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The average values of the seasonal flesh biochemical composition (%) of the pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata originated form 2 sampling sites, the gulfs of Evoikos (E) and Saronikos (S) in the Western Aegean Sea, showed that is rich in proteins (64.00 ± 1.86 -(E), 64.67 ± 2.95-(S)) with low fat content (10.96 ± 1.04-(E), 11.86 ± 1.13-(S)) and carbohydrates (13.29 ± 2.48- (E), 9.94 ± 4.32 (S)). The condition index ranged from 26.16% ± 5.04 in the autumn in (E), to 44.73% ± 7.50 in the summer in (S). The meat yield varied from 20.49% ± 3.20% in the summer in (E) to 30.73% ± 3.47% in the summer in (S). Both results demonstrate the high nutritional profile of the pearl oyster, supporting its suitability as a potential new Mediterranean seafood source for human consumption.

Wildflowers attract wildlife, increase pollinator habitat, and enhance the aesthetic value of the landscape. Wildflower establishment is increasingly part of an effort to reduce maintained turfgrass on golf courses, lawns, and other maintained environments. Weed competition decreases wildflower establishment and results in poor long-term stands. Research was conducted in a controlled environment to investigate the tolerance of wildflower species to common postemergence herbicides. Wildflower species included California poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.), common sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), cornflower (Centaurea cyanus L.), garden coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata L.), partridge pea [Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) Greene], plains coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt.), purple coneflower [Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench], rosering gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.), and violet prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.). Herbicides evaluated were fluazifop at 0.28 kg⋅ha–1 a.i., mesotrione at 0.14 kg⋅ha–1 a.i., clopyralid at 0.29 kg⋅ha–1 a.i., bentazon at 0.56 kg⋅ha–1 a.i., halosulfuron at 0.053 kg⋅ha–1 a.i., and imazaquin at 0.42 kg⋅ha–1 a.i. An untreated check was included for comparison. Excessive damage (≥ 53% phytotoxicity) was observed on all wildflower species in response to clopyralid, except for California poppy. Fluazifop and bentazon were relatively safe (≤ 19% phytotoxicity, regardless of herbicide) on all wildflower species; however, bentazon resulted in ≥ 40% aboveground biomass reduction in several species. Common sunflower and garden coreopsis were susceptible to halosulfuron (37% and 73% phytotoxicity, respectively) and imazaquin (37% and 87% phytotoxicity, respectively), but on all other wildflower species, phytotoxicity was ≤ 18%. Although both halosulfuron and imazaquin only resulted in ≤ 18% phytotoxicity to purple coneflower, a 43% to 44% aboveground biomass reduction was recorded. Mesotrione was only safe on California poppy and cornflower (≤ 11% phytotoxicity and ≤ 24% aboveground biomass reduction). Results suggest high tolerance variability across herbicides and species considered, but may prompt new investigation of safety and utility within field and production scenarios.

Growers have traditionally used mechanical pinching and other cultural practices to control height and encourage branching for full and uniform poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) plants. A total of six experiments were conducted over 5 years to evaluate the impact of chemically treating poinsettia on final height, branching, first color, visible bud formation, and anthesis. The first four experiments evaluated the potential of benzyladenine (BA) and gibberellins [GA(4+7)] to increase height of treated poinsettia. Timing of the application was assessed during Expt. 1 using a combined concentration of 3 ppm BA and 3 ppm GA(4+7) applied at 5, 7, 9, or 11 weeks after pinching; some cultivars exhibited significantly more elongated inflorescences when treatment occurred 7 or 9 weeks after pinching. The application method and frequency was assessed during Expt. 2, and treatments were applied one or three times with either drench application at a concentration of 2 ppm or foliar application at a concentration of 5 ppm or untreated controls. All plants treated with three drench applications produced taller plants on average than when only applied once or when treated with a foliar application. Expt. 3 further assessed height gain and effects on flowering during late-season production with foliar applications of BA+GA(4 + 7) applied 2 weeks after first color at a concentration of 2 ppm compared with untreated control plants. One cultivar, Mars Red, was observed to have a significant decrease in days to anthesis when treated (9 days) compared with untreated plants, but no cultivars exhibited a significant change in height resulting from treatment. Expt. 4 assessed both the application method (foliar and drench) and change in final environment when plants were either maintained in a greenhouse or relocated to a postharvest room before anthesis. Most cultivars experienced a significant height increase when treated with foliar application of BA+GA(4 + 7) regardless of the final environment, but a significant delay in days to first color, visible bud, and anthesis was prevalent, and only one cultivar exhibited a treatment benefit from drench application with no significant delay in flowering or differences caused by changing environment. Expts. 5 and 6 were conducted over 2 growing years to evaluate the benefits of chemically pinching poinsettia using dikegulac sodium at a concentration of 800 ppm applied either once or twice (1 week apart) or 1600 ppm applied once to promote branching. The tallest plants were those treated one time at a concentration of 800 ppm showing lack of dominance in the apical meristem. The greatest number of shoots occurred when plants were treated with 800 ppm twice, whereas one application of 800 or 1600 ppm often, but not always, resulted in more shoots compared with mechanically pinched plants. Interestingly, the increased number of shoots from treated plants was often more than double the number compared with mechanical pinching, but those additional shoots failed to develop, which resulted in only one or two additional inflorescences. Production time was found to be a tradeoff because most dikegulac sodium-treated plants experienced an increased number of days to first color, visible bud, and/or anthesis. These results demonstrate that height control, whether to encourage stem elongation or halt apical dominance, is cultivar-specific, and that although both the method and concentration may be determined uniformly on some cultivars, the timing of application is crucial because of potential delays in floral development.

Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of calcium (Ca) spray applications derived from Ca chloride for reducing botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) infection severity on petunia (Petunia ×hybrida) flowers. This study examines the effects of six Ca sources for their efficacy in reducing Botrytis blight on petunia flowers and their potential to cause spray damage or phytotoxicity. In the first experiment, the six Ca sources evaluated were laboratory-grade and commercial-grade Ca chloride, Ca nitrate, Ca ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid chelate, Ca amino acid chelate, and Ca silicate. In the second experiment, petunia flowers that were 0, 1, 3, 5, or 7 days old at the time of the Ca spray applications were evaluated for spray damage severity. For both experiments, treatments were applied to flowering plants. For the evaluation of Botrytis blight efficacy, flowers were excised and inoculated with botrytis spores 24 hours after the Ca spray application, and were evaluated every 12 hours for 72 hours. Laboratory-grade and commercial-grade Ca chloride at 1250 mg⋅L–1 Ca were the most effective Ca sources evaluated for decreasing Botrytis blight severity while not causing spray damage at any flower age. Spray damage to the flowers from the Ca chloride application increased when Ca concentrations increased to 2000 mg⋅L–1, but no additional benefit was observed for reducing Botrytis blight severity compared with the 1250-mg⋅L–1 Ca application. The results demonstrate that several Ca sources reduce Botrytis blight severity significantly; however, selection of the Ca source is important for minimizing the risk of spray damage.

Glasshouse films can be used to reduce energy costs by limiting non-productive heat-generating radiation, but the impact on yield of greenhouse horticultural crops remains unknown. The effects of energy-saving film ULR-80 (referred to as Smart Glass; SG) designed to block long wavelength light that generates heat also reduced photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) consequently affecting crop morphology, photosynthesis, leaf pigments, and yield of two hydroponically grown capsicum (Capsicum annuumL.) cultivars (Red and Orange). The crops were grown in four high-tech glasshouse bays over two seasons of similar daily light integrals (DLI) during ascending (Autumn) and descending (Summer) photoperiods. The Red cultivar exhibited higher photosynthetic rates (light saturated -Asatand maximal -Amax) and yield than the Orange cultivar in control but displayed stronger reductions in modelled photosynthetic rates at growth light and yield in SG without changes in photosynthetic capacity. Foliar pigment ratios of chlorophyll a/b and carotenoid: chlorophyll remained unaffected by the SG during both seasons indicating that chloroplast homeostasis was similar between SG and control. The seasonal differences in photosynthetic pigments and xanthophyll de-epoxidation state (DPS) revealed that cultivars were able to sense the SG-altered light environment during the ascending, but not descending photoperiod. The descending photoperiod correlated with a lower daily light level and a substantial yield reduction of 29 % and 13 % in Red and Orange cultivars, respectively. Thus, SG-induced higher reductions in yield during the descending photoperiod indicate that SG may be more beneficial for capsicum crops planted during Autumn with an ascending photoperiod.HighlightsA potential energy saving SG film limited net photosynthesis of capsicumThe SG film reduced yield of two capsicum cultivars that can be mitigated by planting during the low light growth season with a shorter photoperiodSG reduced genotype-dependent capsicum yield was associated with alterations in the level of foliar pigments required for photoprotection under adverse light conditions

Bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is one of the most commonly used warm-season turfgrasses in the southern areas and transition zone of the United States. Due to the increasing demand for water resources and periodic drought, it is important to improve the drought resistance of bermudagrass for water savings and persistence under drought stress. This study was conducted to determine whether experimental bermudagrass genotypes have improved drought resistance compared with the standard cultivars Tifway and Riley’s Super Sport (Celebration®) at Stillwater, OK. The trials were designed as randomized complete blocks with four replications in Expt. I and three replications in Expt. II. In each experiment, genotypes were subjected to progressive acute drought conditions using polyethylene waterproof tarps to exclude precipitation over a period of at least 72 d. Bermudagrass entries were evaluated for turfgrass quality, leaf firing, normalized difference vegetation index, and live green cover at least once each week during the dry-down. Substantial drought response variations were found in this study, and all parameters were positively and highly correlated. A turf performance index (TPI) was assembled based on the number of times an entry ranked in the top statistical group across all testing parameters on each date. ‘DT-1’ (TifTuf®) and OSU1221 had the top TPI in both experiments. Most of bermudagrass experimental genotypes had equal or greater TPI than the standard Tifway, showing improved drought resistance through breeding effects. The identification of superior drought resistance experimental genotypes provided useful information to breeders on cultivar release.

Golf facilities require a large area and consume energy to operate. As such, golf facilities have the potential to influence ecosystems and contribute to national and regional energy demands. The objective of this study was to document the land-use and energy practices of US golf facilities in 2021 and to determine if changes have occurred since 2005. A survey was distributed via e-mail to 13,938 US golf facilities, with 1861 responding. From 2005 to 2021, the projected acres of maintained turfgrass declined by 14.2%, whereas the median maintained turfgrass acreage declined by 3.0% indicating the decline in projected acres was likely a result of facility closures. In 2021, water features, turfgrass, and natural areas accounted for 92% of the total projected facility acres. More golf facilities used cleaner energy sources, such as natural gas and solar-electric, and fewer golf facilities used gasoline and diesel in 2021 than in 2005. The percentage of golf facilities at which behavioral changes were implemented to decrease energy use declined but design changes increased from 2005 to 2021. Golf facilities became more land and energy efficient from 2005 to 2021 by reducing the acreage of maintained turfgrass and increasing the use of clean energy sources, but room for improvement still exists in human behaviors that affect energy use.

In the midwestern United States, especially Missouri, winegrape (Vitis sp.) growers mostly plant interspecific hybrids, which are well adapted to the climate and pests of the region. ‘Chambourcin’ (an interspecific French-American hybrid) is one of the most widely planted winegrape cultivars in the area. It is usually grown as own-rooted (nongrafted) vines because the economic and horticultural benefits of grafting this cultivar to rootstocks have not been well developed. Further, few significant winegrape rootstock evaluations have been conducted in the midwestern United States, including evaluations of newer rootstocks developed and released by private and public breeding programs. The aim of this study was to assess the potential value of using rootstocks in ‘Chambourcin’ production in southern Missouri, with implications for the midwestern United States. Fruit yield, vine growth, and fruit composition metrics from ‘Chambourcin’ on 10 different root systems [own-rooted, and grafted to rootstocks ‘Couderc 3309’, ‘Couderc 1616’, ‘Paulsen 1103’, ‘Sélection Oppenheim 4’, ‘Millardet et de Grasset 420A’, ‘Millardet et de Grasset 101-14’, ‘Kingfisher’, ‘Matador’ (all Vitis sp.), and ‘Gloire de Montpellier’ riverbank grape (Vitis riparia)] in an experimental vineyard in southwest Missouri were compared. Following three establishment years (2008–10), data were collected across four growing and vintage seasons (2011–14). Yield components evaluated included total fruit production, clusters per vine, cluster weight, berry weight, weight of cane prunings, and crop load. Petiole mineral analysis was conducted in 2011, 2013, and 2014. Grape juice attributes measured were soluble solids concentration, juice pH, titratable acidity (TA), potassium (K), anthocyanins, tannins, phenolics, and organic acids. When simply comparing grafted vs. ungrafted vines, grafting generally induced higher plant vigor and a higher pH in the juice, whereas the other parameters did not differ. When the performances were compared among the 10 root systems, vines grafted to ‘Couderc 3309’ had higher yields compared with vines grafted to six other rootstocks and own-rooted vines. Grafting to ‘Millardet et de Grasset 101-14’ induced higher cluster weight compared with the other rootstocks. The ‘Millardet et de Grasset 420A’ rootstock promoted a higher pH and TA as well as a higher concentration of K in the juice, and ‘Paulsen 1103’ also promoted high pH, TA, and malic acid in the juice, and higher concentrations of phosphorous (P) and K in the petiole compared with most rootstocks. ‘Gloire de Montpellier’ induced a lower P content in the petiole and a higher tartaric/malic acid ratio. Rootstock use can strongly influence some vineyard production metrics as well as nutrient uptake and K levels in the juice (the latter further influencing juice pH). The results of this study provide insights into the complex viticultural and enological interactions resulting from the use of rootstocks in hybrid winegrape production in Missouri, USA.

The goal of this study was to see how much genetic and environmental interaction affects essential oil yield and patchouli alcohol content and find superior genotypes over the years of patchouli's unique aroma in India. The tests were carried out for one year in 2013–2014 (initial evaluation trial) and then for three years in 2015–2016, 2016–2017, and 2017–2018 (major yield assessment trials). The fourteen patchouli genotypes and one commercial variety (CIM- Samarth) were studied in an RBD design with three replications. A pooled analysis of variance was performed across the environments/years for the eleven economic attributes. The results showed that most of the attributes had significant differences. In all three environments/years, genetic correlations between economic traits played a critical role in genetic improvement, for example, the traits X3-vs-X4, X3-vs-X5, and X4-vs-X5. As a result, according to correlations throughout the selective environments/years, picking these features will be favorable. Furthermore, the heritability in a broad sense (h2BS) was expressed as a percentage. The scores for all ten attributes ranged from 87.13 to 99.25%. The genetic advance over mean (GAM) percent, which ranged from 13.42 to 162.83%, was equally fascinating. The four winning genotypes for essential oil yield, G/PATC-11, G/PATC-1, G/PATC-2, and G/PATC-5, and the lines G/PATC-1, G/PATC-4, G/PATC-9, and G/PATC-11 for patchouli alcohol percent), were explained by biplot analysis as stable and higher-yielding genotypes. The percentage of ar-curcumene in stable genotypes with a distinct fragrance ranged from 8.60 to 8.71% in G/PATC 4, G/PATC 11, G/PATC 14, and G/PATC 1. Ar-curcumene has been found for the first time in the patchouli (Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth) species. As a result, it may be prudent to cultivate these stable genotypes on a big scale in India.

Breadfruit marketing is limited by its rapid ripening and deterioration after harvest; therefore, improved postharvest practices may facilitate breadfruit marketing. This study examined the effect of harvest maturity and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the postharvest quality of ‘Ma’afala’ breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis). Breadfruit was harvested at 13, 15, and 17 weeks after flowering, and half of each harvest was treated with 1 μL⋅L−1 of 1-MCP for 20 hours. During storage, the weight of the fruit, hand feeling, skin color, respiration rate, and ethylene production rate were evaluated every other day until the fruit deteriorated. Compared with untreated fruit, 1-MCP treatment delayed the climacteric respiratory peak by 6 days (65% delay), delayed complete softening by 7 days (63% delay), and increased uniformity in the number of days to the climacteric respiratory peak and complete softening. Skin discoloration was delayed during the earliest harvest period by 5 days (108% delay). Picking breadfruit at early harvest maturity may be useful for preventing discoloration, and 1-MCP may be useful for preventing softening.

Florida has a long association with citrus (Citrus sp.) production. However, the citrus industry in Florida has been devastated by Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease (Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus). HLB affects the citrus tree phloem and eventually causes tree death. Cover crops, or noncash crops, have traditionally been used in row crop production to improve soil organic matter, for nitrogen fixing, and for weed control. Citrus growers may benefit from adopting cover crops because healthier soils could improve yields and fruit quality of citrus trees. However, growers are uncertain about the costs and benefits associated with cover crop investments. The objective of our study was to analyze whether cover crops represent an economically feasible option for Florida citrus growers. We calculated the break-even prices for ‘Valencia’ and non-‘Valencia’ oranges (Citrus sinensis) in terms of price per box (equivalent to 90 lb of oranges in Florida) and price per pound solids per box (amount of soluble solids per box of oranges) by considering additional costs and short-term savings from using cover crops across various yield and quality scenarios based on the past 10 years of data. Considering the short-term savings from adopting cover crops, the per-acre cost of production increased by $107.3/acre or by 5.73% and constituted 5.42% of the total production cost during the first year of adoption. After the 2018–19 peak, the yield and quality for both ‘Valencia’ and non-‘Valencia’ oranges have decreased steadily. Adopting cover crops in the current yield–quality scenario will not be profitable for either ‘Valencia’ or non-‘Valencia’ oranges. However, for ‘Valencia’ oranges, at the median yield and quality levels of 193.5 boxes/acre and 6.08 lb solids/box, respectively, cover crop adoption would be profitable because the break-even price of $2.25/lb solids would be comparable to the market prices of the past 5 years.

Chinese cymbidiums are important flowering ornamental plants. Traditional propagation via seed or division cannot satisfy growers’ demand for commercialization of new cultivars, and in vitro propagation has a low micropropagation efficiency due to the browning of rhizomes. In this study, rhizomes of Cymbidium ‘14-16-13’ and ‘14-16-5’ were cultured on half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP), NAA (α-napthaleneacetic acid), or BAP with NAA under either the dark or light. The degree of browning was read, and rhizome proliferation or sprouting (sprout numbers) was evaluated. Results showed that there was significant difference in browning grade of rhizomes between ‘14-16-13’ and ‘14-16-5’ regardless of dark and light culture. Dark culture induced rhizome proliferation but failed to induce sprouts. Light culture slightly elevated the degree of browning but induced sprouting. Among the growth regulators evaluated, BAP was more effective for sprout induction. As rhizome browning appeared to be inevitable in micropropagation of the cymbidiums, a compromise between browning and sprout production could be a realistic approach. Our study showed that rhizomes cultured on half-strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg·L−1 BAP were able to produce more than 16 sprouts per vessel even though browning occurred in the rhizomes. Thus, culturing rhizomes in this medium could be a practical solution for in vitro propagation of Chinese cymbidiums.

Surveys of blueberry [rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum) and southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids)] nurseries in the State of Georgia, USA, were conducted in 2007 and 2022 to determine the prevalence of and associations among propagation practices, especially related to disease management. As indicated by the reduction in surveyed nurseries in 2022 (7) compared with 2007 (18), the Georgia blueberry nursery industry has consolidated. However, cultural disease management practices have generally improved in these remaining nurseries. In 2007, in nurseries where cuttings were grown in containers, 77.8% reused containers and 66.7% did not sterilize them before use. The growing medium [pine (Pinus sp.) bark] was reused for subsequent production cycles in 29.4% of nurseries, although such reuse of media tended to be associated with production in beds as opposed to containers (P = 0.08). Nurseries used well water in 88.2% and pond water in 11.8% of cases. Cuttings were grown on benches (vs. the ground) in slightly fewer than half of the nurseries. In contrast, all nurseries surveyed in 2022 grew their cuttings in containers, used well water, and had increased bench use, albeit only slightly. Although all nurseries reused containers, only 28.5% did not sterilize containers before use, and only 14.3% of nurseries reported reusing media. Most nurseries surveyed in 2007 (83.3%) were on a routine, calendar-based fungicide program using a.i. targeted primarily against aboveground diseases (blights and leaf spots) and secondarily against soil-borne water molds (Phytophthora and Pythium species of the Oomycetes class). In contrast, 42.8% of those surveyed in 2022 were on a 2- to 3-week spray schedule, 42.8% used fungicides on an as-needed basis, and 14.4% were on a monthly schedule, indicating that fungicide scheduling varied dramatically among the remaining nurseries.

Infection by root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.; RKN) leads to root galling and reduces the host plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients. Protected cropping systems, such as high tunnels, create conducive environments for RKN through increased soil temperatures and more intensive crop production. In Kentucky, high tunnel production has increased in the past 10 years, with tomato being the most cultivated high tunnel crop. This has contributed to a lack of rotation and increased pressure from RKN. Tomato grafting with RKN-resistant rootstock is a nonchemical management strategy that has shown promise in other regions of the United States. The primary objective of this 2-year, two-site study (Knox and Boyle Counties) was to determine whether using grafted resistant rootstock could be a viable management strategy in high tunnels naturally infested with Meloidogyne incognita. The rootstocks included ‘Arnold’, ‘Maxifort’, ‘Shin Cheong Gang’, and ‘Estamino’. ‘Primo Red’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’ were the scions and nongrafted controls in Knox and Boyle Counties, respectively. In 2020 and 2021 in Knox County, three of the four grafted treatments produced at least 38% higher yield than the nongrafted control. Grafted treatments had at least 44% fewer RKN eggs/g of dry root compared with the nongrafted control in both years. In 2021 and 2022 in Boyle County, tomato yield was at least five times greater in all four of the grafted treatments compared with the nongrafted control. In 2021, the nongrafted control had three times more RKN eggs/g dried root compared with three of the four grafted treatments. In 2022 in Boyle County, the nongrafted control had four times more RKN eggs/g of dried root than all grafted treatments. In both years and locations, ‘Arnold’ and ‘Estamino’ treatments had higher yield and lower RKN population densities in soil and roots compared with the nongrafted controls. Utilization of resistant rootstock will help Kentucky growers maintain crop productivity in soils infested with RKN, but should be combined with other management methods for long-term resiliency of the high tunnel system.

Numerous compact pepper (Capsicum annuum) cultivars are available for home gardening. However, evaluations under different environmental conditions are limited. This study aimed to characterize growth and productivity of 14 compact pepper cultivars grown indoors under environmental conditions that simulated a residential space (11 mol·m−2·d−1 provided by white of light-emitting diode fixtures, constant 22 °C, and moderate relative humidity of 40% to 60%) and in a greenhouse with sunlight only. Plants in the greenhouse were generally larger in size and produced more fruit [both in number and total fresh weight (FW)] than those grown indoors. For example, growth index, which is a measure of canopy volume that integrates shoot height and width, and fruit FW were up to 250% and 621% higher in the greenhouse than indoors, respectively. ‘Fresh Bites Red Improved’ and ‘Sweet Yellow’ had the highest fruit FW per plant when grown in the greenhouse (695 g) and indoors (483 g), respectively. All cultivars evaluated in this study are recommended for gardening under sunlight, and most for indoor gardening except for Cosmo, Pinata, and Yellow Tomato, which had the lowest fruit FW when grown indoors (61, 59, and 52 g) and thus, should not be recommended to consumers aiming to maximize fruit yield. In addition, ‘Cayennetta’, ‘Cheyenne’, ‘Hot Tomato Red’, ‘Pinata’, ‘Spicy Jane’, and ‘Sweet Yellow’ were affected by intumescence, which could negatively affect indoor gardening experiences until widespread recommendations to mitigate this disorder become available.

Recently, some commercial apple growers have been adopting hedging as an alternative or supplement to hand-pruning. With increasing labor costs across the United States, alternatives to hand-pruning and current training systems are being considered. One management strategy involves transitioning tall spindle trees to a narrow tree wall and simplifying labor-intensive activities of apple production, such as pruning, harvesting, and fruit thinning. The objective is to form the orchard system into a “fruiting wall” that makes fruit more visible and accessible, thus facilitating harvesting. Four management practices (tall spindle; narrow tree wall with manual pruning; narrow tree wall with dormant and summer hedging; and narrow tree wall with dormant hedging, summer hedging, and root pruning) were used to convert 12-year-old ‘Brak Fuji’ apple trees from the tall spindle training system to a narrow tree wall. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet light levels within the canopies were improved by summer hedging, but they were still low for all treatments. Light within the canopy was improved most when root pruning was included. Specific leaf weight was not significantly impacted by hedging or root pruning. Detailed spur sampling showed that treatments had no effect on vegetative or reproductive growth on 2- to 3-year-old wood. Although dormant plus summer hedging alone did not affect shoot length, the combination of hedging and root pruning caused a significant reduction in terminal shoot length. Red fruit color was only improved with dormant hedging plus summer hedging plus root pruning. Compared with dormant plus summer hedging, dormant plus summer hedging plus root pruning improved fruit set and yield, but it reduced fruit size. Without root pruning, hedging had little effect on light, specific leaf weight, flower initiation, fruit set, and fruit quality. Conversion to narrow tree walls by manual pruning resulted in more poorly colored fruit and less highly colored fruit compared with maintaining the trees as tall spindles with manual pruning.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is a high-value crop cultivated worldwide. Harvested lettuce acreage in New Mexico, USA, trails the leading lettuce production states (California, Arizona), but growers in New Mexico are interested in expanding their production. For New Mexico farmers to increase lettuce production to reach new markets, information on heat-tolerant cultivar performance is needed. This study was conducted to evaluate six lettuce cultivars described as heat tolerant by seed suppliers or other sources. In 2020 and 2021, we assessed two butterhead types, ‘Anuenue’ and ‘Mikola RG10’; two green leaf types, ‘Muir’ and ‘Tropicana’; and two romaine types, ‘Parris Island Cos’ and ‘Sparx’, in the Jose Fernandez Garden at the New Mexico State University Heritage Farm in Las Cruces, NM. To determine which cultivars and types of lettuce are better suited for southern New Mexico, we measured these variables: marketable harvest weight, number of days from transplant to first bolt, and number of days from transplant to 50% bolted. In 2020, ‘Sparx’, a romaine-type lettuce, had, on average, 32% higher yield compared with the other lettuce types. In 2021 both romaine-type cultivars, Sparx and Parris Island Cos, produced 19% more marketable yield than the other lettuce cultivars. In 2020, ‘Sparx’ was the last to bolt and to reach the 50% bolted stage, whereas in 2021 ‘Mikola RG10’ and ‘Muir’ were the last cultivars to bolt and reach the 50% bolted stage. These results suggest that ‘Sparx’ would be a good potential candidate for farmers in southern New Mexico. ‘Mikola RG10’ and ‘Muir’, butterhead and green leaf type, respectively, demonstrated slower bolting in 2021, indicating they may be useful cultivars for extending lettuce harvest in New Mexico.

Biological amendments, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal inoculant products, are increasingly incorporated into agricultural management plans as a way to improve plant productivity. However, the effects of mycorrhizal inoculants on plant growth are context-dependent and can vary with soil fertility and among plant cultivars. To optimize the use of mycorrhizal inoculant products on wine grapes at the nursery stage, we tested the effect of a mycorrhizal inoculant product with and without the addition of phosphorus (P) fertilizer on the growth and tissue nutrients of two popular Vitis vinifera cultivars, Merlot and Chardonnay. We rooted dormant cuttings in the following respective treatments: no AM fungal inocula or P fertilizer; AM fungal inocula; P fertilizer; and co-amendment of AM fungal inocula and P fertilizer. We grew the grapevines in pots for 5 months in a greenhouse. Growth responses to treatments differed between cultivars. ‘Merlot’ vines had a stronger growth response to the mycorrhizal inoculant product than ‘Chardonnay’, especially when no P fertilizer was added. The co-amendment of AM fungi and P fertilizer resulted in larger root biomass for ‘Merlot’, but there was no effect of any treatment on the root biomass of ‘Chardonnay’. ‘Merlot’ vines grown with the AM fungal inoculant product also had higher tissue P than uninoculated vines, but there was no effect of inoculation on tissue nutrients of ‘Chardonnay’. This study provides evidence of grapevine cultivar-specific responses to an AM fungal inoculant product in a greenhouse, which may be useful when planning nursery management strategies for the incorporation of biological amendments into grapevine production.

Native plants are of great value in landscape maintenance. Despite their importance in the landscape, the salt tolerance of most native plants has received little attention. The present research was designed to assess morphological, physiological, and biochemical responses of four Utah-native plants [Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (kinnikinnick), Cercocarpus ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), Cercocarpus montanus ‘Coy’ (alder-leaf mountain mahogany), and Shepherdia ×utahensis ‘Torrey’ (hybrid buffaloberry)] at different salinity levels. Each species was irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or saline solutions at ECs of 5.0 or 10.0 dS·m−1 for 8 weeks. The experiment was a randomized complete block design with 10 replications. At 8 weeks after the initiation of the experiment, A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ had slight foliar salt damage with an average visual score of 3.7 (0 = dead, 5 = excellent with no sign of foliar salt damage) when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 5.0 dS·m−1 and were dead at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1. Similarly, C. ledifolius had an average visual score of 3.2 when irrigated with saline solution at an EC of 10.0 dS·m−1. However, almost no foliar salt damage was observed on S. ×utahensis ‘Torrey’ during the experimental period. In addition, the shoot dry weight of all species was reduced with elevated salinity levels in the irrigation water. Salinity stress also reduced gas exchange rates of plants and affected their mineral content. Proline accumulated in the leaves of native plants but was species-dependent. In conclusion, S. ×utahensis ‘Torrey’ was tolerant to salinity stress followed by C. ledifolius; A. uva-ursi and C. montanus ‘Coy’ were sensitive to salinity stress.

Spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii; SWD) is an invasive pest in the United States that is responsible for significant economic damage to soft-skinned fruit and berries worldwide. SWD uses a wide variety of cultivated and wild fruit for reproduction. Host suitability may depend on physical and chemical factors of the fruit, with a positive correlation of SWD oviposition and larval development generally associated with soluble sugar content, softer fruit, and higher pH, and a negative correlation of oviposition with fruit firmness. Variety selection is an important tool for integrated pest management, but few studies have reported host suitability across varieties within a single cultivated crop species for SWD. In this study, we investigated SWD oviposition and larval development in five half-high blueberry cultivars, Chippewa, Northblue, Northland, Patriot, and Polaris, using no-choice and two-choice laboratory bioassays. Using a host potential index, our results showed that Chippewa was the most preferred cultivar for oviposition as measured in the number of eggs laid per fruit, and Polaris was the least preferred. The inverse was true for larval development, with a higher survival rate and adult emergence in ‘Polaris’ than in ‘Chippewa’. There was a negative relationship between fruit firmness and oviposition and a positive correlation between pH and larval development. The results of this study indicate that cultivar selection for half-high blueberries may be a promising integrated pest management (IPM) tool, although further research under field conditions is needed for validation.

The genus Capsicum has been distinguished by its lack of compatible rootstocks with commercial cultivars to successfully protect against Phytophthora capsici. Criollo de Morelos 334 (CM334) has been used worldwide in crosses and as a rootstock to protect against P. capsici. However, novel sources of resistance to this pathogen, such as ‘Pasilla 18M’ have not yet been explored as rootstocks. A good rootstock should be highly compatible with the scion and also maintain the quality and/or provide a benefit to the grafted cultivar. Our objectives were 1) to evaluate grafting survival using ‘Pasilla 18M’ and CM334 as rootstocks of two susceptible commercial cultivars: Sweet Pepper California Wonder (CW) and Serrano Coloso; and 2) to evaluate the efficiency of ‘Pasilla 18M’ as rootstock against P. capsici using CM334 as a resistant control. Grafting survival was analyzed over 58 days after grafting in sets of 60 plants per varietal combination. Disease severity and incidence were recorded during 24 days after inoculation with P. capsici (DAI). Incidence was also evaluated at 54 and 84 DAI. A severity scale from 0 (healthy plant) to 4 (dead plant) was applied to evaluate root rot per plant. Incidence was recorded as the percent of diseased plants (severity >0). Grafting survival of intervarietal grafts was 87% to 94%, similar to ungrafted cultivars, and exceeding autograft survival. Ungrafted and autografted Sweet Pepper and Serrano showed root rot severities 2.3 to 3.3, with 89% to 100% incidence. In contrast, intervarietal grafts remained almost free of infection (severity 0.14; incidence 0% to 4%). CM334 and ‘Pasilla 18M’ rootstocks are highly compatible with ‘Serrano Coloso’ and ‘Sweet Pepper CW’. ‘Pasilla 18M’ confers the same level of protection against P. capsici as CM334.

Child obesity is a major global public health issue. This study sought to identify means to improve children’s dietary behaviors through horticultural activities and effectively enhance their health and quality of life. The 129 participants were children in third grade through sixth grade in Hsinchu City, Taiwan. A quasi-experimental design was adopted as an intervention for school horticultural activities. The 68 students in the intervention group engaged in 40-minute horticultural sessions for 6 weeks. The pretest and post-test scores of both groups were measured using the Physical Questionnaire for older Children, the Connection to Nature Index, the Willingness to Taste Fruits and Vegetable Scale, and the Children’s Quality of Life Scale, as well as questionnaire items. The qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed through a parallel mixed-method approach. The findings showed that the intervention group’s physical activity levels, nature connectedness, and overall health were higher than those of the control groups. There were no significant differences in willingness to taste fruits and vegetables. This study demonstrates that engaging in natural school spaces and participating in horticultural activities improved the physical and mental health of children. Natural elements should be incorporated into the campus design, and children should be encouraged to participate in school horticultural activities.

Nutrient-depleted soil is a major constraint for crop production, particularly for fruits. Here, we investigated the different response of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) deficiency on the growth and development of strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duch.) in sand culture under greenhouse conditions. Compared with K, the lack of N or P is more unfavorable to strawberry growth and development. N deficiency affected shoot-root (S/R) ratio at different growth stages, and decreased the shoot biomass. P deficiency greatly increased the N content but decreased K content of the plants, which means P is of advantage to regulate the absorption and utilization of N and K nutrients in plants. Meanwhile, P has a profound influence on fruit quality, such as total soluble (TSS) sugar content. K deficiency is not conducive to fruit coloring and the formation of high-quality commercial fruits. The results contribute to a better understanding of the difference of N, P, or K deficiency on strawberry growth, nutrient absorption, and fruit quality during the whole growth period.

Industrial insect rearing is expected to increase as a feedstock to meet growing global food demand. This will lead to greater production of insect excreta known as frass, a nutrient-dense organic material that has shown promise as a natural fertilizer source with potential environmental benefits. In this study, black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) frass (BSFF) was compared with a synthetic fertilizer (SF) during production of containerized ornamentals grown under greenhouse conditions. Fertilizers were incorporated into a bark-based substrate at 0, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 kg⋅m–3 nitrogen (N) planted with coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides) plugs. Growth index, shoot dry weight, and leaf quality were assessed for a period of 6 weeks. In addition, coleus fertilized at 0.3 kg⋅m–3 N and a control had leachate collected and analyzed weekly for volume, pH, electrical conductivity, and nutrient losses. Black soldier fly frass was found to produce marketable coleus plants at 0.3 kg⋅m–3 N and reduce cumulative N leaching by 87% compared with coleus fertilized with SF at the same rate. Therefore, BSFF can be a suitable fertilizer source for coleus production without compromising growth and leaf quality while potentially decreasing nutrient leaching losses.

The increasing intensity and frequency of extreme heat events threaten crop productivity globally. Certain phases of plant reproduction necessary for fertilization are highly sensitive to extreme heat, particularly during pollen development, germination, and tube elongation. However, few studies have assessed the effects of extreme heat on pollen performance in perennial crop plants. To understand how northern highbush blueberry pollen responds to high temperatures, we quantified pollen germination and pollen tube growth in vitro using four commercially relevant cultivars (Bluecrop, Elliott, Jersey, and Liberty) in climate-controlled chambers. We also tested recovery from high heat in ‘Bluecrop’ to determine whether pollen tubes can still germinate and grow after short bursts of extreme heat. We found the highest proportion of germinated pollen tetrads and the greatest pollen tube growth at 20 and 30 °C, and the lowest levels at 10 and 40 °C, with nearly complete inhibition at 40 °C. Exposure to between 30 and 40 °C revealed significant reduction in pollen germination and tube growth above 35 °C across all cultivars and assessment times. Exposure to 37.5 °C for only 4 hours resulted in substantial reductions in pollen germination and pollen tube growth, even after pollen was moved to optimal conditions of 25 °C. Extreme heat exposure, even for a short duration, significantly limits blueberry pollen germination and tube development. This is expected to have cascading effects on fruit set and crop yield. The nonreversibility of the effects on pollen highlights the need to prevent fields reaching damaging temperatures by developing crop monitoring and management strategies to protect crops during bloom.

Root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is among the biotic factors which has greatly affected both the yield and the quality of the tomato crop. The egg parasitic nematode, Purpureocillium lilacinum (Pl) is considered as one of the most promising agents in controlling and overcoming this plant pathogen. The nematicidal effect of the native isolate Pl AUMC 10149 on second stage juvenile’s survival and egg hatching of M. incognita at different times of exposure was tested in vitro. The obtained data showed that Pl gave a maximum percentage of J2 mortality (97.6%) and egg hatching inhibition (79.8%) after 72 hours of exposure. The potentiality of Pl as well as Bio-Nematon to control M. incognita infecting tomato was conducted using different times of application in vivo. Nine treatments with five replicates were used for such bioagents compared with the nematicide Oxamyl. Each seedling was inoculated with 1000 J2s of nematode/pot and 10 mL of Pl (1x1010 CFU/mL) or Bio-Nematon spore suspension (1x108 CFU/mL) 10mL/pot. The results indicated that the most effective treatments in reducing nematode population, number of galls and egg masses of M. incognita in plant roots was performed with treatment by Pl pre-planting and post-infection with Pl (Rf 1.9) giving a significant enhancement in plant length (64.9%), fresh weight (72.52%) and shoot dry weight (163.41%) without negatively impacting environment. Therefore, the present study confirmed that using P. lilacinum AUMC 10149 can be used as a practical supplement to environmentally friendly disease management of root-knot nematodes in Egypt. Resumo O nematoide-das-galhas Meloidogyne incognita está entre os fatores bióticos que afetaram enormemente a produção e a qualidade da cultura do tomate. O nematoide parasita de ovos, Purpureocillium lilacinum (Pl), é considerado um dos mais promissores agentes no controle e superação desse fitopatógeno. O efeito nematicida do isolado nativo Pl AUMC 10149 na sobrevivência de juvenis de segundo estágio e na eclosão dos ovos de M. incognita em diferentes momentos de exposição foi testado in vitro. Os dados obtidos mostraram que o Pl deu um percentual máximo de mortalidade de J2 (97.6%) e inibição da eclosão dos ovos (79.8%) após 72 horas de exposição. A potencialidade de Pl e de Bio-Nematon para controlar M. incognita infectando tomate foi conduzida em diferentes tempos de aplicação in vivo. Nove tratamentos com cinco repetições foram usados para tais bioagentes em comparação com o nematicida Oxamyl. Cada muda foi inoculada com 1.000 J2s de nematoide / vaso e 10 mL de Pl (1×1010 CFU/mL). Ou suspensão de esporos Bio-Nematon (1×108 CFU/mL) 10mL/pot. Os resultados indicaram que os tratamentos mais eficazes na redução da população de nematoides, número de galhas e desovas de M. incognita nas raízes das plantas foram realizados com Pl pré-plantio e pós-infecção com Pl (Rf 1.9), dando um aumento significativo no comprimento da planta (64.9%), massa fresca (72.52%) e massa seca da parte aérea (163.41%) sem impactar negativamente o meio ambiente. Portanto, o presente estudo confirmou que o uso de P. lilacinum AUMC 10149 pode ser usado como um suplemento prático para o manejo ecologicamente correto de nematoides-das-galhas no Egito.

Due to the morbidity and resulting lifestyle changes of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI), there has been an extensive need to evaluate potential treatments. Mesenchymal cells hold the capacity to address both the primary and secondary mechanisms of SCI. Human Umbilical Cord stem cells (hUC), in particular, show promise due to their rapid proliferation, immunological properties, and pluripotent capacity. These hUC-MSC can be isolated from the umbilical Cord Blood (hCB) and Wharton’s jelly, a viscous gel that maintains the umbilical cord’s integrity. While Wharton’s jelly-derived hUC-MSCs appear to have a greater capability for the treatment of SCI due to their increased proliferation, hCB-MSC additionally has long-term therapeutic potential in clinical trials.

Rootstock election is one of the key decisions when designing a vineyard. Although the research performed to determine the effect they induce in the behaviour of scion varieties is not scarce, it is not easy to have a global idea, as results are usually published scattered. In this work, we re-examine previous research conducted in Spain on rootstock implications on vine agronomic performance through the performance of a meta-analysis (MA). As a result, we were able to integrate the information reported in 20 articles that included rootstock experimentation conducted with 36 different varieties and 47 different rootstocks, totalling 764 individual records. However, when the information was filtered before the meta-analysis, this number decreased to 312 records, for which rootstock Response Ratios (RR) were calculated. The characteristics conferred by the rootstock were more closely related to the rootstock itself, rather than to the characteristics of the Vitis sp. crossing used to create the rootstock. Several rootstocks were identified as more suitable for adapting to future climate change conditions, as far as they were able to moderate sugar accumulation and pH (161-49 C, 41-B MGt and 420A MGt). Meanwhile, 140 Ru and 5-BB were observed to provide high pH and sugar contents despite their high yield. In conclusion, despite being based on data from a single country, the meta-analysis was shown to be a useful tool for enhancing the value of previous research on rootstocks. Combining articles from both peer-reviewed and technical journals helped in the assessment of the implications of different rootstocks, although further steps should be taken to facilitate data integration (harmonisation of measurement and reporting procedures, open data repositories, etc).

The present trial follows a previous study about pre-flowering leaf removal (LR) (Verdenal et al., 2019) and validates the sustainability of mechanical pre-flowering LR under local Swiss vineyard conditions, using a low-pressure double airflow, to reduce the cost of laborious bunch thinning. In previous studies, pre-flowering LR has shown additional benefits over post-berry-set LR in terms of yield regulation and grape and wine compositions. This trial had two objectives: 1) to test the technical feasibility of mechanical pre-flowering LR, using a low-pressure double airflow and 2) to observe the impact of this practice over five years on yield parameters, grape composition at harvest and wine quality over five years. For this purpose, a trial was conducted on the two cultivars, Doral (white) and Gamay (red), to compare four LR treatments, that is, A) mechanical post-berry-set LR, B) manual pre-flowering LR, C) mechanical pre-flowering LR, and D) double mechanical pre-flowering + post-berry-set LR. More broadly, this work provides practical insights into the consequences of pre-flowering LR on the grapevine, pointing out the advantages and the limits of intensity, timing and mechanisation of this practice. In comparison with the mechanical post-berry-set LR, mechanical pre-flowering LR induced a 7 % loss in bud fruitfulness, a 30 % yield loss and a 3 % gain in total soluble solids (TSS) accumulation in grapes in both cultivars, although the improvement in grape maturity was small and uneven through the years; Gamay anthocyanin concentration remained stable. Pre-flowering LR had no overall impact on the quality of Doral and Gamay wines. Damage was observed on the inflorescences due to the intensity of mechanical pre-flowering LR, which resulted in fewer berries per cluster and a lower yield than with manual LR by the same date. A second LR after berry set was also tested to limit the growth of laterals and clean the clusters from the remaining flower caps to prevent the development of fungal diseases, but it did not show any benefit over a single pre-flowering LR. In conclusion of this trial, a single, moderate mechanical pre-flowering LR is an effective and sustainable practice under temperate climatic conditions, to reduce the costs of laborious manual pre-flowering LR.

Climate change imposes numerous threats to viticulture. Different strategies have been developed to mitigate these effects that range from innovative vineyard management methods and precision viticulture to the breeding of new varieties and rootstocks better adapted to environmental challenges. Epigenetics refer to heritable changes in genome functioning that are not mediated by DNA sequence variations. The recent discovery that epigenetic memories can mediate acclimation and adaptation of plants to their environment now provides new levers for plant improvement facing climate changes without significant impact on the genetic information. This can be mediated either by using the epigenetic memories of stresses and/or by creating epigenetic diversity in the form of new epialleles without changing the genetic information. Indeed, grapevine is a perennial grafted clonally propagated plant, and as such, presents epigenetic specificities. These specificities require adapting strategies that have already been developed in model plants but also offer opportunities to explore how epigenetic memories and diversity can be a major source of rapid adaptation to the environment for plants bearing similar properties. Among these strategies, both annual and trans-annual plant priming with different types of elicitors might provide efficient ways to better face (a)biotic stresses. The use of epigenetic exchanges between scion and rootstocks and/or the creation of non-targeted epigenetic variations at a genome-wide scale, or targeted using epigenetic editing, may provide innovative and promising avenues for grapevine improvement to face challenges imposed by climate changes.

Liqueur d’expedition (dosage) is a final sugar addition made to sparkling wine which determines the sweetness and balance of the finished product. In the present study, the influence of dosage sugar composition on Maillard reaction-associated products and precursors in traditional method (bottle-fermented) sparkling wines was evaluated over 18-months of storage in climate-controlled cellar conditions (14 °C, 70 % relative humidity). Evaluated dosage sugar-types included glucose, fructose, cane-derived sucrose, beet-derived sucrose, maltose, and Must Concentrate Rectified (MCR) Sucraisin®, which were compared to a zero dosage (no sugar added) control. Maillard reaction-associated products were quantified by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS), and precursors including sugars and amino acids, were measured by enzymatic assay and proton (1H) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, respectively. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to effectively discriminate between wines based on aging duration but did not adequately separate wines treated with different dosage sugar-types. Decreases in alanine and glycine were observed after 18-months of cellar aging, suggesting that Maillard reaction product formation may be partially related to their depletion. Benzaldehyde and ethyl-3-mercaptopropionate were identified as discriminatory Maillard reaction-associated compounds when comparing 0- and 18-month aged wines, with benzaldehyde increasing and ethyl-3-mercaptopropionate decreasing over the aging period. This research contributes to an increased understanding of Maillard reaction pathways in the unique low-temperature and low pH sparkling wine matrix and establishes the relatively greater effect of aging duration compared to dosage sugar-type on the formation of Maillard reaction-associated products. The combined application of HS-SPME-GC/MS and 1H NMR based metabolomics presents new insights into the chemical composition of sparkling wines during aging.

This work presents a remote sensing application to estimate the leaf area index (LAI) in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties (IDIAP 52-05 and IDIAP FL 137-11), as a proxy for crop performance. In-field, homogeneous spectroradiometric measurements (350–1050 nm) were carried in two campaigns (June–November 2017 and January–March 2018), on a private farm, TESKO, located in Juan Hombrón, Coclé Province, Panama. The spectral fingerprint of IDIAP 52-05 plants was collected in four dates (47, 67, 82 and 116 days after sowing), according to known phenological stages of rice plant growth. Moreover, true LAI or green leaf area was measured from representative plants and compared to LAI calculated from normalized PlanetScope multi-spectral satellite images (selected according to dates close to the in-field collection). Two distinct estimation models were used to establish the relationships of measured LAI and two vegetational spectral indices (NDVI and MTVI2). The results show that the MTVI2 based model has a slightly higher predictive ability of true LAI (R2= 0.92, RMSE = 2.20), than the NDVI model. Furthermore, the satellite images collected were corrected and satellite LAI was contrasted with true LAI, achieving in average 18% for Model 2 for MTVI2, with the NDVI (Model 1) corrected model having a smaller error around 13%. This work provides an important advance in precision agriculture, specifically in the monitoring of total crop growth via LAI for rice crops in the Republic of Panama.

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus Hegi) is an intriguing source of indigestible sugar polymers such as inulin-type fructans. In this study the amount and the quality of inulin-type fructans have been evaluated in the cultivated artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus Hegi) as well as in the wild cardoon (C. cardunculus var. sylvestris L. Fiori). The expression pattern of the genes codifying for the two key enzymes sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (1‐SST) and fructan 1‐fructosyltransferase (1‐FFT), involved in fructans biosynthesis, have been also evaluated both in capitula (heads) and rhizomes. The results showed that the inulin-type fructans were much higher in the heads of the wild cardoon than artichoke, one together with a higher expression of the two key genes fructans codifying enzymes. A conspicuous level of inulin-type fructans was found also in the rhizome, supporting the significant role of these compounds in the storage and in protection from cold and/or winter stress. The results indicate that wild cardoon could be a good and suitable crop for inulin production as well a sustainable agri-food system in Mediterranean marginal areas.

Introduction: Loxoscelism is an under-diagnosed condition due to lack of awareness among practitioners. It is a serious form of araneism that can be strictly cutaneous with variable clinical aspects that can be deadly. Materials and methods: Five cases were collected over a period of 3 years presenting with envenomation by a supposed spider bite highly suggestive of cutaneous loxoscelism. Results: We collected five cases of post-spider bite envenomation with an average age of 45 years, predominantly female, of rural origin. The bite occurred in the summer in all cases. The average time to consultation was 2 days. Four patients had felt and located the spider nearby. Two patients had an erysipéloïde placard centred by a necrotic ulceration, while one had post-bite erythema multiforme, one had acute exanthematous pustulosis and one had acute urticaria. Biological tests were normal in all cases. Antihistamines and dermocorticoids were prescribed. Discussion: This type of envenomation is common in the summer months and in rural areas, with a clear female predominance. It is generally induced by the venom of spiders of the sicariidae family and of the Loxosceles genus. The diagnosis is based on a combination of epidemiological, clinical and biological evidence. Conclusion: Envenomation by spider bites has been little reported in Morocco until now. This rare cause of necrosis, skin rash deserves to be known by practitioners for an adequate management.

This research aims to examine construction of the portfolio and also to explore factor variable affected on portfolio return. Portfolio stock derived the Elton Gruber model and compared it with portfolio returns calculated using the Equal Weighted and market capitalization weighted. This research used stock that is member of the Sri-Kehati Business Index, and monthly data from January 2015 to June 2022. This research has finding that there are 6 stocks to become member of stocks portfolio using Elton Gruber Model. By using Coefficient of Variation (CV), the equal weighted has the good portfolio because it has lowest of variation. Using t-test, there are no significant differences for three portfolios. Market Shock, Exchange Rate, Interest Rate and COVID-19 significantly affect Portfolio Return of Elton Gruber Model. Equal Weighted and Market Capitalization Portfolio only affect by Market shock. Based on this research results, it has implication that Investors do not need Fund Manager to manage their portfolio if investor use equal weighted or market capitalization weighted mode. JEL classification numbers: B26, B41, C01, C13, C51, D53, E44. Keywords: Construction Portfolio, Return Portfolio, Market Capitalization, Equal Weighted, Oil Price, Exchange Rate and interest rate, COVID-19.

The He-Ne laser (632.8 nm) and photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS), a variant of the photothermal methods, were combined with the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetry method to determine total phenolics in wine lees. Utilising this method we found that the total polyphenol content of the nine selected wine lees varied from 1305 to 3907 mg/L. The gallic acid equivalent was determined by means of spectrophotometry using 765 nm as the analytical wavelength. The original Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetry assay was modified for the PAS measurements. Since the PAS does not need dilution, the filtration steps and the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent were used directly on the wine lees samples. Using the original colour reaction process and the modified reaction, the PAS showed linear behaviour between the total polyphenol content and the PA signal; the results of which gave determination coefficients of 0.9946 and 0.9936, while the limit of detection was 232.6 mg/L in both cases.