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Agro-industrial wastes representing a significant problem can be revalued as biofertilizers. The present paper aims to determine the effect of processed grapevine pomace (PGP) and whey bio-ferment (WB) on radish cultivation under conditions of arid zone soil. A 3x3 factorial arrangement of completely randomized design was used, with three levels of PGP (0, 1.25, and 2.50 g kg-1 soil applied in total dose before planting) and three levels of WB (0, 50, and 100 mL L-1 applied in irrigation water). Radish leaves were evaluated for length and chlorophyll; root dry matter content, length, diameter, weight, and total soluble solids (TSS) were measured; organic matter (OM), N, P, K, pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) was determined in the soil. Specific differences in means were determined by the LSD-Fisher method applied after analysis of variance (ANOVA); the significance of differences was defined at P<0.05. The most remarkable result to emerge from the data is that using PGP and WB improved soil attributes and promoted crop development. Specifically, the higher the PGP dose, the greater the benefits; in the case of WB, the dose of 50 mL L-1 showed the best results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Smoke–water (1:2500 v/v) foliar application was tested on radish, spinach and turnip seedlings. • Essential mineral elements were determined in the leaves of seedlings of these vegetables. • Smoke–water significantly stimulated the length and weight of seedlings of examined vegetables. • Potassium and zinc levels were markedly improved in leaves with smoke–water. • Smoke–water, a promising technology for growing vigorous vegetable seedlings. Smoke–water, a smoke-saturated solution derived from the smoke generated by burning plant materials, promotes seed germination and growth of various plant species. There are many reported studies where seeds are treated and soils are drenched with smoke–water to explore the beneficial effects of smoke. However, little information is available on the influence of foliar spraying of smoke–water on the seedlings of commercial vegetable crops for better growth prospects. This study, therefore, investigated the effects of standardized smoke–water (1:2500 v/v) foliar application on the seedling growth of radish (Raphanus sativus L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and turnip (Brassica rapa L.), and determined the mineral elemental composition of leaves. Smoke–water foliar treatment significantly enhanced the length and weight of seedlings compared to the seedlings sprayed with water (control). Mineral elements, potassium and zinc, were increased notably in the leaves of all smoke–water foliar-treated seedlings. This can be attributed to increased photosynthetic activity that resulted in longer and heavier seedlings. The results of the present study provide an opportunity to incorporate the use of smoke–water for raising vigorous and healthier vegetable seedlings for better yield. Moreover, it can minimize the input of conventional chemical sprays that are detrimental to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate, non-destructive forecasting of carrot yield is difficult due to its subterranean growing habit. Furthermore, the timing of forecasting usually occurs when the crop is mature, limiting the opportunity to implement alternative management decisions to improve yield (during the growing season). This study aims to improve the accuracy of carrot yield forecasting by exploring time series and multivariate approaches. Using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery in three Australian vegetable regions, we established a time series of carrot phenological stages (PhS) from 'days after sowing' (DAS) to enhance prediction timing. Numerous vegetation indices (VIs) were analyzed to derive temporal growth patterns. Correlations with yield at different PhS were established. Although the average root yield (t ha−1) did not significantly differ across the regions, the temporal VI signatures, indicating different regional crop growth trends, did vary as well as the PhS at when the maximum correlation with yield occurred ( P h S R 2 max ) with two of the regions producing a delayed P h S R 2 max (i.e. 90–130 DAS). The best multivariate model was identified at 70 DAS, extending the forecasting window before harvest between 20 to 60 days. The performance of this model was validated with new crops producing an average error of 16.9 t ha−1 (27% of total yield). These results demonstrate the potential of the model at such early stage under varying growing conditions offering growers and stakeholders the chance to optimize farming practices, make informed decisions on selling, harvesting, and labor planning, and adopt precision agriculture methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilting and crown‐rot symptoms were observed in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants in field surveys carried out in 2021 across major vegetable‐producing areas of three municipalities of Guatemala. Phytophthora capsici (Peronosporales, Peronosporaceae) isolates were identified in association with these symptoms based upon morphological and phylogenetic analyses using nucleotide sequence information of the Cox2 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) region. Biological tests confirmed P. capsici mating type A1 isolates as the causal agents of the disease. Symptoms similar to those observed in the field were obtained after controlled inoculation of C. annuum 'Tico' seedlings. Solanum habrochaites 'LA 404' and C. annuum 'Criollo de Morelos' displayed strong resistance reaction against all Guatemalan isolates. Even though P. capsici is a cosmopolitan pathogen, this is the first molecular confirmation of this pathogen infecting C. annuum in Guatemala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS), the germination of seeds on the plant prior to harvest, poses significant challenges to agriculture. It not only reduces seed and grain yield, but also impairs the commodity quality of the fruit, ultimately affecting the success of the subsequent crop cycle. A deeper understanding of PHS is essential for guiding future breeding strategies, mitigating its impact on seed production rates and the commercial quality of fruits. PHS is a complex phenomenon influenced by genetic, physiological, and environmental factors. Many of these factors exert their influence on PHS through the intricate regulation of plant hormones responsible for seed germination. While numerous genes related to PHS have been identified in food crops, the study of PHS in vegetable crops is still in its early stages. This review delves into the regulatory elements, functional genes, and recent research developments related to PHS in vegetable crops. Meanwhile, this paper presents a novel understanding of PHS, aiming to serve as a reference for the study of this trait in vegetable crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Poland, the share of Diptera in the species composition of the harmful entomofauna occurring on vegetable crops ranges from 20 to 25%. They occur on all vegetables grown in Poland (over 80 species and botanical varieties). Since the systematic registration of pests inhabiting crops in Poland in 1919, over 70 species of flies have been listed as pests of vegetable plants. Species from three families dominate in terms of population and numbers: Anthomyiidae with 12 species (Delia radicum, on early and late cultivars of cruciferous vegetables, mainly broccoli, cauliflower, white cabbage, kohlrabi, and radishes; Delia platura occurs annually on bean and cucumber; Delia antiqua on onion and garlic; and Pegomya hyoscyami on beetroot), Cecidomyiidae with 10 species (two species dominate, Contarinia nasturtii and Dasineura napi, on cruciferous vegetables), and Agromyzidae with 23 species (Liriomyza bryoniae on cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, and Phytomyza gymnostoma on leeks). Short-term, gradational occurrence of some dominant species was found, including Botanophila gnava (lettuce), Chamaepsila rosae (carrot, parsley), Delia platura (asparagus, bean), Delia radicum (broccoli, cauliflower, kohlrabi, radishes, white cabbage), Phytomyza gymnostoma (leek), Oscinella frit (corn), and Suillia lurida (garlic). However, they did not affect the level of plant production in the following years of cultivation. Apart from phytophagous species, taxa with a different trophic structure are common. These are copro-, necro-, sapro-, and zoophagous species. The most numerous were flies from the Drosophilidae family (Drosophila busckii, Drosophila limbata, Scaptomyza pallida, Fanniidae (Fannia canicularis, Fannia scalaris), Heleomyzidae (Tephrochlamys tarsalis), and Muscidae (Muscina levida, Muscina stabulans, Phaonia trimaculata). Natural enemies of insects play an important role in vegetable agrocenoses. Species belonging to the order of Coleoptera beetles (Carabidae and Staphylinidae), Syrphidae, Tachinidae, and Muscidae, mainly Phaonia trimaculata larvae, play the most important role in reducing the number of Diptera. In addition, the number of phytophages is limited by other organisms, e.g., Diplopoda, Nematoda, Arachnida, and pathogens of viral, bacterial, and fungal origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant number of people around the world suffer from illnesses that are related to the consumption of unsafe vegetable crops. Early identification of waterborne microbial pathogens affecting vegetable crops can be an important step towards the control of disease. Microbial pathogens secrete extracellular metabolic volatiles or molecular biomarkers that affect the yield and quality of vegetable crops. These secreted compounds can be investigated using several applied analytical techniques, such as metabolomics, proteomics and other 'omics' tools. Currently, it is possible to use these approaches to characterize a broad range of specialized metabolites present in vegetable crops affected by waterborne and soilborne microbial pathogens. Such approaches may be used to determine molecular biomarkers, which can subsequently be exploited for the diagnosis of microbial pathogens that affect vegetable crops. Molecular biomarkers are involved in complex pathogenic biological processes involving mechanisms of pathogenesis and could be of great interest in the field of metabolomics. This review investigates disease diagnostic strategies and emerging analytical metabolomics techniques for waterborne microbial pathogens in vegetable crops. These will be vital in building comprehensive and more reliable data regarding the nature of secreted proteins and other specialized metabolites in vegetable crops and will lead to an increased understanding of the interactions between the host and pathogenic oomycetes, fungi, bacteria and viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant changes taking place recently in the agrocenoses of our country are quite a challenge for specialists in plant protection. Among other problems, attention is drawn to the increase in the number and harmfulness of bacterial diseases. Vegetable crops are in the area of special attention. The spread of soft bacterial rot during the cultivation and storage of vegetables causes significant losses to farms. Forecasting the spread and organization of measures to control pathogens of bacterial soft rots of vegetable crops requires an assessment of the spectrum of widespread pathogens. In recent years, pathogens of the genus Dickeya have attracted special attention among the causative agents of bacterial soft rots of vegetable crops. This pathogen was previously found only in the tropics and subtropics. However, in recent years, the number of reports on damage to various vegetable crops by this phytopathogen in European countries has been increasing. The movement of the pathogen to the north is also accompanied by an increase in the aggressiveness of the pathogen and an increase in economic losses from damage by soft bacterial rot both during the cultivation of plants and during the period of crop storage. The purpose of the presented research is to analyze and summarize data on the harmfulness, ways of spreading, identification and control methods of pathogens of bacterial soft rots of vegetable crops of the genus Dickeya. The work uses general scientific (generalization, comparison, system analysis) methods. It was established that phytopathogenic bacteria of the genus Dickeya have a significant potential for introduction on the territory of Ukraine. Bacterial rot caused by representatives of this genus can affect the most important vegetable crops for our country: potatoes, carrots, tomatoes. The spread of pathogens of the genus Dickeya occurs with seed material during agricultural work. To prevent significant economic losses from this pathogen, it is necessary, first of all, to introduce pre-sowing control of seed material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The size and quality of the melon fruit yield depend on the cultivar, climatic and agronomic factors. A three-year field experiment investigated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) application and irrigation (IR) on the fruit yield of melon (Cucumis melo L. var. saccharinus Naud.) cultivars. The study was conducted on a certified organic farm located in south-eastern Poland (51.36° N, 22.83° E). The factors of the experiment were as follows: cultivar (Melba, Emir F1, Seledyn F1, Oliwin) and cultivation method (AMF and IR; AMF and non-IR; non-AMF and IR; non-AMF and non-IR as control). The dry matter (%), soluble solid (%), total sugar and reducing sugar (% fresh weight, FM), L-ascorbic acid (mg · 100 g−1 FM), and carotenoid (mg · 100 g−1 FM) contents of the fruit were determined. The highest total and marketable fruit yields were obtained using AMF and IR. Fruit from the AMF series (IR and non-IR) had the most carotenoids (respectively: 801.5 and 788.8 µg · 100 g−1 FM). The fruits of the AMF and IR plants contained the most total sugars (5.98%) and reducing sugars (2.91%) compared to the others. The control plants had the lowest number of marketable fruit, total and marketable fruit yield, and accumulated the least L-ascorbic acid, total sugars and reducing sugars. We suggest that AMF and IR can be recommended as a practical agronomic solutions for the field cultivation of melon under temperate climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid urban growth seen globally in recent years has not been supported by a simultaneous increase in agricultural land and/or crop productivity. Producing crops in (peri‐)urban areas shows good potential to provide the vegetable products for a healthy and balanced diet for the growing population, but it has to deal with the local availability of resources. Thus, meeting the food requirements of the urban population as efficiently and robustly as possible is a challenge. This study developed a methodology to estimate the use of resources of urban farming systems to produce energy‐ and nutrient‐dense vegetables capable of meeting human dietary needs. The method was applied to two extremely different cultivation systems (an open field farm and a plant factory with artificial lighting) for the production of seven crops. The results on the resource efficiencies to meet the annual per‐capita vegetable requirements are discussed in relation to crop type, local climate and cultivation system. The application of this methodology can support farmers' decisions on the choice of crops and the type of urban farming systems that are most efficient in contributing to a plant‐based diet. The results can also be translated into water, energy, and surface area needed to meet the nutritional requirements at a city‐regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetranychus evansi is an important pest of solanaceous crops in Africa, causing important economic damage. Control of T. evansi is mainly achieved chemically. In search for alternative measures, the efficiency of Neem Oil in suppressing eggs and adult females of T. evansi was tested in laboratory in comparison to Acarius and Sunpyrifos, two chemical acaricides commonly used in vegetable farms. The mean egg hatching rates varied significantly among treatments, ranging from 3.60 ± 0.54% to 60.3 ± 0.16% (P < 0.0001). The highest hatching rate was recorded with the Control whereas the lowest ones were recorded with Neem Oil. Mortality of adult female T. evansi also varied significantly among treatments, ranging from 48 ± 3% to 100% (P < 0.0001). The highest mortality rates were recorded with Neem Oil at D1 whereas the lowest rate was recorded with the Control treatment. Comparison between pesticide showed Neem Oil as the most efficient (100%) followed by Acarius (93%) and Sunpyrifos (78%). Fecundity of pesticide-treated females T. evansi and proportion of eggs that hatched revealed significant differences between Acarius and Sunpyrifos (P < 0.0001), while none of the female survived after being in contact with the Neem Oil. Consequently, Neem Oil could seldom induce pesticide resistance in T. evansi populations. It appears from the study that Neem Oil at D1 or D2 was very effective against T. evansi and could therefore be an alternative to synthetic acaricides for an effective control of T. evansi on nightshade or tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strengthening agriculture involves various approaches to developing high-yielding new cultivars, optimization of soil composition, rational use of fertilizers, and pre-sowing treatment of seeds and seedlings. The safest and most environmentally friendly approach is to develop new genotypes, combining the most suitable characteristics in the existing growing area and environmental conditions. In this regard, the completed study aimed to breed various cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars during the years 2020-2021 under the environmental conditions of Aktobe region, Kazakhstan. Cucumber cultivars 584, 577, 427, 294, and 264 gained selection from the nursery based on a complex of economically valuable traits, laying of seed fruits, and individual selection from F2 to F8 populations, using the hybrid cultivar 'Ular' as the standard of comparison. Recorded phenological observations on growth stages, morphometrics, types of flowering, disease resistance, production, and biochemical traits of the fruits received analysis. Cucumber samples came from the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Growing (KazNIIKO), Kazakhstan. The hybrid was a derivative of the L-1 maternal line and the Phoenix 640 paternal line. The research result on the above-recorded parameters characterized six promising domestic cultivars of cucumber, namely, 264, 294, 427, 524, 577, and standard hybrid 'Ular.' Based on the complex of economically valuable features, the most predominant C. sativus L. cultivar was 294. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horticulture is now revolutionized by advancements in light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. New technologies enable knowledge expansion on how plants require different spectral illumination for optimal growth and development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. ‘Parys F1’) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Poranek’) seedlings produced in indoor controlled conditions, using three different types of LED tubes emitting warm light (AP67, AP673L, and G2). The photosynthetic photon flux density was set at 50–65 μmol m−2 s −1 and a 16-hour light regime was used. The results were compared to the cool daylight-emitting fluorescent (FL) control (tube lamp TLD 36W/54). A detailed analysis of the biometrical parameters of the aboveground and underground parts of seedlings was performed. Moreover, the content of chlorophyll in the leaves was measured. No effect of light spectra on the underground part of cucumber was found. On the other hand, the type of lamp affected the number of leaves and chlorophyll content in this species. Lamps AP673L and FL can be recommended in the production of cucumber seedlings. The obtained seedling had characteristics desired for horticultural production, i.e., compact habit with a fair number of leaves and chlorophyll content. As for tomato, the FL lamp had the best effect on the development of seedlings. Due to the high share of far red light, the tested LEDs stimulated the elongated growth of flaccid plants, unsuitable for commercial producers. Our findings not only described the effect of various light spectra on plant development but can also be useful for producers of popular vegetable crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of environmentally safe products of natural origin is a global trend today. A particular point of interest is the use of humic fertilizers. This is due to the growing awareness of the positive impact of humic substances on plant growth and development as well as on the quality of agricultural products and soil fertility. Humates are physiologically active substances. As a result, they regulate and intensify metabolic processes in plants and soil, and contribute to the bioavailability of nutrients to plants. EldORost is a new-generation humic product that contains humic substances with a high humification degree. In addition to humates, this product contains a complex of amino acids, macro-, and microelements in a bioavailable form for plants. The product is eco-friendly and completely soluble in water, which is a substantial advantage for drip irrigation systems. It can be used for all types of agricultural crops on a wide diversity of soils and climatic zones. It displays the properties of plant hormones while its optimum concentration is as low as 0.0001% (wt). The efficiency of this novel humic product was tested in laboratory and field tests conducted on potatoes and vegetable crops (tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, onions, beets). The obtained results showed high efficiency displayed in the significantly improved sowing quality of vegetable seeds, nominally increased the germination degree and seed germination energy, intensively stimulated the side root development in plants, accelerated the growth of biomass, increased the fruiting period, and reduced maturation on the yield of potatoes and vegetable crops. The obtained data allowed us to characterize this novel humic product from the perspective of an eco-friendly fertilizer and growth promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the serious environmental problems that face most Mediterranean countries especially Jordan, is Olive mill wastewater (OMW). Fortunately, scientists were able to conquer this problem by many solutions including OMW biological treatment and re-use in agriculture. This research was conducted to study the effect of OMW on tomato plant cultivation and seed germination of selected cultivars. The experiments were conducted at The Hashemite University which is located in an arid region, with three treatments of OMW including water (control), 50% diluted OMW, and 100% treated (concentrated OMW) in field and in greenhouse. While seed germination experiment was conducted under normal light conditions and 25°C. For tomato plants, the total yield, dry weight of root, aboveground biomass and accumulative number of flower. The results showed significant difference between those treated with 50% diluted OMW and those treated with 100% OMW or control and these differences included all variables measured except for the root dry weight. Concentrated OMW (100%) and 75% diluted OMW were highly toxic to the germinating of all seeds studied including chickpea, melon, cucumber, tomato and squash. As for the Microbial community analysis in soil, OMW treatments lead to a significant increase in fungal and bacterial counts throughout irrigation at elevated concentrations of OMW. However, OMW at a 50% concentration can be used in irrigation of crops like tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thrips is one of the important sucking pests infesting vegetable crops causing huge economic damage directly by sucking plant sap and indirectly by transmitting orthotospoviruses in the world as well as in India. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are very important vegetable producing states of India but lacking sound knowledge on incidence and distribution pattern, virus transmission efficiencies of the economically important thrips species occurring on vegetables. The identification of existence of different cryptic species of thrips within a genus is very difficult to distinguish using morphological parameters. Therefore, intensive sampling of thrips species was done on three important solanaceous vegetable crops (tomato, chilli and brinjal) in these two states and were subjected to morphological and molecular diagnostic techniques. Results revealed that nine distinct species of thrips belonging to six genera were known to occur on vegetables in these states. Interestingly, we report three cryptic species of thrips, Haplothrips ganglbaueri Schmutz and Thrips parvispinus (Karny) in Chhattisgarh, and Haplothrips gowdeyi (Franklin) in Madhya Pradesh for the first time. The other six species recorded were Thrips palmi Karny, Frankliniella schuttzei Trybom, Thrips florum Schmutz, Bathrips melanicornis, Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan), and Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. The most dominant species was found to be S. dorsalis, followed by T. palmi. The current study reports distribution of nine distinct thrips species including three cryptic species and an invasive species, T. parvispinus which is spreading very fast in central India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of silicon (Si) in the nutrient solution on the fruit development of 2-year-old blueberry plants (Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Ventura) was studied. Si was applied to the nutrient solution at a dose of 0.0, 0.6, and 1.2 mM. The parameters of fruit, stems and leaves growth, firmness, and biomass were measured. Fertigation in conjunction with traditional spread fertilization could improve the growth and yield of highbush blueberry to find the optimal method to control decay and prolong the quality of blueberries after harvest. The blueberry fruit has a light-blue appearance because its blue-black skin is covered with a waxy bloom. This layer is easily damaged or removed during fruit harvesting and postharvest handling. Si enhances the resistance of this layer to damage. A 2-year study was done to compare the effects of silicon fertigation and silicean sand and coir fiber as substrates on growth and availability of nutrients for blueberry plants during establishment of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. "Bluecrop"). The results of experiment indicated that the application of Si had better benefit on the fruit growth of blueberry plants in coir fiber, than the effect that was observed in the sand substrate. The results should improve our understanding for better preservation of postharvest quality of blueberry fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greener analytical methodologies for the estimation of ascorbic acid (AA) are poorly reported in the literature. Furthermore, the green indexes of the literature's analytical assays of AA estimation have not been assessed. As a consequence, the aim of this research is to invent and validate a simple, cost-effective, and green reverse-phase "high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC)" method for the estimating AA in the solvent extracts (SE) and ultrasound-assisted extracts (UAE) of Phyllanthus emblica, Psidium guajava, and Capsicum annuum. The greener mobile phase for AA estimation was a binary mixture of water and ethanol (70:30, v/v). At a wavelength of 265 nm, the detection of AA was carried out. The greener HPTLC technique was linear in the 25–1200 ng/band range. In addition, the method was simple, cost-effective, accurate, precise, robust, sensitive, and green. The amount of AA was highest in the SE and UAE of P. emblica compared to the SE and UAE of P. guajava and C. annuum. The amount of AA in the SE of P. emblica, P. guajava, and C. annuum was found to be 491.16, 168.91, and 144.30 mg/100 g, respectively. However, the amount of AA in the UAE of P. emblica, P. guajava, and C. annuum was found to be 673.02, 218.71, and 199.30 mg/100 g, respectively. Using the "analytical GREEnness (AGREE)" methodology, the greenness index for the developed method was calculated to be 0.88, showing that the developed method has an excellent green profile. When it came to extracting AA, the UAE method outperformed the SE method. These findings suggested that the developed method might be used to estimate the AA in a variety of vegetable crops, plant-based extracts, and commercial formulations. Furthermore, because of the use of greener solvent systems against the commonly utilized hazardous solvent systems for AA determination, this technique is also safe and sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetable crops are acutely sensitive to pest attacks, disease proliferation, and weed development. To control these pests, farmers resort excessively to various chemical plant protection products. Therefore, this study aims to measure the intensity of pesticide use and estimate the phytosanitary pressure according to the phytosanitary practises of market gardeners in the region of Biskra, in the south-east of Algeria. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 96 randomly selected market gardeners in Biskra during two farming campaigns in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. Results show that out of 70 different active substances, eighteen are mostly applied to seven inventoried vegetable species. Insecticides and fungicides are the most widespread. The average values of the calculated treatment frequency index range from 0.80 to 30.45. The phytosanitary pressure index is particularly dangerous for tomatoes, eggplants, and chilli peppers, with values ranging from 4.03 to 4.29 and 8.25, respectively. In conclusion, the surveyed areas were found to be experiencing considerable phytosanitary pressure, which would harm the environment and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of high content of heavy metals in food has spread broadly over the world. The presented study suggests the minimization of heavy metal content in processed food due to different applied techniques such as the frying, boiling, steaming and sous-vide. Three main food products were chosen for investigation – Daucus carota subsp. Sativus (carrot), Solanum tuberosum (potato) and Allium cepa (onion). The concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Mn, Cd, Cu) was determined in samples investigated by atomic-absorption spectrometer. The health risk index (HRI) was calculated based on obtained data. In all investigated samples, high concentration of lead was identified among the heavy metals. The highest concentration of zinc, lead and manganese was determined in boiled Daucus carota subsp. Sativus, cadmium – in sous - vide Daucus carota subsp. Sativus, copper – in steamed Daucus carota subsp. Sativus. HRI values of cadmium for Solanum tuberosum samples were ranged from 6.8 to 7.1 and for lead are ranged between 3.4 and 4.9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) has a cosmopolitan distribution, and it is a feared pest of many agricultural crops. It is a complex of numerous genetically differentiated species, most of which may rapidly acquire insecticide resistance, consequently making their control problematic. This study aims to improve knowledge on the direct damage of this pest, as well as its impact on the main traits of vegetable crops. Overall, the results confirm how different host plants display variable susceptibility to B. tabaci infestation and explain trophic links between plant and pest forecasting plant growth and development under B. tabaci presence. Although many crops have developed several adaptation mechanisms that allow them to defend against limiting factors, some biotic and abiotic stresses may cause reversible or irreversible changes in plants. Among the biotic stresses, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is probably one of the main important pests that negatively affect several vegetable crops that are grown in greenhouses. The present study evaluated its impact on the morphology and physiology of two solanaceous plants, i.e., tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and eggplant (S. melongena L.), under laboratory conditions. The results showed that, for tomatoes, plant height, shoot dry weight, leaf area, and indirect chlorophyll content were strongly reduced in infested plants, compared to the uninfested control, by 39.36%, 32.37%, 61.01%, and 37.85%, respectively. The same has been shown for eggplant, although the reduction percentages of plant height, root dry weight, and indirect chlorophyll content were less marked (i.e., 16.15%, 31.65%, and 11.39%, respectively). These results could represent interesting information for a better understanding of the B. tabaci influence on plant growth, as well as for the development of management strategies to successfully control its infestations in a cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two species of Alternaria were collected from southern Ghors of Jordan, isolated and characterized: A. porii, the causal agent of purple blotch of onion, and A. solani, the causal agent of early blight of tomato. Among planted onion cultivars, Beit Alpha was found to be highly susceptible to purple blotch, and Tebal was highly resistant under field conditions. Morphologically, there were distinct differences in conidia and mycelial growth rates between A. porri and A. solani. Alternaria porii was able to infect tomato and cause severe symptoms on its leaves; however, A. solani was not able to infect onion in vitro. Copper sulfate was the most effective salt in reducing the growth of both species in vitro and completely inhibited their fungal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Algeria, vegetable crops occupy an important cultivated area which accounts for 70% of the total arable land. The Sahel and coastal areas are particularly occupied by plasticulture due to favorable pedoclimatic conditions, which also allows the outbreak of various diseases and pests. Among the latter, the root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne are considered as one of the most important phytosanitary problems both in open fields and greenhouses. Biological control is a realistic alternative to replace or at least minimize the use of chemicals. The study of microflora is essential for targeting new biological agents for pest control. Two study stations belonging to Algiers are selected: Staoueli and Bordj el Kiffan. Between 2017 and 2018, soil samples were taken at random from a depth of 0 to 10 cm inside the greenhouses (treated soils) and outside the greenhouses (no treatment). The results obtained revealed a diversity of species of nematophagous fungi belonging to 8 genera, Arthrobotrys, Dactylaria, Dactylella, Myzocytium, Harposporium, Rhopalomyces, Stylopage and Triposporina. The most frequent species is Arthorobotrys musiformis with a rate of 77.5% in untreated Bordj-el-kiffan soils and 57.5% in treated soils, Staouali has a percentage of 55% and 57.5% in treated and untreated soils respectively. This study give new insights regarding the availability of endemic nematophagous fungi vegetables fields. Parasitism assessment indicated that 8 nematophagous fungi were efficient to suppress M. incognita and M. javanica by 70% and 50%, respectively. This indicate their potential as biocontrol agents against plant parasitic nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase nitrogen (N) use efficiency and reduce water pollution from vegetable production, it is necessary to optimize N management. Fluorescence-based optical sensors are devices that can improve N fertilization through non-destructive field monitoring of crop variables. The aim of this work was to compare the performance of five fluorescence indices (SFR-R, SFR-G, FLAV, NBI-R, and NBI-G) to predict crop variables, as dry matter production, crop N content, crop N uptake, Nitrogen Nutrition Index (NNI), absolute and relative yield, in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) crops grown in greenhouse. Fluorescence measurements were periodically made with the Multiplex® 3.6 sensor throughout three cropping cycles subjected to five N application treatments. The performance of fluorescence indices to predict crop variables considered calibration and validation analyses. In general, the five fluorescence indices were strongly related with NNI, crop N content and relative yield. The best performing indices to predict crop N content and NNI at the early stages of the crops (i.e., vegetative and flowering phenological stages) were the SFR indices, both under red (SFR-R) and green (SFR-G) excitation. However, in the final stage of the crop (i.e., harvest stage), the best performing indices were NBI, both under red (NBI-R) and green (NBI-G) excitation, and FLAV. The two SFR indices best predicted relative yield of sweet pepper at early growth stages. Overall, the fluorescence sensor and the fluorescence indices evaluated were able to predict crop variables related to N status in sweet pepper. They have the capacity to be incorporated into best N management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) reached West Africa in 2012 and has since become a major tomato pest. Various alternative strategies for pest control have been identified worldwide, including crop rotation, to deprive the insect of its food. However, this method can only be implemented if a good knowledge of the local host plants of the leafminer have been identified. Here, we have assessed the capacity of Tuta absoluta to develop on 27 common vegetable crops in West Africa, representing the Poaceae, Apiaceae, Convolvulaceae, Amaranthaceae, Malvaceae, Lamiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Solanaceae, and Amaryllidaceae. The tomato leafminer was only able to develop and complete its life cycle on crops within the genus Solanum. Among the 27 plant species tested, Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) was identified as the best host, allowing for rapid development (22.2 ± 1.4 days) and a high survival rate (84%). Solanum tuberosum L. (Irish potato) (24.4 ± 0.8 days; survival rate 40%), Solanum aethiopicum L. (African eggplant) (24.3 ± 0.6 days; survival rate 52%) and Solanum melongena L. (eggplant) (25.9 ± 1.8 days; survival rate 24%) were three other possible hosts. Larval development occurred on onion (Allium cepa L.), but not pupation. A strategy that includes a prolonged absence of the genus Solanum in a production area would be associated with a considerable reduction in leafminer population size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to study the current situation of the number of protected agriculture (greenhouses), their area and quantity of output, and the most important vegetable crops planted in them in Egypt during the period (2006-2019), a study of the current situation of the most important vegetable crops grown in protected agriculture (greenhouses) and their counterparts on sustainable land in Egypt during that period, the relative importance of the cost items of greenhouses in Egypt during the study period, comparing the productivity of the unit area of the most important vegetable crops in greenhouses and its counterpart in the permanent land during the study period, studying the most important problems facing vegetable producers in greenhouses and the possibility of overcoming them with the research sample. The study has found many results: (1) An increase in the number of greenhouses in Egypt with an annual growth rate of about 2.3% during the period (2006- 2019). (2) The cucumber crop ranked first in terms of the average number of greenhouses, which amounted to about 33 thousand greenhouses, followed by the average number of greenhouses for the pepper crop, which amounted to 18 thousand greenhouses, and the beans crop came in third place with an average of 7 thousand, while the tomato crop came In fourth place, with an average of about 4 thousand greenhouses. (3) The area of the tomato crop in the permanent land came in the first place with an average area of about 3068.9 million square meters, then the area of the pepper crop in the permanent land came in the second place with an average of about 402.8 million square meters, followed in the third place by the average area of cucumbers in the permanent land, which amounted to About 245.8 million square meters, and the average area of the green bean crop in the permanent land came in fourth place, reaching about 238.1 million square meters. (4) The increase in the prices of all requirements to produce vegetable crops in greenhouses with growth rates that ranged between a minimum of about 4.9% for the pesticide component, and a maximum of about 21.9% for the covering plastic component. This rise in prices negatively affects the encouragement of investment in the field of protected agriculture, as well as the increase in the prices of these greenhouse products, which leads to the difficulty of competition in the local and foreign market. (5) By asking the producers, it became clear that they all suffer from the problem of the high costs of establishing greenhouses, and it was found that 27 products represent about 90% of the observations of the research sample suffering from the problem of the high prices of agricultural production requirements, and it was found that 22 products represent about 73.3% of the total observations The sample suffers from the problem of high transportation prices, as it turns out that about 60% of the sample suffer from the problem of high workers’ wages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The microbiological quality of three vegetable crops (cabbages, carrots, lettuces) and their irrigation water from the lake system of the city of Yamoussoukro were studied. The pollution indicator used is Escherichia coli (E. coli), of the thermotolerant coliform family. Methods: During the period 2017-2019, in four dry and four wet seasons, a total of 744 water samples and 13392 vegetable samples were collected in five (5) lakes belonging to the lake system. The lakes were selected because of their position in the system. The E. coli loads were evaluated after isolation on a specific COMPASS ECC Agar and confirmed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the physicochemical parameters of the lakes, evaluated according to their respective ISO standards. Result: In irrigation waters, bacterial loads and physico-chemical parameters generally have evolved from the upstream lakes to those downstream of the lake system (from lake A to lake E). Values were higher during the rainy seasons. E. coli loads on vegetables were strongly correlated with those of irrigation water, especially in dry seasons. Spearman's correlations revealed significant correlations between turbidity, DOC and bacterial loads. The risk of bacterial transmission between lake waters and surrounding vegetables is proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) production under high tunnels requires appropriate plant density and growth habit to ensure efficient use of space. This study assessed the effects of in-row spacing and bell pepper growth habit on growth and yield under high tunnels. Determinate, cv. Crusader, and indeterminate, cv. Maria, seedlings were transplanted in single rows spaced at 20, 25, and 30 cm between plants (equivalent to 31,245; 24,996; and 20,830 plants∙ha−1, respectively) with growth habit as the main plot and in-row distance as sub-plot. Leaf greenness, plant nutrient status, plant height and marketable fruit weight and number were measured. Yield per plant and per unit area were affected by growth habit and in-row distance. The indeterminate cultivar produced 33% more fruit and 13% more yield per plant than the determinate cultivar, while the determinate cultivar produced 24% heavier fruit than the indeterminate cultivar. In-row distances of 20 and 25 cm resulted in similar fruit number per hectare, while 30 cm plant spacing reduced fruit per hectare by 20%. Overall yield was not affected by in-row distance. An economic analysis is necessary to evaluate the potential profitability of a bell pepper system based on indeterminate cultivars and an in-row distance of 30 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of studying the biochemical composition of the large worldwide vegetable crops collection of the Brassicaceae family, stored at the N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR), St. Petersburg, Russia, consisting of 7303 accessions of different status (approximately 50% unique accessions) from 98 countries. Studied vegetable brassicas collection includes representatives of all botanical varieties, agroecological groups and cultivar types of the species cole crops Brassica oleracea L. and related wild Mediterranean species, leafy and root vegetable crops B. rapa L., leafy and root vegetable accessions of Indian mustard B. juncea Czern. subsp. integrifolia (H. West) Tell. and subsp. foliosa L. H. Bailey, radish and small radish Raphanus sativus L., garden cress Lepidium sativum L., salad rocket Eruca sativa L. The application of complex analysis for the study of nutrient and biologically active compounds of economically important crops from six species of Brassicaceae family, which determine the quality of vegetables and feeds, also the search within each crop for sources of valuable biochemical traits for breeding has been presented. The broadest variability of all studied traits between and within crops was revealed, the limits of natural variability were determined. The average values of the studied traits in six species within the family varied to varying degrees: they were similar in the studied species in terms of dry matter content (%), protein, total acidity; differed between species to a moderate degree in terms of the content of ascorbic acid, carotene, and the amount of volatile phenolic compounds. The species differed to a very high degree from each other in terms of the average content of sugars (total, monosaccharides, etc.), carotenoids, β-carotene, chlorophylls a and b, anthocyanins, free amino acids, and free fatty acids. Studied crops, belonging to Brassica oleracea, have the highest total sugar content among the all studied crops. B. rapa leafy crops have the highest content of phenolic compounds; B. juncea -- β-carotene and chlorophylls; Raphanus sativus -- carotenes and anthocyanins; Lepidium sativum -- the highest content of protein, total acidity, free amino acids; Eruca sativa -- carotenoids and free fatty acids. The maximum dry matter content was detected in the forage turnip B. rapa and Brussels sprout (B. oleracea), protein in leafy B. rapa crops and cauliflower (B. oleracea), total sugars and ascorbic acid in head cabbage (B. oleracea), carotenoids in L. sativum and E. sativa, carotenes, including β-carotene, chlorophylls, phenolic compounds, free fatty acids in B. rapa, anthocyanins in R. sativus, free amino acids in B. rapa and R. sativus. Among the studied variety types of each crop, sources of nutrients and biologically active substances were identified, including types with an optimal biochemical compounds composition for the human nutrition, which are proposed to be useful in breeding of the new cultivars for healthy diet and medical applications, as well as for expanding the range of brassicas crops in the diet for the population of the Russian Federation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of a survey carried out on land mollusks infesting field and vegetable crops in Gharbia Governorate during the period from February to April 2017 and 2018 revealed the occurrence of two land snail species. These species were the glassy clover snail, Monacha cartusiana (Muller), family: Hygromiidae and the amber snail, Succinea putris Linnaeus, family: Succineidae. The identified species varied in their incidence and level of infestation according to locality and host plant. M. cartusiana infested all inspected fields of Egyptian clover, wheat, Cabbage and lettuce in the nine surveyed localities (villages) with low, moderate and high levels of infestation. While, broad bean and potato were populated with the species in one and two localities, respectively with low infestation. On the other hand, S. putris was detected on Egyptian clover and wheat with low or moderate numbers. The seasonal population behavior of the predominant species, M. cartusiana was monitored on Egyptian clover and wheat during two successive seasons (2016/2017) and (2017/2018). It was found that population density increased during the spring months as compared to low or moderate values during the autumn and winter months. The breeding season of M. cartusiana as recognized by the presence of egg clutches in the field lasted 3.5 months from mid-November to the beginning of March. The general mean of clutches laid by M. cartusiana was 1.58 clutches per 0.25m². On the other hand, the general mean clutch size was 19.8 eggs/clutch with a range of 11 to 24 eggs per clutch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out to study the pattern of pesticide usage, management, health effects on farmers, and perception of farmers regarding pesticide usage. A survey was conducted among 100 farmers in the district Bareilly of Uttar Pradesh, India. The crops chosen for the study were bottle gourd, pumpkin, cucumber, potato, tomato, chilli, and cauliflower cultivated in three different sites of the studied district, namely, Rithoura (Pilibhit road), Mohanpur Thiriya and Ata Kastyan. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, formal and informal interviews, and group discussions. The pesticide selection was primarily based on efficiency for pest/pathogen(s) control. Pesticides such as cypermethrin and imidacloprid 10% EC were found to be most effective in controlling the pest attack on the studied crops, with carbendazim being the least efficient in preventing the pest attack. The cost of the pesticide was a major hindrance in applying the pesticides. The manual application was reported as the method of choice for pesticide application among the farmers, with farmers confirming that no mandatory safety measures and preventive measures were adopted while applying the pesticides. Education was observed to influence the farmers' approach toward adopting requisite protective measures; however, no association was found between the age of the farmers and the health effects of pesticides. The study recommends farmers should search for alternatives like biopesticides to manage important insect pests to avoid the negative impacts of pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils and vegetable crops being irrigated with water from six lakes in Bengaluru, India were analysed using ICP-OES for heavy metals and characterized based on the permissible limits of the European Union (EU) and the Indian Standards (IS). Chromium, nickel and lead content in the soils ranged from 89.36 to 145.21, 0.90 to 19.17 and below detection limit to 0.31 mg kg-1 respectively. Among the total soil samples collected, 15%, 22%, 20%, 23%, 15% and 33% of the samples exceeded permissible limits of EU and IS for cadmium under Margondanahalli, Yele Mallappa Shetty, Hoskote, Varthur, Byramangala and Jigani lake respectively. All the crop samples analysed exceeded the EU standards for Cr, 25% for Ni, and none for Cd and Pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of root growth in containers has been studied in recent decades. The objective was to evaluate the effect of four types of containers on root and shoot growth. The containers were two shapes, round and square, and in some containers, internal vertical walls (IVWs) were placed that increased the internal container surface area with two substrates: perlite and coir fiber. Seedlings of cucumber, pepper, and tomato were transplanted. Two experiments were performed: vegetative growth and drought stress by partial decapitation and a period without fertigation. After decapitation, preexisting and new leaf area, dry biomass or the leaves, and stem were measured. The results revealed that the type of container had no effect, nor were there significant differences between substrates. The containers with IVWs exhibited an increase in biomass and the root surface. The total contact surface with the substrate of the four container types was closely related to the recorded plant growth. Thus, IVWs not only decrease mechanical problems of roots by preventing spiralling but also favor the production of biomass in vegetable plants and substantially increase the root, enabling the plants to manage water deficit and potentially improve posttransplant stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of plants from diseases caused by various pathogens is an economically and socially important problem; the losses in crop production constitute 20% of the harvest in different parts of the world. The use of chemical pesticides is the main method of plant protection. However, chemical preparations have a number of serious disadvantages. Biologicals for plant protection (BPP) are currently being developed more intensely. The world biggest chemical companies, BASF, Bayer and Syngenta, show great interest in the market for preparations of biological control. The data on markets of biologicals for the protection of agricultural plants in various parts of the world (North America, Europe, China, Latin America and Russia) are presented. According to expert data, the biological markets in these areas (with the exception of Russia) will exceed $1 billion by 2025. In Russia, only 0.3% of agricultural land is treated with biological products. The review contains data on the use of biofungicides obtained at GosNIIgenetika for the protection of wheat, potato, and vegetable crops. A high efficiency of the biofungicides has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of plants from diseases caused by various pathogens is an economically and socially important problem; the losses in crop production constitute 20% of the harvest in different parts of the world. The use of chemical pesticides is the main method of plant protection. However, chemical preparations have a number of serious disadvantages. Biologicals for plant protection (BPP) are currently being developed more intensely. The world biggest chemical companies, BASF, Bayer and Syngenta, show great interest in the market for preparations of biological control. The data on markets of biologicals for the protection of agricultural plants in various parts of the world (North America, Europe, China, Latin America and Russia) are presented. According to expert data, the biological markets in these areas (with the exception of Russia) will exceed $1 billion by 2025. In Russia, only 0.3% of agricultural land is treated with biological products. The review contains data on the use of biofungicides obtained at GosNIIgenetika for the protection of wheat, potato, and vegetable crops. A high efficiency of the biofungicides has been demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical sensors are a promising approach for assessing nitrogen (N) status of vegetable crops. However, their potential may be undermined if time of day influences measurements. This study evaluated the effects of time of day and N addition on measurements, made with two chlorophyll meters, SPAD-502 and MC-100, and two active canopy reflectance sensors, GreenSeeker handheld and Crop Circle ACS-470. Three treatments (N1, deficient, N2, conventional, and N3, excessive N application) of N concentration in the nutrient solution were applied by fertigation throughout a sweet pepper crop grown in soil in a greenhouse. Time of day of 12:00 and 15:00 h had an effect on measurements made with the SPAD-502, but only in the N1 treatment, suggesting that the effects of time of day were related to crop N status. This effect was slight, being 1.7 ± 0.02 SPAD units lower at 12:00 and 15:00 h compared to at 9:00 h (relative decrease of 3.6%). For the MC-100, a slight increase in Chlorophyll Content Index (CCI) values of 3.3 ± 0.1 units (relative increase of 6.3%) was observed at 15:00 and 18:00 h, relative to CCI values at 9:00 h, regardless of N treatment. The time of day effect on chlorophyll meters appears to be negligible in relation to the wide range of values measured in greenhouse-grown sweet pepper. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, measured both with the GreenSeeker and Crop Circle, and Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, measured with the Crop Circle, were not affected by time of day in any of the N treatments, showing that these sensors and indices can be used with confidence at any time of the day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine manure biofertilizers can exert physical, chemical, and biological effects on the soil and the phytoprotective, physiological, and productive actions in horticultural crops. The literature review was performed to compile information on the production, uses, and effects of bovine manure biofertilizers on soil properties and plants. Biofertilizers are produced by organic components, minerals, and inoculants. Among the organic sources, the bovine manure is the most used. The fermentation of the bovine manure in water constitutes the Vairo biofertilizer, the most employed in Brazilian horticulture. With the chemical enrichment of this preparation came the Supermagro, Agrobio, and Agrobom biofertilizers. In the soil, it can act in the improvement of soil fertility, physical properties, and in the diversity and abundance of the biota. Also, it can act in control of pests and diseases, leaf composition concerning macro and micronutrients, and in the production and postharvest quality of horticultural crops. Therefore, this review describes the preparation, chemical composition, and utilization of bovine manure biofertilizers in both soil and plants, offering perspectives of research on the formulations, application, and effects of these inputs on horticultural species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male sterility is described as absence of functional pollen grains in hermaphrodite flowers facilitating large scale production of hybrid seeds in vegetable crops. It eases hybrid seed production at commercial level in crops like tomato, chilli, capsicum, carrot, onion, cabbage, cauliflower and cucurbits. Male sterility would reduce the cost of hybrid seed production by limiting the labour making it efficient and economical. Incorporation of biotechnological tools in conventional plant breeding techniques would aid the breeders in limiting the drawbacks surrounding exploitation of male sterility for development of new hybrids. The present review is an attempt to summarize and to know the commercial utilization of male sterile line in hybrid seed production of vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Republic of Bashkortostan, being a major producer of agricultural products, is a risk farming area. Irrigation can significantly reduce these risks and increase crop yields. In western Bashkortostan, there is a lack of fresh water, so irrigation can be based on groundwater (fresh and brackish). The given paper analyzes the experience of irrigating perennial grasses and vegetable crops with brackish waters of different ion and salt composition. It estimates the irrigation properties of different types of natural waters by a number of empirical and natural methods. It is established that when there is drainage, sulphate calcium brackish waters can be successfully used even on heavy loamy and clay soils. In conditions of poorly drained solids, composed of poorly percolating rocks, it is necessary to arrange artifi cial drainage. In some cases, irrigation with brackish waters did not lead to soil salination but contributed to salt removal. The paper defi nes sources of impact on the underground hydrosphere in the areas of livestock waste water utilization as well as areas affected by oil extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pesticide residue modeling aids understanding of health and environmental risks. • We tested the use of dynamiCROP model archetypes with similar crops. • Tomato was not a suitable proxy for cucumber, but lettuce was for Chinese cabbage. • Adding our cucumber data to dynamiCROP improves the model's utility. • Famoxadone and oxathiapiprolin residues were less than 1 g intake per kg applied. We analyzed the uptake and distribution of two pesticides (famoxadone and oxathiapiprolin) in herbaceous vegetables (cucumber and tomato) and leafy vegetables (Chinese cabbage and lettuce) to test the viability of applying existing archetypes in the dynamic plant uptake model dynamiCROP to modeling pesticide residue in other crops. Using field data and modeling, we showed that tomato was an unsuitable match for cucumber (R2 of 0.5325–0.6862) though lettuce was a good fit for Chinese cabbage (R2 of 0.8649–0.8862). We then used our cucumber data to add this as a new crop species archetype in dynamiCROP; further tests proved the accuracy of this approach (R2 of 0.8097–0.9152). In addition, we analyzed the distribution, uptake, and translocation of the two pesticides in cucumber and Chinese cabbage, using the model to better understand the mechanisms of pesticide residues over time and evaluate potential human exposure to pesticide residues from consumption of these crops. The fractions of famoxadone and oxathiapiprolin eventually ingested by humans based on our field trials ranged from 10−4 to 10−3 kg intake kg applied −1; that is, per kilogram of pesticide applied, humans would eventually consume less than one gram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand for spring onion seeds is variable and maintaining its supply is crucial to the success of seed companies. Spring onion seed demand forecasting, which can help reduce the high operational costs increased by long-period propagation and complex logistics, has not previously been investigated yet. This paper provides a novel perspective on spring onion seed demand forecasting and proposes a hybrid Holt-Winters and support vector machine (SVM) forecasting model. The model uses dynamic factors, including historical seed sales, seed inventory, spring onion crop market price and weather data, as inputs to forecast spring onion seed demand. Forecasting error, i.e. the difference between actual and forecasted demand, is assessed. Two advanced machine learning models are trained on the same dataset as benchmark models. Numerical experiments using actual commercial sales data for three spring onion seed varieties show the proposed hybrid model outperformed the statistical-based models for all three forecasting errors. Seed inventory, spring onion crop market price and historical seed sales are the most important dynamic factors, among which seed inventory has short-term influence while other two have mid-term influence on seed demand forecasting. The absolute minimum temperature is the only factor having long-term influence. This study provides a promising spring onion seed demand forecasting model that helps understand the relationships between seed demand and other dynamic factors and the model could potentially be applied to demand forecasting of other crop seeds to reduce total operational costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation was planned to apply some biotic and abiotic treatments singlely and/or combined to control bacterial soft rot diseases of lettuce under field conditions. The application of resistance inducers (jasmonic acid and salicylic acid), antibiotics (norfloxacin and tetracycline) and bio-agents (isolates of B. subtilis and Ps. fluorescens) significantly reduced the disease severity as a single treatment compared to the control treatment. Obtained results indicated that resistance inducers appeared to be most effective against bacterial soft rot disease of lettuce compared with other treatments, while antibiotics were less effective at controlling the disease. However, the interaction between bio-agents as soil drench treatment, antibiotics, or resistance inducers as foliar treatment significantly reduced the severity of lettuce bacterial soft rot disease compared with the control treatment. Furthermore, interaction between disease severity was more reducted with interaction treatments between Ps. fluorescens isolate rather than interact with treatments between B. subtilis isolate and other treatments. However, interaction between isolate of Ps. fluorescens as bio-agent or norfloxacin or salicylic acid, were the most effective methods to control the disease compared with other treatments. Meanwhile, interaction between resistance inducers and antibiotics as foliar treatments were significantly reduced from severity of lettuce bacterial soft rot disease compared with the control. Disease severity was more reduced with application of interaction between norfloxacin and resistance inducers than interaction between tetracycline and resistance inducers. Meanwhile, the severity of the disease decreased more with the application of interaction between salicylic acid and antibiotics than the interaction between jasmonic acid and antibiotics. Generally, all combination treatments were more efficient than single treatments to manage the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungus gnat Bradysia difformis Frey not only attacks edible and medicinal fungi, it also causes the damages to leek, green onion, garlic and other vegetable crops. To confirm the effects of temperature and sex ratio on adult fecundity, longevity and egg hatchability of B. difformis, we assayed the adults survival longevity and numbers of oviposition, as well as egg hatching rate under female-male ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1 at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. Female fecundity and egg hatchability were increased with temperature and peaked at 25°C, which, however, were adverse to adult longevity. Furthermore, female-male ratio of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 seemed suitable for female fecundity, of which the sex ratio of 1:1 was the most suitable ratio for its oviposition behavior. These results provide an insight for predicting the population density of B. difformis and offer a literature reference in the effective treatment of harmful insects by controlling and changing the sex ratio artificially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of 'molecular-omic' tools and computing analysis platforms have greatly enhanced our ability to assess the impacts of agricultural practices and crop management protocols on soil microbial diversity. However, biotic factors are rarely factored into agricultural management models. Today it is possible to identify specific microbiomes and define biotic components that contribute to soil quality. We assessed the bacterial diversity of soils in 51 potato production plots. We describe a strategy for identifying a potato-crop-productivity bacterial species balance index based on amplicon sequence variants. We observed a significant impact of soil texture balances on potato yields; however, the Shannon and Chao1 richness indices and Pielou's evenness index poorly correlated with these yields. Nonetheless, we were able to estimate the portion of the total bacterial microbiome related to potato yield using an integrated species balances index derived from the elements of the bacterial microbiome that positively or negatively correlate with residual potato yields. This innovative strategy based on a microbiome selection procedure greatly enhances our ability to interpret the impact of agricultural practices and cropping system management choices on microbial diversity and potato yield. This strategy provides an additional tool that will aid growers and the broader agricultural sector in their decision-making processes concerning the soil quality and crop productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNAs represent small endogenous RNAs which are known to play a crucial role in various plant metabolic processes. Carrot being an important vegetable crop, represents one of the richest sources of carotenoids and anthocyanins. Most of the studies on microRNAs have been conducted in the aerial parts of the plants. However, carrot has the rare distinction of storing these compounds in roots. Therefore, carrot represents a good model system to unveil the regulatory roles of miRNAs in the underground edible part of the plant. For the first time, we report the genome wide identification and expression profiling of miRNAs in two contrasting color variants of carrot namely Orange Red and Purple Black using RNA-seq. Illumina sequencing resulted in the generation of 25.5M and 18.9M reads in Orange Red and Purple Black libraries, respectively. In total, 144 and 98 (read count >10), conserved microRNAs and 36 and 66 novel microRNAs were identified in Orange Red and Purple Black, respectively. Functional categorization and differential gene expression revealed the presence of several miRNA genes targeting various secondary metabolic pathways including carotenoid and anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways in the two libraries. 11 known and 2 novel microRNAs were further validated using Stem-Loop PCR and qRT-PCR. Also, target validation was performed for selected miRNA genes using RLM-RACE approach. The present work has laid a foundation towards understanding of various metabolic processes, particularly the color development in carrot. This information can be further employed in targeted gene expression for increasing the carotenoid and anthocyanin content in crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The growth models describe the fruit production of tomato. • Logistic model is appropriate to model the fruit production of tomato genotype. • Growth models increase the inference about productive behavior. • We define production precocity by parameters and critical points interpretation. • The production precocity was defined with statistical rigor and not subjectively. Abstract The aim of this study is to describe the productive behavior of salad tomato genotypes using adjusted growth models. Data were obtained from field experiments performed in 2015/2016 using the Cordillera, Ellen and Santa Clara genotypes, and in 2016/2017 using the Cordillera and Gaucho genotypes. Five and nine harvests were carried out in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 respectively, and the variables measured were number and weight of fruit per plant. The Brody, Gompertz, logistic and von Bertalanffy models were adjusted using the accumulated values per plant for each harvest, with the dependent variables being those measured and the independent variable being the number of days after the seedlings had been transplanted. Using the model that best fit the data, the confidence interval of the inflection point was estimated and the similarity of the parameters between the genotypes was measured. The logistic model fit best for both variables. Using the estimates for the biologically interpreted parameters and the inflection point, it was possible to compare the final production of the genotypes and increase the inferences that could be made regarding production over time, differentiating these in terms of productive precocity. In the first experiment, the Cordillera and Ellen genotypes were more premature, while in the second the most premature was the Gaucho genotype. Therefore, the use of growth models can increase the inferences that can be made in terms of the productive behavior of other crops in multiple harvests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a very important leafy vegetable in China and is commonly grown using furrow irrigation. In order to improve production efficiency, greenhouse experiments were conducted at Experimental Station, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China using furrow irrigation (FI), micro-sprinkler irrigation (MS), plastic film mulching irrigation (PF) and a combined plastic film mulching–micro-sprinkler irrigation system (PF+MS) to study their effects on soil physical characteristics, water distribution, root morpho-physiological traits, nutrition absorption, lettuce yield and water use efficiency for a spring crop and autumn crop in 2015 (). Root length, root surface area, and root density were significantly higher under PF and PF+MS than under FI. Moreover, these traits were higher under MS than under FI but these differences were not significant. The soluble protein, soluble sugar, and Vitamin C content of lettuce decreased in the order PF+MS > PF > MS > FI in both crops. In the spring crop, the biological yield of MS, PF, and PF+MS was 7.22%、36.77%、43.20% higher than FI, respectively. In the spring crop, biological water use efficiency (BWUE) of FI, MS, PF and PF+MS was 20.93, 25.24, 36.81 and 38.54 kg m−3, respectively. The BWUE of MS, PF, and PF+MS was 20.59%, 75.87% and 84.14% higher than FI. Economic water use efficiency (EWUE) of FI, MS, PF and PF+MS was 17.06, 21.31, 31.11 and 32.31 kg m−3, respectively. The EWUE of MS, PF, and PF+MS was 24.91%, 82.36% and 89.39% higher than FI, respectively. The autumn crop achieved a higher WUE than the spring crop. The results suggested that the combined plastic film mulching-micro-sprinkler irrigation was the most suitable irrigation approach for increasing lettuce yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a key gasotransmitter in agriculture and has been reported to increase the growth of plants in the first two weeks and to mitigate the effects of environmental stressors. GYY-4137 is widely used in these studies because it slowly releases H2S, but there is disagreement as to whether it requires enzymes to release H2S. In this article we describe the release of H2S in water without enzymes and that it releases H2S faster in organic solvents than in water or when mixed in topsoil. Furthermore, we describe the long-term effect of dosing pea, radish, and lettuce plants with GYY-4137 for up to six weeks. The effect of GYY-4137 on plant growth for six weeks was either positive or negative depending on the loading of GYY-4137 and how it was applied to plants. The addition of GYY-4137 to lettuce plants via potting mix resulted in reduced growth and death of the plants. In contrast, application of GYY-4137 to the leaves of lettuce plants increased the harvest weight of the leaves by up to 86%. Our results demonstrate that GYY-4137 can have a positive, important effect on the growth of plants but that this effect is dependent on several factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inbred lines are important germplasm in cauliflower breeding programs. To understand the genetic diversity and relationships of cauliflower inbred lines, the use of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers will be of great value for parental line selection and breeding strategy design. In this study, the genetic diversity and relationships of 165 cauliflower inbred lines primarily derived from southeast China were assessed using SSR markers. Forty-three SSR markers were polymorphic across these inbred lines and generated a total of 111 alleles. The mean values of the number of alleles (Na), effective number of alleles (Ne), Shannon’s Information index (I), and polymorphism information content (PIC) per locus were 2.581, 1.599, 0.517 and 0.316, respectively. Genetic distance values among all pairs of the inbred lines varied from 0 to 0.67 with an average of 0.30. On the basis of genetic distance data estimated with the SSR markers, the 165 cauliflower inbred lines were classified into four main clusters (from group Ⅰ to group Ⅳ) by cluster analysis and four subpopulations (from POP 1 to POP 4) by structure analysis. The classification patterns of most cauliflower inbred lines were not consistent with their curd maturity, curd solidity or geographic origins. These results based on estimates by the SSR markers, suggested the genetic diversity of the 165 cauliflower inbred lines was relatively narrow. Therefore, pyramiding the valuable genes among different types of the cauliflower inbred lines is important to increase the genetic diversity to obtain desirable hybridization combinations. The information generated in this report will be useful for assessing germplasm and breeding in cauliflower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]