ESRJ

Silvicultural strategies and practices for ecological and sustainable forest management in Afghanistan: A narrative review

2026-02-03T14:30:27+00:00

Afforestation, forest protection, and restoration are critical to sustaining livelihoods, conserving biodiversity, regulating climate, and maintaining ecosystem stability. In Afghanistan, especially in the eastern and southeastern forested regions, forests are vital natural resources that support local economic, social, and cultural systems. This review evaluates major silvicultural approaches for the sustainable management of these forest ecosystems. It compares intensive systems, such as clear-cutting, with ecologically oriented practices, including selective logging, retention forestry, thinning, pruning, coppicing, and assisted natural regeneration. The review indicates that integrated silvicultural strategies that balance production, regeneration, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience are the most suitable for long-term sustainability. It further emphasizes the importance of community-based forest management and climate-adaptive planning in strengthening forest health and ecosystem services. Despite their importance, major knowledge gaps remain concerning Afghanistan-specific silvicultural systems, climate change impacts on forest growth, community-level economic valuation, and effective management of pests, fire, and forest diseases.

Impact of Improved Seed Varieties on Crop Productivity in Afghanistan

2026-02-14T05:27:14+00:00

Agriculture is a cornerstone of Afghanistan’s economy, rural livelihoods, and national food security. Despite its importance, crop productivity in the country remains low due to a combination of interrelated constraints, including climatic variability, land degradation, limited access to quality agricultural inputs, and continued dependence on traditional seed varieties. Among available agricultural interventions, improved seed varieties are widely regarded as a key technological option for enhancing crop yields and strengthening resilience to both biotic and abiotic stresses. This review article synthesizes the existing body of literature on the role and impacts of improved seed varieties on crop productivity in Afghanistan. It examines the structure of crop production systems, patterns of varietal adoption among farmers, and the documented effects of improved seeds on yield performance, production stability, and food security outcomes. The review also analyzes the major constraints limiting the widespread dissemination and adoption of improved seed varieties, including weaknesses in seed systems, institutional limitations, and policy-related challenges. In addition, it identifies opportunities for strengthening the seed sector through targeted policy support, research investment, and institutional development. Overall, the evidence indicates that improved seed varieties have made an important contribution to increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing stress tolerance, and improving food availability in Afghanistan. However, their potential remains insufficiently realized because of persistent systemic and structural barriers.

Development of climate-resilient crops under climate change: biotechnological strategies and future perspectives

2026-02-01T07:44:13+00:00

Climate change is increasingly undermining global agricultural production and food security through rising temperatures, prolonged drought, heat stress, and the growing prevalence of plant diseases. Plant biotechnology offers powerful opportunities to enhance crop resilience to these environmental constraints. This review examines the role of advanced biotechnological approaches, including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, genetic engineering, marker-assisted selection, and genomic selection, in the development of climate-resilient crop varieties. These tools facilitate the precise identification and improvement of genes associated with stress tolerance and adaptive performance. In addition, molecular and physiological mechanisms such as transcriptional regulation, heat shock responses, osmoprotectant accumulation, and antioxidant activity are central to plant adaptation under climatic stress. The integration of these modern technologies with conventional breeding and sustainable crop management practices represents a robust strategy for producing high-yielding and stress-tolerant crops, thereby supporting long-term agricultural sustainability and global food security.

Identification of Postharvest Diseases of Citrus Fruits in Kabul City

2025-10-15T10:41:21+00:00

Citrus fruits are economically important horticultural crops, but their postharvest quality and market value are often reduced by fungal diseases. This study was conducted in Kabul city to identify the major postharvest diseases affecting citrus fruits. Samples were collected from markets, storage facilities, fruit carts, and retail fruit shops, and disease identification was carried out through symptom observation and laboratory diagnosis. The findings showed that citrus fruits are affected by several important fungal diseases after harvest, resulting in considerable quantitative and qualitative losses. The diseases identified in this study included brown rot, anthracnose, Fusarium dry rot, gray mold rot, blue mold rot, sour rot, green mold, and melanose. These diseases significantly reduce fruit quality, shelf life, and marketability. The study highlights the importance of accurate disease identification and improved postharvest handling and management practices to reduce losses and maintain the quality of citrus fruits in local markets.

The Role of Genetically Modified Crops in Enhancing Food Security

2026-02-03T11:29:02+00:00

Global food security is increasingly challenged by population growth, climate change, and diminishing natural resources. Genetically modified and genome-edited crops have emerged as promising tools for enhancing crop productivity, improving resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and enriching the nutritional quality of staple foods. This narrative review examines current evidence on the role of these technologies in yield improvement, pest and disease resistance, stress tolerance, and biofortification, with a particular focus on recent advances in CRISPR-based genome editing. It also discusses the opportunities and constraints associated with their contribution to sustainable food systems. Despite their considerable potential, the successful deployment of these technologies depends on enabling regulatory environments, societal acceptance, and equitable access for smallholder farmers. Plant biotechnology therefore represents an important component of integrated approaches to achieving global food and nutritional security.

Impacts of Climate Change on Afghanistan's Horticulture Sector: A Narrative Review

2025-12-30T05:14:40+00:00

Afghanistan’s horticultural sector faces substantial challenges from climate change, including rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, glacier retreat, and increasing pressures from pests and diseases. These climatic changes disrupt key physiological and production processes in major fruit, vegetable, and ornamental crops, including flowering, fruit set, pollination, water availability, and postharvest quality. Global evidence and regional observations suggest that reduced winter chilling in temperate fruit crops, sunburn and fruit cracking in apples, apricots, and grapes, heat-induced yield reductions in vegetables, and climate-sensitive outbreaks of insect pests pose serious risks to horticultural productivity, although direct and comprehensive studies in Afghanistan remain limited. Productivity is further constrained by water scarcity, which is exacerbated by inadequate water management practices. This review synthesizes available Afghanistan-specific evidence and relevant international literature to assess the impacts of climate change on the country’s horticultural sector. It also highlights key adaptation and mitigation strategies, including the use of climate-resilient cultivars, protected cultivation, precision irrigation, integrated pest management, improved soil management, and strengthened research and policy support to enhance the resilience of Afghanistan’s horticultural systems.

Integrative Analysis of Genetic Diversity, Yield Traits, and Seed Quality in Brassica napus L. Cultivars through Phylogenomics

2025-10-14T09:25:04+00:00

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is a major oil-producing crop worldwide, valued for its adaptability, yield potential, and seed quality. This study investigated the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and trait associations of 85 rapeseed cultivars from different geographical regions. Genetic variation was assessed using 5,058 SNP markers and ITS region sequences, and phylogenetic relationships were analyzed using MEGA-X and PowerMarker, resulting in twelve distinct genetic clusters that largely reflected geographical origin and breeding history. Phenotypic evaluations included key agronomic traits (e.g., plant height, silique number, 1000-seed weight) and seed quality traits (e.g., oil, protein, and glucosinolate content). Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine significant differences among clusters (P < 0.01). Results showed substantial variation in both agronomic and seed quality traits: Cluster 8 had the highest oil content, while Cluster 1 had the highest protein content. An inverse relationship between oil and protein content was observed, indicating a trade-off between these traits. These findings demonstrate that integrating SNP- and ITS-based molecular markers with phenotypic evaluation effectively identifies genetic relationships and trait variation, providing a robust framework for marker-assisted selection, germplasm improvement, and future breeding programs aimed at enhancing yield, seed quality, and environmental adaptation in Brassica napus.