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Significant crop losses are due to plant-parasitic nematodes. Nematicides are expensive and potentially toxic to men, the environment, and plants. This study evaluated the hidden phytotoxicity effects of nematicides in soybeans. Two soybean cultivars (8473RSF and M7198IPRO) were evaluated with five nematicide treatments (biological, cadusaphos, abamectin, fluensulfone, and an untreated control) for changes in chlorophylls, biometrics, and spectral (TGI visible spectral index captured with a smartphone camera) variables to determine and anticipate the identification of plant stresses. Evaluations occurred 33, 47, and 66 days after sowing (DAS). The a/b chlorophyll proportion was greatest for M7198IPRO and cadusaphos. The chlorophyll variables did not present significant interactions or differences at 47 DAS, indicating that possible nematicide effects were transient and should be evaluated earlier than 33 DAS. Leaf area, leaf mass, and shoot mass were smaller for 8473RSF and outstanding for abamectin and fluensulfone. The response of the spectral index did not present significant interaction among the factors; however, at 33 and 47 DAS, the index was low for 8473RSF and lowest for cadusaphos only at 33 DAS. The correlations between the spectral index and other variables were significant and moderate for soybean total leaf area. Although no apparent phytotoxicity symptoms caused by nematicides were observed, the visible vegetation index generated using a smartphone camera can still improve crop management solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasserie is a major infectious disease of silkworms caused by the Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus. The virus belongs to the family Baculoviridae and is composed of a polyhedron with a single molecule of circular supercoiled double-stranded deoxyribose nucleic acid. The disease causes massive mortality (more than 60% of the total crop loss caused by different diseases), causing significant great crop loss to the sericulturists by reducing the cocoon crop and silk produce. There has been no effective solution for preventing and treating the disease. In the present review, the authors explore the subject in detail and inspire the researchers to search for molecular mechanisms of gene action and promote disease-resistant silkworm breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The weed control efficacy (WCE) of mechanical weeding in the inter‐row area in conventional cropping systems can achieve more than 90%. Despite the use of special intra‐row tools (e.g., finger weeders), only a WCE of 65%–75% can currently be realized in the intra‐row area. To close the gap between inter‐row and intra‐row WCE, in this study, a new approach for high‐efficacy precise mechanical weeding is presented. By using a GPS‐based pneumatic precision seeder (Kverneland GEOseed), a square crop seeding pattern of 37.5 cm × 37.5 cm was established in maize to enable post‐emergence hoeing lengthwise and transverse to the sowing direction. Thus, the treated area by the hoeing blades is postulated to increase, resulting in higher WCE. For this, six field experiments were conducted in South‐Western Germany in 2021 and 2022. Goosefoot blades and no‐till sweeps were guided automatically using a camera for row detection and a hydraulic side‐shift control for the hoe. This bi‐directional treatment was compared to an herbicide application and to hoeing treatments only along and transverse to the sowing direction. The bi‐directional hoeing treatment increased the WCE compared to hoeing along the crop rows on average from 80% to 95% and was not significantly different from the herbicide applications in 2022. Precise sowing in combination with hoeing along and transverse the crop rows resulted in 5.3% crop losses compared to 2.2% for hoeing only along the sowing direction by using only 15 cm wide goosefoot blades, while in the herbicide treatment and the untreated control no crop losses were detected. While maize biomass was not significantly different from the herbicide treatment in most cases over both years, in 2022, even the grain yield of the bi‐directional hoeing treatment with goosefoot blades (7.8 Mg ha−1) was statistically equal to the herbicide treatment (6.9 Mg ha−1). This study demonstrates the great potential of bi‐directional hoeing as an effective alternative to chemical weed control in row crops such as maize, sunflower and sugar beet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theobroma cacao is very important in the economy of many tropical countries, especially in Ecuador. The development and production of Theobroma cacao have been limited by the attack of diseases, pests, and currently by the impact caused by the water deficit. The loss of water in the crop causes a low production of the plantations. In addition, when genetic diversity is scarce, the possible combinations of genes capable of conferring biological adaptation and, consequently, the capacity to adapt to environmental variations, are reduced. Therefore, a viable option is to identify genes capable of conferring adaptation to water deficit stress. The objective of this research was to characterize genes of Theobroma cacao in response to water deficit. The sequencing and characterization of genes related to water stress were achieved and, finally, the hybridization profile of the genes (ABA, ODC, DEH, and ABS) in response to Actin (ACT) was analyzed. The ABS gene hybridized 100 % with DNA from rootstock EET399 in roots and 80 % with DNA from graft T24 in leaves. The OCD gene hybridized 80 % with DNA from rootstock IMC 67 and 25 % with the T800 graft in leaves. The DEH gene hybridized below the normalizing gene (ACT) in both rootstock EET400 (10 %) in root DNA and graft T12 (5 %) in leaves. Finally, the ABA gene did not hybridize with the DNA of the CCN51 rootstock or with the graft (T801) in both roots and leaves, respectively. This research is key to understand some molecular mechanisms of T. cacao in response to water deficit and can be considered as a viable strategy to reduce crop agronomic losses under the current environmental scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tan spot, a foliar disease of Triticum spp. such as bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) and durum wheat (T. turgidum ssp. durum (Desf.) Husn.) caused by the filamentous fungus Pyrenophora tritici-repentis (Died.) Drechsler leads to serious losses of crop yield and quality in some areas in Japan. P. tritici-repentis is classified into eight races according to the combinations of three necrotrophic effectors, PtrToxA, PtrToxB, and PtrToxC encoded by ToxA, ToxB, and ToxC1, respectively. Race classification has been based on reaction of a differential variety to necrotrophic effectors, which is tested by inoculation. Recent identification of the Tox genes and development of specific DNA markers have enabled us to classify races of P. tritici-repentis collected in Japan by Tox gene genotyping. We found that 17 strains collected from Triticum spp. in Japan were mainly race 1 or 2, because they carried ToxA as a toxin gene by current race classification; wheat genotype tsn1 is resistant to ToxA. Establishment of wheat cultivars carrying tsn1 would be most effective for decreasing agronomic losses caused by the disease in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato is one of the most extensively grown vegetables in any country, and their diseases can significantly affect yield and quality. Accurate and early detection of tomato diseases is crucial for reducing losses and improving crop management. Current deep learning and CNN research have resulted in the availability of multiple CNN designs, making automated plant disease identification viable rather than traditional visual inspection-based disease detection. When using deep learning Methods, the dataset serves one of the most crucial roles in disease prediction. PlantVillage is the most widely used publicly available dataset for tomato disease detection, but it was created in a laboratory/controlled environment, and models trained on it do not perform well on real-world images. Some natural or real-world datasets are available, but they are private and not publicly available. Also, when attempting to predict tomato diseases on the field in the Jodhpur and Jaipur districts of Rajasthan, India, we found that the majority of diseases are leaf miner, spotted wilt virus, and Nnutrition deficiency diseases, but there are no public datasets containing such categories. To overcome these challenges, we propose the creation of a new dataset called "Tomato-Village" with three variants: (a) multiclass tomato disease classification, (b) multilabel tomato disease classification, and (c) object detection-based tomato disease detection. To our best knowledge, "Tomato-Village" will be the first such dataset to be available publicly. Further, we have applied the various CNN architectures/models on this dataset, and baseline results were drawn. The "Tomato-Village" dataset, their baseline results, and related source code will be available at https://github.com/mamta-joshi-gehlot/Tomato-Village. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural crop insurance is an important component for mitigating farm risk, particularly given the potential for unexpected climatic events. Using a 2.8 million nationwide insurance claim dataset from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this research study examines spatiotemporal variations of over 31,000 agricultural insurance loss claims across the 24-county region of the inland Pacific Northwest (iPNW) portion of the United States from 2001 to 2022. Wheat is the dominant insurance loss crop for the region, accounting for over USD 2.8 billion in indemnities, with over USD 1.5 billion resulting in claims due to drought (across the 22 year time period). While fruit production generates considerably lesser insurance losses (USD 400 million) as a primary result of freeze, frost, and hail, overall revenue ranks number one for the region, with USD 2 billion in sales, across the same time range. Principal components analysis of crop insurance claims showed distinct spatial and temporal differentiation in wheat and apples insurance losses using the range of damage causes as factor loadings. The first two factor loadings for wheat accounts for approximately 50 percent of total variance for the region, while a separate analysis of apples accounts for over 60 percent of total variance. These distinct orthogonal differences in losses by year and commodity in relationship to damage causes suggest that insurance loss analysis may serve as an effective barometer in gauging climatic influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizoctonia solani as a cosmopolitan fungus is the causative agent of many crop diseases and leads to significant economic losses in crop production. To explore the toxin structure and physiological activity of R. solani AG-3 TB, highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC), infrared absorption spectrum (IR), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (NMR) were required. Here, the compound (methoxymethyl)triphenylphosphonium chloride (MMC) with the molecular formula C20H20ClOP was purified and identified from R. solani AG-3 TB. The pure compound MMC treated at 20 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL, and 100 mg/mL can cause obvious necrosis on leaves, increase active oxygen species (AOS), decrease chlorophyll content, and damage cellular structure. The results enrich the understanding of toxin compounds for R. solani and provide valuable insights into the toxicology of R. solani AG-3 TB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the impact of Tetranychus urticae Koch, a pest commonly known as the spider mite, on brinjal (eggplant) crops in Punjab, India. The study found that using the acaricide propargite resulted in a significant reduction in crop loss and a higher yield compared to untreated plots. The cost benefit ratio was also favorable, with a ratio of 52.34:1 for July-transplanted crops and 23.34:1 for February-transplanted crops. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing pest management strategies to minimize crop losses and protect economic interests. [Extracted from the article]

This paper studies the effects of drought shocks in a vulnerable environment – the Brazilian Semi-Arid. We analyze the impact of drought shocks, measured as deviations from long-run historical averages, on agricultural outcomes in a region that suffers recurrently from drought. After controlling for municipality and year fixed effects, we use weather shocks to exactly identify outcomes. Our benchmark results show substantial effects on the loss of crop area and on the value of agricultural output, as well as on crop yields. As we investigate distributional effects, our results show that crops related to familiar agriculture suffer more from drought shocks. We follow our investigation by testing heterogeneity effects and show that adequate water provision and maintenance of forest cover help in reducing the impact of drought shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the crop losses associated with biotic and abiotic stresses, novel sensor technologies that can monitor plant health and predict and track plant diseases in real time are required. Plant sensors based on wearable technologies are placed directly on the plant leaf or stem. The health status of the plant is reflected by various biomarkers and microenvironmental parameters, which are converted into electric readouts by the sensors for convenient analysis. Herein, the latest research progress in the field of wearable plant sensors is evaluated, and the sensors are classified according to their individual functions. Moreover, the design principles and working mechanisms of previously reported wearable sensors are analyzed, and the design features adopted to overcome the difficulties associated with precision agriculture are explored. Finally, the challenges and future development prospects in this field are outlined. This review contributes to the growing body of literature on wearable plant sensors, underscoring their critical role in mitigating crop losses through real-time plant health monitoring and disease prediction. Advancements in wearable plant sensors could ultimately revolutionize crop production and sustainability by enabling more precise, efficient, and proactive farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing environmental conditions control the growth and development of plant in one way or the other throughout the world. Abiotic stresses, i.e., drought, heavy metals, salinity, heat and cold and other environmental extremes negatively influence survival of plants and reduce the productivity of crops. The world's most popular grain, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), is highly susceptible to abiotic stress, which is the major reason for yield losses in the crop. Silicon (Si) is the second most abundant element and gaining popularity for its multilateral role in providing significant advantages for growth and yield of crop plants. It is a non-essential nutrient, but it has been shown to have beneficial effects on the growth and development of several plant species. Si substantially reduces the most abiotic stresses and it is non-polluting, non-detrimental and non-harmful to plants even when used in large quantities. Exogenous Si application prevents the detrimental effect of drought, heat and cold stress by increasing cuticle and epidermal layer thickening from silica deposited. Si creates an apoplastic barrier in the endodermis closer to the root apex to prevent the uptake and mobility of heavy metals. Under adverse conditions, Si increases nutrient uptake and restores wheat growth and production. The review clearly reveals the importance of Si nutrition in imparting abiotic stress tolerance and the need for its application in the wheat crop. Plant producers can benefit from Si fertilizers both economically and environmentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton (Gossypium spp. L.) is a major origin of natural fiber, and is projected at 117 million bales worldwide for 2021/22. A variety of biotic and abiotic stresses have considerable negative impacts on cotton. The significantly decreased applications of chemical insecticidal sprays in the agro-ecosystem have greatly affected the biodiversity and dynamics of primary and secondary insects. Various control measures were taken around the globe to increase production costs. Temperature, drought, and salinity, and biotic stresses such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, insects, and mites cause substantial losses to cotton crops. Here, we summarize a number of biotic and abiotic stresses upsetting Bt cotton crop with present and future biotechnology solution strategies that include a refuge strategy, multi-gene pyramiding, the release of sterile insects, seed mixing, RNAi, CRISPR/Cas9, biotic signaling, and the use of bioagents. Surveillance of insect resistance, monitoring of grower compliance, and implementation of remedial actions can lead to the sustainable use of cotton across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryzae sativa cv. dongjin) is a cornerstone of global food security; however, Burkholderia glumae BGR1, which is responsible for bacterial panicle blight (BPB), threatens its productive output, with dire consequences for rice and other crops. BPB is primarily caused by toxoflavin, a potent phytotoxin that disrupts plant growth at various developmental stages. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms through which toxoflavin and BPB affect rice plants is critical. Toxoflavin biosynthesis in B. glumae BGR1 relies on the toxABCDE operon, with ToxA playing a central role. In response to this threat, our study explores a metagenome-derived toxoflavin-degrading enzyme, TxeA, as a potential defense mechanism against toxoflavin's destructive impact. TxeA-induced degradation of toxoflavin represents a potential strategy to mitigate crop damage. We introduce a groundbreaking approach: engineering transgenic rice plants to produce toxoflavin-degrading enzymes. These genetically modified plants, armed with TxeA, hold significant potential for combating toxoflavin-related crop losses. However, removal of toxoflavin, a major virulence factor in B. glumae BGR1, does not completely inhibit virulence. This innovative perspective offers a new shift from pathogen eradication to leveraging transgenic plants' power, offering a beacon of hope for crop protection and disease management. Our study offers insights into the intricate interplay between toxoflavin, BPB, and TxeA, providing a promising avenue to safeguard rice crops, ensure food security, and potentially enhance the resilience of various agricultural crops to B. glumae BGR1-induced diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Date palm is an important domestic cash crop in most countries. Sudden Decline Syndrome (SDS) causes a huge loss to the crop both in quality and quantity. The literature reports the significance of early detection of disease towards preventive measures to improve the quality of the crop. The number of prevailing detection methods limits to consideration of a certain aspect of disease identification. This study proposes a new hybrid fuzzy fast multi-Otsu K-Means (FFMKO) algorithm integrating the date palm image enhancement, robust thresholding, and optimal clustering for significant disease identification. The algorithm adopts a multi-operator image resizing cost function based on image energy and the dominant color descriptor, the adaptive Fuzzy noise filter, and Otsu image thresholding combined with K-Means clustering enhancements. Besides, we validate the process with histogram equalization and threshold transformation towards enhanced color feature extraction of date palm images. The algorithm authenticates findings on a local dataset of 3293 date palm images and, on a benchmarked data set as well. It achieves an accuracy of 94.175% for successful detection of SDS that outperforms the existing similar algorithms. The impactful findings of this study assure the fast and authentic detection of the disease at an earlier stage to uplift the quality and quantity of the date palm and boost the agriculture-based economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security has become one of the greatest challenges of the millennium and it is predicted to be exacerbated by climate change due to the adverse effects of soil temperature on crop productivity. Although plant-parasitic nematodes are one of the most important limiting factors of agricultural production, the fate of soil temperature in their biology is not fully understood. Here we present the effects of soil temperature on survival, reproduction, virulence, and disease severity from the perspective of two nematode species Rotylenchulus reniformis and Meloidogyne floridensis. The two nematode species were purposefully selected to represent a significant threat to annual and perennial crops. We employed novel approaches of direct as well as indirect heat exposure to evaluate nematode biology. The direct heat exposure assay involved the exposure of nematodes to hot water in a heating block at 32, 33, and 34 °C for 7 h, and subsequent evaluation of their survival after 18 h. The indirect exposure assay employed a commercial heat mat to raise soil temperatures to 32, 33, and 34 °C for 7 h during the daytime, and subsequent evaluation of nematode reproduction, virulence, and/or disease severity over the period of 6 weeks after inoculation. When directly exposed to hot water at 34 °C, the survival of R. reniformis increased by 10% while the survival of M. floridensis decreased by 12% relative to that at 32 °C. Upon increasing soil temperatures from 32 to 34 °C, the reproduction of R. reniformis and M. floridensis decreased by 49% and 53%, respectively. A significant reduction in the reproduction of M. floridensis occurred when soil temperature was increased from 33 to 34 °C, however, the same condition did not significantly affect R. reniformis reproduction suggesting the latter species has a greater ability to adapt to increasing soil temperature. Additionally, the virulence of R. reniformis was greater at 33 and 34 °C relative to that at 30 °C indicating increased aggressiveness of the nematode at higher soil temperatures. The virulence of M. floridensis appeared to be decreased as evident from increased root biomass when soil temperature was increased from 32 to 34 °C, however, the greater root biomass may have resulted from increased root galling at the higher temperatures. Results of the current study suggest that while higher soil temperatures due to climate change may lead to reduced nematode reproduction, crop losses will likely increase due to increased nematode virulence. Through the current study, we report practical evidence of the quantitative impact of climate change on the biology of plant-parasitic nematodes. Further studies involving a wider range of temperature and exposure time are needed to better understand nematode biology under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen deficiency is an environmental challenge which affects plant growth, the development and distribution in land and aquatic ecosystems, as well as crop yield losses worldwide. The capacity to exist in the conditions of deficiency or the complete lack of oxygen depends on a number of anatomic, developmental and molecular adaptations. The lack of molecular oxygen leads to an inhibition of aerobic respiration, which causes energy starvation and the acceleration of glycolysis passing into fermentations. We focus on systemic metabolic alterations revealed with the different approaches of metabolomics. Oxygen deprivation stimulates the accumulation of glucose, pyruvate and lactate, indicating the acceleration of the sugar metabolism, glycolysis and lactic fermentation, respectively. Among the Krebs-cycle metabolites, only the succinate level increases. Amino acids related to glycolysis, including the phosphoglycerate family (Ser and Gly), shikimate family (Phe, Tyr and Trp) and pyruvate family (Ala, Leu and Val), are greatly elevated. Members of the Asp family (Asn, Lys, Met, Thr and Ile), as well as the Glu family (Glu, Pro, Arg and GABA), accumulate as well. These metabolites are important members of the metabolic signature of oxygen deficiency in plants, linking glycolysis with an altered Krebs cycle and allowing alternative pathways of NAD(P)H reoxidation to avoid the excessive accumulation of toxic fermentation products (lactate, acetaldehyde, ethanol). Reoxygenation induces the downregulation of the levels of major anaerobically induced metabolites, including lactate, succinate and amino acids, especially members of the pyruvate family (Ala, Leu and Val), Tyr and Glu family (GABA and Glu) and Asp family (Asn, Met, Thr and Ile). The metabolic profiles during native and environmental hypoxia are rather similar, consisting in the accumulation of fermentation products, succinate, fumarate and amino acids, particularly Ala, Gly and GABA. The most intriguing fact is that metabolic alterations during oxidative stress are very much similar, with plant response to oxygen deprivation but not to reoxygenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis and the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda larvae feed on the aerial parts of maize. It is responsible for significant yield losses and are therefore a cause of food insecurity. This study carried out to evaluate the resistance of three maize varieties (EV8766 SR-MRP, PR9131-SR, CEW-SR), in Tonkpi region's, to S. frugiperda and O. nubilalis damages. Each maize variety seeds were sown on a one hectare plot subdivided into 6 elementary plots with 75 cm between rows and 40 cm between bunches. Sampling of S. frugiperda and O. nubilalis larvae on maize plants was carried out according to the FAO method, from the third to the fifth week after planting. Maize plants damaged, the intensity of infestation and the number of larvae on maize plants were recorded. Maize plants damaged by the insect pests were marked to avoid recounting. At maturity, 100 maize cobs were harvested per elementary plot, then the larvae number and the attacked cobs by S. frugiperda and O. nubilalis larvae were recorded. Results: The lowest damage rate by S. frugiperda were recorded in maize variety EV8766-SR-MRP (23.33%); while, the highest damage rate were in the varieties PR9131-SR (43.33%) and CEW-SR (55%). There are no significant difference values of the density of S. frugiperda larvae per maize plant attacked between the three varieties. The index of intensification of maize plant damaged by S. frugiperda larvae was lower for the variety EV8766-SR-MRP (7.50%) and was moderate for the varieties PR9131-SR (15.42%) and CEW-SR (21.67%). The damage rates of O. nubilalis larvae on maize cobs varied between 9.6 and 22.0%. These damage rates were higher for the varieties PR9131-SR (21.83%) and CEW-SR (17.50%) and were lower for EV8766-SR-MRP (9.66%). There was not significantly different from the density of O. nubilalis larvae per maize cob attacked between the three varieties. It was between 1 to 1.2 larvae. Crop losses were lower for EV8766 SR-MRP (10.228%) than those of PR9131-SR and CEW-SR (19.338%). Conclusions: The maize variety EV8766-SR-MRP is found to be the best variety in the control of, O. nubilalis and S. frugiperda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food demand is directly associated with the human population. Due to various plant diseases, there has been a reduction in crop yield. There is an extreme necessity to low such losses in crop yield to meet the rising demand for food. Novel and eco-friendly control approaches should be developed for combating bacterial diseases of crops. Recent control strategies that involve the usage of antibiotics or chemicals are no more effective because of resistance developed by bacterial species. Furthermore, the usage of such agents has proven to be not environmentally friendly. To overcome these issues, bacteriophages are used as an alternative solution. Phages are viruses that attack specific bacterial species, and within current years much consideration is received by them in controlling different diseases caused by bacteria. Phages can be used for controlling different crop-related diseases. Several phage-based products are accessible in the market. Compared to chemical control methods, phage biocontrol offers several advantages. Mixtures of phages can be employed to target pathogenic bacteria. Unlike chemical control strategies, phage mixtures can be readily adjusted to counter any potential resistance. This review summarizes the use of phages as a biocontrol agent against phytopathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) causes significant economic losses in tomato crops worldwide. Since its first detection infecting tomato in 1999, aggressive PepMV variants have emerged. This study aimed to characterize two aggressive PepMV isolates, PepMV-H30 and PepMV-KLP2. Both isolates were identified in South-Eastern Spain infecting tomato plants, which showed severe symptoms, including bright yellow mosaics. Full-length infectious clones were generated, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using their nucleotide sequences and another 35 full-length sequences from isolates representing the five known PepMV strains. Our analysis revealed that PepMV-H30 and PepMV-KLP2 belong to the EU and CH2 strains, respectively. Amino acid sequence comparisons between these and mild isolates identified 8 and 15 amino acid substitutions for PepMV-H30 and PepMV-KLP2, respectively, potentially involved in severe symptom induction. None of the substitutions identified in PepMV-H30 have previously been described as symptom determinants. The E236K substitution, originally present in the PepMV-H30 CP, was introduced into a mild PepMV-EU isolate, resulting in a virus that causes symptoms similar to those induced by the parental PepMV-H30 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. In silico analyses revealed that this residue is located at the C-terminus of the CP and is solvent-accessible, suggesting its potential involvement in CP–host protein interactions. We also examined the subcellular localization of PepGFPm2E236K in comparison to that of PepGFPm2, focusing on chloroplast affection, but no differences were observed in the GFP subcellular distribution between the two viruses in epidermal cells of N. benthamiana plants. Due to the easily visible symptoms that PepMV-H30 and PepMV-KLP2 induce, these isolates represent valuable tools in programs designed to breed resistance to PepMV in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations between nitrogen (N) management and losses with soil health indicators (SHI) are widely presumed but relatively untested. An on‐farm experiment conducted in central Illinois was conducted to test potential relationships of SHI with agroecosystem outcomes of maize (Zea mays L.) yield and N losses under bounding N‐fertilization rates of 168 and 252 kg/ha. Chemical (n = 19), physical (n = 11), and biological (n = 14) SHI were measured at 24 locations within a 30 ha field at five timepoints (V3, V10, RT, R6, and post‐harvest). Yields did not necessarily reflect N‐fertilization rates, with lowest yields (14.5 Mg/ha) under 224 kg/ha. Flow‐weighted nitrate‐N concentrations were significantly higher under 168 kg N/ha (10.6 mg/L) relative to higher application rates, though cumulative tile nitrate‐N loads were similar. SHI varied more by sampling location and time than by N fertilization rate. Depending on the time of sampling, distinct SHI were related to yield and tile N losses. Total soil carbon and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) best explained yield variation, whereas POXC and sand content best explained variation in nitrate‐N loss. Nematode indices helped explain variability in yield (Simpson and Shannon indices) and nitrate‐N losses (maturity index), supporting recent propositions to integrate nematode measures into soil health assessments. This study provides a basis for expanding to multiyear assessments of SHI linkages with nutrient losses and crop productivity in the North Central United States. Core Ideas: Nitrogen (N)‐fertilization rates had a limited effect on maize yield and tile drain nitrate‐N loss.Maize yield and tile drain nitrate‐N loss are related to different soil health indicators (SHI).Combination of SHI associated with yield and nitrate‐N loss varied by sampling time.Maize yield was sensitive to the N‐fertilization rate at the VT sampling stage.Nematode indices have the potential to serve as SHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN), especially sedentary endoparasitic nematodes like root-knot nematodes (RKN), pose a significant threat to major crops and vegetables. They are responsible for causing substantial yield losses, leading to economic consequences, and impacting the global food supply. The identification of PPNs and the assessment of their population is a tedious and time-consuming task. This study developed a state-of-the-art deep learning model-based decision support tool to detect and estimate the nematode population. The decision support tool is integrated with the fast inferencing YOLOv5 model and used pretrained nematode weight to detect plant-parasitic nematodes (juveniles) and eggs. The performance of the YOLOv5-640 model at detecting RKN eggs was as follows: precision = 0.992; recall = 0.959; F1-score = 0.975; and mAP = 0.979. YOLOv5-640 was able to detect RKN eggs with an inference time of 3.9 milliseconds, which is faster compared to other detection methods. The deep learning framework was integrated into a user-friendly web application system to build a fast and reliable prototype nematode decision support tool (NemDST). The NemDST facilitates farmers/growers to input image data, assess the nematode population, track the population growths, and recommend immediate actions necessary to control nematode infestation. This tool has the potential for rapid assessment of the nematode population to minimise crop yield losses and enhance financial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased occurrences of climate extremes are one of the primary indicators to identify climate change. From agricultural perspectives, vulnerability is the proneness of a region to extreme climate events which cause crop loss, yield reduction eventually leading to the decline in farmers income. An extreme weather event becomes a disaster when the society or ecosystems are unable to cope with it effectively. The vulnerability of agriculture in the Lower Vellar River sub-basin has been quantitatively assessed which can help provide guidelines to improve the adaptive capacities of the farming communities in the sub-basin. The vulnerability has been assessed with a total of 36 indicators categorised under three dimensions, namely sensitivity, exposure, and adaptive capacities, for the years, 2011 and 2015 which experienced extreme precipitation events, Cyclone Thane and the Deep Depression of Bay of Bengal, respectively. The vulnerability index results highlight that the sensitivity of coastal blocks, namely Parangipettai, Keerapalayam, and Mel Bhuvanagiri to precipitation extremes is higher when compared to the interior blocks Nallur, Mangalur, and Virudhachalam. The exposure of the coastal blocks to the extreme events in the years 2015 and 2011 was high, with the year 2011 having lower exposure values than 2015. The main cause for low exposure values in 2011 for the coastal blocks can be attributed to high temperature trends and subsequent high exposure index values in Mangalur which is an interior block in the basin. The adaptive capacities in the coastal blocks are very less making them highly vulnerable. In general, the coastal regions have medium–high vulnerability than the interior regions which have low-medium to medium vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: First to third instars of Diaphania indica (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) feed on the lower surface of leaves, while fourth and fifth instars gregariously consume leaves of Trichosanthes anguina L. After defoliating, the caterpillar also attacks flowers and fruits of the plant and finally, results in loss of crop yield. Therefore, behavioral responses of D. indica adults were investigated to volatiles from undamaged (UD), insect‐damaged (ID, plants after feeding by D. indica larvae) and jasmonic acid (JA) treated T. anguina plants. Results: Females showed attraction to volatiles of UD and ID plants of three T. anguina cultivars [MNSR‐1 (MNS), Baruipur Long (BAR) and Polo No. 1 (POLO)] in Y‐tube olfactometer bioassays. Females did not show significant negative responses from volatiles of JA treated plants. Females were more attracted to volatiles of ID plants than UD plants. Females showed attraction to volatiles of UD or ID plants compared to JA treated plants. Females were attracted to certain synthetic blends resembling volatiles of insect‐damaged MNS, BAR and POLO plants in olfactometer bioassays. Females could not distinguish among these three certain synthetic blends in olfactometer bioassays. A synthetic blend of 3Z‐hexen‐1‐ol, α‐pinene, hexyl acetate, benzyl alcohol and 6Z‐nonenal at mole ratios of 1.47:1.20:1:1.82:1.21 was prepared at 20 mg/mL dichloromethane and 100 μL when used as lure in funnel traps resulted in the capture of the highest number of D. indica adults in field trails. Conclusion: The earlier five‐component chemical lure could be used in traps in an integrated pest management program of the insect pest, D. indica. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several agricultural fungicides are known to affect insect pests directly and these effects may be transgenerational and mediated through impacts on endosymbionts, providing opportunities for pest control. The cotton aphid Aphis gossypii is a polyphagous pest that can cause large crop yield losses. Here, we tested the effects of three fungicides, pyraclostrobin, trifloxystrobin and chlorothalonil, on the fitness and Buchnera endosymbiont of A. gossypii. Results: The formulations of trifloxystrobin and pyraclostrobin, and the active ingredient of pyraclostrobin produced dose‐dependent mortality in A. gossypii, whereas there was no dose‐dependent mortality for chlorothalonil. The formulations of trifloxystrobin and pyraclostrobin significantly reduced the lifespan and fecundity of A. gossypii, and increased the density of Buchnera in the parental generation but not the (unexposed) F1. When the active ingredient of pyraclostrobin was tested, the lifespan of the F0 generation was also reduced, but the density of Buchnera was not, indicating that non‐insecticidal chemicals in the fungicide formulation may affect the density of the endosymbiont of A. gossypii. There was no transgenerational effect of the active ingredient of pyraclostrobin on the lifespan and Buchnera of (unexposed) F1. Conclusions: Our results suggest that formulations of two strobilurin fungicides have immediate impacts on the fitness of A. gossypii, and chemicals in the formulation impact the density of the primary Buchnera endosymbiont. Our study highlights the potential effects of non‐insecticidal chemicals of fungicides on aphid pests and their primary endosymbionts but direct connections between fitness and Buchnera densities remain unclear. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural assemblage of a symbiotic bacterial microbiome (bacteriome) with microalgae in marine ecosystems is now being investigated as a means to increase algal productivity for industry. When algae are grown in open pond settings, biological contamination causes an estimated 30% loss of the algal crop. Therefore, new crop protection strategies that do not disrupt the native algal bacteriome are needed to produce reliable, high-yield algal biomass. Bacteriophages offer an unexplored solution to treat bacterial pathogenicity in algal cultures because they can eliminate a single species without affecting the bacteriome. To address this, we identified a highly virulent pathogen of the microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana, the bacterium Bacillus safensis, and demonstrated rescue of themicroalgae fromthe pathogen using phage. 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that phage treatment did not alter the composition of the bacteriome. It is widely suspected that the algal bacteriome could play a protective role against bacterial pathogens. To test this, we compared the susceptibility of a bacteriome-attenuated N. gaditana culture challenged with B. safensis to a N. gaditana culture carrying a growth-promoting bacteriome. We showed that the loss of the bacteriome increased the susceptibility of N. gaditana to the pathogen. Transplanting the microalgal bacteriome to the bacteriome-attenuated culture reconstituted the protective effect of the bacteriome. Finally, the success of phage treatment was dependent on the presence of beneficial bacteriome. This study introduces two synergistic countermeasures against bacterial pathogenicity in algal cultures and a tractable model for studying interactions between microalgae, phages, pathogens, and the algae microbiome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial canker of stone fruits caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (Pss) and Pseudomonas syringae pv. morsprunorum (Psm race‐1/Psm race‐2) may lead to significant yield and crop losses in apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivation areas in Türkiye. Strains pathogenic to apricot were isolated from trees with symptoms (mainly necrotized buds and dieback) of bacterial canker in orchards in Aras Basin. Pathogens were characterized using pathogenicity tests, phenotypic assays, end‐point PCR and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA). Fifteen Pseudomonas syringae strains were isolated from 205 plant samples collected from apricot orchards showing symptoms of bacterial canker. As a consequence of the diagnostic tests, all isolates were identified as P. syringae pv. syringae. In this study, Pss, Psm R1 and Psm R2 strains in stone fruits were separated into different phylogroups (Pg‐2, Pg‐3, sPg‐1b) based on MLSA. Turkish strains obtained from stone fruits, particularly apricot, showed genetic heterogeneity, and clustered in different sub‐phylogroups (sPg‐2b, sPg‐2c, sPg‐2d). All these strains except strain K258 are also clustered in the same sub‐phylogroups (sPg‐2b and sPg‐2d) with other strains from different countries especially Iran, Lebanon, etc. Strain K258 isolated from apricot was clustered in sPg‐2c with Pss strain 642 (USA). The risk of bacterial canker disease in apricot growing areas is considered using GIS in this study. It was determined that a significant part of the Iğdır Plain, the biggest agricultural area in the Aras Basin, is at very high risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senegalese agriculture is threatened by climate change effects, affecting rainfall variability both at interannual and interdecadal timescales. Using FAO's AquaCrop crop-growth model, we tested the efficiency of an in-situ water harvesting technique - tied ridges - for maize cropping in the Fatick region in Senegal in response to changes in temperature and precipitation with different fertility levels and different soils. Results showed that tied ridges did not significantly impact maize yields considering the current climate and soil fertility. The rainfall amount was enough for maize production and to avoid water stress during the cropping season. Under perturbed climates and, especially in years with low average rainfall amounts, high losses in yield were registered under optimal fertility conditions (up to 80%). The most substantial effect was obtained when tied ridges were simulated on clay soil, enhancing yields by 5.6% and 13% at actual and optimal fertility conditions, respectively. Our results highlighted how the current maize production in the Fatick region in Senegal is not significantly water constrained in the current climate scenario, while it could be potentially impacted by climate change in the near future. In a pessimistic climate change scenario, in situ water harvesting can potentially avoid excessive crop losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) is a major concern for protected area management. Managing HWC around protected areas requires structured and replicable processes to reduce subjectivity and promote adherence to good governance principles. The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) is a widely-used process model for structured decision-making. This study demonstrates the novel application of CRISP-DM to HWC related decision-making. We apply CRISP-DM and conduct hotspot and temporal (monthly) analysis of HWC data from Ramnagar Forest Division, India. Based on the patterns of crop loss, livestock loss, and human loss, we propose conflict-type and species-specific preventive strategies. A qualitative assessment of the initial outcomes of the ongoing implementation finds the preventive strategies to be effective. We suggest a participatory approach, localization of strategy, and need for data management as opportunities for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Egyption fruit bat, Rousettus aegyptiacus, is considered a harmful pest that attacks agricultural crops, especially ripe fruits, causing economic losses. It is widespread in African sahara desert, Egypt, Pakistan and Northern India. This pest causes damage to many vegetables and fruits. The measuring of damage percentage will aid in the protection of these crops from bats attacking. Methods: The losses caused by Egyptian bats were estimated during two years (2019 and 2020) in many fruit orchards (date palm, citrus, apricot and mango) in reclaimed lands at Butt village, Dakhla Oasis, New-valley Governorate, to achieve integrated management of bat populations. Result: Only one species the Egyptian fruit bat, R. aegyptiacus, has been recorded with 167 individuals attacking fruit orchards. The highest average losses (11.1%) were found in date palms, from August to Oct., while the lowest (4.7%) were found in Apricot, during June and July. The second-highest losses were 7.6% in mango from June to August. The damage began from December to March in citrus with an average loss per cent of 7.0%. Therefore, bat dens must be monitored and dealt with to limit their populations and reduce their losses to these value crops in El-Dakhla Oasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of soil losses management studying due to wind and water soil erosion crops rotations proposed based on methodologies of NSC "Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky". The main purpose of our research was to assess the soil losses under influence of wind and water erosion in crop rotation. The works were planned to determine how erosion types correspond to crops or having the same effect on a similar field parts in the crop rotation of Ukrainian Eastern Steppe part. It was also planned to compare soils losses in similar gradations (allowable, slight, moderate, high) with the following analysis of the differences in the manifestation dynamics under different agricultural crops (fallow, winter crops, barley, oat, corn for grain, corn for silage, millet, peas), and different parts of fields. It is proposed when determining the erosion risk of the territory, the areas of such soils must be protected by such crops with minimal losses from the destructive effects of wind erosion and surface runoff. It is possible to state the cumulative manifestation of erosion and deflation on the territory of the region, but it is impossible to separate the contours of eroded and deflated soils in detail, therefore, in erosion situations proposed to obtain separate influence of each erosion (wind and water) on already eroded or erosionally hazardous lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium; IWG) is a temperate perennial grass capable of performing in dual-purpose perennial grain cropping systems. It is valued for its ecosystem services and forage yield and quality that can be utilized in many livestock systems. Development for potential perennial grain yield has been the focus of breeding programs for more than two decades, and agronomic management is becoming important, as commercialization of the crop has occurred. This research focused on nitrogen management and intercropping on grain yield and yield components in western Canada. Treatments consisting of a non-fertilized control, an interseeded crop with IWG/Trifolium hybridum, and a fertilized treatment (50 kg N ha−1) were investigated at four locations. Drought conditions were experienced in some years, resulting in the loss of the interseeded crop at three locations. Fertilization with nitrogen increased grain yield in harvest years two and three and influenced yield components in at least one instance across locations. Third-year grain harvests were higher or equal to year one yield at the two locations harvested, with applied N increasing yield on average by 200 kg ha−1 in year three. Inflorescence density is an important yield component after the first production year. The potential for consistent grain yields across three reproductive years was demonstrated, enhancing the potential for sustained productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its rapid reproduction rate and brief life cycle, the most well-known oil palm pest, Metisa plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), also known as the bagworm, can spread to epidemic proportions. The outbreak can significantly reduce oil palm yield by resulting in 40% crop losses and 10% to 13% leaf defoliation. A manual census was conducted to count the number of pests and determine the category of infestation; however, when covering a large area, it typically takes more time and labour. Therefore, this study used unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a quick way to detect the severity levels of infestation in oil palm plantations, including healthy (zero), low, mild, and severe infestation using DJI Inspire 2 with Micasense Altum-PT multispectral camera at an altitude of 70 m above ground. Three combinations were created from the most significant vegetation indices: NDVI and NDRE, NDVI and GNDVI, and NDRE and GNDVI. According to the results, the best combination in classifying healthy and low levels was found to be NDVI and GNDVI, with 100% F1 score. In addition, the combination of NDVI and NDRE was found to be the best combination in classifying mild and severe level. The most important vegetation index that could detect every level of infestation was NDVI. Furthermore, Weighted KNN become the best model that constantly gave the best performance in classifying all the infestation levels (F1 score > 99.70%) in all combinations. The suggested technique is crucial for the early phase of severity-level detection and saves time on the preparation and operation of the control measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minerals play a dynamic role in plant growth and development. However, most of these mineral nutrients are unavailable to plants due to their presence in fixed forms, which causes significant losses in crop production. An effective strategy to overcome this challenge is using mineral solubilizing bacteria, which can convert insoluble forms of minerals into soluble ones that plants can quickly assimilate, thus enhancing their availability in nutrient-depleted soils. The main objective of the present study was to isolate and characterize mineral solubilizing rhizobacteria and to assess their plant growth-promoting potential for Rhodes grass. Twenty-five rhizobacterial strains were isolated on a nutrient agar medium. They were characterized for solubilization of insoluble minerals (phosphate, potassium, zinc, and manganese), indole acetic acid production, enzymatic activities, and various morphological traits. The selected strains were also evaluated for their potential to promote the growth of Rhodes grass seedlings. Among tested strains, eight strains demonstrated strong qualitative and quantitative solubilization of insoluble phosphate. Strain MS2 reported the highest phosphate solubilization index, phosphate solubilization efficiency, available phosphorus concentration, and reduction in medium pH. Among tested strains, 75% were positive for zinc and manganese solubilization, and 37.5% were positive for potassium solubilization. Strain MS2 demonstrated the highest quantitative manganese solubilization, while strains MS7 and SM4 reported the highest solubilization of zinc and potassium through acidifying their respective media. The strain SM4 demonstrated the most increased IAA production in the presence and absence of L-tryptophan. The majority of strains were positive for various enzymes, including urease, catalase protease, and amylase activities. However, these strains were negative for coagulase activity except strains SM7 and MS7. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, six strains, namely, SM2, SM4, SM5, MS1, MS2, and MS4, were identified as Bacillus cereus, while strains SM7 and MS7 were identified as Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. These strains significantly improved growth attributes of Rhodes grass, such as root length, shoot length, and root and shoot fresh and dry biomasses compared to the uninoculated control group. The present study highlights the significance of mineral solubilizing and enzyme-producing rhizobacterial strains as potential bioinoculants to enhance Rhodes grass growth under mineral-deficient conditions sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather based insurance schemes can help the farming community in bearing the losses in crop yield due to weather aberrations. So, a study was conducted to develop weather based "Weekly and Monthly Thumb Rule Models" for high yield of rice. The daily meteorological and crop data (2000-2019) for three locations (Ludhiana, Patiala and Amritsar) were analysed to develop the limits of favourable meteorological parameters for rice crop in Punjab. The results revealed that ideally humid (maximum relative humidity between 51-88%) weather from mid-May to mid-August is favourable for optimum growth and development of vegetative stage in rice. The warm temperature (>33°C) during the grain filling period after the flowering stage of rice is favourable for grain yield. However, heavy rainfall in the months of August and September with cloudy weather (sunshine hour <9.2 hour) are not favourable for its productivity. Ideally the monthly maximum/minimum temperatures/sunshine duration in the range of 24-43°C/18-29°C/ >12.2 hours, 26-38°C /19-37°C/ >11.7 hours, 25-36°C /19-29°C />11.5 hours and 23-36°C /10-26°C />10.6 hours during the months of June, July, August and September, respectively are optimum for high yield of rice. Similarly, maximum/minimum temperatures/sunshine duration during the tillering, heading-flowering, grain filling stages of rice crop in the range of 31-38°C /22-29°C /2.2-10.3 hours, 31-36°C /21-28°C /3.3-11.2 hours and 29-36 °C /20-27°C /1.1-9.7 hours, respectively are optimum for good growth and high yield. In Punjab state rice is cultivated under assured irrigation conditions and so these critical limits of temperature and sunshine duration are the basis for providing the weather based insurance to the farmers of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress cause enormous loss in crop productivity and yield around the globe, which jeopardizes agro-ecosystem, and significantly affects food production. Wheat is consumed all over the world, but is highly susceptible under salt stress conditions. In the present study, we investigated the independent and co-application of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and potassium (K) to counteract salt-induced tolerance mechanisms, growth attributes and yield traits. Both GABA and K play indispensable roles in counteracting the deleterious impacts of oxidative stress indicators with activated defense mechanisms (ascorbate–glutathione pathway and glyoxalase system), improved nitrogen and carbon assimilation, and photosynthesis-related traits in salt stressed wheat plants. Moreover, GABA and K application induced considerable changes in osmolyte concentration, stomatal dynamics, and improved yield traits under salt stress in wheat plants. Overall, current study showed the significant outcomes of co-application of GABA and K in alleviating salt stress-induced adversities in wheat, and could be manipulated for developing salt tolerant wheat plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Puccinia spp. causing rust diseases in wheat and other cereals secrete several specialized effector proteins into host cells. Characterization of these proteins and their interaction with host's R proteins could greatly help to limit crop losses due to diseases. Prediction of effector proteins by combining the transcriptome analysis and multiple in-silico approaches is gaining importance in revealing the pathogenic mechanism. The present study involved identification of 13 Puccinia triticina (Pt) coding sequences (CDSs), through transcriptome analysis, that were differentially expressed during wheat-leaf rust interaction; and prediction of their effector like features using different in-silico tools. NCBI-BLAST and pathogenhost interaction BLAST (PHI-BLAST) tools were used to annotate and classify these sequences based on their most closely matched counterpart in both the databases. Homology between CDSs and the annotated sequences in the NCBI database ranged from 79 to 94% and with putative effectors of other plant pathogens in PHI-BLAST from 24.46 to 54.35%. Nine of the 13 CDSs had effector-like features according to EffectorP 3.0 (≥0.546 probability of these sequences to be effector). The qRT-PCR expression analysis revealed that the relative expression of all CDSs in compatible interaction (HD2329) was maximum at 11 days post inoculation (dpi) and that in incompatible interactions (HD2329 + Lr28) was maximum at 3 dpi in seven and 9 dpi in five CDSs. These results suggest that six CDSs (>0.8 effector probability as per EffectorP 3.0) could be considered as putative Pt effectors. The molecular docking and MD simulation analysis of these six CDSs suggested that candidate Lr28 protein binds more strongly to candidate effector c14094_g1_i1 to form more stable complex than the remaining five. Further functional characterization of these six candidate effectors should prove useful for a better understanding of wheat-leaf rust interaction. In turn, this should facilitate effector-based leaf rust resistance breeding in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]