Herein, CuO and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were biogenically synthesized using plant (Artemisia vulgaris) extracts. The biogenic NPs were subsequently evaluated in vitro for antifungal activity (200 mg/L) against Fusarium virguliforme (FV; the cause of soybean sudden death), and for crop protection (200-500 mg/L) in FV-infested soybean. ZnONPs exhibited 3.8-, 2.5-, and 4.9-fold greater in vitro antifungal activity, compared to Zn or Cu acetate salt, the Artemisia extract, and a commercial fungicide (Medalion Fludioxon), respectively. The corresponding CuONP values were 1.2-, 1.0-, and 2.2-fold, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant morpho-anatomical damage to fungal mycelia and conidia. NP-treated FV lost their hyphal turgidity and uniformity and appeared structurally compromised. ZnONP caused shriveled and broken mycelia lacking conidia, while CuONP caused collapsed mycelia with shriveled and disfigured conidia. In soybean, 200 mg/L of both NPs enhanced growth by 13%, compared to diseased controls, in both soil and foliar exposures. Leaf SEM showed fungal colonization of different infection sites, including the glandular trichome, palisade parenchyma, and vasculature. Foliar application of ZnONP resulted in the deposition of particulate ZnO on the leaf surface and stomatal interiors, likely leading to particle and ion entry via several pathways, including ion diffusion across the cuticle/stomata. SEM also suggested that ZnO/CuO NPs trigger structural reinforcement and anatomical defense responses in both leaves and roots against fungal infection. Collectively, these findings provide important insights into novel and effective mechanisms of crop protection against fungal pathogens by plant-engineered metal oxide nanoparticles, thereby contributing to the sustainability of nano-enabled agriculture.

Desertification is a global environmental issue that significantly threatens ecosystem stability and vegetation restoration in arid regions. This study proposes a multiple treatment strategy combining Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch. gum (ASKG) with Enzyme-Induced Carbonate Precipitation (EICP) to enhance wind erosion control and seed germination. The effects of this approach were evaluated through field experiments. The results showed that single EICP treatment improved soil water retention and surface strength. However, high-concentration EICP treatment (>= 0.2 mol/L Cementation Solution, CS) induced salt stress, which suppressed plant survival. In contrast, when low-concentration EICP (0.1 mol/L CS) was combined with ASKG, a stable crust formed, improving surface strength and crust thickness, while preventing damage to the crust during early plant growth. The addition of 1.0 g/L ASKG reduced wind erosion depth by 67%, increased average moisture content to 7.4%, and promoted better seed germination, showing strong ecological compatibility and long-term stability. Furthermore, the second EICP treatment optimized the soil pore structure by adding CaCO3 precipitates, which increased average moisture content to 10.6% and increased surface strength by 114.5%. Microstructural analysis revealed that ASKG formed film or mesh structure around CaCO3 crystals, enhancing soil wind erosion resistance and water retention. Overall, the findings suggest that the multiple treatment strategy of EICP combined with ASKG successfully overcomes the ecological limitations of traditional high-concentration EICP, providing a sustainable solution for wind erosion control and vegetation restoration in desert areas.

To reveal the evolution law of the mechanical failure of the root-soil composite and identify the main control factors and their coupling and mutual feeding relationship, this paper takes the most common naturally growing plants in Yan 'an area as the research object and studies the evolution process of the mechanical deformation and failure of the root-soil composite by applying the methods of in-situ pull-out test, indoor direct shear test of the root-soil composite, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis. The mechanical characteristics of root-soil interaction were analyzed, and the mechanism of root-soil fixation was explained. The results show that: (1) the root-soil composite's mechanical deformation and failure characteristics have obvious regularity and stages and are affected by plant growth state, root morphology, soil physical and mechanical properties, and other factors. (2) There are obvious evolutionary stages in the deformation and failure process of the root-soil composite, that is, the coordinated deformation stage of the root-soil, the stress redistribution stage, the secondary root break stage, the main root break stage and the complete failure stage, which correspond to the linear deformation section, the acceleration section, the shock rise section, the steep fall and the residual deformation of the F-S curve (Force-displacement curve)obtained by the in-situ pull out test. (3) In the in-situ pull-out test, the final failure body of the root-soil composite was inverted cone shape. The root fracture interface was basically near the boundary of the final inverted cone failure body, in which the stress state of the root system was directly affected by the stress-strain state of the microelement and the characteristics of the root material. (4) The plant roots showed obvious oblique deformation and axial tensile stress with the soil shear dislocation on the fracture surface, which verified the rationality of the oblique root hypothesis based on the transformation of shear stress to tensile stress.