Plant Protection Science - In Press
Characterization of Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose disease in chili pepper in the South of Vietnam and control effective of consortium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Pseudomonas fluorescensOriginal Paper
Vo Ha, Huynh Thuong Vuong, Huynh Thanh Hung, Tran Bao Thang
Anthracnose is one of the most destructive diseases that limit pepper production and quality worldwide, as well as in Vietnam. In this study, the causal agent of anthracnose in chili plants in Southern Vietnam, was isolated from the disease sample, identified through a combination of morphological characteristics and multilocus sequence gene regions (ITS, β-tubulin, GPDH, ACT). The antifungal activity of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Pseudomonas fluorescens was evaluated in vitro and in vivo under greenhouse conditions. Additionally, the enzyme activity of the bacterial isolates was investigated. The results revealed that the morphological analysis categorized the Colletotrichum isolates into three species: C. acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and C. scovillei. Sequence analysis of the four genes involving ITS, β-tubulin, GPDH, ACT confirmed all of the fungi were C. scovillei. B. amyloliquefaciens and P. fluorescens bacteria demonstrated antifungal activity against C. scovillei in vitro, with mycelial growth inhibition rates ranging from 20.79% to 78.69%. Under greenhouse conditions, the bacterial consortium of B. amyloliquefaciens CC-LĐ2.4, P. fluorescens CC-FN1.1 and O-BT1.2 significantly reduced disease severity and incidence, performing comparably to chemical and biological products. In addition, B. amyloliquefaciens CC-LĐ2.4, P. fluorescens CC-FN1.1 and O-BT1.2 had chitinase, glucanase, and protease enzyme activity, showing potential for use in sustainable agriculture to manage anthracnose and other plant diseases. Efforts are ongoing to develop biofungicides from these bacteria and investigate efficacy under field conditions.
A Green Approach: Effects of organic weed control on weed diversity and phenology
Sarwan Kumar, S. S. Rana, Gaytri Hetta, Navjot Rana, Graciela Dolores Avila-Quezada, Ahmed Z. Dewidar, Mohamed A. Mattar
A long-term experiment in the maize-pea cropping system was conducted in Palampur from October 2019 to September 2021 as part of the All India Coordinated Research Project on Weed Management (AICRP-WM). Ten methods for managing weeds. namely, T1-hoeing, T2-raised stale seedbed + hoeing, T2-stale seed bed + hoeing, T5-stale seed bed + mulch, T6-raised stale seed bed + mulch, T4-mulch 5t ha-1, T7: Intercropping fenugreek in rabi season and soybeans in kharif season . A randomized complete block design with three replications was used to assess T8-crop rotation (soybean, mustard, and maize-peas alternately), T9-intensive cropping (additional crops of mustard in the fall and buckwheat in the summer), and T10-chemical check (pendimethalin in rabi season and atrazine in kharif season). The weed flora consisted of eight weed species during kharif 2020, fourteen during kharif 2021, and thirteen during rabi season 2019–20 and 2020–21. The species composition of weeds changed significantly in the second year compared to the first. In contrast to the chemical check, the organic weed control treatments showed a variety of weed flora, according to diversity and phytosociological study. Long periods of germination/emergence, blooming, and fruiting were found in phenological research. Rabi weeds appeared between October and January and between May and August. They flowered and produced fruits or seeds in March and September, respectively, and matured in April and September. Crop rotation followed by Raised stale seed bed (RSSB)+ hoeing + earthing up resulted in a much greater yield; however, in the second year, chemical check was comparable to this treatment. Additionally, crop rotation increased profitability over time.
Effect of biofumigation on soil-borne pathogen Rhizoctonia solaniOriginal Paper
Ludmila Holková, Jhonny Alba-Mejía, Barbora Jílková, Věra Loubová, Markéta Kuljová, Martin Kmoch
Rhizoctonia solani is an important fungal pathogen that causes a disease technically known as potato tuber blight. Integrated pest management favours the use of sustainable biological methods called “biofumigation”. The aim of this field study was to evaluate, in two independent experiments, the antimicrobial role of crushed mustard seeds residues on the abundance of the fungal pathogen R. solani in soil. Potatoes were grown in soil inoculated with mycelium of R. solani under greenhouse and field conditions and the level of infection of this pathogen in the soil was assessed by qPCR at the end of the growing season. In both culture conditions, a statistically significant reduction of specific R. solani DNA was detected in the variants with crushed mustard seeds residues in the soil compared to the control variants without crushed mustard seeds residues (5-fold in the experiment conducted under greenhouse experiment and 3-13-fold in the field experiment).
Spray-induced gene silencing in the battle against pathogens, pests and weeds on our fields – soon reality or still a sci-fi?Review
Iveta Vachová, Jhonny Stalyn Hernández Orozco, Tereza Kalistová, Guy Smagghe, Martin Janda
Agriculture faces ongoing challenges from pathogens, pests and weeds threats that are amplified by climate change, intensive monoculture farming practices, and regulatory restrictions limiting traditional chemical treatments. To enhance resilience, innovative solutions are urgently needed. One promising strategy is the RNA interference (RNAi), a natural mechanism for gene silencing. Among RNAi-based approaches, spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) stands out for its ability to deliver double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) directly to eukaryotic organisms, modulating gene expression to suppress harmful species. Recent research demonstrates that appropriately designed dsRNA can suppress growth or induce mortality in over fifty pestiferous species, including fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, insects, and even weeds. Importantly, the first commercial SIGS-based product received US-EPA approval in December 2023, highlighting advances in cost-effective dsRNA production and extended shelf stability. This review emphasises the practical applications and innovations of SIGS, providing clear guidelines for translating laboratory findings to field success. By critically evaluating current progress, this review highlights SIGS as a promising tool for sustainable agriculture while identifying challenges that must be addressed to fully realise its potential.
RNA Silencing Suppressors: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Prospects in Plant Antiviral DefenseReview
Chenwei Zhang, Yueyue Cai, Xiaocong Jiao, Xin Jia, Yuan Cheng, Lu Li, Yongmin Chen, Xing Han
RNA silencing, a highly conserved gene inactivation system in higher plants, acts as a pivotal natural defense mechanism against viruses. In response, viruses encode RNA silencing suppressors (RSSs) to disrupt this antiviral pathway and counteract plant defense responses. Extensive studies have revealed that RSSs specifically target critical components within the plant silencing machinery and antiviral pathways. In this article, we provide a comprehensive summary of RNA silencing suppressors, encompassing their inhibitory mechanisms, impacts on host proteins involved in RNA silencing and antiviral pathways, as well as the methods employed for identifying RSSs and their potential applications in plant virus defense. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms of RSSs and their impacts on hosts can deepen our knowledge of the co-evolutionary dynamics between plants and viruses, and may potentially pave the way for the development of novel strategies for the prevention and control of plant viruses. Currently, ongoing research is continuously exploring the intricate details of RSSs’ functions.
Penicillium allii - a new postharvest pathogen of onion bulbs in SerbiaShort Communication
Stefan Stošić, Danijela Ristić, Svetlana Živković
Onion (Allium cepa L.), a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, is among the oldest and most widely cultivated crops, valued both in cuisine and traditional medicine. Between 2019 and 2021, onion bulbs showing blue-green mold symptoms were collected from storage facilities in Serbia. The isolated fungi were identified and characterized using a combination of morpho-physiological, molecular, phylogenetic, and pathogenicity approaches. Results from morphological and multilocus genetic analyses confirmed that the isolates belonged to Penicillium allii. Pathogenicity assays demonstrated that this species is a pathogen of onion. This is the first record of P. allii on onion bulbs in Serbia as a postharvest pathogen. Monitoring and controlling its occurrence in stored onions is essential to prevent potential health risks and reduce economic losses in onion production.
Life table and development parameters of green peach aphid [Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)] at six different temperatures on pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)Original Paper
Furkan Harun Bas
The green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an essential pest of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). In this study, we collected data, using 1 linear and 6 non-linear temperature-dependent development models, development parameters, and life table of M. persicae at 6 different temperatures (18°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, 30°C and 32°C), on pepper. The development threshold temperature was 3.9°C and the thermal constant was 174. 0 degrees/day. The minimum, optimum, and maximum growth temperatures were calculated as 14.27°C, 27.5°C, and 35.5°C, respectively. The shortest growth period of M. persicae was found to be 8.14 days at 28°C. The raw data obtained at the end of the study were analyzed according to the age-stage, two-sex life table method. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (r) and the highest finite rate of increase (λ) were 0.25 d-1 and 1.28 d-1 at 25°C, respectively, the highest net reproductive rate (R0) was 61.64 nymph/female at 22°C and the highest mean generation time (T) was 20.92 days at 18°C. According to the models applied, the optimum temperature at which the pest develops is 27.5°C, but the intrinsic rate of increase (r) calculated according to the life table parameters was statistically higher in the 22°C and 25°C test groups. In this study, we investigated the effect of temperature on the growth and development of the pest. As a result of the observations, the temperatures at which the plants were not negatively affected and the activity of the insect was limited were determined according to the reproduction, development, and life table parameters obtained as a result of different temperatures in this study. This information may help to effectively control without using or minimizing the use of pesticides and emphasize the temperature factor, especially in places such as greenhouses where controlled climatic conditions are provided.
Exploring the biocontrol efficiency of indigenous entomopathogenic fungus on Cadra cautella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) larvae in controlled laboratory conditionsOriginal Paper
Mureed Husain, Abdalsalam Omer Osman, Abdulrahman Aldawood
Cadra cautella is a global pest of agricultural stored commodities particularly date fruits in the field and storages. To reduce C. cautella population in stored agricultural goods, it is recommended to use ecologically friendly methods instead of chemical treatments. In this regard, current research evaluated the efficacy of various indigenous entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana fungal isolates against C. cautella last-instar larvae under laboratory conditions. The last instar larvae were incubated in petri plates with dry B. bassiana inoculum (1x107 conidia/mL) for five minutes per fungal isolate. The susceptibility of C. cautella larvae to fungal infection was tested until either 100% mortality was attained in all treatments or the larvae in the control treatment transformed into pupae. The results showed that compared to the control treatment, all fungal isolates were pathogenic to C. cautella larvae with varying levels of reaction and durations of mortality. After four days of inoculation the B. bassiana isolates BbSA-5, BbSA-8, and BbSA-9 infected treated C. cautella larvae at rates of 16.66%, 23.33%, and 43.33%, respectively. The death rate of C. cautella larvae increased significantly, reaching 91.66% for BbSA-5 isolates after eight days of the treatment, while BbSA-5 and BbSA-9 isolates achieved 100% mortality after sixteen days. The control treatment resulted in no larval mortality. Furthermore, all C. cautella larvae in the control group pupated and successfully matured into adults. It is determined that the examined dry formulation of local fungal isolates have the capacity to protect stored agricultural commodities including date fruits from C. cautella infestation.
The first record of Cacopsylla pulchella (Löw, 1877) (Hemiptera, Psyllidae) in Slovakia – Short communicationShort Communication
Ján Kollár
In the last years several allochtonnous species from the order Hemiptera were detected in Slovakia. Most of them are pests of ornamental plants, which can decrease the their ornamental value. In May 2024 adults of Cacopsylla pulchella (Löw, 1877) were recorded in the Arboretum Mlyňany and the next year this pest was found on 3 more localities (Nové Zámky, Nitra, Cabaj-Čápor). Beside adults also eggs and nymphs were found on Cercis siliquastrum, C. canadensis and C. chinensis. In 2025 we recorded growing populations of this insect pest, which can lead to significant damage on Cercis specimens. Further monitoring is required to gain data on the life cycle of this pest to ensure optimal protection measures in conditions of Slovakia.
Bacterial etiology of leaf galls of oleander (Nerium oleander L.) in PolandShort Communication
dr hab. Monika Kałużna, prof. Adam T. Wojdyła
Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. nerii is known as a causal agent of parenchymatous galls on leaves of oleander. In the spring of 2022, on plants of Nerium oleander L. (cv. Emile Sahut) imported from Italy, small regular brownish spots of parenchymatous galls on leaves of oleander plants were observed. Two bacterial isolates were obtained from the samples. The isolates gave product 967 bp characteristic for Pseudomonas genus in PCR. The pathogenicity of isolates carried out on plants of Nerium oleander L. (cv. Emile Sahut) confirmed their pathogenic ability. The sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA, and housekeeping genes gltA, gyrB, rpoB and rpoD showed that the obtained isolates are most closely related to Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. nerii.
Antimicrobial Compounds from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei inhibited growth of Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis (RSC), causal pathogen of banana blood diseaseOriginal Paper
Michell Kah Ven Sam, Roslina Jawan (ORCID: 0000-0002-2211-1284), Nur Sulastri Jaffar, Khim Phin Chong (ORCID: 0000-0002-5143-7283)
Banana blood disease is a banana wilt disease caused by Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis (RSC) has significantly threatens banana plantations particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. Yet, the current control methods are inadequate to mitigate the disease. Biological control agents (BCAs) offer a promising solution by utilizing beneficial microorganisms that are against pathogens. Among BCAs, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have gained increasing attention in agriculture due to their ability to produce a variety of antimicrobial compounds. This study investigates the antimicrobial substances produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei against RSC using cell-free supernatants (CFS) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). The inhibitory effect of the LAB extracts against RSC were evaluated using agar well diffusion method. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the bioactive metabolites with potential antibacterial activity against RSC are monoglucosyl-enterobactin, (6Z,9Z,12Z)-octadecatrienoic acid, 2-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(acetamidomethylene)succinate from CFS-L. plantarum, canavanine, norspermidine, and 4-guanidinobutanamide in CFS-L. paracasei, sinapinic acid, lecanoric acid and D-glucono-1,5-lactone in LLE-L. plantarum and lithocholic acid, orotic acid, and sterculic acid in LLE-L. paracasei. Scanning electron microscope has shown the disruption and the damaging of the RSC cells in the treatment of LAB. These findings highlight the potential of L. plantarum and L. paracasei metabolites for biocontrol applications.
First detection of Eremothecium coryli, a plant pathogenic yeast transmitted by Halyomorpha halys, in the Czech RepublicShort Communication
Tomáš Tonka, František Lorenc, Jana Ouředníčková, Oldřich Pultar
We report here the first detection of the plant pathogenic yeast Eremothecium coryli in the Czech Republic and identify the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys as a potential vector. E. coryli is known to cause yeast spot diseases in crops such as soybeans, hazelnuts, and tomatoes. The yeast was identified in the foregut of H. halys specimens using molecular methods, including PCR amplification and sequencing of the ITS and LSU regions, Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the identity of E. coryli and its association with H. halys as the vector is discussed. These findings highlight the risk of emerging plant diseases transmitted by invasive insect pests and emphasize the importance of molecular techniques for early pathogen detection.
Weed control in kale in the aspect of reducing herbicide useOriginal Paper
Zbigniew Anyszka, Joanna Golian
In the studies conducted in 2018–2020 in transplant kale, the methods of weed control, such as mechanical weeding, weed burning, mechanical weeding combined with weed burning, and the use of herbicides, were tested. Chemical control was based on the use of metamitron alone before planting, metamitron before planting followed pyridate 1-3 weeks after planting, pyridate alone at full rate and reduced dose with the addition of Olbras 88 EC adjuvant, and pyridate using the split-application method, at 14-day intervals. During the studies, the weed control, the number and biomass of weeds, secondary weed infestation, the response of kale to non-chemical methods and herbicides, and the yield of kale leaves were determined. The highest weed control and weed number reduction was achieved after mechanical treatments, slightly lower after metamitron use before planting and pyridate after planting, and after pre-planting pendimethalin application with supplementary weed burning. The yield of kale leaves for most objects ranged from 488.4 to 500.7 kg/100 m2 and was lower only after the mechanical treatments supplemented with weed burning and from the control. The studies showed the usefulness of the tested methods for weed control in kale.
Burkholderia glumae in Rice: Climate-Driven Epidemiology, Advanced Detection Techniques, and AI-Enhanced Predictive Forecasting ModelsReview
Hamood U Rehman, Norida Mazlan, Siti Izera Ismail, Nur Azura Husin
Burkholderia glumae, the pathogen behind bacterial panicle blight (BPB), threatens global rice (Oryza sativa) production, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. This review examines biotic and abiotic influences on BPB epidemiology, emphasizing climate-driven disease dynamics, molecular diagnostics, and AI-powered forecasting models. Climate change has intensified BPB outbreaks, with peak infections occurring at 28–35°C and ≥ 90% relative humidity, particularly during rice flowering. Traditional detection, relying on visual symptoms, often fails for early intervention, leading to yield losses of up to 75% in severely infected fields. Molecular methods such as PCR-based toxoflavin gene detection enhance diagnostic accuracy but remain resource-intensive for field application. Advances in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), including CNNs and YOLO models, enable real-time disease identification, improving early management. Statistical models like BGRcast, integrating meteorological data, predict BPB outbreaks with over 85% accuracy, offering actionable insights for farmers. This review underscores the need for integrating climate data, AI-driven diagnostics, and real-time prediction systems into sustainable BPB management. Future research should focus on optimizing these technologies for field deployment, making AI-based decision support systems more accessible, and enhancing global rice resilience amid increasing climatic variability.
New data on pathotype distribution of Plasmopara halstedii in one of the most important Italian areas dedicated to sunflower cultivationShort Communication
Andrea Del Gatto, Mauro Dal Pra', Ilaria Alberti
Downy mildew of sunflower is caused by the oomycete Plasmopara halstedii Novot. Italy has seen an increase in mildew infections in parallel with the spread of the crop. In the present situation there is a substantial lack of information that can help farmers and researchers in the control of the disease. The most relevant one seems to be the pathogenetic variability of P. halstedii. To overcome the problem, we conducted a preliminary test to collect the first data about this variability.
From images to insights: Using convolutional neural network to improve powdery mildew severity detection in mungbeanOriginal Paper
Pitchakon Papan, Witsarut Chueakhunthod, Chanwit Kaewkasi, Wanploy Jinagool, Akkawat Tharapreuksapong, Teerayoot Girdthai, Kanlayanee Sawangsalee, Piyada Alisha Tantasawat
Abstract: To efficiently identify powdery mildew (PM) severity in mungbean leaves, we developed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach and validated its effectiveness against human evaluation. We fine-tuned a pre-trained model of EfficientNet-B3, which in our related studies proved to perform better than re-implemented Inception V3 models. The CNN was trained with 90% of the images for training (2880) and 10% for validation (320), wherein data augmentation techniques were applied using Python and TensorFlow. The model obtained 82.10% and 73.03% as training and validation accuracies after 14 epochs, respectively. Further analysis with an additional 15 datasets revealed PM disease indices ranging from 2.03 (resistance) to 6.45 (high susceptibility). The concordance between AI-predicted and human-assessed PM severity was 74.4% (adjusted R2: 72.4%), with an average root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.854 and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.715, indicating a moderate level of predictive error. Comparison of our developed AI-based application prototype on smartphones with expert evaluations yielded a strong correlation (r = 0.992**, R2 = 0.984), suggesting that this tool can effectively estimate PM severity across mungbean cultivars. The application shows considerable promise, and further optimization and strategic dissemination efforts will enhance its adoption among farmers.
Role of the Arabidopsis AT2g21490 dehydrin gene in enhancing tolerance to copper and zinc stress in transgenic tobacco plants.Original Paper
Eva Boszorádová, Mária Švecová, Peter Nemeček, Petra Ranušová, Milan Karas, Jana Moravčíková
We studied the role of the Arabidopsis AT2g21490 (DH2) histidine-rich dehydrin gene in plant responses to copper and zinc stress. Transgenic plants overexpressing the DH2 gene were generated via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Progeny from both transgenic and non-transgenic (control) plants were cultivated hydroponically and subjected to short-term stress (100 µM CuCl2 or 200 µM ZnCl2 for 24 hours) prior to analysis. The differences observed between transgenic and non-transgenic plants in the expression of phytochelatin synthase (NtPCS) and certain metal transporters (NtMTP1A, NtMTP1B, NtHMA_A, and NtHMA_B) suggest that the DH2 gene plays a role in immobilizing excess copper, primarily in the roots, thereby mitigating its harmful effects on the aerial parts of the plant. The overexpression of the DH2 gene influenced the levels of both enzymatic (NtAPX, NtSOD, NtCAT) and nonenzymatic antioxidants, particularly by increasing the levels of polyphenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid by at least 12-fold and rutin by at least 3-fold. The contribution of the DH2 gene to zinc stress tolerance appears to be less significant.
Herbicide resistant grain sorghum: Opportunities and challengesReview
G Raghavi, S Lakshmi Narayanan, M Gunasekaran, M Raveendran, M Sudha, A Senthil, S Manoharan
Focus on impoverished crops for sustainable food and nutritional security, especially sorghum, becomes increasingly important in the changing climate regime. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), a vital cereal crop that could endure an array of biotic and abiotic stresses and is well-suited to arid ecological zones. Sorghum productivity is hindered by intense competition with weeds. However, conventional herbicide use, particularly Acetolactate synthase and Acetyl CoA Carboxylase inhibitors, has led to the development of herbicide-resistant weeds. Developing herbicide-resistant sorghum offers an effective strategy to manage weeds while enhancing crop productivity. Conventional approaches, such as utilizing genetic diversity from wild relatives, germplasm screening, and induced mutagenesis, have successfully identified and transferred resistance traits to cultivated sorghum varieties. These methods have produced hybrids resistant to Acetolactate Synthase and Acetyl CoA Carboxylase inhibitors, providing new options for weed management. Commercially released herbicide resistant sorghum include Inzen, iGrowth, Double Team benefits sorghum farmers globally in many countries. Additionally, molecular mapping techniques, including quantitative trait loci mapping and marker-assisted selection, are critical for identifying genes responsible for herbicide resistance. Advances in gene-editing technologies, such as Clustered Regularly Short Palindromic Repeats, have enabled precise modifications in sorghum’s genome, further enhancing the development of herbicide resistance. Researchers worldwide are concentrating in developing resistance to 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase, protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibiting herbicides, growth regulator inhibitors and seedling inhibitors and needs to be accelerated. This review highlights the conventional and biotechnological approaches in developing herbicide-resistant sorghum, underscoring the importance of integrating these strategies for sustainable sorghum cultivation and improved global food security.