of organic food; the consumers' willingness to pay. The paper would review the recent domestic and foreign studies on the four aspects mentioned above,aiming to provide references to the researches in this field.

Consumers＇ Perceptions about Food Quality Attributes and Their Incidence in Argentinean Organic Choices

The objective of this paper is to analyze consumers＇ perceptions about risk and quality attributes of food consumption; and to evaluate the incidence of these factors when buying organic products in the Argentinean domestic market. Data derives from a food consumption survey on organic and non-organic consumers conducted in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, in April 2005.The Lancaster model （1966） provided the theoretical basis. The results yielded by the estimated logistic model suggest that consumers with higher educational level, who eat healthy food, and consider food control organisms as ＂inefficient＂ are more likely to buy organic products. A high percentage of consumers read and trust label information in Argentina. This has interesting policy implications to promote differentiated and high value products, and to reduce information asymmetries.

Motives Underlying Organic Food Consumption in Turkey： Impact of Health, Environment, and Consumer Values on Purchase Intentions

Raising ecological awareness and health concerns create question marks about healthiness and sustainability of conventional foods in customers＇ minds. Due to augmented mass media coverage of environmental problems, health concerns related to consumption of genetically modified food and/or chemical contaminants in food, and consumers＇ increasing interest in healthy nutrition and environmental protection, there is a growing interest for organic foods in all over the world. Growing interest for organic foods, and increasing production and demand in organic food market has made organic food consumption a significant topic of research. Although organic food market and demand for organic foods have also been growing in Turkey, literature regarding organic food consumption is not very extensive. Therefore, this study aims to understand the underlying motives for organic food consumption in Turkey, and to explore the factors affecting Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods and the behavioral intention of Turkish consumers to purchase organic food by the help of the theory of reasoned action （TRA）. The results of 622 successful surveys used for this empirical research indicate that Turkish consumers＇ attitudes towards organic foods are determined by perception of organic foods, consumer values, and price perception, while their purchase intention is determined by health consciousness, perception of organic foods, consumer values, price perception, and environmental concerns.

Co-incorporating green manure and crop straw increases crop productivity and improves soil quality with low greenhouse-gas emissions in a crop rotation

In a nine-year field experiment in a wheat-maize-sunflower cropping system in Hetao Irrigation Area,Inner Mongolia,China,organic amendments applied as straw,manure,green manure,and the combination of green manure and straw increased wheat and maize yield,soil aggregate stability,and soil microbial activity in comparison with chemical fertilizer,without changing greenhouse gas emission intensity.

Legume Green Manure and Intercropping for High Biomass Sorghum Production

Before the advent of cheap, synthetic fertilizers, legumes were commonly used as green manure crops for their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N). A three-year study at Overton, TX examined legume integration into high-biomass sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) production systems on a Lilbert loamy fine sand recently cultivated after a fertilized bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pasture. In this split-split plot design, ‘Dixie’ crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) and ‘Iron and Clay’ cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) were integrated into a high-biomass sorghum production system to evaluate impacts on N concentration, C concentration, and yield of high-biomass sorghum and their impacts on soil total N and soil organic carbon (SOC). Main plots were split into crimson clover green manure (CLGM) and winter fallow (FALL) followed by three sub-plots split into warm-season crop rotations: cowpea green manure (CPGM), cowpea-sorghum intercrop (CPSR), and sorghum monocrop (SORG). Three N fertilizer treatments (0, 45, 90 kg N∙ha−1) were randomized and applied as sub-sub plots. The CLGM increased (P sorghum biomass yield (16.5 t DM∙ha−1) 28% in year three but had no effect in the first two years. The CPSR treatment reduced sorghum yield up to 62% compared to SORG;whereas CPGM increased sorghum yield 56% and 18% the two years following cowpea incorporation. Rate of N fertilizer had no effect on sorghum biomass yield. Decrease in SOC and soil N over time indicated mineralization of organic N and may explain why no N fertilizer response was observed in sorghum biomass yield. Cowpea showed strong potential as a green manure crop but proved to be too competitive for successful intercropping in high-biomass sorghum production systems.

Evaluation of Organic Acid-Based Sanitizers for Reduction of <i>Escherichia coli</i>O157:H7 during Flume-Washing of Organic Leafy Greens

Antimicrobial efficacy of three novel organic sanitizers, CHICO WashTM, C8C10 and CG100, was evaluated for the reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 during flume-washing of organic leafy greens. Organic formulations at various concentrations: CHICO (C3H8I0C3O7) WashTM (1:20 ratio) and C8C10 and CG100 (0.2 and 0.4%), along with the controls: hydrogen-peroxide and water, were used for washing organic baby and mature spinach and romaine and iceberg lettuce. Leafy greens were inoculated with a 2-strain cocktail of E. coli O157:H7 (6 logs CFU/mL) and washed in each treatment for 1 or 2 minutes. The treated leafy greens were stored at 4°C and surviving pathogen populations determined on days 0, 1, and 3 of storage. Organic sanitizers, for both treatment times, significantly (P E. coli O157:H7 on all the leafy greens during storage. Highest reduction (3.4 logs CFU/g) was observed after treatment with CG100 (0.4%) in romaine lettuce, while CHICO WashTM showed greater than 2 logs CFU/g reduction on all the leafy greens, by day 3. This study demonstrates the potential application of organic sanitizers in flume-washing of organic leafy greens for the reduction of E. coli O157:H7.

The Social Determinants of Food Purchasing Practices: Who Chooses Price-before-Health, Taste-before-Price or Organic Foods in Australia?

A survey of the extent to which cost, taste and health considerations impact food purchasing practices in Australia was conducted. Data were gathered from a national computer assisted telephone survey of 1109 randomly sampled house- holders and analysed using multiple logistic regression analysis. 88% of respondents considered the taste of food before its price, with females and people on higher incomes more likely to do so. 52% of respondents said that they considered the price of food before its health and nutritional benefits, with males, younger people and people with lower educa- tional qualifications more likely to do so. 49% said that they purchase organic food, with people with 1 child, full-time employed and people never married more likely to do so. Overall, gender, income, education, work status, age and family size are all important predictors of food purchasing practices in Australia.

The Influence of Organic and Conventional Food on Human Health

Organic food offers immense benefits to consumers as it contains a higher content of nutrients and antioxidants. The benefits of organic food over conventional products have been demonstrated by in-vitro experiments, whereby statistical analysis has shown that both types of food can have equivalent benefits. One of the important disadvantages of conventional food is that it contains heavy metals and also does not contribute toward prevention of cancer in consumers. It is not clear yet if consuming organic food combats obesity;we have attempted to gather some literature to clarify this aspect as well.

Impact of Plant-Based Antimicrobial Washes on Sensory Properties of Organic Leafy Greens

The objective was to study the sensory attributes of organic leafy greens treated with plant antimicrobials and identify treatments most accepted by panelists. Organic leafy greens were washed with antimicrobials and stored at 4°C for 24 h prior to serving panelists. Antimicrobials evaluated include: 0.1% clove bud, lemongrass, oregano, or cinnamon essential oils;0.1% carvacrol or citral;3% grapeseed, apple, or 10%/7% olive extract;combination of essential oils with extracts;3% hydrogen peroxide;and untreated control. A randomized block design with an affective test was used and 60 panelists were asked to evaluate samples for preference liking based on a 9-point hedonic scale and for sensory attributes based on a 5-point hedonic scale. Changes in texture and color of leafy greens were measured using a Texture analyzer and a Chroma Meter, respectively. On the basis of preference liking, overall acceptability of spinach and lettuce treated with 0.1% cinnamon oil was ranked the highest (7.5 ± 1.4 and 7.1 ± 1.7, moderately liked), respectively. For texture analysis, washing iceberg lettuce with 0.1% oregano oil + 10% olive extract and spinach with 0.1% lemongrass oil + 1% apple extract yielded the highest firmness values of F = 783.1 ± 53.8 Newtons and 939.30 ± 35.2 Newtons, respectively. Based on the International Commission on Illumination CIE LAB color schemes, treatment with 0.1% oregano oil + 10% olive extract had the greatest impact on color of iceberg lettuce with the lowest L value* (44.5 ± 6.2) indicating the darkest color. These results will help identify plant antimicrobials that have the least impact on sensory properties of organic leafy greens and are preferred by consumers.