Sustainable nutrient management approaches could improve production and quality without affecting soil health. We conducted a field experiment to investigate the interactive effects of mulching (no mulch, plastic mulch, and straw mulch) and nanobiochar (NBC) foliar application on biomass, nutrient contents, and metabolites in the leaf and curd of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). After 20 days of transplantation, NBC (0.1% w/v) was applied as a foliar spray for four consecutive weeks (one spray per week). At the curd initiation stage, changes in chlorophyll, carotenoids, and metabolite concentrations in leaves and curd were determined. The application of nanobiochar significantly enhanced the curd weight and improved curd morphology. Yield traits including curd weight, curd diameter, basal diameter, and stalk length were increased by 30, 13, 16, and 20% by NBC application compared to control. Plastic mulching also increased the aboveground biomass by 32% when compared to no mulching. Moreover, plastic mulching and nanobiochar prominently enhanced root dry weight, curd weight, rough solidity index, total soluble sugar in leaf and curd, calcium in curd, and potassium in leaf and curd of cauliflower. Overall, this study revealed the potential of the foliar application of NBC in promoting the biomass and nutritional properties of cauliflower.

Mixture ratio and growth stage are important management factors influencing forage productivity and quality in wheat–pea intercropping. Therefore, a two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate five wheat–pea mixture ratios and three pea flowering stages under rainfed Mediterranean conditions. Five seeding ratios (100W, 75W+25P, 50W+50P, 25W+75P, and 100P; W = wheat, P = pea) and three growth stages (early flowering, 50% flowering, and full flowering) were evaluated. Plant height, forage and dry matter yields, crude protein, land equivalent ratio (LER), and economic performance were evaluated. Year-specific responses were observed for most yield traits. In 2024–25, the highest total forage yield (49.5 t ha⁻¹) was obtained from 50W+50P at 50% flowering, whereas the highest total dry matter yield (15.9 t ha⁻¹) and total LER (1.63) were recorded for the same mixture at full flowering. Across the two years, crude protein declined with maturity, ranging from 12.9% to 4.0%. Based on the two-year average economic analysis, 50W+50P harvested at full flowering produced the highest net income (US$ 391.36 da⁻¹) and benefit–cost ratio (5.31). Findings highlight the joint management of mixture ratio and growth stage for sustainable forage production.