This study explored whether Montana agricultural stakeholders’ perceptions and observations of climate change vary according to four socio-ecological variables: income, political view, agricultural occupation, and production region. A survey including 27 questions was developed into five sections: (1) agricultural background information; (2) perceptions about climate change; (3) observed changes in climate-related variables; (4) adaptation practices and strategies; and (5) demographic information. The survey included Likert-scored responses and multiple-choice questions, and was completed by 452 participants, including conventional and organic farmers and ranchers, extension agents, crop consultants, and researchers. The results indicate that while a notable fraction of agricultural stakeholders are alarmed about climate change and optimistic about the human capacity to reduce climate change, the degree of concern and optimism significantly varies depending on the stakeholder’s political views, production region, and agricultural occupation group. We found that observations of changes in climate, perceptions about climate change, and potential risks to agricultural production are driven mainly by political views. Both perceptions and observations drive the choice of adaptation and mitigation practices. It is thus essential to understand farmers’ socio-ecological characteristics when designing agricultural outreach programs in order to reduce barriers for the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture.

Variation among plant species in the number of associated herbivore and pathogen species is predicted to fit a species-area relationship in which the area or biomass embodied by a plant species is a function of individual size and geographic range size. This hypothesis is tested using published estimates of geographic range, individual size, and species richness of fungal pathogens for 490 plant species occurring in the United States and controlling for sampling intensity and phylogenetic effects. The number of pathogens found on a plant species increases with the metrics of area and/or habitat diversity of plant species, and their effects are similar between gymnosperm and angiosperm lineages. The strength of this pattern across a diverse set of plant lineages suggests that accumulation and persistence of pathogen species on plant species are governed by similar processes among temperate plants.

Organic agricultural production has become a major economic and cultural force. However, in water-limited environments the tools used for weed control and nutrient supply, namely tillage and cover crops, may not be environmentally or economically sustainable as tillage damages soil and cover crops use valuable water. Thus, a major challenge has been finding appropriate ways to minimize tillage and terminate cover crops while still controlling weeds and obtaining cover crop ecosystem services. One approach to achieve this is through the economically viable integration of crop and livestock enterprises to manage weeds and terminate cover crops. In this article we (1) review research needs and knowledge gaps in organic agriculture with special focus on water-limited environments; (2) summarize research aimed at developing no-till and reduced tillage in organic settings; (3) assess approaches to integrate crop and livestock production in organic systems; and (4) present initial results from a project assessing the agronomic and weed management challenges of integrated crop-livestock organic systems aimed at reducing tillage intensity in a water-limited environment. The goal of eliminating tillage in water-limited environments remains elusive, and more research is needed to successfully integrate tactics, such as cover crops and livestock grazing to increase organic farm sustainability.

Polyphenol-rich Aronia fruits have great potential as a functional food with anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic biologic activities. However, clinical intervention trials investigating the impact of Aronia fruit consumption on human health are limited. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded, parallel intervention trial was conducted using 14 human subjects who ingested either 0 mL or 100 mL of Aronia juice daily for 30 days. Anthropometric measurements, fasting, and postprandial measures of glucose and lipid metabolism and inflammation, 16S rRNA fecal microbial composition data, and mass spectrometry-acquired serum and fecal metabolomic data were collected before and after the intervention period. Data were analyzed using general linear models, ANOVA, and t-tests. Daily consumption of Aronia prevented a rise in cholesterol levels (β = −0.50, p = 0.03) and reduced postprandial glucose (β = −3.03, p < 0.01). No difference in microbial community composition by condition was identified at any taxonomic level, but a decrease (β = −18.2, p = 0.04) in microbial richness with Aronia was detected. Serum and fecal metabolomic profiles indicated shifts associated with central carbon and lipid metabolism and decreases in pro-inflammatory metabolites. Our study further informs the development of polyphenol-based dietary strategies to lower metabolic disease risk.

This research is the first study of McIntosh apple cider fermentation using different must treatments. The must materials included standard pressed juice, the common cider fermentation material, mash, direct from the apple shredder both with and without pectinase additions, and finally, pomace. These four treatments caused multiple differences from the standard hard ciders from juice, starting with the apple must characteristics, following through the yeast fermentation processes, and carried into the final ciders. Initial apple musts had different sugar content, pH, acids, total phenolics, and antioxidant activities. Although juice contained more total phenolics and had more antioxidant capabilities, it contained lower levels of yeast assimilable nitrogen. The sugar consumption dynamic changes had a differential dynamic trend but did not alter the capacity for complete apple cider fermentation. From the fermentation color dynamic changes, it indicated that must materials would have effects on color-changing amplitudes. Juice treatment had the largest changes from the must. Pomace and mash with pectinase had fewer color changes in multiple color values (L*, a*, b*). The mono phenolics in the final cider indicated that pomace ferments contained the least hydroxycinnamates but a similar amount of total flavanols as juice-fermented ciders. Cider from the juice contained the least flavonols, whereas the mash, both with and without pectinase treatments, had the largest amount of flavonols. This work will provide some applicable information for apple cider fermentation from the apple wastes in the cider industry.

This research is the first study on the influence of juicing methods on the ‘Aurora’ haskap juice quality. Three common juice extraction methods, namely, using a steam juicer, a centrifugal juicer, and a bladder wine press, were applied for haskap juice extraction. Both physicochemical assays and tests of antioxidant activities were employed to evaluate the qualities of the haskap juice. Generally, the centrifugal juicer increased and the steam juicer reduced concentrations of measured juice components relative to the press. The juice from the centrifugal juicer had the highest cloudiness. Sugar concentrations were about 40% lower in steam juice compared to the centrifugal juicer. Pressed juice had a slightly lower soluble solid content than the juice made with the centrifugal juicer and concentrations of glucose and fructose were similar between these methods. The methods altered pH and malic acid content without affecting the concentrations of tartaric and malic acids. Similar effects of juicing methods were seen in secondary compounds associated with health benefits and antioxidant capacities. Anthocyanin concentrations in press and centrifugal juicer extracts were similar, about 1.6 times higher than steam juicer extracts. Total phenolics and antioxidant activities were from two to four times higher in the centrifugal juicer extraction compared to steam juicing. Ascorbic acid and total flavonoid content in the haskap juice was increased by centrifugal juicing and decreased by steam juicing compared to the press. Overall, the juice extracted with the centrifugal juicer had concentrations of juice components that were 1.5–2 times higher than the steam juicer. The pressed juice had similar to slightly lower concentrations of components compared to the centrifugal juicer.