Agronomy

The root rot of Lycium barbarum represents the most severe soil-borne disease that impedes its production. The management of this disease primarily relies on chemical agents, which pose risk to both the environment and human health. In this study, we isolated Bacillus strains as potential biological control agents. Bai2-32 exhibited the strongest antagonistic activity against all five Fusarium species and demonstrated broad-spectrum antifungal activities. Field experiments further displayed that Bai2-32 provided excellent biocontrol efficacy. To understand the possible genetic determinants for biocontrol traits, we performed genome sequencing. The genome of B. mojavensis Bai2-32 consists of a 4,055,438 bp circular chromosome with a GC content of 43.67%, containing 3986 protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analysis of Bacillus strains, utilizing a single core-genome approach, clearly placed the strain Bai2-32 within the B. mojavensis clade. Predictive analysis revealed that the genome encoded lipopeptides such as surfactin and fengycin, in addition to several active metabolite synthesis gene clusters. The results further support the potential of B. mojavensis Bai2-32 for application in agricultural production and suggest that it may be a promising biocontrol agent for further studies.

Between 2023 and 2025, we conducted experiments at the Laboratory Field of the Bio-technical Faculty in Ljubljana to study alternative methods for controlling wireworms in potato fields. The trials were arranged in three blocks with five first-order (Brassica carinata, Brassica juncea, Nemakil 330, Rasti Soil Tonic G, positive control) and five second-order treatments (entomopathogenic nematodes, entomopathogenic fungi, zeolite combined with half-doses of these products, positive control with tefluthrin, and negative control), giving twenty-five treatments per block. Foliar pests and diseases were managed with contact plant protection products. We measured total tuber yield and divided it into three size classes, then assessed wireworm damage (holes per tuber). The purpose of the soil excavations in the first-order treatments was to verify the abundance of wireworms in the soil. Most combinations reduced wireworm abundance. The lowest tuber damage comparable to the positive control occurred when using zeolite with half-doses of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi. The highest yields across all three weather-distinct years resulted from combining Rasti Soil Tonic with zeolite and half-dose entomopathogenic products. Although Nemakil 330 increased soil phosphorus, it neither improved yield nor reduced wireworm damage. Overall, the tested environmentally acceptable methods show promising insecticidal potential for sustainable wireworm control in potatoes.

The locust Oedaleus decorus undergoes massive outbreaks and engages in round-trip migratory flights across northern China and Mongolia. However, its specific genetic structure remains poorly understood. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 163 O. decorus individuals from 16 locations in northern China using high-throughput sequencing data and analyzed its population structure. The results showed that these mitochondrial genomes are 15,142 to 15,914 bp in sizes, with size variation attributed to A + T-rich regions in intergenic spacers. All 13 protein-coding genes exhibited conserved lengths across samples. The overall genetic differentiation between populations was small (Fst = 0.00843), with high gene flow (Nm = 29.40). Both genetic differentiation and DAPC analyses revealed significant genetic differentiation in the New Barag Left Banner (NBL) population compared to the Zhengxiangbai Banner (ZB), Taibus Banner (TP), Xianghuang Banner (XH), and Zhenglan Banner (ZL) populations. The phylogenetic tree and haplotype network suggest Hap_20 is presumably a relatively ancestral haplotype and all haplotypes were divided into two clades, and no population formed a distinct independent clade. Our findings indicate that the O. decorus population in North China exhibits mitochondrial subtype differentiation. The lack of difference in genetic structure across different regions in North China is consistent with a high level of migratory activity by O. decorus in the region.