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Introduction Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure System-10 (PROMIS-10) is a brief survey consisting of 10 items that evaluates patients’ global physical and mental health. PROMIS-10 was introduced into our burn clinic as a screening tool and serial measure of recovery. We aimed to assess the implementation of PROMIS-10 to improve its equitable use in outpatient clinics. Methods The PROMIS-10 was implemented in 2014 as part of a packet of other screening tools. The staff were trained in its use. Patients completed English-language surveys via paper/pen upon arrival at each of their burn clinic appointments while waiting to be roomed. Survey results were reviewed by clinic providers and addressed as part of routine care. Survey answers were entered into REDCap and merged with demographic and burn injury information. Data were collected and analyzed using univariate and bivariable statistics to evaluate equitable implementation. Results A total of 1,963 surveys were collected from 1,606 patients from January 2014 to December 2020 (Figure 1). After excluding patients with missing collection of survey and/or demographic data, our analysis included 1,072 patients. The mean number of surveys completed per visit was 0.53 (SEM=0.007) and 88% of patients completed 1 or more surveys. Patients who required intensive care during their index hospitalization or had an operation had higher mean surveys completed per visit (Highest Level of Care ICU=0.611 ± 0.02; Required an operation = 0.608 ± 0.015), whereas patients requiring an interpreter had lower mean surveys completed per visit (Required an Interpreter = 0.468 ± 0.031). Conclusions Although the majority of patients completed the PROMIS-10 during at least one clinic visit, there is significant room for improvement given our intent to use it as a screening tool for every encounter and metric of recovery progress over time. Focus on equity in completion is needed (e.g., coordinating interpreter-assisted completion, availability of translated forms, person-assisted completion for limited English proficiency, medical record integration for telemedicine and progress tracking). We did note that patients with markers of high burn severity (ICU stay, requiring an operation) had higher rates of survey completion per visit. This is a patient population in which serial evaluation is particularly helpful in monitoring recovery. Applicability of Research to Practice Use of PROMIS-10 can successfully be used as a screening and recovery progress metric in the outpatient setting. Equitable implementation should be assessed, and efforts to integrate such screening tools into the medical record should be considered.

Pulses are important crops that have been used to diversify cropping rotations in the Canadian prairies. With increasing cultivation intensity, pulses are becoming more susceptible to root rots. Understanding how root-associated microbiomes are affected by plant health is vital for developing sustainable crop production systems. In this study, we investigated the effect of root rot on rhizosphere and root microbiomes of healthy and root-rot infected field pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants from nine commercial fields in Saskatchewan using amplicon metagenomic sequencing. Bacterial and oomycete α-diversity was higher in diseased root and rhizosphere samples than their healthy counterparts, while fungal diversity was higher in diseased rhizosphere samples. The community structure of root and rhizosphere microbiomes were also affected by the health status of the plants, with root bacterial communities exhibiting the strongest differences. Healthy samples were associated with a higher relative abundance of Rhizobium, Olpidium and Mortierella, and lower abundance of Fusarium and Pythium. Diseased samples had a higher number of indicator genera (42 in diseased vs. 11 in healthy) and more taxa exclusively detected in the diseased core microbiome. Results from this study revealed that root rot generally increased the diversity and altered the community structure and relative abundance of key taxa of the pea root-associated microbiome. This knowledge may aid in the development of microbiome-based disease management strategies, such as identification of key microbial taxa that could help commercial pea growers assess root rot risk.

Using resistant cultivars is a common approach to managing blackleg of canola/rapeseed caused by Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm). Quantitative resistance (QR), as opposed to major-gene resistance, is of interest because it is generally more durable, due to its multi-genetic basis. However, the mechanisms and genes underlying QR are mostly unknown. In this study, potential QR modes of action in &ldquo, 74‑44 BL&rdquo, was explored. This Canadian canola cultivar showed moderate but consistent race-nonspecific resistance at the cotyledon and adult-plant stages. A susceptible cultivar, &ldquo, Westar&rdquo, was used as a control. After inoculation, the lesions developed more slowly on the cotyledons of 74-44 BL than those of Westar. We used RNA sequencing (-RNA-seq) to identify genes and their functions, putatively related to this resistance, and found that genes involved in programmed cell death (PCD), reactive oxygen species (ROS), signal transduction or intracellular endomembrane transport were most differentially expressed. ROS production was assessed in relation to Lm hyphal growth and lesion size, it occurred beyond the tissue colonized by Lm in 74-44 BL and appeared to trigger rapid cell death, limiting cotyledon colonization by Lm. In contrast, Lm grew more rapidly in Westar, often catching up with the ring of ROS and surpassing lesion boundaries. It appears that QR in 74-44 BL cotyledons is associated with limited colonization by Lm possibly mediated via ROS. The RNA-seq data also showed a link between ROS, signal transduction, and endomembrane vesicle trafficking, as well as PCD in the resistance. These results provide a starting point for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind QR against Lm in canola.

Background: Blackleg disease, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans (Lm), can lead to significant losses of canola/rapeseed crops. Growing resistant canola cultivars can be an effective and environmentally friendly way to manage blackleg. Major resistance genes may stop infection, but can also be rapidly overcome by shifts in pathogen population towards virulence. Thus, using race-nonspecific or quantitative resistance (QR) is of interest because it is potentially more durable. However, the mechanisms and genes underlying QR are mostly unknown. In this study, we explored QR in “74‑44 BL”, a Canadian canola cultivar carrying a moderate level of race nonspecific resistance, based on cotyledon inoculation (Supple. Fig.1) . The susceptible cultivar “Westar” was used as a control. Lesions developed more slowly on 74-44BL than on Westar. We used RNA-Seq to identify genes and gene functions putatively involved in the QR. Results: Relative to inoculated Westar, some of the B. napus genes that were differentially expressed strongly in inoculated 74-44 BL included those putatively involved in programmed cell death (PCD), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, signal transduction and/or intracellular endomembrane transport. Examples included genes annotated as a Bax inhibitor 1, a development/cell death (DCD) domain containing proteinases and peptidases, all of which could play a role in PCD and a zinc-finger Sec23/Sec24 and five small GTPases likely involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi vesicle traffic and/or signal transduction. Further experiments, however, did not confirm changes in genomic DNA degradation, a potential marker for PCD, between the two cultivars. In addition, infection progression in cotyledons was not altered by applying protease inhibitors directly to cotyledons. Additional testing was done using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Lm for cotyledon colonization as well as ROS production, in relation to the lesion development. The results showed that ROS production occurred beyond the area colonized by Lm hyphae in 74-44 BL.Conclusions: ROS may also be involved in signal transduction and/or intracellular endomembrane transport. These results provide a starting point for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind QR against Lm in canola and developing new host-resistance strategies for management of blackleg.

The bioherbicidal fungus Phoma macrostoma produces macrocidins, which induce chlorosis in susceptible plant species by interfering with the carotenoid biosynthesis. Macrocidins inhibit the enzyme phytoene desaturase (PDS) and likely act on other components of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway. It was hypothesized that macrocidins’ mode(s) of action differ between susceptible plant species that respond differently to these phytotoxins. This idea was tested by exploring the impact of macrocidins on the carotenoid and carotenoid precursor profiles over time, as well as chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, symptom severity and biomass, in dandelions, groundsel and chickpea. While PDS was inhibited in all three plants, this impact was strongest in dandelion and weakest in groundsel. However, groundsel showed the most severe macrocidin-induced symptoms and biomass reduction. In solution, macrocidin A bound iron and magnesium cations. Macrocidin‐induced changes in OJIP chlorophyll fluorescence parameters are consistent with inhibited electron transfer from QA to QB (potentially due to iron-binding), and uncoupling the light-harvesting complex (LHC) of photosystem II (PSII) from the reaction centre, leading to an increase in photoprotective xanthophylls. This latter impact was stronger in groundsel than chickpea or dandelion. The decrease in total carotenoid and carotenoid precursor content in macrocidin-treated plants could be explained by macrocidins’ magnesium-binding activity reducing the efficiency of 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose (DXP) reductoisomerase (DXR) and/or phytoene synthase (PSY). The putatively metal‐binding‐related modes of action of macrocidins occurred more rapidly than inhibition of PDS. These inter‐specific variations in, and diversity of, modes of action suggest that the risk of resistance developing to macrocidins is very low.

Aphanomyces euteiches is a soil-borne pathogen that causes root rot in susceptible pulse crops. Although widespread across Canada, A. euteiches was not reported in Saskatchewan until 2012. The distribution of this pathogen across the Canadian prairies is unknown and it is unclear whether it is native to the region. The objective of this study was to conduct a survey of A. euteiches across the major agricultural soils of Saskatchewan, Canada to determine its distribution and to assess the relative importance of factors related to its distribution and possible spread across the province. Soil samples were collected from lentil and pea fields and their associated roadside ditches, as well as from native and tame rangelands. Soil samples were analyzed using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay to detect and quantify the presence of A. euteiches. In addition, root rot severity was assessed on affected pea and lentil plants, and the physical and chemical properties of the soils were measured. A. euteiches was present across all land use (i.e., annual cropland, roadside ditches, and rangeland) and soil types in Saskatchewan. A. euteiches abundance was highest in samples collected from annually cropped fields. Within annual cropland, A. euteiches abundance was higher in pea fields than lentil fields. Soil moisture, total and organic carbon, and total nitrogen were positively correlated to A. euteiches abundance in field and roadside soils. Based on this survey, A. euteiches is wide-spread across all the major agricultural regions of Saskatchewan and is not limited to specific soil or land use types. The frequent detection of A. euteiches in native rangeland indicates it is likely native to Saskatchewan. The significant relationship between A. euteiches gene abundance and disease severity in pea fields indicates that the qPCR assay may be a useful indicator for predicting the potential for certain agricultural soils to cause A. euteiches root rot in pea crops.

Phoma macrostoma (Montagne) is a bioherbicide that controls broadleaf weeds such as Canada thistle ( Cirsium arvense L. (Scop.)) and dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale Weber ex F.H. Wigg.), while leaving crop plants, such as wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and pumpkin ( Cucurbita L. spp), unharmed. The bioherbicidal activity of P. macrostoma is largely due to the production of phytotoxic secondary metabolites, macrocidins. While macrocidins produce photobleaching symptoms in susceptible plants, the mechanism(s) by which this occurs are not known. The hypothesis that macrocidins inhibit carotenoid biosynthesis was tested by comparing the carotenoid profiles and other physiological parameters of macrocidin-treated Canada thistle, dandelion, pumpkin and wheat with control plants and plants treated with the known carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitor, diflufenican. Only in susceptible plants, macrocidins induced photobleaching symptoms, lowered total chlorophyll content and reduced photosynthetic gas exchange while increasing the percentage of the carotenoid precursor phytoene. While diflufenican also led to chlorosis in dandelion and thistles, its impacts differed from those of macrocidins in that diflufenican-treated dandelion, thistle and pumpkin had increased total carotenoid and carotenoid precursor content compared to the control. Diflufenican-treated dandelion and thistle contained 88 ± 3% and 94 ± 2% phytoene, respectively. In contrast, macrocidins-treated dandelion and thistle (at the higher dose) contained 54 ± 12% and 80 ± 3% phytoene, respectively, while the controls contained only 4 ± 0.5% and 10 ± 1%. The β-carotene to lutein ratio in diflufenican-treated dandelion or thistles did not differ from that of the control, while this ratio was reduced in thistles treated with the higher dose of macrocidins. This paper provides the first proof that macrocidins impact the carotenoid biosynthesis by partially inhibiting the carotenoid biosynthetic enzyme phytoene desaturase (PDS) and at one or more other steps in carotenoid biogenesis.

Biopesticides have the potential to play an important role in sustainable, environmentally safe pest control. A diverse range of biopesticides employ chemical modes of action. This review explores three such biopesticides: a fungus used in weed control, beneficial bacteria controlling fungal and bacterial disease and a virus active against insect pests. Through these case studies, we demonstrate that biopesticides rely on both chemical and biochemical approaches and complementary biological modalities. Hence, biopesticides are more complex than synthetic pesticides. The latter typically utilize a single chemical with a single mode of action, while the former often have more complex or holistic modes of action. The success of current and future biopesticides could be enhanced through increased research focusing on the chemistry involved.