Search Results (90)

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moech) is a “gluten-free” pseudocereal with high-quality proteins and human health properties, increasing its cultivation worldwide. However, the role of nitrogen (N) in plant growth and yield components has received little attention in buckwheat. This study evaluated N’s effect on plant traits, photosynthetic performance, and grain yield components in buckwheat under field conditions. For this, Buckwheat cv. “Mancan” seeds were sown using five N rates: 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 kg N ha⁻¹. Then, physiological performance and grain yield components were evaluated at harvest. Our study revealed that buckwheat plants subjected to 0 and 30 kg N ha⁻¹ showed the greatest chlorophyll fluorescence a parameters including maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv′/Fm′), effective quantum yield of PSII (ФPSII), and electron transport rate (ETR) among N treatments; meanwhile, at higher N rates (60 and 90 kg N ha⁻¹), these parameters decayed. Similarly, plants treated with 90 kg N ha⁻¹ showed the lowest CO₂ assimilation among N treatments. In general, stomatal conductance (g_s), transpiration (E), and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE_i) showed no significant changes among N treatments, with the exception of 30 kg N ha⁻¹, which exhibited the highest WUE_i. Concerning plant traits, plants grown under 60 and 90 kg N ha⁻¹ exhibited the greatest plant height, number of branches, shoot biomass, and internode per plant among N treatments. By contrast, 30 kg N ha⁻¹ showed the highest grain number, yield per plant, and grain yield among N treatments in F. esculentum plants. Based on the physiological and productive parameters, F. esculentum seems to have a low N requirement, exhibiting better results under the lowest N rates (30 kg N ha⁻¹). Therefore, F. esculentum could be considered as an alternative for gluten-free food production with low N requirements in agricultural systems of southern Chile. Nonetheless, more studies are required to understand the effect of N biochemical and molecular regulation on plant traits and grain yield components in buckwheat. Full article

The use of buffalo meat in fermented sausage production represents a sustainable and innovative approach to enhancing the value of underutilized meat cuts. However, its high heme content and specific fatty acid composition makes the meat particularly sensitive to lactic fermentation with lipid oxidation phenomena and sensory character decay. Therefore, buffalo meat requires tailored fermentation strategies to ensure product stability. The aim of this study was to optimize fermentation strategies by exploring milder acidification processes and the fortification of buffalo meat with vegetable oils to reduce oxidation while maintaining microbiological quality. In particular, the effect of adding or omitting glucose and fortifying with pumpkin seed oil in Napoli-style buffalo salami was studied and the impact on the main quality parameters was evaluated. Pumpkin seed oil (0.5%) was selected for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and evaluated for its interaction with starter cultures through Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) tests and predictive microbiology models. Based on the findings, its use was validated in Napoli-style salami, produced with and without glucose. Microbial dynamics, physicochemical changes over time, oxidation indices, and sensory attributes were assessed. Results indicated that the sugar-free formulations combined with pumpkin seed oil achieved optimal sensory and safety attributes. The addition of glucose facilitated rapid lactic acid bacterial growth (about 2.5 ∆ log CFU/g), enabling pH reduction to safe levels (<5.2) and the effective inhibition of Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms. However, acidification in the control batch, as demonstrated by multiple variable regression analyses, induced pre-oxidative conditions, increasing lipid oxidation markers (TBARSs > 0.7 mg MAD/Kg), which negatively impacted flavor and color stability. The use of pumpkin seed oil confirmed its antimicrobial and antioxidant potential, making it a promising fortifying ingredient for producing slow-fermented, mildly acidified (pH > 5.4) buffalo meat salami, offering a novel strategy for improving the nutritional, sensorial, and safety quality of dry fermented meat. Full article

The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most widely consumed vegetable crops worldwide. During storage, potato tubers are vulnerable to various phytopathogenic fungi. Dry rot, caused by Fusarium incarnatum, is a common and serious disease that affects potato tubers, leading to partial or complete decay during storage. The current study assessed the effectiveness of three ethanolic extracts including cinnamon bark (CIB), clove buds (CLB), and avocado seeds (AVS) in controlling potato dry rot under both normal and cold storage conditions. In vitro bioassay demonstrated that all tested extracts exhibited a dose-dependent fungistatic effect against F. incarnatum, with inhibition percentages of 83.33% for CIB, 72.22% for CLB, and 67.77% for AVS at the highest tested concentration. Moreover, dipping potato tubers in the tested extracts markedly reduced the severity of dry rot disease under both normal and cold storage conditions. Additionally, treated tubers showed increased activities of defense-related enzymes, including catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Furthermore, there were higher levels of total soluble phenolics and flavonoids, along with an increase in lignin content and a reduction in the weight loss of stored potato tubers compared to the control group. Moreover, the extracts mitigated infection stress and lowered malondialdehyde levels in the treated potato tubers. These extracts show potential as environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides for managing potato dry rot caused by F. incarnatum under normal and cold storage. Full article

A wide range of seed-borne and soil-borne plant pathogens belonging to various fungal and fungal-like species cause pre-emergence seed decay and post-emergence seedling blights of wheat and other small-grain cereal crops. To prevent the death of the seedlings, poor establishment and reduced stand of the crops, extensive crop rotations, planting good-quality seeds and seed treatments with fungicides are used on regular basis. This study is aimed at assessing the efficacy of pre-sowing seed treatments with cold atmospheric plasma for the disinfestation of winter wheat seed from economically important fungal and fungal-like pathogens. Uninoculated or surface-inoculated with Fusarium culmorum, Bipolaris sorokiniana or Pythium ultimum wheat seeds, the cultivar Madara was treated by cold plasma produced either by microwave torch (MW) or underwater diaphragm discharge (UW) with low power at very short treatment times, or remained untreated controls. As per the treatments, the seeds were sown in a ready-to-use growing medium comprising a mixture of light and dark moss peat (w:w) 90–95%, 5–10% perlite and 3–5 kg/m³ CaCO₃, having an electrical conductivity of 40 mS/m, pH (H₂O) of 5.5–6.5 and moisture content of 60–70%, filling in 250 × 250 × 70 mm aluminum flat seed trays (40 grains per tray, four trays per treatment). The plants were cultivated for 45 days in a growth chamber held at (20 ± 2) °C, set to a cycle of 8 h/night and 16 h/day under fluorescent light of 2000–3000 lux intensity. For each replicate, disease incidence (DI) was determined as the total percentage of missing, dead and apparently symptomatic plants. Seed treatment with a microwave plasma torch with a power of 16 W for 40 s significantly (p < 0.001) reduced seedling blights caused by F. culmorum, B. sorokiniana and P. ultimum by 46.8%, 51.0% and 77.3%, respectively, but limited the emergence of wheat seedlings by 15.9% on average. Simultaneously, the effectiveness of underwater discharge seed treatments reached an average of about a 60% reduction of seedling blight caused by F. culmorum and B. sorokiniana and about 37% of the disease caused by P. ultimum. Pre-sowing treatments with a MW plasma torch with an input power of 11 W and treatment time of 60, 90 or 120 s exposure also showed significant (p < 0.001) effects in controlling winter wheat seedling blights caused by the three pathogens. The effectiveness of the treatment increased with increasing the time period of exposure and reached full disease control (>80% reduction) for B. sorokiniana and P. ultimum seedling blights. This study demonstrated that pre-sowing treatment with a microwave plasma torch and underwater diaphragm discharge at a relatively low input power and short exposure time can be used for disinfestation and the effective control of seedling blights in winter wheat caused by seed-borne fungal pathogens, such as Fusarium culmorum and Bipolaris sorokiniana, and fungal-like oomycetes, such as Pythium ultimum. Full article

This study investigates the impact of Aerated Subsurface Drip Irrigation (ASDI) on the growth and yield of mulched cotton, aiming to identify the optimal water-air combination pattern for ASDI in cotton cultivation. Conducted during 2021–2022, the experimental setup involved two aeration modes (aerated A₁ and unaerated A₀) and four irrigation quotas (W₁, W₂, W₃, and W₄), organized in a two-factor randomized block design resulting in eight distinct treatments. The findings revealed that ASDI significantly promoted soil moisture depletion from 0 to 40 cm during the cotton flowering and boll opening stages. Specifically, aerated A₁ reduced soil water content by 5.84% to 7.83% during the flowering stage and 7.45% to 13.39% during the boll opening stage compared to unaerated A₀. Additionally, both aerating and increasing irrigation quotas not only enhanced the cotton leaf area index (LAI) but also delayed leaf area decay, contributing to prolonged photosynthetic activity. Aerating also favorably influenced the distribution of above-ground biomass in cotton towards budding and boll stages, with the biomass share of buddings, flowers, and bolls averaging 62.98% under aerated conditions versus 62.27% under non-aerated conditions during the boll opening stage. Furthermore, aerating combined with increased irrigation quotas resulted in higher seed cotton yields, with aerated irrigation boosting yields by 1.79% in 2021 and 4.43% in 2022 compared to non-aerated irrigation. This approach also increased cotton’s water demand and average daily water consumption significantly (p < 0.01). Importantly, aerating improved IWUE, achieving 1.72 kg/m³ in 2021 and 1.62 kg/m³ in 2022 for ASDI, versus 1.69 kg/m³ and 1.57 kg/m³ for unaerated subsurface drip irrigation, respectively. In conclusion, from a water conservation and yield enhancement perspective, an irrigation quota of 337.4 mm during the reproductive stage under ASDI is recommended as an effective strategy for “one film three tubes and six rows” mulched cotton in Southern Xinjiang. Full article

Fusarium neocosmosporiellum is the main pathogen of peanut pod rot in China. To investigate the type of F. neocosmosporiellum toxin and its pathogenic mechanism, a macrolide, brefeldin A, was isolated. The structure of the compound was identified by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS). At the same time, the content of the compound in healthy and diseased peanut capsules was detected, and its plant toxicity to radish, mung bean, rice, and peanut seed radicle elongation and pathogenicity to peanut pod rot were evaluated. The results showed that brefeldin A at 50 μg/mL could significantly inhibit the radicle elongation of rice seeds. Brefeldin A was detected only in pods with peanut rot. Injecting 2 mg/mL brefeldin A solution into peanut pods caused the severe decay of peanut pods at the R3R4 stage, which is consistent with the symptoms of peanut rot. Full article

Malt barley is a crucial irrigated crop in the semi-arid Western United States, where the states of Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah account for 92% of the irrigated production acreage and 30% of total U.S. production. In this region, spring malt barley’s seasonal evapotranspiration ranges from 400 to 650 mm, and competition for limited water supplies, coupled with drought, is straining regional water resources. This study aimed to investigate the use of canopy temperature for deficit irrigation scheduling of malt barley. Specifically, the objectives were to use data-driven models to estimate well-watered (T_LL) and non-transpiring (T_UL) canopy temperatures, correlate the crop water stress index (CWSI) with malt barley yield and quality measures, and assess the applicability of CWSI for malt barley irrigation scheduling in a semi-arid climate. A 3-year field study was conducted with five irrigation treatments relative to estimated crop evapotranspiration (full, 75%, 50%, 25%, and no irrigation) and four replicates each. Continuous canopy temperature measurements and meteorological data were collected, and a feedforward neural network model was used to predict T_LL, while a physical model was used to estimate T_UL. The neural network model accurately predicted T_LL, with a strong correlation (R² = 0.99), a root mean square error of 0.89 °C, and a mean absolute error of 0.70 °C. Significant differences in calculated season-average CWSI were observed between the irrigation treatments, and relative evapotranspiration, malt barley relative yield, test weight, and plump kernels were negatively correlated with the season-average CWSI, while seed protein was positively correlated. The relationship between daily CWSI and fraction of available soil water was well described by an exponential decay function (R² = 0.72). These results demonstrate the applicability of data-driven models for computing CWSI of irrigated spring malt barley in a semi-arid environment and their ability to assess plant water stress and predict crop yield and quality response from CWSI. Full article

Chilling injury during the germination stage (CIGS) of maize significantly hinders production, particularly in middle- and high-latitude regions, leading to slow germination, seed decay, and increased susceptibility to pathogens. This study dissects the genetic architecture of CIGS resistance expressed in terms of the relative germination rate (RGR) in maize through association mapping using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A natural panel of 287 maize inbred lines was evaluated across multiple environments. The results revealed a broad-sense heritability of 0.68 for chilling tolerance, with 12 significant QTLs identified on chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10. A genomic prediction analysis demonstrated that the rr-BLUP model outperformed other models in accuracy, achieving a moderate prediction accuracy of 0.44. This study highlights the potential of genomic selection (GS) to enhance chilling tolerance in maize, emphasizing the importance of training population size, marker density, and significant markers on prediction accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights for breeding programs aimed at improving chilling tolerance in maize. Full article

The improper treatment of crop straw not only leads to resource wastage but also adversely impacts the ecological environment. However, the application of microorganisms can accelerate the decomposition of crop straw and improve its utilization. In this study, cellulose-degrading microbial strains were isolated from naturally decayed corn straw and screened using Congo red staining, along with assessing variations in carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity, filter paper enzyme (FPase) activity and β-glucosidase (β-Gase) activity, as well as the degradation rate. The eight strains, namely Neurospora intermedia isolate 29 (A1), Streptomyces isolate FFJC33 (A2), Gibberella moniliformis isolate FKCB-009 (A3), Fusarium fujikuroi isolate EFS3(2) (A4), Fusarium Fujikuroi isolate FZ04 (A5), Lysine bacillus macroides strain LNHL43 (B1), Bacillus subtilis strain MPF30 (B2) and Paenibacilli lautus strain ALEB-P1 (C), were identified and selected for microbial strain consortium design based on their high activities of CMCase, FPase and β-Gase. The fungi, bacteria and actinomycete strains were combined without antagonistic effects on corn straw decomposition. The results showed the A2B2 combination had a significantly higher FPase at 55.44 U/mL and β-Gase at 25.73 U/mL than the other two strain combinations (p < 0.05). Additionally, the degradation rate of this combination was 40.33%, which was considerably higher than that of the other strains/consortia. The strain combination A4B2C also had superior enzyme activity, including CMCase with a value of 35.03 U/mL, FPase with a value of 63.59 U/mL and β-Gase with a value of 26.15 U/mL, which were significantly different to those of the other three strain combinations (p < 0.05). Furthermore, seven single microbial strains with high cellulase activities were selected to construct various microbial consortiums for in situ composting in order to evaluate their potential. Taken as a whole, the results of composting, including temperature, moisture content, pH, E4/E6 value and seed germination index, indicated that the microbial strain consortium consisting of Neurospora intermediate isolate 29, Fusarium fujikuroi isolate EFS3(2), Fusarium fujikuroi isolate FZ04, Lysinibacillus macrolides, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis and Paenibacillus lautus was advantageous for corn straw decomposition and yielded high-quality compost. The screened flora was able to effectively degrade corn straw. This study provides a novel solution for the construction of a microbial consortium for the composting of corn straw. Full article

In the past few decades, due to rising temperatures and changes in precipitation, the degree of drought in semi-arid areas has increased, leading to a large number of tree deaths and threatening the natural forests distributed in the semi-arid areas of North China. This article takes the forest ecosystem of Saihanwula Nature Reserve in the southern section of Greater Khingan Mountains in China’s semi-arid region as a research area and studies the distribution of downed dead wood and its impact on forest renewal in the area. We used the sample plot survey method, investigated the number of downed dead wood, decay class, dumping direction, existence form, and the number of regenerated seedlings in the sample plot, and calculated the density of regenerated seedlings in different plots. The renewal density is 4050 ± 824, 2950 ± 265, plants/ha, and 2625 ± 237 plants/ha, respectively, in the sample plots for Later-death plot, Mid-death plot, and Early-death plot. The average storage of downed dead wood in Saihanwula Nature Reserve is 58.51 ± 16.56 m³/ha. The distribution densities of downed dead wood are 50 ± 21, 806 ± 198, 189 ± 76, and 22 ± 5 plants/ha for decay classes II, III, IV, and V respectively. The main form of downed dead wood in the research area is “trunk base fracture”, accounting for 68.78% of the total number of downed dead wood. A large number of downed dead wood had serious negative effects, such as crushing and injuring the regeneration seedlings and other plants under the forest at the moment of dumping and for a long time after dumping. The crushed and injured rate is 5.3~7.8%, with downed dead wood accumulated in the forest from the early stage of downed dead wood. It had negative effects on the regeneration of seeds, seedlings, and young trees, such as obstructing and hiding the light from the soil surface and inhibiting the regeneration and growth of seedlings. However, after the trees were dumped, large gaps appeared in the forest, increasing the sunlight area on the soil surface. In the later stage of tree death, moderately high decayed downed dead wood changed the soil structure in terms of soil softness, water holding capacity, and nutrient content, thus promoting the growth of seedlings and young trees. Reasonably utilizing the relationship between downed dead wood and forest renewal can effectively promote the healthy development of forests. Full article

In this study, novel functional ZEO-complex gels were prepared using sodium alginate, inulin, grape seed extract (GSE), and Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (ZEO) as the primary raw materials. The effect of the addition of inulin, GSE, and ZEO on water vapor permeability (WVP), tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (EAB) of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was investigated. A comprehensive score (Y) for evaluating the characteristics of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was established by principal component analysis. MATLAB analysis and box-Behnken design describe each factor’s four-dimensional and three-dimensional interactions. It was found that Y could reach the maximum value when the ZEO addition was at a moderate level (C = 2%). The optimum preparation process of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was as follows: the addition of inulin was at 0.84%, the addition of GSE was at 0.04%, and the addition of ZEO was at 2.0785%; in this way, the Y of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels reached the maximum (0.82276). Optical scanning and X-ray diffraction tests confirmed that the prepared ZEO-complex gels have a smooth and continuous microstructure, good water insulation, and mechanical properties. The storage test results show that ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels could play a significant role in the storage and fresh-keeping of grass carp, and the physicochemical properties of complex polysaccharide gels were improved by adding ZEO. In addition, according to the correlation of fish index changes during storage, adding ZEO in complex polysaccharide gels was closely correlated with the changes in fish TBARS and TVB-N oxidation decay indices. In conclusion, the ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels prepared in this study had excellent water insulation, mechanical properties, and outstanding fresh-keeping effects on grass carp. Full article

Diaporthe longicolla (syn. Phomopsis longicolla) is an important seed-borne fungal pathogen and the primary cause of Phomopsis seed decay (PSD) in soybean. PSD is one of the most devastating seed diseases, reducing soybean seed quality and yield worldwide. As part of a genome sequencing project on the fungal Diaporthe–Phomopsis complex, draft genomes of eight D. longicolla isolates were sequenced and assembled. Sequences of mitochondrial genomes were extracted and analyzed. The circular mitochondrial genomes ranged from 52,534 bp to 58,280 bp long, with a mean GC content of 34%. A total of 14 core protein-coding genes, 23 tRNA, and 2 rRNA genes were identified. Introns were detected in the genes of atp6, cob, cox1, cox2, cox3, nad1, nad2, nad5, and rnl. Three isolates (PL7, PL10, and PL185E) had more introns than other isolates. Approximately 6.4% of the mitochondrial genomes consist of repetitive elements. Moreover, 48 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and were identified. The mitochondrial genome sequences of D. longicolla will be useful to further study the molecular basis of seed-borne pathogens causing seed diseases, investigate genetic variation among isolates, and develop improved control strategies for Phomopsis seed decay of soybean. Full article

Orchids are crucial for the horticulture industry. Mycorrhizal fungi benefit crops by improving nutrition, plant growth, and disease resistance. However, the mycorrhizal association of horticultural hybrid orchids is poorly understood. To address this, we investigated mycorrhizal colonization in the entire root system and assessed the mycorrhizal community using a Dendrobium cultivar, D. Stardust ‘Firebird’, obtained from three nurseries. Additionally, we isolated and tested mycorrhizal fungi in symbiotic culture to assess their role in the seed germination and growth of Dendrobium species. All plants were colonized by mycorrhizal fungi, with a higher colonization rate in mature than in juvenile plants. Molecular identification of mycorrhizal fungi by Sanger and high-throughput sequencing revealed that the cultivar was associated with a phylogenetically diverse group of fungi, including mycorrhizal fungi from Tulasnellaceae, and several wood-decaying fungi. The Tulasnellaceae isolates significantly enhanced the seed germination of three Dendrobium species and increased the survival rate and growth of asymbiotic seedlings of D. moniliforme. This study is the first comprehensive examination of mycorrhizal associations in horticultural orchid hybrids, providing valuable insights for commercial production. Full article

Coriolopsis spp. are wood-decaying fungi that inhabit forests. They are mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. Strain Epi910 was isolated from the asymbiotically germinated protocorm of Epidendrum sp. and identified as Coriolopsis strumosa. Symbiotic germination and high-throughput sequencing of the endophytic fungal communities of different parts were performed to characterize the function and spatial distribution of the Epi910 isolate. Under symbiotic germination, Epi910 promoted seed germination and seedling formation as an endophytic native fungus of Epidendrum sp. Endophytic fungal communities from seven different parts of Epidendrum sp. were characterized. In total, 645 OTUs were identified; 30 OTUs were shared among all seven parts. The internal transcribed spacer sequence of Epi910 was identical to that of a dominant shared OTU (OTU6). The relative abundance of OTU6 in the seven parts was identified as follows: capsule pericarp > seed > root > asymbiotically germinated protocorm > epiphytic root > ovary > rachis. Our results suggest that the isolate belonging to Coriolopsis strumosa could promote the germination of Epidendrum sp. There may, therefore, be endophytic fungi other than common orchid mycorrhizal fungi with the ability to enhance germination in orchids. Full article

Wood-decaying fungi are important study subjects for their ecological role as well as for their biotechnological applications. They break down lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses using enzymes that modify the chemical structure of these complex macromolecules. Due to their ability to degrade wood, these fungi can create structural damage to wooden structures and to trees, especially those with very low level of fitness. Previous studies on wood decay fungi in the Maltese Islands are limited to records and checklists described by a handful of authors. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of wood decay fungal diversity in the Maltese Islands including an updated checklist based on DNA barcoding, as well as to establish the first wood-decay fungal culture collection at the Biology Department Seed Bank of the University of Malta. Several surveys were carried out during the rainy season along wooded areas of the Maltese Islands as well as in historical gardens. Isolates were identified using macro- and micro-morphological features, dichotomous keys, as well as molecular data. Basidiomes were recorded growing on 14 different host plant species, 11 axenic cultures have been made and 9 species of wood decay fungi have been conclusively identified by DNA barcoding. The collection of the axenic isolates includes one of Aurificaria cf. euphoria, three of Ganoderma resinaceum sl., two of Laetiporus sulphureus, one of Inonotus sp., one of Inonotus rickii anamorph, one of Inocutis tamaricis, one of Stereum hirsutum, and one of Pleurotus eryngii. However, the mycelium of Coriolopsis gallica, though collected and identified, could not be isolated. Full article