Lentils in Australia are primarily grown in temperate and Mediterranean climates, especially in the southern and western regions of the country. As in other parts of the world, lentil yields in these areas are significantly influenced by factors such as frost, heat, and drought, contributing to variable production. Therefore, selecting appropriate lentil varieties and determining optimal sowing times that align with favourable growing conditions is crucial. Accurate predictions of crop development are essential in this context. Current models mainly rely on photoperiod and temperature to predict lentil phenology; however, they often neglect the impact of soil water on flowering and pod set. This study investigated whether incorporating soil water as an additional factor could improve predictions for these critical growth stages. The modified model was tested using 281 data points from various lentil experiments that examined the timing of flowering (61-147 days) and pod set (77-163 days) across different combinations of location, variety, sowing time, and season. The results indicated that including soil water in the prediction model achieved an R2 value of 0.84 for flowering and 0.83 for pod set. The normalised root mean square error (NRMSE) was 0.07, and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (LinCCC) was 0.91. The model produced an R2 of 0.88, an NRMSE of 0.05, and a LinCCC of 0.93 flowering compared to the default model, which yielded an R2 of 0.24, an NRMSE of 0.17, and a LinCCC of 0.36 for flowering. A limited sensitivity analysis of the modified model showed that variations in initial soil water and in-season rainfall significantly affected the timing of flowering and pod set. Additionally, we employed a probability framework to assess the crop's vulnerability to the last frost day and early heat stress events during the reproductive stage. This approach provided valuable insights for decision-making to mitigate risks associated with frost and heat stress. Our study suggests that integrating soil water dynamics into lentil phenology models improves the accuracy and precision of predictions regarding the timing of flowering and pod set. These improvements lead to better forecasts, ultimately helping to minimise damage from frost and heat stress during lentil cultivation and can better explain the effect of climate variability.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the seasonal changes in leachate compositions, and their impact on germination tests and alpha-amylase activity. Throughout the four seasons of the year 2022, leachate samples were collected in autumn, winter, spring, and summer directly from the collection conduit of the untreated leachate pond at Mediouna landfill (Casablanca, Morocco). The parameters analyzed in the leachate samples included pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), and orthophosphate (PO43-). The present study involved the execution of germination tests on municipal solid waste leachate. Lens culinaris and Medicago sativa seeds were exposed to leachate at different dilutions of 1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10%, with tap water as control, for about 72 h in the dark at room temperature. Severe toxicity was observed for the 7% and 10% concentrations, observing that L. culinaris and M. sativa showed a mean value of germination index inferior to 50%. These results can be explained by the presence of inhibitor elements in the leachate such as heavy metals (Pb and Hg) and sodium. Lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) have mean concentrations of 0.2276 ppm and 0.0159 ppm, respectively, while sodium (Na) exhibits an average concentration of 359.942 ppm. In addition, for the biochemical parameters, we noted a decrease in alpha-amylase activity proportionally to the germination index. In conclusion, this work highlights the significant metabolic disturbances induced by leachate, harming the germination of L. culinaris and M. sativa seeds. The present results highlight the potential deleterious effects of leachate pollution on agricultural activities and the ecosystem. However, it may also be possible to take advantage of the leachate's richness in organic matter and nutrient salts to fertilize agricultural land. Our next investigations will aim to verify whether the use of leachate as fertilizer will cause damage to crops and soil.