Plant Protection Science - Latest articles

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...

Determination of resistance improving potentials of cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotypes against cyantraniliprole

Isse Hassan Ali, Utku Yükselbaba

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):191-200 | DOI: 10.17221/112/2023-PPS  

Bemisia tabaci is a significant insect pest that causes extensive agricultural damage. The MEAM1 (Middle East-Asia Minor) and MED (Mediterranean) genetic groups of B. tabaci are the most prevalent cryptic species. This study investigated the potential for resistance development in the MED and MEAM1 genetic groups of B. tabaci against cyantraniliprole. Additionally, multiple-resistance development within each genetic group for pyriproxyfen, spirotetramat, and acetamiprid insecticides was determined. To assess the susceptibility of the first-larval stage of B. tabaci, we employed a systemic uptake method with cyantraniliprole. Additionally,...

Brinjal shoot and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee) seasonal activity and association with abiotic factor

Prince Mahore, Nikki Bhardwaj, Pradyumn Singh, Mitesh Makwana, Dheerendra Mahor, Naveen, Neeraj Kumar, Sitaram Seervi, Sonu Sharma

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):183-190 | DOI: 10.17221/3/2024-PPS  

The study has been conducted at Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Gwalior (M.P.), in the summers of 2021 and 2022. In the summers of 2021 and 2022, the crop was first infested by the shoot and fruit borer on the 10^th and 13^th standard meteorological week (SMW). The infestation persisted until the 23^rd and 24^th SMW, respectively. During the first year, the 15^th SMW had the highest infestation rate for shoot damage, 15.76%, while the 18^th SMW had the highest infestation rate for shoot damage, 15.07%, in the second year. Whereas fruit damage per cent is calculated based on number and...

Phytochemical profile of stem extract of Carthamus oxycantha and identification of herbicidal and antimicrobial constituents

Muhammad Rafiq, Amna Shoaib, Arshad Javaid, Shagufta Perveen, Hafiz Umair Asdullah, Chunsong Cheng

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):172-182 | DOI: 10.17221/75/2024-PPS  

The present study was carried out to enlist herbicidal and antimicrobial compounds in the methanolic stem extract of Carthamus oxycantha, a problematic weed of Asteraceae. Methanolic stem extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis that revealed the presence of 150 constituents in the extract. The most abundant compound was Niacin (45.375%) followed by D-ribofuranose, 5-deoxy-5-(methylsulfinyl)-1,2,3-tris-O-(trimethylsilyl)- (14.528%); 9,12-octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)-, methyl ester (4.951%); γ-tocopherol (4.638%); hexacosane (4.148%); 3-phenyllactic acid, 2TMS derivative  (2.675%); 13-retinoic acid, (Z)-, TMS derivative (2.461%); 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-4-ethyl-3-imidazoline-1-oxyl...

Comparative evaluation of fungicide effectiveness in controlling Coffee leaf rust in Hawai‘i

Zhening Zhang, Julia A. Coughlin, James K.F. Kam, Zhiqiang Cheng

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):162-171 | DOI: 10.17221/92/2024-PPS  

Coffee leaf rust (CLR), Hemileia vastatrix, is a disease that has severely impacted the major coffee growing areas of the world. The discovery of CLR in Hawaii in October 2020 was devastating news to local growers, as it quickly spread to all coffee-growing areas, threatening the second-highest-valued crop in the State. Although the fungicide Priaxor Xemium had been approved as a Section 18 emergency exemption, there was still an urgent need for true systemic fungicides to provide sustained control of the disease. The study's overall objective was to test the efficacy of various systemic fungicides against CLR in field conditions. During the...

Population composition and virulence of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in Kazakhstan

Shynbolat Rsaliyev, Aralbek Rsaliyev, Rakhim Urazaliev, Saltanat Dubekova, Akerke Serikbaykyzy

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):152-161 | DOI: 10.17221/16/2024-PPS  

In recent years, epidemics of wheat yellow rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) have been observed in major winter wheat-producing regions in Kazakhstan. However, there is currently very little information about the racial composition and virulence of Pst. The global emergence of aggressive and genetically diverse Pst races leads to different seasonal and geographic patterns of the pathogen, making cultivated wheat varieties vulnerable to the pathogen and potentially causing yellow rust epidemics. Three periods with different characteristic dominant Pst races were distinguished in Kazakhstan...

Sustainable medicinal plant production – responses of Lamiaceae plants to organic acid elicitors spraying during environmental stress: A review

Ismail Mahmoud Ali Shahhat, Arbi Guetat, Salma Yousif Sidahmed Elsheik, Medhat Ahmed Abu-Tahon, Abdelrahman Talha Abdelwahab, Marwa Abdelfattah Awad

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):110-151 | DOI: 10.17221/83/2024-PPS  

This article provides a review of recent studies on the extent to which the use of organic acid elicitors such as salicylic, jasmonic, humic and ascorbic acids has been successful in alleviating the exposure of Lamiaceae plants to unfavourable environmental conditions such as drought and salinity. Overall, the results concluded all organic acid elicitors enhanced the morphological and physiological characteristics of biochemical and secondary metabolite contents. These improvements have enabled plants of the Lamiaceae family to adapt to environmental stress conditions to some extent and survive, thus achieving sustainability in the production...

Advancements in sensor-based weed management: Navigating the future of weed control

Santhappan Vignesh, Palanisamy Murali Arthanari, Rengabashyam Kalpana, Ranganathan Umarani, Subburamu Karthikeyan, Ponnusamy Janaki

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(2):95-109 | DOI: 10.17221/76/2024-PPS  

Controlling weed populations in agricultural land is challenging due to various factors, such as soil conditions, crop type, and environmental conditions. Substantial experience is needed to develop a strategy for minimising pressure from weed infestation. For a relatively longer period, weed control was taken care of using herbicides and mechanical and manual weeding. While herbicides simplify weed control, they pose issues like residual effects and the development of herbicide resistance in weeds, necessitating the deployment of alternate smart weed-management technologies. Lately, smart weeding robots and sensor-based site-specific spraying systems...

LIST OF REVIEWERS 2024

Editorial Office

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1)  

Obituary of Assoc. Prof. Ing. Jaroslav Polák, DrSc. (1942–2024)

Ales Lebeda

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1):91-94 | DOI: 10.17221/213/2024-PPS  

With regret, we have to inform the community of plant pathologists, plant virologists, and plant protection scientists. Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Polák, a former and long-time Plant Protection Science editorial board member, passed away on May 20, 2024.

Vegetable Brassicas and Related Crucifers

Aleš Lebeda

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1):89-90 | DOI: 10.17221/204/2024-PPS  

Brassica and related crops are one of the most important and widely growing crops around the world. They have very broad utilization in human activities as fresh and processed food, fodder and forage of animals, condiments and ornamental plants. This group of plants belongs to one of the oldest domesticated crops with very wide geographic distribution and history of growing and human utilization. Brassicas are also very diverse from taxonomical and genetic viewpoint with rather long history of breeding. The First Edition of this book was published by CABI in 2006, this volume received very high evaluation and by reviewers was considered as “an...

Toxicity effect of Ricinus communis methanolic extracts against Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Sadia Manzoor, Rasheed Akbar, Afaq Hussain, Amjad Ali, Brekhna Faheem, Maid Zaman, Abid Farid, Ijaz Hussain, Imtiaz Ali Khan, Kahkashan Perveen, Najat A. Bukhari, Jianfan Sun

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1):77-88 | DOI: 10.17221/46/2024-PPS  

Bactrocera cucurbitae, commonly known as the melon fruit fly, stands as a formidable threat to global agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of cucurbitaceous crops. The adaptability, high reproductive capacity, and broad host range of B. cucurbitae make it a persistent challenge for growers worldwide. Conventional control methods, often reliant on chemical pesticides, pose environmental and ecological concerns, necessitating the exploration of alternative strategies for sustainable pest management. Invasive plants often exert deleterious effects on ecosystems, and the castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, is no exception....

The potential of volatiles from Brassica juncea seeds against grey mould agent Botrytis cinerea and their effect on storage and sensory quality of spinach leaves

Beata Kowalska, Magdalena Szczech, Maria Grzegorzewska, Anna Wrzodak, Kalina Sikorska-Zimny

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1):66-76 | DOI: 10.17221/44/2024-PPS  

The potential use of volatile compounds released from milled seeds of mustard (Brassica juncea cv. Malopolska) obtained from three different companies was tested in in vitro and in vivo experiments for their inhibitory effect on Botrytis cinerea growth on agar media and its infection on vegetable leaves of cucumber, bean and spinach. In the experiments with spinach, the effect of volatiles from mustards on the storage and sensory quality of fumigated leaves was evaluated. The antifungal effect of the volatiles depended on the source and dosage of mustard seeds and biofumigation time. The most efficient inhibition of B. cinerea...

Cytospora tristicha (De Not.) Mlčoch comb. nov., a lesser-known pathogen of wild roses

Patrik Mlčoch, Michaela Sedlářová

Plant Protect. Sci., 2025, 61(1):56-65 | DOI: 10.17221/122/2024-PPS  

Stem canker of Rosa pendulina, collected in south-eastern Switzerland (canton of Graubünden) in August 2022, was studied in details. The causal agent of the disease was first identified as Valseutypella tristicha (Valsaceae, Diaporthales, Ascomycota) based on microscopic characteristics. The subsequent molecular analysis classified it into the genus Cytospora and indicated that it is identical with C. rosicola, described from China in 2020 based on the molecular data, however, V. tristicha is an older name than C. rosicola, so this has priority. Thus, a new combination of the name is proposed for this fungus.