Plant Protection Science - Latest articles

Diversity and Geography of Cultivated Plants

Aleš Lebeda

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(2):188-189 | DOI: 10.17221/18/2026-PPS  

Editor-in-Chief of this book Karl Hammer, emeritus professor at Kassel University (Germany), is a leading scientist in plant genetic resources (PGR) and agrobiodiversity. His research has focused on taxonomy, plant domestication, ecology, biogeography, conservation and exploitation of PGR in plant breeding. He also performed many studies and conducted missions around the globe. His life activities, knowledge and experience created an excellent background for this book. The book involves a close collaboration with two other editors, Dr. M.Á.E Pérez (Cuba) and Prof. C. Long (China), as well as eleven additional contributors from nine countries. The book...

Azadirachtin as a sustainable tool for zero pesticide residue production: Residue dissipation in open-field tomato production

Tahseen Chikte, Václav Psota, Michal Kumšta, Tomáš Kopta

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(2):177-187 | DOI: 10.17221/90/2025-PPS  

The growing demand for vegetables free from pesticide residues has fuelled the search for sustainable pest management solutions. This study assessed the efficacy of azadirachtin, a neem-derived biopesticide, in achieving no detectable pesticide residues in tomato production under open-field conditions. The experiment, conducted from April to September 2024, included a systematic application and residue analysis using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results showed that azadirachtin degraded rapidly, with residual levels in leaves, green fruits, and mature fruits falling below the detection threshold (0.01 mg/kg) after 8–10...

Effects of aqueous extracts of Dittrichia viscosa (Asteraceae) and insecticides on life history traits of Chaitophorus leucomelas (Insecta: Aphididae)

Fatma Zohra Tchaker, Zahr-Eddine Djazouli, İsmail Karaca

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(2):163-176 | DOI: 10.17221/187/2024-PPS  

Methods used to control insect pests have been mainly chemical. Given the irritations associated with the use of pesticides, a search for alternatives is required, particularly through the use of plant extracts. The present study focused on comparing the insecticidal power of the aqueous extracts of the whole plant Dittrichia viscosa (commonly known as false yellowhead), the aqueous extract ratio of D. viscosa, and the bio-adjuvant Silene fuscata (1 : 1), as well as the synthetic pesticides Thiamethoxam/Lambda-cyhalothrin. Abundance, fecundity, demographic parameters, and biochemical parameters (lipid-glucidic...

An investigation of the presence of Xylella fastidiosa in Cicadomorpha specimens collected in different habitats in Poland

Monika Kałużna, Grażyna Soika, Wojciech Warabieda

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(2):146-162 | DOI: 10.17221/207/2024-PPS  

A quarantine organism, the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), is a xylem-inhabiting, vector-transmitted, Gram-negative, and very slow-growing bacterium in the Lysobacteraceae (earlier Xanthomonadaceae) family. The spreading of X. fastidiosa over long distances occurs mainly via import/export human-mediated transportation of mainly latently or symptomatically infected plant material. Short-distance distribution is usually by xylem sap-feeding insects. Until now, the presence of X. fastidiosa has not been reported or studied in Poland. During our study, over 500 individuals from the four families: Cicadellidae,...

Interaction of seaweed metabolites with plants to enhance protection against biotic and abiotic stresses

Bibi Aida, Deepak Kasote, Jisun Hyunsook Lee

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(2):93-145 | DOI: 10.17221/5/2025-PPS  

Biotic and abiotic stresses severely compromise economically important food crops' nutritional quality, growth, and yield. Conversely, the conventional reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides has generated substantial environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of sustainable alternatives. Seaweeds are rich sources of bioactive primary and secondary metabolites, and also promising natural biostimulants for enhancing plant resilience and productivity. Specific seaweed-derived metabolites function as molecular elicitors, mimicking pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and activating multi-layered plant defence mechanisms....

List of Reviewers – 2025

Editorial Office

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1)  

Allelopathic potential of Turnera subulata leaf extract on choy sum (Brassica chinensis var. parachinensis) via untargeted metabolomics

Nor Atirah Mohd Aridi, Nornasuha Yusoff, Muhd Arif Shaffiq Sahrir, Kamalrul Azlan Azizan

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):79-92 | DOI: 10.17221/148/2024-PPS  

Allelopathic plants release phytotoxic compounds that contribute to their invasiveness by suppressing nearby species. However, it remains unclear which exact mode of action (MOA) underlies the allelopathy. This study explores the allelopathic mechanisms of Turnera subulata on the recipient indicator plant choy sum using a metabolomics approach. Briefly, T. subulata leaf aqueous extracts (LAEs) at different concentrations (0.0, 0.1, 1.0, 10.0, 50.0, and 100.0 mg/mL) were sprayed at 100 mL/m² on choy sum seedlings at the two to three leaf stage. After 21 days, the Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) values and photosynthetic...

Occurrence of the white cochineal Parlatoria blanchardi in the fur of the black rat and potential risks for its spread to the date palm stands

Randa Milk, Yasmina Kherbouche, Salim Meddour, Abdallah Aouadi, Makhlouf Sekour, Khawaja G. Rasool, Abdulrahman Saad Aldawood

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):71-78 | DOI: 10.17221/156/2024-PPS  

The current study presents the first documented interaction between the date palm scale insect (Parlatoria blanchardi) and the black rats (Rattus rattus). For a year, this study investigated whether R. rattus could serve as a means of phoresy for the survival of P. blanchardi and the potential risks associated with its spread to date palm stands. Our research revealed a prevalence rate of P. blanchardi on R. rattus of 5.79% during the year, while a higher rate of 9.33% was observed during a specific five-month period. The mean infestation intensity was 3.39 parasites/rat during these five months. Statistical...

Isolation and characterisation of pathogenic and non-pathogenic fungi associated with avocado plants showing dieback symptoms in Indonesia

Riska, Tri Budiyanti, Jumjunidang Jumjunidang, Sri Hadiati, Raden Heru Praptana, Mizu Istianto, Nurmansyah Nurmansyah, Herwita Idris

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):58-70 | DOI: 10.17221/139/2024-PPS  

The avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a high value fruit crop in Indonesia. This exotic commodity is affected by dieback disease, an unrecorded disease in the country that threatens the production. The objectives of the present study were to characterise the pathogen and culturable non-pathogenic fungi associated with the dieback disease of avocado plants. Fungal isolates were collected from branches of avocados showing dieback symptom in the Standard and Instrument Tropical Fruit Applied Institute (SITFAI) experimental orchards during 2022–2023. A total of 17 fungal isolates selected from 73 fungal isolates isolated from three location...

Biological activity of Paenibacillus polymyxa GT2 isolate from soil in Japan against anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare in cucumber

Abdul Wali Haqyar, Masatoshi Ino, Naoto Kimura, Takumi Okido, Junichi Kihara, Makoto Ueno

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):47-57 | DOI: 10.17221/104/2024-PPS  

Cucumber anthracnose is a destructive fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare. Common control strategies include chemical fungicides. However, this can lead to the development of pathogenic resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to identify natural compounds or microorganisms to develop new chemicals and the biological control of fungal pathogens. Isolate GT2, a bacterial isolate from soil samples collected in Shimane Prefecture, Japan, significantly inhibited in vitro mycelial growth and conidial germination of C. orbiculare, indicating a fungicidal effect against this pathogen. Furthermore, anthracnose lesion...

Characterisation of strawberry mild yellow edge virus isolates detected for the first time in Poland

Mirosława Cieślińska, Ewa Hennig

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):36-46 | DOI: 10.17221/6/2025-PPS  

Strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV) was detected in 116 samples out of 423 collected from strawberry plants grown in commercial and experimental plantations in seven provinces of Poland. The number of samples infected with strawberry mottle virus (SMoV) accounted for 84.6% of the 26 SMYEV-positive samples selected for sequence analysis. The nucleotide sequence similarity of the coat protein (CP) gene of 26 selected SMYEV isolates ranged from 84.8% to 100%, and 81.4–99.5% identity was found between these isolates and 48 SMYEV strains from different countries. The CP region's phylogenetic analysis showed that most isolates from Poland...

Molecular characterisation and screening for сry genes of native Bacillus thuringiensis strains from Kazakhstan

Alnura Tursunova, Ainura Adilkhankyzy, Shyryn Turbekova, Ulzhalgas Abylayeva, Ainaz Balabek, Alibek Uspanov, Bakhytzhan Duisembekov

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):27-35 | DOI: 10.17221/116/2024-PPS  

The current study aimed to characterise indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) strains for their potential use in agricultural broad-spectrum pest control. Twenty-nine Bt strains were isolated from soil in southeastern Kazakhstan. All isolates were Gram-positive and formed endospores. Species identification was conducted by sequencing the gyrase B (gyrB) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified gyrB gene regions were compared with those in the NCBI database, confirming that the isolates were native Bt strains with high homology to known Bt strains (99–100%). In addition, the strains were screened for the...

The cultural control of some important pests in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) using companion plants

Monica Novljan, Tanja Bohinc, Stanislav Trdan

Plant Protect. Sci., 2026, 62(1):1-26 | DOI: 10.17221/161/2024-PPS  

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) are two of the most important vegetables in the world, and many insect pests are a problem in their production. Currently, especially in Europe, restrictions on the use of pesticides are increasingly being encouraged, so the need to find and use alternative methods is increasingly urgent. Cultural control of insect pests using companion plants, including cover crops, intercrops, and trap crops, has been proven to help manage these insect pests. Companion plants reduce plant insects primarily by disrupting host-seeking activity, disrupting oviposition, increasing...

Index of Volume 61

Editorial Office

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4)  

Isolation and identification of herbicidal active substances of Botrytis strain HZ-011

Haixia Zhu, Liang Cheng, Yongqiang Ma

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):387-396 | DOI: 10.17221/183/2024-PPS  

The herbicidally active Botrytis strain HZ-011 was isolated from naturally infected leaves of Rumex patientia L., and previous studies found that strain HZ-011 exhibits highly effective herbicidal effects against the broadleaf weeds Amaranthus retroflexus L., Elsholtzia densa Benth, Malva crispa, and Chenopodium album L. In this study, the active components of strain HZ-011 were isolated, purified, and structurally characterised using silica gel column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The extraction test was carried out using four organic solvents...

An evaluation of two counting methods to establish rodent densities in crop fields

Marta Heroldová, Eva Jánová, Jan Zejda, Jan Šipoš, Josef Suchomel

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):397-406 | DOI: 10.17221/65/2024-PPS  

The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the main pest in agricultural areas of Central Europe. It is particularly important to monitor its numbers during spring, and if high numbers are detected, some form of pest management should be considered. In the Czech Republic, the number of active burrows is monitored using the burrow index, BI, which allows estimation of the total number of rodents, saves time and is easy to use. We aimed to assess the relationship between the burrow index and the relative abundance of the rodent species examined by snap trapping in crop fields. Bayesian MCMC algorithms with a zero-inflation model were used for this...

Comparison of different modeling approaches to estimate cardinal temperatures for germination of Persicaria lapathifolia, Polygonum aviculare and Solanum nigrum

Donato Loddo, Stefano Carlesi, Nebojša Nikolić, Roberta Masin

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):378-386 | DOI: 10.17221/175/2024-PPS  

Emergence predictive models can facilitate weed management, but estimating cardinal temperatures for germination of target species is necessary. Germination tests at a range of alternating temperatures from 12.5/2.5 °C to 35/25 °C were conducted to estimate cardinal temperatures of Persicaria lapathifolia (L.) Delarbre, Polygonum aviculare L. and Solanum nigrum L. Two statistical methodologies were tested: the Thermal time-to-event model (TTEM) and the Threshold limit model (TL). Germination of P. aviculare was maximum at low-mid temperatures, where its optimal range probably lies, and decreased at high temperatures....

Using thermal time to predict the timing of flight activity in Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) species: Calculation and verification of forecast methods

Alois Honěk, Zdenka Martinková, Ivo Novák, Terezia Jauschová, Lenka Sarvašová, Miroslav Saniga, Milada Holecová, Ján Kulfan, Peter Zach

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):366-377 | DOI: 10.17221/150/2024-PPS  

From 1967 to 1995, the flight activity of 25 monovoltine species of moths (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) was monitored via a light trap located in Prague (50.09 N, 14.30 E). For each species, the day when half of the individuals were caught (peak of flight activity, PFA) was specified each year. This study addresses a method of predicting the calendar date of the PFA via thermal time. We determined a base temperature of +6 °C, at which the differences between the predicted and actual dates of the PFA were minimal. For each species and each year, the sum of the degree days exceeding the base temperature from January 1 to the date of the PFA (SumT) was...

Insights into the morphometric and molecular characterisation of ber fruit fly (Carpomyia vesuviana Costa) infesting jujube ber, Ziziphus mauritiana (Lamk.)

Palanivelu Kavin, Balakrishnan Usharani, Pagadala Damodaram Kamala Jayanthi, Krishnasamy Suresh, Gandhi Gracy, Sandeep Singh, Nanchil Richard Kennady, Madhavan Lysal Mini, Chelvi Ramessh

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):350-365 | DOI: 10.17221/176/2024-PPS  

Carpomyia vesuviana Costa, a fruit fly species, is a major pest affecting the jujube (Ber). This monophagous insect pest causes significant economic losses in regions where the jujube is cultivated. Hence, the present study was conducted to provide a detailed morphometric and molecular analysis of C. vesuviana across various Indian regions, specifically Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Morphometric measurements were conducted for various developmental stages, from the egg to adult. The overall mean length and width of the egg were 0.61 mm and 0.18 mm, respectively, and the fully grown maggot measured 6.19 mm (length) and 1.91 mm...

Assessing stem rust tolerance in commercial wheat varieties: Insights from field trials in Kazakhstan

Akerke Maulenbay, Aralbek Rsaliyev

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):333-349 | DOI: 10.17221/219/2024-PPS  

This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of stem rust tolerance in commercial wheat varieties from Kazakhstan and Russia, including spring and winter varieties. Field trials were conducted to compare yield and agronomic traits between stem rust-inoculated and fungicide-treated plots, providing a practical framework for assessing tolerance. Key indicators such as disease severity, area under the disease progress curve, thousand kernel weight, and the stress tolerance index were evaluated to gauge variety resilience under stress. Significant variations in tolerance were observed, with varieties such as 'Pamyat' 47', 'Nadezhda', 'Lyubava...

Monilinia fructigena air detection by two different rotorod samplers combined with quantitative real-time PCR

Miloň Dvořák, Dagmar Stehlíková, Tomáš Litschmann

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):326-332 | DOI: 10.17221/91/2024-PPS  

The brown rot of apple and stone fruits caused by Monilinia fructigena is a widespread disease causing serious losses in fruit production. The most common way the pathogen spreads is via airborne conidia. Therefore, air samplers can effectively monitor its occurrence. In this study, we have conducted a comparative sampling of two cheap air samplers – rotorod spore traps called ROTTRAP 52 and AMETRAP. An optimised quantitative real-time PCR assay with a hydrolysis probe evaluated samples. 14 concurrent samplings were positive in all cases, showing higher spore counts in almost all AMETRAP samples obtained under various weather conditions....

Revealing the challenges and prospects of Asian rice gall midge resistance in rice

Sivasubramaniyan Sathishkumar, Loganathan Arul, Swaminathan Manonmani, Sheela Venugopal, Jagadeesan Ramalingam

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(4):305-325 | DOI: 10.17221/159/2024-PPS  

The Asian rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzae) (Wood-Mason) is a major pest of rice, significantly reducing yields and challenging sustainable rice production. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology, lifecycle and geographical distribution of the rice gall midge, along with the damage symptoms it causes in rice crops. The interactions between rice and gall midge, the pest's infestation mechanism and the plant’s defensive responses are also explored. Various management strategies are discussed in detail, including insecticides, cultural practices and resistant varieties. The review emphasises that breeding for resistance,...

Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) as a new host of Pityokteines spinidens in the arboretum in Europe

Tomáš Fiala, Jaroslav Holuša

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):301-304 | DOI: 10.17221/203/2024-PPS  

Bark beetle Pityokteines spinidens (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is widespread across Europe. We identified this species as a pest of Tsuga canadensis in western Bohemia's Americká zahrada National Nature Monument Arboretum. This discovery suggests that P. spinidens could infest any conifer within the Abietoideae subfamily. Given its status as a known pest of various Abies species, its potential impact on related conifers warrants further attention.

Growth and resistance response of eleven eggplant cultivars to infection by the Javanese root-knot nematode – Meloidogyne javanica under greenhouse conditions

Mostafa Ahmed El-Qurashi, Fahad Al-Yahya, Ali Almasrahi, Adnan Shakeel

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):291-300 | DOI: 10.17221/185/2024-PPS  

In Saudi Arabia, root-knot nematodes (RKNs) were found to cause considerable damage to eggplant. These parasites cause significant death of seedlings during nursery production, with infected plants showing the symptoms of chlorosis and wilting, along with the characteristic root galls. Therefore, this work was carried out to find a resistant cultivar of eggplant against RKNs in Saudi Arabia by screening 11 locally available cultivars for two successive seasons. Following Koch's postulates for pathogenicity, RKNs were isolated from infected eggplant, and females were identified morphologically by perineal patterns as Meloidogyne javanica, which...

Comparison of the actual release dates of ascospores of the fungus Venturia inaequalis with those predicted by selected simulation models in an apple orchard in Central Poland

Sylwester Masny, Piotr Sobiczewski

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):278-290 | DOI: 10.17221/103/2024-PPS  

The research was conducted in 2014–2017 in a multi-cultivar apple orchard in the Experimental Orchard of the National Institute of Horticultural Research (IO-PIB) in Dąbrowice near Skierniewice. To determine the actual Venturia inaequalis ascospores release dates, the Burkard spore trap installed in a plot of the McIntosh cv. that was not protected against apple scab was used. Monitoring of ascospore releases was carried out annually, starting from the appearance of numerous colouring (maturing) ascospores in the pseudothecia (usually in the second decade of March) and ending at the second half of June, usually about two weeks after the...

MaPep1 and MbPep1, as plant elicitor peptides in banana, confer resistance to banana blood disease caused by Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis

Praphat Kawicha, Ladawan Rattanapolsan, Ratri Boonruangrod, Yube Yamaguchi, Kusavadee Sangdee, Aphidech Sangdee, Thanwanit Thanyasiriwat

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):262-277 | DOI: 10.17221/179/2024-PPS  

Peptides play regulatory roles in various plant development and defence processes. They function as molecular messengers that detect threats and trigger defence responses. This study aimed to identify the genes encoding endogenous plant elicitor peptide precursors (PROPEPs) in bananas and their role in inducing resistance to Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis (Rsc). Two precursor genes, MaPROPEP1 and MbPROPEP1, were discovered and predicted to encode the precursor proteins of elicitor peptides, namely, MaPep1 and MbPep1. Both elicitor peptides contained 23 amino acids of the active elicitor peptide, which...

Evidence and characterisation of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis causing bacterial blight of walnut in Montenegro

Jelena Latinović, Nedeljko Latinović, Bogoljub Kandić, Aleksandra Jelušić, Tatjana Popović Milovanović

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):255-261 | DOI: 10.17221/196/2024-PPS  

This study represents the first evidence of the bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) on walnut trees in Podgorica (Montenegro). Disease symptoms appeared on leaves in the form of dark, angular leaf spots surrounded by yellow-green haloes and lesions spread across the whole leaf. Isolated bacteria were preliminarily identified using PCR with pathovar-specific primer pair XajF/XajR and further characterised based on multi-locus sequence analysis with nine housekeeping genes (fusA, gapA, gltA, gyrB1, lepA, rpoD, dnaK, fyuA, and gyrB2)....

Influence of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum' on primary and secondary metabolites of apricots

Gabriela Trempetić, Eliška Zezulová, Tomáš Nečas, Petr Šnurkovič, Tomáš Kiss

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):242-254 | DOI: 10.17221/128/2024-PPS  

'Candidatus Phytoplasma prunorum' ('Ca. P. prunorum') is a causative agent of European stone fruit yellows (ESFY), an economically important decline disease of some stone fruit species (Prunus spp.). The present research focused on the influence of 'Ca. P. prunorum' on primary and secondary metabolites in four apricot genotypes consisting of older trees (genotypes Nora, LEM 159, group 1) and younger trees (genotypes H 74 and H 177, group 2). The content of sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose and sorbitol), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant capacity (AC), total soluble proteins (TSPC), mineral...

Mitigation of salinity stress effects on Vicia faba L. growth and productivity using proline and salicylic acid foliar application

Hossam El-Beltagi, Mohamed El-Nady, Ahmed Mahmoud Ismail, Metwaly Mahfouz Salem Metwaly

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):222-241 | DOI: 10.17221/127/2024-PPS  

High soil salinity causes a negative impact on plant growth and lowers crop yields. Thus, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) and proline (Pro), separately and combined, on enhancing salinity tolerance in broad beans. Salinity stress (4.69 ds/m and 6.25 ds/m) significantly reduced plant growth (plant height, leaf area, number of leaf/plant, plant dry weight), chlorophyll pigment content (chlorophyll a, b or total), relative water content, K/Na ratio, seed yield per plant, and N, P, K, and crude protein content in broad bean seeds. Foliar application of Pro and SA, either individually...

The role of seed transmission in the spread of cereal viruses: Global challenges and prevalent threats in Ukraine

Halyna Snihur, Tetiana Shevchenko, Oleksiy Shevchenko, Anhelina Kyrychenko

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(3):201-221 | DOI: 10.17221/51/2025-PPS  

The transmission of plant viruses through seed plays a fundamental role in virus spread, persistence, and survival, particularly in economically important crops. Besides its considerable ecological significance, seed transmission influences plant and virus evolution. Virus contamination of the seed also has critical epidemiological implications, especially when combined with subsequent or additional insect vector spread. Plants grown from contaminated seeds serve as primary viral inoculum sources, facilitating the introduction of viruses into new regions and triggering disease outbreaks with substantial economic losses for growers. Changes in environmental...