Hesam Mousavi

• Das, Susmita; Arif, Yamshi; Mousavi, Hesam; Aronsson, Henrik; Bazihizina, Nadia & Sarraf, Mohammad (2026). Protein homeostasis and inter-organellar signaling under salt stress. Plant Signalling & Behavior. ISSN 1559-2316. 21(1). doi: 10.1080/15592324.2026.2744693. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Salinity is a major abiotic constraint on plant growth, productivity, and global food security. It disrupts cellular protein homeostasis (proteostasis) at every step, from synthesis to degradation. Plant survival under salt stress therefore depends on the coordinated regulation of protein synthesis, folding, post-translational modification, trafficking, quality control, and turnover. The individual contributions of the nucleus, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and Golgi apparatus to salinity responses are increasingly well described, but how these compartments communicate remains far less understood. This review synthesizes current evidence on this inter-organellar signaling network, addressing four questions: how salinity-induced osmotic, ionic, and oxidative stress reprograms nuclear transcription and chromatin state; how ribosomes sustain selective translation of protective proteins while clearing stalled or damaged translational products; how the ER expands its folding capacity through the unfolded protein response and removes terminally misfolded proteins by ER-associated degradation; and how the Golgi sustains glycosylation, sorting, and secretion of the transporters needed for ion and osmotic homeostasis. Beyond these organelle-level responses, the review discusses two signaling layers that couple them into a single circuit: post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, and redox- and nitrosative/persulfidation-based marks) and phytohormone/gasotransmitter signals, including abscisic acid, nitric oxide, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, and melatonin. By framing proteostasis as an emergent property of nucleus-ribosome-ER-Golgi coordination rather than of any single compartment, this review identifies specific inter-organellar signaling nodes as candidate targets for breeding or engineering salinity-resilient crops.

• Janeeshma, Edappayil; Das, Susmita; Bouzroud, Sarah; Sarraf, Mohammad; Akhtar, Nosheen & Mousavi, Hesam [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Reactive Oxygen Species in Crop Plants: Production, Detoxification, Signaling, and Molecular Cross-Talk. Plants. 15(14). doi: 10.3390/plants15142212. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Although excess generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is harmful for plants, at mild concentrations, they are able to positively regulate the metabolic pathway and signaling cascades of the cell. The mechanisms functional under the ROS-induced stress tolerance need to be decoded for the development of new abiotic stress-tolerant crop varieties with a clear vision. This study details ROS generation, roles of enzymatic antioxidants as well as non-enzymatic antioxidants, and ROS-induced cellular events. Emphasis is given to crucial topics such as cyclin-dependent kinases and mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling mechanisms, calcium-mediated cellular cross-talk, and activation or inactivation of various transcription factors. Introduction of different genetic and molecular approaches to manipulate the ROS pathway helps to find out novel recombinant plant varieties. Selection of specific biotechnological tools, appropriate omics analysis and implementation of CRISPR/Cas 9 in crop plants assist the designing of mutants. This review highlights the beneficial roles of oxidative stress, spotlighting the molecular mechanisms that support the physiological, morphological and biochemical modifications of plant cells.

• Das, Susmita; Janeeshma, Edappayil; Mousavi, Hesam; Aronsson, Henrik & Sarraf, Mohammad (2026). Role of primary protectors of plant cells in salinity tolerance: molecular mechanisms and adaptive strategies. Plant Signalling & Behavior. ISSN 1559-2316. 21(1). doi: 10.1080/15592324.2026.2687962. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Salinity stress is among the most pervasive abiotic factors limiting plant growth and agricultural productivity worldwide, currently affecting more than 20% of irrigated croplands. Elevated salt concentrations induce osmotic imbalance, ionic toxicity, and oxidative stress, leading to disruptions in photosynthesis, metabolism, and plant development. To counteract these deleterious effects, plants have evolved intricate, highly coordinated defense systems comprising structural and functional cellular protectors. At the structural level, the cell wall, plasma membrane, vacuole, and peroxisome play critical roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis under saline conditions. These cellular structures safeguard the cell by regulating ion fluxes, preserving membrane integrity, and mitigating the toxicity of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ion transporters such as SOS1, NHX1, and HKT1, along with vacuolar proton pumps, maintain optimal Na⁺/K⁺ balance and pH regulation within cellular compartments. Functionally, plants deploy osmolytes and compatible solutes, including proline, glycine betaine, trehalose, and polyamines that act as osmoprotectants, stabilizing proteins and membranes while maintaining cellular turgor. Concurrently, robust antioxidant systems, comprising both enzymatic components (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase) and non-enzymatic molecules (ascorbate, glutathione, carotenoids), scavenge excess ROS generated during salt stress. Stress proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins also contribute to proteostasis and membrane stabilization during salt stress. Recent advances (2020–2025) have significantly expanded our understanding of the molecular and signaling networks underlying salinity tolerance. While earlier studies have focused on individual components such as ion transporters, osmolytes, or antioxidant systems, this review uniquely integrates structural organelle-based defenses with functional metabolic responses into a unified framework. We highlight the dynamic cross-communication among transcriptional regulators, ion transport systems, ROS detoxification pathways, and hormonal signaling cascades that collectively orchestrate plant adaptation to salinity. By synthesizing recent findings from a systems-level perspective, this work provides novel insights into the coordinated cellular defense network, identifying key regulatory hubs and multi-target strategies for breeding and biotechnological interventions to improve crop resilience and productivity in salt-affected agroecosystems.

• Sarraf, Mohammad; Bansal, Ruchi; Shackira, A. M.; Yadav, Vaishali; Zarbakhsh, Saeedeh & Roychowdhury, Rajib [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2026). Magnesium-mediated stress adaptation in plants: from physio-biochemical insights to climate-resilient agriculture. Frontiers in Plant Science. 17. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1715501. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Magnesium (Mg) is a vital macronutrient that underpins multiple processes essential for plant growth, development, and survival. As the central atom in chlorophyll, Mg is indispensable for photosynthesis, the foundation of crop productivity. Beyond light capture, Mg functions as a structural, enzymatic, and regulatory ion, making it a critical mediator of plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. Drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, and nutrient deficiencies continue to limit agricultural yields, yet Mg-mediated pathways can significantly mitigate their effects. By influencing photosynthesis, ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment, antioxidative defenses, and signal transduction, Mg reinforces multiple layers of plant stress adaptation. This review consolidates current knowledge of Mg’s roles in enhancing plant tolerance to adverse conditions, with particular emphasis on the molecular, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms underlying these roles. By integrating findings across different scales, it advances understanding of Mg-mediated stress adaptation and highlights its potential as a key factor in developing climate-resilient crop production systems. Unlike earlier works that have focused narrowly on Mg nutrition and photosynthesis, this review offers a holistic framework linking molecular insights to agronomic applications. Additionally, it provides future perspectives and research directions to bridge current knowledge gaps and guide innovation in crop breeding, nutrient management, and sustainable production systems.

• Quisth, Ida; Ulfsparre, Isabella; Müller, Bettina; Passoth, Volkmar; Solberg, Svein Øivind & Martín, Carlos [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2025). Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) as a Sustainable Soil Amendment and Biofertilizer: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges in Agricultural and Horticultural Systems. Agricultural and Food Science. ISSN 1459-6067. 34(4), p. 323–338. doi: 10.23986/afsci.163895. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Spent mushroom substrate (SMS), a byproduct of mushroom cultivation, has gained increasing attention as a sustainable soil amendment in agricultural and horticultural systems. SMS provides a promising alternative to peat-based substrates and synthetic fertilizers, supporting circular bioeconomy principles and sustainable farming practices. This is particularly relevant in boreal regions, where soils are typically acidic, nutrient-poor, and subject to short growing season conditions, presenting both opportunities and challenges for organic inputs. This review synthesizes current research on the agronomic and environmental implications of SMS use in agriculture and horticulture, including its effects on seed germination, plant growth, crop yield, root development, soil structure, and disease suppression. From an environmental perspective, the use of SMS contributes to waste reduction by repurposing organic residues and replacing peat, a non-renewable resource with significant ecological costs. However, several hurdles remain, including high salinity, inconsistent composition, nutrient imbalances, and complex compounds difficult for plants to access, which can impede plant performance. While prior studies have explored SMS in isolated settings, a comprehensive evaluation across systems is lacking. This review addresses that gap by assessing current evidence, identifying limitations, and outlining future research needs to optimize the use of SMS and scale its adoption in sustainable farming.

• Al-Huqail, Arwa Abdulkreem; Al-Malki, Muna Abdul-Rahman; Melebari, Dalia Mohammad; Osman, Hanan El Sayed; Alshehri, Dikhnah & Alghanem, Suliman Mohammed Suliman [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2025). Mitigating salinity and cadmium stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using PGPR and salicylic acid: rhizosphere, health risk, and physiological insights. Plant Signalling & Behavior. ISSN 1559-2316. 20(1). doi: 10.1080/15592324.2025.2553803. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  ABSTRACT Soil contamination with salinity and heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) is becoming a serious global problem due to the rapid development of the social economy. Although plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria PGPR and organic agents such as salicylic acid (SA) are considered major protectants to alleviate abiotic stresses, the study of these bacteria and organic acids to ameliorate the toxic effects of salinity and Cd remains limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined effects of PGPR and SA on enhancing the phytoremediation of salinity (100 mM NaCl) and Cd (50 µM CdCl₂) using rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. The research results indicated that elevated levels of salinity and Cd stress in soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange attributes. However, salinity and Cd stress also induced oxidative stress in the plants by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by 44% and 38%, respectively, which also induced increased compounds of various enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants, and also the gene expression and sugar content. Furthermore, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in cadmium accumulation, potential health risk indices, proline metabolism, the AsA–GSH cycle, and the pigmentation of cellular components was observed. Although the application of PGPR and SA showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, microbial diversity, functional gene abundance in the rhizosphere, enzymatic and nonenzymatic compounds, and their gene expression, and also decreased oxidative stress. In addition, the application of PGPR and SA enhanced cellular fractionation and decreased metal accumulation by 37% in shoots, proline metabolism, and the AsA–GSH cycle in O. sativa plants. These results provide new insights for sustainable agricultural practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of salinity and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

• Reid, Gregor; Allen-Vercoe, Emma; Al, Kait; Burton, Jeremy P.; Daisley, Brendan & Dixon, Brian [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2025). Beneficial microbes for One Health in Canada: a review of evidence and a policy proposal. FACETS. 10, p. 1–32. doi: 10.1139/facets-2024-0182. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The recognition that microbes are the life support system of the biosphere and play a major role in the health of all life forms provides us with a unique opportunity to channel resources into utilizing them for our benefit. This policy document was prepared by assessing the scientific rationale and evidence for the application of beneficial microbes to One Health. Ten recommendations are made including the establishment of a new national program that creates strategies, provides funding, and partners with industries and end-users to make Canada a self-directed global leader in this transformative field. Issues covered include biotics, fecal microbiota transplant, fundamental and applied research, regulatory, the education system, and applications to pollinators, aquaculture, coral, biofertilizers, livestock, companion animals, horses, and sustainability of agriculture and environmental management. It is hoped that this document will provide politicians, bureaucrats, academics, and representatives of the end users of beneficial microbial products the incentive to appoint an expert panel to develop the means to implement a program of this type. At a time when climate change, biodiversity, long-term health, integration of cultures, and access to home resourced nutritious food are high on government agendas, the proposed program offers a novel means to positively influence residents across the country.

• Hosseinpour, Shayan; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah; Hosseinpour, Danial; Mousavi, Hesam & Mohammadpour, Saeed (2025). Machine and deep learning-based wheat yield prediction: the critical role of soil moisture and remote sensing data. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment. ISSN 2363-6203. 11. doi: 10.1007/s40808-025-02456-2. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Food security is an increasingly pressing challenge that can be tackled through advanced technologies designed to monitor agroecosystems and facilitate timely, data-driven decisions. Integrating innovative technologies is crucial for enhancing agricultural sustainability and resilience, thereby contributing to global food security. This study investigates the importance of the feature combinations, incorporating (M1) vegetation indices combined with weather variables and (M2) M1, along with surface soil moisture (SSM) through implementing machine (support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF)) and deep (deep neural network (DNN)) learning models to predict in-season wheat yield. Results indicate that the optimal prediction window spans from the onset of stem elongation to the initiation of flowering (BBCH 30–61), during which the average R2, RMSE, MAE, and IOA were 0.76, 484.04 kg ha−1, 281.90 kg ha−1, and 0.92, respectively. At this stage, the DNN achieved the highest performance with M1 (R2 = 0.73, RMSE = 502.59 kg ha−1, MAE = 338.51 kg ha−1, IOA = 0.92) and improved further with M2 (R2 = 0.85, RMSE = 379.93 kg ha−1, MAE = 244.22 kg ha−1, IOA = 0.96). These metrics improvements statistically enhanced model's performance when trained with M2 (P ≤ 0.05). The feature importance and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis revealed that both the choice of model and dataset influenced feature prioritization. Notably, Near-Infrared Reflectance of vegetation (NIRv), SSM and evapotranspiration (Evap) consistently appeared among the most influential features. These findings underscore the critical role of surface soil moisture in enhancing model accuracy across growth stages and emphasize the importance of selecting a well-balanced feature set rather than relying solely on complex models. A carefully curated set of features boosts model performance, ensuring more reliable yield predictions for various agricultural applications.

• Cottis, Thomas; Mousavi, Hesam & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2025). Plasma treated cattle slurry with modest fertilizer effect on grass. European Journal of Agronomy. ISSN 1161-0301. 168. doi: 10.1016/j.eja.2025.127649. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Plasma-based nitrogen (N) enrichment of organic fertilizers is a process that utilizes plasma technology and electricity to infuse liquid biobased fertilizers with atmospheric N, doubling plant-available N content. The final product is labeled as Nitrogen-Enriched Organic Fertilizer (NEO). This study investigates and compares the applicability of NEO against conventional fertilizers in grass production during 2020–2023 across two regions in Norway. Regarding different fertilizers' N efficacy, in the trials featuring only grasses, applying 210 kg N ha−1 in NEO yielded dry matter (DM) and N yield comparable to those achieved with 149 and 154 kg N ha−1 in mineral fertilizer, respectively. Besides, the untreated cattle slurry and mineral fertilizer combination containing 210 kg N ha−1 resulted in a DM and N yield equivalent to 178 and 180 kg N ha−1 in mineral fertilizer. In the grass-clover mixture trials, NEO and mineral fertilizers reduced the clover proportion, significantly influencing the overall yield. Merging the results from all trials (2021–2022), it was found that given identical N-min content, standalone mineral fertilizer, and the untreated slurry and mineral fertilizer combination resulted in ∼19 % and ∼28 %, and ∼14 % and ∼13.5 % higher DM and N yields than NEO, respectively. Further, NEO provided ∼9 % and ∼25 % higher DM and N yields than untreated slurry. Notably, NEO's N-min content was nearly double that of untreated slurry (210 vs. 107 kg N ha−1). Nonetheless, a supplementary trial (2023) employing different NEO variants with reduced nitrite and elevated nitrate levels returned more promising results than those examined in prior years. Still, ∼9 % and ∼6 % less DM and N yield than mineral fertilizer with identical 210 kg N ha−1 content. Our findings suggest that although a considerable N fraction of NEO did not translate to yields compared to other fertilization treatments, and given that NEO is an evolving product, the NEO's enhanced performance in the final study year highlights the necessity for continued research and optimization to fully unlock and utilize the potential advantages of NEO in future agriculture.

• Hosseinpour, Shayan; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah; Kaveh, Mohammad; Dokoohaki, Hamze & Mousavi, Hesam (2024). Determination of a Sustainable Management for Rice Production Through a Modeling Approach. International Journal of Plant Production. ISSN 1735-6814. doi: 10.1007/s42106-024-00319-x. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Crop models have been designed to capture agronomic and environmental variables. Irrigation and nitrogen (N) application are critical factors in agroecosystems for achieving adequate yield, while poor management strategies not only make the environment vulnerable, but waste the inputs. We parametrized and evaluated the APSIM-Oryza model using a two-year experiment under various irrigation techniques (continuous flood (CF) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD)) and N levels (25, 50, and 100% of the recommended N levels). The model demonstrated a reasonable fit between simulated and observed aboveground biomass, leaf area index, total N uptake, and grain yield regarding to higher model efficiency values (EF > 71). APSIM-Oryza acceptably simulated the rice yield over parametrization (R2 = 0.97, RMSE = 213 kg ha− 1) and evaluation (R2 = 0.92, RMSE = 307 kg ha− 1). Consequently, two scenarios were run based on historical weather data. Scenario analysis exhibited that the lowest simulated yield and N use efficiency (NUE) were obtained with the basal N application, whereas the split-N application ratio (SNR) promoted the simulated yield and NUE by improving the total N uptake. Water productivity (WP) improved by 15–32% without yield loss under AWD irrigation. According to the simulation results, the optimal modeled yield, total N uptake, NUE, and WP were achieved by combining SNR 5:5 under AWD. Still, the N level was affected by environmental factors (80.5 kg N ha− 1 at Sari and 57.5 kg N ha− 1 at Babolsar and Nowshahr). Thus, it can be concluded that the modeling approach can be a low-cost and labor-saving practice to evaluate the stability in a district over a long-term period instead of on-farm experiments. Nevertheless, a thorough agroecological assessment in the model requires either a reliable or multiple databases for precise calibration and accurate evaluation to consider all aspects of ecology and agronomy.

• Hosseinpour, Shayan; Bagherikia, Saeed; Soughi, Habiballah; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah & Mousavi, Hesam (2024). A scrutiny of plasticity management in irrigated wheat systems under CMIP6 earth system models (case study: Golestan Province, Iran). Theoretical and Applied Climatology. ISSN 0177-798X. 155, p. 4663–4680. doi: 10.1007/s00704-024-04902-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Global wheat production has faced, and will persist in encountering many challenges. Therefore, developing a dynamic cultivation approach generated through modeling is crucial to coping with the challenges in specific districts. The modeling can contribute to achieving global objectives of farmers’ financial independence and food security by enhancing the cropping systems. The current study aims to assess the effects of cultivars and sowing windows intricately on irrigated wheat production using the two models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), including ACCES-CM2 and HadGEM31-LL under two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP245, and SSP585). A two-year on-farm experiment was conducted for parametrization and validation of the APSIM-Wheat model at two locations. The model reasonably simulated the days to anthesis, maturity, biomass production, and yield within all cultivars. The normalized root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the phenological stages was simulated and measured values were 5% and 2–4%, while the index of agreement (IOA) was in the range of 0.84–0.88 and 0.95–0.97. An acceptable agreement of the simulated biomass (RMSE = 5–7% and 0.91–0.78) and yield (RMSE = 6–11% and IOA = 0.70–0.94) was identified in the model. Afterward, the LARS-WG model generated the baseline (2000–2014) based on the weather data at the sites and projected the models for the near (2030–2049) and remote future (2050–2070). The models revealed that not only the average maximum and minimum temperatures will rise by 1.85 °C and 1.62 °C which will exacerbate the reference evapotranspiration (ET0), but also the precipitation and solar radiation will reach + 58%, and + 0.25 Mj m−2. Our results clearly showed that precipitation volume over the growing seasons would elevate approximately two times as much as the baseline in the future, while there is a significant decrease in water productivity (WP) and yield from the intensive ET0. Based on the wheat simulation, the short-duration cultivar (Kalate) combined with the postponed planting (16-Dec) was determined as a practical alternative; nonetheless, both WP and yield significantly decreased by 40% and 7%, respectively (p 

• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2023). Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) elevates nitrification rates shortly after application but has no lasting effect on nitrification in agricultural soils. Agricultural and Food Science. ISSN 1459-6067. 32(4), p. 179–194. doi: 10.23986/afsci.131722. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In the face of population growth, rising food production costs, limited arable land availability, and environmental degradation of farmlands, adopting innovative technologies, particularly those related to organic waste recycling and nutrient recovery, has emerged as an imperative strategy. These technologies are crucial in bolstering the resilience of global agri-food systems. Nitrogen-Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) is produced using a new method, where dinitrogen (N2) is captured from the air through a plasma process and mixed with slurries or digestates as nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-). This process leads to solid slurry acidification and a high NO2- content, potentiallyyielding toxic inorganic or organic N compounds. In this study, we investigated the impact of NEO derived from cattle slurry and biogas digestate on soil nitrification, which involves the conversion of NH4+ to NO2- and NO3- by aerobic autotrophic bacteria and archaea. We investigated and compared the potential nitrification rates in soil samples from two agricultural trials (cereal and grass) treated with NEO and other fertilizers after two consecutive fertilization years. Additionally, we examined the immediate nitrification response to NEO through 73-hour soil incubations. Our results revealed that NEO significantly stimulated nitrification rates in agitated soil slurries, regardless of the feedstock used, surpassing rates observed in ammonium controls. Similarly, this pattern was also observed in loosely placed soil samples, with high nitrification rates occurring with NEO and ammonium chloride. Interestingly, the differences in nitrification rates between field-fertilized soil samples were minimal and inconse-quential, suggesting that while NEO exhibits a rapid boost in nitrification rates shortly after application, this effect is not sustained ≈ six months after fertilization under field conditions. Consequently, NEO indicates its potential as an environmentally benign fertilizer without adversely affecting soil nitrification

• Cottis, Thomas; Mousavi, Hesam & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2023). Plasma Treated Cattle Slurry Moderately Increases Cereal Yields. Agronomy. 13(6), p. 1–14. doi: 10.3390/agronomy13061549. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Plasma treatment offers an approach to enhance the nitrogen (N) content of livestock slurry and biogas digestate, thereby increasing the efficacy of organic fertilizers. This innovative method is used to produce nitrogen-enriched organic fertilizer (NEO) containing a double concentration of plant-available N. Over three years, we conducted a comprehensive study in 14 spring wheat and barley field trials in Norway. The primary objective was to assess and compare the cereal grain yield achieved by applying NEO to other conventional fertilizers. The NEO utilized in our research was derived from the unit developed by the Norwegian company N2 Applied. The results indicated that 120 kg N ha−1 in NEO yielded in the same range of cereal grains as 95 kg N ha−1 in mineral fertilizer. Moreover, the combination of untreated slurry and 55 kg N ha−1 in mineral fertilizer Opti-NS yielded the same as 120 kg N ha−1 in NEO. Surprisingly a combination of 12 kg N ha−1 in mineral fertilizer at sowing day and 108 kg N ha−1 in NEO at the three-leaf stage led to a higher yield in spring wheat than 120 kg N ha−1 NEO spread at sowing day in two out of three experimental years. Moreover, applying NEO directly to plants has shown no visible signs of harm. Lastly, filtering the slurry resulted in higher cereal grain yields than the untreated slurry. In conclusion, despite possessing the same N content, utilizing NEO yielded a 15–20% lower cereal grain yield than mineral fertilizer. Nonetheless, 20–30% more yield than the native amount of cattle slurry it derived. However, we have observed an unexplained loss of approximately 17% of the nitrogen in NEO, which does not translate into increased grain yield or nitrogen productivity

• Mousavi, Hesam; Bruning, Bas; Straten, Gerrit Van; Almås, Åsgeir R.; Lethin, Johanna & Naik, Nupur [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2022). Effects of increasing salinity by drip irrigation on total grain weight show high yield potential of putative salt-tolerant Mutagenized wheat lines. Sustainability. 14(9). doi: 10.3390/su14095061. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas; Pommeresche, Reidun; Dörsch, Peter & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2022). Plasma-Treated Nitrogen-Enriched Manure Does Not Impose Adverse Effects on Soil Fauna Feeding Activity or Springtails and Earthworms Abundance. Agronomy. 12(10). doi: 10.3390/agronomy12102314. Full text in Research Archive
• Lethin, Johanna; Byrt, Caitlin; Berger, Bettina; Brien, Chris; Jewell, Nathaniel & Roy, Stuart [Show all 10 contributors for this article] (2022). Improved Salinity Tolerance-Associated Variables Observed in EMS Mutagenized Wheat Lines. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. ISSN 1661-6596. 23(19), p. 3–20. doi: 10.3390/ijms231911386. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Salinity tolerance-associated phenotypes of 35 EMS mutagenized wheat lines originating from BARI Gom-25 were compared. Vegetative growth was measured using non-destructive image-based phenotyping. Five different NaCl concentrations (0 to 160 mM) were applied to plants 19 days after planting (DAP 19), and plants were imaged daily until DAP 38. Plant growth, water use, leaf Na+, K+ and Cl− content, and thousand kernel weight (TKW) were measured, and six lines were selected for further analysis. In saline conditions, leaf Na+, K+, and Cl− content variation on a dry weight basis within these six lines were ~9.3, 1.4, and 2.4-fold, respectively. Relative to BARI Gom-25, two (OA6, OA62) lines had greater K+ accumulation, three (OA6, OA10, OA62) had 50–75% lower Na+:K+ ratios, and OA62 had ~30% greater water-use index (WUI). OA23 had ~2.2-fold greater leaf Na+ and maintained TKW relative to BARI Gom-25. Two lines (OA25, OA52) had greater TKW than BARI Gom-25 when grown in 120 mM NaCl but similar Na+:K+, WUI, and biomass accumulation. OA6 had relatively high TKW, high leaf K+, and WUI, and low leaf Na+ and Cl−. Phenotypic variation revealed differing associations between the parameters measured in the lines. Future identification of the genetic basis of these differences, and crossing of lines with phenotypes of interest, is expected to enable the assessment of which combinations of parameters deliver the greatest improvement in salinity tolerance.

• Poudel, Prabhat; Ødegaard, Jørgen Vikeby; Mo, Siri Josefine; Andresen, Rebekka Kaald; Tandberg, Hans Andre & Cottis, Thomas [Show all 11 contributors for this article] (2022). Italian Ryegrass, Perennial Ryegrass, and Meadow Fescue as Undersown Cover Crops in Spring Wheat and Barley: Results from a Mixed Methods Study in Norway. Sustainability. 14(20), p. 1–17. doi: 10.3390/su142013055. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Cover crops could provide environmental benefits in spring-grain systems through diversification, reduced nitrate leaching, and carbon sequestration. However, few farmers apply the technique, partly as they believe the cover crops will compete with the main crop and cause yield losses. Cover crops can either be sown together with the grain (undersown) or in autumn and establish after grain harvest. The current study uses a mixed-method approach combining field trials, interviews, and literature synthesis. The field trials focused on perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.) that were undersown with 15 kg ha−1 but with different seeding dates in spring wheat and barley. The interviews focused on gathering practical experiences from farmers in Norway and the literature synthesis gathered results from other studies. For carbon sequestration, nine studies were judged relevant for our target climate and included in our synthesis. They showed a median value at 264 kg C ha−1 year−1 . In our field trials, 300–900 kg DM ha−1 year−1 was produced, with Italian ryegrass sown at the same date as the grain on top. Our trials showed no significant grain yield reduction due to the use of cover crops. However, our synthesis of the literature showed a 5–10% yield reduction with Italian ryegrass that was sown at the same time as the grain. One- or two-weeks delay in the sowing of Italian ryegrass, or reduced seeding rates, could reduce the problem. The interviews showed that farmers do not prefer undersown species, especially not perennial species, as they have experienced that such species may come up again in the following years and cause a weed problem. We recommend farmers to use cover crops and for undersowing, we recommend Italian ryegrass that is sown one or two weeks after the grain. Perennial ryegrass can also be recommended, as long as the growth is properly terminated.

• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas; Hoff, Gina Madeleine Haadem & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2022). Nitrogen Enriched Organic Fertilizer (NEO) and Its Effect on Ryegrass Yield and Soil Fauna Feeding Activity under Controlled Conditions. Sustainability. 14. doi: 10.3390/su14042005. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study aimed to investigate the effects of a new nitrogen-enriched organic-based fertilizer (NEO) on Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) yield and soil fauna feeding activity. Nitrogen is transformed from the air to manure by a plasma process. At the farm level, NEO could improve self-sufficiency and sustainability. The work was carried out under controlled conditions in two pot trials. Five fertilization regimes were used: no fertilizer, different amounts of mineral fertilizer, three NEO types, organic fertilizer (untreated manure), and organic fertilizer + different amounts of N in mineral fertilizer, including 14 treatments in trial one and 11 treatments in trial two. Besides evaluating dry matter yields, we utilized the Bait-lamina test system to assess the feeding activity of soil fauna. The results indicated a clear positive impact of nitrogen (N) on ryegrass yield where all fertilizers increased the yield in correspondence with their N availability regardless of the fertilizer type; whereas the yield was highest with mineral fertilizer up to our maximum level of 235 kg N ha−1 in trial one and 175 kg N ha−1 in trial two. The NEO fertilizers yielded in the same range as mineral fertilizers. The same clear pattern was not observed for soil fauna feeding activity. Instead, a tendency was observed where no fertilization tends to give the highest feeding activity. We saw no correlation between the yield and the soil fauna feeding activity. The feeding activity was highest in depth below 5 cm from the soil surface. Feeding activity also increased over time after fertilization. The NEO fertilizers had no more adverse effects on soil fauna feeding activity than other fertilizers. Other factors than fertilization alone are determining the soil fauna feeding activity.

• Aamot, Heidi Udnes; Mousavi, Hesam; Razzaghian, Jafar; Brodal, Guro; Sulyok, Michael & Krska, Rudolf [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). Fusarium langsethiae and mycotoxin contamination in oat grain differed with growth stage at inoculation. European journal of plant pathology. ISSN 0929-1873. 164(1), p. 59–78. doi: 10.1007/s10658-022-02539-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  High levels of mycotoxins are occasionally observed in Norwegian oat grain lots. Mycotoxins of primary concern in Norwegian oats are deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by Fusarium graminearum and HT2- and T2-toxins (HT2 + T2) produced by Fusarium langsethiae. Improved understanding of the epidemiology of Fusarium spp. is important for the development of measures to control mycotoxins. We studied the susceptibility to F. langsethiae after inoculation at early (booting, heading, flowering) or late (flowering, milk, dough) growth stages in three oat varieties in greenhouse experiments. The varieties had previously shown different levels of resistance to F. graminearum: Odal, Vinger (both moderately resistant), and Belinda (susceptible). The level of F. langsethiae DNA and HT2 + T2 were measured in harvested grain. In addition, we observed differences in aggressiveness (measured as the level of F. langsethiae DNA in grain) between F. langsethiae isolates after inoculation of oats at flowering. Substantial levels of F. langsethiae DNA (mean ≥ 138 pg per μg plant DNA) and HT2 + T2 (≥348 μg/kg) were detected in grain harvested from oats that were spray-inoculated at heading or later stages, but not at booting (mean ≤ 10 pg/μg and ≤ 25 μg/kg, respectively), suggesting that oats are susceptible to F. langsethiae from heading and onwards. Vinger was the most resistant variety to F. langsethiae/HT2 + T2, whereas Odal and Belinda were relatively susceptible. We observed that late inoculations yielded high levels of other trichothecene A metabolites (mean sum of metabolites of 35–1048 μg/kg) in addition to HT2 + T2, in harvested grain, an indication that infections close to harvest may pose a further risk to food and feed safety.

• Hassan, Sameer; Lethin, Johanna; Blomberg, Rasmus; Mousavi, Hesam & Aronsson, Henrik (2019). In silico based screening of WRKY genes for identifying functional genes regulated by WRKY under salt stress. Computational biology and chemistry. ISSN 1476-9271. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2019.107131. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Vafabakhsh, Javad & haghighi, Reza Sadrabadi (2010). The effect of water deficit on water use efficiency and oil content of rapeseed cultivars. Agroecology Journal of Iran. ISSN 2423-4281. doi: 10.22067/JAG.V2I3.7662. Full text in Research Archive

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• Mousavi, Hesam (2016). Identifying inoculation methods for screening of resistance to Fusarium langsethiae in selected oat varieties. Norwegian University of Life Sciences. 54 p. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.13248.20484. Full text in Research Archive

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• Mousavi, Hesam (2026). Role of primary protectors of plant cells in salinity tolerance. doi: https:/prezi.com/view/Y9ryLS2cXz9Zzd1I3HCx/?referral_token=9BvSXFlnB3FN. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Salinity stress is among the most pervasive abiotic factors limiting plant growth and agricultural productivity worldwide, currently affecting more than 20% of irrigated croplands. Elevated salt concentrations induce osmotic imbalance, ionic toxicity, and oxidative stress, leading to disruptions in photosynthesis, metabolism, and plant development. To counteract these deleterious effects, plants have evolved intricate, highly coordinated defense systems comprising structural and functional cellular protectors. At the structural level, the cell wall, plasma membrane, vacuole, and peroxisome play critical roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis under saline conditions. These cellular structures safeguard the cell by regulating ion fluxes, preserving membrane integrity, and mitigating the toxicity of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Ion transporters such as SOS1, NHX1, and HKT1, along with vacuolar proton pumps, maintain optimal Na⁺/K⁺ balance and pH regulation within cellular compartments. Functionally, plants deploy osmolytes and compatible solutes, including proline, glycine betaine, trehalose, and polyamines that act as osmoprotectants, stabilizing proteins and membranes while maintaining cellular turgor. Concurrently, robust antioxidant systems, comprising both enzymatic components (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase) and non-enzymatic molecules (ascorbate, glutathione, carotenoids), scavenge excess ROS generated during salt stress. Stress proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins also contribute to proteostasis and membrane stabilization during salt stress. Recent advances (2020–2025) have significantly expanded our understanding of the molecular and signaling networks underlying salinity tolerance. While earlier studies have focused on individual components such as ion transporters, osmolytes, or antioxidant systems, this review uniquely integrates structural organelle-based defenses with functional metabolic responses into a unified framework. We highlight the dynamic cross-communication among transcriptional regulators, ion transport systems, ROS detoxification pathways, and hormonal signaling cascades that collectively orchestrate plant adaptation to salinity. By synthesizing recent findings from a systems-level perspective, this work provides novel insights into the coordinated cellular defense network, identifying key regulatory hubs and multi-target strategies for breeding and biotechnological interventions to improve crop resilience and productivity in salt-affected agroecosystems.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2026). Mitigating salinity and cadmium stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using PGPR and salicylic acid: rhizosphere, health risk, and physiological insights. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Soil contamination with salinity and heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) is becoming aserious global problem due to the rapid development of the social economy. Although plantgrowth-promoting rhizobacteria PGPR and organic agents such as salicylic acid (SA) areconsidered major protectants to alleviate abiotic stresses, the study of these bacteria andorganic acids to ameliorate the toxic effects of salinity and Cd remains limited. Therefore, thepresent study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined effects of PGPR andSA on enhancing the phytoremediation of salinity (100 mM NaCl) and Cd (50 μM CdCl₂) usingrice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. The research results indicated that elevated levels of salinity andCd stress in soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, photosyntheticpigments, and gas exchange attributes. However, salinity and Cd stress also induced oxida-tive stress in the plants by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)by 44% and 38%, respectively, which also induced increased compounds of various enzy-matic and nonenzymatic antioxidants, and also the gene expression and sugar content.Furthermore, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in cadmium accumulation, potential health riskindices, proline metabolism, the AsA–GSH cycle, and the pigmentation of cellular compo-nents was observed. Although the application of PGPR and SA showed a significant (P < 0.05)increase in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, microbial diversity,functional gene abundance in the rhizosphere, enzymatic and nonenzymatic compounds,and their gene expression, and also decreased oxidative stress. In addition, the application ofPGPR and SA enhanced cellular fractionation and decreased metal accumulation by 37% inshoots, proline metabolism, and the AsA–GSH cycle in O. sativa plants. These results providenew insights for sustainable agricultural practices and hold immense promise in addressingthe pressing challenges of salinity and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2026). Salty Water, Salty Soil, and Stubborn Wheat: When Yield Refuses to Give Up. doi: https:/zenodo.org/records/20198587. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Twenty-three lines from a mutagenized Bangladeshi BARI Gom-25 wheat population that included previously identified salt-tolerant lines, and the BARI Gom-25 control variety, were cultivated in a drip-irrigated salinity test field at Salt Farm Texel, Netherlands, to assess their performance during salt stress in European climatic conditions. Lines were tested at irrigation salinity levels of 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 dS m−1 in four repetitions of plots with 24 plants per plot. Average plant height, tiller number, spike length, frequency of live plants, and total grain weight (TGW) were recorded as functions of seasonal mean pore water salinity in the soil. Increases in salinity triggered reductions in all evaluated variables of the assessed lines and the control variety. However, nine mutagenized lines had at least twofold higher mean TGW than the control variety, 18.73 ± 4.19 g/plot at 1–16 dS m−1 salinity levels. Common models of salt tolerance confirmed this pattern, but there were no clear differences in salinity tolerance parameter estimates between the mutagenized lines and the control variety. Thus, despite the apparent similarity in responses of all lines to salinity increase, we clearly identified lines that tended to have higher TGW at given salinities than the control variety. This higher TGW at the full range of salinity treatments indicates not only a possible higher salinity tolerance but a higher yield potential as well. The mechanisms involved clearly warrant further attention.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2026). When Rice Meets Salt & Cadmium… Who Wins? PGPR and Salicylic Acid Help Rice Fight Back. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Soil contamination with salinity and heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) is becoming a serious global problem due to the rapid development of the social economy. Although plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria PGPR and organic agents such as salicylic acid (SA) are considered major protectants to alleviate abiotic stresses, the study of these bacteria and organic acids to ameliorate the toxic effects of salinity and Cd remains limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the individual and combined effects of PGPR and SA on enhancing the phytoremediation of salinity (100 mM NaCl) and Cd (50 µM CdCl₂) using rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. The research results indicated that elevated levels of salinity and Cd stress in soil significantly (P < 0.05) decreased plant growth and biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and gas exchange attributes. However, salinity and Cd stress also induced oxidative stress in the plants by increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by 44% and 38%, respectively, which also induced increased compounds of various enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants, and also the gene expression and sugar content. Furthermore, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in cadmium accumulation, potential health risk indices, proline metabolism, the AsA–GSH cycle, and the pigmentation of cellular components was observed. Although the application of PGPR and SA showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, microbial diversity, functional gene abundance in the rhizosphere, enzymatic and nonenzymatic compounds, and their gene expression, and also decreased oxidative stress. In addition, the application of PGPR and SA enhanced cellular fractionation and decreased metal accumulation by 37% in shoots, proline metabolism, and the AsA–GSH cycle in O. sativa plants. These results provide new insights for sustainable agricultural practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of salinity and heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2026). Salt, Stress… and Surprisingly Strong Wheat: Effects of Increasing Salinity by Drip Irrigation on Grain Yield. doi: https:/drive.google.com/file/d/1LMP6_6-i1ssUd7oqefPn-UVcXWyBw7a0/preview. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract Twenty-three lines from a mutagenized Bangladeshi BARI Gom-25 wheat population that included previously identified salt-tolerant lines, and the BARI Gom-25 control variety, were cultivated in a drip-irrigated salinity test field at Salt Farm Texel, Netherlands, to assess their performance during salt stress in European climatic conditions. Lines were tested at irrigation salinity levels of 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 dS m−1 in four repetitions of plots with 24 plants per plot. Average plant height, tiller number, spike length, frequency of live plants, and total grain weight (TGW) were recorded as functions of seasonal mean pore water salinity in the soil. Increases in salinity triggered reductions in all evaluated variables of the assessed lines and the control variety. However, nine mutagenized lines had at least twofold higher mean TGW than the control variety, 18.73 ± 4.19 g/plot at 1–16 dS m−1 salinity levels. Common models of salt tolerance confirmed this pattern, but there were no clear differences in salinity tolerance parameter estimates between the mutagenized lines and the control variety. Thus, despite the apparent similarity in responses of all lines to salinity increase, we clearly identified lines that tended to have higher TGW at given salinities than the control variety. This higher TGW at the full range of salinity treatments indicates not only a possible higher salinity tolerance but a higher yield potential as well. The mechanisms involved clearly warrant further attention.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2025). Effects of Increasing Salinity by Drip Irrigation on Total Grain Weight of Salt-Tolerant Mutagenized Wheat Lines. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Twenty-three lines from a mutagenized Bangladeshi BARI Gom-25 wheat population that included previously identified salt-tolerant lines, and the BARI Gom-25 control variety, were cultivated in a drip-irrigated salinity test field at Salt Farm Texel, Netherlands, to assess their performance during salt stress in European climatic conditions. Lines were tested at irrigation salinity levels of 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 dS m−1 in four repetitions of plots with 24 plants per plot. Average plant height, tiller number, spike length, frequency of live plants, and total grain weight (TGW) were recorded as functions of seasonal mean pore water salinity in the soil. Increases in salinity triggered reductions in all evaluated variables of the assessed lines and the control variety. However, nine mutagenized lines had at least twofold higher mean TGW than the control variety, 18.73 ± 4.19 g/plot at 1–16 dS m−1 salinity levels. Common models of salt tolerance confirmed this pattern, but there were no clear differences in salinity tolerance parameter estimates between the mutagenized lines and the control variety. Thus, despite the apparent similarity in responses of all lines to salinity increase, we clearly identified lines that tended to have higher TGW at given salinities than the control variety. This higher TGW at the full range of salinity treatments indicates not only a possible higher salinity tolerance but a higher yield potential as well. The mechanisms involved clearly warrant further attention.

• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2025). Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) A Short-Term Boost to Soil Nitrification Without Lasting Impact. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Amidst population growth, escalating food costs, limited arable land, and farmland degradation, the adoption of innovative technologies—like organic waste recycling and nutrient recovery—is crucial for enhancing the resilience of global agri-food systems. Nitrogen-Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) is produced using a new method, where dinitrogen (N2) is captured from the air through a plasma process and mixed with slurries or digestates as nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite (NO2-). This process leads to solid slurry acidification and a high NO2- content, potentially yielding toxic inorganic or organic N compounds. This study investigated the impact of NEO derived from cattle slurry and biogas digestate on soil nitrification—conversion of NH4+ to NO2- and NO3- by aerobic autotrophic bacteria and archaea. We investigated and compared the potential nitrification rates in soil samples from two agricultural trials (cereal and grass) treated with NEO and other fertilizers after two consecutive fertilization years. Additionally, we examined the immediate nitrification response to NEO through 73-hour soil incubations. Our results revealed that NEO significantly stimulated nitrification rates in agitated soil slurries, regardless of the feedstock used, surpassing rates observed in ammonium controls. Similarly, this pattern was also observed in loosely placed soil samples, with high nitrification rates occurring with NEO and ammonium chloride. Interestingly, the differences in nitrification rates between field-fertilized soil samples were minimal and inconsequential, suggesting that while NEO exhibits a rapid boost in nitrification rates shortly after application, this effect is not sustained ≈ six months after fertilization under field conditions. Consequently, NEO indicates its potential as an environmentally benign fertilizer without adversely affecting soil nitrification.

• Mousavi, Hesam (2024). From Ph.D. to Academia: Unraveling the Impacts of Fertilization on Soil Biota and Crop Yield. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Bruning, Bas; Straten, Gerrit Van; Almås, Åsgeir R.; Lethin, Johanna & Naik, Nupur [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2024). Unlocking High Yield Potential: Investigating the Impact of Drip Irrigation-Induced Salinity on Total Grain Weight in Salt-Tolerant Mutagenized Wheat Lines. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Twenty-three lines derived from a mutagenized Bangladeshi BARI Gom-25 wheat population, including previously identified salt-tolerant lines, along with the BARI Gom-25 control variety, were cultivated in a drip-irrigated salinity test field at Salt Farm Texel, Netherlands. The study aimed to evaluate their performance under salt stress in European climatic conditions. The lines were exposed to irrigation salinity levels ranging from 1 to 20 dS m⁻¹, with four plot replicates containing 24 plants each. Various growth parameters, including average plant height, tiller number, spike length, frequency of living plants, and total grain weight (TGW), were recorded in relation to seasonal mean pore water salinity in the soil. Results indicated that increasing salinity levels reduced all evaluated variables for the mutagenized lines and the control variety. However, nine mutagenized lines exhibited at least twofold higher mean TGW than the control variety, averaging 18.73 ± 4.19 g/plot across salinity levels of 1–16 dS m⁻¹. While common models of salt tolerance affirmed this trend, there were no differences in salinity tolerance parameter estimates between the mutagenized lines and the control variety. Despite the similar responses of all lines to increased salinity, certain lines demonstrated consistently higher TGW than the control variety across various salinity treatments. This observation suggests a potential for enhanced salinity tolerance and a higher yield potential in these lines. Further investigations into the underlying mechanisms are needed to elucidate and harness these traits for sustainable agriculture. Keywords: EMS; drip irrigation; mutagenized; salinity; salt stress; wheat; sustainable agriculture

• Mousavi, Hesam (2023). Nitrogen-Enriched Organic fertilizer's (NEO) effects on crop yields, soil functions, and species. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam (2023). Reactive nitrogen in the biosphere since the industrial revolution, energy requirements in biological fixation and fertilizer production, and availability to plants. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas; Pommeresche, Reidun; Dörsch, Peter & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2023). Plasma-Treated Nitrogen-Enriched Manure Does Not Impose Adverse Effects on Soil Fauna Feeding Activity or Springtails and Earthworms Abundance. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Cottis, Thomas & Solberg, Svein Øivind (2023). Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) elevates nitrification rates shortly after application but has no lasting effect on nitrification in agricultural soils. Full text in Research Archive
• Aamot, Heidi Udnes; Mousavi, Hesam; Razzaghian, Jafar; Brodal, Guro; Sulyok, Michael & Krska, Rudolf [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2023). Fusarium langsethiae and mycotoxin contamination in oat grain differed with growth stage at inoculation. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In Norway, high levels of mycotoxins are occasionally observed in oat grain lots, and this cause problems for growers, livestock producers and the food and feed industries. Mycotoxins of primary concern are deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by Fusarium graminearum and HT2- and T2-toxins (HT2+T2) produced by Fusarium langsethiae. Although effort has been made to understand the epidemiology of F. langsethiae in oats, this is still not fully understood. In the present study, we aimed to increase our understanding of the F. langsethiae – oat interaction. Resistance to F. langsethiae was studied in three oat varieties after inoculation at early (booting, heading, flowering) or late (flowering, milk, dough) growth stages in greenhouse experiments. The oat varieties had previously shown different levels of resistance to F. graminearum: Odal, Vinger (both moderately resistant), and Belinda (susceptible). The levels of F. langsethiae DNA and HT2+T2 in harvested grain were measured, and differences in aggressiveness (measured as the level of F. langsethiae DNA in grain) between F. langsethiae isolates were observed. Substantial levels of F. langsethiae DNA and HT2+T2 were detected in grain harvested from oats that had been spray-inoculated at heading or later growth stages, suggesting that oats are susceptible to F. langsethiae from heading and onwards. Vinger had a moderate resistance to F. langsethiae/HT2+T2, whereas Odal and Belinda were relatively susceptible. We observed that late inoculations resulted in relatively higher levels of trichothecene A metabolites other than HT2+T2 (mostly glycosylated HT-2, and smaller amounts of some other metabolites) in harvested grain, which indicate that infections close to harvest may pose a further risk to food and feed safety.

• Cottis, Thomas; Solberg, Svein Øivind; Myrvang, Mona Bakke & Mousavi, Hesam (2022). Regionale gjødselressurser: avlingseffekt av biokull i blanding med biorest. Resultater fra Høgskolen i Innlandet sitt arbeid i 2021. Skriftserien Høgskolen i Innlandet. ISSN 2535-5678. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.34562.15046. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam (2022). Investigating the effects of Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) on soil functions, biological activity, and key species in the soil. Full text in Research Archive
• Cottis, Thomas; Solberg, Svein Øivind; Nyvold, Magnus; Johansen, Astrid; Stabbetorp, Jan & Berg, Erik Hørluck [Show all 9 contributors for this article] (2021). Prosjekt FARGO år 2020: en oppsummering av Høgskolen i Innlandet sin forskning. Skriftserien Høgskolen i Innlandet. ISSN 2535-5678. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.27408.89602. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Lethin, Johanna; Naik, Nupur; Olsson, Olof & Aronsson, Henrik (2019). Effects of elevated salinity on agronomic and physiological parameters of different mutated wheat lines. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam; Lethin, Johanna; Aronsson, Henrik & Olsson, Olof (2019). Development and characterization of an EMS mutated wheat population and identification of salt tolerant wheat lines. Full text in Research Archive
• Mousavi, Hesam (2023). Nitrogen-Enriched Organic fertilizer's (NEO) effects on crop yields, soil functions, and species. Universitetet i Innlandet. ISSN 9788283804515. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Abstract: In an era of population growth, increasing food prices, scarcity of arable land, and environmental degradation of farmlands, demand for novel solutions has emerged. This entails introducing innovative fertilizer products designed to mitigate their environmental footprint. Synergized with complementary strategies, these innovations can bolster food production while safeguarding the food production system's sustainability. Nitrogen Enriched Organic fertilizer (NEO) is produced using a new method, where dinitrogen (N2) is captured from the air and through a plasma process mixed with bio-based fertilizers as nitrate (NO3 - ) and nitrite (NO2 - ). However, a thorough product assessment is necessary to unveil potential adverse effects before introducing it to the global markets. In this context, our research has centered on examining the fertilizer's impact on soil fauna activity (measured through substrate breakdown), the abundance of key soil species (springtails and earthworms), as well as critical processes like nitrification and nutrient uptake (yield). Different fertilization regimes were employed, including mineral fertilizer, NEO, untreated biobased fertilizers, and no fertilizer across various experimental setups. Regarding soil fauna feeding activity, there were discrepancies between our two studies. However, we observed a tendency for higher feeding activity in unfertilized soil or under lower fertilization amounts, irrespective of fertilizer type. However, the initial perturbative effect of fertilization on soil fauna feeding activity subsided within a few weeks after application. Likewise, NEO and other fertilizers demonstrated no detrimental effects on the abundance and weight of earthworms or the abundance of springtails. The study also investigated the impact of NEO on soil nitrification potential and observed that although NEO initially stimulated nitrification rates in controlled settings, this effect did not persist ≈ six months after fertilization in the field. Concerning crop yields, while yielding slightly less grass than mineral fertilizers under controlled conditions with equivalent N-min input, NEO exhibited a grain yield approximately 20% lower than mineral fertilizer in the field. Albeit, NEO unveiled an advantage, yielding 20–30% more than the original cattle slurry supply. This signifies a noteworthy enhancement in crop productivity, achieved solely through using electricity and cattle slurry as inputs. In brief, the explorations did not detect any harmful effects of NEO on soil functions and key species, while improved crop yields than the feedstock from which it was derived. Thus, our research findings demonstrate that NEO constitutes a meaningful contribution despite its incremental role in transitioning global food production systems toward sustainability.

• Cottis, Thomas; Solberg, Svein Øivind; Nyvold, Magnus; Dörsch, Peter & Mousavi, Hesam (2022). Resultater fra prosjekt FARGO 2021. Universitetet i Innlandet. ISSN 9788283803662. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Høsten 2019 ble prosjektet Plasmabehandlet husdyrgjødsel – gjødselvirkning, miljøpåvirkning og klimagassutslipp (Fargo) innvilget finansiering fra Forskningsrådet. Prosjektet er i kategorien Innovasjonsprosjekt i næringslivet. Selskapet N2 Applied er prosjekteier og de går også inn med halvparten av prosjektets finansiering på til sammen 15 millioner kroner over prosjektets tre år: 2020-2022. Denne rapporten gjennomgår opplegg og resultater for de 11 feltforsøkene i gras og korn, 2 forsøk i vekstrom og 4 forsøk for effekter på jordliv i 2021. Høsten 2022 kommer prosjektets sluttrapport med resultatene for alle tre prosjektårene og samlede vurderinger og konklusjoner i henhold til prosjektenes mål og delmål.

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