Pine Needles Research Articles

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Red and Larch Pine Needle Powders on Productivity, Egg Quality, Yolk Fatty Acids and Cholesterol and Hatchability of Laying Quails.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of red pine and larch pine needles powder at different doses on productive performance, egg quality, hatching parameters, total fatty acid and cholesterol levels of laying quails. A total of 126 (84 ♀ and 42 ♂) 20-week-old laying quail were randomly distributed into seven experimental diets with three replicates of six (four female and two male) birds per cage. The groups were fed a basal diet (CON group), a basal diet with red pine needle powder (RPNP group) (1.5%, 3% and 4.5%), or a basal diet with larch pine needle powder (LPNP group) (1.5%, 3% and 4.5%) for 9 weeks. The results showed that the additives which were added into the ration did not affect feed intake and feed conversion ratio among the performance parameters compared to the control group (p > 0.05). Egg production increased by 13%-14% in RPNP 1.5% and LPNP 4.5% groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Egg weight increased by 4.04% only at the RPNP 4.5% dose (p < 0.05). However, egg weight decreased by 3.68%, 2.88% and 5.75% in RPNP 3% and LPNP 3% and 4.5% doses, respectively (p < 0.05). The highest increase in egg mass compared to the control was 13.61% in the RPNP 1.5% dose (p < 0.05). Egg shape index increased by 8.18% in the RPNP 1.5% group and 11.11% in the LPNP 3% group (p < 0.05). Haugh units increased by 1.87% and 1.77% in RPNP 1.5% and LPNP 4.5% doses, respectively (p < 0.05). The amount of broken eggs increased in the LPNP 1.5% (2.86%) and LPNP 3% (3.65%) doses relative to the control group (0.40%) (p < 0.05). Egg yolk decreased by 7.2%-17.6% in RPNP 1.5% and 3% groups and LPNP 3% and 4.5% doses (p < 0.05). Egg yolk diameter decreased by 3.21%-6.56% in RPNP 1.5% and 3% groups and LPNP 4.5% doses (p < 0.05). Yolk index decreased by an average of 5.5%-7% in RPNP 1.5% and 4.5% doses and LPNP 4.5% doses (p < 0.05). Pine needle supplementation increased total monounsaturated fatty acids in egg yolks by 6% compared to the control group, while cholesterol levels decreased by 7.73% compared to the control (p < 0.05). On the other hand, pine needle addition had no effect on incubation parameters (p > 0.05). Our results clearly indicated that the 1.5% red pine needles powder could be used as an additive to increase the egg production, egg mass and Haugh units in laying quails.

Estimation of Tree Vitality Reduced by Pine Needle Disease Using Multispectral Drone Images

Multispectral imagery from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide high-resolution data to map tree mortality caused by pests or diseases. Although many studies have investigated UAV-imagery-based methods to detect trees under acute stress followed by tree mortality, few have tested the feasibility and accuracy of detecting trees under chronic stress. This study aims to develop methods and test how well UAV-based multispectral imagery can detect pine needle disease long before tree mortality. Multispectral images were acquired four times through the growing season in an area with pine trees infected by needle pathogens. Vegetation indices (VIs) were used to quantify the decline in vitality, which was verified by tree needle retention (%) estimated from the ground. Results showed that several VIs had strong correlations with the needle retention level and were used to identify severely defoliated trees (&lt;75% needle retention) with 0.71 overall classification accuracy, while the accuracy of detecting slightly defoliated trees (&gt;75% needle retention) was very low. The results from one study area also implied more defoliation observed from the UAV (top view) than from the ground (bottom view). We conclude that using UAV-based multispectral imagery can efficiently identify severely defoliated trees caused by needle-cast pathogens, thus assisting forest health monitoring.

Analyze the impact of lignin depolymerization process and its products on humic substance formation.

This study aimed to identify types of lignin depolymerization products (LDP) and their role in humic substances (HS) formation, and little research has revealed which LDP could participate into HS formation during composting. Therefore, rice straw (RS), peanut straw (PS) and pine needles (PN) were selected for their different lignin structures to qualitatively and quantitative analyze LDP firstly. Qualitative results indicated that RS, PS and PN mainly produced LDP with G-type, common group and dimer structure. While quantitative results showed that RS and PS were more prone to degradation, and PN mainly promoted the formation of HS.During the lignin humification, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria-dominated microorganisms played a major role in facilitating monomeric substances into HS formation. This study comprehensively analyzed the process of depolymerization and humification of different kinds of lignin. It provides guidance for the resource utilization of lignin and the efficient treatment of agricultural organic waste.

Monitoring of organochlorine pesticides using pine needle, pine bark, and soil samples across South Korea: Source apportionment and implications for atmospheric transport.

Pine needle, pine bark, and soil samples were collected from various regions in South Korea, considering the suitability of vegetation samples as passive samplers. A total of 27 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were analyzed using gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS). The total concentrations of OCPs ranged between 650 and 3,652 pg/g dw in soil, 215 and 1384 pg/g ww in pine needles, and 456 and 1,723 pg/g ww in pine bark. Metabolites such as endosulfan sulfate, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD were dominant in the soil samples, whereas parent compounds were more prevalent in the pine needles. Diagnostic ratios and compositional profiles suggested that potential OCP sources were primarily related to historical use, atmospheric transport, and unintentional byproducts. OCPs that were never used or registered in South Korea were also detected in all sample types, indicating atmospheric transport from source regions. Sites closer to North Korea and China showed higher concentrations of OCPs, with levels gradually decreasing from west to east in the soil, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport from the source regions. Fugacity fractions indicated net volatilization for most compounds, while net deposition was observed for others, suggesting a dynamic equilibrium. This study concludes that atmospheric transport plays a predominant role in the distribution and fate of OCPs in the environment, with no evidence of current local sources.

Response of Broccoli to Varied Drip Irrigation Levels and Organic Mulches under Mid-Hill Conditions of Himachal Pradesh, India

Scarcity of irrigation water significantly hampers growth, yield, and quality of produce. To alleviate this issue, drip irrigation combined with mulching is frequently employed for water management in water-scarce regions. In this study, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of three irrigation levels [100%, 80% and 60% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)] and two organic mulches (grass mulch and pine needle mulch) on yield and yield attributes of broccoli. The results indicated a significant difference in soil nutrients, plant growth and yield attributes. The highest levels of available soil nitrogen (333.8 kg ha-1), phosphorus (57.8 kg ha-1), potassium (375.8kg ha-1) as well as the highest bacterial count [expressed as colony-forming units- (cfu)] (19.40×105 cfu g-1), fungi count (6.47×103 cfu g-1) and actinomycetes count (7.46×10-3cfu g-1) were observed in the best treatment consisting of drip irrigation @ 80% ETc + grass mulch at depths of 0-15 cm. The maximum plant height (51.1 cm), number of leaves per plant (18.9), minimum days to marketable maturity (102), head size (12.8 cm), head weight (316.3 g) and highest yield (242 q ha-1) were recorded in the best treatment with highest returns and Benefit-Cost (B:C) ratio (3.64). Hence, drip irrigation @ 80% ETc along with grass mulch is recommended to be the most efficient and cost-effective in improving broccoli yield in the study area and its marketability for better economic returns.

Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor Based on CuO/CNTs Nanocomposites Synthesized by Diaphragm Glow Discharge Plasma

ABSTRACTIn this work, the pine–needle like CuO/CNTs nanocomposites were fabricated by one‐step strategy via diaphragm glow discharge (DGD) plasma. A possible fabrication mechanism is proposed. CuO/CNTs as an electrode material for sensing glucose exhibits a low detection limit of 0.1 μM, high sensitivity of 900 μA mM−1 cm−2, wide linear range of 5.00 μm to 12.71 mM, fast response time of 1.0 s, and good selectivity. The glucose in human tears was determined, and the recovery is 104%–107% with a relative standard deviation of less than 4.55%. Compared with other synthesis methods, DGD is a simple, effective, and economic technique without platinum needle, alkali sources, copper salt precursors, and high temperature.

Micrographic image of air pollutants in Poland

The subject of studies was one-year-old needles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), collected from various characteristic landscape zones of Poland, reflecting different conditions of air pollutant emission and deposition (Integrated Monitoring of the Natural Environment base stations, industrial centers, and large cities). Analyses were carried out using a Quanta 250 FEI scanning electron microscope equipped with an EDAX Genesis X-ray spectroscopy microanalyzer. The needle surfaces were examined to identify natural structures (e.g., stomata, pollen, fungi) and anthropogenic structures (e.g. particulates with heavy metals) under conditions of diversified anthropopressure. In samples from areas with no significant local pollution sources (Wigry, Borecka Forest, Parsęta, Tuchola Forest), particles of mineral origin (resulting from rock weathering) containing Si, Al, Ca were identified. Needles collected in Roztocze, Łysogóry, Kampinos and Karkonosze, contained round technogenic particles (spherules) containing Fe, Al and Si, which had traveled significant distances. In Katowice, Poznań and Kraków, particles deposited on the bioindicators’ surfaces were composed of Ca, Si, Al, Fe, Cu, and other heavy metals. Micrographs obtained from the analysis were used to develop a model for identifying air pollutants using artificial intelligence.

Assessment of boreal forest pollution under the influence of aluminum smelter emissions in Irkutsk region of Russia

ABSTRACT The chemical element concentrations of Scots pine needles were used in this study to evaluate the contamination of the boreal forest by emissions from three aluminum smelters (AS) with different production technologies in the Irkutsk region (Russia). The test sites were located at varying distances and directions from aluminum smelters. The total area of the surveyed forests was approximately 10,000 km2. The concentration of 26 element-pollutants in the needles (fluorine, sulfur, heavy and light metals, and metalloids) was measured to classify the tree-stands according to their level of pollution. Based on the results of cluster analysis, four levels of tree contamination have been identified: low, moderate, high, and critical. The content of fluorine in needles at the critical level of tree-stands pollution was higher than background values by 35–62 times, aluminum by 6.9–10.5 times, sulfur by 2.5–3.2 times, and heavy metals and metalloids by 4.4–15.2 times. The level of tree crown defoliation reached 70–80%, needle life expectancy decreased up to 2–3 years. All morphological parameters were below the background level, especially the weight of the shoot and needles (by 4.3–6.3 times). A map-scheme showing the distribution of polluted trees was created. Generally, the largest volume of emissions, long period of operation, and aggressive technologies of Bratsk AS have the greatest negative impact on the state of forest ecosystems compared to Irkutk AS. In the area affected by Taishet AS emissions (a new high-tech enterprise) most of the surrounding tree-stands are in satisfactory condition.

Optimization of microwave drilling parameters for pine needles and rice husk PLA composites

ABSTRACT In this study, drilling analysis was conducted on pine needles and rice husk reinforced PLA composites to optimize the process parameters to improve hole quality and reduce tool wear. Results showed that drilling at 180 W microwave power with the feed rate of 150 mm/min yielded the maximum circularity of 0.94 and a tool wear of 0.17 × 10−2 g. The maximum material removal rate of 2.39 × 10−2 g/s was achieved at 540 W microwave power and a feed rate of 120 mm/min. Regression analysis was utilized to define relationships between process parameters and responses for pine needle and rice husk powder-reinforced PLA composites. ANOVA validated the model’s significance, demonstrating a correlation above 95% between experimental results and predicted values. The optimal process parameters for achieving high-quality holes in pine needles and rice husk reinforced PLA composites were found to be at 180 W of microwave power and 144 mm/min of feed rate.

Ni/PiNe Heterogeneous Catalyst from Biomass Waste: Low-Loading, Ligand-Free Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling.

An efficient Ni-based heterogeneous catalyst from pine needles urban waste valorization was designed and developed with a resource recycling strategy. The Ni/PiNe catalyst was fully characterized and tested in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling under microwave irradiation. Although Ni is a promising candidate for replacing Pd-based catalytic systems, it generally requires a high catalyst amount and the exploitation of ligands and additives to enhance the reaction rate. On the contrary, with our new Ni/PiNe, 30 different products were efficiently synthesized with an isolated yield of up to 93 %, using a very low catalyst amount and in the absence of ligands. Furthermore, the Ni/PiNe catalyst also showed good durability for consecutive cycles and an impressive TON value (1140). In addition to the catalytic efficiency in short reaction time and to the stability and durability under MW irradiation, the Ni/PiNe allowed for further optimization, achieving a low E-factor value (14.0), thus highlighting the potential in further reducing the waste and costs associated to the process.

Spatial distributions and source identification of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in soils and pine needles in the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea

The spatial distribution and contamination patterns of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil and pine needles from the multi-industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea were assessed. The mean concentrations of Σ17 PCDD/Fs, Σ12 dl-PCBs, and Σ7 I-PCBs were 78 pg/g dw, 90 pg/g dw, and 453 pg/g dw in the soil and 6 pg/g ww, 31 pg/g ww, and 166 pg/g ww in the pine needles, respectively. The mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs, dl-PCBs, and I-PCBs in the soil at industrial sites (138, 184, and 453 pg/g dw) were significantly higher than those at urban (47, 33, and 186 pg/g dw) and suburban sites (48, 49, and 234 pg/g dw). In the pine needles, although PCDD/F and PCB levels were higher at several industrial sites, mean concentrations at the industrial (6, 31, and 166 pg/g ww), urban (4, 29, and 143 pg/g ww), and suburban (4, 31, and 169 pg/g ww) sites were comparable, indicating that atmospheric transport plays a crucial role in spreading contamination throughout the study area. Higher chlorinated PCBs were predominant in the soils, while PCDFs and lower chlorinated PCBs were more common in the pine needles, reflecting the distinct physicochemical properties and interactions of these chemicals with each medium. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed industrial combustion as the main source of PCDD/Fs and PCBs, with Aroclors identified as an additional source of PCBs. Suburban areas were influenced by both local sources and pollutants transported from urban and industrial areas. This study highlights that industrial activities and atmospheric transport significantly contribute to the widespread contamination of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Ulsan.

Application of bio-based nanopesticides for pine surface retention and penetration, enabling effective control of pine wood nematodes

The Pine wood nematode disease is a significant biological threat to forestry management and ecological restoration worldwide, with chemical control remaining the primary approach. However, the cryptic nature of pine wood nematodes (PWN) limits the effectiveness of conventional pesticides. This study explores the development of a cellulose network carrier-based nanopesticide (Se@CSM/PDA@AZO-CNF) loaded with selenium nanoparticles, offering dual responsiveness to light and temperature. This innovative design enables the precise release of pesticides under natural conditions, supporting a controlled response. Incorporating selenium nanoparticles into the cellulose-based nanopesticide improved pesticide permeability and deposition in pine trees. The contact angle of pesticides on pine needles decreased by 23°, their resistance to washing increased by 39 %, and cumulative release was significantly enhanced under UV light and low temperatures. Fluorescence tracer experiments demonstrated efficient uptake of Se@CSM/PDA@AZO-CNF nanopesticide by PWN. The hydrogel displayed an LC50 value of 29.1 mg/L against PWN. These findings highlight the potential of this nanopesticide to improve pesticide delivery and efficacy in controlling pine wood nematode disease.

Monitoring the Degree of Gansu Zokor Damage in Chinese Pine by Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

Chinese pine has been extensively planted in the Loess Plateau, but it faces significant threats from Gansu zokor. Traditional methods for monitoring rodent damage rely on manual surveys to assess damage rates but are time-consuming and often underestimate the actual degree of damage, particularly in mildly affected pines. This study proposes a remote sensing monitoring method that integrates hyperspectral analysis with physiological and biochemical parameter models to enhance the accuracy of rodent damage detection. Using ASD Field Spec 4, we analyzed spectral data from 125 Chinese pine needles, measuring chlorophyll (CHC), carotenoid (CAC), and water content (WAC). Through correlation analysis, we identified sensitive vegetation indices (VIs) and red-edge parameters (REPs) linked to different levels of damage. We report several key results. The 680 nm spectral band is instrumental in monitoring damage, with significant decreases in CHC, CAC, and WAC corresponding to increased damage severity. We identified six VIs and five REPs, which were later predicted using stepwise regression (SR), support vector machine (SVM), and random forest (RF) models. Among all models, the vegetation index-based RF model exhibited the best predictive performance, achieving coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.988, 0.949, and 0.999 for CHC, CAC, and WAC, with root mean square errors (RMSEs) of 0.115 mg/g, 0.042 mg/g, and 0.007 mg/g, and mean relative errors (MREs) of 8.413%, 9.169%, and 1.678%. This study demonstrates the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing technology for monitoring rodent infestations in Chinese pines, providing a reliable basis for large-scale assessments and effective management strategies for pest control.

Unveiling Metabolic Crosstalk: Bacillus-Mediated Defense Priming in Pine Needles Against Pathogen Infection.

Background/Objectives: Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly Bacillus spp., are pivotal in enhancing plant defense mechanisms against pathogens. This study aims to investigate the metabolic reprogramming of pine needles induced by Bacillus csuftcsp75 in response to the pathogen Diplodia pinea P9, evaluating its potential as a sustainable biocontrol agent. Methods: Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we performed a principal component analysis and a cluster analysis to assess the metabolic alterations in treated versus control groups. This study focused on specific metabolites associated with plant defense. Results: Our findings indicate that treatment with Bacillus csuftcsp75 significantly modifies the metabolic profiles of pine needles, leading to notable increases in metabolites associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, particularly phenylpropanoid metabolism, as well as amino acid metabolism pathways. These metabolic changes indicate enhanced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) and induced systemic resistance (ISR), with treated plants exhibiting elevated levels of defense-related compounds such as 5-hydroxytryptophol and oleanolic acid. Conclusions: This study reveals that Bacillus csuftcsp75 enhances defense against pathogen P9 by modulating pine needle metabolism and activating key immune pathways, inducing systemic acquired resistance and induced systemic resistance, offering a natural alternative to chemical pesticides in sustainable agriculture.

Loblolly pine needles processing with deep eutectic solvents to develop porous structure

This work focused on the removal of lignin from pine needles, leaving oriented porous cellulose. Deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment of loblolly pine needles allowed for the removal of lignin from the biomass, leading to the exposure of the desired cellulose structure. Heating under reflux and microwave heating methods were used to pretreat loblolly pine needles with 12:1 lactic acid:choline chloride DES, 2:1 formic acid:choline chloride DES, and 1:2 oxalic acid:choline chloride DES. Characterization of the untreated and pretreated pine needles was done by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. Fiber analysis was also performed on the untreated and pretreated pine needles. The DES pretreated pine needles showed significant enhancements in both specific surface area and pore volume, with microwave pretreatment giving the best results. The oxalic acid:choline chloride DES was the most efficient at eliminating acid-soluble lignin. The optimal duration for conductive heat pretreatment to enhance specific surface area and pore volume was found to be 80 min. For microwave treatment, the formic acid:choline chloride DES was found to be most effective to increase the overall cellulose to lignin ratio.

Biosynthesis; Characterization; and Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Docking Potentials of Doped Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Pine Needle Leaf Extract

The current study focused on the synthesis of doped silver nanoparticles (doped AgNPs) with yttrium (Y), gadolinium (Gd), and chromium (Cr) from pine needle leaf extract (PNLE). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was performed to assess the phase formation, detecting 61.83% from Ag and 38.17% for secondary phases of AgCl, AgO, Y, Cr-, and Gd phases. The size and shape of the NPs were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), showing a spherical shape with an average particle size of 26.43 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) detected the oxidation state of the presented elements. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) determined the morphology and elemental composition of the NPs, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) determined the different functional groups indicating the presence of Ag, Y, Gd, Cr, and other groups. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy showed the optical properties of the NPs. A vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) revealed the ferromagnetic behavior of the doped AgNPs. The antibacterial activity of the doped AgNPs was tested against six uro-pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) microdilution assays, agar well diffusion assay, time–kill test, and antibiofilm screening assays, revealing significant activity, with MICs ranging between 0.0625 and 0.5 mg/mL and antibiofilm activity between 40 and 85%. The antioxidant activity was determined by the 1,1, diphenyl 1-2 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay with a potential of 61.3%. The docking studies showed that the doped AgNPs had the potential to predict the inhibition of crucial enzymes such as penicillin-binding proteins, LasR-binding proteins, carbapenemase, DNA gyrase, and dihydropteroate synthase. The results suggest that the doped AgNPs can be applied in different medical domains.

Spruce, pine and fir needles as sustainable ingredients for whole wheat bread fortification: Enhancing nutritional and functional properties

This study investigated green needles and fine twigs (NT) from spruce, pine, and fir, widely available forest by-products, as potential functional ingredients and natural preservatives for whole wheat bread fortification. The effects of replacing water with NT extracts at 0, 35, and 70% levels were assessed on bread's secondary metabolite profiling, bioactivity, nutrition, and quality. The NT-bread demonstrated good stability of compounds analyzed by HPLC-DAD after 24 and 72 h, with a notable increase in the content of several polyphenols after 72 h of storage. This increase was correlated closely with an over 80% enhancement in antioxidant activity during storage, suggesting extended shelf-life. A total of 115 compounds were identified by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids, stilbenes, lignans, resin acids, and gibberellins. Among the substitution levels, 35% , particularly pine NT-fortified bread, was sufficient to enhance functionality while preserving bread quality and sensory acceptability, making it a strong candidate for further development as a bioactive product. Overall, the findings demonstrate the valorization potential of underutilized NT as natural antioxidants and will help provide the industry with phytochemical compositional information. This study highlights the broader applicability of these side streams by employing a green extraction technique (hydrodynamic cavitation) that yields valuable compounds, promotes sustainability, and supports the circular economy through a cost-effective and efficient process.

Pine Needle of Pinus koraiensis (Siebold & Zucc) Essential Oil Through Liquid Nitrogen Quick-Freezing Assisted Solvent-Free Microwave Extraction Process for Antibacterial Application.

This study investigates the composition and antibacterial properties of essential oil extracted from Pinus koraiensis (Siebold & Zucc) pine needles using a liquid nitrogen freezing treatment combined with solvent-free microwave extraction (LNSFM). The aim is to develop a low-energy, high-efficiency extraction method for conifer essential oils, analyze their chemical composition, and evaluate their antibacterial efficacy. Pine needle samples were frozen with liquid nitrogen and subsequently crushed. The essential oil was extracted using solvent-free microwave technology. A single-factor test and response surface methodology were employed to optimize extraction parameters. The extraction efficiency of LNSFM was compared with traditional methods through kinetics, and the essential oil components were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial activity of the extracted volatile oil was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. LNSFM proves to be a green and efficient extraction method suitable for obtaining volatile oils from pine needles, which demonstrate significant antibacterial properties.

Alternative substrates for the production of container-grown Mexican marigold

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate substrate mixtures for the production of Mexican marigolds grown in containers in the community of Santa Cruz Itundujia, Oaxaca. Methods: Four soil mixtures were tested: 1) 70% ocote pine needles + 30% soil, 2) 70% leaf mold + 30% soil, 3) 70% river sand + 30% soil, and 4) 70% sawdust + 30% soil. Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta) var. Inca II Deep Orange plants were established in pots under open field conditions. Height, number of leaves, plant width, branching, leaf area, and number of buds were evaluated in the different phenological stages of the plant; the last measurement was made at the flowering stage. Soil fertility parameters were analyzed, and physical analysis of the substrates was performed. Results: The treatments produced differential results; ocote pine needles + soil and leaf mold + soil were the best for producing container-grown marigolds. The lowest results in yield variables were found with the river sand + soil mixture. Implications: Using local and inexpensive substrates will impact production costs for marigold farmers. Currently, a variety of commercial mixes and substrates of foreign origin are available and used for the production of container-grown plants. Conclusions: The best results were obtained with organic substrates, specifically with ocote pine needles and leaf mold. The mixture with sawdust did not show good results in the tested variables, possibly due to this material’s high carbon/nitrogen ratio. The lowest results were obtained with the sand + soil treatment. Keywords: Asteraceae, yield, sawdust, needle, Tagetes erecta

First Report in China of Leaf Blight on Spatholobus suberectus Dunn Caused by Diaporthe tulliensis.

Spatholobus suberectus Dunn is an important Chinese medicinal plant, which is the only officially recognized authentic source of the Chinese herbal medicine Spatholobi caulis in the China Pharmacopeia (Qin et al. 2024). In November 2023, a serious leaf disease was observed in the S. suberectus planting base in Nanning city (108.22E, 22.51N), Guangxi, China, with an incidence rate of 80%. Initially the symptoms appeared in the diseased leaves tips and was irregular in shape. The necrosis displayed discoloration of the gray color with a deep brown margin and this gradually expanded through into the lamina. To isolate the causal agent, 10 symptomatic leaves were collected and small segments (5×5 mm) of infected tissues were cut, and then they were surface sterilized (30s in 75% EtOH, 2 min in 2.5% NaOCl, and rinsed three times in sterilized distilled water), placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 28℃ for 5 days. The hyphal tips were transferred to PDA to obtain pure cultures. 36 isolates were obtained, 23 of them had similar morphology, which were isolated from all the symptomatic leaves and were considered pathogens, and named YY-3-S. After 7 d, the colonies were white, fluffy, with white aerial mycelium. Sporulation was induced using pine needle medium (Su et al. 2012). After 30 days, the globose pycnidia developed, which were superficial to semi-immersed on the pine needle medium, and they appeared to be orange to black in color, with pale yellow conidial droplets. The alpha conidia spores were 3.53 to 6.85×1.75 to 3.70 μm (n = 50). They were unicellular, hyaline, aseptate and ellipsoidal to fusiform. These morphological features were consistent with Diaporthe sp (Sun et al. 2021). For further molecular identification, isolate YY-3-S underwent sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), beta-tubulin (TUB2), and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) sections (Huang et al. 2021). Obtained sequences of ITS, TUB2 and TEF1 (Genebank accessions nos. PP838571, PP865050 and PP865051) displayed a 99% similarity to Diaporthe tulliensis (Genebank accessions nos. OP163562, KR936132, OR662168, respectively). Phylogenetic analysis was based on a combination of ITS, TUB2 and TEF1 sequence data using MEGA 11 software to construct a phylogenetic tree with Neighbor-Joining. In the phylogenetic tree, the combined sequences attributed YY-3-S to D. tulliensis. The pathogenicity test was conducted on 1-year-old S. suberectus seedlings. We sprayed the mixed suspension of spores and mycelia on the unwounded leaves, while control seedlings received sterile water. 3 leaves per plant and 5 plants per treatment were selected for assessment. All seedings were placed in pots in a moist chamber at 28°C and 90% humidity. After 5 d, browning was observed on all the inoculated leaves tips. 14 d after inoculation, necrotic lesions expanded outward and their symptoms like those in the field, while control plants remained healthy. D. tulliensis was reisolated from the inoculated leaves, fulfilling the Koch's postulates. D. tulliensis has been reported to necrotic spots and leaf blight on Rambutan (Serrato-Diaz et al. 2023), leaf spot on bodhi tree (Li et al. 2022), stem canker on Jasmin (Hsu et al. 2023). To our knowledge, this is the first report of D. tulliensis causing leaf blight on S. suberectus in China. It is important to ensure timely management of the newly emerging disease.