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The herbicide dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) is commonly used to control broadleaf weeds in soybeans. Dicamba, however, is susceptible to volatilization and drift, thereby causing significant plant damage to nontarget crops downwind. Dicamba was reformulated to reduce volatility and off-target movement. The effectiveness of the dicamba reformulation was assessed by quantifying dicamba emissions following spray application and investigated how meteorological factors influenced the off-target movement. The experiments were conducted at the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (UMORE Park) during the growing season of 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022. Multiple high-flow polyurethane foam air samplers were used to measure dicamba concentrations downwind from a 4-ha soybean field sprayed with dicamba. Dicamba emissions were estimated using backward Lagrangian modeling constrained by the air sample observations. The results indicate that dicamba emissions and downwind transport were significant for several days following application. Further, non-traited soybeans located within 15–45 m showed substantial dicamba-related damage. In warmer, drier seasons, increased dicamba emissions caused more severe damage to downwind soybeans, likely worsened by drought stress preventing recovery. Favorable atmospheric conditions that reduced potential drift can be difficult to achieve in terms of the typical weather experienced over agricultural sites in the Upper Midwest. These results indicate that the dicamba reformulation has not adequately prevented significant post-spray volatilization losses and downwind transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic, dicamba‐resistant soybean and cotton were developed to enable farmers to combat weeds that had evolved resistance to the herbicide glyphosate. The dramatic increases in dicamba use these crops facilitated have led to serious problems, including the evolution of dicamba‐resistant weeds and widespread damage to susceptible crops and farming communities. Disturbingly, this pattern of dicamba use has unfolded while the total herbicide applied to soybean has nearly doubled since 2006. Without substantive changes to agricultural policy and decision making, the next 'silver‐bullet' agrotechnology will likely be no more than another step on the transgene‐facilitated herbicide treadmill. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research was conducted to investigate the anthelmintic potential of crude extracts from the stem, leaves, and flowers of two common weeds, Oxalis corymbosa DC. & O. pes-caprae L., of family Oxalidaceae, against gastrointestinal parasitic worm (helminth), Haemonchus contortus in polar & non-polar solvents, i.e. distilled water, ethanol, chloroform, and n-hexane. The time taken for the paralysis and ultimately the death of the worms by the crude extracts of both plants was found reasonably well as compared to that of the standard drug, Albendazole. However, the crude extracts of stem, leaves, and flowers of O. corymbosa in ethanol were found to be more effective than those of O. pes-caprae with paralysis (17.33, 14.20, and 10.13 min, respectively) and death time (18.16, 15.10, and 9.33 min, respectively) while Albendazole recorded paralysis and death time as 59.10 and 60.06 min, respectively. Likewise, the anthelmintic potential of stem, leaves, and flowers extracts of O. corymbosa in n-hexane, chloroform, and distilled water was noticeably higher such as in n-hexane, stem, leaves and flowers extracts of O. corymbosa had paralysis (29.20, 27.33 and 28.0, respectively) and death time (30.20, 30.16 and 30.06, respectively) while the same extracts of O. pes-caprae had paralysis (37.43, 36.40, and 34.06, respectively) and death time (39.10, 36.83, and 35.33, respectively). The results indicated sound anthelmintic potential of the two weeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Resistance to dicamba in Chenopodium album was first documented over a decade ago, however, the molecular basis of dicamba resistance in this species has not been elucidated. In this research, the resistance mechanism in a dicamba‐resistant C. album phenotype was investigated using a transcriptomics (RNA‐sequence) approach. RESULTS: The dose–response assay showed that the resistant (R) phenotype was nearly 25‐fold more resistant to dicamba than a susceptible (S) phenotype of C. album. Also, dicamba treatment significantly induced transcription of the known auxin‐responsive genes, Gretchen Hagen 3 (GH3), small auxin‐up RNAs (SAURs), and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate synthase (ACS) genes in the susceptible phenotype. Comparing the transcripts of auxin TIR/AFB receptors and auxin/indole‐3‐acetic acid (AUX/IAA) proteins identified from C. album transcriptomic analysis revealed that the R phenotype contained a novel mutation at the first codon of the GWPPV degron motif of IAA16, resulting in an amino acid substitution of glycine (G) with aspartic acid (D). Sequencing the IAA16 gene in other R and S individuals further confirmed that all the R individuals contained the mutation. CONCLUSION: In this research, we describe the dicamba resistance mechanism in the only case of dicamba‐resistant C. album reported to date. Prior work has shown that the dicamba resistance allele confers significant growth defects to the R phenotype investigated here, suggesting that dicamba‐resistant C. album carrying this novel mutation in the IAA16 gene may not persist at high frequencies upon removal of dicamba application. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-jarosite, an iron mineral synthesized biologically using bacteria, is a substitute for iron catalysts in the Fenton oxidation of organic pollutants. Iron nanocatalysts have been widely used as Fenton catalysts because they have a larger surface area than ordinary catalysts, are highly recyclable, and can be treated efficiently. This study aimed to explore the catalytic properties of bio-jarosite iron nanoparticles synthesized with green methods using two distinct plant species: Azadirachta indica and Eucalyptus gunni. The focus was on the degradation of dicamba via Fenton oxidation. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited different particle size, shape, surface area, and chemical composition characteristics. Both particles were effective in removing dicamba, with removal efficiencies of 96.8% for A. indica bio-jarosite iron nanoparticles (ABFeNPs) and 93.0% for E. gunni bio-jarosite iron nanoparticles (EBFeNPs) within 120 min of treatment. Increasing the catalyst dosage by 0.1 g/L resulted in 7.6% and 43.0% increases in the dicamba removal efficiency for EBFeNPs and ABFeNPs with rate constants of 0.025 min−1 and 0.023 min−1, respectively, confirming their catalytic roles. Additionally, the high efficiency of both catalysts was demonstrated through five consecutive cycles of linear pseudo-first-order Fenton oxidation reactions.

Exploring the sugar and amino acid content variability and the influence of thermal processing on these in soybeans can help optimize their utilization in animal feed. This study examined 209 samples harvested in 2020 and 55 samples harvested in 2021 from across the U.S. to assess their sugar variability and amino acid variability. Harvest regions included the East Corn Belt, West Corn Belt, Mid-South, East Coast, and the Southeast of the U.S. In addition to the sugar and amino acid contents, protein, oil, and seed size were also analyzed. Samples from 2021 were evaluated for their sugar and amino acid contents before and after autoclaving the seeds at 105–110 °C for 15 min. For the samples harvested in 2020, sucrose (4.45 g 100 g−1) and stachyose (1.34 g 100 g−1) were the most prevalent sugars. For the samples harvested in 2021, L-arginine (9.82 g 100 g−1), leucine (5.29 g 100 g−1), and glutamate (4.90 g 100 g−1) were the most prevalent amino acids. Heat treatment resulted in an 8.47%, 20.88%, 11.18%, and 1.46% median loss of free lysine, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. This study's insights into the variability in sugar and amino acid content and the heat-induced changes in the nutritional composition of soybeans provide a reference for improving soybean quality assessment and optimizing its use in animal feed formulations in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide-resistant corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.) is one of the most important broadleaved weeds and the number of resistant cases is still growing. The aims of this study were to confirm the resistance of P. rhoeas from Tunisia to ALS inhibitors and auxin mimics and investigate the mechanisms of Target-Site Resistance (TSR) and Non-Target Site Resistance (NTSR) involved. Dose–response trials to determine cross-resistance patterns for ALS inhibitors and auxin mimics were conducted in a greenhouse. In this study, multiple resistance to tribenuron-methyl and dicamba but not to 2,4-D was found in P. rhoeas populations. Cross-resistance to imazamox was confirmed as well. Sequence analysis of the ALS gene detected target-site mutations in codon 197 of the ALS gene, namely, Pro197His, Pro197Thr, Pro197Leu, and Pro197Asn. In this study, the metabolism experiments with malathion (a cytochrome P450 inhibitor) showed that malathion reduced resistance to imazamox, indicating that P450 is involved in the resistance. TSR and NTSR mechanisms to ALS inhibitors likely coexist. The findings of this study revealed a significant synergistic interaction between malathion and dicamba in particular populations, suggesting that the resistance to auxin mimics can be conferred by enhanced metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farming with tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) in South Africa can be a highly profitable operation, provided the farmer starts the crop with the right variety of quality seedlings, suited for the specific growth area. Therefore, it is necessary to study tomato seedlings on the molecular level. This study was conducted to isolate and identify S. lycopersicum in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Therefore, this molecular study was conducted in 2022 at Limpopo University. To identify S. lycopersicum 28S rDNA marker was used. The DNA was extracted using the Chelex method. The tomato was identified as S. lycopersicum. The Nblast analysis showed South African S. lycopersicum has a 99.8% similarity with a population from Germany (OU640345) and a 99.7% similarity with a population from Sweden (OK073662). Phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood placed this species with those molecularly identified as S. lycopersicum in the same clade with highly supported (83) bootstrap values. In conclusion, this species is identified using 28S rDNA properly. However, other DNA markers are recommended to understand Solanum spp. phylogeny better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crowdsourcing involves the use of annotated labels with unknown reliability to estimate ground truth labels in datasets. A common task in crowdsourcing involves estimating reliabilities of annotators (such as through the sensitivities and specificities of annotators in the binary label setting). In the literature, beta or dirichlet distributions are typically imposed as priors on annotator reliability. In this study, we investigated the use of a neuroscientifically validated model of decision making, known as the drift-diffusion model, as a prior on the annotator labeling process. Two experiments were conducted on synthetically generated data with non-linear (sinusoidal) decision boundaries. Variational inference was used to predict ground truth labels and annotator related parameters. Our method performed similarly to a state-of-the-art technique (SVGPCR) in prediction of crowdsourced data labels and prediction through a crowdsourced-generated Gaussian process classifier. By relying on a neuroscientifically validated model of decision making to model annotator behavior, our technique opens the avenue of predicting neuroscientific biomarkers of annotators, expanding the scope of what may be learnt about annotators in crowdsourcing tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the evolution of resistant weeds to glyphosate, the new technologies Xtend® and Enlist® cropping systems are expected to boost the use of auxin herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D. This study examined the effects of two formulations of 2,4-D and dicamba in tank-mixtures with other pesticides on selected physico-chemical properties of the spray solution, such as stability and pH, as well as other characteristics, such as size in dropcard and surface tension. The research included two factors, factor A comprised the herbicides dicamba and 2,4-D amine and choline salts and a auxin herbicide-free treatment, while factor B comprised 12 pesticides commonly sprayed in Brazil (i.e., five formulations of glyphosate, clethodim, haloxyfop-p-methyl, trifloxystrobin + prothioconazole, azoxystrobin + benzovindiflupyr, mancozeb, chlorantraniliprole, and thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin). Stability and pH, surface tension, and droplet parameters of the tank-mixtures were analyzed. No incompatibility was observed in the tank mixtures tested. Mixing dicamba with clethodim and haloxyfop-p-methyl resulted in pH values below 4.5. Auxin herbicides did not show pH buffering capacity and did not prevent pH changes when the others pesticides were added to the tank-mixtures. All mixtures affected surface tension of herbicides relative to the single solutions. The results support the use of auxin herbicides with other pesticides, given that the use of auxin herbicides will probably increase, following the adoption of new dicamba and 2,4-D technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is widely used for detecting target species, including monitoring endangered species and detecting the presence of invasive species. Detecting targeted species using the eDNA approach is typically carried out with species-specific qPCR assays. Amazon frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) is classified as a State-Prohibited Matter Weed in NSW, Australia. It is a fast-growing perennial aquatic weed that outcompetes native aquatic plants, leading to a reduction in the habitats of aquatic animals. Early detection is crucial for the effective management of this species. In this study, we developed a qPCR assay for L. laevigatum based on the rpoB gene sequence. This assay was validated against 25 non-target aquatic and terrestrial species. It was found to be species-specific, with the positive signal exclusively detected in L. laevigatum. The assay was highly sensitive with the modelled detection limits of 3.66 copies of DNA/µL. Furthermore, our assay was validated using environmental samples collected from field sites with and without the presence of L. laevigatum. Our assay is an effective tool for targeted eDNA detection of L. laevigatum, which will enhance efforts to monitor and control this invasive aquatic weed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide volatility and drift are serious problems for chemical weed control. The extended use of dicamba, especially due to the commercial release of dicamba-resistant crops, revealed many off-target dicamba injury issues for sensitive crops. The objective of the present study is to give information on the chemical properties and volatility of dicamba and highlight some key issues, while a systematic review of the recently reported cases is attempted. Unfortunately, the problem is increasing, with a huge majority of the injuries reported in the USA, but it is also present in many other countries. Several arable, horticultural, and perennial crops suffer from such damage. Specific measures and approaches are suggested in order to quantify, reduce, and prevent such problems, while the training of farmers and stakeholders and further research are certainly required for the optimization of the several alternative options.

The recent release of 2,4-D- and dicamba-tolerant soybean traits has increased the risk of off-target herbicide injury and yield loss for specialty crop growers in the midwestern United States. Most dicotyledonous plants, including many specialty crops like pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo), are susceptible to synthetic auxin herbicides; however, the relationship between off-target herbicide rate, visible crop injury, and eventual yield loss is not well documented. The objective of this 2-year field study in 2019 and 2020 was to determine the effect of sublethal herbicide rates of 2,4-D and dicamba on visible injury and crop yield loss in pumpkin when applied at the vegetative and flowering growth stages. Herbicides included 2,4-D choline salt (1066 g ae·ha21 labeled rate) and dicamba diglycolamine salt (560 g ae·ha21 labeled rate) ranging from 1/500 to 1/4 of the labeled rate. Visible injury ratings were recorded every 7 d after application and pumpkins were harvested and weighed when ripe. Injury and yield data were fit to a four-parameter log-logistic regression model to estimate effective doses (ED) required for 5% to 50% visible injury or yield loss. Pumpkin treated with the 1/10 and 1/4 rates of 2,4-D at both growth stages had visible injury (± 1 SE) ranging from 8% (± 3%) to 55% (± 3%), but injury did not always result in yield loss. Maximum yield loss from 2,4-D was 32% (± 2%), observed following the 1/4 rate at the vegetative growth stage in 2020 (estimated ED for 20% yield loss was ~1/50). Pumpkin treated at the vegetative growth stage with the 1/10 and 1/4 rates of dicamba resulted in 65% (± 6%) to 82% (± 1%) visible injury and 33% (± 2%) to 86% (± 14%) yield loss (estimated ED for 20% yield loss was ~1/10 in 2019 and ~1/15 in 2020). At the flowering stage, dicamba rates of 1/10 and 1/4 caused visible injury of 31% (± 2%) to 74% (± 5%) and yield loss of 26% (± 10%) to 60% (± 14%) (estimated ED for 20% yield loss was ~1/20 in 2019 and ~1/5 in 2020). Susceptibility of pumpkin to 2,4-D and dicamba suggests herbicide applicators and pumpkin growers should consider strategies that mitigate off-target movement, including using nozzles that increase droplet size, shielded sprayers, thorough tank cleanout, buffer zones, and programs that facilitate communication between applicators and growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the property of recycled cotton staple yarn, recycled polyester filaments were wrapped around the outer layer of recycled cotton to produce recycled wrapped polyester cotton yarn with condensed yarn structure. In order to improve spinnability of the wrapped yarn, impact of key process parameters on yarn convergence points was analyzed. Through specific spinning experiments, drawing ratio of filament, the distance between filament and staple sliver and the twist factor of yarn were optimized. The results showed when using recycled cotton and recycled polyester filament as raw materials to spin wrapped yarn, the quality of the wrapped yarn was optimal under the process conditions of filament draft ratio was 1.03 times, the distance between filament and staple strips was 4 mm and twist factor of the yarn was 400. Making recycled cotton into yarn was an effective method to achieve the recycling and reuse of waste textiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide volatility and drift are serious problems for chemical weed control. The extended use of dicamba, especially due to the commercial release of dicamba-resistant crops, revealed many off-target dicamba injury issues for sensitive crops. The objective of the present study is to give information on the chemical properties and volatility of dicamba and highlight some key issues, while a systematic review of the recently reported cases is attempted. Unfortunately, the problem is increasing, with a huge majority of the injuries reported in the USA, but it is also present in many other countries. Several arable, horticultural, and perennial crops suffer from such damage. Specific measures and approaches are suggested in order to quantify, reduce, and prevent such problems, while the training of farmers and stakeholders and further research are certainly required for the optimization of the several alternative options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are no known human biomonitoring studies that concurrently examine biomarkers of dicamba and 2,4-D. We sought to compare biomarkers of exposure to herbicides in pregnant women residing in the US Midwest before and after the adoption of dicamba-tolerant soybean technology using urine specimens obtained in 2010–2012 from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be (N = 61) and in 2020–2022 from the Heartland Study (N = 91). Specific gravity-standardized concentration levels for each analyte were compared between the cohorts, assuming data are lognormal and specifying values below the LOD as left-censored. The proportion of pregnant individuals with dicamba detected above the LOD significantly increased from 28% (95% CI: 16%, 40%) in 2010–2012 to 70% (95% CI: 60%, 79%) in 2020–2022, and dicamba concentrations also significantly increased from 0.066 μg/L (95% CI: 0.042, 0.104) to 0.271 μg/L (95% CI: 0.205, 0.358). All pregnant individuals from both cohorts had 2,4-D detected. Though 2,4-D concentration levels increased, the difference was not significant (p-value = 0.226). Reliance on herbicides has drastically increased in the last ten years in the United States, and the results obtained in this study highlight the need to track exposure and impacts on adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of dicamba and 2,4-D resistant crops may result in the widespread use of these herbicides in agricultural areas, potentially affecting nearby susceptible crops. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of bean, peanut, and cotton to different doses of Dicamba and 2,4-D. To do so, separate experiments were conducted for each crop and herbicide in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized design with four replications. Both herbicides were applied at different doses to plants with the second pair of true leaves. Phytotoxicity and dry biomass were evaluated. For cotton, 2,4-D showed high phytotoxicity at doses of up to 83.75 g ai ha-1, with a reduction in suppressive effect observed at 20.93 g ai ha-1. Dicamba exhibited a pronounced reduction in crop biomass up to a dose of 70 g ai ha-1, with 94 % phytotoxicity. For beans, the evolution of symptoms using 2,4-D occurred more slowly, but the highest doses resulted in phytotoxicity of up to 95 % and a 30 % reduction in biomass at 167.5 g ai ha-1, indicating a significant impact on the crop. Dicamba also had a high negative impact, with a 100 % reduction in biomass at 70 g ai ha-1. The peanut crop was more tolerant to herbicides, with 2,4-D doses of 670, 335, and 167.5 g ai ha-1 resulting in phytotoxicities of 69.5, 37.49, and 14.37 %, respectively. Dicamba significantly reduced dry biomass at doses of up to 70 g ai ha-1. The results show that, despite the differences in sensitivity of cotton, bean, and peanut to 2,4-D and Dicamba, even low doses of these herbicides applied early in development had a significant negative impact on these crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is great interest in exploring epigenetic modifications as drivers of adaptive organismal responses to environmental change. Extending this hypothesis to populations, epigenetically driven plasticity could influence phenotypic changes across environments. The canonical model posits that epigenetic modifications alter gene regulation and subsequently impact phenotypes. We first discuss origins of epigenetic variation in nature, which may arise from genetic variation, spontaneous epimutations, epigenetic drift, or variation in epigenetic capacitors. We then review and synthesize literature addressing three facets of the aforementioned model: (i) causal effects of epigenetic modifications on phenotypic plasticity at the organismal level, (ii) divergence of epigenetic patterns in natural populations distributed across environmental gradients, and (iii) the relationship between environmentally induced epigenetic changes and gene expression at the molecular level. We focus on DNA methylation, the most extensively studied epigenetic modification. We find support for environmentally associated epigenetic structure in populations and selection on stable epigenetic variants, and that inhibition of epigenetic enzymes frequently bears causal effects on plasticity. However, there are pervasive confounding issues in the literature. Effects of chromatin-modifying enzymes on phenotype may be independent of epigenetic marks, alternatively resulting from functions and protein interactions extrinsic of epigenetics. Associations between environmentally induced changes in DNA methylation and expression are strong in plants and mammals but notably absent in invertebrates and nonmammalian vertebrates. Given these challenges, we describe emerging approaches to better investigate how epigenetic modifications affect gene regulation, phenotypic plasticity, and divergence among populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work provides new evidence of the ongoing potential of surface-active ionic liquids (SAILs) and surface-active quaternary ammonium salts (surface-active QASs). To achieve this, a series of compounds were synthesized with a yield of ≥85%, and their thermal analyses were studied. Additionally, antimicrobial activity against both human pathogenic and soil microorganisms was investigated. Subsequently, their surface properties were explored with the aim of utilizing SAILs and surface-active QASs as alternatives to commercial amphiphilic compounds. Finally, we analyzed the wettability of the leaves' surface of plants occurring in agricultural fields at different temperatures (from 5 to 25 °C) and the model plant membrane of leaves. Our results show that the synthesized compounds exhibit higher activity than their commercial analogues such as, i.e., didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (C12TAB), for which the CMC values are 2 mM and 15 mM. The effectiveness of the antimicrobial properties of synthesized compounds relies on their hydrophobic nature accompanied by a cut-off effect. Moreover, the best wettability of the leaves' surface was observed at 25 °C. Our research has yielded valuable insights into the potential effectiveness of SAILs and surface-active QASs as versatile compounds, offering a promising alternative to established antimicrobials and crop protection agents, all the while preserving substantial surface activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling coloration refers to a dyeing method that forms azo chromophore in-situ on fiber through coupling reaction, where some electron-donating groups on fiber are served as coupling components, when treated with a diazonium salt. Since the generated azo chromophores connect to the fiber by covalent bonds, dyed fabrics through coupling coloration usually have excellent fastness. In this paper, a dyeing method involving a fiber modification process and a coupling coloration procedure was proposed for cotton fabric. To achieve this goal, an aniline modifier was firstly designed and synthesized through combination of aniline and triazine structures. Chemical modification of cotton fabric using the aniline modifier successfully grafted aniline units onto cotton fiber. The modified cotton fiber was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. Coupling coloration of the modified cotton fabric utilizing 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline, p-nitroaniline or 2-amino-5-nitrothiazole diazonium salts successfully presented deep shades of orange, red or blue color, respectively, with good levelness property. The dyed fabric exhibited good color firmness property. For example, the dyed fabric showed good resistance to organic solvent extraction with color fixation values of higher than 90%. The color fastnesses to soaping and rubbing of the dyed cotton fabrics reached higher than grade 4. The dyed cotton fabrics also had excellent washing stability after 20 washing cycles. Besides, the migration values of the cotton fabrics through coupling coloration were lower than 3%, indicating excellent anti-migration property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to assess the possible endocrine disruptor effects on rat mammary tissue and reproductive organs during pregnancy and lactation when exposed to low doses of glyphosate and its combination with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and dicamba. The study involved the exposure of pregnant Wistar rats to various regulatory-relevant doses of glyphosate, ranging from gestational day 6 until fine of the lactation period. Glyphosate doses corresponded to the European Union's glyphosate-acceptable daily intake (ADI; 0.5mg/kg bw/day) and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL; 50mg/kg bw/day). The dose of the mixture of glyphosate, dicamba, and 2,4-D was at the European Union ADI for each herbicide namely 0.5, 0.002, and 0.3mg/kg bw/day, respectively. In the animals exposed to glyphosate NOAEL serum estradiol levels were increased compared to untreated animals, along with an upregulation of TNF-?, MMP-2, and MMP-9 as measured in mammary gland homogenates compared to nontreated animals. Moreover, in this group, a focally acute inflammatory infiltrate was observed in the mammary gland. Our study showed that short-term exposure to glyphosate at doses that are set as safe by regulators and thus without risk corroborated with a particular physiological state as gestation and lactation, can give rise to inflammatory changes in breast tissue in rats. These findings support the need for further evaluation of glyphosate and mixtures of glyphosate with other pesticides for public health protection, especially for those categories vulnerable to the potential endocrine disruptor properties of these pesticides such as pregnant women, newborns, and children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation was carried out to evaluate the influence of the dicamba (3,6-Dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) (DIC) and casein hydrolysate (CH) on the callus growth, shoot multiplication, and some biochemical constituents of date palm cv. Barhee cultured in vitro. Both DIC and CH were required for callus growth and shoots regeneration. The medium supplemented with 4.0 mg l−1 DIC in combination with 1.0 g l−1 CH gave the highest callus weight (287 mg), while the maximum response rate and the number of shoots per jar (86.67% and 15.07 shoots/jar) were found in MS media equipped with 4 mg l−1 DIC and 0.5 mg l−1 CH combination. The total amount of phenolic compounds was significantly reduced to 0.82 and 0.79 mg GAE g–1 in shoots cultured in the medium equipped with 4.0 mg l−1 DIC with 0.5 and 1.0 g l−1 CH, which is reflected in the rate of browning. The results showed that the highest shoots content of endogenous IAA (3.71 and 3.50 μg g−1), were obtained in response to 4 mg l−1 DIC + 1.0 g l−1 CH and 4.0 mg l−1 DIC + 0.5 g l−1 CH, respectively. The macronutrient K, P, Ca, and free amino acids content significantly increased in the in vitro shoots regenerated on the media supplemented with 4.0 mg l−1 DIC + 1.0 g l−1 CH. The genetic stability of this study was confirmed by the DNA-based fingerprinting method RAPD. The RAPD binding patterns indicated no variation among tissue culture-derived plants. The in vitro propagation protocol described herein can be introduced to the production of genetically stable date palm plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to corn, sorghum is more sensitive to the action of synthetic chemicals in the administered herbicides and most of the time the plant stagnates in growth for a few days, even if the application doses are moderate. As the spectrum of weeds is quite diverse in Romania, there are species that are difficult to control in sorghum culture, such as Sorghum halepense, Setaria ssp. or Echinochloa crus-gali L., in this research we tested several variants of weed control using herbicides applied in pre and post emergence. The most valuable variant in combating weeds in grain sorghum crop proved to be the variant with Dual Gold (S-metolachlor 960 g/l) 1.5 l/ha applied in pre-emergence + Trek P 334 SE (Pendimetalin 64 g/l + Terbuthylazine 270 g/l) 2.5 l/ha applied post-emergence, variant which had a calculated Abott's coefficient of 98.2%. The combination of Dual Gold (S-metolachlor 960 g/l) 1.5 l/ha + Casper 0.4 l/ha (5% prosulfuron+50% dicamba) also provided a high cultural hygiene assurance, and was close to the previous variant with a calculated coefficient of 97.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Label-free electrochemical biosensors have many desirable characteristics in terms of miniaturization, scalability, digitization, and other attributes associated with point-of-care (POC) applications. In the era of COVID-19 and pandemic preparedness, further development of such biosensors will be immensely beneficial for rapid testing and disease management. Label-free electrochemical biosensors often employ [Fe(CN)6]−3/4 redox probes to detect low-concentration target analytes as they dramatically enhance sensitivity. However, such Faradaic-based sensors are reported to experience baseline signal drift, which compromises the performance of these devices. Here, we describe the use of a mecaptohexanoic (MHA) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) modified Au-interdigitated electrode arrays (IDA) to investigate the origin of the baseline signal drift, developed a protocol to resolve the issue, and presented insights into the underlying mechanism on the working of label-free electrochemical biosensors. Using this protocol, we demonstrate the application of MHA SAM-modified Au-IDA for POC analysis of human serum samples. We describe the use of a label-free electrochemical biosensor based on covalently conjugated SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for POC detection of COVID-19 antibodies. The test requires a short incubation time (10 min), and has a sensitivity of 35.4/decade (35.4%/10 ng mL−1) and LOD of 21 ng/mL. Negligible cross reactivity to seasonal human coronavirus or other endogenous antibodies was observed. Our studies also show that Faradaic biosensors are ~17 times more sensitive than non-Faradaic biosensors. We believe the work presented here contributes to the fundamental understanding of the underlying mechanisms of baseline signal drift and will be applicable to future development of electrochemical biosensors for POC applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxin‐mimic herbicides chemically mimic the phytohormone indole‐3‐acetic‐acid (IAA). Within the auxin‐mimic herbicide class, the herbicide fluroxypyr has been extensively used to control kochia (Bassia scoparia). A 2014 field survey for herbicide resistance in kochia populations across Colorado identified a putative fluroxypyr‐resistant (Flur‐R) population that was assessed for response to fluroxypyr and dicamba (auxin‐mimics), atrazine (photosystem II inhibitor), glyphosate (EPSPS inhibitor), and chlorsulfuron (acetolactate synthase inhibitor). This population was resistant to fluroxypyr and chlorsulfuron but sensitive to glyphosate, atrazine, and dicamba. Subsequent dose‐response studies determined that Flur‐R was 40 times more resistant to fluroxypyr than a susceptible population (J01‐S) collected from the same field survey (LD50 720 and 20 g ae ha−1, respectively). Auxin‐responsive gene expression increased following fluroxypyr treatment in Flur‐R, J01‐S, and in a dicamba‐resistant, fluroxypyr‐susceptible line 9,425 in an RNA‐sequencing experiment. In Flur‐R, several transcripts with molecular functions for conjugation and transport were constitutively higher expressed, such as glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs), UDP‐glucosyl transferase (GT), and ATP binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters). After analyzing metabolic profiles over time, both Flur‐R and J01‐S rapidly converted [14C]‐fluroxypyr ester, the herbicide formulation applied to plants, to [14C]‐fluroxypyr acid, the biologically active form of the herbicide, and three unknown metabolites. The formation and flux of these metabolites were faster in Flur‐R than J01‐S, reducing the concentration of phytotoxic fluroxypyr acid. One unique metabolite was present in Flur‐R that was not present in the J01‐S metabolic profile. Gene sequence variant analysis specifically for auxin receptor and signaling proteins revealed the absence of non‐synonymous mutations affecting auxin signaling and binding in candidate auxin target site genes, further supporting our hypothesis that non‐target site metabolic degradation is contributing to fluroxypyr resistance in Flur‐R. Significance Statement: Herbicide resistance is an ever‐present issue in weeds of cropping and rangeland systems. Every characterized herbicide resistance mechanism contributes to a working database used to address herbicide resistance in an agricultural or open‐space setting. Knowing the exact resistance mechanism helps public sector and industry researchers understand why herbicide applications are failing, and if resistant plants can still be controlled with other herbicide modes of action. In the kochia line Flur‐R, there is strong evidence to support a non‐target site resistance mechanism, specifically herbicide degradation via increased enzymatic activity. Increased fluroxypyr degradation represents a novel resistance mechanism to fluroxypyr in Bassia scoparia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDicamba is widely used in agricultural production in China, but it is extremely soluble in water and can be harmful to human health when it enters the body via water drinking. It is necessary to establish an accurate, sensitive, and rapid detection method to determine the residues of dicamba in domestic drinking water. ObjectiveTo establish two methods for the determination of dicamba residues in drinking water by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) respectively. MethodsThe conditions of the proposed method using HPLC-MS/MS included CAPCELL PAK ST chromatographic column, ammonium formate water solution and methanol as the mobile phase, and isocratic elution. The system was operated under multiple reaction monitoring mode and electrospray negative ionization mode. Trimethylsilylated diazomethane was used as a derivatizing agent for GC-MS/MS, and an external standard curve was used to evaluate the system. The residues of dicamba in seven water samples of tap water or secondary water supply from six regions in Chengdu were detected by the established systems to evaluate their applicability and to understand the status quo of dicamba residues in drinking water. ResultsFor the HPLC-MS/MS, the linear range of dicamba was 1.00-100 μg·L−1, the regression equation was \begin{document}$\hat Y $\end{document}=1250.9X+2681.5, the correlation coefficient was 0.9988, the relative standard deviations were 1.23%-26.3%, the limit of detection was 0.95 μg·L−1, and the spiked recoveries were 91.8%-111%. For the GC-MS/MS, the linear range of dicamba was 0.200-10.0 μg·L−1, the regression equation was \begin{document}$\hat Y $\end{document}=190597X+40911, the correlation coefficient was 0.9993, the relative standard deviations were 0.64%-3.90%, the limit of detection was 0.18 μg·L−1, and the spiked recoveries were 97.3%-105%. No dicamba residue was identified in the seven water samples of tap water or secondary water supply from six regions in Chengdu by the proposed methods. ConclusionThe two detection methods established in this study are sensitive and rapid, meet the requirements from the detection of dicamba residues in drinking water, and provide an experimental basis for subsequent research on the detection of dicamba residues. In the future, it is necessary to continue to pay attention to the pollution of dicamba in drinking water in Chengdu.

Multiple herbicide-resistant (MHR) Palmer amaranth is a troublesome weed in several crops across the USA, including corn. Due to unavoidable weather conditions, it is sometimes not possible for growers to apply pre-emergence herbicide; therefore, post-emergence (POST) herbicide is needed for effective control of MHR Palmer amaranth. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of POST herbicides applied at two heights (10-15 cm and 20-30 cm) for MHR Palmer amaranth control and their effect on Palmer amaranth biomass, density, and seed production as well as yield of glufosinate/glyphosate-resistant corn. Field experiments were conducted at a grower’s field near Carleton, Nebraska, USA in 2020 and 2021. Control of MHR Palmer amaranth was affected by the plant height when herbicides were applied. Glufosinate, dicamba, dicamba/diflufenzopyr, and dicamba/tembotrione applied to 10-15 cm tall Palmer amaranth provided ≥ 94% control 30 d after EPOST (DAEPOST), whereas atrazine/bicyclopyone/mesotrione/S-metolachlor applied to 20-30 cm tall MHR Palmer amaranth provided 85% control in 2021. Glufosinate provided 85% to 90% control when applied to 20-30 cm tall Palmer amaranth in both years. At 90 DALPOST, dicamba, dicamba/diflufenzopyr, and dicamba/ tembotrione applied to 10-15 cm tall Palmer amaranth provided ≥ 88% control. Dicamba/tembotrione, atrazine/bicyclopyone/mesotrione/S– metolachlor, and dicamba applied to 20-30 cm tall Palmer amaranth provided 85% to 92% control. Glufosinate, dicamba, and atrazine/bicyclopyone/ mesotrione/S–metolachlor were the most effective for reducing Palmer amaranth density 2 to 19 plants m−2 when applied to 10-15 cm Palmer amaranth 30 DAEPOST compared with the nontreated control (137 plants m−2 ) in 2021; however, when applied to 20-30 cm Palmer amaranth, glufosinate, and atrazine/bicyclopyone/mesotrione/S–metolachlor reduced density 5 to 19 plants m−2 . At 30 DAEPOST, glufosinate and atrazine/bicyclopyone/ mesotrione/S–metolachlor had the lowest Palmer amaranth biomass (3-17 g m−2 ). Corn yield in 2020 was higher than 2021 due to more rain in 2020. All herbicides resulted in a similar yield in 2020. Lower seed production of 6,269 and 1,953 seeds plant-1 for 10-15 cm and 20-30 cm MHR Palmer amaranth were recorded with dicamba and atrazine/bicyclopyone/mesotrione/S–metolachlor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In soybeans, off-target damage from the use of dicamba and 2,4-D herbicides for broadleaf weed control can significantly impact sensitive vegetation and crops. The early detection and assessment of such damage are critical for plant diagnostic labs and regulatory agencies to inform regulated usage policies. However, the existing technologies that calculate the average spectrum often struggle to detect and differentiate the damage caused by these herbicides, as they share a similar mode-of-action. In this study, a high-precision spatial and spectral imaging solution was tested for the early detection of dicamba and 2,4-D-induced damage in soybeans. A 2021 study was conducted using LeafSpec, a touch-based hyperspectral leaf scanner, to detect damage on soybean leaves. VIS-NIR (visible–near infrared) hyperspectral images were captured from 180 soybean plants exposed to nine different herbicide treatments at different intervals after spraying. Leaf damage was distinguished as early as 2 h after treatment (HAT) using pairwise partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models based on spectral data. Leaf color distribution, texture, and morphological features were analyzed to separate herbicide dosages. By fully exploiting the spatial and spectral information from high-resolution hyperspectral images, classification accuracy was improved from 57.4% to over 80% for all evaluation dates. This work demonstrates the potential and advantages of using spectral and spatial features of LeafSpec hyperspectral images for the early and accurate detection of herbicide damage in soybean plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modification of catalysts by multi-heteroatom doping (S, P, B) is an effective way to improve the peroxomonosulfate activation performance of catalysts. In recent years, highly toxic and persistent trace organic contaminants have been frequently detected in water. Consequently, we proposed the advanced oxidation processes of peroxomonosulfate activated by multi-heteroatom doped Fe@CN (X-Fe@CN) to eliminate trace organic contaminants. The physical phases of X-Fe@CN and its precursors were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. In evaluating the catalytic properties and iron ion leaching of X-Fe@CN-activated PMS for the removal of dicamba and atenolol, B-Fe@CN and PB-Fe@CN were selected and optimized. The active sites of the catalysts were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman. The pathways of PMS activation by B-Fe@CN and PB-Fe@CN were identified in combination with electron paramagnetic resonance and electrochemical experiments. Defects, O-B-O and pyrrolic nitrogen on the surface of B-Fe@CN could adsorb and activate PMS to produce SO4•−, ·OH and 1O2. Further doping with P enhanced the electron transfer on the catalyst surface, thus accelerating the activation of peroxomonosulfate. This study compared the effects of multi-heteroatom modifications and further demonstrated the synergistic effect between P and B, which can provide a theoretical basis for the selection of multi-heteroatom doped catalysts in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidental herbicide drift onto neighboring crops, such as soybeans, can seriously harm non-target plants, affecting their growth and productivity. This study examined the impact of simulated drift from ten different herbicides (2,4-D, dicamba, glyphosate, saflufenacil, oxyfluorfen, hexazinone, diuron, diquat, nicosulfuron, and isoxaflutole) on young soybean plants. These herbicides were applied at three simulated drift levels (1/4, 1/16, and 1/32) equivalent to recommended commercial doses, and the resulting symptoms were carefully evaluated. Simulated drift caused distinctive symptoms, including chlorosis, twisting, necrosis, and growth abnormalities, varying depending on each herbicide's mode of action. Dicamba proved more toxic than 2,4-D, and symptom severity increased with drift proportion, with all herbicides causing over 30% injury at the 1/16 proportion. Notably, 2,4-D, dicamba, glyphosate, hexazinone, and diquat exceeded the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value, significantly reducing total biomass. Dicamba consistently caused 50% injury at all proportions, while hexazinone, at the highest dose proportion, led to plant mortality. Dicamba also had biomass accumulation beyond the growth reduction (GR50), whereas hexazinone exhibited less than 10% accumulation due to its capacity to induce plant mortality. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding herbicide drift effects on non-target crops for more effective and safe weed management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centella's need for industrial raw materials is high as a medicinal plant. These needs can be met through rapid multiplication using tissue culture techniques. In this study, induction and proliferation for a callus of centella cv. Castina 3 was conducted in the MS basal medium plus 4 mgL-1 Dicamba withand enriched with 7 concentrations of BAP (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 mgL-1). Two kinds of explant were used, i.e., leaf and petiole. The results revealed that the addition of BAP in MS plus Dicamba medim stimulated better and produced a higher callus growth rate, both from leaf and petiole explants, than that media with Dicamba alone. Furthermore, 4 mgL-1 Dicamba + 1.1 mgL-1 BAP had a friable callus in the induction phase and a friable-compact callus in the proliferation phase. From this finding, it can be considered to use a combination of 4 mgL-1 Dicamba with 1.1 mgL-1 BAP in callus induction and proliferation for Centella rapid multiplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a new R package useful for inference about network count time series. Such data are frequently encountered in statistics and they are usually treated as multivariate time series. Their statistical analysis is based on linear or log-linear models. Nonlinear models, which have been applied successfully in several research areas, have been neglected from such applications mainly because of their computational complexity. We provide R users the flexibility to fit and study nonlinear network count time series models which include either a drift in the intercept or a regime switching mechanism. We develop several computational tools including estimation of various count Network Autoregressive models and fast computational algorithms for testing linearity in standard cases and when non-identifiable parameters hamper the analysis. Finally, we introduce a copula Poisson algorithm for simulating multivariate network count time series. We illustrate the methodology by modeling weekly number of influenza cases in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing insistence on smart, flexible devices that can be worn, based on carbon materials, nanomaterials and new polymers, as there are machines that mimic human movements, such as soft robotics, human interface machines and flexible sensing uses. In the present article, the development of textile threads of cotton, coated with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulphonate (PEDOT:PSS) by dip-coating method is presented. Dip-coating is a simple, inexpensive and upgradable process. SWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS were coated on the cotton threads to fill the gaps within the hierarchical structure of the threads. Non-polar organic solvent dimethyl sulphoxide was used as a reducing agent, which increased the density of the SWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS moieties on the filament. This increased the electrical conductivity. Due to this combination, electrical paths increased, decreasing the electrical resistance. The formation of a fine film of conductive materials on the threads was observed by scanning electron microscopy, while Fourier infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for structural analysis. Fabrics, being planar materials, enable easy measurement of surface resistivity to understand their electrical behaviour and related performance. Hence, a four-line probe method was used to study the conducting stability of the treated cotton sutures. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the temperature at which the treated thread had its maximum rate of weight loss increased by about 20°C with respect to the original thread. Moreover, as an alternative to a metal wire, the treated thread has an advantage of being light in weight and has high conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid and unprecedented expansion of the global population highlights concerns about the sufficiency of food resources to sustain this growth. This study investigates and substantiates the feasibility of renewable food resources in order to meet the nutritional requirements of consumers. Three edible aquatic weeds, helencha (Enhydra fluctuans), malancha (Alternanthera philoxeroides), and kalmi (Ipomoea aquatica), were used to produce edible paper sheets. The composition of the raw aquatic weeds and paper sheet samples was analyzed, including the proximate composition, amino acid content, minerals and heavy metal contents, and bioactive compounds. The dried raw aquatic weeds and paper sheets showed similar proximate compositions, with carbohydrates being the highest component (50.38–64.63%), followed by crude protein (15.25–19.13%), ash (9.30–15.88%), and lipid (1.55–3.43%). The raw weeds and paper sheets were rich in essential minerals like Na, Ca, and Zn with contents ranging from 27.7 mg/100 g to 30.4 mg/100 g, 126.8 mg/100 g to 489.65 mg/100 g, and 4.5 mg/100 g to 16.3 mg/100 g, respectively. Acceptable levels of heavy metals, including Ni, Pb, and Cu, were found. The paper sheets contained seven essential and eight non-essential amino acids. Among the essential amino acids, the phenylalanine content was the highest at 2735.9 mg/100 g in E. fluctuans paper sheets, followed by methionine at 2377.29 mg/100 g in the raw E. fluctuans and histidine at 1972.6 mg/100 g in E. fluctuans paper sheets. A. philoxeroides sheets showed the highest total amino acid content (16,146.81 mg/100 g), while I. aquatica showed the lowest (13,118.67 mg/100 g). The aquatic weed paper sheets were rich in bioactive compounds, and the numbers in E. fluctuans, A. philoxeroides, and I. aquatica paper sheets were 31, 33, and 40, respectively. There were no significant changes in the nutritional content of the aquatic weeds in paper sheet form compared with the raw weeds, which suggests promising prospects for their production and consumption as a source of nutrition and bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple herbicide-resistant waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer) has limited herbicide options for Iowa row crop production. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars and corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids resistant to 2,4-D, dicamba, and glufosinate have provided more herbicide options for waterhemp management. A probability-based survey of Iowa fields was conducted in fall 2019 wherein waterhemp seeds were collected and their susceptibility to 2,4-D, dicamba, and glufosinate was determined. The average survival of all populations treated with 1× 2,4-D, dicamba, and glufosinate was 17%, 5%, and 4%, respectively. Seven percent of treated populations exhibited ≥50% survival to 1× rates of 2,4-D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solanum lycopersicum, the domesticated species of tomato, is produced and consumed globally. It is one of the most economically important vegetable crops worldwide. In the commercial production of tomatoes, tomatoes are extremely sensitive to herbicide drifts from row crops in the vicinity. Injury to tomatoes from auxin herbicides and glyphosate can occur at rates as low as 0.01×. This results in a substantial yield reduction, and at high drift rates, plants may not show signs of recovery. With the new herbicide-resistant crop technologies on the market, which include 2,4-D and dicamba-resistant crops, there is an increase in the usage of these herbicides, causing more serious drift problems. There is a diverse germplasm of tomatoes that includes wild relatives which are tolerant to numerous biotic and abiotic stresses. Herbicide/chemical stress is an abiotic stress, and wild tomato accessions may have a natural tolerance to herbicides and other abiotic stresses. In the current study, diverse tomato genotypes consisting of 110 accessions representing numerous species, Solanum habrochaites, S. cheesmaniae, S. pimpinellifolium, S. chilense, S. lycopersicum, S. pimpinellifolium, S. galapagense, S. chimelewskii, S. corneliomulleri, S. neorickii, and S. lycopersicoides, were used for screening drift rate herbicide tolerance. The herbicides tested included simulated drift rates of 2,4-D, dicamba, glyphosate, quinclorac, aminopyralid, aminocyclopyrachlor, and picloram. The visual injury rating of each accession for each herbicide treatment was taken 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after treatment (DAT) on a scale of 0–100%. Numerous accessions were found to have minimal injury (less than 20%) for each of the herbicides tested; nine accessions were found for both 2,4-D and glyphosate, eleven for dicamba, five for quinclorac, eight for aminocyclopyrachlor and two for both aminopyralid and picloram at 28 DAT. The identification of genotypes with a higher herbicide tolerance will provide valuable genetic resources for the development of elite tomato varieties that can resist herbicide injury and produce competitive yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally open applications as herbicides or active pharmaceutical ingredients are discussed for ionic liquids (ILs). Since most of the ILs are not readily biodegradable in the environment, they may persist there. To prevent the accumulation of persistent and toxic ILs, both the cation and anion need to be designed to completely mineralise in the environment. Several studies summarised structure–biodegradability relationships (SBRs) and gained rules of thumb for ILs' biodegradability based on the available literature data. However, no study systematically analysed a dataset using an in silico tool. Therefore, to identify SBRs a dataset on the ready biodegradability of 508 ILs was clustered according to IL similarity by using the software Canvas by Schrödinger. The biodegradability was divided into three classes (biodegradation rates 0–19%, 20–59% and ≥60%). The identified SBRs were compared with the available rules of thumb from the literature. The results show that the cholinium cation and its derivatives acetylcholine, betaine and carnitine are promising candidates for designing environmentally mineralising ILs if a good biodegradable anion is chosen. Imidazolium and phosphonium ILs should be avoided. For pyrrolidinium and quaternary ammonium compounds cations containing ester or carboxyl groups in side chains and alkylsulphate anions should be tested to close gaps in SBRs and possibly design a mineralising IL. Due to the limited data of morpholinium, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octanium (DABCO), piperidinium, prolinium, piperazinium and thiazolium ILs, SBRs could not be clearly identified. Further research is needed on whether structural adjustments according to the findings can increase the biodegradability of not yet fully degrading (20–59%) ILs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise point positioning (PPP) is an important alternative to real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning for deformation monitoring. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) multi-frequency and multi-system integration can benefit PPP dynamic deformation monitoring due to increased measurement redundancy and facilitated ambiguity resolution (AR). This study investigates the performance of GNSS multi-frequency uncombined (UC) PPP-AR with GPS triple-frequency, BDS-3 triple-frequency, and Galileo five-frequency signals for monitoring high-rate vibrations based on 20-Hz observations from a shaking table. The GNSS multi-frequency UC fractional cycle bias (FCB) estimation method and PPP-AR method are developed. The results of vibration tests indicate that the displacement monitoring accuracy of GPS/BDS-3/Galileo multi-frequency PPP-AR solution is 5.3–8.4 mm. BDS-3 dual-frequency PPP-AR, BDS-3 triple-frequency PPP-AR, and GPS/BDS-3/Galileo multi-frequency PPP-AR solutions improve the accuracy by 8%, 17%, and 46% over the BDS-3 dual-frequency float solutions, respectively. GNSS multi-frequency UC PPP-AR can accurately identify the vibration frequency and amplitude, but the PPP-derived displacement is nosier than that of RTK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration, which includes the evaporation of water from soils, may rise as a result of climate change and rising temperatures. The outcome is that water evaporates but salt stays in the soil, raising its saltiness. The growth and development of oil palm are also affected by salt stress, but decades of time frame are required with conventional breeding due to its reproductive biological reasons and its long-time life span. However, to facilitate stress tolerance evaluation at an early stage of plant material, the in vitro selection was considered, and the evaluation process was optimized for innovating variant selection out from calluses over abiotic stress. Thus, the objectives of this research were to study the effect of concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) on the growth rate, electrolyte leakage (EL) and proline content of embryogenic callus (EC) of oil palm ‘SUP-PSU1’. Was also, recovery of EC growth after treating with NaCl for further evaluation to set new variant tolerant line for breeding was established. EC was treated with different concentrations of NaCl in oil palm culture medium (OPCM) supplemented with 0.1 mg L–1 3,6-Dichloro-o-anisic acid (dicamba) and 200 mg L–1 ascorbic acid (AA) for 4 weeks. The results showed that inhibition concentration at 50 % (IC50) was 149.1 mM and NaCl at high concentrations increased EL and proline content. After transferring treated EC to solidified medium without NaCl for 4 weeks, The 200 mM condition’s EC turned yellowish-brown and couldn’t withstand higher (300 and 400 mM) NaCl concentrations. The lowest growth rate was obtained with NaCl at 300 and 400 mM, and the EC entirely turned brown. So, it was judged that NaCl concentration around 300 to 400 mM can be used as a selection agent for ‘SUP-PSU1’ new variant tolerant line in oil palm tissue culture breeding condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of pesticides is not simply delivering chemicals to the target area. It also involves considering the negative aspects and developing strategies to deal with them during the application process, to ensure the maximization of pesticides use efficiency and the maintenance of the ecosystem. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers demonstrate unique advantages compared to traditional ground sprayers, particularly in terms of maneuverability and labor intensity reduction, showed great potential for chemical application in pest control. It is undeniable that there exist challenges in the practice of UAV spraying, such as higher potential risks of pesticide drift or pathogen transmission, uncertainty canopy deposition for different crops, and unexpected leaf breakage induced by downwash flow. Maximizing the utilization of downwash flow while avoiding lateral air movement outside the intended target crop area is a major issue for chemical application with UAV sprayers, particularly in light of the increasingly apparent consensus on the need for enhanced environmental protection during the chemical application process. It must be considered that the operation strategy in different scenarios and for different crop targets is not the same, unique requirements should be given on nozzle atomization, flight parameters, adjuvants and aircraft types in specific working situations. In future, the implementation of spray drift prediction, technical procedures development, and other solutions aimed at reducing pesticide drift and improving deposition quality, is expected to promote the adoption of UAV sprayers by more farmers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Dicamba, renowned for its limited sorption capacity, presents a substantial risk of contaminating surface and groundwater if the disposal of spray tank effluent is not adequately controlled. In this work, a dicamba effluent underwent treatment through a Fenton-like process employing an iron/hydrochar (Hy-Fe) composite, synthesized via hydrothermal methods using coffee husk as the precursor. The Hy-Fe displayed carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen levels of 52.30%, 5.21%, and 1.49%, respectively. Additionally, the material exhibited a specific surface area measuring 9.00 m2 g−1. The presence of the γ-Fe2O3 phase within the composite was confirmed through X-ray diffraction analysis. The Fenton-like process employing Hy-Fe demonstrated approximately 100% degradation of dicamba within 5 h. The treated effluent underwent toxicity evaluation via biological assays using beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) as indicator plants, revealing no observable signs of intoxication. These findings were corroborated by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, providing additional confirmation of the degradation results. Additionally, decontamination of personal protective equipment potentially contaminated with dicamba was also assessed. The Hy-Fe composite demonstrated reusability across three degradation cycles, achieving degradation percentages of 100%, 70%, and 60%, respectively. The Hy-Fe composite demonstrates substantial potential for use in a Fenton-like process. This process is characterized by its simplicity, speed, and sustainability. The notable effectiveness, evidenced by high degradation rates and minimal toxicity, underscores its suitability as a practical solution for addressing dicamba contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybean in the United States resulted in extensive off-target dicamba damage to non-DT vegetation across soybeanproducing states. Although soybeans are highly sensitive to dicamba, the intensity of observed symptoms and yield losses are affected by the genetic background of genotypes. Thus, the objective of this study was to detect novel marker-trait associations and expand on previously identified genomic regions related to soybean response to off-target dicamba. A total of 551 non-DT advanced breeding lines derived from 232 unique bi-parental populations were phenotyped for off-target dicamba across nine environments for three years. Breeding lines were genotyped using the Illumina Infinium BARCSoySNP6K BeadChip. Filtered SNPs were included as predictors in Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models in a forward stepwise selection loop to identify the combination of SNPs yielding the highest classification accuracy. Both RF and SVM models yielded high classification accuracies (0.76 and 0.79, respectively) with minor extreme misclassifications (observed tolerant predicted as susceptible, and vice-versa). Eight genomic regions associated with off-target dicamba tolerance were identified on chromosomes 6 [Linkage Group (LG) C2], 8 (LG A2), 9 (LG K), 10 (LG O), and 19 (LG L). Although the genetic architecture of tolerance is complex, high classification accuracies were obtained when including the major effect SNP identified on chromosome 6 as the sole predictor. In addition, candidate genes with annotated functions associated with phases II (conjugation of hydroxylated herbicides to endogenous sugar molecules) and III (transportation of herbicide conjugates into the vacuole) of herbicide detoxification in plants were co-localized with significant markers within each genomic region. Genomic prediction models, as reported in this study, can greatly facilitate the identification of genotypes with superior tolerance to off-target dicamba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed management in areas adjacent to coffee plantations makes herbicide drift a constant concern, especially with the use of nonselective products such as dicamba. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phytotoxic effects of the herbicide dicamba alone and mixed with glyphosate as a result of simulated drift in a coffee-producing area. The study was conducted in duplicate at two different coffee cherry development stages. The study was performed with a randomized block design and a 2 × 5 + 1 factorial scheme with four replications using two herbicide spray solutions (dicamba and dicamba + glyphosate) and five low doses (0.25; 1; 5; 10; and 20%). Additionally, a control treatment without herbicide application was also employed. In this study, we evaluated the phytotoxic damage and biometric and productive parameters. Visual damages were observed with the use of dicamba and dicamba + glyphosate doses reduced by 0.25% to 5% in the first days after application. The main symptoms were new leaf epinasty, changes in the internodal distance, and plagiotropic branch curvature. Low doses led to reduced plant height and branch length. The treatments did not reduce productivity and performance but altered the physical classifications of grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Insects are rapidly adapting to novel niches, such as crops. This is the case of the sugarcane aphid, a pest from Africa that is currently spreading worldwide. In the absence of males, aphids asexually generate many females, causing important economic losses for farmers. The microbiota in the insect was characterized and the presence of Wolbachia was also reported, correlating with its asexual reproduction. Antibiotic treatment of the aphid population resulted in a decrease in its survival rate. The possibility of controlling this pest by altering its microbiota is proposed in the present work. Insects are under constant selective pressure, which has resulted in adaptations to novel niches such as crops. This is the case of the pest Melanaphis sacchari, the sugarcane aphid, native to Africa and currently spreading worldwide. The aphid undergoes successful parthenogenesis, causing important damage to a variety of crops and leading to important economic losses for farmers. A natural M. sacchari population grown in sorghum was studied to identify its microbiome through the sequencing of its 16S rDNA metagenome. A high proportion of Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, was observed. We also detected Wolbachia, which correlates with the asexual reproduction of its host. M. sacchari was challenged in a bioassay with the antibiotics oxytetracycline and streptomycin, resulting in a dose-dependent decay of its survival rate. The possibility of controlling this pest by altering its microbiota is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alopecurus myosuroides (blackgrass) is a problematic weed of Western European winter wheat, and its success is largely due to widespread multiple-herbicide resistance. Previous analysis of F2 seed families derived from two distinct blackgrass populations exhibiting equivalent non-target site resistance (NTSR) phenotypes shows resistance is polygenic and evolves from standing genetic variation. Using a CIDER-seq pipeline, we show that herbicide-resistant (HR) and herbicide-sensitive (HS) F3 plants from these F2 seed families as well as the parent populations they were derived from carry extra-chromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA). We identify the similarities and differences in the coding structures within and between resistant and sensitive populations. Although the numbers and size of detected eccDNAs varied between the populations, comparisons between the HR and HS blackgrass populations identified shared and unique coding content, predicted genes, and functional protein domains. These include genes related to herbicide detoxification such as Cytochrome P450s, ATP-binding cassette transporters, and glutathione transferases including AmGSTF1. eccDNA content was mapped to the A. myosuroides reference genome, revealing genomic regions at the distal end of chromosome 5 and the near center of chromosomes 1 and 7 as regions with a high number of mapped eccDNA gene density. Mapping to 15 known herbicide-resistant QTL regions showed that the eccDNA coding sequences matched twelve, with four QTL matching HS coding sequences; only one region contained HR coding sequences. These findings establish that, like other pernicious weeds, blackgrass has eccDNAs that contain homologs of chromosomal genes, and these may contribute genetic heterogeneity and evolutionary innovation to rapidly adapt to abiotic stresses, including herbicide treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sumatran fleabane (Conyza sumatrensis [Retz.] E. Walker) and Benghal dayflower (Commelina benghalensis L.) are among the most challenging weeds to control in agricultural crops. However, synthetic auxins present a potential solution. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of auxin herbicides in controlling C. sumatrensis and C. benghalensis using two spray volumes and two types of nozzles: Turbo TeeJet® Induction (TTI) and Extended Range (XR). The research comprised four experiments conducted in a greenhouse in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, from November 2019 to January 2020. For C. sumatrensis, no significant differences were observed between treatments at both stages of development. Consequently, it was not possible to identify the most effective herbicide, volume, or application nozzle. However, all treatments were found to be effective by the end of the evaluations. In contrast, for C. benghalensis, 2,4-D demonstrated higher efficacy than dicamba, irrespective of the developmental stages. The reduction in spray volume from 200 to 140 L ha−1, and the use of the TTI nozzle did not impact the effectiveness of the herbicides. The stage of development did not influence the herbicide control. In this case, the target species was the predominant factor in determining the effectiveness of control.

The treatment of certain areas with tank mixtures of herbicides is a rational way of reducing costs of destruction of non-desirable vegetation at the facilities of the Ministry of Defence. The article is dedicated to the results of the evaluation of effectiveness of different modern herbicidal preparations and their tank mixtures during vegetative laboratory tests and field experiment. Monocotyledonous plants (pooideae including wheat), dicotyledon plants (legumes including kidney beans), sunflower family (including sunflower itself) and cruciferous plants (radishes) have been tested. These families include most of the weeds, infesting non-agricultural lands. The doses of individual drugs that cause 50% and 70 % mortality of plants were determined by the method of probit analysis. The efficiency of tank mixtures was evaluated by the value of the coefficient of synergistic action. If the actual effects of tank mixture exceeds the expected, the presence of synergistic interaction of active substances and the effectiveness of tank mixtures considered to be established (preparations Goliaf + Shkval for sunflower and pooideae; preparations Goliaf+Lintur for cruciferous plants). Otherwise, the combination of preparations was considered ineffective due to the antagonism of the active substances. The results of comparative experiments showed, that it is feasible to use a tanktype mixtures, containing herbicidal preparations Lintur+Goliaf+Shkval+Atron for the control or complete annihilation of non-desirable vegetation at military facilities .