The popularity and demand for high-quality date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera L.) have been growing, and their quality largely depends on the type of handling, storage, and processing methods. The current methods of geometric evaluation and classification of date palm fruits are characterised by high labour intensity and are usually performed mechanically, which may cause additional damage and reduce the quality and value of the product. Therefore, non-contact methods are being sought based on image analysis, with digital solutions controlling the evaluation and classification processes. The main objective of this paper is to develop an automatic classification model for varieties of date palm fruits using a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on two fundamental criteria, i.e., colour difference and evaluation of geometric parameters of dates. A CNN with a fixed architecture was built, marked as DateNET, consisting of a system of five alternating Conv2D, MaxPooling2D, and Dropout classes. The validation accuracy of the model presented in this study depended on the selection of classification criteria. It was 85.24% for fruit colour-based classification and 87.62% for the geometric parameters only; however, it increased considerably to 93.41% when both the colour and geometry of dates were considered.

Salinity is among the most limiting factors of crop production worldwide. This study aims to investigate the influence of the exogenous application of zeolite, yeast, and salicylic acid in alleviating the negative effect of salt stress under field conditions. Lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Batavia) were tested in a split-plot arrangement replicated three times. The salt stress was applied as a whole-plot factor in the concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, and 150 mM NaCl). After 28 days of sowing, the plants were sprayed twice during the foliage growth with (control, salicylic acid 0.02%, yeast extract 3%, and zeolite 0.5%) as a split-plot factor. The length of roots and shoots, the number and area of leaves, and the biomass accumulation (dry and fresh weights) were measured 50 days after sowing. The concentrations of total soluble sugars, proline, Chlorophylls a and b in leaves have also been quantified. Salt stress significantly reduced the growth and the total chlorophyll of the lettuce plants (p < 0.05) and increased their proline and sugar contents’. Zeolite application improved the growth of lettuce at 0 and 50 mM NaCl, but at the highest salinity level only the number of leaves was improved by 15%. At a mild salinity stress, the application of salicylic acid has significantly (p < 0.05) increased the root length, height of plant, chlorophyll, and proline contents. Regarding the high stress levels (100 and 150 mM NaCl), yeast application showed the best tolerance to salinity stress by improving significantly most of the growth parameters (p < 0.05) but with lower proline, sugar, and chlorophyll contents. In general, foliar spray of yeast extract may offer a good alternative source of nutrients through leaves, leading to a better tolerance of the high salt stress exerted on roots.

Aims: Opencast lignite mining causes significant disturbances to the natural environment. It isn’t only the plant cover that is destroyed, also the soil cover is damaged. Soils are replaced by dumps with material composition that properties differ significantly from natural soils. Reclamation of these areas is necessary. Methods: This study presents the effect of forty-three years of agricultural reclamation involving alternating winter wheat and winter rapeseed in three fertilization treatments: 0- (without fertilization), I-NPK and II-NPK on the chemical properties of Technosols. Results: The investigation demonstrated that the Ap-horizon emerged in the case of I-NPK and II-NPK treatments. There was an improvement in chemical properties for the Ap-horizon as compared to 1978: soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) increased. The CaCO₃ decreased, and SOC/TN ratio declined, while pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) remained unchanged. For the Technosols’ surface horizon of the 0-NPK, there were also temporal increases in TN and SOC with a decrease in the SOC/TN ratio, whereas P, K, pH, CEC and CaCO₃ values did not change significantly. Conclusion: In the 43-year-old post-mining Technosols, under the effect of fertilization and cultivated plants, the Ap horizon has formed, while in the non-fertilized soil the AC and CA horizons. Soil that were fertilized had significantly higher SOC, TN, P and K values in the surface horizon than minesoils without fertilization. In the subsurface horizons, the properties of minesoils were similar regardless of fertilization.

Biochar amendment offers a promising strategy to enhance soil physicochemical performance and yield response in nutrient-poor sandy soils; however, its effectiveness depends strongly on feedstock type and application rate. This field study assessed the agronomic and sandy soil responses of tomatoes to biochars derived from date palm, maize, and potato residues, applied at 0, 2, 4, 8, and 16 t·ha⁻¹ under desert conditions in southeastern Algeria. Biochars were characterized for physicochemical and structural properties, and their effects on soil carbon, nutrient availability, and tomato yield were evaluated. The results showed that biochar application significantly increased soil total organic carbon (TOC) and total yield, particularly at low application rates. Date palm biochar applied at 2 t·ha⁻¹ produced the highest yield improvement, whereas excessive application tended to suppress yield. In contrast, soil N, P, and K did not show statistically significant differences among treatments, although slight numerical increases were observed compared to the control at medium application rates (4–8 t·ha⁻¹). These findings highlight the importance of optimizing biochar application rates according to feedstock type to maximize agronomic benefits. Overall, moderate biochar application represents a promising strategy for improving soil organic carbon status and crop productivity in desert sandy soils agroecosystems.

Agriculture is an important sector in Algeria, it is the second economic component of the country, however the country suffers from water shortage and high soil permeability, especially in the Sahara region The Sahara area in Algeria accounts for about 85% of its total area, the Algeria's Sahara considered as the most arid region in the world and has a high soil permeability, Leading to consume a large quantities of water for irrigation. In order to solve these problems, hydrogels are the effective solution proposed. Hydrogel s have the capacity of holding a large amount of water and keep it c lose to the plant's roots . The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of hydrogel on soil permeability by application of three different dosage of Hydrogel in three parcels. The results proved that the addition of hydrogel enabled to yield 50% more production, using almost 50% less water.