Search Results (5,899)

Greenhouse cultivation enables year-round vegetable production and high yields through precise environmental regulation. Yet, the same stable microclimate that promotes crop growth also favors the proliferation of pests and diseases. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how greenhouse climate variables govern pest and disease epidemiology in tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper. Only greenhouse-based studies were included to ensure direct relevance to protected horticulture. Microclimatic stability determines infection probability, vector behavior, and host susceptibility. Warm, humid conditions promote fungal and bacterial pathogens, whereas dry, high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) environments favor mites and thrips and enhance virus transmission. Species-specific traits further modulate vulnerability. Tomato is dominated by virus–bacterium complexes and foliar/stem fungal diseases, cucumber by phytopathogenic fungi favored by high relative humidity (RH) and soilborne pathogens, and sweet pepper by virus–vector systems and long-cycle fungal infections. Temperature exerts the strongest influence, while RH and VPD jointly regulate surface moisture and vector activity. Light intensity and spectral composition also affect pest orientation and fungal sporulation. Integrating environmental sensing, biological control, and adaptive climate regulation offers a pathway toward preventive, climate-smart Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The review highlights the emerging role of climate-informed decision-support systems (DSSs) and the need for greenhouse-specific datasets to improve pest and disease forecasting. Full article

The escalating demand for sustainable, nutrient-dense feeds underscores the need to valorize the agro-industrial byproducts utilizing innovative bioconversion strategies. In this context, we have studied the feasibility of incorporating tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivation residues into Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae diets to produce high-protein insect meals. These residues are known to contain the naturally occurring toxic steroidal alkaloids tomatidine and α-tomatine, prohibiting their incorporation into human and animal diets. Herein, the tomato cultivation biomass was dried and mill-ground, and its varying volumes were incorporated into standard poultry feed (seven diet levels with 0–100% biomass inclusion) and tested in BSF-larvae-rearing trials to produce insect meals. The optimal results with respect to larvae growth, protein accumulation (highest value = 30.61%), lipid–fiber content, and antioxidant capacity were determined for insect meals obtained from BSF larvae reared with a ration composed of 40% tomato plant biomass. In addition, the toxicity of this insect meal was substantially low, as a consequence of the observed groundbreaking reduction in the contained toxic steroidal alkaloids α-tomatine and its aglycone tomatidine. The results herein reveal the efficacy of the BSF-larvae-rearing process in acting as a biological filter for the bioconversion of the toxic tomato cultivation waste into a functional, safe, and protein-rich livestock feed, supporting the principles of a circular economy. Full article

Accurate monitoring of tomato maturity and fruit number is essential for improving crop management and supporting accurate yield estimation in greenhouse environments. However, variations in lighting conditions, occlusions, and overlapping fruits often make reliable maturity classification and fruit counting challenging. This paper presents an integrated approach for tomato maturity classification and fruit number estimation using RGB and multispectral images. The proposed approach consists of tomato detection, tomato tracking and counting, and maturity classification of tomatoes. The detection model identifies tomatoes in each frame, the tracking module associates individual tomatoes across image sequences to avoid duplicate counting, and the classification models determine maturity levels. Experiments are conducted on three tomato datasets collected in greenhouse environments. The results show that the proposed method achieves a maximum maturity classification accuracy of 81%. In addition, the proposed approach facilitates consistent fruit counting across image sequences, supporting practical applications in greenhouse monitoring. These findings demonstrate the potential of integrating RGB and multispectral information for automated tomato maturity classification and fruit counting in precision agriculture. Full article

Drought is a major constraint on crop productivity, and microbial inoculants are increasingly explored to mitigate plant water stress. However, most inoculant discovery pipelines rely on trait-based screening performed outside the ecological context in which beneficial plant-microbe interactions naturally arise. In natural soils, drought-exposed plants can reshape the rhizosphere environment by altering carbon allocation and root exudation, thereby selectively recruiting microorganisms compatible with water-limited conditions and effectively performing an ecological pre-selection. Here, we captured this process during early seedling establishment and leveraged drought-driven rhizosphere recruitment as a nature-guided strategy to nominate bacterial inoculant candidates. Tomato seedlings were grown in natural agricultural soil microcosms under well-watered and drought-stressed regimes, and cultivable bacteria were comparatively isolated from rhizosphere and bulk soil fractions. Recruitment-prioritized isolates were subsequently characterized through biochemical assays and genome-informed analyses to provide functional and taxonomic context and were evaluated in early inoculation assays under water stress. Drought-recruited isolates displayed distinct plant-associated responses, and genome-scale taxonomy indicated that one drought-associated isolate represents a genomically distinct lineage within the genus Paracoccus. Together, these findings highlight drought-driven rhizosphere recruitment as an ecologically grounded framework for identifying stress-compatible bacterial candidates and uncovering previously undescribed rhizosphere diversity. Full article

To solve the problem of limited generalization ability that is widely existing in lightweight models used for leaf disease detection, this paper puts forward a lightweight detection model named CE-Fusion Botanic, which is based on the adaptive control of local–global information fusion. Therefore, this model includes a globally guided dynamic gating fusion mechanism that dynamically adjusts fusion weights between local features, such as spot lesions, and global semantic features, such as symptoms of systemic infection, thus realizing adaptive perception of the dual characteristics of plant diseases. Hence, the local information extraction branch combines an improved MobileNetV3-Small structure and a CBAM attention mechanism, while the global information extraction branch uses a lightweight Vision Transformer (ViT) design called EffiViT. Comprehensive contrast experiments were carried out by using seven mainstream lightweight models on the PlantVillage tomato disease subset, the full-category PlantVillage leaf disease dataset, and the Grapevine leaf disease dataset. Models were divided into large-scale, medium-scale, and small-scale groups according to the number of parameters. The results show that CE-Fusion Botanic is significantly better than comparative methods in both detection accuracy and generalization performance, and at the same time, it keeps a lightweight profile, which demonstrates superior cross-dataset adaptation capabilities. Full article

The preservation of biological control agents in agroecosystems while simultaneously ensuring the use of insecticides with selective chemical profiles is crucial for sustainable pest management. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the selectivity of insecticides used in the management of Phthorimaea (Tuta) absoluta in tomato crops during the adult stage of Trichogramma pretiosum. The selectivity tests were conducted according to the standards of the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control/West Palearctic Regional Section. The bioassay was used to assess the direct effects of treatments on T. pretiosum adults through tarsal contact. Specifically, 42 chemical and/or biological insecticides commonly applied in tomato cultivation were used to manage P. absoluta. The insecticides identified as selective (Class 1) for adult T. pretiosum under laboratory conditions were recommended for use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs in tomato crops. These included Hayate^®, Agree^®, Dipel^®, Xentari^®, Tarik^®, Bioexos^®, Verpavex^®, Spodovir^®, Verpavex^® + Spodovir^®, Tuta Vir^®, BioBrev^®, Diplomata^®, VirControl C.i^®, and VirControl S.F^®. Insecticides belonging to the following chemical groups were not selective, that is, they were harmful to T. pretiosum adults: avermectins, milbemycins, diacylhydrazines, oxadiazines, semicarbazones, spinosyns, diamides, chlorfenapyr, nereistoxin analogs, pyrethroids, carbamates, butenolides, isoxazoline, azadirachtin, quinolizidine alkaloids, METI, and benzoylureas. Therefore, these insecticides should be used with caution in IPM programs that target P. absoluta in tomato crops. Full article

This study evaluated cherry tomato seedling production using pirapitinga RAS wastewater as the sole nutrient source in four substrate formulations: T1 (sand, gravel and coconut fiber), T2 (sand and gravel), T3 (gravel and coconut fiber), and T4 (sand and coconut fiber). No differences were observed for germination quality, germination percentage, seedling vigor index, germination vigor index, moisture content, total wet biomass, total dry biomass, or mortality. For small plants, leaf number (LN) was higher in T2 and lower in T4, while root length was greater in T3. The number of medium plants was higher in T3 and lower in T4; LN was higher in T1 and T2 and lowest in T3. For large plants, LN was higher in T1 and T2 and lower in T3; total length was higher in T1 and lower in T3 and T4. Visual differences in substrate water retention were observed: T4 exhibited rapid surface drying, T1 and T2 showed moderate moisture persistence, and T3 maintained surface water. Leaf yellowing was observed after 25 days, suggesting possible nutrient limitation or reduced nutrient availability at the measured pH. These findings indicate that substrate physical characteristics influence early seedling growth performance, whereas pirapitinga RAS wastewater can serve as a viable nutrient source. Full article

Salt stress is one of the major environmental constraints in agriculture, significantly limiting crop yield and causing substantial economic loss worldwide. Silicon (Si) and selenium (Se) are widely recognized as beneficial elements for plants, and the application of Si- and Se-based fertilizers is considered a promising strategy for promoting crop growth and sustainable agricultural production under expanding salinization of arable land. In this study, aiming for the targeted application of Si and Se in agricultural production, the individual and synergistic effects of Si and Se on salt stress resistance in tomato when applied via root application or foliar spray were comprehensively investigated. Plant growth parameters, photosynthesis performance, oxidative damage, the activity of the antioxidant system, sodium/potassium (Na/K) content, and the expression of genes related to Na/K homeostasis were determined and further compared using principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that salt stress markedly inhibited plant growth and photosynthetic performance, while inducing oxidative damage and disrupting Na/K homeostasis in tomato seedlings. In contrast, the application of both Si and Se significantly promoted tomato growth and ameliorated the detrimental effects of salt stress. Moreover, Si and Se exhibited a synergistic effect in promoting salt stress resistance under both root and foliar application. Root application of Si and Se is more effective in enhancing ionic homeostasis, while foliar spray of Si and Se is more effective in promoting photosynthesis performance under salt stress. Overall, considering the convenience and use-cost efficiency of Si and Se application in agricultural practices, the results of this study showed that the synergy application of Si and Se via foliar spray is most effective in promoting salt stress resistance in tomato through modulating photosynthesis performance, antioxidant capacity, and ionic homeostasis. Full article

In this study, the variation in chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in peppers, tomatoes, corn, eggplants, and cucumbers grown adjacent to the industrial area in Düzce, one of Europe’s most polluted cities and known for its high levels of potential toxic element (PTE) pollution, was determined based on species and organ. In addition, the concentrations of these elements in the soil were determined, and the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) in the plant organs were calculated. The study found that Cr pollution, in particular, was well above threshold values in the region and accumulated to high concentrations in all plant organs, including fruits. The study found that soil Cr concentrations were well above the limit values set by international organizations. Cd concentrations in fruits ranged from 0.22 mg/kg to 0.33 mg/kg. Based on these results, Cd concentrations in all species exceed the limit values set by international standards by more than twice. The Cr concentration determined in fruits in the study ranged from 178.47 mg/kg to 579.80 mg/kg. According to these values, the Cr concentration determined in fruits is hundreds of times higher than the limit value in all species. TF values were high for Cd in tomato fruits and Cr in pepper and cucumber fruits. In contrast, TF values for both Cd and Cr were very low in corn fruits. Based on these results, cultivating crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers should be avoided in the region, and corn should be emphasized. Thus, the rate of Cr and Cd entering the human body through the food chain can be reduced. Full article

Aminopyralid (2-pyridine carboxylic acid, 4-amino-3, and 6-dichloro-2-pyridine carboxylic acid) is an auxin herbicide widely used to control broad leaf weeds in pasture and hay fields. Aminopyralid compound in forage material can pass through livestock into manure. Composts derived from aminopyralid-contaminated manure can cause phytotoxic effects in sensitive crop plants. Biochar has shown synergetic effects in composting and can immobilize organic pollutants that present in compost. This experiment examined the effects of incorporating 0%, 2%, 4%, and 10% (w/w) biochar for composting dairy manure containing 50 µg kg⁻¹ aminopyralid (wet base) in 140 L plastic rotary drum reactors. Residual aminopyralid concentration after 2, 6, and 12 m composting periods, phytotoxicity effects of compost on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants, and the key chemical characteristics of composts after 6 and 12 m curing were assessed in two runs. After 12 months of curing, the aminopyralid concentration in the 10% biochar treatment decreased by more than 90% and eliminated the phytotoxicity of the compost. Improved adsorption and immobilization by biochar accounted for over 57% of the reduction in the 10% BC treatment. Biochar addition slightly increased the C/N ratio and total N content significantly but did not markedly impact the N transformation. The results indicate that biochar incorporation can be used as an effective practical tool to enhance the agronomic biosafety of bovine compost originated from persistent auxin herbicide aminopyralid-contaminated dairy manure. Full article

Temperature and humidity are critical abiotic factors shaping the survival and adaptation of insect pests. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying high-temperature tolerance under contrasting humidity conditions remain poorly understood, particularly in globally invasive species such as the tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta. Previous studies have examined individual stressors, leaving interactive thermo-hygrometric effects on gene expression and survival insufficiently resolved. Here, we assessed the contribution of cytochrome P450 genes to thermal adaptation under low- and high-humidity conditions using transcriptome profiling combined with nanocarrier-mediated RNA interference (RNAi). Third-instar larvae were exposed to high temperature under low humidity (HT-LH: 40 °C, 50% RH) or high humidity (HT-HH: 40 °C, 75% RH) for eight hours. Survival declined from 97.5% in the control to 74.16% under HT-LH and 68.33% under HT-HH conditions. Transcriptome analysis revealed extensive differential gene expression, with 464 genes upregulated and 565 downregulated in HT-LH, and 1145 upregulated and 1166 downregulated in HT-HH. Functional annotation highlighted pathways linked to metabolic regulation, proteostasis, and detoxification, including multiple cytochrome P450-associated processes. RT-qPCR confirmed the upregulation (3–5 fold) of four P450 genes (CYP6AB327, CYP6ABF1b, CYP6AE214, and CYP9A306c) under high temperature across both humidity regimes. RNAi-mediated silencing of these genes significantly reduced larval survival, demonstrating their functional role in thermal-hygrometric stress tolerance across. Cytochrome P450 genes underpin the adaptive capacity of the tomato pinworm to high-temperature stress across contrasting humidity conditions, highlighting RNAi-based disruption of P450 function as a promising avenue for sustainable pest management under climate change scenarios. Full article

The threat of plant diseases in economically significant crops of the Solanaceae family, especially tomatoes and potatoes, is a significant challenge to global food security, highlighting the necessity of fast and convenient diagnostic methods. This paper introduces an enhanced MobileNetV2 model to perform automated disease classification through the use of a domain-specific self-supervised learning (SSL) pretraining approach. The model was first trained on 54,303 unlabeled plant images to learn basic botanical representations, followed by fine-tuning under six experimental conditions to optimize disease classification performance. Findings show that SSL pretrained weights consistently outperform traditional ImageNet-based transfer learning, achieving 0.9158 overall accuracy and a weighted F1-score of 0.9143 in joint tomato and potato classification. The model demonstrates strong cross-crop generalization, correctly identifying Early Blight and Late Blight with accuracies of 0.9600 and 0.9359, respectively, and effectively separating disease-specific visual symptoms from host morphology. Confusion matrix analysis further indicates a reduction in misclassification of visually similar necrotic lesions, a common challenge in supervised models. Overall, the proposed SSL architecture enhances the performance of lightweight convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to a large extent, providing a strong, computationally efficient solution for field-deployable diagnostics in precision agriculture, particularly for tomato and potato crops. Full article

Precision greenhouse agriculture enhances plant health and crop yields by continuously monitoring key plant parameters. Stem diameter is such a parameter and is monitored to support decisions on plant care. However, traditional contact-based methods induce thigmomorphogenic effects that impact plant growth. Here, we introduce the Optical Caliper (OC), a novel contactless device for precise, non-invasive stem diameter measurement. The OC operates by projecting a collimated light beam to cast a shadow of the stem onto a high-resolution image sensor. The shadow size is a measure for the stem diameter. Controlled laboratory tests show the OC offers an accuracy comparable to that of a Digital Caliper (DC). Field trials on irregular tomato and cucumber stems demonstrate a repeatability of 0.1–0.2 mm. The OC’s non-invasive design and high repeatability exceed the performance of a DC, making it particularly suited for accurately monitoring soft, variable plant structures. Bringing the advantage of avoiding thigmomophogenic effects and thus optimizing crop yield, the OC is a promising tool for high-throughput plant phenotyping and precision agriculture applications. Full article

The removal of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater with low organic carbon content requires the addition of an external carbon source. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the efficiency of external carbon source utilization and on nitrogen and phosphorus removal in a Rotating Electro-Biological Disc Contactor (REBDC). The energy demand was evaluated based on energy consumption (E) and current efficiency (CE). Hydroponic tomato wastewater was treated in the REBDC at a constant current density of 2.5 A/m². Sodium acetate was used as the carbon source. Two C/N ratios were tested, 2.0 and 3.0, under HRT conditions of 24 h and 48 h. For both C/N ratios, extending the HRT resulted in decreased nitrogen removal efficiency. At HRT = 48 h and C/N = 3.0, the nitrogen concentration in the effluent was more than three times lower compared with C/N = 2.0. The highest phosphorus removal efficiency was achieved at C/N = 3.0 and HRT = 48 h (98.8%). Increasing the HRT led to reduced TOC utilization for both C/N ratios. As a consequence of extended HRT, lower CE values and higher E values were observed, indicating increased energy demand for nutrient removal. Full article