Transport Of Plant Material Research Articles

ЖИДКОСТНОКОЛЬЦЕВЫЕ ВАКУУМНЫЕ НАСОСЫ КОМБИНИРОВАННОГО ТИПА ДЛЯ ЭНЕРГОЭФФЕКТИВНЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПРОЦЕССОВ ПЕРЕРАБОТКИ РАСТИТЕЛЬНОГО СЫРЬЯ

The use of one- and two-stage liquid ring vacuum pumps of a combined type for agricultural processes is justified: drying, extraction, vacuum evaporation and transportation of plant materials. The purpose of the article is formulated, which is to develop a method of theoretical calculation for the selection of liquid ring vacuum pumps of a combined type for the presented agricultural processes. Scientists who have been and are currently continuing research on this problem are presented. The general methodology for calculating the speed of action, adjusted for the flow rate and geometric parameters of a liquid ring vacuum pump (LVN), is described. The technological scheme of the processes of two-stage convective-vacuum-pulse drying (DCVID) and extraction is described and the use of a two-stage liquid-vitrochemical drying agent for them is justified. A method for calculating the speed of action based on the technological parameters of the devices used is presented. A method for determining the speed of action for DKVIS and extraction in the case of using pulsed action on the processed plant material is also described. The rationality of creating pulses during DCVIS in an additional container or one housing (when using a multi-body apparatus) is substantiated. A technological scheme of the process of vacuum transportation of dry bulk plant material is described. It is proposed to use a single-stage liquid liquid pump for this process. A method for selecting a vacuum pump based on the required performance and air flow is described. Based on the presented materials, conclusions and conclusions are drawn.

Resistência é a melhor estratégia contra begomovírus? Uma revisão abrangente

ABSTRACT The worldwide spread of Geminiviruses and its vector has been attributed to the high rate of recombination, mutation, presence of alternate hosts, transport of plant material, global human activity along with global trade, new agricultural practices and climate change; therefore, the most severe viral diseases among crops have grown in almost all regions of the world, including cassava viral diseases in Africa, cotton leaf curl disease in Pakistan, and multiple diseases related to tomatoes, legumes and cucurbits in India and all over the world. Begomovirus is the major and largest genus of Geminiviridae which has shown a worldwide increase in its variations and distribution by affecting previously unaffected plants. The increasing population has augmented the demand for a sustainable agriculture boost, but begomoviruses have become a continual threat to the world’s agriculture. Numerous control strategies have been used for the viral invasion of the world as pathogens but begomoviruses continually overcome the control methods, and this has generated a need to end this competition between researchers and begomoviruses. The present review summarizes all strategies used against begomoviruses and provides a comprehensive comparison among all control methods, their drawbacks, and future insights.

The Bugs in the Bags: The Risk Associated with the Introduction of Small Quantities of Fruit and Plants by Airline Passengers.

Simple SummaryThis study was carried out with the aim of emphasizing the importance of checking the plant material that can be imported in the baggage of airline passengers. Travelers are often unaware of the regulations in place and of the risks connected with such importation. The risk of the introduction of harmful organisms correlated with this pathway is yet not well studied and its frequency is underestimated. The results of the research underline the need for continuous checks at entry points and the establishment of a specialized position for inspections.Among European countries, Italy is the most exposed to the risk of biological invasions, principally for its numerous entry points (ports and airports) and for climatic conditions favorable for the acclimatization of several invasive species. Here it was assessed that the greatest threats to our agro-ecosystems come mainly from the passenger baggage in which a variety of fruits and vegetables are carried. From 2016 to 2021, large quantities of plant products were found in the luggage of passengers travelling from outside the EU and seized at the BCPs (border control posts) in the Campania region. Inspections and the following laboratory analyses were conducted on the plant material to assess the presence of exotic pests. Inspections led to several non-native species being recorded, and among the intercepted organisms, some should be considered “alarming”, such as Bactrocera dorsalis, Anastrepha obliqua, and Leucinodes africensis. Despite a well-organized border inspection system, travelers transporting infested material unknowingly contribute to increasing the risk of the introduction of exotic species. Given the current situation, it is necessary to impose stricter controls and greater attention, ensuring compliance with the requirements of the new phytosanitary regulations by the actors involved in the transport of plant material. Finally, it is essential to improve awareness through a phytosanitary campaign on plant health risks, especially for people wishing to transport fruits and vegetables in their luggage.

Biodiversity in and around Greenhouses: Benefits and Potential Risks for Pest Management.

Simple SummaryThe role of plant diversity near greenhouses is heavily debated because it may have both negative and positive effects on pest control inside greenhouses. In this review, we discuss these potential risks and benefits. Although there is the risk of an increased influx of some pests and of viruses transmitted by pests, we argue that biodiversity in the adjacent environment usually has limited effects on pest abundance in greenhouses in temperate climates, as most greenhouse pests in temperate climates are of exotic origin. The main benefit of increased biodiversity near greenhouses is the immigration of natural enemies that can suppress pests inside greenhouses. An open question is how this can be promoted by specific plant communities, plant characteristics, and habitats while minimising risks. Plant biodiversity inside greenhouses can also support biological control. We summarise general methods that growers can use to enhance pest control with functional biodiversity and suggest that it is particularly important to study how biodiversity inside and outside greenhouses can be linked to enhancement of biological pest control with both released and naturally occurring species of natural enemies.One of the ecosystem services of biodiversity is the contribution to pest control through conservation and stimulation of natural enemies. However, whether plant diversity around greenhouses is beneficial or a potential risk is heavily debated. In this review, we argue that most greenhouse pests in temperate climates are of exotic origin and infest greenhouses mainly through transportation of plant material. For indigenous pests, we discuss the potential ways in which plant diversity around greenhouses can facilitate or prevent pest migrations into greenhouses. As shown in several studies, an important benefit of increased plant diversity around greenhouses is the stimulation of indigenous natural enemies that migrate to greenhouses, where they suppress both indigenous and exotic pests. How this influx can be supported by specific plant communities, plant characteristics, and habitats while minimising risks of increasing greenhouse pest densities, virus transmission, or hyperparasitism needs further studies. It also requires a better understanding of the underlying processes that link biodiversity with pest management. Inside greenhouses, plant biodiversity can also support biological control. We summarise general methods that growers can use to enhance pest control with functional biodiversity and suggest that it is particularly important to study how biodiversity inside and outside greenhouses can be linked to enhancement of biological pest control with both released and naturally occurring species of natural enemies.

Development of a new real-time TaqMan PCR assay for the detection of the Prunus pathogen Monilinia kusanoi

Monilinia kusanoi causes shoot blight, leaf blight and fruit rot of several Prunus species, and is currently known to be present only in Japan and Korea. Despite the restricted distribution range, the risk remains that the pathogen could spread with the transportation of plant material, especially since no DNA based diagnostic methods are available to detect this fungus. In this study, a new TaqMan probe-based real-time assay was developed for specific and rapid detection of M. kusanoi. The assay targets the single copy elongation factor gene and enables the detection down to 1 pg of pathogen DNA in a plant sample, which corresponds to approximately 25 hyphal cells. When testing a panel of fungal cultures, all M. kusanoi isolates were detected and there was no cross-reaction with other Monilinia species or related fungi. The assay was duplexed with a plant internal control assay to allow simultaneous detection of the pathogen and cytochrome oxidase gene from host plants. This newly developed real-time PCR assay will facilitate rapid and sensitive pathogen screening of imported plant material, as M. kusanoi is a pathogen of biosecurity concern in New Zealand and Australia and would also be useful for research and screening purposes in areas where the pathogen is already established.

ELIMINATION OF OXIDATIVE COMPOUNDS TO INCREASE THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF DNA EXTRACTED FROM LEAVES OF GUAVA (PSIDIUM GUAJAVA L.)

With the aim of extracting DNA in sufficient quantity and quality from dry leaves of guava preserved for about a year, three different methods were evaluated. Only with one of them DNA was obtained, however, it was necessary to make some modifications to eliminate products derived from oxidative processes, oxidation promoting compounds, as well as pigments that are particularly abundant in the guava leaves and even more when they are preserved for a long period of time at room temperature. The DNA obtained was used to carry out the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). To verify its concentration, measurements were made by spectrophotometry and the quality was verified by electrophoresis in agarose gels as well as by different tests with PCR amplifications. Also, the method was used with fresh leaves and DNA with good characteristics was obtained to conduct the PCR reactions. In addition, this method will allow making the collecting of plant material easier in the field because cryo-preservation agents are not required for the transportation of plant material.

Successful spread of a biocontrol agent reveals a biosecurity failure: elucidating long distance invasion pathways for Gonatocerus ashmeadi in French Polynesia

Invasive species are generally detected in new ecosystems long after their first arrival, making it difficult to elucidate pathways leading to successful invasion. In this study, the dispersal of a classical biological control agent, the mymarid egg parasitoid Gonatocerus ashmeadi, was monitored across ten islands in three major island groups in French Polynesia from the exact moment of its introduction into Tahiti to combat the invasive pest Homalodiscavitripennis. Within 10 months, the parasitoid spread quickly from Tahiti to widely separated islands (up to 1,400 km from Tahiti); presumably through the transportation of plant material containing parasitized H. vitripennis eggs. Gonatocerus ashmeadi thus functioned as a “biomarker”, providing an informal audit of the effectiveness of inter-island quarantine measures designed to curb the accidental spread of noxious organisms. Survey results suggest that invasive organisms, like deliberately released biological control agents, can be unintentionally and rapidly transmitted across vast distances by humans. Furthermore, even remote islands appear to experience relentless pressure from invasive propagules associated with human travel. Implications of survey work documenting the spread and impact of G. ashmeadi are discussed within the context of biological control programs, non-target impacts, and biosecurity initiatives.

Variability and control of carbon consumption, export, and accumulation in marine communities

Elucidating the extent and controls of the routes followed by primary production in marine communities (i.e., consumption by herbivores, decomposition, transportation of plant material beyond the community boundaries—referred to as export—or accumulation as biomass or detritus) is essential to understand how much and why they differ in their capacity to fuel secondary production, both within or out of the community, and in their role as sinks in the oceanic carbon budget. Here, using an extensive compilation of published reports, I compare the magnitude of these routes across and within a wide range of community types, including oceanic and coastal phytoplanktonic communities, benthic microalgal communities, coral reef algal beds, macroalgal beds, seagrass meadows, marshes, and mangroves. Furthermore, I examine whether the variability in the magnitude of these routes among and within types is associated with that in the magnitude of primary production. In general, different community types showed similar levels of consumption by herbivores and export, in spite of substantial within—type variability. On the contrary, substantial differences in detritus decomposition and accumulation were found among types: coral reef algal beds and benthic microalgal communities tended to show the highest and lowest levels of decomposition, respectively, whereas marshes and oceanic phytoplanktonic communities tended to show the largest and smallest levels of detritus accumulation. The results also identify primary production as a robust (i.e., applicable to a wide range of environmental conditions and communities) control of the variability in herbivory and decomposition among marine communities. The role of primary production as a control of export and detritus accumulation is generally minor and only restricted to coastal phytoplanktonic and benthic microalgal communities, for export, and marshes and mangroves for detritus accumulation.