Hafida Khelafi¹, Wassima Lakhdari², Mustapha Mounir Bouhenna³, Said Boudeffeur⁴, Hayet Meamiche¹, Salah Neghmouche Nacer^5,*, Meriam Laouar⁶

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3975-3989, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.073210 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Essential oils (EOs) derived from medicinal plants are gaining recognition as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fungicides in the management of plant pathogens. This study investigates the chemical composition, chromatographic profile, and antifungal of Mentha rotundifolia essential oil against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Foa), the pathogen responsible for Bayoud disease in date palm. The oil was extracted through hydrodistillation and characterized using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing multiple fractions corresponding to terpenoid constituents and 23 chemical constituents, predominantly oxygenated monoterpenes (68.51%), with piperitenone oxide as the major component (62.53%). The antifungal efficacy was evaluated… More >

Jazmín Montserrat Gaucin-Delgado¹, Cristian Oswaldo Solis-López², Pablo Preciado-Rangel³, Bernardo Espinosa-Palomeque⁴, Francisco Gerardo Veliz-Deras², Viridiana Contreras-Villarreal², Ricardo Israel Ramírez-Gottfried^5,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.12, pp. 3961-3973, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.072536 - 29 December 2025

Abstract Selenium (Se) deficiency is a global health problem affecting more than 500 million people; crop biofortification is a sustainable strategy for its mitigation. This study investigated the effect of the application of selenate nanoparticles (SeO₄²⁻) and the combination of selenate (SeO₄²⁻) and chitosan (CS) (forming a SeO₄²⁻-CS complex) on the antioxidant profile, growth, biomass, bioactive compounds, enzymes, and Se accumulation of wheat (Triticum spp.) sprouts. Fourteen treatments were applied using a factorial design combining seven concentrations and two formulations: SeO₄²⁻ and SeO₄²⁻-CS. It was identified that chitosan increased Se uptake efficiency by 30% versus conventional selenate. The optimal… More >

Hauwau Kaoje^1,2, Adekunle Adeleke^2,3,*, Esther Anosike-Francis^2,3, Seun Jesuloluwa^2,3, Temitayo Ogedengbe^2,3, Hauwa Rasheed², Jude Okolie⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.12, pp. 2375-2430, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0109 - 23 December 2025

Abstract The increasing need for sustainable energy and the environmental impacts of reliance on fossil fuels have sparked greater interest in biomass as a renewable energy source. This review provides an in-depth assessment of bio-oil and biochar generation through the pyrolysis of sawdust, a significant variety of lignocellulosic biomass. The paper investigates different thermochemical conversion methods, including fast, slow, catalytic, flash, and co-pyrolysis, while emphasizing their operational parameters, reactor designs, and effects on product yields. The influence of temperature, heating rate, and catalysts on enhancing the quality and quantity of bio-oil and biochar is thoroughly analyzed. More > Graphic Abstract

Jingxiang Meng¹, Xin Liu¹, Wenping Zeng¹, Jianjun Song², Songyi Liao¹, Yonggang Min^1,2,*, Jintao Huang^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.12, pp. 2297-2308, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0098 - 23 December 2025

Abstract Biomass-derived hard carbon has gradually become an important component of sodium-ion batteries’ anodes. In this work, Setaria viridis, a widely distributed plant, was employed as a precursor to synthesize hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries. However, the hard carbon derived from raw precursors contains substantial impurities, which limit the performance of the obtained hard carbon. With different chemical etching processes, the content of impurities in the resultants was reduced to varying degrees. The optimized hard carbon anode delivered a reversible capacity of 198 mAh g⁻¹ at a current density of 0.04 A g⁻¹. This work shows the More > Graphic Abstract

Valentina Sergeevna Borovkova^1,2,*, Yuriy Nikolaevich Malyar^1,2, Vladislav Alexandrovich Ionin^1,2, Alexander Sergeevich Kazachenko^1,2

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.12, pp. 2281-2296, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0067 - 23 December 2025

Abstract The valorization of plant biomass towards high-value chemicals is a global trend aimed at solving the problem of the huge accumulation of lignocellulosic waste. Plant polysaccharides are natural polymers that make up about 20% by weight of biomass, with a unique variety of structures and properties that depend on the type of raw materials and the method of their extraction. In this study, the effect of variability of the oxidative delignification process conditions in the «acetic acid-hydrogen peroxide-water-(NH₄)₆Mo₇O₂₄» on the extraction and properties of aspen (Populus tremula) wood hemicelluloses was investigated for the first time. The developed… More > Graphic Abstract

Anna Elisa Silva, Eduardo Thiago Formigari, João Pedro Mayer Camacho Araújo, Dagoberto de Oliveira Silva, Jürgen Andreaus, Eduardo Guilherme Cividini Neiva^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.10, pp. 1899-1912, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0130 - 22 October 2025

Abstract Here, we report a comprehensive study on the characterization of cotton biomass residue, its conversion into carbon-based materials via pyrolysis, and its application as an electrochemical sensor for ascorbic acid (AA). The compositions, morphologies, and structures of the resulting materials were investigated using XRD, FTIR, TGA, SEM, and EDS. Pyrolysis was carried out in an air atmosphere at different temperatures (300°C and 400°C) and durations (1, 60, and 240 min), leading to the transformation of lignocellulosic cotton residue into carbon-based materials embedded with inorganic nanoparticles, including carbonates, sulfates, chlorates, and phosphates of potassium, calcium, and… More > Graphic Abstract

Robyn Lesch¹, Evan David Visser¹, Ntalane Sello Seroka^1,2,*, Lindiwe Khotseng^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.10, pp. 1935-1977, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2025.02025-0026 - 22 October 2025

Abstract The review investigates the use of biomass-derived carbon as precursors for nanomaterials, acknowledging their sustainability and eco-friendliness. It examines various types of biomasses, such as agricultural residues and food byproducts, focussing on their transformation via environmentally friendly methods such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonisation. Innovations in creating porous carbon nanostructures and heteroatom surface functionalisation are identified, enhancing catalytic performance. The study also explores the integration of biomass-derived carbon with nanomaterials for energy storage, catalysis, and other applications, noting the economic and environmental benefits. Despite these advantages, challenges persist in optimising synthesis methods and scaling production. More > Graphic Abstract

Jhony César Muñoz Zambrano, Douglas Alexander Bermúdez Parrales, María Antonieta Riera^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.3, pp. 837-851, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.067277 - 30 September 2025

Abstract Agricultural waste is a potentially interesting resource due to the compounds present. In this study, cellulose was extracted from corn stalks (Zea mays) and subsequently converted into cellulose acetate (CA). Before the extraction process, the waste sample was characterized by pH, moisture, ash, protein content, total reducing sugars (TRS), carbohydrates, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Acid and alkaline hydrolysis were performed with different reagents, concentrations, and extraction times. Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) were used in the acid hydrolysis, while sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was used in the alkaline hydrolysis. Three concentrations (0.62, 1.25, 2.5)% and two… More >

Sadia Alam Shammi^1,2, Yanbo Huang^1,*, Weiwei Xie^1,2, Gary Feng¹, Haile Tewolde¹, Xin Zhang³, Johnie Jenkins¹, Mark Shankle⁴

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.9, pp. 2745-2766, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.068955 - 30 September 2025

Abstract Crop leaf area index (LAI) and biomass are two major biophysical parameters to measure crop growth and health condition. Measuring LAI and biomass in field experiments is a destructive method. Therefore, we focused on the application of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in agriculture, which is a cost and labor-efficient method. Hence, UAV-captured multispectral images were applied to monitor crop growth, identify plant bio-physical conditions, and so on. In this study, we monitored soybean crops using UAV and field experiments. This experiment was conducted at the MAFES (Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station) Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch… More >

Keke Zhang^1,2,3, Yong Cui^1,2,3, Changchang Shao^1,2,3, Liqing Yang^1,2,3, Yuxin Wang^1,2,3, Yao Fang^1,2,3, Hua Zhou⁴, Jie Wang^1,2,3, Honglang Duan^1,2,3,*

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.94, No.9, pp. 2855-2871, 2025, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2025.065683 - 30 September 2025

Abstract As ubiquitous environmental contaminants, microplastics (MPs) have garnered global concern due to their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and multifaceted threats to ecosystem health. These particles threaten terrestrial ecosystems via soil contamination; however, research on their phytotoxicity remains predominantly focused on herbaceous plants. The responses of woody plants to MPs and their interspecific differences are severely unexplored. Here, two important ecological and economical tree species in southern China, Pinus massoniana (P. massoniana) and Schima superba (S. superba), were selected to explore the ecotoxicity effects of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) MPs (the two most abundant species in the soil) on… More >