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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. This review aims to capture recent literature on the biological efficacy of seaweed extracts and their constituent metabolites, such as polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and fatty acids, against diverse biotic stressors (e.g., bacteria, viruses, oomycetes, fungi (ascomycetes and basidiomycetes), nematodes, and herbivorous insect pests) and abiotic stressors (such as salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, and heavy metals). The biochemical, physiological, and molecular mechanisms by which seaweed-derived bioactive compounds modulate plant defence responses and stress tolerance pathways are also discussed in detail. In conclusion, seaweed extracts and derived metabolites show promising stress-type-specific effects against biotic and abiotic stresses through diverse mechanisms. However, field validation, dosage optimisation, and the discovery of novel bioactives are essential to harnessing their potential fully in sustainable agriculture.

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 of plants of this family. It can be recommended to use salicylic acid in concentrations 0.5–2.5 mM, and it should not exceed it so as not to cause poisoning and disruption of the vital and physiological processes within the plant. In contrast, these plants have limited studies on the relationship between jasmonic acid/ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid. Since vitamins such as ascorbic acid are essential for plant metabolism and growth regulation, their effect on these plants remains unstudied at concentrations 2–10 mM under different abiotic stresses. Further research is needed to understand the impact of Nano-SA, JA, HA, ASA, and citric acid on Lamiaceae plants under various environmental stress conditions. Limited studies exist on the relationship between jasmonate/humic acid and Lamiaceae plants under abiotic stress. The Lamiaceae family needs more studies on adaptation to various environmental conditions and the toxicity of stimulants used to confront these conditions. This research contributes to improving agricultural practices in challenging environmental regions.

Pyrenophora teres is a pathogen causing a net blotch disease in cultivated barley, which is present worldwide and can thus significantly reduce barley yields. This fungus also infects wild barley and other plants of the Hordeum genus, as well as barley grass, wheat, oats and plants from various genera, including Agropyron, Bromus, Elymus, Hordelymus and Stipa. Based on the symptoms it causes on the infected barley plants, the pathogen can be divided into two forms: P. teres f. teres, which causes net-like symptoms, and P. teres f. maculata, which causes blotchy symptoms. Infected seeds, stubble and plant debris, and volunteer and weed plants represent primary sources of pathogen inoculum. During the growing season, the pathogen enters a sexual stage, developing pseudothecia with asci and ascospores. This is followed by an asexual stage, during which conidiophores with conidia are formed. The conidial (anamorphic) stage is much more common, whereby conidia is a source of inoculum for secondary infection during the barley growing season. The first symptoms appear at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, often during the tilling phase. The most characteristic symptoms form on barley leaves. Frequently, symptoms of the net form can be mistaken for other diseases occurring on barley, making molecular analysis essential for accurate detection of P. teres, its forms, mating types and hybrids. Current net blotch control measures are based on the combined application of cultural, chemical and biological control methods and the selection of resistant varieties.

Vegetables are considered as the major source for opportunistic and emerging pathogens due to their diverse microbiome. Utilising bacterial endophytes and other bacterial agents to control a variety of economically important plant diseases is vital for achieving sustainable agriculture. Within internal plant tissues, bacterial endophytes form colonies without apparent injury. These bacteria provide several advantages for plant systems, including the direct stimulation of plant development through the creation of metabolites or phytohormones. Importantly, bacterial endophytes play a dual role by safeguarding their plant host through the biocontrol of pathogens and induction of the plant's innate immune system. This review offers a methodical and inclusive examination of the current state of endophytic diversity of bacteria, their methods of plant colonisation and their potential functions as protective agents against plant diseases. The review concludes by proposing diverse effective strategies for applying endophytic bacteria as a biological agent aiming to safeguard vegetable crop plants and enhancing the resilience of agricultural products.

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 the plant's natural enemies, or luring the pests to alternative food sources. This review outlines successful examples from around the world of the use of companion crops in controlling insect pests, focusing on the main pests of cabbage and onions in Europe. Details regarding the working mechanism of each of the three companion plants are discussed further in this article. We concluded that these companion plant tree forms effectively reduce the number of generalist and specialist plant pests attacking cabbage and onion.

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 have been developed. Sensors as varied as hyperspectral imaging cameras, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Real Time Kinematics-Global Positioning System (RTK-GPS), optoelectronic, fluorescence sensors, laser and ultrasonic systems can help to improve weed control efficacy when combined with mechanical and spraying robotic systems. Camera-steered mechanical weeding robots and unmanned aerial vehicles are now widely available for weed management. This review focuses on the developments in sensor-based mechanical and chemical weeding, identification of herbicide-resistant weeds, and herbicide effect assessment. This is a comprehensive overview of studies of sensor-based weed-management strategies being adopted worldwide. Furthermore, an outlook towards future sensor-based weed control strategies and necessary improvements are given.

The global decline in crop production poses a significant threat to food security, particularly in the context of a growing human population. Among various environmental constraints on agriculture, biotic stress, particularly that caused by insect pests, remains a major reason for yield losses. Traditionally, synthetic pesticides have been used to manage insect infestations; however, their excessive and non-targeted application has raised serious concerns regarding environmental pollution, adverse health effects, and the accelerated development of pesticide-resistant pest populations. In this context, plant-derived biocactive compounds, particularly flavonoids, have emerged as promising bioinsecticides due to their potent insecticidal properties. Flavonoids, a diverse group of secondary metabolites found abundantly in plants, exhibit strong insecticidal activity by disrupting insect digestion, interfering with nutrient absorption, and inhibiting growth and metamorphosis. These bioactive compounds act through multiple mechanisms, reducing the likelihood of resistance development while offering an eco-friendly alternative to conventional chemical pesticides. Additionally, flavonoids contribute to integrated pest management strategies by enhancing plant defence responses and synergising with other bioinsecticides. Despite their potential, research on flavonoid-based insect control remains limited, particularly in terms of their formulation, stability, and large-scale applicability. Further studies are needed to investigate their interactions with insect physiology, optimise delivery methods, and assess their environmental impact. Advancing flavonoid-based bioinsecticides can contribute significantly to sustainable pest management in modern agriculture, reducing dependence on synthetic pesticides while preserving ecosystem balance. This review examines the potential role of flavonoids as biopesticides in pest management, highlighting the existing research gaps and prospects.

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 an EfficientNet-B3 pre-trained model, which, in our related studies, performed better than re-implemented Inception V3 models. The CNN was trained on 90% of the images (2 880) for training and 10% (320) for validation, with data augmentation 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 a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.715, indicating moderate 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 optimisation and strategic dissemination efforts will enhance its adoption among farmers. 

Focus on impoverished crops for sustainable food and nutritional security, especially sorghum, becomes increasingly important in the changing climate regime. Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is 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 (ALS) and Acetyl CoA Carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors, has led to the development of herbicide-tolerant weeds. Developing herbicide-tolerant sorghum offers an effective strategy to manage weeds while enhancing crop productivity. Conventional approaches, such as utilising genetic diversity from wild relatives, germplasm screening, and induced mutagenesis, have successfully identified and transferred tolerant traits to cultivated sorghum varieties. These methods have produced hybrids tolerant to Acetolactate Synthase and Acetyl CoA Carboxylase inhibitors, providing new options for weed management. Commercially released herbicide-tolerant sorghum production systems include InzenTM (2016, USA), iGrowth® (2020, Argentina), and Double TeamTM (2021, USA), which benefit sorghum producers 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 tolerance. Advances in gene-editing technologies, such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, have enabled precise modifications to sorghum's genome, further enhancing the development of herbicide-tolerant varieties. Researchers worldwide are focusing on developing tolerance to 4-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD), protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO)- inhibiting herbicides, Auxinic inhibitors, and Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Synthase (VLCFA) inhibitors, and this development needs to be accelerated. This review highlights the conventional and biotechnological approaches in developing herbicide-tolerant sorghum, underscoring the importance of integrating these strategies for sustainable sorghum cultivation and improved global food security.

Downy mildew of sunflower is caused by the oomycete Plasmopara halstedii (Farl.) Berl. et de Toni. 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 could help farmers and researchers control the disease. The most reasonable explanation for pathogen spread appears to be the genetic variability of P. halstedii. To develop an effective control strategy, we conducted a preliminary test in the central part of the peninsula (Marche Region) to gather data on this variability.

Phytopathology deals with a branch of biology encompassing pathogens that infect plants. Pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas are notorious and hard to control; preventive measures are important for managing disease as early as possible. Age-old management practices are time-consuming and labour-intensive processes. In the past, nucleic acid-based methods, such as hybridization, amplification, and sequencing, have been used extensively for the preliminary identification of plant pathogens. Recently, PCR-based methods have been widely used for the detection of plant pathogens. However, PCR methods are time-bound and require high-quality DNA extraction because of inhibitors' effects on PCR sensitivity. Several isothermal detection techniques are commonly used for the onsite detection of plant pathogens. Among them, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a paradigm diagnostic tool for early plant pathogen detection. Hence, in this review, we discuss the rapid, reliable, sensitive method of the LAMP assay and the limit of detection (LOD) in different sectors of plant pathology. We also address the advantages and disadvantages of different LAMP approaches and future prospects.

In the production of grafted vines, losses are caused by fungal pathogens during callus forming or after planting in the soil. To control or reduce natural soil-born fungal infections in nurseries, certain applications were conducted in the sapling cultivation stage to analyse the efficacy of cyprodinil + fludioxonil, fluopyram + tebuconazole active substances, and Trichoderma harzianum biological preparation: 1103 Paulsen rootstock and Vitis viniferea L. cv. In the study, Sultana cultivars were stored in fungicide suspensions for 60 min before and after grafting. After grafting, the saplings were divided into (i) cutting + sawdust (ii) cutting + sawdust + soil application groups and transferred to the callus room. After nine months in the nursery, the plants were uprooted, classified as diseased or healthy, and analysed for morphological and molecular diagnosis of fungal species, isolation incidence, and sapling quality and yield. Boeremia exigua var. exigua was isolated for the first time from cuttings during grapevine sapling production and was first registered in NCBI Genbank. After callus development, Fusarium solani was most frequently isolated pathogen in the roots (21.5%); cyprodinil + fludioxonil reduced the Ilyonectria sp. isolation rate in both shoots and roots. Botryosphaeria dothidae and I. liriodendri pathogens were not detected in disease and healthy cyprodinil + fludioxonil treated saplings. The highest sapling yield was observed in fludioxonil + cyprodinil, cutting + sawdust + soil (78.75%) and cutting + sawdust (70.63%) applications.

The floral industry grapples with challenges like changing climatic scenarios, differences in market trends, rising costs, and severe losses posed by insect pests. The management of dipteran pests encompassing diverse species, such as leaf miners, midges, flies, and mosquitoes, has emerged as an obligate adversary, inflicting substantial economic losses in the cut and loose flower industry. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, this paper delves into the diverse array of dipteran species of leaf miners and midges, their life cycles, distribution, host range, damaging symptoms, insecticide resistance, and the management strategies practised to date. Furthermore, this critique underscores the urgent need for innovative approaches and integrated pest management techniques to mitigate the escalating menace of dipteran pests. By elucidating the multifaceted challenges and proposing strategic interventions, this critique aims to foster dialogue and inspire concerted action among researchers, stakeholders, and scholars to safeguard the sustainability and profitability of the floral industry.

Effective weed management relies on frequent field monitoring, which is difficult to perform in vast areas. Integrating red-green-blue, thermal, hyperspectral, and multispectral sensors with unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence ensures better results in managing the weed menace. Since India depends largely on agriculture, it is still a long way from implementing more advanced weed management methods. Mapping and surveillance of weeds in croplands by employing remote sensing will lead to varied herbicide application rates, thus reducing its overuse. This study reviews the practical application of remote sensing methods and unmanned aircraft systems in weed mapping

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 pigments of the exposed choy sum were measured, and their metabolites were subjected to a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) analysis. The results revealed a 25% decrease in the SPAD, a reduction of 65% (chl a) and 71% (chl b), and a 45% reduction in the stomatal length at 100 mg/mL. A total of 15 significant metabolites (P < 0.05) with variables important for the projection score exceeding 1 (VIP > 1) were selected as the important biomarkers. These metabolites were identified as amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids. The findings reveal the allelopathic potential of T. subulata and provide insights into the response of choy sum in response to the allelopathic activity of T. subulata LAEs.

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 conditions increasingly influence plant virus epidemiology by affecting vector populations, host susceptibility, and transmission dynamics, thus increasing virus transmission risks in cereal crops. This review explores the mechanisms of seed transmission and its consequences, with a focus on key cereal viruses in Ukraine: barley stripe mosaic virus, wheat streak mosaic virus, High Plains wheat mosaic virus, sugarcane mosaic virus, and maize dwarf mosaic virus. Hereby, the biological properties of these viruses, the risks posed by seed transmission, and the economic impact on crop production are discussed. Given the widespread distribution of these pathogens, presented data will also be valuable for other cereal-growing regions, particularly those bordering Ukraine and engaged in seed import/export. This review underscores the global need to manage seed-transmitted viruses to safeguard cereal crop productivity and food security. Future research should focus on developing resistant cultivars and advanced diagnostics to control their spread.

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 or in combination, enhanced plant growth parameters, chlorophyll pigment content, endogenous proline levels, phenol content, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes [antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)]. Additionally, these treatments enhanced plant seed yield, N, P, K, and crude protein levels in the seeds. The combined foliar application of Pro and SA was more effective in mitigating salinity stress’s harmful effects than using either substance alone. These findings indicate that foliar application of SA and Pro, either individually or in combination, alleviated the adverse effects of salinity on broad beans, with the combined application proving to be the most effective.

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, especially through the pyramiding of resistance genes and integrated pest management approaches, shows the most promise for long-term control. Advances in crop improvement through breeding methods such as genotyping, phenotyping, field and greenhouse screening and the pyramiding of resistance genes are highlighted. The review emphasises the importance of monitoring virulence in gall midge populations to guide breeding efforts. The genetic basis of resistance is examined through studies of resistance genes, QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding. Furthermore, molecular approaches, including metabolomic regulations, microarray analysis and biotechnological strategies, are reviewed for their potential in developing durable gall midge-resistant rice varieties. This article synthesises the current knowledge and highlights future research directions, such as identifying novel resistance genes, improving molecular breeding techniques, and developing integrated pest management strategies that combine genetic resistance with eco-friendly controls.

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 5', 'Tselinnaya 3s', 'Severyanka', 'Egemen-20', 'Zhemchuzhina Povolzh'ya', 'Dimash', 'Serke' and 'Korona' maintaining yield potential despite high disease pressure. Correlations revealed that traits such as flag leaf area, vegetative period, and plant height were associated with greater tolerance, highlighting their potential in breeding. With the expected increase in stem rust outbreaks due to climate change and the evolving virulence of stem rust pathogens, these findings emphasise the need for breeding programs incorporating resistance and tolerance, offering a sustainable alternative to fungicide use. This study provides critical insights for breeders and plant pathologists seeking to enhance wheat resilience in regions prone to rust epidemics.

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 formation was significantly suppressed without phytotoxicity when cucumber leaves were pretreated with a cell culture suspension of the isolate GT2 before inoculation with C. orbiculare. Bioautography of the culture filtrate (CF) of the isolate GT2 using thin-layer chromatography showed that the compound inhibiting C. orbiculare growth had an Rf value of 0.38. The effective compound in GT2-CF was ethyl acetate insoluble and heat-stable at 121 °C and has a molecular weight larger than 1 000 Da. In conclusion, Paenibacillus polymyxa GT2 demonstrated the potential for developing a new fungicide and biological agent against anthracnose disease caused by C. orbiculare.

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 clustered within group I (type D74). In contrast, Talis and 3233CL isolates represented group III (type MY18), and the San isolate was clustered in group V (type ABY1-01). Recombination analysis of the CP gene sequences detected two possible recombination events. One was noticed in the Argentinian strain 53, which formed group III with isolates from Chile, and Polish isolates Talis and 3233CL. Another was identified in the Chinese strain sy02 sequence with evidence of the same recombination event in Canadian strains, and the Polish isolate San (V group). Leaf epinasty, mottling, and yellowing of the young leaves and dieback of the older leaves were observed on Fragaria vesca 'Alpine' and 'EMC' indicator plants grafted with leaves of strawberry plants co-infected with SMYEV and SMoV. A single infection with SMYEV induced milder symptoms based on these indicators. 

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 were characterised morphologically, molecularly, phylogenetically, and by pathogenicity tests. The fungal isolates were tested for their pathogenicity to the local variety of avocado with two stages and three replications. The identification of the fungal species was conducted on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis obtained from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 28S region of the ribosomal DNA, and translation elongation factor 1 (TEF1). The results revealed that the artificial inoculation of Avo7 and Avo3.2 isolates, identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, caused necrosis and wilt symptoms on the avocado seedlings. Several fungal species from the Botryosphaeriaceae, Eurotiomycetes, and Sordariomycetes groups were found alongside the pathogen responsible for causing the dieback symptoms in the avocados. The most frequently isolated genera were fast growing, Botryosphaeriaceae (58.9%), followed by Penicillium spp. (20.5%), Pestalotiopsis spp. (15.1%) and Colletotrichum spp. (5.4%). The information in this article should be used as new insights about the incidence of dieback disease caused by L. theobromae and proper management strategies against dieback disease on avocado need to be developed.

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 h) before 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 immobilising 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 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.

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, Aphrophoridae, Delphacidae and Membracidae were collected in different geographical regions of Poland. Real-time PCR with primers for rimM gene and nested PCR to detect X. fastidiosa, using DNA extracted directly from selected insects known as potential vectors of X. fastidiosa, did not confirm the bacterium's presence in these insects.

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 biomarkers) of the winter phenotype of the black poplar leaf aphid Chaitophorus leucomelas were considered variables to assess the effectiveness of different approaches. The results show a strong effect of the aqueous extracts of D. viscosa (A.E. Plant) on abundance, with pronounced insecticidal activity from the aqueous extract ratio (A.E. Ratio) (P < 0.05). The lipid and carbohydrate energy of sexuparae undergo significant changes depending on the products used, with a disturbing effect of the synthetic product compared to aqueous extracts (P < 0.05). Fecundity shows a remarkable disturbance under the action of the active ingredient compared to the extracts. The results confirm that the products applied cause a disturbance in the growth rate (r_m) and net reproductive rate (R₀) of sexuparae, with the chemical treatment having the strongest effect (P < 0.05). The full dose of the active ingredient causes remarkable disturbances in the multiplication rate (λ) and the mean generation time (T) of the sexuparae compared to the other applied molecules. Some stability is reported for the doubling time (DT) of treated females compared to the control ones.

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 days following treatment. The statistical analysis revealed strong time-dependent residue dissipation, with little systemic buildup in fruit tissues. The findings suggest that azadirachtin is a viable, environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides, aligning with food safety requirements and customer preferences for pesticide residue-free fruit. Future research should investigate the ecological factors that affect degradation rates to optimise its application in diverse agro-climatic conditions.

The green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an essential pest of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). This study was conducted in 2015–2016. In this study, we collected data using 1 linear and 6 non-linear temperature-dependent development models, development parameters, and a 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 degree/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 analysed 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 nymphs/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 for pest development is 27.5 °C, but the intrinsic rate of increase (r) calculated from 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 pest's growth and development. Based on the observations, the temperatures at which the plants were not negatively affected and the insect's activity was limited, were determined from the reproduction, development, and life table parameters obtained under different temperatures in this study. This information may help effectively control pests without using, or minimise the use of, pesticides and emphasise the temperature factor, especially in places such as greenhouses where controlled climatic conditions are provided.

Anthracnose is one of the most destructive diseases that limits pepper production and quality worldwide. In this study, the causal agent of anthracnose in red chilli pepper in Southern Vietnam was collected and identified based on morphological characteristics and multilocus sequence 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. The results revealed that the morphological analysis categorised the Colletotrichum isolates into three species: C. acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and C. scovillei. Sequence analysis of the four genes confirmed that C. scovillei was the causal agent of anthracnose in chilli pepper in Southern Vietnam. 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%. The consortium of B. amyloliquefaciens CC-LD2.4, P. fluorescens CC-FN1.1, and P. fluorescens O-BT1.2 achieved 84.4% control efficacy at 7 days after inoculation (DAI), which declined to 68.5% at 14 DAI and 41.7% at 21 DAI, at the flowering stage, and achieved 100% control efficacy at the fruiting stage. B. amyloliquefaciens CC-LD2.4 showed very high chitinase, protease, and cellulase activities (halo diameter of 26.7 mm, 22.7 mm, 21.5 mm), whereas P. fluorescens CC-FN1.1 was very high in protease and cellulase (14.3 mm, 12.4 mm) but weak in chitinase (5.1 mm), and P. fluorescens O-BT1.2 exhibited overall lower activities (3.4–9.9 mm). There is still considerable room to optimise bacterial consortia to develop bio-fungicides that meet the requirements for an alternative or advanced solution for controlling anthracnose in red chilli peppers in sustainable agriculture.

The wheat seed gall nematode Anguina tritici is a scientifically interesting nematode due to its aerial parasitic behaviour and ability to survive for years under desiccated conditions in seed galls. However, Anguina's life cycle and its correlation with host-plant growth and environment are poorly understood. Here, we conducted a microplot study at IARI, New Delhi, India, to examine the effects of early and late sowing dates on the life cycle of the wheat seed gall nematode using growing degree days (GDD). The study confirmed the presence of juvenile stages in the soft, undifferentiated floral mass and the upper one-third part of the stem. During the early stage of floral differentiation, the plant ovary develops into milky grains, while the galls (false ovules) become fully green. An increase in size and gonad cell development was observed when nematode J2S entered the floral tissue. The count of adult females in galls marginally surpasses that of adult males, and the female: male ratio ranged from 1.46 : 1.00 to 1.48 : 1.00. After GDD and cGDD (cumulative growing degree days) calculation, we found that the nematode completed its life cycle in 90 to 140 days, depending on the wheat sowing dates and change in temperature. The study also showed that nematode development was in sync with wheat plant growth and development. The information developed from the study such as the cumulative GDD and it's correlation with Anguina's life cycle, presence of nematode in stem, flower and gall, it's migration from collar to flower, presence of various stages of nematode in different plant tissues, and it's undergoing the anhydrobiotic process in seed galls may be used to determine the best time to intervene and manage nematode infestations.

A long-term experiment in the maise-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, T₃ – stale seedbed + hoeing, T₅ – stale seedbed + mulch, T₆ – raised stale seedbed + mulch, T₄ – mulch 5 t per ha, T₇ – intercropping fenugreek in rabi season and soybeans in kharif season, T₈ – crop rotation (soybean, mustard, and maise-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). A randomised complete block design with three replications was used to assess the weed flora, consisting of eight weed species during kharif 2020, fourteen during kharif 2021, and thirteen during the rabi seasons 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. The weed species composition 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, as indicated by diversity and phytosociological studies. 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 seedbed (RSSB) + hoeing + earthing resulted in a much greater yield; however, in the second year, the chemical check was comparable to this treatment. Additionally, crop rotation increased profitability over time.