Terminal heat stress poses a significant challenge to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production, necessitating effective strategies to enhance crop resilience. This study evaluated the impact of three sowing dates (1 November, 20November and 10 December) and four paddy straw mulch levels (0, 2, 4 and 6 t/ha) on minimizing terminal heat stress by improving agroclimatic indices, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception and seed yield. Field experiments were conducted during the winter seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, to assess agroclimatic indices such as growing degree days, helio-thermal units, photo-thermal units and pheno-thermal index along with PAR interception and yield attributes under different treatments. Results indicated that sowing on 1st November and application of 4 t/ha straw mulch significantly mitigated terminal heat stress by enhancing agroclimatic indices and PAR interception, leading to significantly higher yield attributes and yield. Although 6 t/ha mulch provided slightly higher benefits, they were marginal compared to 4 t/ha, making 4 t/ha the most practical and cost-effective choice. Lower mulch levels (0 and 2 t/ha) were less effective in alleviating heat stress impacts. Overall, early sowing (1st November) combined with 4 t/ha straw mulch was identified as the most effective strategy, minimizing terminal heat stress and enhancing chickpea resilience and productivity. These findings emphasize the importance of timely sowing and optimized mulch application as practical, sustainable strategies for improving chickpea productivity under terminal heat stress.

Renewable energy helps meet the growing energetic demand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Despite its environmental benefits, production of wind energy can adversely affect wildlife populations, including birds. In some species, indirect impacts such as habitat loss and disturbance may be more important than fatalities caused by collisions with turbines. Bicknell’s Thrush Catharus bicknelli, one of the most endangered bird species in North America, may be threatened by wind energy production because it breeds at high elevation sites, which are often prized for their wind potential. Our study had two objectives: we first aimed to document the impacts of the construction and operation of a wind energy facility without mitigation strategy on the occurrence of the Bicknell’s Thrush. At a second facility, we then tested the effectiveness of turbine micro-siting as an effective mitigation strategy to reduce the impacts of wind-energy development on the species. We conducted avian point-counts at 143 locations spread across both facilities in Quebec (Canada) at different periods: before, during and after construction. We modelled the probability of occurrence of the species at point-counts as a function of period, forest loss caused by wind energy development, distance to the nearest turbine and habitat suitability. At the facility without mitigation, we found that the probability of occurrence decreased during construction and early operation at high elevation sites, where most of the turbines were erected. However, the Bicknell’s Thrush recolonized high elevation sites eight years post-construction. In addition, we did not detect a significant impact of wind energy production on the species’ occurrence at the facility where micro-siting was applied. We conclude that habitat loss and disturbance during construction are the main impacts of wind energy production on the Bicknell’s Thrush and that micro-siting appears to be a promising mitigation strategy.

The rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major threat to animal agriculture and human health. To summarize and update current and emerging AMR issues that are significant for animal health and food safety, this issue presents a virtual AMR symposium consisting of seven review papers. These reviews cover a newly described AMR mechanism in Campylobacter, effects of AMR and microbiome on Campylobacter infection, plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in food-producing animals, the impact of point source or antibiotic residues on the environmental resistome, and potential factors influencing horizontal gene transfer in the intestines of food animals. These papers also identify significant knowledge gaps in AMR research and provide new directions for the development of innovative and effective strategies to mitigate AMR in the animal production system.

Hydrogeological research in coastal areas has gained considerable attention over the last decades due to increasing stresses on fresh groundwater resources. Fundamental groundwater flow and solute transport analyses remain essential for a concise understanding of the governing processes that lead to salinisation of fresh groundwater resources. However, the challenge of modern research is the application and quantification of these processes in real world cases. In this context, deltaic areas are amongst the most difficult study areas as they often have a complex groundwater salinity distribution. The Wadden Sea area in the northern part of the Netherlands is an example of such an area.

We quantified salt water intrusion and salinisation of groundwater flow systems in two representative case studies in the Wadden Sea area, using the density dependent groundwater flow and transport code M0CDENS3D. The results indicate that sea-level rise and autonomous processes will cause severe salinisation in the future, especially in the low polder areas close to the sea. In addition, we show that enhanced land subsidence due to salt exploitation accelerates this process. Salinisation can be mitigated to some extent by raising surface water levels in polders and by creating saline groundwater collection areas that maintain a low controlled water level.