The interaction between biochar and soil changes nitrogen (N) dynamics in different ecosystems. Although multiple studies have reported influences of biochar on soil inorganic N (SIN) including ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrate (NO3−-N), the influences reported are contradictory. We undertook a meta-analysis to investigate how biochar properties and the interaction among biochar, soil and fertilisation affect SIN. This quantitative analysis used 56 studies with 1080 experimental cases from manuscripts published between 2010 and 2015. Overall, we found that biochar reduced SIN regardless of experimental conditions (approximately − 11 ± 2% of NH4+-N and − 10 ± 1.6% of NO3−-N); however, 95% of cases were observed within one year after biochar application. SIN was best explained by residence time of biochar in soil, pyrolysis temperature, application rate, fertiliser type, and soil pH. The effects of biochar were complex due to the interaction of biochar with environmental factors. Most biochar trials used wood as a feedstock, but woody biochar did not decrease SIN as much as other plant-derived biochars. When biochar was used with NH4-based fertilisers, SIN decreased compared to biochar with no fertiliser. In contrast, adding organic fertiliser with biochar increased SIN compared to biochar alone. SIN was clearly reduced after one month of biochar application, suggesting that biochar should be applied at least one month prior to planting so plants are not affected by decreased N. Our results revealed that the interactions between biochar and environmental factors, pyrolysis temperature of biochar and biochar surface properties are the main driving factors affecting SIN. There were limited long-term studies of > 1 year, thus the long-term effects of biochar on SIN still remain unclear.Associated Grant:Seed Funding from University of the Sunshine Coast and Griffith University;Associated Grant Code:USC/CRN2012/03 & (EFC-JR

Because of the recent advances in drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms, sensors and software, UAVs have gained popularity among precision agriculture researchers and stakeholders for estimating traits such as crop yield and diseases. Early detection of crop disease is essential to prevent possible losses on crop yield and ultimately increasing the benefits. However, accurate estimation of crop disease requires modern data analysis techniques such as machine learning and deep learning. This work aims to review the actual progress in crop disease detection, with an emphasis on machine learning and deep learning techniques using UAV-based remote sensing. First, we present the importance of different sensors and image-processing techniques for improving crop disease estimation with UAV imagery. Second, we propose a taxonomy to accumulate and categorize the existing works on crop disease detection with UAV imagery. Third, we analyze and summarize the performance of various machine learning and deep learning methods for crop disease detection. Finally, we underscore the challenges, opportunities and research directions of UAV-based remote sensing for crop disease detection.

Dragon fruit, which is native to northern South America and Mexico, has become a significant crop in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Vietnam, China, and Australia. The fruit (Hylocereus spp.) is rich in various bioactive phytochemical compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, and pigments such as betalains and anthocyanins, which contribute to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. This comprehensive review introduces the origin, classification, and global production of dragon fruit, with a particular focus on its bioactive phytochemicals and therapeutic potential. Additionally, it critically evaluates the current industry standards for fresh dragon fruit production across key producing countries. While these standards primarily focus on quality, classification, and grading criteria, they lack focus on parameters related to the fruit’s bioactive content. The absence of established quality standards for fresh produce in the Australian dragon fruit industry presents a unique opportunity to develop guidelines that align with both international benchmarks and the therapeutic potential of the fruit. By addressing this gap, this review can potentially help Australia to position its dragon fruit industry to achieve greater consistency, competitiveness, and consumer appeal. As the demand for functional foods continues to rise, aligning Australian production practices with global standards becomes critical to meeting domestic market expectations. This review provides a comprehensive understanding of dragon fruit’s nutritional and therapeutic significance and highlights its potential role in establishing a robust standard for the Australian dragon fruit industry. A review of global industry standards reveled that Australian standard could incorporate classifications of dragon fruits, including external factors like appearance, size, and defect tolerance. Future research is needed to prioritize understanding of the impact of cultivation practices and environmental factors on the bioactive composition of dragon fruit, enabling the development of best practices for growers. Additionally, further studies are needed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of these bioactive properties through clinical trials, particularly their potential in preventing chronic diseases. The advancement of analytical methods for quantifying bioactive compounds will provide deeper insights into their health benefits and support the establishment of bioactive-oriented industry standards. Moreover, investigations of post-harvest handling and processing techniques could optimize the preservation of these valuable compounds, enhancing dragon fruit’s role as a functional food.

Forest recovery has been extensively evaluated using plant communities but fewer studies have been conducted on soil fauna. This study reports the status of soil nematode communities during natural re-establishment after deforestation in a subtropical forest in southwestern China. Soil nematode communities of two secondary succession stages, shrub-grassland and secondary forest, were compared with those of virgin forest. Shrub-grassland had higher herbivore relative abundance but lower fungivore and bacterivore relative abundance than forests. Between secondary and virgin forest, the latter had higher abundance of bacterivores. Shrub-grassland had lower nematode diversity, generic richness, maturity index and trophic diversity index than virgin forest, whereas there were no differences in these indices between secondary forest and virgin forest. The small differences in nematode community structures between secondary forest and virgin forest suggest that soil nematode communities recovered to a level close to that of the undisturbed forest after up to 50 years of natural succession.