Significant Yield Research Articles

Economic Evaluation of Precise Intelligent Cauliflower Harvester: A Comparative Study with Manual Harvesting

Aim: The traditional harvesting of cauliflower has been done by hand using labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming techniques that frequently lead to significant yield losses because immature curds are harvested without selection. A rising number of people are interested in creating selective cauliflower harvesters that can precisely detect and gather healthy, mature heads while reducing damage, waste, and labor-intensive operations in response to these difficulties. The purpose of this research article is to present a thorough analysis of the ownership and operating costs related to this kind of selective harvesting technology.
 Methodology: Through accurate cost insights, farmers can make well-informed decisions on the purchase of new machinery, the maintenance, and upkeep of current equipment, or the investigation of alternative approaches to improve farm productivity and financial results. The economic assessment was conducted through the computation of operating costs utilizing the straight-line method, coupled with breakeven point analysis and determination of the payback period.
 Results: The developed selective harvester's ownership and running costs are calculated to be 58.41 and 75.5 rupees per hour, respectively. The selective harvester has several advantages over typical manual harvesting techniques, as demonstrated by a comparative analysis. In particular, the selective harvester shows a remarkable 24.6% cost reduction in addition to saving an astounding 60.6% of the necessary time.
 Conclusion: These results highlight the efficiency and financial gains that come with using selective cauliflower harvesting technologies. This analysis is further utilized by farmers for decision-making.

Ralstonia solanacearum differentially modulates soil physicochemical properties and rhizospheric bacteriome of resistant and susceptible tobacco cultivars

Ralstonia solanacearum is a devastating soilborne pathogen which poses significant yield and economic losses to tobacco production globally. The impact of R. solanacearum on rhizosphere bacteriome and soil physicochemical characteristics in resistant and susceptible tobacco cultivars is poorly understood. This study aims to determine the effect of R. solanacearum on soil physicochemical parameters and rhizosphere bacteriome of resistant (K326) and susceptible (Hongda) tobacco cultivars at various growth stages. Results demonstrated that the contents of available potassium and phosphorus, as well as soil pH were significantly increased in K326 soils (CK and T2) compared with Hongda (T1) after 21, 42, and 63 days post-inoculation (dpi) of R. solanacearum except for available nitrogen which showed an opposite trend. The qPCR results showed a significant decrease in R. solanacearum population in rhizosphere of K326 (T2) compared to the Hongda (T1) at 21 and 63 dpi than that after 42 dpi. The rhizosphere bacteriome analysis through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing revealed that rhizosphere bacterial community composition was significantly different between two tobacco cultivars (Hongda and K326) and this effect was more prominent after 63 dpi (93 days after post-transplantation), suggesting that each cultivar recruits a unique set of bacterial communities. There was no obvious difference observed in the rhizosphere bacteriome of CK (K326) and T2 (K326), which might be attributed to the same genetic makeup and inherent resistance of K326 to bacterial wilt infection. Analysis of co-occurrence networks revealed that the microbial network in T1 (Hongda) was more complex than those in T2 (K326) and CK (K326), while the networks in CK and T2 were almost identical. The present research highlights the time-course relationship between environmental factors and rhizosphere bacteriome of tobacco cultivars showing different levels of resistance against R. solanacearum. Conclusively, studying the plant-soil-microbe interaction system in susceptible and resistant tobacco cultivars may enable us to develop effective integrated disease control plans for the healthy production of tobacco crops.

Understanding salinity stress responses in sorghum: exploring genotype variability and salt tolerance mechanisms.

Salinity, a significant abiotic stressor, adversely affects global plant growth. To address this, monitoring genetic diversity within a plant species germplasm for salt tolerance traits is vital. This study investigates the responses of ten sorghum genotypes to varying salt stress levels (control, 60 mM NaCl, and 120 mM NaCl), aiming to assess genetic diversity. Using a randomized complete block design with three replications and a split-plot arrangement, salt treatments were assigned to main plots, and genotypes were placed in sub-plots. Physiological attributes, including photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, CO2 concentration, leaf area index, chlorophyll concentrations, and antioxidant enzyme activity, were measured during the 50% flowering stage. Fresh forage yield was evaluated at the early dough stage, while dry forage yield and sodium/potassium concentrations were determined post-drying. Salinity induced 10-23% and 21-47% reductions in forage fresh yield at 60 mM and 120 mM NaCl, respectively, across sorghum genotypes. Forage dry yield also declined by 11-33% at 60 mM NaCl and 30-58% at 120 mM NaCl. Increased oxidative stress markers, proline, soluble carbohydrates, and antioxidant enzyme activity accompanied salinity. Genotypes exhibited diverse responses, with Payam showing significant chlorophyll and yield reductions at 60 mM NaCl and notable stress indicators at 120 mM NaCl. Pegah and GS4 demonstrated robust osmoregulation. In stress tolerance indices, Sepideh excelled at 60 mM NaCl, while GS4 outperformed at 120 mM NaCl. Pegah demonstrated high tolerance at 120 mM NaCl. Our findings highlight the importance of combating oxidative stress, managing water-related stress, and maintaining ionic homeostasis for sorghum's salt stress resilience. Key indicators like K/Na ratio, MDA, MSI, SOD, and proline effectively differentiate between tolerant and sensitive genotypes, offering valuable insights for sorghum breeding. Salt-tolerant sorghum genotypes exhibit stable photosynthesis, improved stomatal function, and membrane integrity through efficient osmotic regulation and robust antioxidant enzyme activity. This capability enables them to sustain performance, minimizing final product loss. The results suggest cultivating salt-tolerant sorghum in saline areas for increased sustainable production, with Pegah and GS4 emerging as promising candidates for further testing in salt-affected environments to obtain reliable yield data.

Understanding Decomposition Mechanism of Acetone under Electric Pulsed Discharge: Generation of C3O+ and C3H4O+ ions

AbstractGas‐phase investigations on acetone, under the influence of electric pulsed discharge has provided distinct insight related to its decomposition. Time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry has been utilized to identify different products generated upon dissociation/ionization of acetone, under the influence of electric discharge. In addition to molecular (C3H6O+) and protonated acetone (C3H7O+) ions, predominant ions signal corresponding to C3H4O+, C3O+ and CH3CO+ were observed in the mass spectrum. Under discharge condition, acetone undergoes soft dissociation/ionization producing C3H4O+ and C3O+ ions, which are distinctive from usual fragment ions reported upon decomposition of acetone, in the gas‐phase. Though metastable in nature, significant ion yield has been obtained for C3O+ ions. Computational studies have been carried out to understand the mechanism of acetone decomposition in gas‐phase. Based on experimental and computational findings, generation of these ions (C3O+ and C3H4O+) has been ascribed to step‐wise H2 elimination reaction originating from acetone molecule, followed by ionization of resultant fragments under the influence of electric pulsed discharge. Present studies are of relevance for plasma pyrolysis of volatile organic compounds and laboratory astrochemical investigations.

Analysis of CRISPR-Cas loci distribution in Xanthomonas citri and its possible control by the quorum sensing system.

Xanthomonas is an important genus of plant-associated bacteria that causes significant yield losses of economically important crops worldwide. Different approaches have assessed genetic diversity and evolutionary interrelationships among the Xanthomonas species. However, information from clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) has yet to be explored. In this work, we analyzed the architecture of CRISPR-Cas loci and presented a sequence similarity-based clustering of conserved Cas proteins in different species of Xanthomonas. Although absent in many investigated genomes, Xanthomonas harbors subtype I-C and I-F CRISPR-Cas systems. The most represented species, Xanthomonas citri, presents a great diversity of genome sequences with an uneven distribution of the CRISPR-Cas systems among the subspecies/pathovars. Only X. citri subsp. citri and X. citri pv. punicae have these systems, exclusively of subtype I-C system. Moreover, the most likely targets of the X. citri CRISPR spacers are viruses (phages). At the same time, few are plasmids, indicating that CRISPR/Cas system is possibly a mechanism to control the invasion of foreign DNA. We also showed in X. citri susbp. citri that the cas genes are regulated by the diffusible signal factor, the quorum sensing (QS) signal molecule, according to cell density increases, and under environmental stress like starvation. These results suggest that the regulation of CRISPR-Cas by QS occurs to activate the gene expression only during phage infection or due to environmental stresses, avoiding a possible reduction in fitness. Although more studies are needed, CRISPR-Cas systems may have been selected in the Xanthomonas genus throughout evolution, according to the cost-benefit of protecting against biological threats and fitness maintenance in challenging conditions.

Dinitrogen Activation Mediated by the (P2PPh)Fe Complex: Electronic Structure, Dimerization Mechanism, and Magnetic Coupling.

Herein, we report the estimation of the extent of dinitrogen activation by different charged and structural forms of (P2PPh)Fe biomimetic catalysts, which, in the presence of light, exhibit significant yield in the N2-to-NH3 conversion. Complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) calculations have been used to determine the electronic structure of different reduced forms of the mononuclear complexes: the neutral (P2PPh)Fe(N2)2 adduct and the anionic [(P2PPh)Fe(N2)]- and [(P2PPh)Fe(N2)]2- complexes. These calculations also revealed that the extent of reduction of a dinitrogen molecule reaches up to one electron (N21-) due to the back-bonding from the Fe center, in agreement with the changes observed in the vibration frequency of the N-N bond in these complexes. In addition, the energy profile of the dimerization of the mononuclear (P2PPh)Fe(N2)2 complex to the dinuclear mono-N2-bridged [(P2PPh)Fe]2(μ-N2) complex has been determined by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. A three-step mechanism has been proposed for the dimerization, favored by both kinetics and thermodynamics criteria. Finally, the magnetic coupling constant in the diiron (μ-N2) complex is estimated from CASSCF/NEVPT2 calculations. Such a dinuclear complex presents a strong antiferromagnetic coupling resulting from the interaction between two S = 1 d6 Fe2+ ions, bridged by a highly activated dinitrogen molecule (N22-) with two electrons on the π* orbitals.

Dual RNA-sequencing of Fusarium head blight resistance in winter wheat.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease responsible for significant yield losses in wheat and other cereal crops across the globe. FHB infection of wheat spikes results in grain contamination with mycotoxins, reducing both grain quality and yield. Breeding strategies have resulted in the production of FHB-resistant cultivars, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms of resistance in the majority of these cultivars are still poorly understood. To improve our understanding of FHB-resistance, we performed a transcriptomic analysis of FHB-resistant AC Emerson, FHB-moderately resistant AC Morley, and FHB-susceptible CDC Falcon in response to Fusarium graminearum. Wheat spikelets located directly below the point of inoculation were collected at 7-days post inoculation (dpi), where dual RNA-sequencing was performed to explore differential expression patterns between wheat cultivars in addition to the challenging pathogen. Differential expression analysis revealed distinct defense responses within FHB-resistant cultivars including the enrichment of physical defense through the lignin biosynthesis pathway, and DON detoxification through the activity of UDP-glycosyltransferases. Nucleotide sequence variants were also identified broadly between these cultivars with several variants being identified within differentially expressed putative defense genes. Further, F. graminearum demonstrated differential expression of mycotoxin biosynthesis pathways during infection, leading to the identification of putative pathogenicity factors.

Genetic Variability for the Yield and Yield-Related Traits in Some Maize (Zea mays L.) Inbred Lines in the Central Highland of Ethiopia

After rice and wheat, maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most significant and valuable crop in terms of industrial production in the world. The experiment was conducted to determine the nature and magnitude of genetic variability for various traits of maize inbred lines at the Ambo Plant Protection Research Center experimental field during 2013/2014, the major cropping season. The experiment’s design was described in 5 × 5 triple lattice designs. The results of the analysis of variance revealed that genotypic mean squares were significant for all traits, indicating that the inbred lines under study had a higher level of genetic diversity. In terms of genotypic and phenotypic variation, the largest coefficient was found in grain yield per hectare (28.49 and 35.43) followed by the number of tassel branches (23.14 and 24.92), respectively. Both days to 50% silking (91.57) and days to 50% tasseling (86.56) showed a high magnitude of broad-sense heritability. The results of the phenotypic and genotypic correlation analyses showed that grain yield per plant significantly correlated positively with five traits at both the phenotypic and genotypic levels. The number of kernels per row, aboveground biomass production per plant, harvest index, and grain yield per hectare might all be employed as selection criteria to increase the maize grain yield, according to path coefficient analysis at the phenotypic and genotypic levels. The grain yield and other significant yield components were found to be superior with inbred lines AMH169-55 and AMH169-86. Therefore, it is advised that these lines be used to further enhance the maize crop.

Effect of optimal nitrogen application and mid‐season drainage on rice root activity and reductive substances in straw‐incorporated paddy

AbstractThe straw incorporation in paddy fields exacerbates the reductive toxicity caused by flooding during the rice tillering stage in cold regions. Mid‐drainage can alleviate reductive toxicity, while nitrogen fertilizer (NF) application can enhance the drought resistance of rice. However, there is still a lack of convincing evidence about the types of reductive toxicity and appropriate draining thresholds with straw incorporation. A field experiment was conducted in northeast China to investigate the reductive toxicity of paddy fields caused by flooding and straw incorporation. Primarily, the study aimed to investigate the reduction of toxicity caused by straw incorporation. Additionally, the investigation verified the role of varying NF (0, 50, 100, 150 kg N ha−1) in conjunction with mid‐season drainage (−15 cm) to mitigate soil reductive toxicity while preserving root activity. Before mid‐season drainage, the contents of soil total amount of reductive matter, active reductive matter, Fe2+, and Mn2+ were 5.1–5.9 cmol kg−1, 3.2–3.9 cmol kg−1, 399.4–410.1 mg kg−1 and 290.3–340.1 mg kg−1, respectively. Mid‐season drainage of 15 cm depth decreased the total amount of reductive matter, active reductive matter and Fe2+ content by 51.8%, 56.0% and 29.6%, respectively. However, upon rewetting, the content of reductive substances reverted to pre‐drainage levels. Drainage led to a reduction in soil organic acid content by 56.6–78.8% and an increase in rice root activity by 160–290%. While increased NF application correlated with higher rice root activity, a significant yield increase was only observed within the range of 0–100 kg ha−1. In summary, an alternate wetting and drying threshold of −15 cm in combination with 100 kg ha−1 of NF rate significantly increased root activity and reduced reductive toxicity of the tillage layer without decreased rice yield. The reductive substance content rebounded to the pre‐drainage level after reflooding in the subsequent growth stage. Therefore, to minimize the reductive toxicity and methane emission caused by straw incorporation, rice fields can be drained to a depth of 15 cm during mid‐season drainage. Additionally, the fields should be drained several times in the following growth stage.

Evaluation of Bait Crops for the Integrated Management of White Rot (Sclerotium cepivorum) in Allium Crops.

White rot, caused by Sclerotium cepivorum, is a serious disease that causes significant yield losses in Allium production. The pathogen persists in soil as sclerotia, which germinate in response to sulfur compounds in Allium root exudates. This study was aimed at investigating the potential of early-terminated Allium bait crops to reduce densities of S. cepivorum sclerotia in soil. In growth chamber experiments with white onion (A. cepa cultivar 'Southport White Globe'), red onion (A. cepa cultivar 'Marenge'), sweet onion (A. cepa cultivar 'Walla Walla'), and bunching onion (A. fistulosum cultivar 'Parade'), termination of all four Alliums at the first- and second-leaf stages reduced soil sclerotia populations by up to 62 and 76%, respectively. Examination of soil samples collected 4 weeks after crop termination indicated that sclerotia populations in bait crop treatments remained low when seedlings were terminated at the first- and second-leaf stages. In contrast, crop termination at the third-leaf stage resulted in an increase in sclerotia counts due to the pathogen reproduction on the bait crops. The reduction in sclerotia populations in soil due to early crop termination was also observed in replicated field trials. Greater reductions in sclerotia counts were observed when plants in these experiments were terminated chemically as opposed to mechanically. In-furrow fungicides did not reduce sclerotia numbers under the conditions tested. This study demonstrates the potential for early termination of Allium bait crops to help reduce white rot inoculum in soil.

Transcriptome-based analysis of candidate gene markers associated with resistance mechanism to Phytophthora melonis that causes root and crown rot in pumpkin.

Root and crown rot incited by an oomycete, Phytophthora melonis, causes significant yield losses in commercial pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) production worldwide. Currently, resistant cultivars and knowledge of molecular mechanism of C. pepo against P. melonis are scarce. Here, we analysed the quantitative gene expression changes of 10 candidate gene markers (bHLH87, ERF014, HSF, MYB, PR-1, WRKY21, CPI, POD, PSK, SGT) in pumpkin roots and leaves at three time points (h post-inoculation, hpi) following inoculation with P. melonis in two resistant (Ghelyani and Tanbal), and two susceptible (Marmari and Khoreshti) varieties of pumpkin. Gene expression using quantitative real time PCR along a time course revealed the strongest transcriptomic response at 48 and 72hpi in resistant genotypes, 1.1-2.7-fold in roots and leaves, respectively, with a high significant correlation (r=0.857**-0.974**). We also found that CPI, PSK, SGT1 and POD act as a dual regulator that similarly modulate immunity not only against P. melonis, but also against other diseases such as early blight (Alternaria cucumerina), powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii), downy mildews (Pseudoperonospora cubensis), and pathogenic plant nematodes (Meloidogyne javanica). Furthermore, significantly higher activities of the ROS scavenging defence enzymes, catalase (1.6-fold increase) and peroxidase (6-fold increase) were observed in the roots of resistant cultivars at different hpi compared with non-inoculated controls. In addition, the biomass growth parameters including leaf and root length, stem and root diameter, root fresh weight and volume were significantly different among studied genotypes. Cumulatively, the transcriptome data provide novel insights into the response of pumpkins for improving pumpkin breeding to P. melonis.

Morphological and Genetic Diversity of Schoenoplectiella mucronata (L.) J. Jung & H. K. Choi (Ricefield Bulrush) in Rice

Since the beginning of rice cultivation, weed control has been a problem in Türkiye as well as in many other countries. Rice has both an important cultural plant and limited production for Türkiye. There are significant yield losses due to weeds and therefore weed control has an important place in rice agriculture. Species belonging to the genus Scirpus in rice production areas have recently become an important problem in rice cultivation areas of Türkiye as well as in rice cultivation areas of many other countries. In order to determine the morphological and genetic diversity of Scirpus mucronata, which is a problem in rice cultivation areas in Türkiye, 62 populations collected from the rice production areas of the Marmara and Black Sea Regions were evaluated over 8 ISSR primers and 12 morphological parameters. In the ISSR study, observed and expected heterozygosity levels ranged from 0.192 to 0.970 and from 0.136 to 0.566, respectively. In the morphological and molecular analyses performed, differences were detected in some quantitative characters between the examined populations. While morphological similarities were found between the populations grown in different regions that could not be ignored, genetic diversity was found to be higher. Morphological and genetic relationships between populations were not found to be related to geographic distance. In the context of the results, it is important to focus on field management practices such as cultural methods, as well as good control of rice seed traffic and herbicide use. It should not be forgotten that these measures are important in terms of integrated weed management strategies.

Screening of Bean Genotypes Against Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) by Artificial Inoculation and Molecular Confirmation

Bean mosaic virus (BCMV) is a widespread plant pathogen that causes significant bean yield losses in several bean-growing regions worldwide. The use of resistant common bean varieties to BCMV is considered the most efficient and feasible approach to control its effects. Numerous genes and molecular markers associated with resistance to these pathogens have been discovered and used extensively in breeding studies around the world. Screening bean genotypes for resistance to these viruses is a critical step in developing resistant varieties. The goals of the study are to identify virus sources in the region and artificially inoculate Lake Van basin bean genotypes with BCMV. The recovered BCMV strain NL-4 was inoculated with 45 bean cultivars, most of which originated from the Lake Van basin in Turkey. Differentiation between resistant and susceptible was based on visual symptoms, and of the 45 genotypes, 29 were found to be resistant to NL-4, while 16 genotypes were susceptible (8 of them moderately susceptible and 8 of them highly susceptible).

EXPLORING THE SUITABILITY OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE WASTES FOR BIOMETHANE AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION

The exploration of sustainable energy sources, such as biomethane, has become essential due to the increasing global population and demand for food and energy. This study aims to investigate the potential production of biomethane and electricity generation from fruit and vegetable waste. The fruit and vegetable waste used in this research was collected from student hostels at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Sahaf Restaurant, Mima Restaurant, Mama Ojo Restaurant, Dan Sadi Restaurant, and IBC Restaurant in Malumfashi. The research involves laboratory analysis of the fruit and vegetable waste samples, focusing on their nutrient composition, biomethane potential, and electrical potential. Proximate analysis was used to determine the nutrient characterization, while the Baserga model was used to predict the biomethane potential. Proximate analysis revealed a total solid content of 95.92%, a volatile solid content of 86.5%, a crude protein content of 0.14%, a nitrogen-free extract of 76.96%, a crude fiber of 6.1%, and a crude fat of 3.3%. According to the Baserga model, a significant biomethane yield of 864.4 L/kg volatile solids, with a methane content of 57%, can be expected. The findings also indicate that complete degradation of fresh organic matter from fruit and vegetable waste can generate 748m3/ton of gas. Furthermore, the study predicts an electricity potential of 1601 kWh/ton of fresh fruit and vegetable waste. Based on these findings, the study recommends the use of fruit and vegetable waste as biomass for energy production to address landfilling issues and promote a more sustainable waste management approach.

Evaluation of foliar fungicides for frogeye leaf spot control and yield protection in soybean in Arkansas

The efficacy of fifteen foliar fungicides to control frogeye leaf spot (caused by Cercospora sojina K. Hara) and protect soybean grain yield was investigated over three years (2014–2016) in two field experiments. Experiments were divided into two fungicide groups: premix fungicides, which included combinations of quinone outside inhibitors (QoI), demethylation inhibitors (DMI), succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI), or methyl benzimidazole carbamates (MBC), and solo fungicides, all DMI fungicides. Fungicides were applied once at the full pod (R4) in 2014 and 2015 and at the beginning seed (R5) growth stage in 2016. A very susceptible frogeye leaf spot cultivar, Armor 48R40, was used. Frogeye leaf spot severity at fungicide application timing average 1.0, 0.5, and 8.0% in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Final disease severity averaged 21.7, 14.5, and 15.1% in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively on the non-treated control. Azoxystrobin provided no disease control, suggesting the presence of QoI-resistant C. sojina. Three fungicides: azoxystrobin + difenoconazole, flutriafol, and thiophanate-methyl + tebuconazole applied at R4 provided effective disease control compared to the non-treated control. Fungicides applied at R5 provided no disease control. No fungicide provided significant grain yield protection in either experiment. Overall, the average yield protection trend by fungicides applied at R4 and R5 was 6.8 and 3.0%, respectively compared to the non-treated control. These data suggest that although foliar fungicides can provide effective frogeye leaf spot control, yield protection may be limited when applied at the R4 growth stage, particularly when disease severity exceeds 0.5% on a very susceptible soybean cultivar.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Colletotrichum lini Strains with Different Virulence on Flax.

Colletotrichum lini is a flax fungal pathogen. The genus comprises differently virulent strains, leading to significant yield losses. However, there were no attempts to investigate the molecular mechanisms of C. lini pathogenicity from high-quality genome assemblies until this study. In this work, we sequenced the genomes of three C. lini strains of high (#390-1), medium (#757), and low (#771) virulence. We obtained more than 100× genome coverage with Oxford Nanopore Technologies reads (N50 = 12.1, 6.1, 5.0 kb) and more than 50× genome coverage with Illumina data (150 + 150 bp). Several assembly strategies were tested. The final assemblies were obtained using the Canu-Racon ×2-Medaka-Polca scheme. The assembled genomes had a size of 54.0-55.3 Mb, 26-32 contigs, N50 values > 5 Mb, and BUSCO completeness > 96%. A comparative genomic analysis showed high similarity among mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. However, a rearrangement event and the loss of a 0.7 Mb contig were revealed. After genome annotation with Funannotate, secreting proteins were selected using SignalP, and candidate effectors were predicted among them using EffectorP. The analysis of the InterPro annotations of predicted effectors revealed unique protein categories in each strain. The assembled genomes and the conducted comparative analysis extend the knowledge of the genetic diversity of C. lini and form the basis for establishing the molecular mechanisms of its pathogenicity.

Identification of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium spp. on Onion Plant (Allium cepa L.) Growing in Hatay, Amasya and Tokat Provinces Using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Plant fungal disease pathogens cause significant yield and quality losses in onion growing areas. In addition to yield losses, they cause negative effects that reduce the quality and export potential of the product, resulting in significant economic losses during harvest, post-harvest, processing and marketing stages. In recent years, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a rapid, cost-effective, reproducible, and powerful technique for identifying microorganisms, and its impact on microbiological diagnosis has transformed workflow in equipped laboratories. In this study, proteomic analyzes were performed on Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium species isolated from onion growing areas in Hatay, Amasya, and Tokat provinces. After extraction of mycelium from single spore cultures of the isolates with ethanol-formic acid, the spectra of the individual fungal isolates were determined using the Flex control software program. These spectra were compared with Maldi Biotyper Real-Time Classification (RTC) and identification was performed. Of 519 different fungal isolates, 435 representative fungal isolates (83.8%) were identified by MALDI TOF MS. Eighty-four fungal isolates could not be identified because they were not in a satisfactory range of purity and identification. Of the 435 isolates, 269 (61.8%) were identified as Fusarium spp., 80 isolates (18.4%) were identified as Alternaria spp., 60 isolates (13.8%) as Aspergillus spp., and 26 isolates (6.0%) as Penicillium spp. Among the fungal isolates, 72.5% of the Fusarium isolates, 78.8% of the Alternaria isolates, 90.0% of the Aspergillus isolates and 84.6% of the Penicillium isolates were identified as “highly probable” species with score values between 2.000-3.000 (green color). These species are Alternaria alternata, Alternaria infectoria, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium verticillioides, Penicillium commune and Penicillium glabrum. The results clearly demonstrate that MALDI TOF MS biotyping may be used as a highly reliable and economical diagnostic method for routine diagnosis of diseases caused by Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium species.

Selection of Perennial Flax (Linum spp.) for Yield and Reproductive Traits for the Oilseed Ideotype

Flaxseed has gained popularity as a health food. Wild, perennial Linum relatives of annual flax (L. usitatissimum) possess similar oil compositions, making them perennial oilseed (OS) alternatives. The objective of this study was to phenotype 25 OS and 17 cut flower (CF) breeding populations with 137 wild Linum species’ accessions in a common garden over three years (Y1–3) to quantify the impact of selection and identify top candidates. This study was intercepted by COVID-19, which prevented the same detailed phenotyping of Y1 from occurring in Y2–3. Traits measured from the perennial flax OS, in comparison with the CF ideotypes: weekly seed germination (Y1), yield per plant (Y1–3), seed weight (Y1–2), shattering (Y1–2), and seed capsule diameter (Y1). In Y1, OS selections had the highest yield per plant, followed by L. austriacum and then CF selections. The 1000 seed weights in Y1 were highest in annual flax, followed by L. grandiflorum and L. baicalense. Seed numbers/capsule were low in Y1–2, possibly due to shattering. Average yield per plant increased across Y1–3 indicating that, once plant establishment had occurred along with the potential for two harvests/year in Y2 onwards, significant OS yield can be realized. Harvest 1 yields were significantly higher than in harvest 2. In Y1–3, OS selections had the highest average seed yield. In Y1, OS and CF populations had smaller seeds, higher shattering, smaller capsule diameters, and lower germination than wild species. Significant breeding efforts are needed to increase perennial flax yield, using the multiple crop ideotypes.

Investigation of Bio Fungicidal Properties of Crude Extracts of Neem Leaf against Blast Disease of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)

The efficacy of neem leaf extract against finger millet blast pathogen Magnaporthe grisea was assessed invitro. The neem leaf extract significantly inhibits the pathogen mycelial growth and melanin biosynthesis. Neem leaf extract shows 84.33 % inhibition of the pathogen over control. Volatile test infer that no volatile compounds were found to be involved in growth inhibition and melanin production inhibition. In field experiments foliar spray with neem leaf extract 5%, 10% and 15% along with chemical Tricyclazole 0.1% and Picoxystrobin 6.78% + Tricyclazole 0.1 % was done. Data recorded on leaf blast PDI at 15, 25 and 40 days after transplanting revealed that lower leaf blast PDI of 17.72, 16.45 and 15.45 respectively was recorded in neem leaf extract (T1,T2,T3) which is comparatively similar with chemical treatment 1 and 2 PDI 13.00 and 10.90. In neem leaf extract treated field a significant yield increase was also observed.

Hyperspectral imaging detects biological stress of wheat for early diagnosis of crown rot disease

Crown rot, caused by a stubble-soil fungal pathogen, threatens wheat production, leading to significant yield losses. The challenge lies in the absence of early visible symptoms for timely detection and management. While hyperspectral imaging technologies have been successfully applied to improve screening for some plant health indicators and diseases, they have not yet been successfully used for crown rot disease detection. This study endeavoured to harness hyperspectral imaging technologies for early-stage, high-throughput, accurate, economical, and non-destructive detection of crown rot disease. Four common Australian commercial wheat varieties with different resistance levels were chosen for study, including Aurora, Yitpi, Emu Rock and Trojan. Three different hyperspectral cameras, covering various wavelength ranges, were tested from both side-view and top-view. Four types of input data for support vector machine classification were tested, including reflectance and the other three derived forms namely hyper-hue, standard normal variate, and principal components. The experimental results showed that hyperspectral imaging technologies can successfully diagnose infected plants in a greenhouse approximately 30 days after infection when there were no visible symptoms on shoots, and the hyper-hue and standard normal variate data transformation methods achieved high F1 scores above 0.75. By discovering key wavelengths, we found that hyperspectral imaging achieved early detection by uncovering biological stress related to photosynthetic activities, and limited absorption of water, protein and starch synthesis. These findings represent a critical advance towards establishing a hyperspectral imaging system for crown rot detection, thereby facilitating disease management and breeding resistant varieties.