Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2024
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No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Biochar is a recalcitrant carbon-rich solid produced by pyrolysis of organic residues, and its application to soil is considered a promising approach to mitigate climate change, as biochar resists decomposition to readily contributes to soil carbon (C) sequestration. The IPCC provides a basis for future national-scale accounting of the changes in soil C stocks following biochar application to cropland soils. The IPCC Tier 1 approach for biochar is based on fixed emission factors to estimate biochar C sequestration. In contrast, the Tier 2 approach allows countries to use local emission factors and climate data to calculate the contribution of biochar to soil C sequestration. Accurate accounting of biochar C sequestration is essential for ensuring the credibility of C offsetting projects, as well as providing incentives for implementing biochar in C credit schemes, calling for comparative analyses of the different biochar Tier approaches. Here we retrieved biochar samples from local producers and measured their H/Corg to estimate the persistence of biochar in Norwegian croplands post application. Various feedstocks were considered, including forest residues, woody wastes, manure, sludge, and straw. For all biochar samples, the 100-year stable C fraction was calculated at ≥ 0.945, thus exceeding the default Tier 1 value (0.8). Biochar sourced from woody- and forestry residues had a Corg content above the default Tier 1 value (0.77). Based on this and data about national feedstock supplies, we compared the theoretical potential of biochar soil C sequestration to mitigate climate change in Norway, using the IPCC Tier 1 and Tier 2 approaches. Biochar C sequestration in soil was calculated at 0.79 Tg CO2-eq yr−1 and 0.92 to 0.96 Tg CO2-eq yr−1, respectively for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 approaches, thus, underlining that the choice of IPCC Tier approach can have a large impact on the estimated mitigation potential of biochar.
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No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Background The stink bugs, Nezara viridula L. and Piezodorus guildinii Westwood (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) are the most important and widespread species of polyphagous stink bugs in the tropical and subtropical regions of Latin America, which affect the quality and yield of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The use of synthetic chemical insecticides is the major control strategy to manage stink bugs in common beans and alternatives are needed. In this study, mortality and median Lethal Time (LT50) of two Cuban isolates of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (18 S-O-R and 96 P-O-E), as well as one commercial Cuban isolate (Bb-18), at a concentration of 1 × 108 conidia/ml were evaluated. These evaluations were conducted against both stink bug species using Petri dish bioassays and a semi-field experiment in common beans. Results In Petri dish bioassays, the isolates 18 S-O-R and 96 P-O-E caused 100% mortality of both N. viridula and P. guildinii. This was significantly higher than for isolate Bb-18, which caused 86.3% N. viridula and 81.3% P. guildinii mortality. In the semi-field experiment, when pooling both stink bug species, total mortality after 14 days was 91.3% for 18 S-O-R, 80.0% for 96 P-O-E and 73.8% for Bb-18 isolates. LT50 value for isolate 18 S-O-R tested under laboratory conditions was 6.04 ± 0.18 days for N. viridula and 5.32 ± 0.14 days for P. guildinii at the same concentration of 1 × 108 conidia/ml. LT50 value for isolate 18 S-O-R in semi field was 6.79 ± 0.37 days for N. viridula and 7.71 ± 0.32 days for P. guildinii at 1 × 108 conidia/ml. Conclusion The study highlights the potential of B. bassiana 18 S-O-R as a promising candidate for control of stink bugs in common bean under tropical conditions as an alternative to conventional chemical insecticides in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Moving forward, further research should focus on validating the efficacy under diverse field conditions and integrating application methods into practical IPM approaches. Future use of B. bassiana will enhance sustainability and reduce environmental impacts associated with pesticide use.
Authors
Getachew Birhanu Abera Aryan Bhusal Nabin Aryal Thea Os Andersen Linn Solli Svein Jarle Horn Lu Feng Begum BilgicAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Ignacio SevillanoAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Svein Solberg Ole Martin Bollandsås Terje Gobakken Erik Næsset Paromita Basak Laura Innice DuncansonAbstract
Mapping and quantification of forest biomass change are key for forest management and for forests’ contribution to the global carbon budget. We explored the potential of covering this with repeated acquisitions with TanDEM-X. We used an eight-year period in a Tanzanian miombo woodland as a test case, having repeated TanDEM-X elevation data for this period and repeated field inventory data. We also investigated the use of GEDI space–LiDAR footprint AGB estimates as an alternative to field inventory. The map of TanDEM-X elevation change appeared to be an accurate representation of the geography of forest biomass change. The relationship between TanDEM-X phase height and above-ground biomass (AGB) could be represented as a straight line passing through the origin, and this relationship was the same at both the beginning and end of the period. We obtained a similar relationship when we replaced field plot data with the GEDI data. In conclusion, temporal change in miombo woodland biomass is closely related to change in InSAR elevation, and this enabled both an accurate mapping and quantification wall to wall within 5–10% error margins. The combination of TanDEM-X and GEDI may have a near-global potential for estimation of temporal change in forest biomass.
Abstract
The commercial farming of Kappaphycus alvarezii in Indian waters has provided diversifying livelihood to the low-income artisanal fishermen for last 15 years. The sector has got commercial setback due to mass mortality of germplasm during 2013 – 2014. But considering its potential to provide inclusive economic growth in coastal rural settings, the government has renewed its interest in this activity. At the cusp of the strategic expansion of the seaweed sector understanding biosecurity risks, strategies and enforcement of framework is pivotal in reducing the impact of disease outbreaks, epiphytic infestations and pest attacks. The key category aspects include identification of the risks, evaluate the national health management for seaweed aquaculture, and providing potential biosecurity strategy for expanding commercial farming operations. Additionally we also enlisted the biosecurity strategy from other eucheumatoid-producing countries and nations involved in seaweed aquaculture for comparison. In-spite of advancements in science and technology, particularly in seaweed application-based solutions, health management and seaweed aquaculture biosecurity, still remain in their infancy in India. The analysis revealed that there is a complete absence of a national database of diseases, epiphytes, and grazers outbreak. Further limited clarity on a legal administrative procedures for the import of seaweed germplasm for commercial exploitation and its subsequent quarantine is a critical biosecurity risk. There is an urgent need to invest considerably in research and development related to the biosecurity of seaweeds. The rapid internet based technological development could be effectively utilised in disease reporting as well as developing farmer centric syndromic surveillance. The strengthening of regulatory frameworks and policy should be given the highest priority, as application of biosecurity has indirect effects in domains such as products development, food security, agriculture productivity, economic growth and potential regulatory ecosystem services.
Authors
Akshaya Vinukumar Mallikarjuna Swamy Shabanur Matada Guru Prasad Kuppuswamy Sreeram Jayan Vivek Kripa Surya Velappa Jayaraman Yuvaraj Sivalingam Noemi Tocci Abirami Ramu Ganesan Lorenza ConternoAbstract
The demand for environmentally friendly, reliable, and cost-effective electrodes for glucose sensor technology has become a major research area in the paradigm shift toward green electronics. In this regard, cellulose has emerged as a promising flexible biopolymer solution with unique properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, nontoxicity, renewability, and sustainability. Because of their large surface area and porous structure, fibrous cellulose substrates quickly adsorb and disperse analytes at detection sites. This work focuses on utilizing glyoxal-treated cellulose (derived from brewer’s spent grain (BSG)) for the fabrication of extended gate field-effect transistor (EGFET)-based glucose sensors. This investigation extends to the utilization of BSG-cellulose for glucose detection in biomimicking electrolytes (phosphate buffer saline) to facilitate glucose detection in human blood samples. The fabricated electrode demonstrates a linear range of glucose detection from 1 to 13.5 mM with a Langmuir adsorption coefficient (K) of 0.102. Also, its selectivity toward glucose over interfering molecules such as sucrose, fructose, ascorbic acid, and uric acid under physiological conditions has been demonstrated. This cellulose-based EGFET electrode exhibits a sensitivity of 6.5 μA mM−1 cm−2 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.135 mM. Computational studies by density functional theory calculations confirmed the higher binding affinity of glucose molecules with glyoxal-modified cellulose (−0.95 eV) than with pristine cellulose (−0.46 eV). Here, the novelty lies in the fabrication of electrodes with biodegradable catalysts and their integration into the EGFET configuration.
Authors
Galina Gusarova Hedvig Elisabeth Mjøen Magali Corti Frédéric Mahé Pernille Meyer Lilja Steinthorsdottir Marie Kristine Føreid Merkel Stefaniya Kamenova Kamenova Gabriela Wagner Monica Alterskjær Sundset Lars Folkow Tove Hilde Ågnes Utsi Tommi Nyman Cornelya Klutsch Torkild Tveraa Anne Krag Brysting Sylvain Monteux Youri Lammers Eric Coissac Pierre Robert Michel Taberlet Roberto Cazzolla Gatti Inger Greve AlsosAbstract
No abstract has been registered