Recently, rampant eutrophication induced by phosphorus enrichment in water has been attracting attention worldwide. However, the mechanisms by which phosphate can be eliminated from the aqueous environment remain unclear. This study was aimed at investigating the adsorption performance and regulation mechanisms of the zeolite-biochar composite for removing phosphate from an aqueous environment. To do this, physicochemical properties of the zeolite-biochar composite were assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area (SSA) analyzer, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Adsorption tests were performed to evaluate the adsorption ability of the composite material for mitigating excess phosphorus in the aqueous environment. The findings evinced that the phosphorus removed by PZC 7:3 (pyrolyzed zeolite and corn straw at a mass ratio of 7:3) can reach 90% of that removed by biochar. The maximum adsorption capacities of zeolite, biochar, and PZC 7:3 were 0.69, 3.60, and 2.41 mg/g, respectively. The main mechanism of phosphate removal by PZC 7:3 was the formation of thin-film amorphous calcium-magnesium phosphate compounds through ligand exchange. This study suggests that PZC 7:3 is a viable adsorbent for the removal of phosphate from aquatic systems.

Guizhou province is the largest area of hot pepper cultivation and processing in China. However, diseases and pests are major bottlenecks for the sustainable development of the industry. This study proposes a solution that combines intelligent monitoring equipment, a prediction model and decision support system for hot peppers, including a demonstration of the solution in Guizhou province. We scouted hot pepper diseases and pests in Zunyi city, and deployed weather stations and automatic pathogens and pest monitoring equipment. A prediction model was developed to forecast powdery mildew and anthracnose based on long short-term memory, with accuracy of 0.74 and 0.68, respectively. Using big data analysis and an app for pest outbreaks as the front desks, we developed an epidemic monitoring and warning system for hot peppers in Guizhou. The results could effectively serve grass-roots managers, increase productivity, reduce production costs and overall have a high demonstration effect. This concept could be extended to other crops to accelerate the process of agricultural modernization in China.

This study explores the correlation between soil nutrient elements and pepper fruit quality in Guizhou Province, highlighting regional variations in nutrient influence. Guizhou, with its unique mountainous and karst terrain, provides a distinct ecological environment for pepper cultivation. Our analysis of three major pepper-growing regions—Dafang, Guiyang, and Zunyi—demonstrates that the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels in the soil significantly impact pepper quality. Potassium plays a particularly vital role in fruit development, as deficiencies in potassium often result in flower and fruit drop and reduced yield. In Dafang, AP (available phosphorus) and TK (total potassium) were most closely linked to amino acids, reducing sugars, and capsaicinoid content, while in Bozhou, SAN (available nitrogen) was most influential, and in Qingzhen, TP (total phosphorus) and AK (available potassium) were predominant. The findings suggest that key soil elements, such as available phosphorus, available potassium, available nitrogen, and organic matter, influence the quality indicators—amino acids, reducing sugars, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin—in pepper fruits. Further analysis indicates that Guizhou’s distinct soil composition significantly contributes to its peppers’ unique flavor profile. The combined effects of soil nutrients, pepper varieties, and cultivation practices underline the superior quality of Guizhou peppers. This study provides a foundation for understanding the soil–quality interaction and enhances the market recognition of Guizhou’s pepper varieties. Future research should investigate the integrated effects of environmental and soil factors to better assess Guizhou’s favorable growth conditions for peppers.

In the initial stages of restoring rocky desertification, the proliferation of nutrients strongly influences plant survival. The carbon–nitrogen doctrine in plants argues that a lower leaf carbon–nitrogen (C:N) ratio enhances the growth of plant nutrients. However, the mechanisms by which inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can influence plants during the restoration of rocky desertification are not thoroughly understood. This study used mulberry as a suitable example of a mycorrhizal plant in desertification areas to examine changes in growth, leaf carbon, nitrogen accumulation, and the carbon–nitrogen ratio post inoculation using AMF. The correlation between leaf carbon–nitrogen ratio and root morphology following AMF inoculation was also examined. The results demonstrated that inoculating mulberry with the dominant strains Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Rhizophagus intraradices (Ri) not only enhanced above-ground growth and improved carbon and nitrogen nutrient absorption but also had a more pronounced effect on leaf nitrogen accumulation than on carbon accumulation, resulting in a potential decrease in the leaf C:N ratio by 42.13%. It also significantly improved root morphology by exponentially increasing the number of connections and crossings by 120.5% and 109.8%, respectively. Further analysis revealed a negative correlation between leaf C:N ratio and root morphology, as well as between root length and the number of connections. Plants with more developed root systems exhibited greater competitiveness for nitrogen, resulting in a lower leaf C:N ratio. This study suggests that the inoculation of AMF could enhance leaf nitrogen accumulation and reduce the leaf C:N ratio by expanding the spatial absorption range of the root through positive changes in root morphology, thereby promoting plant nutrient growth. This study forms a fundamental scientific basis for the successful management of desertification.

Anthracnose of pepper is a significant disease caused by Colletotrichum spp. In 2017 and 2021, 296 isolates were obtained from 69 disease samples. Through morphological analysis, pathogenicity detection, and polygenic phylogenetic analysis, the above strains were attributed to 10 species: C. scovillei, C. fructicola, C. karstii, C. truncatum, C. gloeosporioides, C. kahawae, C. boninense, C. nymphaeae, C. plurivorum, and C. nigrum. C. scovillei had the most strains (150), accounting for 51.02% of the total isolates; C. fructicola came in second (72 isolates), accounting for 24.49%. Regarding regional distribution, Zunyi City has the highest concentration of strains—92 strains total, or 34.18%—across seven species. Notably, this investigation showed that C. nymphaeae infected pepper fruit for the first time in China. Genetic diversity analysis showed that C. fructicola could be divided into seven haplotypes, and the population in each region had apparent genetic differentiation. However, the genetic distance between each population was not significantly related to geographical distance. Neutral detection and nucleotide mismatch analysis showed that C. fructicola might have undergone population expansion.