Plastic waste pollution in marine environments is considered a major environmental problem in coastal areas. Relative environmental problems are also recorded in protected wetlands. The National Park of Amvrakikos Wetlands, one of the largest wetlands of Greece, is studied in order to evaluate the influence of plastic waste in the protected area and its surroundings, according to the stakeholders’ views. The survey applied using the method of census addressing the key stakeholders in the area of interest and the use of a questionnaire; the data analyzed with the Statistical Package SSPS. The main findings reveal that waste management is not considered satisfactory in the broader area. Marine litter, pollution, overfishing, ecosystem degradation, agriculture and livestock activities, as well as the insufficiency of the municipal solid waste management and recycling system are listed as the most important environmental problems of the coastal area. The stakeholders’ participation is regarded as crucial for effective decision making. Therefore, special strategies should be designed involving Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to widely address the local communities and increase their awareness on the problem in order to reduce plastic waste pollution. It should be noted that environmental conditions are closely affiliated with the citizens’ quality of life.

As climate change is an imminent threat to the environment and agriculture, there is an increasing need to find immediate solutions capable of compensating for water deficits even in semi-arid conditions. This study is focused on the evaluation of the vegetative growth of grapevine plants Vitis vinifera L., of the Greek variety “Debina” in a water deficit environment, with the application of two bacterial-based formulations: one with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (strain QST 713) and one with Sinorhizobium meliloti (strain cepa B2352). The two formulations were tested under rational irrigation (100% of Available Water) and deficit irrigation (57% of AW). After 140 days, plant growth parameters, such as total plant growth length, leaf area, roots, shoots, and leaves dry biomass showed better performance on treatments with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) formulations under either rational or deficit irrigation conditions. In addition, the metabolic response of the grapevine plants to the deficit irrigation stress, such as the total chlorophyll, leaf relative water, total phenolic, and proline content, proved to be enriched on the treatments with PGPR formulations during this experiment. The two formulations, in conditions of abiotic stress, achieved to almost compensate for the irrigation deficit, boosting the plant metabolism. This study reveals the need for further research on PGPR biostimulants, as this first trial of these formulations on grapevine could be significant in the case of water scarcity and climate change.

Application of urban treated wastewater (TWW) has been practiced globally as an alternative irrigation water source in areas where access to safe and abundant freshwater is limited. Water footprint (WF) has been employed over the last decades as a tool for the assessment of the sustainable management of water resources. In the present study, the suitability of TWW for the irrigation of nursery young olive trees (Olea europaea L. ‘Konservolea’), one of the main table olive cultivars in Greece, the second global table olive exporter, was tested and compared to tap water irrigation and application of zeolite on soil. Plant growth and physiological parameters and stress indicators were measured. Additionally, a WF assessment was performed, distinguishing TWW from freshwater (blue water) resources in order to examine the possibility of minimizing the environmental impact through the limitation of freshwater use. Plants irrigated with TWW performed better in most of the growth and physiological parameters measured compared to the other treatments. Stress indicators revealed that TWW did not induce any additional stress. TWW could be used as an irrigation water source for young olive trees for at least a short period during their growth as a safe and sustainable alternate of blue water resources. Additionally, the WF assessment showed that the application of TWW could be a significant blue water saving measure.

The Greek endemic Bornmuellera emarginata , known for its Ni hyperaccumulation capacity, is a promising candidate species for use in agromining. At the same time, the installation of photovoltaic systems on agricultural land has recently been increasing. Field observations that populations of this species usually occupy shaded places under shrubs or trees led us to study the effect of different shading levels on the growth of B. emarginata , with a view to combine the cultivation of the species with photovoltaic panels in the same area. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions and lasted 210 days after sowing (DAS). Seeds were sown directly into 2‐L pots filled with ultramafic soil collected from the field. Three plant samplings (81, 140, and 210 DAS) were conducted during the experiment to determine a set of morphological and physiological parameters of the species (fresh and dry plant biomass, plant height, number of lateral shoots, total number of leaves, proline and chlorophyll concentrations) alongside with its nickel yield at different levels of shading (0%, 20%, 35%, 60%, and 90%). Growth of B . emarginata was only significantly affected at the highest shading level. Nickel yield of the species increased over time and was maximized at the end of the experiment. The highest nickel yield per plant was observed at the intermediate shading level (35%). Bornmuellera emarginata can be considered as a candidate nickel hyperaccumulator for cultivation in ultramafic or nickel‐polluted areas under photovoltaic panels with corresponding shading, providing important environmental benefits.

The commercial value of kiwifruit is determined mostly by its nutritional composition and antioxidant content. The enrichment of these traits in an era where climate change affects kiwi growth conditions is worth investigating via the application of biostimulants that enhance plant growth. In this work, we evaluated the effects of three commercial biostimulants on the metabolism and growth characteristics of the Actinidia deliciosa cultivar ‘Hayward’: (I) a humic and fulvic-based biostimulant, (II) a glycine–betaine–proline-based biostimulant, and (III) a vegetal amino acid-based biostimulant. A biostimulant-free treatment was used as a control. In the two-year experiment (2022 and 2023), the growth characteristics of kiwi trees were measured, such as stem length, the number of leaves, leaf area, and fresh and dry biomass at the end of each growing season. The leaves’ total chlorophyll, total phenolics, and proline content were detected during the two seasons in order to obtain more insights into plant metabolism. Κiwifruit qualities and antioxidant traits, such as total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness, fresh and dry biomass, DPPH, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C), were recorded during the postharvest life for each season. Data analysis illustrated the beneficial impact of some biostimulants on several of the previously mentioned parameters, such as antioxidant kiwifruit traits, especially in the case of glycine–betaine–proline-based acid-based biostimulants.