Mark McHenry

Anaerobically digested effluents (ADEs) are a promising low-cost alternative to Zarrouk medium for cultivating Arthrospira platensis, but their application is constrained by high turbidity and ammonia toxicity. This study investigated a periodic dosing strategy in which 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% of the nitrogen supplied by Zarrouk medium was replaced with ammoniacal nitrogen from raw ADE, while the remaining Zarrouk nutrients were reduced proportionally. All treatments were initiated with the equivalent of 20% nitrogen replacement from raw ADE, followed by additional doses every two days until the target nitrogen replacement level was achieved. Average biomass yields (ash-free dry weight) followed the sequence: 40% ADE = 20% ADE > 60% ADE = Zarrouk medium > 80% ADE. The 40% raw ADE treatment achieved the highest performance, producing a biomass productivity of 0.358 ± 0.01 g L d and a maximum specific growth rate (μ ) of 0.311 ± 0.03 (d). Biomass composition was protein-dominant across treatments, with the highest level (∼67% ash-free dry weight) observed at 40% raw ADE, while maximum pigment (chlorophyll a and phycocyanin) yields occurred in Zarrouk medium. Nitrogen removal (nitrate + ammoniacal nitrogen) was highly efficient (72 - 100%) across treatments, whereas phosphate removal ranged from 19 to 49%. Overall, the gradual dosing strategy effectively mitigated the adverse effects of ADE turbidity and ammonia toxicity, enabling robust A. platensis growth and production of protein-rich biomass suitable for animal and aquaculture feed as well as food supplement applications.

Fungi are essential components of ecosystems, serving not only as decomposers and pathogens but also as vital contributors to plant growth, soil health, and food security. With the growing global demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture, the role of fungi has become increasingly important. This review explores the diverse and expanding applications of fungi in modern green agriculture and assesses their ecological mechanisms, agronomic advantages, and potential implementation challenges. From ancient agriculture to the present, mycorrhizae play a central role in regenerative agriculture. These symbiotic relationships are essential for the survival of most plants, while in crops, they significantly improve productivity. This concept has been further expanded to utilise mycorrhizal symbiosis in soil rehabilitation. Recent advancements in fungi as plant growth promoters have shown significant effects in green agriculture. From simple volatile organic compounds to metabolites, fungi enhance and facilitate nutrient solubilization and availability. The application of fungi as biofertilizers, growth promoters, and biological control agents is not a single-directional process. Fungal antagonism involves not only pathogen suppression but also increased plant resistance coupled with growth promotion. For instance, application of Trichoderma species comes with a number of benefits. The use of entomopathogenic fungi has a long history and is now expanding towards the control of viruses and phytoplasma. Moving forward, the involvement of mushrooms in circular agriculture has been highly productive in many regions. In addition, fungi are gaining recognition in aquaculture and livestock production, waste recycling, fungal protein production, mycelium leather, and mulching. However, there are still many barriers to overcome, and the environmental adaptability and evolutionary dynamics of fungi pose ongoing challenges. Recent advancements in gene editing offer promising solutions, yet policy adoption and public acceptance remain hard barriers to overcome. In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), we believe that AI and machine learning will further enhance fungal applications, especially in disease epidemiology and crop management. Overall, this review serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers, farmers, and policymakers, providing insights and future directions while emphasising the urgent need for integrated, nature-based solutions. Fungi are poised to be key drivers in achieving regenerative, resilient, and decentralised food systems amid global climate and food security challenges.

Truffles are possibly the only high-value cultivated organisms for which some aspects of the habit and life cycle have only recently been elucidated or remain unknown. Molecular techniques have helped explain the biological basis for some traditional empirical management techniques, such as inoculating soil with ascospores to improve yield, and have enhanced the detection of competitive or pathogenic soil microorganisms. Improved precision of assessment of the quality of inoculated seedlings is now possible. New knowledge of the genetic structure of populations has indicated that as trees age, the genotypes of mycorrhizae on inoculated trees change, and that there are large differences in the number of female and male genotypes participating in ascocarp formation. The plasticity of Tuber species has also been revealed, with maternal genotypes growing as an ectomycorrhiza in host tree roots and as surface mycelium or an endophyte in roots of adjacent non-mycorrhizal species. Refinement of management techniques has resulted from applying the new information, and the tools are now available to resolve the many outstanding gaps in our knowledge of Tuber biology.

Inulin, a polysaccharide characterized by a β-2,1 fructosyl-fructose structure terminating in a glucosyl moiety, is naturally present in plant roots and tubers. Current methods provide average degrees of polymerization (DP) but lack information on the distribution and absolute concentration of each DP. To address this limitation, a reproducible (CV < 10 %) high throughput (<2 min/sample) MALDI-MRMS approach capable of characterizing and quantifying inulin molecules in plants using matched-matrix consisting of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid butylamine salt (CHCA-BA), chicory inulin-12C and inulin-13C was developed. The method identified variation in chain lengths and concentration of inulin across various plant species. Globe artichoke hearts, yacón and elephant garlic yielded similar concentrations at 15.6 g/100 g dry weight (DW), 16.8 g/100 g DW and 17.7 g/100 g DW, respectively, for DP range between 9 and 22. In contrast, Jerusalem artichoke demonstrated the highest concentration (53.4 g/100 g DW) within the same DP ranges. Jerusalem artichoke (DPs 9–32) and globe artichoke (DPs 9–36) showed similar DP distributions, while yacón and elephant garlic displayed the narrowest and broadest DP ranges (DPs 9–19 and DPs 9–45, respectively). Additionally, qualitative measurement for all inulin across all plant samples was feasible using the peak intensities normalized to Inulin-13C, and showed that the ratio of yacón, elephant garlic and Jerusalem was approximately one, two and three times that of globe artichoke. This MALDI-MRMS approach provides comprehensive insights into the structure of inulin molecules, opening avenues for in-depth investigations into how DP and concentration of inulin influence gut health and the modulation of noncommunicable diseases, as well as shedding light on refining cultivation practices to elevate the beneficial health properties associated with specific DPs.
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Enzymatic browning is a biological process that can have significant consequences for fresh produce, such as quality reduction in fruit and vegetables. It is primarily initiated by polyphenol oxidase (PPO) (EC 1.14.18.1 and EC 1.10.3.1) which catalyses the oxidation of phenolic compounds. It is thought that subsequent non-enzymatic reactions result in these compounds polymerising into dark pigments called melanins. Most work to date has investigated the kinetics of PPO with anti-browning techniques focussed on inhibition of the enzyme. However, there is substantially less knowledge on how the subsequent non-enzymatic reactions contribute to enzymatic browning. This review considers the current knowledge and recent advances in non-enzymatic reactions occurring after phenolic oxidation, in particular the role of non-PPO substrates. Enzymatic browning reaction models are compared, and a generalised redox cycling mechanism is proposed. The review identifies future areas for mechanistic research which may inform the development of new anti-browning processes.
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Take-up rates of electric vehicles (EV) are increasing and are predicted to accelerate rapidly. Public EV charging networks will be required to support future EV fleets. If unplanned, public charging networks are highly likely to be suboptimal. Planners need to understand and plan for future EV charging infrastructure requirements, particularly public DC fast charging networks, as both the upfront investment costs and the consequences of misallocation are high. However, the task of determining the optimal locations and allocations (types and numbers) of public EV charging infrastructure is complicated as it requires knowledge of many variables. These include EV driver behaviors, driving patterns, predicting evolutionary changes in EV and EV charging technologies, future EV take-up rates, and what investment may or may not occur in the absence of government funding support.

We use data collected as part of a baseline survey in 2012 and a survey 5 months post-intervention in 2014 to assess the short-term outcomes of a water supply intervention in Ribáuè, Mozambique. This intervention included the rehabilitation and expansion of a piped water system, revitalization of water committees, and creation of and capacity building for small-scale private water enterprises. Quantitative results suggest that the intervention led to an immediate significant increase in the use of piped water supply at the expense of unprotected wells and other non-revenue generating forms of unimproved water supply with more than a 2.5-fold increase in the usage of yard taps and water kiosks/standpipes and a two-fold decrease in the use of unprotected wells. Family water consumption also increased by approximately 40 L/d, and the point-of-use treatment of water nearly tripled. Economic opportunities were generated for business and small enterprise owners due to the new water supply infrastructure, and piped water infrastructure had additional positive effects for both public and private sanitation facilities.

The optimal biogas system design model (OBSDM) described in this paper is intended to be used as a decision-making tool to increase awareness of the potential of biogas technology for different applications in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The decision-making tool identifies the most suitable biodigester design based on user defined inputs, including energy and fertiliser requirements; feedstock (type, amount, and rate of supply); water supply; land use (area, soil type, ground water level); climate (temperature and rainfall); construction materials available locally; and the priorities (based on sustainability criteria) of the intended biogas user. The output of the model provides a recommended design with estimates of the expected costs, energy and fertiliser production, and links to contact biodigester suppliers. In order to test the model, data from household surveys conducted in rural regions of Kenya and Cameroon were used as inputs to the model. An innovative fixed dome biodigester design, which uses stabilised soil blocks instead of bricks, was identified as optimal for both Kenyan and Cameroonian rural households. The expected performance of the optimal biogas system design from the model output was consistent with survey data on existing biogas systems in the region.

Mining activities requiring the development of new or expansion of existing water infrastructure provide an opportunity to benefit local communities with limited access to clean water. Mining companies have commonly assisted water service provision to communities as part of their mining concession or through corporate social responsibility programs. In addition to the water infrastructure provided to local communities, the accompanying capacity building, infrastructure governance, and the consultation process all have notable impacts not only on the sustainability of the water infrastructure, but also the level of benefit to communities. Using recent Australian Government funded water and sanitation interventions along the Nacala Economic Corridor (Mozambique) as a case study, we provide an examination of how mining companies can most effectively ensure the delivery of sustainable water infrastructure to local communities.