Search

Organic wheat production systems have lower yields compared with intensive conventional production and often do not achieve the grain protein content and quality thresholds set by millers and bakers. In contrast, organic production methods were reported to result in higher concentrations of nutritionally desirable micronutrients and lower concentrations of the toxic metal Cd in wheat grain and wholegrain flour. However, although N-availability and variety characteristics are known to affect both gain yields and bread-making quality, the exact reasons for the yield gap and differences in grain processing and nutritional quality between organic and conventional spring wheat production in the UK are poorly understood. The overall aim of this study was therefore to determine to what extent changes in variety choice and fertilization regimes may reduce the yield gap and improve processing quality without affecting nutritional quality in organic spring wheat production. To achieve this aim, we compared crop health, yield, grain processing, and nutritional quality parameters in spring wheat produced using (i) six contrasting spring wheat varieties grown with a standard fertilization regime and (ii) one variety widely used by organic farmers (Paragon) with nine different fertilization regimes in (iii) three UK sites/farms with contrasting pedoclimatic conditions. Significant differences in foliar disease severity, grain yield, and quality parameters were detected between six contrasting spring wheat varieties when grown under organic management regimes. Specifically, the varieties Paragon and Tybalt were identified as the best-performing varieties with respect to foliar disease resistance and grain yield under organic farming conditions and also produced high processing and nutritional quality across the three UK sites. However, the highest grain yields were obtained by Paragon at the Gilchester site and Tybalt at the Sheepdrove and Courtyard sites, while the highest protein contents were produced by Tybalt at the Gilchester site and Paragon at the Sheepdrove and Courtyard sites, which suggests that there is a need for site-specific wheat variety selection in the UK organic sector. Although organic fertilizer input type and level also affected wheat performance, differences between fertilization regimes were smaller than those observed between the five contrasting varieties, which suggests that improvements in spring wheat breeding/selection have a greater potential for increasing crop yield and quality in the organic sector compared with changes to fertilization practices. Overall, results suggest it is feasible to breed/select spring wheat varieties that combine high protein, vitamin E, and micronutrients with low toxic metal (Cd, Pb) concentrations when produced under organic farming conditions. These findings also support the hypothesis that differences in variety choice by organic and conventional farmers have contributed to the differences in nutritional quality between organic and conventional wheat products reported in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that applying specific solutions to the leaves of tomato and pepper plants can boost their output by enhancing nutrient absorption. The factorial analysis of two factors was used in data collection and statistical analysis in this experiment. The first factor was the cultivar (Mobil, Korall, and Tyking F1 for tomatoes, and while cultivars of Carma, Fokusz, and Bobita F1 for sweet pepper), and the second was the spray treatment. Sprays used were sodium bicarbonate (0.52%), 50 mg·L−1 salicylic acid, and distilled water. The parameters collected were the SPAD index of chlorophyll and the plant sap's content of calcium, potassium, and nitrates, with five observations for each record. Salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 caused the highest multiple contents, particularly in the tomato cultivar Korall. The lowest multiple contents were for the Mobil cultivar. Spraying Mobil with salicylic acid (50 mg·L−1) and sodium bicarbonate (0.52%) produced the lowest chlorophyll and ionic content. Salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 also led to the highest multiple values, particularly in the Carma pepper cultivar. The results revealed the multiple lowest contents of measured parameters were for the Bobita F1 cultivar. Finally, gardeners should consider growing Korall tomato and Carma pepper with a supportive spraying application of salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 before seedlings are transferred to an open-air garden. Gardeners should consider the additional production-improving aspects described in existing research and seed manufacturer recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duration of cover crop (CC) management, CC biomass production, and other factors could impact how CC affects soil health. We studied the 8‐year cumulative impacts of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) CC on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in rainfed and irrigated no‐till corn (Zea mays L.)‐based systems in the western US Corn Belt. Average annual CC biomass production was 0.56 ± 0.51 Mg ha−1 at the rainfed site and 0.98 ± 0.95 Mg ha−1 at the irrigated site. After 8 years, CC improved particulate organic matter (POM) and mean weight diameter of water‐stable aggregates (MWD) compared with no CC in the 0–5 cm soil depth at both sites. Cover crop increased total POM concentration by 2.8 mg g−1 at the rainfed site and by 13.4 mg g−1 at the irrigated site, while it increased MWD by 0.39 mm at the rainfed site and by 0.79 mm at the irrigated site. Also, CC increased soil C at a rate of 0.125 Mg ha−1 year−1 in the 0–5 cm depth but only at the rainfed site. Cover crop affected neither water infiltration nor available water but improved microbial biomass. Changes in other properties were site‐dependent. Cover crop improved many soil properties after 8 years even though measurement taken after 4 years showed no significant effect of CC, which indicates CC slowly impacts properties in this environment. Low CC biomass production and high biomass input from corn‐based systems may explain the slow soil response. In general, winter rye CC enhances near‐surface soil properties in the long term. Core Ideas: Winter rye cover crop (CC) improved most dynamic soil properties in rainfed and irrigated systems after 8 years.Including CC in rainfed corn increased soil C at a rate of 0.125 Mg ha−1 year−1.Water infiltration and plant available water did not change after 8 years of CC management.Soil properties significantly changed only after 8 years and not after 4 years due most likely to low CC biomass input.In general, winter rye CC can enhance near‐surface soil properties in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quarantine plant pests are socially, economically and environmentally important due to their impact on food security, human health, global trade and crop production costs. The increase in global trade and tourism, frequent occurrence of natural disasters and climate changes have exacerbated the rate of entry, establishment and spread of plant pests regionally and globally. It has, therefore, become exigent to develop a list of pests of quarantine importance at the regional and national levels to prioritise and allocate the limited available resources to manage the associated risks. In the present study, the Technical Committee on the Formulation and Prioritisation of a Regional Priority Pest List for the Caribbean, in collaboration with the National Plant Protection Organisation of the Caribbean countries and the United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), developed and prioritised a quarantine pest list using a multi-criteria decision-making approach. The technical committee successfully evolved the process in 2014 and 2018 and developed a list of the top 10 pests of quarantine importance for the Caribbean Region, employing the Delphi Technique (DT) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) through the assignment of criteria that are relevant to the region. The Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata), frosty pod rot (Moniliophthora roreri) and the tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta), listed as top quarantine pest threats, were subsequently detected in the region. This exercise guided the authorities in advance to allocate resources and to develop response plans including capacity building for surveillance and detection of priority pests. This has demonstrated the significance and ap)propriateness of the multi-criteria decision approach to determine priority pest lists and prepare the region for development of better management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change such as rising temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, rainfall variability and altering soil physical, chemical and biological properties are observed all around the world. A review over impacts of clim ate change with relation to crops and soil health was done at Department of Agricultural Meteorology, CCS HAU Hisar. IPCC, 2021 provides new estimates of the chances of crossing the global warming level of 1.5°C in the next decades and finds that unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach. Impacts of climate change on soil properties are long time process as weather elements induce Physio-chemical reaction with soil which happens slowly in relation to weather elements. Climate change is generally expected to increase the crop yields due to CO2 fertilization, radiation use efficiency and longer growing season but on the other hand, beyond a critical limit it may develop stress conditions like water stress, sun burns, scorching, bark cracking, closure stomata, leaf senescence and abscission etc. that can decrease crop production. Acidification, sodicity and salinization problem can develop in soil due to increase in temperature and acidic rainfall. So it can be held that, climate change would have intensive impacts on cereal and horticulture crops health and production as well as on soil properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M‐2020‐0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Arrhenodes minutus is published and available online in the EFSA Plant Pest Survey Cards Gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/arrhenodes-minutus [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This protocol describes the state of knowledge on the safety of hydroxycitric acid and plant preparations containing hydroxycitric acid at the time of drafting the protocol and before the full assessment is carried out, outlines the assessment questions and sub‐questions, specifies the evidence needs, and provides a detailed plan for the assessment. It is applied to the first three risk assessment steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation and exposure assessment. Risk characterisation will be performed based on the outcome of hazard characterisation and exposure assessment. The protocol is based on a narrative review of the evidence and on expert knowledge. It aims to inform the systematic searches that will form the basis for the assessment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M‐2020‐0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Leptinotarsa decemlineata is published and available online in the EFSA Plant Pest Survey Cards Gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/leptinotarsa-decemlineata [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecosistemas y Recursos Agropecuarios is the property of Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This introductory article to the special issue contributes to ongoing debates on pesticides in agriculture by focusing on their alternatives. Through a literature review, we explore the pluralism of those alternatives and the socio-political processes that support or hinder their expansion. The first section examines the obstacles encountered by public policies aimed at reducing pesticide use. Resistances are both external to public decision-making, i.e. agricultural players, agrochemical firms, and internal, related to the existing regulatory mechanisms, including the scientific expertise used to assess risks. The second section introduces the two main families of alternatives to pesticides, and their respective political and scientific underpinnings. On the one hand, solutions based on substitution through alternative technologies, such as biocontrol. On the other hand, solutions based on the systemic redesign of agricultural systems, such as organic farming or agroecology. The third section presents the contributions that make up this special issue. We highlight the political work carried out at the interface between policies, expertise and markets in order to legitimise one or the other alternative. Beyond a strictly technological approach, the papers stress the importance of considering the diversity of components, stakeholders and processes involved at the whole food system level. Farmers and practitioners make complex production choices and trade-offs. These decisions are influenced by policies and upstream companies, which offer inputs or plant health diagnostic technologies, and by downstream actors, i.e.processors, retailers and policymakers, who shape the markets for pesticide-free food. The approach we propose here calls for a fresh sociological look at policymaking and expertise involved in identifying and dealing with pesticides issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kiwifruit, for which Italy is the second largest producer in the world, is derived from a fruit vine that requires a significant amount of water for proper growth and the production of high-quality fruit. This study aims to investigate the ideal irrigation strategy to ensure an adequate water supply for robust root development, vibrant foliage, and successful fruit production. To achieve this goal, three experimental plots of Soreli kiwifruit vineyards were subjected to different water regimes: full irrigation (100%) and two plots with 80% and 60% irrigation. Each irrigation group was equipped with an Internet of Things (IoT) TT Spectrum, which measured reflected spectrometer data in 12 bands. Additionally, a soil sensor was used to determine moisture content. Fruit quality analysis, including weight loss, soluble solid content, flesh color and firmness, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, polyphenols and flavonoids, was conducted to correlate productivity with water availability. By analyzing the IoTTT Spectrum data for each kiwifruit plant, crucial indicators for assessing physiological status, health, and growth were examined. Maintaining a balance between leaf nitrogen content and photosynthetic capacity, with low AI and higher NDVI and CVI values, was used to determine the optimal irrigation level for each of the three plots. Furthermore, qualitative data obtained from fruits revealed that overwatering or underwatering kiwifruit plants affects yield production and fruit quality. Fruits subjected to full irrigation exhibited lower sugar levels compared to those under deficit irrigation. This study demonstrates that excessive or limited irrigation regimes negatively impact plant health and on the fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges facing the development of aquaponics is disease control, due on one hand to the fact that plants cannot be treated with chemicals because they can lead to mortality in cultured fish. The aim of this study was to apply the visible–near-infrared spectroscopy and vegetation index approach to test aquaponically cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) infected with different fungal pathogens (Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and Alternaria alternata). The lettuces on the third leaf formation were placed in tanks (with dimensions 1 m/0.50 m/0.35 m) filled up with water from the aquaponics system every second day. In this study, we included reference fungal strains Aspergillus niger NBIMCC 3252, Fusarium oxysporum NBIMCC 125, and Alternaria alternata NBIMCC 109. Diffuse reflectance spectra of the leaves of lettuce were measured directly on the plants using a USB4000 spectrometer in the 450–1100 nm wavelength range. In near-infrared spectral range, the reflectance values of infected leaves are lower than those of the control, which indicates that some changes in cell structures occurred as a result of the fungal infection. All three investigated pathogens had a statistically significant effect on leaf water content and water band index. Vegetative indices such as Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index (CARI), Modified chlorophyll absorption in reflectance index (MCARI), Plant Senescence Reflectance Index (PSRI), Red Edge Index (REI2), Red Edge Index (REI3), and Water band index (WBI) were found to be effective in distinguishing infected plants from healthy ones, with WBI demonstrating the greatest reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco Bacterial Wilt (TBW) is a disease caused by the bacterium Ralstonia solanacearum. R. solanacearum is a soil-borne plant pathogen that can cause devastating losses in agricultural crops. However, there is limited information on the variation in the microbial community structure and molecular characteristics in soils with different index levels of tobacco bacterial wilt. Therefore, current study focused at undertaking molecular analysis of microbial community characteristics in soils of different index levels of TBW with the aim of providing insights on bio-control opportunities for bacterial wilt incidence in agricultural farms for improved yield. The findings indicated that the genus Enterobacteriaceae from the phylum Proteobacteria was more abundant under the control group (healthy soils), on the other hand genus Ralstonia of the phylum Proteobacteria was more abundant in the JYRS9 group (highly infected soils). The use of sample similarity analysis and COG function classification in relation to tobacco wilt disease index provided a comprehensive understanding of the microbial ecology of soil and the conditions that influence disease development and management. the use of KEGG pathway analysis in relation to tobacco wilt disease index provided a deeper understanding of the microbial ecology of soil and the factors that influence disease development and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review briefly introduces the natural occurrence, physicochemical properties, and biosynthesis of 5-aminolevuinic acid (ALA) and highlights a variety of applications in the planting industry and its possible mechanisms. It has been known that ALA can be used as biological pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides when the concentrations are higher than 838 mg L−1 (about 5 mmol L−1). When ALA concentrations are 100–300 mg L−1, it can be used to thin surplus flowers in the spring of orchards and promote fruit coloration before maturation. When the concentrations are lower than 100 mg L−1, especially not higher than 10 mg L−1, ALA can be used as a new plant growth regulator to promote seed germination, plant (including root and shoot) growth, enhance stress tolerance, increase crop yield, and improve product quality. In photosynthesis, ALA is involved in the regulation of the whole process. In stress tolerance, ALA induces plant preventive and protective systems through the NO/H2O2 signaling network. In secondary metabolism, ALA regulates many gene expressions encoding transcription factors or function proteins to promote anthocyanin and flavonol biosynthesis and accumulation. In general, ALA promotes plant health and robustness, reduces the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides—which is conducive to improving the ecological environment, human production, and living conditions—and has a broad application prospect in agroforestry production. As a new plant growth regulator with multiple and powerful functions, the underlying regulatory mechanisms need more study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period 2017-2023, a survey for the assessment of the phytosanitary condition of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) was conducted in a permanent sample plot (PSP) Belasitsa, which is part of the European large-scale network for monitoring the health status of forest ecosystems under the International Co-operative Program 'Forests. The PSP is set in a natural chestnut stand in Belasitsa mountain at an altitude of 643 m. Data collected from the first years of the monitoring determined a slight deterioration in the health status of the chestnut trees caused by an infection with the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica. An improvement in trees' vitality and lack of active necrosis were observed in 2022-2023. On the wounds, initiation of callus along the wounded edges was reported. Currently, the intro duction of new and dangerous invasive insect pests Dryocosmus kuriphilus, Corythucha arcuata, etc., has not been detected. Attacks of both pests could further deteriorate the health status of the sweet chestnut in Belasitsa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the problem of Cd pollution in paddy fields has become more and more serious, which seriously threatens the safe production of food crops and human health. Using microorganisms to reduce cadmium pollution in rice fields is a green, safe and efficient method, the complicated interactions between the microbes in rice roots throughout the process of cadmium absorption by rice roots are poorly understood. In this investigation, a hydroponic pot experiment was used to examine the effects of bacteria R3 (Herbaspirillum sp) and T4 (Bacillus cereus) on cadmium uptake and the endophytic bacterial community in rice roots. The results showed that compared with CK (Uninoculated bacterial liquid), the two strains had significant inhibitory or promotive effects on cadmium uptake in rice plant, respectively. Among them, the decrease of cadmium content in rice plants by R3 strain reached 78.57-79.39%, and the increase of cadmium content in rice plants by T4 strain reached 140.49-158.19%. Further investigation showed that the cadmium content and root cadmium enrichment coefficient of rice plants were significantly negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Burkholderia and Acidovorax, and significantly positively correlated with the relative abundances of Achromobacter, Agromyces and Acidocella. Moreover, a more complex network of microbes in rice roots inhibited rice plants from absorbing cadmium. These results suggest that cadmium uptake by rice plants is closely related to the endophytic bacterial community of roots. This study provides a reference scheme for the safe production of crops in cadmium contaminated paddies and lays a solid theoretical foundation for subsequent field applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern corn leaf blight is a severe fungal disease that adversely affects the health of maize crops. In order to prevent maize yield decline caused by leaf blight, we propose the YOLOv5-based object detection lightweight models to rapidly detect maize leaf blight disease in complex scenarios. Firstly, the Crucial Information Position Attention Mechanism (CIPAM) enables the model to focus on retaining critical information during downsampling to reduce information loss. We introduce the Feature Restructuring and Fusion Module (FRAFM) to extract deep semantic information and make the feature map fusion across maps at different scales more effective. Thirdly, we add the Mobile Bi-Level Transformer (MobileBit) to the feature extraction network to help the model understand complex scenes more effectively and cost-effectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves 87.5% mAP@0.5 accuracy on the NLB dataset, which is 5.4% higher than the original model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vascular system is affected by diseases that can seriously damage plant health by inducing browning and death of branches. This study aimed to identify and analyze the pathogenicity of Fusarium spp. isolates obtained from diseased peach branches in several peach-producing areas of China. Results: We obtained and confirmed nine Fusarium isolates based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Phylogenetic relationships using a combination of rDNA-internal transcribed spacer (ITS), elongation factor (EF)-1α, and mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) gene sequences were analyzed. GJH-Z1, GJH-6, and GJH-1 were identified as F. avenaceum; HYR-Z3, and ZLZT-6 as F. concentricum, HH-2020-G2, and HYTZ-4 as F. solani, GG-2020-1 as F. asiaticum, SYGZ-1 as F. equiseti. Through acupuncture comparison, the pathogenicity of F. equiseti (SYGZ-1) was highest amongst nine strains. Meanwhile, F. concentricum (HYR-Z3 and ZLZT-6), and F. solaini (HYTZ-4) had a higher level of pathogenicity as revealed by impregnation. Conclusions: Our study shed light on the findings that Fusarium spp. can inflict vascular bundle browning of peach plants. Our results will extend the understanding of pathogenic diseases in China's peach industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global food security is a critical challenge to fulfill the demands of an exponentially growing population. To date, growers rely on chemicals; the broad-spectrum application of synthetic molecules leads to environmental contamination, resistance development, residual toxicity, pest resurgence, and a detrimental eect on human health and cattle. Crop production needs to be improved considering environmental and human health concerns to ensure food security. Furthermore, economically important crops are prone to attack by insect pests, causing considerable yield losses. Microbes are an eco-friendly, versatile alternative, and a potential candidate for combatting destructive pests below the economic injury level and improving the plant’s health and productivity. Several microbial pathogens, including parasites, predators, parasitoids, pollinators, and many beneficial microorganisms, possess toxic properties against target organisms but do not cause harm to the non-target organisms. Entomopathogens (ENMs) have great potential for pest suppression due to their remarkable properties. Bacteria are host-specific, but fungi have a broader host range and can be significantly aected by both soil-dwelling and terrestrial insect pests. Virulent pathogens cause mortality in target insect pests known as ENMs and can penetrate through natural openings, ingestions, and integuments to cause a possible eect on target insect pests. The objective of using ENMs is to sustain productivity, improve environmental health, reduce pesticides, and conserve natural resources. Moreover, research is ongoing to discover other possible aspects, especially exploring potential ENMs. Therefore, there is a need for identification, isolation, and bioformulation to overcome the existing issues. This study is mainly focused on the status of bio-formulations, pathogenicity, their mode of action, and the potential application of dierent types of microbial formulations for sustainable pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) provide high temporal and spatial resolution information for crop health monitoring and informed management decisions to improve yields. However, traditional in-season yield prediction methodologies are often inconsistent and inaccurate due to variations in soil types and environmental factors. This study aimed to identify the best phenological stage and vegetation index (VI) for estimating corn yield under rainfed conditions. Multispectral images were collected over three years (2020-2022) during the corn growing season and over fifty VIs were analyzed. In the three-year period, thirty-one VIs exhibited significant correlations (r = 0.7) with yield. Sixteen VIs were significantly correlated with the yield at least for two years, and five VIs had a significant correlation with the yield for all three years. A strong correlation with yield was achieved by combining red, red edge, and near infrared-based indices. Further, combined correlation and random forest an alyses between yield and VIs led to the identification of consistent and highest predictive power VIs for corn yield prediction. Among them, leaf chlorophyll index, Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) terrestrial chlorophyll index and modified normalized difference at 705 were the most consistent predictors of corn yield when recorded around the reproductive stage (R1). This study demonstrated the dynamic nature of canopy reflectance and the importance of considering growth stages, and environmental conditions for accurate corn yield prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mature composts and their water-based extracts, known as aerated compost teas (ACTs), are biofertilizers that share bioactive effects like soil restoration and plant health promotion, widely used for sustainable agriculture. Bioactive effects of compost and ACTs could be associated with their physicochemical and biological characteristics, like carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio and microbiota structure respectively. In our study, we elaborated ACTs using mature homemade compost, wheat bran, and grass clippings, following the C/N ratio criteria. Irrigation of tomato plantlets with ACT whose C/N ratio was close to the expected C/N ratio for mature compost evidenced plant growth promotion. Exploring the bacterial microbiota of elaborated ACTs and origin compost revealed significant structural differences, including phyla involved in N mineralization and free-living N-fixing bacteria. Therefore, ACTs harbor diverse bacterial microbiota involved in the N cycle, which would enrich plant and soil bacterial communities at the taxonomic and functional levels. Furthermore, ACTs are considered a part of agroecological and circular economy approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium basal rot disease (FBR) is a destructive threat to onion crops around the globe. It causes seedlings' death, development disruption, and pre- and post-harvest bulb infection and rotting, with a concern for toxin infestation. It is an emerging disease in Israel, with new reports from farms nationwide. Recently, we reported on a full-season pot experiment to protect two leading commercial cultivars against FBR chemically. Here, we present new real-time qPCR molecular tracking of the pathogens inside the host plant and compare the infection levels to a deep analysis of the impacts of this experiment's treatments on plant growth and health indexes. The new findings reveal variations within each treatment's effectiveness regarding sprout development and bulb ripening stages. For instance, in the yellow Orlando cv., high protection was obtained with Azoxystrobin + Tebuconazole (Az-Te) in sprouts against F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae and with Fludioxonil + Sedaxen in mature plants against Fusarium acutatum. Thus, combining these fungicides may protect plants throughout their lifecycle. Also, Prochloraz at low dose was highly efficient in the Orlando cv. Still, to shield red Noam cv. plants from both pathogens, increasing this fungicide concentration towards the season-ending should be preferred. The qPCR tracking showed that all chemical treatments tested could reduce infection from pathogens by 80–90%, even with compounds such as Az-Te that were less effective. This implies that the pesticide was effective but probably phytotoxic to the plants, and thus, lower dosages must be considered. The molecular-based analysis discloses the high infection ability of F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae compared to F. acutatum in both cultivars. It also indicates an antagonism between those species in the Orlando cv. and synergism in the Noam cv. The current work reveals weak and strong points in chemical FBR protection and offers new ways to improve its application. The qPCR-based method enables us to closely monitor the pathogenesis and efficacy of chemical-preventing treatments and optimize crop-protection protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Plant Health Panel performed a pest categorisation of Setoptus parviflorae (Acari: Eriophyoidea: Phytoptidae) for the European Union (EU). This mite is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is known to occur in the Nanjing Botanical Garden (China) on Pinus parviflora. This is its only known host plant and location. The mite occurs on the needles and in the needle sheaths. Details about its life cycle are mostly unknown. Plants for planting, including dwarfed plants, of P. parviflora are the main potential pathway for entry into the EU. However, plants of the genus Pinus other than fruit and seeds are mostly prohibited from entering the EU (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072). The host, P. parviflora, can be found in temperate‐zone gardens and arboreta, and is a popular tree for bonsai in the EU. Although the Köppen–Geiger climate type Cfa (humid subtropical), which occurs in Nanjing, can be found in the EU, the growing conditions of P. parviflora at the Nanjing Botanical Garden were not reported. This adds uncertainty about where in the EU this mite could establish, most probably on ornamental P. parviflora. There is no evidence of impact of S. parviflorae. Measures to prevent entry and spread are available. S. parviflorae does not satisfy all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest, as there is no evidence of impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good health of grapevine plants is important for productivity and sustainability of newly established vineyards, and accurate detection of bacterial and fungal pathogens is a prerequisite for managing the diseases they cause in nurseries. This study screened marketable, bare-rooted grapevine plants, obtained from different geographical regions of Türkiye, for fungal pathogens associated with grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs). In 2021, 43 grapevine nurseries located in eight provinces were surveyed to reveal the status of GTD pathogens on asymptomatic marketable plants. Fungal pathogens isolated from the roots and basal parts of asymptomatic dormant grapevines were identified using with morphological characteristics and molecular markers, and were subjected to pathogenicity tests. Six species; Cytospora viticola, Diaporthe ampelina, Diplodia seriata, Lasiodiplodia brasiliensis, Neofusicoccum parvum, and Truncatella angustata (associated with dieback), and six species; Cadophora ferruginea, Cadophora luteo-olivacea, Cadophora malorum, Phaeoacremonium minimum, Phaeoacremonium tuscanicum and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (associated with Petri disease) were identified based on DNA sequencing of ITS and TEF1-α genes. GTD pathogens were detected in 12 and 14 of the 43 nurseries, respectively. Pathogenicity tests on 1103P vines revealed that all species were pathogenic (N. parvum and C. luteo-olivacea being the most virulent), and caused significant wood necroses when compared to non-inoculated experimental controls. This is the first report of C. ferruginea, C. malorum, L. brasiliensis, and P. tuscanicum associated with GTDs in Türkiye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the numerous benefits plants receive from probiotics, maintaining consistent results across applications is still a challenge. Cultivationindependent methods associated with reduced sequencing costs have considerably improved the overall understanding of microbial ecology in the plant environment. As a result, now, it is possible to engineer a consortium of microbes aiming for improved plant health. Such synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) contain carefully chosen microbial species to produce the desired microbiome function. Microbial biofilm formation, production of secondary metabolites, and ability to induce plant resistance are some of the microbial traits to consider when designing SynComs. Plant-associated microbial communities are not assembled randomly. Ecological theories suggest that these communities have a defined phylogenetic organization structured by general community assembly rules. Using machine learning, we can study these rules and target microbial functions that generate desired plant phenotypes. Well-structured assemblages are more likely to lead to a stable SynCom that thrives under environmental stressors as compared with the classical selection of single microbial activities or taxonomy. However, ensuring microbial colonization and long-term plant phenotype stability is still one of the challenges to overcome with SynComs, as the synthetic community may change over time with microbial horizontal gene transfer and retained mutations. Here, we explored the advances made in SynCom research regarding plant health, focusing on bacteria, as they are the most dominant microbial form compared with other members of the microbiome and the most commonly found in SynCom studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jaboticaba is a tropical plant and its fruit rich in nutrients, volatile compounds, and biological activities, which considered to be an edible health benefits plant. Despite its popularity for fresh consumption, jaboticaba is rarely used in intensive processing in China. The content of nutrients and antioxidant in jaboticaba greatly impacts how it is processed healthy food. In this study, we evaluated the nutrients, antioxidant capacity, and volatile compounds of three jaboticaba cultivars including Sabara, Argentina, and Fukuoka, respectively. Our results revealed each variety has its merits. Sabara had an abundance of volatile compounds, a suitable acid-sugar ratio, and a slightly lower antioxidant capacity, making it suitable for fresh consumption. Argentina is the richest in volatile compounds in ripe fruit, but slightly lighter in taste and acid-sugar ratio, making it suitable for dry products. The large size, juicy flesh, low acid-sugar ratio, and less volatile compounds content of Fukuoka also make it suitable for juice processing. Three cultivars of jaboticaba berry exhibited different characteristics, providing reference evidence for the manufacturing and processing of jaboticaba health food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compact and automated sensing systems are needed to monitor plant health for NASA's controlled-environment space crop production. A new hyperspectral system was designed for early detection of plant stresses using both reflectance and fluorescence imaging in visible and near-infrared (VNIR) wavelength range (400-1000 nm). The prototype system mainly includes two LED line lights providing VNIR broadband and UV-A (365 nm) light for reflectance and fluorescence measurement, respectively, a line-scan hyperspectral camera, and a linear motorized stage with a travel range of 80 cm. In an overhead sensor-to-sample arrangement, the stage translates the lights and camera over the plants to acquire reflectance and fluorescence images in sequence during one cycle of line-scan imaging. System software was developed using LabVIEW to realize hardware parameterization, data transfer, and automated imaging functions. The imaging unit was installed in a plant growth chamber at NASA Kennedy Space Center for health monitoring studies for pick-and-eat salad crops. A preliminary experiment was conducted to detect plant drought stress for twelve Dragoon lettuce samples, of which half were well-watered and half were under-watered while growing. A machine learning method using an optimized discriminant classifier based on VNIR reflectance spectra generated classification accuracies over 90% for the first four days of the stress treatment, showing great potential for early detection of the drought stress on lettuce leaves before any visible symptoms and size differences were evident. The system is promising to provide useful information for optimization of growth environment and early mitigation of stresses in space crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise information on soil moisture (SM) and crop water dynamics is essential for hydrological and agricultural applications. The SM measurements from SAR data are influenced by varying degree of soil-water binding and thus affect the reliable assessment of vegetation dynamics. Hence, in this present study, the six SAR-based SM descriptors capable of representing bound and free water in the soil and the corresponding in-situ SM measurements were used to train the four state-of-the-art machine learning regression (MLR) approaches, namely, random forest regression (RFR), gradient boosting regression Tree (GBRT), support vector regression (SVR), and gaussian processes regression (GPR) to retrieve enhanced surface soil moisture (SSMenh) estimates. The SSMenh results were used in the Water Cloud Model (WCM) to retrieve the PWC (plant water content). Lastly, the crop health schema (CHS) was proposed considering SSMenh and PWC, to examine the health dynamics of the cotton and sorghum crops. The results demonstrated that the GBRT model (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 0.004 m3m − 3, MAE = 0.021) outperformed the other ML models in retrieving SM. The PWC (R2 = 0.82, RMSE = 0.014, MAE = 0.019) from WCM and CHS schema (F1 score = 0.86, Kappa = 0.79) have shown good statistical agreement with the field observations. The present study demonstrated the scope of SSMenh product in investigating vegetation health response to water stress from single-date dual-pol SAR imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grapevine production capacity and the products quality depend largely on the health of the cultivated plants. Of the pathogens affecting the grapevine culture, viruses cause significant damages. For this reason, it is extremely important to use diagnostic methods to identify the pathogens and to choose the correct method of plant protection. A reliable method for the routine diagnosis of many economically important grapevine viruses is Enzyme -Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), a number of kits allowing the detection of different grapevine viral pathogens being commercially available. The increased incidence of Grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV) in plantations around the world and the availability of an ELISA kit, made it possible to identify this pathogen in Romania as well. The in-house validation of GPGV kit was necessary. The results showed that the most reliable type of tissue for analysis is the leaf petiole in the beginning of the growing season and the phloem tissue in the dormancy period. As the ELISA response decreased over the time both for aliquots of positive control of kit and positive plant storage samples, using the plant control is necessary, but carefully for the type of plant tissue and period of sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common for farmers to detect infections by speaking with regional specialists and conducting further experiments. Farming illnesses that eventually kill crops can impede crop growth. Due to the widespread spread of new diseases, farmers can have trouble understanding what's happening when things stabilize. In addition to affecting the nation's economy, agricultural diseases are crucial to controlling. Agricultural losses in India are 22.13% annually. Machine learning and the cloud can be used to identify diseases automatically to halt further crop losses. Even though a machine learning model is available for this proposal, it is not particularly advanced, reliable, portable, or practical in many ways. The user interface of the website allows farmers to upload a photo of a leaf to a cloud-hosted website to see how the disease has affected their crops. With the help of real-time data generated from 7,000 leaf photos, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), MobileNet, and machine learning libraries such as TensorFlow and OpenCV, it is possible to identify plant diseases with an average accuracy of 98.12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Blissus insularis (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Blissidae) for the European Union (EU) territory. B. insularis, known in the US as the southern chinch bug, primarily feeds on St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum, Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae). This is a lawn grass grown in warm, tropical and subtropical regions of the world and which is widely grown in the southern US and also used in southern EU as a lawn and amenity grass. Adults and nymphs aggregate to feed at the base of the grass. B. insularis occurs in the southern continental US, Hawaii, Guam, Mexico, Central and South America, and across the Caribbean. In the EU, B. insularis was first detected in Portugal in 2019, where following a national survey, it has now been found in 10 municipalities across the central and southern parts of the country. The pathway for entry into Portugal is unknown. B. insularis is not a regulated pest in the EU. It could further enter and spread within the EU via the import and movement of host plants for planting. S. secundatum is vegetatively propagated because seed is largely sterile. Many Poaceae plants for planting are prohibited from entering the EU, other than some ornamental perennial grasses. Whether S. secundatum is considered an ornamental grass within phytosanitary legislation is not clear. Host availability and climate suitability suggest that southern EU regions extending from the Atlantic coast of Portugal through the Mediterranean would be suitable for B. insularis establishment. The introduction of B. insularis to such areas of the EU would likely cause impacts to St. Augustine grass, as already seen in Portugal. Measures to prevent further entry and spread are available. Options to reduce the impact of established populations are also available. B. insularis satisfies all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Fagus sylvatica imported from the United Kingdom (UK) as: (a) 1‐ to 7‐year‐old bare root plants for planting, (b) < 1‐ to 15‐year‐old plants in pots and (c) bundles of 1‐ to 2‐year‐old whips and seedlings, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Two EU quarantine pests, Phytophthora ramorum (non‐EU isolates) and Thaumetopoea processionea, and two pests not regulated in the EU, Meloidogyne mali and Phytophthora kernoviae, fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, reasoning that older trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer exposure time and larger size. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with M. mali being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The expert knowledge elicitation (EKE) indicated with 95% certainty that between 9,793 and 10,000 plants in pots up to 15 years old per 10,000 will be free from M. mali. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Euzophera semifuneralis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), the American plum borer for the EU. This insect is native to North America, reported from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Out of its native range it is only present in Türkiye. It has not been reported in the EU and is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It can complete from one up to three generations per year in its native range and is polyphagous, feeding on 22 genera in 16 plant families. Host plant species commonly found in the EU include black walnut (Juglans nigra), mulberry (Morus alba, M. nigra), olive (Olea europaea), almond (Prunus dulcis), apricot (P. armeniaca), peach (P. persica), plum (P. domestica), sweet cherry (P. avium), apple (Malus domestica), pear (Pyrus communis) and pomegranate (Punica granatum). E. semifuneralis is generally known as pest of trees affected by mechanical injuries, frost or canker diseases. The pest is also known to vector the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata which is not known to occur in the EU. Climatic conditions and availability of host plants in some EU countries would allow this species to establish and spread. Impact in cultivated hosts including apples, plums, mulberries, almond, olive and ornamental broadleaf trees is anticipated. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and spread. E. semifuneralis meets the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for this species to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Hoplolaimus galeatus (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae) for the EU. H. galeatus belongs to the order Rhabditida, subfamily Hoplolaiminae. This nematode is not reported from the EU and is not included in the EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. It is widely distributed in the USA and is also reported from South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The identity of H. galeatus is clearly defined and methods for its identification are available. H. galeatus is polyphagous and natural hosts include barley, wheat, rye, red and white clover, alfalfa, cabbage, pine, spruce, oak, apple, grapevine, as well as various ornamental plants and turf grasses. These hosts are grown over vast areas of the EU. The climate of the EU is suitable for the establishment of H. galeatus. Pathways of entry are host plants for planting except seeds, but also soil as a contaminant. Soil import to the EU is prohibited and special requirements apply to import of machinery for agricultural/forestry purposes from third countries. Impact of the nematode is best known for North American plant species. The nematode has been reported to damage cotton, maize, soybean, pine, oak and turfgrass. Many of the hosts represent a considerable economic and environmental value to the EU. Therefore, the Panel concludes that H. galeatus satisfies all the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health conducted a pest categorisation of the avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) for the EU. The identity of ASBVd, a member of the genus Avsunviroid (family Avsunviroidae) is clearly defined and detection and identification methods are available. The pathogen is not included in the EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072. ASBVd has been reported in Australia, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, USA (California, Florida) and Venezuela. In the EU, it has been reported in Greece (Crete Island) and Spain. The pathogen could establish in the EU wherever avocado (Persea americana) is grown. The only known natural host of ASBVd is avocado to which it causes the severe 'avocado sunblotch' disease, characterised by white, yellow, red or necrotic depressed areas or scars on the fruit surface, bleached veins and petioles of the leaf, and rectangular cracking patterns in the bark of the old branches. Fruit yield and quality are severely diminished. ASBVd infects under experimental conditions a few more species in the family Lauraceae. The viroid is naturally transmitted at an extremely high rate by seeds (up to 100% in asymptomatically infected trees), but with a low efficiency by pollen (only to the produced seeds), and possibly through root grafts. Plants for planting, including seeds, and fresh avocado fruits were identified as the most relevant pathways for further entry of ASBVd into the EU. Avocado crops are cultivated in southern EU countries. Should the pest further enter and establish in the EU, impact on the production of avocado is expected. Phytosanitary measures are available to prevent entry and spread of the viroid in the EU. ASBVd fulfils the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Acer palmatum imported from the United Kingdom (UK) as: (a) 1‐ to 2‐year‐old bare root plants for planting and (b) 1‐ to 7‐year‐old plants in pots, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Six EU quarantine pests and four pests not regulated in the EU fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For these pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For the selected pests an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with Meloidogyne mali or M. fallax being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The expert knowledge elicitation indicated with 95% certainty that 9,792 or more plants in pots per 10,000 will be free from Meloidogyne mali or M. fallax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission requested the EFSA Panel on Plant Health to prepare and deliver risk assessments for commodities listed in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2019 as 'High risk plants, plant products and other objects'. This Scientific Opinion covers plant health risks posed by plants of Acer campestre imported from the UK as: (a) 1‐ to 7‐year‐old bare root plants for planting, (b) 1‐ to 15‐year‐old plants in pots and (c) bundles of 1‐ to 2‐year‐old whips and seedlings, taking into account the available scientific information, including the technical information provided by the UK. All pests associated with the commodity were evaluated against specific criteria for their relevance for this opinion. Six EU quarantine pests and four pests not regulated in the EU fulfilled all relevant criteria and were selected for further evaluation. For the selected pests, the risk mitigation measures implemented in the technical dossier from the UK were evaluated taking into account the possible limiting factors. For these pests, an expert judgement is given on the likelihood of pest freedom taking into consideration the risk mitigation measures acting on the pest, including uncertainties associated with the assessment. In the assessment of risk, the age of the plants was considered, reasoning that older trees are more likely to be infested mainly due to longer exposure time and larger size. The degree of pest freedom varies among the pests evaluated, with Phytophthora ramorum being the pest most frequently expected on the imported plants. The expert knowledge elicitation indicated with 95% certainty that 9,757 or more 1‐ to 15‐year‐old plants in pots per 10,000 will be free from P. ramorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed quality is affected by fungal contamination. These cause abortion, rot, or necrosis of the seed, as well as seedling damage that results in the development of diseases in later stages of growth. Their identification and characterization are essential to establish appropriate management. The objective of this work was to identify and determine the prevalence of fungal contaminants present in the seed of thirteen plant varieties of rice, soybean, corn, and forage sweet sorghum produced in the municipality of El Espinal, Tolima, Colombia. This research was carried out at the Tibaitatá Research Center of the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation AGROSAVIA (Cundinamarca, Colombia) during the second semester of 2021. By means of a blotter test, fungal contaminants and their prevalence in germinated and non-germinated seeds were identified. A total of 65 fungal isolates were obtained, which were grouped into twenty-eight molecularly identified morphotypes (44 soybean, 5 rice, 7 sorghum and 9 corn). The genera Diaporthe and Fusarium were the ones with the highest total prevalence and in ungerminated seeds. The fungi found include possible pathogens such as Fusarium spp, Curvularia spp and Diaporthe spp. and saprophytic fungi such as Penicillium spp and Aspergillus spp. The isolates of Fusarium equiseti and Diaporthe sp. in soybean seed, Curvularia penniseti in rice seed, Diaporthe melonis in sorghum seed and Fusarium verticillioides in corn seed can be considered as potential seed-borne pathogens that caused a negative effect on germination capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hyper-eutrophic conditions in impoundments used for irrigation around South Africa’s major cities promote the co-existence of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and other pollutants such as metals. The combined effects of LAS and metals, when such water is used to irrigate crops, has not been properly investigated in light of human health risks and prevailing local conditions. To understand the potential risks, pot-culture experiments were conducted to assess the effect of the LAS, sodium-dodecyl-sulfonate (SDS), on the accumulation of aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn) and strontium (Sr) in Brassica oleracea (cabbage) and Solanum tuberosum (potato) plants. The plants were watered with dam water containing 3.48 mg·L−1 of the LAS (sodium dodecyl sulfonate) and Mn (0.257 mg·L−1), Al (0.6 mg·L−1) and Sr (0.16 mg·L−1) as determined by field surveys, for 20 days. The presence of SDS in the irrigation water at environmentally relevant concentrations did not enhance uptake of Sr, Mn, Al in the two plants, as demonstrated by statistically insignificant differences in the means of the treatments (with and without SDS). In addition, the presence of the metals, high pH, EC and presence of cyanotoxins in the water did not affect total chlorophyll and growth of the plants. These findings imply that the prevailing levels of anionic surfactants such as SDS, metals and other contaminants in the hyper-eutrophic reservoirs pose little risk to crop yields, quality of crops and human health, due to the possible accumulation of these contaminants in irrigated plants. Despite the study reporting no immediate inherent risk to the plants and human health, continuous monitoring of the contaminants in water, soil and irrigated plants is recommended since the conditions, concentrations and other factors can quickly change if the management of the catchment does not improve in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the concept of soil health is characterised by three fundamental parameters such as: physical, chemical and biological soil properties. These parameters are in a continuous interaction when are influenced by climatic changes, soil types and the usage of different management practices. The importance of the microbial communities in soil is represented by their ability to decompose the soil organic matter and to transform, mineralize and release essential nutrients important for plant development. In addition, they are important in the detoxification of environmental pollutants and maintenance of soil fertility. In soil, microorganisms are abundant and diverse and include some important taxonomic categories such as: bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, algae and soil protozoa. This review is focused on the role of beneficial microorganisms in soil health, highlighting the recent advances in this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants signal their health in a broader spectrum than we can see with our eyes. We compared sunlight reflectance on plants at spectral wavelengths ranging from 430 nm to 870 nm in our study. These are based on multispectral images captured at a distance of 2 m. Indoor plants were observed over a period of 18 days and stressed due to a lack of sunlight or water. Wild sedge photographed on the forest floor at close range and with a difficult capture setup produced results comparable to published multispectral signatures derived from aerial imagery. Changes of leaf reflectance were noticed in spectral signatures and in vegetation indices. When calculating vegetation indices, our results show that comparing red and red edge reflectance values is superior to comparing red and NIR reflectance values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Scientific & Technical Applications / Revista de Aplicación Científica & Técnica is the property of ECORFAN-Mexico S.C. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The textile industry is one of the most flourishing and developed at the level of the European Union and as a result, being such an important field, it is imperative to have some legislative acts at the European level in order to regulate and harmonise the conduct of the Member States. The main goal of the Regulation No 1007/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council is to set up common rules on both fabric names and the composition of textile products and, at the same time, to harmonise the indications that appear on the labels, markings and documents which accompany such products throughout the process of their production and distribution. In addition to this Regulation, there are other normative acts at the level of the European Union with a particular impact on the textile industry. We are taking into consideration, alongside with the above-mentioned Regulation, the Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, which refers to the general product safety and other acts in connection with these. The aim of this paper is to briefly present the provisions of these legislative acts, as they are closely connected to the textile industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant disease, such as apple and pear scab, control is a crucial issue of fruit-growing. Apple and pear are among the most widely grown (approximately 43% of all fruit tree area) and economically important fruit crops worldwide and in Latvia. Research projects have produced research data covering various aspects of plant-pathogen interactions, but there is no internal linkage analysis, as well as implementation of other types of data (such as environmental and meteorological data, etc.). Establishing such a data integration system would allow the identification of new regularities in plant-pathogen interactions, and provide mechanisms for disease control decisions. In this study an expert system was developed aimed to help professional fruit-growers evaluate the possible impact of apple and pear scab to the plant health and yield quality. The expert system is based on a previously developed apple and pear scab ontology and consists of a web based front-end and triplestore back-end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aerial surface of the plant (phyllosphere) is the habitat of complex microbial communities. These communities may have profound effects on host plant health and its performance traits. When breeding new cultivars, i.e. the aerial component of a grape plant, one can simply ignore the phyllosphere in breeding schemes if its composition is mainly dependent on the environment. It is considered an important component if the genotype is the main driver of the phyllosphere composition. In order to answer this question, we have analysed several factors influencing the structure of the phyllosphere microbial community. Using amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), we explored the microbial diversity at genus level for both bacteria and fungi present in the phyllosphere of leaves and grape berries. We analysed it on different grape taxonomic level (between five Vitis species or a set of Vitis vinifera cultivars chosen to represent the three genetic pools of the species), for different years and on five commercially important varieties of Vitis vinifera that were sampled from three different French terroirs. Our results indicated the presence of complex microbial diversity and assemblages in the phyllosphere. A significant effect of several factors (organ, grape species, growing year and terroir) on taxa abundance was observed with varying degrees of effect. At a given location, genotypes have an impact on microbial assemblage in the phyllosphere of leaf and berries, most pronounced on fruits but the effect of terroir was much stronger than the cultivar identity when the leaf phyllosphere of five grapevine varieties grown in different agro-climatic zones was compared. Limitations of the study as well as implied consequences of this work will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a hazardous heavy metal causing various health issues in plants, animals and human beings. This study deals with the removal of lead by chemical sorbents such as lime and single super phosphate (SSP) from contaminated waters through a batch incubation experiment. The effect of sorbent dosage, initial Pb2+ concentration, and incubation time intervals on Pb adsorption and desorption was studied, and the data were fitted to various kinetic models. A higher Pb adsorption rate from contaminated water was observed with SSP (75.2%) than with lime (65.5%), which increased with increasing sorbent dosage and time intervals. The adsorption rate decreased with increasing initial Pb concentration in the water. The pseudo second-order kinetic model described the Pb adsorption precisely followed by intraparticle diffusion. Chemisorption was the dominant mechanism operating in the Pb-contaminated aqueous solution system. Hence, it could be concluded that SSP is an effective sorbent which can be effectively used for the removal of Pb from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California is increasingly investing in policies and programs that promote soil stewardship on natural and working lands as a way to help achieve multiple goals, including improved forage production and climate change mitigation. To inform the growing expectations for rangeland management activities to promote such services, we conducted an evidence synthesis assessing how four commonly suggested practices (silvopasture, prescribed grazing, compost application and riparian restoration) affect a suite of soil properties and plant-related metrics throughout the state. We extracted data on soil properties that are potentially responsive to management and relevant to soil health. We also extracted data on aboveground forage production, forage nitrogen content and herbaceous species richness. Our search resulted in 399 individual soil observations and 64 individual plant observations. We found that the presence of oaks had the largest effects on soil properties, with soil organic carbon, microbial biomass and other measures of soil fertility increasing beneath oak canopies. The presence of grazing increased compaction and total nitrogen, and decreased pH. Compost applications did not significantly affect any of the measured soil properties, but did boost forage production. Due to a lack of published data, we were unable to characterize the influence of rangeland riparian restoration on any of the soil or plant metrics in our review.