Search Results (825)

Aligning plant breeders’ objectives with farmers’ preferences is essential for improving the adoption of new crop varieties. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Participatory Weighted Selection (PWS) index, previously developed from a survey of 869 Moroccan farmers, by comparing it with biophysical Participatory Variety Selection (PVS) trials conducted on 19 farms across four agroecological zones in Morocco. Novel CWR-derived lines of durum wheat, barley, and lentil were assessed alongside commercial checks, and both male and female farmers were interviewed to gather PVS preferences. The results showed no significant gender differences for the top-ranked varieties across crops, with minor variations in some zones. Jabal emerged as the preferred durum wheat variety overall, while Zagharin2 was favored in favorable zones. Furat-3 was generally preferred for barley, except in certain mountain and favorable zones, and Bakria was the top lentil variety across most sites. Farmers’ PWS responses clustered into three groups, emphasizing consistent prioritization of high yield potential, abiotic stress tolerance, and good nutritional quality. Comparison of biophysical performance with PVS and PWS revealed strong alignment for durum wheat; however, the highest yielding genotypes for barley and lentil were not always the most preferred. Overall, these results demonstrate that the PWS approach effectively captures farmers’ preferences and provides a reliable tool for guiding breeding decisions. These findings reveal that integrating PWS with on-farm biophysical and PVS evaluations provides a robust, farmer-informed framework for prioritizing genotypes and improving the relevance of breeding decisions across diverse agroecological contexts. Full article

The National Special Pathogens System (NSPS) stratifies U.S. healthcare facilities by their readiness level to care for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). While NSPS Level 1 and 2 facilities possess advanced biocontainment capabilities to care for patients for the duration of their illness, most U.S. hospitals fall under a NSPS Level 3 or 4 designation, with limited resources to manage patients with a suspected or confirmed HCID. However, emerging zoonotic threats like H5N1 underscore the need to bolster HCID preparedness across all NSPS Levels. Beginning in March 2024, the U.S. H5N1 outbreak has primarily impacted wild bird flocks, poultry, and cattle, along with some human infections. The continuation of this outbreak in wild and domesticated animals increases the likelihood of further human spillover and eventual viral evolution in human hosts. At the frontlines, rural farming communities are likely to be most affected, with potential outbreaks exacerbated by a lack of accessible NSPS Level 1, 2, or 3 facilities in these regions. Thus, strengthening the HCID preparedness of local NSPS Level 4 facilities is critical to preventing transmission, minimizing societal disruption, protecting communities and the healthcare workforce, along with ensuring an equitable, coordinated response to future emerging infectious disease threats. This manuscript explores the financial, societal and health system impacts of HCID outbreaks to delineate the necessity of strengthening the preparedness of NSPS Level 4 facilities. Full article

The widespread use of antimicrobials in poultry production exerts selective pressure for the emergence of resistant bacteria, yet molecular data on resistance determinants in Escherichia coli from commercial farms in Central Asia remain scarce. This study aimed to characterize antimicrobial resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in E. coli isolates from a layer poultry farm in the West Kazakhstan region. A total of 100 samples (cloacal swabs, fresh feces, internal organs, and wild pigeons) were collected. E. coli was isolated using selective media and confirmed by qPCR targeting the uidA gene. Forty isolates were confirmed, of which ten (25%) carried at least one resistance gene as determined by a panel of 57 primer sets. All ten isolates carrying antimicrobial resistance-associated genes (100%) harbored determinants associated with multidrug resistance. The most frequently detected genes were blaTEM (80%), aadA17 (90%), and intI1-a-marko (80%). A high prevalence of qacEΔ1 (80%) was also observed. At least one class 1 integron-associated gene was detected in all resistant isolates and those carrying both integron variants harbored the highest numbers of resistance genes (14–19). Resistance gene profiles in pigeon isolates mirrored those from poultry, suggesting wild birds as potential vectors. The correlation between detected resistance genes and farm antimicrobial use (enrofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfonamide combinations) indicates strong selective pressure. These findings suggest that poultry farms may serve as environments supporting the persistence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance-associated genes in E. coli and underscore the need for enhanced biosecurity and antimicrobial stewardship within a One Health framework. Full article

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious transboundary disease that affects small ruminants and impacts livestock production and trade. This study investigated the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of PPR in sheep, goats, camels, and wild ruminants in Bahrain. A total of 1240 sheep, 1224 goats, 100 camels, and 38 wild ruminants were tested using competitive ELISA. The individual seroprevalence rates were 26% in sheep and 25.5% in goats, with flock/herd-level prevalences of 22.7% and 29.6%, respectively. No antibodies were detected in camels or wild ruminants. The highest seroprevalence was observed in the Northern governorate. The identified risk factors included geographic location, age (<12 months for goats), sex (male for goats), and health status (weak animals). At the flock/herd level, large flock size and semi-intensive farming increased the likelihood of seropositivity. In addition, a 2023–2024 surveillance campaign tested 1044 young, locally born lambs and kids across all governorates. All animals were found to be negative for PPR according to a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, confirming the absence of antibodies and active virus circulation in the population. These findings support the classification of Bahrain at Progressive Control Pathway for PPR (PCP-PPR) Level 3 status and emphasize the importance of continued surveillance and regional cooperation to mitigate the spread of diseases. Full article

In 2023, ASF was recognized in Lombardy in wild boars, but shortly thereafter the disease was also identified in pig farms, with serious economic repercussions for the entire national pig sector. To identify factors related to the introduction of the infection into pig farms, a case–control study was conducted with the aim of gaining knowledge on the risk and protective factors involved in the introduction of the ASF virus into intensive pig farms. To this end, a questionnaire was developed on risk factors related to ASFV transmission into pig farms and on good management and biosecurity practices. The results of the study showed that measures aimed at strengthening the segregation of the farm from the external environment (external biosecurity), such as the mandatory passage through a hygiene lock upon entry, the presence of a hygiene lock for farm personnel and external visitors, the presence of special equipment and disinfection points at the entrance to the sheds, the loading of dead pigs outside the animal housing area and the ownership of non-adjacent agricultural land, were associated with a reduced risk. This information, if effectively communicated, could be of direct practical value to farmers to ensure the successful implementation of farm biosecurity. Full article

The increasing popularity of macroalgae products highlights their potential as a safe source of essential macro and microelements for consumers. This study characterized wild and farmed macroalgae elemental composition and assessed the presence of biotoxins to identify potential health risks. Wild and farmed macroalgae samples were collected throughout 2024–2025, from three aquaculture production sites along the Portuguese coast (Ria de Aveiro, Matosinhos, and Olhão). Samples were freeze-dried, compressed and using a micro-XRF spectrometer, elemental composition was assessed. Macroalgae species factor was the strongest driver of elemental composition, explaining over 80% variation in macro and trace elements. Origin did not showcase statistical significance for elemental composition. Seasonal differences, though relatively small in extent, significantly impacted redox-sensitive elements in macroalgae, namely copper and manganese. All elements stayed below 30% of the recommended dietary recommendations, except iron (ranging from 0.5% to 111.8% of UL%) and Mn (ranging from 0.1% to 101% of UL%). All samples revealed the absence of regulated marine toxins. Only traces of the non-regulated cyclic-imine toxin SPX1 were detected in samples of Fucus vesiculosus. All quantified elements do not represent any risk for human health, strengthening the safety of macroalgae from the Portuguese coast. Full article

This study evaluated the carcass characteristics and nutritional composition of duck meat from farmed (organic and conventional) and wild sources. Duck carcasses were analyzed to determine carcass traits (weight and yield of individual carcass portions) and meat quality parameters, including chemical composition and fatty acid profile. Results showed that farmed ducks (conventional and organic) had significantly higher live weight, carcass weight, and dressing percentage compared with wild ducks (p < 0.05). Conventional and organic groups exhibited comparable carcass yields; however, organic ducks demonstrated greater deposition of skin and subcutaneous fat, which may be partly attributed to their longer production period (~7 months) compared with conventional ducks (~45 days). Wild ducks had markedly lower carcass yield but a higher proportion of muscle protein in breast and thigh meat. Fatty acid analysis revealed that conventionally farmed ducks had significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly PUFA n-3, compared with organic and wild ducks (p < 0.05), which could be attributed to dietary basis (rapeseed-rich compound feed). Organic and wild ducks had higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acids than conventionally famed ducks. The study demonstrates that the rearing system significantly influences duck carcass traits and meat quality. Farmed ducks showed higher carcass yields, whereas wild ducks provided leaner meat with a higher protein content. These findings enhance understanding of the nutritional and technological properties of duck meat from different production systems. Full article

Malabar red snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) is widely farmed across Asia (e.g., China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan) and is highly valued in regional markets. Despite its importance to fisheries and aquaculture, population structure and genetic connectivity between wild and farmed populations across the South China Sea remain poorly understood. We analyzed 594 individuals retained after quality filtering from an initial dataset of 930 samples, representing eight wild and farmed populations spanning north-eastern Australia (Queensland) and the South China Sea region (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan), using 18,177 SNPs to quantify genetic diversity, population structure, and effective population size (Ne). Genetic differentiation was low but significant. Wild populations from Australia were differentiated from all other populations, indicating regional genetic isolation. In contrast, farmed populations from Malaysia and Singapore clustered closely with wild populations from Hong Kong and Singapore, indicating regional connectivity. Effective population size (Ne) in farmed populations was low (Ne = 49.1–138.6). Farmed populations from Malaysia and Singapore formed a genetically connected cluster, whereas the Taiwan farm population was genetically distinct. Low Ne was observed in farmed populations from Singapore and Taiwan. These findings support aquaculture management by identifying Australian populations as a distinct unit and enabling biosecure broodstock exchange within the Malaysia–Singapore cluster to minimize inbreeding and strengthen sustainable selective breeding programs. Full article

Systems that farm non-typical (wild) species for human consumption are on the rise globally, in contrast to more typical livestock production. In some instances, wildlife farming may arguably help alleviate poverty, provide sustainable animal protein, and be a useful strategy for conservation through reducing wildlife poaching or breeding some animals on farms for reintroduction. However, it is unclear whether farming non-typical species within variable and often unregulated systems truly offers these benefits or outweighs the costs including animal welfare implications, public health concerns, and normalising or intensifying the consumption of wild animals. A previous study proposed a sentiocentric ethical decision-making framework for the farming of wild species. In the present study we invited academic ‘key informants’ with specialised knowledge about farming non-typical species to pilot the framework via an online survey using a species of their choice and requested their feedback on its strengths and weaknesses. Thirteen respondents applied ten different mammalian, reptilian, insect, and avian species to the framework, spanning all continents. Ultimately, the framework outcome for 11 appraisals was that the chosen species may be suitable for farming. However, erroneous responses were likely in places, and there was some uncertainty over definitions of framework terminology. We publish resultant amendments to the ethical framework to clarify meaning and suggest that it can be applied proactively or reactively by different stakeholders (e.g., governments, businesses, and NGOs). We reflect our informants’ views, acknowledging the need to solicit expertise from additional stakeholders (e.g., farmers) and the role of cultural significance and rural communities when considering farming non-typical species. Full article

Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) domestication, likely associated with dry-rice farming in central Thailand, has led to substantial loss of ancestral immune-related genetic diversity in commercial chicken lineages. This study addresses allelic loss by providing the first comprehensive analysis of the highly polymorphic BG1 gene, an MHC-linked marker across the wild–domestic interface in Thailand and Vietnam, using high-depth Illumina amplicon sequencing. Genomic DNA from 47 Thai and Vietnamese chicken populations was extracted using a salting-out protocol following ethical sampling. Allelic variation was examined by targeting the BG1 intron 15–exon 16 region using triplicate PCR and Salus Pro NGS sequencing. Evolutionary dynamics and selection pressures were analyzed using AmpliSAS, MrBayes, and Datamonkey, while AlphaFold 3 was used to predict and validate 3D protein structures. We identified 98 novel alleles and 172 polymorphic sites within the BG1 intron 15–exon 16 region encoding an Ig-like domain. Extensive allele sharing between indigenous chickens and red junglefowl indicated strong balancing selection and trans-species polymorphism. Selection analyses showed that purifying selection conserved structural integrity at codons 9, 13, and 18, while variation at other sites enhanced immune recognition. AlphaFold 3 modeling confirmed conservation of the β-sandwich fold across variants, maintaining stability of the Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-based Inhibition Motif (ITIM). Thus, despite the regional gene flow, geographic isolation has shaped distinct signatures, as evidenced by the presence of 38 unique Thai and 9 unique Vietnamese alleles in addition to breed-specific private markers in the Betong (BG1*TH88), Decoy (BG1*TH91), and Tre (BG1*VN54) populations. A notable adaptive outlier under positive selection (ω = 1.357) was detected in the Dong Tao population, suggesting a recent selective sweep. These findings support the mission of the Siam Chicken Bioresource Project (SCBP) to utilize indigenous breeds as genetic reservoirs and provide a molecular basis for restoring resilience traits in domestic poultry to enhance global food security. Full article

Background/Objectives: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli resistant to third-generation cephalosporins are a growing One Health concern, but data on extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) from wildlife in North Africa remain scarce. We aimed to characterize ESBL/AmpC-producing ExPEC from captive wild mammals in Tunisia and to situate these isolates in a global genomic context. Methods: In 2018, 30 fecal samples from 14 captive wild mammals in a private farm were screened on cefotaxime agar. Four cefotaxime-resistant E. coli isolates were recovered from a llama, lion, hyena, and tiger. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and Illumina whole-genome sequencing were combined with in silico typing, resistome and virulome profiling, plasmid and mobile element analysis, human pathogenicity prediction and core-genome MLST-based minimum-spanning trees. Results: All isolates were MDR but remained susceptible to carbapenems, colistin and tigecycline. Two ST162/B1 isolates from the llama and tiger carried bla_CMY-2, whereas two ST69/D isolates from the lion and hyena harbored bla_CTX-M-15 and qnrS1. Genomes encoded 61–68 antimicrobial resistance genes and 114–131 virulence-associated genes, together with IncF-, IncI1- and IncY-type plasmids and IS26-rich insertion sequence profiles. Mating-out assays yielded cefotaxime-resistant transconjugants, supporting plasmid transferability of bla_CMY-2 or bla_CTX-M-15. PathogenFinder predicted a ≥0.93 probability of human pathogenicity for all isolates. cgMLST-based trees showed that Tunisian ST69 and ST162 clustered within internationally disseminated lineages containing human, animal and food isolates, rather than forming wildlife-restricted branches. Conclusions: Captive wild mammals in Tunisia can harbor high-risk ExPEC lineages combining ESBL/AmpC production, multidrug resistance and extensive virulence and mobility gene repertoires. These findings highlight captive wildlife as potential reservoirs and sentinels of clinically relevant E. coli and underscore the need for integrated WGS-based One Health surveillance at the human–animal–environment interface in North Africa. Full article

Plant disease diagnosis in real-world agricultural environments is challenged by data scarcity, domain shift, privacy constraints, and limited edge-device resources. This paper proposes FMEL-FSDA, a Federated Multimodal Edge Learning framework with Few-Shot Domain Adaptation for robust field-based plant disease recognition. The framework integrates attention-based RGB–text feature fusion, privacy-preserving federated learning, rapid few-shot personalization, and uncertainty-aware inference within an edge-efficient architecture. Federated training enables collaborative learning across distributed farms without sharing raw data, while few-shot adaptation allows fast deployment to new regions using only 1–10 labeled samples per class. Experiments on the PlantWild in-the-wild dataset show that FMEL-FSDA outperforms centralized, federated, and few-shot baselines, achieving 93.78% accuracy, 93.33% F1-score, and 0.97 AUC. The model maintains strong performance under privacy mechanisms such as gradient perturbation and secure aggregation, reduces communication overhead by up to 4×, and supports low-latency edge inference. Uncertainty estimation and Grad-CAM-based explainability further enhance reliability by identifying low-confidence cases and highlighting disease-relevant regions. Overall, FMEL-FSDA offers a scalable, privacy-aware, and field-ready solution for intelligent plant disease diagnosis in precision agriculture. Full article

Marek’s disease (MD), caused by pathogenic Marek’s disease virus serotype 1 (MDV-1), is one of the most important avian immunosuppressive and neoplastic diseases and has led to huge economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Rapid and accurate clinical diagnosis is of great significance for efficient control of the disease. Herein, we have established a multiplex PCR (mPCR) method to simply differentiate all of the three types of MDV, using five specific primers targeting to MDV-1 oncogene meq or MDV-2 and MDV-3/HVT gB genes. Simultaneously, it can detect any type of virulent or vaccine MDV strains in one PCR reaction, with amplicons of the short (S) and long (L)-meq of MDV-1 strains, and the gB of MDV-2 and HVT vaccine strains. Non-specific amplifications of avian leukosis virus (ALV), reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), or fowl adenovirus virus 4 (FAdV-4) were not observed, indicating a good specificity of this method. A total of 522 clinical samples of tumor-bearing or suspected diseased birds collected from 30 poultry farms were detected. The results demonstrated that the newly developed mPCR method accurately detected and differentiated epidemic MDV-1 infections and vaccine strains, and provided nearly 100% consistency for detecting clinical wild-type infections compared with conventional PCR amplification of the meq gene. Collectively, our data has provided a highly efficient method for early differential diagnosis of MD clinical cases, virus identification and future evaluation of vaccination efficacy in healthy chicken flocks, which would be meaningful for efficient control of the disease. Full article

Soybean is a vital crop supporting global food, feed, and biofuel production. Soybean yields have surged, with record yields reaching 14,678 kg/ha⁻¹, though average farm yields remain stagnant at 2770–2790 kg ha⁻¹. The persistent yield gaps leave 44% of potential production unrealized due to climate change, threatening food security. To meet future caloric demands, which are projected to rise by 46.8% by 2050, soybean breeding must prioritize climate-resilient, high-yielding varieties with minimal ecological footprints. In this comprehensive and in-depth review, we synthesized existing literature and Google Patents and reviewed the multifaceted impacts of climate-change driven eCO₂ and stresses (heat, drought, flooding, salinity, and pathogens), revealing non-linear interactions where eCO₂ may not compensate yield losses under combined stresses. We then highlight key strategies for soybean breeding under climate-change scenario. To this regard, we provide a detailed trait-by-trait breeding roadmap covering seed number, seed size, seed weight, protein-oil balance and their metabolic trade-offs, above and below ground plant architecture, nitrogen fixation and nodulation dynamics, root system architecture, water use efficiency, canopy architecture, flowering time regulation, early maturity etc., in light of specific genes and validated strategies. We explicitly discuss the novel strategies including deeper understanding of traits, abiotic stress physiology, changing pathogen dynamics, phenomics, (multi-)omics, machine learning, and modern biotechnological techniques for developing future soybean varieties. We provide a future roadmap prioritizing specific actions, including engineering climate-resilient ideotypes through gene stacking, optimizing nitrogen fixation and nutrition under stresses leveraging omics data, pan-genome, wild soybean, speeding breeding hubs, and participatory farmer-network validation, while redefining the future soybean breeder would be a hybrid orchestrator of data and dirt. This review establishes a foundational framework for translating climate-adaptive morphological, biochemical, physiological, omics, agronomic, phenomics, and biotechnological insights into actionable breeding strategies, thereby guiding policy-driven investment in soybean improvement programs targeting 2050 and beyond. Full article

In China, the substantial gap between domestic soybean supply and growing consumption necessitates large-scale soybean imports. The use of cultivated soybean (Glycine max) leaves as feed for the edible insect Clanis bilineata tsingtauica reduces crop yield, posing a threat to national soybean production security. To address this issue, this study evaluated wild soybean (Glycine soja) as a potential alternative feed source. Comparative analyses examined the nutritional and anti-nutritional properties of G. max (cv. Qihuang34) and a laboratory-preserved G. soja germplasm, together with their effects on larval growth performance, nutritional composition, and associated microbiota. G. soja leaves exhibited significantly higher crude fat (5.61% vs. 2.17%), ash (11.07% vs. 9.62%), neutral detergent fiber (23.75% vs. 21.00%), calcium (4.05 g/kg vs. 3.41 g/kg), and phosphorus (2.52 g/kg vs. 2.38 g/kg) than G. max leaves, along with lower trypsin inhibitor levels (p < 0.01) despite higher phytic acid content (p < 0.05). Fifth-instar larvae reared on G. soja leaves showed a 12.9% greater body weight (6.846 g vs. 6.066 g), higher crude protein (672.14 g/kg vs. 555.02 g/kg), total soluble sugar (21.27 mg/g vs. 8.96 mg/g), and soluble protein (26.35 mg/g vs. 24.71 mg/g), but lower crude fat (187.44 g/kg vs. 205.82 g/kg, p < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed distinct phyllosphere microbial communities, with G. soja enriched in diverse taxa (e.g., Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria) and G. max dominated by Firmicutes. Corresponding differences were observed in larval gut microbiota, and positive correlations suggested potential microbial transfer from G. soja leaves to larval guts. Overall, G. soja represents a promising alternative feed source for C. bilineata, reducing competition with soybean grain production and supporting sustainable insect farming. Full article