Late Season Research Articles

Chemical management strategies for halo blight of hop and in vitro sensitivity of Diaporthe humulicola populations to various fungicide classes.

Halo blight of hop, caused by Diaporthe humulicola, has increased in eastern North America since 2018. When left untreated, the disease can cause yield loss ranging from 17-56%. Currently, there are no fungicides registered for use on halo blight of hop. From 2020 to 2022 field trials were conducted using 10 fungicides registered for use on powdery and downy mildew of hop to determine their efficacy against halo blight. To validate field results, the EC50 value was determined for each active ingredient including flutriafol, tebuconazole + fluopyram, cyflufenamid, and trifloxystrobin + salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). Each fungicide tested had an EC50 value less than 50 ppm. A discriminatory dose was used to test the sensitivity of 206 D. humulicola isolates collected from the eastern U.S. and Canada in a poison agar assay. Results showed that tebuconazole + fluopyram decreased the incidence and severity of halo blight in the field. Also, this fungicide combination had EC50 values of 2.26 x 10-1 ppm and significantly reduced the growth of most of the isolates tested. Trifloxystrobin + SHAM decreased the presence of halo blight in the field tiral, but some isolates were less sensitive in discriminatory dose testing. Our results show that fungicides in FRAC groups 3, 7, and 11 were the most effective to control halo blight. Analyses of field trials showed a positive correlation between the severity of early season downy mildew infections and late season halo blight infections.

Growth yield performance of different hybrid cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae var. botrytis L.) cultivars in Dang, Nepal

Cauliflower is commonly grown in terai and mid-hills during the winter season (September to December), thus known as mid-season cole crop in the context of Nepal. As this cropping period possess favorable environmental condition to grow, and the production cost is comparatively lower and productivity is higher as compared to early and late seasons crop. Farmers are cultivating various hybrid (F1) cultivars to increase the yield and income. Every year, several hybrids are being imported in Nepal and there needs a varietal trial before being recommended at farmer’s field. Thus, this experiment was conducted at horticulture farm of Campus of Live Sciences. Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022 AD) to evaluate the growth and yield attributes of five hybrid cauliflower cultivars. Cultivars viz. Snow Best, Snow Crown, Super White Top, Rami and Damy were treated as treatment and replicated four times in Randomized Complete Block Design. The experiment showed that cultivar Super White Top and Snow Crown had desirable vegetative characteristics, better yield, and higher harvest index as compared to other cultivars. Hence, Super White Top and Snow Crown could be promoted for cultivation in the agro climatic zones related to that of Tulsipur, Dang. Considering the economically important growth and yield attributes Super White Top and Snow Crown were found to be the suitable mid-season hybrid cultivars in Dang condition.

Reduced Streamflow From Water Diversion Alters Stream Ecology and Fish Behavior

ABSTRACTUnderstanding invertebrate and fish responses to altered streamflows is important for water management that balances ecological function and societal needs. We studied the impacts of a significant water diversion on a stream food web, including benthic biofilms, benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI), and drifting macroinvertebrates. In the dry season, drift flux (number of aquatic individuals or biomass/s) and drift concentration (individual/m3) were lower below the diversion than above. Drift concentration (biomass/m3) was slightly higher below the diversion, due to the presence of large Trichopterans. All measures of drift dropped to nearly zero at the end of the dry season below the diversion, when streamflows were reduced by > 90% below the diversion relative to above, representing a significant loss of food resources for trout. Simultaneously, native Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) switched from drift to benthic foraging 1 month earlier below the diversion as drift and water velocities declined. The ecology of the benthos was not as impacted by the diversion: BMI densities were higher below the diversion, while benthic biofilm densities were similar at the two sites. The taxonomic composition of BMI was also similar between the sites, but fewer Ephemeroptera entered the drift below the diversion. Overall, the late season decrease in drift below the diversion despite the similar or higher benthic production suggests that streamflows influence food availability for trout even in the absence of benthic responses. Reduced streamflows, due to water diversions as studied here, or due to climate change, will likely reduce food resources and growth opportunities for fishes.

The influence of fire mosaics on mammal occurrence in north-western Australia

BackgroundUnderstanding the relationship between fire and species habitat preferences is critical in an era of rapid environmental change. In northern Australia, large, intense, and frequent fires are thought to be a primary cause of mammal population declines, particularly through their influence on habitat suitability. Here, we used a large species presence database in combination with satellite-derived fire history data to assess the influence of fire attributes, including burn extent, frequency, and pyrodiversity, on the likelihood of occurrence of eight mammal species in north-west Western Australia.ResultsThe likelihood of occurrence declined for some species with an increasing proportion of recently burnt habitat and increased for most species with an increasing proportion of long unburnt habitat. The occurrence of six species was negatively correlated with increasing fire frequency, while the occurrence of four species was positively correlated with increasing pyrodiversity.ConclusionsOur results indicate that fire likely plays an important role in influencing mammal occurrence in the Pilbara and support previous research indicating that frequent large-scale burns have a mostly negative impact on small to medium-sized mammals in northern Australia. To improve mammal habitat suitability, land managers should aim to reduce the extent of large late dry season burns and increase the availability of mature spinifex grasslands.

Diapause, pollen ball incidence, and overwintering energetics in the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata

IntroductionWarming summer temperatures have the potential to harm managed pollinators, impacting both summer performance and overwintering success. The alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata, is a solitary bee used for commercial pollination of alfalfa. M. rotundata undergoes facultative diapause in the prepupal stage. Prepupae that diapause early in the season are exposed to warm temperatures for a longer period of time than the individuals that start diapause closer to fall, which may reduce lipid reserves required for overwintering survival. Warm temperatures may also contribute to pollen ball incidence, which is when a provision is present but there is no sign of a larva in the brood cell. Our goal was to identify factors that regulate diapause and pollen ball incidence and examine effects of pre-wintering field conditions on post-overwintering energy reserves in M. rotundata.MethodsNest boxes were installed near Fargo, ND, Laramie, WY, and Las Cruces, NM, which exposed bees to different photoperiods and thermal regimes. Three nest boxes were placed at each site. We monitored nesting conditions and diapause and pollen ball incidence throughout the season. Lipids, sugars, and glycogen reserves were measured in adults after overwintering.Results and DiscussionOur models indicate that most of the variation in diapause incidence was explained by nest, with individuals within a nest tending to have the same diapause outcome. This suggests that the environmental conditions experienced by the mother, or genetic predisposition, influences offspring diapause. We also found evidence that high cavity temperatures can cause diapause aversion. In addition, our study is the first to link high nesting cavity temperatures to increased pollen ball incidence. Exposure to stressful temperatures during development and early diapause resulted in an increase in adult lipid reserves after overwintering. Adult sugar and glycogen reserves were not affected by exposure to warm temperatures during development and early diapause. In conclusion, maternal effects and temperature were important factors for diapause and pollen ball incidence in M. rotundata with macronutrient reserves similar for early and late season bees.

Real-World Effectiveness of Nirsevimab Against Respiratory Syncytial Virus: A Test-Negative Case-Control Study.

Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, has demonstrated efficacy against RSV-related lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in clinical trials. Post-licensure monitoring is essential to confirm these benefits in real-world settings. To evaluate the real-world effectiveness of nirsevimab against medically attended RSV infections in infants and to assess how effectiveness varies by disease severity, dosage, and time since immunization. This test-negative case-control study used inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room data from the Yale New Haven Health System. Nirsevimab-eligible infants who were tested for RSV using polymerase chain reaction between October 1, 2023 and May 9, 2024 were included. Cases were infants with confirmed RSV infections; controls were those who tested negative. Nirsevimab immunization, verified through state immunization registries. Effectiveness was estimated using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for age, calendar month, and individual risk factors. Separate models examined effectiveness by clinical setting, disease severity, dose, and time since immunization. Broader outcomes, including all-cause LRTI and LRTI-related hospitalization, were also analyzed, with stratification by early and late respiratory seasons. The analytic sample included 3,090 infants (median age 6.7 months, IQR 3.6-9.7), with 680 (22.0%) RSV-positive and 2,410 (78.0%) RSV-negative. 21 (3.1%) RSV-positive and 309 (12.8%) RSV-negative infants received nirsevimab. Effectiveness against RSV infection was 68.4% (95% CI, 50.3%-80.8%). Effectiveness was 61.6% (95% CI, 35.6%-78.6%) for outpatient visits and 80.5% (95% CI, 52.0%-93.5%) for hospitalizations. The highest effectiveness, 84.6% (95% CI, 58.7%-95.6%), was observed against severe RSV outcomes requiring ICU admission or high-flow oxygen. Although effectiveness against RSV infections declined over time, it remained significant at 55% (95% credible interval, 16%-75%) at 14 weeks post-immunization. Protective effectiveness was also observed against all-cause LRTI and LRTI-related hospitalizations during peak RSV season (49.4% [95% CI, 10.7%-72.9%] and 79.1% [95% CI, 27.6%-94.9%], respectively). However, from February to May, when RSV positivity was low, effectiveness against these broader outcomes was negligible. Nirsevimab provided substantial protection against RSV-related outcomes for at least three months. These findings support the continued use of nirsevimab and provide evidence that may help build public confidence in the immunization program. Question: What is the effectiveness of nirsevimab against medically attended respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in infants?Findings: 680 RSV test-positive cases and 2,410 RSV test-negative controls were included in this test-negative case-control study. Nirsevimab's effectiveness was 69% against RSV infections, 81% against RSV-associated hospitalization, and 85% against severe RSV disease. Effectiveness against RSV infection declined from 79% at 2 weeks post-immunization to 55% at 14 weeks post-immunization.Meaning: Nirsevimab provides strong protection against a wide range of RSV outcomes, but its effectiveness diminishes over time. These data can be utilized to optimize nirsevimab's implementation and sustain its uptake.

Yield Difference between Different Cultivation Techniques under Ultrasonic Treatment Driven by Radiation Use Efficiency.

Ultrasonic treatment and optimal cultivation techniques are both conducive to the high yield of super rice in South China. Many previous studies have shown that the increase in intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR) and radiation use efficiency (RUE) is an important reason for high rice yield. Field experiments were conducted over two years to evaluate the effects of IPAR and RUE on the yield under different treatments (CK: conventional cultivation technique without ultrasonic treatment; T1: conventional cultivation technique with ultrasonic treatment; T2: super rice-specific cultivation technique without ultrasonic treatment and T3: super rice-specific cultivation technique with ultrasonic treatment), with two representative rice varieties, Wufengyou-615 (WFY) and Jingnongsimiao (JNSM) during the late seasons of rice cultivation in South China. The super rice-specific cultivation technique and the ultrasonic treatment could significantly increase the yield, which was significantly (p < 0.01) and positively correlated with panicle number, grain-filling rate, and aboveground total dry weight. The higher grain yield depended more highly on higher RUE in the mid-tillering stage and maturity stage. The results of multiple-regression models also showed that the contributions of IPAR and RUE to yield were significant (p < 0.01). Conclusively, IPAR and RUE contributed a lot to yield progress of super rice in both super rice-specific cultivation techniques with fewer times of topdressing and ultrasonic treatment in South China. It is worth further studying how to reasonably improve the RUE of high-RUE varieties through other means.

Climate driven response of the Iceland‐East Greenland‐Jan Mayen capelin distribution

AbstractClimate change is altering the distribution of marine organisms worldwide. This may, in turn, affect the overall structure and functioning of ecosystems, sometimes leading to low productive regimes. Pronounced shifts in distribution and migration have been observed for capelin (Mallotus villosus), one of the ecologically and commercially important species in the Arctic. This study attempts to discern whether a relationship existed between the altered capelin dynamics and the changing physical environmental conditions in the Iceland‐East Greenland‐Jan Mayen region. More specifically, three species distribution models were used to predict hindcasts (pre‐shift years 1993–2002) and nowcasts (post‐shift years 2003–2019) of capelin distribution based on relationships with temperature, salinity, current speed, net primary productivity, and bathymetry. The predicted probability of occurrence over these two time periods demonstrates that the changing environmental conditions have contributed to the modified distribution of the stock during its late feeding season in autumn and during the onset of spawning season in winter. The multi‐model approach used in this study has provided a solid statistical framework to describe the environmental niche of capelin and its potential responses to changing ocean climate.

Chemical Preservatives, Adulterants, and Antibiotic Residues in Raw Cow’s Milk in Khartoum State, Sudan

Objective: This study investigate the influence of season on the occurrence of adulteration by chemical preservatives and antibiotic residues (beta-lactam, tetracycline and sulfonamides) in the raw milk in the main towns of Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods: The milk samples (n = 270) were randomly collected from farms (90 samples), groceries (90 samples) and vendors (90 samples) during late summer and winter seasons, 135 samples during each season. The samples were placed in cool cracked ice and transported immediately to the laboratory for analysis. Results: Data revealed a high presence of the added water in the milk collected from vendors during late summer season (7.70 +- 9.46%). Also, hydrogen peroxide, starch and formalin were detected only in the milk obtained from vendors. However, the higher percentages of salt (32%) and ammonium sulphate (28%) were obtained in the milk samples collected from the groceries during late summer season, while the occurrenc of ammonium sulphate was 26% in the samples collected from vendors during winter season. On the other hand, 93% of the milk samples examined during late summer season were positive for the occurrence of antibiotic residues compared to 55% that was detected during winter season. The highest percentage of antibiotic residues (26%) was found in milk from groceries during the winter season. Milk samples from vendors during late summer season contained beta-lactam, tetracycline, and sulfonamide in 19%, 13%, and 1% of samples, respectively, while these figures were 20%, 2%, and 3%, respectively, during winter season. Conclusions: The addition of water followed by the presence of salt and antibiotics are the most adulterants found in raw milk sold in Khartoum State especially from vendors during late summer season.

Climate change increases flowering duration, driving phenological reassembly and elevated co-flowering richness.

Changes to flowering phenology are a key response of plants to climate change. However, we know little about how these changes alter temporal patterns of reproductive overlap (i.e. phenological reassembly). We combined long-term field (1937-2012) and herbarium records (1850-2017) of 68 species in a flowering plant community in central North America and used a novel application of Bayesian quantile regression to estimate changes to flowering season length, altered richness and composition of co-flowering assemblages, and whether phenological shifts exhibit seasonal trends. Across the past century, phenological shifts increased species' flowering durations by 11.5 d on average, which resulted in 94% of species experiencing greater flowering overlap at the community level. Increases to co-flowering were particularly pronounced in autumn, driven by a greater tendency of late season species to shift the ending of flowering later and to increase flowering duration. Our results demonstrate that species-level phenological shifts can result in considerable phenological reassembly and highlight changes to flowering duration as a prominent, yet underappreciated, effect of climate change. The emergence of an autumn co-flowering mode emphasizes that these effects may be season-dependent.

Unraveling Calcium Absorption and Distribution in Peach and Nectarine during Fruit Development through 44Ca Isotope Labeling.

Calcium foliar applications are known to effectively enhance peach quality; however, the optimal implementation strategy regarding fruit developmental stages and cultivars remains unclear. In this study, three different moments of fruit Ca applications in peach and nectarine are tested: Early season, Mid-season, and Late season. For this aim, the 44Ca isotope was used as a tracer, enabling the quantification and location of the Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer. Stone, flesh, and skin 44Ca enrichment was separately analyzed at harvest. The results indicate that Ca absorption in the fruits from external CaCl2 applications was influenced by the timing of the application during fruit development, with Late-season applications proving to be the most effective in increasing the Ca content in the fruit, corresponding with a higher fruit size at the application moment. Nevertheless, no differences in the absorption efficiency were found between the three timings of the application. Furthermore, the Ca from the foliar fertilizer in the fruit predominately remained in the flesh, followed by the skin. The Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer reached the stone in all of the experimental situations, but the Early- and Mid-season applications resulted in the highest amount of Ca derived from the fertilizer in this part of the fruit. Interestingly, the peach exhibited a higher Ca absorption efficiency compared to the nectarine, likely due to the presence of trichomes that retain the foliar fertilizer on the fruit surface. In conclusion, the Ca absorption and distribution in peaches depends on the cultivar and timing of the Ca application.

Dormancy of a specialist herbivore, Anthonomus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in a dry tropical forest.

The life history aspects of dormancy of the weevil Anthonomus rufipennis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were studied a 57-month period in a seasonally dry tropical forest of central Mexico. Weevil populations and their physiological status were monitored on both the reproductive host tree, Senna polyantha (Collad.) H.S: Irwin & Barneby (Fabales: Fabaceae) and the highly favored refuge host, Tillandsia recurvata L. (Poales: Bromeliaceae) or "ball moss." During the dry season, weevils were only found on the refuge host with a mean total density of 1.014 ± 2.532 individuals/ball moss (N = 1,681). Weevil densities on T. recurvata between early and late dry seasons were not significantly different, suggesting that dry season survival was relatively high. Weevils collected during these seasons revealed little reproductive development and relatively high-fat accumulation in both sexes. During 5 of 6 yr, densities of the weevils in T. recurvata dropped significantly during the early rainy seasons, when the reproductive host trees leafed out and began producing oviposition sites (flower buds). At this time, more males than females initially moved to vegetative trees and showed significant signs of reproductive development. Recolonization of ball moss by weevils began during the late rainy season when oviposition sites (flower buds) were still available. A proportion of the weevils remained on the reproductive host, suggesting that A. rufipennis is facultatively multivoltine. The methodologies and results of the study can serve as a model system for future studies of the dormancy of other insects in dry tropical forests and provide insight into the dormancy of other anthonomine weevils of economic importance.

Volatilome changes during black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) ontogeny

The aroma is critical in the reproductive biology of truffles and in their commercial quality. However, previous research has almost exclusively focused on characterizing ripe ascocarps. We characterized the volatilome of the highly-prized black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) ascocarps from July, in an early development stage, to March, in the late harvesting season, and investigated the relationships among aroma, ascocarp growth and morphogenetic development. The aroma profile was analyzed using a head space gas chromatography technique coupled with mass spectrometer. Seventy-one volatile compounds were identified and three development stages were clearly distinguished according to the volatile profile. In unripe ascocarps of July-September, the profile was dominated by methanethiol (19 %), 4-penten-2-ol (11 %) and acetone (11 %), the monthly mean weight of ascocarps ranged 2–20 g, and morphogenetic stages 4-6a were prevalent. In unripe ascocarps of October-December, the most abundant volatiles were 4-penten-2-ol (21 %), methanethiol (20 %) and ethanol (13 %), the monthly mean ascocarp weight ranged 28–43 g, and morphogenetic stages 6a, 6b-c were prevalent. In ripe ascocarps (December-March), the most abundant volatiles were 4-penten-2-ol (17 %), dimethyl sulfide (16 %) and ethanol (10 %), ascocarp weight did not increase significantly, and 6b-c was practically the sole morphogenetic stage. Thirty volatiles were associated to one of these three development stages. Amongst those with higher occurrence, 4-penten-2-ol, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl acetate, 2-pentanol and 2-butanone were associated to ripe truffles, whereas methanethiol, isobutyl isobutyrate, butanedione and 3-methylanisole were associated to unripe truffles.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis Provides New Insights into Improved Grain-filling in Ratoon Season Rice

Grain-filling of rice spikelets (particularly for the later flowering inferior spikelets) is an important characteristic that affects both quality and yield. Rice ratooning technology is used to cultivate a second crop from dormant buds that sprout from stubble left after the first harvest. This study used two rice varieties, the conventional indica rice ‘Jinhui 809’ and the hybrid indica-japonica rice ‘Yongyou 1540’, to assess the impact of rice ratooning on grain-filling. The results indicated that the grain-filling process in inferior spikelets of ratoon season rice (ISR) showed significant improvement compared to inferior spikelets of main crop (late season) rice (ISL). This improvement was evident in the earlier onset of rapid grain-filling, higher seed-setting percentage, and improved grain quality. A label-free quantitative proteomic analysis using mass spectrometry identified 1724 proteins with significant abundance changes, shedding light on the molecular mechanisms behind the improved grain-filling in ISR. The functional analysis of these proteins indicated that ratooning stimulated the metabolic processes of sucrose-starch, trehalose, and hormones in rice inferior spikelets, leading to enhanced enzyme activities related to starch synthesis, elevated concentrations of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and zeatin riboside (ZR) during the active grain-filling phase. This research highlighted the importance of the GF14f protein as a key regulator in the grain-filling process of ISR. It revealed that GF14f transcriptional and protein levels declined more rapidly in ISR compared to ISL during grain-filling. Additionally, the GF14f-RNAi plants specific to the endosperm exhibited improved quality in inferior spikelets. These findings suggest that the enhancement of starch synthesis, increased levels of IAA, ZR, and T6P, along with the rapid decrease in GF14f protein, play a role in enhancing grain-filling in ratoon season rice.

On the importance of plant phenology in the evaporative process of a semi-arid woodland: could it be why satellite-based evaporation estimates in the miombo differ?

Abstract. The miombo woodland is the largest dry woodland formation in sub-Saharan Africa, covering an estimated area of 2.7–3.6 million km2. Compared to other global ecosystems, the miombo woodland demonstrates unique interactions between plant phenology and climate. For instance, it experiences an increase in the leaf area index (LAI) during the dry season. However, due to limited surface exchange observations in the miombo region, there is a lack of information regarding the effect of these properties on miombo woodland evaporation. It is crucial to have a better understanding of miombo evaporation for accurate hydrological and climate modelling in this region. Currently, the only available regional evaporation estimates are based on satellite data. However, the accuracy of these estimates is questionable due to the scarcity of field estimates with which to compare. Therefore, this study aims to compare the temporal dynamics and magnitudes of six satellite-based evaporation estimates – the Topography-driven Flux Exchange (FLEX-Topo) model, Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM), Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) MOD16 product, operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model, Thornthwaite–Mather climatic Water Balance (TerraClimate) dataset, and Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data (WaPOR) – during different phenophases in the miombo woodland of the Luangwa Basin, a representative river basin in southern Africa. The goal of this comparison is to determine if the temporal dynamics and magnitudes of the satellite-based evaporation estimates align with the documented feedback between miombo woodland and climate. In the absence of basin-scale field observations, actual evaporation estimates based on the multi-annual water balance (Ewb) are used for comparison. The results show significant discrepancies among the satellite-based evaporation estimates during the dormant and green-up and mid-green-up phenophases. These phenophases involve substantial changes in miombo species' canopy phenology, including the co-occurrence of leaf fall and leaf flush, as well as access to deeper moisture stocks to support leaf flush in preparation for the rainy season. The satellite-based evaporation estimates show the highest agreement during the senescence phenophase, which corresponds to the period of high temperature, high soil moisture, high leaf chlorophyll content, and highest LAI (i.e. late rainy season into the cool-dry season). In comparison to basin-scale actual evaporation, all six satellite-based evaporation estimates appear to underestimate evaporation. Satellite-based evaporation estimates do not accurately represent evaporation in this data-sparse region, which has a phenology and seasonality that significantly differ from the typical case in data-rich ground-truth locations. This may also be true for other locations with limited data coverage. Based on this study, it is crucial to conduct field-based observations of evaporation during different miombo species phenophases to improve satellite-based evaporation estimates in miombo woodlands.

Assessment of florpyrauxifen-benzyl in water-seeded rice systems as affected by application timing

Florpyrauxifen-benzyl (FPB) is a novel auxin mimic rice herbicide used to control selected grasses, sedges, and broadleaves. Field experiments were conducted in 2020–2022 to 1) characterize the effects of FPB on rice crop safety and weed control when applied alone or in a mixture, 2) determine the FPB application timing to optimize smallflower umbrella sedge (SMF) control, and 3) evaluate the effect of late season application on rice flower sterility. In the first study, FPB was applied alone at 15, 30, and 60 g ai ha−1 and in mixture with bispyribac-sodium, penoxsulam, and propanil. FPB applied alone at 30 g ha−1 at 4–5-leaf (LF) rice stage controlled more than 80% of watergrasses, ricefield bulrush, and SMF and more than 99% of all broadleaf weeds at 28 days after treatment (DAT). The mixture treatments of FPB plus bispyribac-sodium applied at maximum use rate had the greatest grass weed control whereas, FPB plus propanil at the maximum use rate provided the greatest sedge control. In the second study, FPB at 40 g ha−1 was applied at 1-LF, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25-cm tall SMF, where treatments controlled 95%, 86%, 89%, 87%, and 85% of SMF at 42 DAT, respectively. In the third study, FPB at 40 and 80 g ha−1 rate was applied at rice panicle initiation (PI) and 50% flowering (FL) growth stages. While the weed control was more than 90% at 42 DAT for all applications, the FL stage application caused 26% and 35% rice panicle blanking at 40 and 80 g ha−1 rate, respectively. This research suggests, the window of FPB application should be from 2-LF rice to rice PI stage to ensure crop safety and highest weed control.

Interdecadal change in the relationship between the South China late rainy season rainfall and equatorial Pacific SSTs

Abstract The South China (SC) late rainy season rainfall (SCLR) is important to people’s livelihoods and properties of this densely populated and economically developed region. Based on observation and reanalysis datasets, this study identifies that the relationship between the SCLR and equatorial Pacific SSTs (EPSSTs) experiences an interdecadal change around the late 1970s. The SCLR is negatively correlated with the eastern EPSSTs during 1948–1977 (the previous epoch) but positively correlated with the central EPSSTs during 1978–2022, especially during the last three decades 1993–2022 (the post epoch). This is due to the interdecadal change in El Niño flavors and EPSSTs-tropical Atlantic SSTs (TASSTs) relationship. With the increasing frequency of central Pacific El Niños in the post epoch, the El Niño-related warm SST anomaly center shifts from the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) to the central equatorial Pacific (CEP). Correspondingly, the anomalous cyclone exerted by the CEP warming reaches SC and causes rainfall surplus there (westward propagation pathway). In contrast, the EEP warming in the previous epoch can’t influence the SCLR through the westward propagation pathway, but through shifting the westerly jet southward via heating the tropical troposphere. The southward shifted westerly jet crashes the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, triggering cyclonic circulations across the northern East Asia and North Pacific, which in turn cause anticyclonic circulations over the western SC and reduce SC rainfall (eastward propagation pathway). On the other hand, the CEP warming in the post epoch barely influence the SCLR through the eastward propagation pathway because of the enhanced negative relationship between EPSSTs and TASSTs.&amp;#xD;

Effect of Different Levels of Farmyard Manure (FYM) Integrated with Organic Modules on Yield, Quality and Pest Incidence of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

The study was conducted during late Kharif season during 2021-22 and 2022-23 at administrative office (PGIHS), Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University, Mulugu, Telangana, India. The experiment was laid out in contrast factorial randomized block design (CFRBD) with two factors i.e., factor-1 consists of three levels of FYM and factor-2 consists of three organic modules and separate control (100% RDF) plot was grown and replicated thrice. The pooled results indicated that, control treatment (100 % RDF-100:50:50 kg NPK/ha) reported highest number of fruits per plant (19.05), highest fruit weight (14.72 g), maximum fruit yield per plant (0.28 kg), maximum fruit yield per hectare (9.52 t/ha) over the other treatments. L1M1 (FYM equivalent to 100 % RDN + organic module-1) registered minimum crude fibre content (7.10%), and maximum chlorophyll content in fresh fruit (1.19 mg/100g). While, minimum mean percent of fruit infestation (6.28%) was reported with control (100% RDF-100:50:50kg NPK/ha + emamectin benzoate 5%SG @ 70 g/200 lit) and lowest mean population of jassid per leaf (1.08/leaf), was recorded with control (100 % RDF-100:50:50 kg NPK/ha + imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 100 ml/acre).

Diversity of jack fruit germplasm in Pudukkottai district of Tamil Nadu

The present investigation was undertaken to develop a variety of jackfruit. Hence, the research was conducted on the bearing trees of different jackfruit genotypes in the Pudukkottai District of Tamil Nadu, India, during the year 2016-2019. Fifty-five jackfruit genotypes, viz., KDM-AhJ-01 to KDM-AhJ-55, were selected for the study to identify superior ones. The season of fruiting in each genotype was recorded and classified into early (March-April), mid-season (May-June), and late (July-August). The genotype 46 was found to be mid-season bearing (May-June, 2016-2019). Meanwhile, KDM-AhJ -08, KDM-AhJ -10, and KDM-AhJ -35 were found to have late season bearing (July to August 2016-2019). The genotypes KDM-AhJ 31 and KDM-AhJ 32 were produced during the main season (March-April, 2016-2019) and also during the off-season (September -November 2016-2019) production of jackfruit. The highest number of fruits per plant (43.33.00) was obtained from 08, followed by 31 (33.33). Maximum individual fruit weight was gained from 46 (16.33 kg) followed by 10 (14.33 kg), and a minimum of (4.67 kg) was observed that genotype 08 was suitable for small families. Yield varied from 62.67 kg/tree to 458.33. Yield was recorded from 10. The highest number of flakes per fruit was obtained from 10 (210.00). The highest Flakes: Seed ratio was obtained from 10 (5.30). Upper limit TSS content recorded to 08 (29.17° brix). The highest total sugar (25.20%), highest protein, lowest acidity (0.10%), and lowest ascorbic acid content were found to be 8. Maximum carotene content was recorded on KDM-AhJ- 46, followed by 8 and 10. Maximum color and appearance of 9.00 were obtained from the genotypes KDM-AhJ- 10. A maximum overall acceptability of 9.75 was observed by genotype 08, followed by 10 (9.00). Genotype 51, recorded for the TSS content of (6° brix) followed by the genotypes viz.,6, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, and 26 (7° brix), was found to have low TSS content, hence it is suitable for diabetic patients. Genotype 37 was identified for vegetable purposes in the immature stage, and ripened fruits were more suitable for table purposes. KDM-AhJ- 31 and 39 identified for thousand fruited jackfruit genotype. Flake color varied from white, yellow, whitish yellow, light yellow, bright yellow, and senthuram/deep orange. The genotypes KDM-AhJ-01, 4, 7, and 10 showed good deep orange (Senthuram color) flakes. Genotype 45 recorded pure white flakes that were very sweet in taste. The owner of this jackfruit farmer, S.Karthick, said this is for Seeni pala. Genotypes 17, 18, and 19 were identified for Tharaipala. The shelf life of flakes varied distinctly among the fifty-five jackfruit germplasms. The genotypes KDM-AhJ -08 and KDM-Ah -10 record for five days. Among the 55 genotypes, diversity was recorded for every genotype. Based on overall performance concerning vegetative growth, yield, and quality, characters were recorded to identify the superior genotypes.

Use of native and human-modified habitats by different mammal guilds in West Africa

Over millennia, mammals have coexisted with humans across the forest-savannah mosaics characterising part of West Africa. While some savannahs have long been used for rice cultivation in Guinea-Bissau, savannas and forests are now being rapidly converted into cashew monocultures. To understand how species cope with such land-use changes, we investigated how mammals make use of forest patches, cashew orchards and rice paddies over two contrasting periods: early and late rainy season. Using camera-trapping, we examined mammal diversity and trophic guild activity across seven landscapes, each with one sampling site per habitat type in Northern Guinea-Bissau. Based on 937 records from 21 species, species richness and activity were similar across habitat types, but generally higher in the late-rainy season. In this season, species composition differed between the cashew orchards and rice paddies. At the guild-level, carnivore activity was lower in the rice paddies than in forests, while herbivore activity was lower in the cashew orchards in comparison to that in forests in the early-rainy season. The relatively similar assemblage-wide diversity across habitat types seems to be enabled by the high habitat heterogeneity, but likely offset by previous extinctions from the area. Yet, guild-level habitat use highlighted the fundamental role of forests to sustain functionally healthy mammal assemblages. Maintaining habitat heterogeneity, including patches of native forests, seems to be key in optimizing the long-term conservation of mammal diversity in rural West Africa.