Apple Research Articles

Impacts of Deep-Rooted Apple Tree on Soil Water Balance in the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau, China

Partitioning soil water balance (SWB) is an effective approach for deciphering the impacts of vegetation change on soil hydrological processes. Growing apple trees on the Loess Plateau, China, leads to a substantial deep soil water deficit, posing a serious threat to the sustainable development of apple production. However, the impact of deep-rooted apple trees on SWB remains poorly understood. In this study, we conducted a “Paired Plot” experiment to achieve this objective by decoupling SWB components using water stable isotopes, tritium, and soil water contents from deep soil cores (up to 25 m) under apple orchards with a stand age gradient of 8–23 years. The results showed that deep soil water storage under apple orchards was notably reduced compared to nearby farmland, showing a stand age-related pattern of deep soil water deficit (R2 = 0.91). By analyzing the changing patterns of SWB components, we found that the main factor driving this deficit is the water uptake process controlled by the deep root system. This process is triggered by the increased transpiration demand of apple trees and short-term water scarcity. These findings have implications for understanding soil water dynamics, sustainable agroforestry management, and soil water resources’ protection in this region and other similar water-limited areas.

Exploring eco-friendly solutions for Phytophthora disease management: Harnessing the anti-oomycete potential of a fermented lemon waste formulation

Phytophthora species pose significant challenges to agricultural and natural ecosystems due to their ecological plasticity and ability to cause diseases of various plant species. Effective control of Phytophthora diseases requires integrated approaches that consider specific agronomic practices, environmental factors, and the rationale use of chemicals. In response to the need for eco-friendly alternatives, this study investigated the anti-oomycete potential of a formulation derived from the fermentation of lemon wastes by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ('bioact-LM'). In vitro assays demonstrated the significant anti-oomycete efficacy of bioact-LM against multiple Phytophthora species, both through direct contact inhibition and the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In vivo assessments on orange and apple fruits further confirmed the effectiveness of bioact-LM in reducing Phytophthora rot severity. These findings suggest bioact-LM is promising as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicide for Phytophthora disease management, highlighting the importance of exploring eco-friendly solutions in a scenario of environmental challenges and restriction in the use of conventional chemical control methods.

Rhizosphere competent inoculants modulate the apple root-associated microbiome and plant phytoalexins.

Modulating the soil microbiome by applying microbial inoculants has gained increasing attention as eco-friendly option to improve soil disease suppressiveness. Currently, studies unraveling the interplay of inoculants, root-associated microbiome, and plant response are lacking for apple trees. Here, we provide insights into the ability of Bacillus velezensis FZB42 or Pseudomonas sp. RU47 to colonize apple root-associated microhabitats and to modulate their microbiome. We applied the two strains to apple plants grown in soils from the same site either affected by apple replant disease (ARD) or not (grass), screened their establishment by selective plating, and measured phytoalexins in roots 3, 16, and 28days post inoculation (dpi). Sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and ITS fragments amplified from DNA extracted 28 dpi from different microhabitat samples revealed significant inoculation effects on fungal β-diversity in root-affected soil and rhizoplane. Interestingly, only in ARD soil, most abundant bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) changed significantly in relative abundance. Relative abundances of ASVs affiliated with Enterobacteriaceae were higher in rhizoplane of apple grown in ARD soil and reduced by both inoculants. Bacterial communities in the root endosphere were not affected by the inoculants but their presence was indicated. Interestingly and previously unobserved, apple plants responded to the inoculants with increased phytoalexin content in roots, more pronounced in grass than ARD soil. Altogether, our results indicate that FZB42 and RU47 were rhizosphere competent, modulated the root-associated microbiome, and were perceived by the apple plants, which could make them interesting candidates for an eco-friendly mitigation strategy of ARD. KEY POINTS: • Rhizosphere competent inoculants modulated the microbiome (mainly fungi) • Inoculants reduced relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae in the ARD rhizoplane • Inoculants increased phytoalexin content in roots, stronger in grass than ARD soil.

Successful biocontrol of Pichia spp. strains against Botrytis cinerea infection in apple fruit: Unraveling protection mechanisms from proteomic insights

Botrytis cinerea causes major crop losses, especially under postharvest conditions. We have found that Pichia fermentans Pf-31 and Pichia terricola Pt-36 are two promising yeast strains that are able to efficiently control B. cinerea infection in apples. This effect is most pronounced when the yeasts are applied as live cells, although dead cells or culture filtrates also show some degree of control. Both strains arrest spore germination, inhibit mycelial growth, strongly attach to hyphae and promote their own proliferation in the fruit when B. cinerea is present, probably due to preferential colonization of apple wounds. Indeed, this metabolism enhancement was corroborated by a proteomic analysis, which revealed the differentially accumulated yeast proteins that contribute towards this antagonistic behavior. Besides the boost in proteins involved in energetic metabolism, other changes in proteins related to cell envelope composition are implicated in the biocontrol abilities of both strains, and this might be to facilitate hyphal adhesion or biofilm formation. The results of this study are of great value because they promote a deep understanding of the proteins that undergo changes during yeast antagonistic interactions, but also because they provide new insights into the proteomes of non-Saccharomyces yeasts, which have not been previously described.

Morphomolecular characterization of invasive fruit borer infesting apple

Apple, a vital fruit crop worldwide and a major crop grown in northern parts of India, acts as a backbone for the survival and livelihood of the farming community. However, it is prone to severe damage from insect pests and diseases. In the past few years, due to erratic weather patterns, there has been an alarmingly increased infestation of different insect pests, both invasive and non-invasive, resulting in substantial economic losses to this industry. One similar case was seen in the Himalayan region of India, where the apple crop in Karewas was heavily damaged by some invasive fruit borer, feeding on pulp and making galleries to reach the seed locules, thereby destroying the seed material. To ascertain the true identity of this pest, a study based on morpho-molecular characterization of this pest was carried out in the Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura, SKUAST Kashmir, India, during the years 2021 and 2022. The invasive fruit samples were collected from apple orchards at different locations (experimental sites) in North India by installing delta sticky traps @ 5 traps/ha for moth collection. The fruit-boring larvae and pupa were also collected and reared in confined chambers of the laboratory with controlled temperature and humidity. All the laboratory investigations were conducted at the Division of Entomology, FoA, Wadura, SKUAST Kashmir. During the investigation, it was confirmed that the invasive borer is a codling moth (Cydia pomonella L.), a member of the family Tortricidae, order Lepidoptera, which was earlier having quarantine importance in India, as it was only present in the Ladakh region of India. From the phylogenetic analysis of sample sequences, the species of codling moth present at all experimental sites was more identical to the codling moth sequence from Leh (the northernmost arid region), India. Further, the study of life cycle and voltinism revealed that codling moth completes three generations per year in Kashmir, with a single cycle lasting up to 2.5 months. However, the timing of various generations varies, depending on prevailing weather conditions at specific locations and times. The number of generations completed by codling moth in Kashmir conditions during apple growing season was three full and a half overwintering generations. The study of the life cycle of this important pest was necessary to know the weak link for its effective management and to prevent the economic loss in apple fruit.

Safety net patients' satisfaction with oral health services by provider type and intent to return for more care.

This study examined patients' satisfaction with services provided by different oral health providers, their intent to return for additional care, and associations with patients' demographics and service characteristics. Descriptive analyses and multivariable ordinal logistic regressions were conducted using survey data from 898 patients who received care at Apple Tree Dental (ATD) in Minnesota during 2021. The questionnaire included 12 statements on patient satisfaction with the clinician's ability to explain the dental diagnosis and treatment options, to be considerate of the patient's needs and dental anxiety, and to provide technically competent services. In general, patients reported high satisfaction with dental care and a strong intent to return to ATD for future services. No significant differences in patient satisfaction were observed by provider type. Patients' intent to return was higher among non-White respondents (OR = 1.76; 95% CI = 1.06-2.92) and patients who were more satisfied with their providers' technical competence/treatment (OR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.37-1.57). The association between intent to return and patient satisfaction with providers' information/communication was stronger for patients treated by dental hygienists. The association between intent to return and patient satisfaction with providers' technical competence/treatment was also stronger for patients who were more satisfied with providers' information/communication and understanding/acceptance, and for those treated by their desired or usual provider. The study underscores the benefits of introducing dental therapists to the oral healthcare team, showing that this can be achieved without sacrificing either the quality of patient care or patient satisfaction.

An insertion in the promoter of a malate dehydrogenase gene regulates malic acid content in apple fruit.

Malic acid is an important flavor determinant in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) fruit. One known variation controlling malic acid is the A/G single nucleotide polymorphism in an aluminum-activated malate transporter gene (MdMa1). Nevertheless, there are still differences in malic acid content in apple varieties with the same Ma1 genotype (Ma1/Ma1 homozygous), such as 'Honeycrisp' (high malic acid content) and 'Qinguan' (low malic acid content), indicating that other loci may influence malic acid and fruit acidity. Here, the F1 (Filial 1) hybrid generation of 'Honeycrisp' × 'Qinguan' was used to analyze quantitative trait loci for malic acid content. A major locus (Ma7) was identified on chromosome 13. Within this locus, a malate dehydrogenase gene, MDH1 (MdMa7), was the best candidate for further study. Subcellular localization suggested that MdMa7 encodes a cytosolic protein. Overexpression and RNA interference of MdMa7 in apple fruit increased and decreased malic acid content, respectively. An insertion/deletion (indel) in the MdMa7 promoter was found to affect MdMa7 expression and malic acid content in both hybrids and other cultivated varieties. The insertion and deletion genotypes were designated as MA7 and ma7, respectively. The transcription factor MdbHLH74 was found to stimulate MdMa7 expression in the MA7 genotype but not in the ma7 genotype. Transient transformation of fruit showed that MdbHLH74 affected MdMa7 expression and malic acid content in 'Gala' (MA7/MA7) but not in 'Fuji' (ma7/ma7). Our results indicated that genetic variation in the MdMa7 (MDH1) promoter alters the binding ability of the transcription factor MdbHLH74, which alters MdMa7 (MDH1) transcription and the malic acid content in apple fruit, especially in Ma1/Ma1 homozygous accessions.

Relating microtensiometer-based trunk water potential with sap flow, canopy temperature, and trunk and fruit diameter variations for irrigated ‘Honeycrisp’ apple

Instrumentation plays a key role in modern horticulture. Thus, the microtensiomenter, a new plant-based sensor that continuously monitors trunk water potential (Ψtrunk) can help in irrigation management decisions. To compare the response of the Ψtrunk with other continuous tree water status indicators such as the sap flow rate, the difference between canopy and air temperatures, or the variations of the trunk and fruit diameter, all the sensors were installed in 2022 in a commercial orchard of ‘Honeycrisp’ apple trees with M.9 rootstocks in Washinton State (USA). From the daily evolution of the Ψtrunk, five indicators were considered: predawn, midday, minimum, daily mean, and daily range (the difference between the daily maximum and minimum values). The daily range of Ψtrunk was the most linked to the maximum daily shrinkage (MDS; R2 = 0.42), the canopy-to-air temperature (Tc-Ta; R2 = 0.32), and the sap flow rate (SF; R2 = 0.30). On the other hand, the relative fruit growth rate (FRGR) was more related to the minimum Ψtrunk (R2 = 0.33) and the daily mean Ψtrunk (R2 = 0.32) than to the daily range of Ψtrunk. All indicators derived from Ψtrunk identified changes in tree water status after each irrigation event and had low coefficients of variation and high sensitivity. These results encourage Ψtrunk as a promising candidate for continuous monitoring of tree water status, however, more research is needed to better relate these measures with other widely studied plant-based indicators and identify good combinations of sensors and threshold values.

Target Detection for Coloring and Ripening Potted Dwarf Apple Fruits Based on Improved YOLOv7-RSES

Dwarf apple is one of the most important forms of garden economy, which has become a new engine for rural revitalization. The effective detection of coloring and ripening apples in complex environments is important for the sustainable development of smart agricultural operations. Addressing the issues of low detection efficiency in the greenhouse and the challenges associated with deploying complex target detection algorithms on low-cost equipment, we propose an enhanced lightweight model rooted in YOLOv7. Firstly, we enhance the model training performance by incorporating the Squeeze-and-Excite attention mechanism, which can enhance feature extraction capability. Then, an SCYLLA-IoU (SIoU) loss function is introduced to improve the ability of extracting occluded objects in complex environments. Finally, the model was simplified by introducing depthwise separable convolution and adding a ghost module after up-sampling layers. The improved YOLOv7 model has the highest AP value, which is 10.00%, 5.61%, and 6.00% higher compared to YOLOv5, YOLOv7, and YOLOX, respectively. The improved YOLOv7 model has an MAP value of 95.65%, which provides higher apple detection accuracy compared to other detection models and is suitable for potted dwarf anvil apple identification and detection.

Scale and biometric basis of soil bioindication for apple seedlings

The studies were carried out in 2010–2022 in the Lipetsk and Tambov regions. Soil (humus horizon) was sampled from apple orchards of different ages, soil types and subtypes. For the growing season, apple seedlings of the Renet Kichunov variety from open pollination were used. With an increase in the content of physical clay in the soil from 10 to 45%, the length of seedling shoots increased from 3.5 to 15.5 cm, the total dry biomass – from 0.7 to 2.2, including leaves – from 0.3 to 1 ,0, shoots – from 0.2 to 0.6, roots – from 0.2 to 0.6 g/vessel. If the content of physical clay reaches 85%, this leads to a stop in shoot growth and a decrease in the total dry biomass. With an increase in the leached chernozem bonitet from 75 to 90 points, the height of seedlings increases from 4 to 15 cm, the total dry biomass – from 0.3 to 1.9, including leaves – from 0.1 to 0.5, shoots – from 0 .1 to 0.4, roots – from 0.1 to 1.0 g/vessel. When the age of an apple orchard changes from 1 year to 20 years, the height of apple seedlings planted on this soil decreases from 40 to 4 cm, the total dry biomass – from 6.2 to 0.6, including the mass of leaves – from 3 to 0, 3, shoots – from 1.8 to 0.2, roots – from 1.4 to 0.1 g/vessel. This allowed us to develop a biometric scale by which we can estimate the age of the soil (degree of soil fatigue) using seedlings. The obtained data make it possible to propose biometric scales for assessing changes in the granulometric composition, quality of the soil and the time it remains in the apple orchard based on the biomass of apple tree seedlings of the Renet Kichunov variety.

Characteristics of microsporogenesis in the triploid apple tree and it’s parental form in connection with usage in breeding at the polyploid level

An effective method of creating triploid apple cultivars, which are superior in their characteristics to diploid cultivars, is the crossing of heterochromosomal forms of the type: 2x×4x, 4x×2x. In order to provide a wide range of genetic diversity of riploid hybrids, it is necessary to have a large set of tetraploid donor forms of diploid gametes. A limited set of such forms is a limiting factor for this direction of breeding. And the effectiveness of work on obtaining new valuable apple varieties based on the use of the polyploidy method largely depends on their diversity Therefore, the identification of new apple tetraploids, as well as the study of cytoembryological features of their generative structures, the determination of the quality of the formed gametes necessary for successful breeding and for predicting the results of these works are relevant. Meiosis during microsporogenesis was studied in two tetraploid apple forms. To study meiosis during microsporogenesis, temporary pressed specimen were prepared by the acetohematoxylin method; the propionic-lacmoid method was used to determine the ploidy of hybrid offspring. Microscopic studies were carried out on a Nikon-50i microscope at a magnification of 10 x 105 x 40, 10 x 1.5 x 100. The analysis of the course of meiosis during microsporogenesis in apple tetraploid 34-21-39 [30-47-88(4x)×Krasa Sverdlovska(2x)] and its parent form 30-47-88 [Liberty×13-6-106 (Suvorovetz seedling)] showed that the hybrid 34-21-39 was characterized by the most correct course of meiosis. The largest percentage of deviations and the diversity of morphological types of disorders were detected in the form 30-47-88. Common types of violations were noted. Despite the presence of disorders during meiosis in tetraploid forms, microsporogenesis ended with the formation of visually normal one–dimensional pollen: 89% in the form 34-21-39 and 50% in the form 30-47-88. In combinations of crosses involving the studied forms, a high yield of triploid plants was noted. Consequently, the tetraploid apple forms 34-21-39 and 30-47-88 can be recommended for hybridization for the purpose of mass production of triploid seedlings. The results allow us to conclude that the tetraploid apple forms 34-21-39 and 30-47-88 can be used in breeding as pollinators in heteroploid crosses (2x×4x) to obtain triploid genotypes.

Effects of beam power and feed rate in the process of cutting fresh wood with a CO2 laser on water contact angle on the cut surface

The paper describes a study on the effects of beam power and feed rate in the process of cutting fresh wood with a CO2 laser on water contact angle on the cut surface. The study involved several broadleaved tree species (oak, birch, alder, plum, and apple tree) and one coniferous species (pine). Samples were cut with a Trumpf TLC1005 laser equipped with a TruFlow 6000 CO2 resonator at a wavelength of 10.6 μm at three power output settings (1 kW, 2 kW, and 3 kW) and one feed rate (0.4 m∙min− 1). Contact angle was measured by pipetting a drop of distilled water on the wood surface and recording the process with a camera. Subsequently, images of the drop were analyzed over one minute at 10 s intervals to determine changes in contact angle for each of the cases examined. It was not possible to measure the contact angle on saw-cut samples as the water was immediately absorbed, while water drops placed on laser-cut samples remained on the surface for over 60 s, with the contact angle decreasing over time for the examined species from an average of 90° to 40°. The higher beam power settings (2 or 3 kW) were found to be preferable for the hardwood species (oak, birch, alder, and apple tree). In turn, in the case of the softwood species (pine), the laser power output did not matter, as both at the low (1 kW) and high (3 kW) settings the drop did not spread over the surface quickly. Finally, the optimum beam power for plum tree wood was found to be 1 kW.

Specific Leaf Area and Photosynthesis of Apple Trees Under a Dynamic Agrivoltaic System

It has been assumed that crops cultivated in agrivoltaics (AV) systems can produce enough carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis because they are expose to an excess of light. However, many studies have shown increases in specific leaf area (SLA) under shading that can be associated to reductions in the photosynthetic capacity of leaves. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of severe and fluctuating AV shading on apple leaf morphophysiological characteristics (SLA and photosynthesis). 10-year-old ’Golden Delicious’ apple trees grown in a dynamic AV system were monitored over three consecutive seasons (2019 to 2021) along with a control without panels. From February 2019 until July 2021, the photovoltaic modules rotated to maximise tree shading (15 hours of shading per day in summer). From July 2021 onwards, a lighter shading strategy was tested (5.8 hours of shading per day in summer). SLA at several dates was always higher for trees in the AV system (bigger individual leaf area but thinner leaves). SLA was not modified when light availability was increased late in the season. Light response curves indicated a lower saturation point for leaves grown in the AV system and a linear negative relationship was found between SLA and maximal photosynthetic capacity. To avoid leaf morphology modifications due to shade acclimatation, we propose to avoid severe shading during leaf development. We expect this study will provide a better understanding on how to modulate the light microclimate at specific times of the season in dynamic AV systems.

FruitPhenoBox – a device for rapid and automated fruit phenotyping of small sample sizes

BackgroundFruit appearance of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is accession-specific and one of the main criteria for consumer choice. Consequently, fruit appearance is an important selection criterion in the breeding of new cultivars. It is also used for the description of older varieties or landraces. In commercial apple production, sorting devices are used to classify large numbers of fruit from a few cultivars. In contrast, the description of fruit from germplasm collections or breeding programs is based on only a few fruit from many accessions and is mostly performed visually by pomology experts. Such visual ratings are laborious, often difficult to compare and remain subjective.ResultsHere we report on a morphometric device, the FruitPhenoBox, for automated fruit weighing and appearance description using computer-based analysis of five images per fruit. Recording of approximately 100 fruit from each of 15 apple cultivars using the FruitPhenoBox was rapid, with an average handling and recording time of less than eleven seconds per fruit. Comparison of fruit images from the 15 apple cultivars identified significant differences in shape index, fruit width, height and weight. Fruit shape was characteristic for each cultivar, while fruit color showed larger variation within sample sets. Assessing a subset of 20 randomly selected fruit per cultivar, fruit height, width and weight were described with a relative margin of error of 2.6%, 2.2%, and 6.2%, respectively, calculated from the mean value of all available fruit.ConclusionsThe FruitPhenoBox allows for the rapid and consistent description of fruit appearance from individual apple accessions. By relating the relative margin of error for fruit width, height and weight description with different sample sizes, it was possible to determine an appropriate fruit sample size to efficiently and accurately describe the recorded traits. Therefore, the FruitPhenoBox is a useful tool for breeding and the description of apple germplasm collections.

Modifying of magnetic UiO-66-NH2 as a new nanosorbent by thermo-alkali-hydrolysis technology for highly efficient enrichment and determination of quercetin in apple peel

For rapid separation of quercetin from apple peel, a novel magnetic nanomaterial was prepared by a simple and economical thermal alkaline hydrolysis method in this study. This magnetic nanomaterial was obtained by mixing and then heating magUiO-66-NH2 (magnetic University of Oslo 66-NH2) with 0.05 mol·L−1 KOH aqueous solution, and was named magUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 (magUiO-66-NH2-mixed heating0.05), which has better magnetic properties, thermal stability, pore capacity and average pore size than magUiO-66-NH2. The obtained magUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 had strong adsorption capacity for quercetin, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 65.30 mg·g−1. MagUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 tends to be monolayer-layer adsorption for quercetin, and electron sharing or transfer may occur during the adsorption process. Compared with naringenin, naringin and gallic acid, magUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 showed good recognition ability for quercetin, and the recovery rate was good. After 7 cycles, the removal rate of magUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 for quercetin was 96.3 % of the initial adsorption capacity. A magnetic solid-phase extraction method coupled with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography based on magUiO-66-NH2-MH0.05 was successfully used for rapid separation and determination of quercetin in apple peel. This study will help to discover the experimental law of the treatment of UiO-66-NH2 nanomaterials by hot alkaline hydrolysis, reveal the reaction mechanism, and expand the application of UiO-66-NH2 nanomaterials in food analysis.

In Vitro Approbation of Microbial Preparations to Shield Fruit Crops from Fire Blight: Physio-Biochemical Parameters.

The need for the increasing geographical spread of fire blight (FB) affecting fruit crops to be addressed led to large-scale chemicalization of the environmental matrices and reduction of plant productivity. The current study aimed to assess the effects of novel biopreparations at different exposure durations on photosynthetic pigment content and antioxidant enzyme activity in leaves of apple and pear varieties with varying levels of resistance to FB. Biopreparations were formulated from a cultural broth containing Lacticaseibacillus paracasei M12 or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MB40 isolated from apple trees' phyllosphere. Aseptic leaves from blight-resistant (endemic Malus sieversii cv. KG10), moderately resistant (Pyrus pyraster cv. Wild), and susceptible (endangered Malus domestica cv. Aport and Pyrus communis cv. Shygys) varieties were employed. The impact of biopreparations on fruit crop antioxidant systems and photosynthetic apparatuses was investigated in vitro. Study results indicated that FB-resistant varieties exhibit enhanced adaptability and oxidative stress resistance compared to susceptible ones. Plant response to biopreparations varied based on the plant's initial FB sensitivity and exposure duration. Indeed, biopreparations improved the adaptive response of the assimilation apparatus, protein synthesis, and catalase and superoxide dismutase activity in susceptible varieties, suggesting that biopreparations have the potential for future commercialization to manage FB in fruit crops.

Cultivation of graft material of apple and pear trees in intensive uterine cuttings plantations

Cultivation of graft material of apple and pear trees in intensive uterine cuttings plantations

Zero‐shot insect detection via weak language supervision

AbstractCheap and ubiquitous sensing has made collecting large agricultural datasets relatively straightforward. These large datasets (for instance, citizen science data curation platforms like iNaturalist) can pave the way for developing powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models for detection and counting. However, traditional supervised learning methods require labeled data, and manual annotation of these raw datasets with useful labels (such as bounding boxes or segmentation masks) can be extremely laborious, expensive, and error‐prone. In this paper, we demonstrate the power of zero‐shot computer vision methods—a new family of approaches that require (almost) no manual supervision—for plant phenomics applications. Focusing on insect detection as the primary use case, we show that our models enable highly accurate detection of insects in a variety of challenging imaging environments. Our technical contributions are two‐fold: (a) We curate the Insecta rank class of iNaturalist to form a new benchmark dataset of approximately 6 million images consisting of 2526 agriculturally and ecologically important species, including pests and beneficial insects. (b) Using a vision‐language object detection method coupled with weak language supervision, we are able to automatically annotate images in this dataset with bounding box information localizing the insect within each image. Our method succeeds in detecting diverse insect species present in a wide variety of backgrounds, producing high‐quality bounding boxes in a zero‐shot manner with no additional training cost. This open dataset can serve as a use‐inspired benchmark for the AI community. We demonstrate that our method can also be used for other applications in plant phenomics, such as fruit detection in images of strawberry and apple trees. Overall, our framework highlights the promise of zero‐shot approaches to make high‐throughput plant phenotyping more affordable.

Enhanced Biodiesel Production from Waste Cooking Oil Using Potash-Enriched Natural Base Catalyst

The transesterification reaction of waste cooking oil with methanol using a sugar apple peel ash catalyst has been reported. Under optimized conditions, the reaction of the oil with methanol in a molar ratio of 1:10, in the presence of a catalyst (2 g) at 60 °C temperature offered a 94.5% yield of biodiesel within 120 min. The heterogeneous catalyst was developed via a straightforward calcination process using fruit processing industry waste peels of sugar apples. The characterization of the catalyst by FTIR, EDS, SEM, XRD, N2 sorption, and XRF analysis revealed a higher concentration of potassium species which is possibly responsible for the promotion of the transesterification reaction more efficiently. This approach offers cost competitiveness, reusability of the catalyst, simplicity of operation, and high biodiesel yields. This study underscores the potential of utilizing waste materials for sustainable biodiesel production, contributing to environmental preservation and economic viability.

Exogenous Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) Improves 'Ruixue' Apple Fruit Quality by Regulating Cell Wall Metabolism.

'Ruixue' apples were used as the test material to study the effect of 10 μM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the quality and cell wall metabolism of apples after 18 d of storage. The results showed that MeJA significantly decreased the respiratory rate, reduced the titratable acid content and maintained a high soluble solids content. MeJA has been shown to suppress the activities and gene expressions of WSP, CSP, ISP, and cellulose in contrast to the control group, thereby maintaining a lower cell permeability and higher exocarp firmness. MeJA significantly decreased the expression of MdACS, MdACO, MdPL, Mdgal, and MdPG genes in the apple exocarp when compared to the control group. In addition, the overexpression of MdPL18 increased the content of cell wall polysaccharides such as WSP and CSP, enhanced cell wall-degrading enzyme activities, and accelerated fruit ripening and softening, whereas silencing MdPL18 did the opposite. Together, these results demonstrate that exogenous MeJA maintains the Ruixue apple fruit quality by regulating the metabolism of cell wall substances.