Research Articles

Sodium sulfite (Na₂SO₃) is known as a selective chemical agent for wood delignification. In this work, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) wood was pulped using alkaline sulfite (AS) with the addition of 1,4-dihydro-9,10-dihydroxy anthracene (DDA) [called also soluble anthraquinone (SAQ)] and ethylene glycol (G). The studies showed the possibility of obtaining Kappa number (KN) 24 to 26 alkaline sulphite-DDA pine pulps with total and screened yields higher by 3.4 to 3.9% and 1.4 to 2.6%, respectively, than in the case of kraft pulping. The AS-SAQ pulping process was also characterized by much higher brightness of pulps but worse defibreability of wood than the kraft process. Increasing the amount of Na₂SO₃ dosed to the wood from 25% to 30-35% (based on wood) and adding G to the cooking liquor increased the delignification of pine wood in the AS-SAQ method to Kappa number of 17 to 20 units (without G) and approximately 14.5 units (with G). Such a modification had a positive effect on the defibreability of wood after pulping and the brightness of pulps but a negative effect on the screened yield of AS-SAQ and AS-SAQG pulps.

Nanofertilizers release nutrients slowly and in a controlled manner, matching the plants’ growth needs. By reducing the need for chemical inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, nanotechnology contributes to more sustainable agricultural practices. The present study used nano-urea with Azotobacter on strawberry cv. ‘Winter Dawn’ under protected cultivation to evaluate its impact on soil fertility status and leaf nutrient content. Formulations as per the treatment requirements were sprayed onto the strawberry plants. The plants provided with nano-urea formulations exhibited enhanced levels of nitrogen (2.49%), phosphorus (0.37%), and potassium (2.60%) compared to the plants treated with conventional urea. Soil nutrient analysis showed enhanced levels of NPK in soil samples from traditional application treatments. A higher concentration of microorganisms in the soil was observed when urea was applied at the nano level. Nano-urea combined with Azotobacter can significantly impact the soil’s NPK levels. This innovative blend enhances nutrient availability in the soil and promotes sustainable agricultural practices. By leveraging the nanotechnology-infused urea alongside the nitrogen-fixing process of Azotobacter bacteria, the soil experiences a synergistic boost in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content. This dynamic duo fosters a conducive environment for plant growth while minimizing nutrient leaching and environmental degradation.

In order to ensure the reliability of the simulation test on the shelling process of ginkgo nuts, the physical parameters (characteristic dimensions, thousand grain mass, moisture content, density, Poisson’s ratio, elastic modulus, and shear modulus), contact parameters (restitution coefficient, static friction coefficient, and dynamic friction coefficient) and actual stacking angle of the ginkgo nuts were measured by physical test methods. A stacking angle test model was established, and simulation tests were performed. Parameter intervals for the simulation were selected according to the measured parameters. Three factors affecting the stacking angle significantly were determined using the Plackett–Burman test: static and dynamic friction coefficients of ginkgo nut–ginkgo nut and the restitution coefficient of the ginkgo nut–steel plate. Each factor’s range was selected using the steepest climbing test. A quadratic polynomial regression model of the stacking angle considering these factors was obtained using the Box–Behnken test. Taking the actual stacking angle of 39.59° as the optimization objective, the optimal combination was formed: the static and dynamic friction coefficients were 0.5 and 0.36, respectively, and the restitution coefficient was 0.42. This combination was used for the verification test. The stacking angle was found to be 41.12°. The relative error was 3.86%, indicating that the model is reliable and can provide a useful reference for relevant research.

This study was conducted over two growing seasons (2022-2023 and 2023-2024). Using a randomised block design, 16 treatments consisted of combinations of vermicompost, biochar, jaggery, poultry manure, farmyard manure, cow urine, and neem cake, and three replications were used in the study. The objective was to assess how these organic amendments affected the antioxidant, phenolic and flavonoid contents in guava fruit. The treatment T₆(Vermicompost 5 kg/tree + Biochar 7.5 kg/tree + Jaggery 1.25 kg/tree) produced the highest levels of antioxidant, phenolic and flavonoid, according to the results. T₆ in particular showed an increase in antioxidant activity from 46.48% to 48.14%, phenolic content from 29.72 mg TA/g to 30.93 mg TA/g and flavonoid content from 23.88 mg/g FW to 25.14 mg/g FW. This study provides important information for sustainable horticultural practices by highlighting the potential of organic amendments to enhance the nutritional qualities of guava cv. L-49.

In a paper production line, starch is widely used for surface treatment and strengthening of linerboard at a size press. Also, the application of lignocellulose nanofibers (LCNFs) is growing because of its relatively low production energy demand, cost, and less hydrophilic nature in comparison to lignin-free nanofibers. Therefore, the addition of LCNFs to starch for paper surface treatment to reinforce the starch film and improve certain physical and mechanical properties of recycled linerboard was investigated in this work. Various LCNF/starch ratios were homogenized and then applied on the paperboard surface. The results revealed that a low mixing ratio of LCNF (5%) with starch improved the tensile index of the recycled paperboard, and at 50% LCNF content in the surface-treating material, film forming on the linerboard was observed in field emission-scanning electron microscopy images. In the case of 95% LCNF addition to starch, bending stiffness was significantly increased. Additionally, the viscosity of the sizing suspension was studied as a crucial parameter in the process and was found to increase significantly following the addition of LCNF.

Deseeded sunflower is a heterogeneous lignocellulosic biomass that has not been well utilized due to the incomplete understanding of its biological structure. In this study, deseeded sunflower was fractioned into the stalk rind, stalk pith, receptacle, bract, bractlet, leaf blade, and petiole, and their anatomy, cell morphology, and fiber dimension were studied using light microscope, environmental scanning electron microscope, and fiber quality analyzer. The results showed that the major fractions were the stalk rind and receptacle (49.4 wt% and 28.1 wt%, respectively) and each of the other fractions was less than 10 wt% of the total biomass. The pith was only composed of parenchyma tissue, and the other fractions were composed of epidermal, parenchyma, and vascular tissues. The arrangement and number of vascular tissues were different among fractions. The fiber length in the stalk rind was 0.823 mm, the width was 21.3 μm, and the aspect ratio was 38.6. The content of fiber fines in other fractions was higher than 50%, and these fractions should be developed for other uses. Fractionation was judged to be an effective way to achieve high value utilization of deseeded sunflower.

Wicker home products, handcrafted from sustainable materials such as willow, vine, and bamboo, embody principles of sustainable development. However, they face a lack of clear appeal among young consumers in the Chinese market. This study utilizes the AHP-CRITIC-TOPSIS method to examine user preferences for Funan Wicker home products to enhance the original products based on young users’ choices in the contemporary era. Using the AHP method, 14 evaluation indicators were selected across three key factors and determined subjective weights. Objective weights were calculated using the CRITIC method to establish a comprehensive ranking. Subsequently, the TOPSIS method was employed to evaluate and order the nine design alternatives. The findings highlight a strong emphasis on emotional criteria in the evaluation process, with variables such as Weaving Fineness, Stress Release, Pleasure, and Cultural Value significantly influencing user preference. According to the calculations, the program IX with the highest proximity emerged as the optimal choice. Based on these results, the study refines design focus and quantitative indexes for willow home product designers, proposing innovative design methods that offer theoretical support and practical guidance for the development of willow products in Funan, China.

Rhododendron molle is a deciduous rhododendron, a high-altitude plant prized for its medicinal and ornamental properties. A major challenge when introducing this plant to lower altitudes is understanding its response to high-temperature stress. Using transcriptome analysis, this study examined leaves under varying temperatures, identifying 344,593 transcripts, 124,901 Unigenes, and 12,089 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 36 °C high-temperature stress (ST). At 42 °C high-temperature stress (SY), 12,032 DEGs were found, indicating a significant impact of temperature on gene expression. A Gene Ontology analysis (GO) revealed that these DEGs are mostly involved in stress response, catalytic activity, binding, transporter activity, and immune processes. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis highlighted enrichment in pathways such as plant-pathogen interaction and spliceosomes, suggesting their key roles in the temperature stress response. Key genes such as Brassinosteroid-Insensitive 1-Associated Receptor Kinase (BAK1) and Pathogenesis-Related Gene Transcription Activation Factor (PTI6) were upregulated under ST stress, whereas heat shock proteins (HSP83A) and HSP90-1 were downregulated under SY. These findings offer insights into the molecular response of Rhododendron molle to high temperature, aiding further research in this area and potentially improving the plant’s cultivation and application.

To meet children’s needs for beds at different stages of growth, a product design model integrating the KANO Model, the Hierarchical Analysis Method, and Axiomatic Design (KANO-AHP-AD) was adopted to conduct a design study on the growability of solid wood children’s beds. In accordance with the KANO model, the demands for children’s beds coming from questionnaires among families with children were classified and sorted, and the demand indicators were then summarized. Secondly, AHP was introduced to establish a multilevel hierarchical model, construct a judgment matrix of design elements, and calculate the weights of these elements to improve the accuracy of users’ demand weights. Then, AD was used to complete the mapping of the demand domain, function domain, and design domain of children’s beds and to judge their reasonableness through the matrix. Such a design allows users to evaluate and verify the rationality of the program. Through modular design techniques, the growability requirements were fulfilled. A low number of product modules were freely combined to form product types with multiple functions to meet customers’ needs for personalization and functional diversification. The work has value for the design of growable children’s beds, thus contributing to sustainable development and environmental protection causes.

With the acceleration of urbanization, while the amount of fertilizers used in agricultural production is increasing rapidly in industrial development, heavy metal pollution is also becoming more severe. Excessive use of fertilizers can lead to soil acidification, compaction, and degradation, while the sharp increase in heavy metal pollution observed also has adverse effects on soil quality and crop quality. Therefore, to prevent the loss of phosphorus from soil, improve the utilization rate of nitrogen in soil, and control cadmium pollution, the effects of biochar on the adsorption of nitrogen, phosphorus, and cadmium in soil were explored in this study. The following four experimental treatments were conducted: no biochar application, straw charcoal application, fruit shell charcoal application, and coconut shell charcoal application. Samples were collected from different soil depths (0 cm and 10 cm) after both 14 days and 28 days. The contents of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and cadmium were compared. The research findings indicate that these three types of biochar exhibit significant adsorption effects on nitrogen and phosphorus elements. Nevertheless, the adsorption effect on cadmium is not pronounced, potentially due to the stability of the biochar, the activity of microorganisms in the soil, and the alteration of cadmium speciation, which consequently results in an increase in cadmium content.