Search Results (2,427)

Research into alternative vineyard practices is essential to maintain long-term viticulture sustainability. Organic mulching on the vine row improves vine cultivation properties, such as increasing soil water retention and nutrient availability. This study overviewed the effects of three organic mulches (spent mushroom compost (SMC), straw (STR), and grapevine pruning debris (GPD)) and two conventional soil practices (herbicide application (HERB) and tillage (TILL)) on grapevine physiology, agronomy, and grape quality parameters over three years. SMC mulch enhanced soil moisture and nutrient concentration. However, its mineral composition increased soil electrical conductivity (0.78 dS m⁻¹) and induced grapevine water stress due to osmotic effects without significantly affecting yield plant development. Only minor differences in leaf physiological parameters were observed during the growing season. However, straw (STR) mulch reduced water stress and increased photosynthetic capacity, resulting in higher pruning weights. Organic mulches, particularly SMC and STR, increased grape pH, potassium, malic acid, and tartaric acid levels, while reducing yeast assimilable nitrogen. The effect of organic mulching on grapevine development depends mainly on soil and mulch properties, soil water availability, and environmental conditions. This research highlights the importance of previous soil and organic mulch analysis to detect vineyard requirements and select the most appropriate soil management treatment. Full article

Green foxtail is a troublesome weed in crop fields across China. A nova target HPPD inhibitor is widely used to control weeds in agricultural production. Mesotrione, an HPPD inhibitor, cannot control green foxtail effectively under the recommended field dose, indicating that green foxtail is tolerant to mesotrione. Interestingly, a green foxtail biotype that exhibits a greater tolerance to mesotrione (GR₅₀ value 463.2 g ai ha⁻¹) than that of the wild biotype (GR₅₀ value 271.9 g ai ha⁻¹) was found in Jilin Province, China. The HPPD genes isolated from the two biotypes genome were aligned, while no difference was found in the amino acid of the HPPD compared with that of the wild biotype. Through the qPCR experiment, the HPPD gene copy number variation and overexpression were also not found. Cytochrome P450 inhibitors (malathion and PBO), pretreatment, could effectively reverse the tolerance. Compared with the MT biotype, the in vivo activity of P450s was higher after the mesotrione treatment in the HT biotype. Therefore, P450s might be involved in the mechanism of tolerance. Full article

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the major produced crop in South Africa, but numerous abiotic/biotic stressors threaten its production. Herbicides are mainly in the agricultural sector to minimise crop yield losses caused by weed competition. However, with most weeds becoming resistant to glyphosate, South African farmers have used higher herbicide concentrations than typically recommended. This study was conducted to determine the effect of two biostimulants (brassinosteroids and KELPAK) and glyphosate on the morphophysiological parameters of maize seedlings. Experiments were carried out in the glasshouses of the Department of Soil, Crop, and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein for eight weeks over two seasons, 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The treatments did not significantly affect all maize morphological parameters except the plant dry mass. Compared to the control, plant dry mass was significantly (p < 0.05) increased by 15.72 g when glyphosate was applied in combination with brassinosteroids during the 2019 growing season. The application of glyphosate, brassinosteroids, and KELPAK differed significantly (p < 0.05) between weeks across the physiological parameters in the two seasons: an irrefutable significant increase was recorded in the rates of transpiration between the weeks. Although significant differences were recorded in the chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content, these parameters were similar to the control, especially in the last week of data collection. During the early developmental stage of maize, farmers can administer biostimulants—brassinosteroid (5 g ai ha⁻¹) and KELPAK (5% ai ha⁻¹)—alone and in combination in glyphosate-resistant maize cultivars treated with glyphosate to aid maize seedlings. Full article

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have strict environmental requirements and are highly susceptible to weed damage, while conventional herbicides can adversely affect their quality. Laser weeding has emerged as an effective method for managing weeds in precious medicinal herbs. This technique allows for precise weed removal without chemical residue and protects the surrounding ecosystem. To maximize the effectiveness of this technology, accurate detection and localization of weeds in the medicinal herb fields are crucial. This paper studied seven species of weeds in the field of Dictamnus dasycarpus, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. We propose a lightweight YOLO-Riny weed-detection algorithm and develop a YOLO-Riny-ByteTrack Multiple Object Tracking method by combining it with the ByteTrack algorithm. This approach enables accurate detection and localization of weeds in medicinal fields. The YOLO-Riny weed-detection algorithm is based on the YOLOv7-tiny network, which utilizes the FasterNet lightweight structure as the backbone, incorporates a lightweight upsampling operator, and adds structure reparameterization to the detection network for precise and rapid weed detection. The YOLO-Riny-ByteTrack Multiple Object Tracking method provides quick and accurate feedback on weed identification and location, reducing redundant weeding and saving on laser weeding costs. The experimental results indicate that (1) YOLO-Riny improves detection accuracy for Digitaria sanguinalis and Acalypha australis, ultimately amounting to 5.4% and 10%, respectively, compared to the original network. It also diminishes the model size by 2 MB and inference time by 10 ms, making it more suitable for resource-constrained edge devices. (2) YOLO-Riny-ByteTrack enhances Multiple Object Tracking accuracy by 3%, reduces ID switching by 14 times, and improves overall tracking accuracy by 3.4%. The proposed weed-detection and localization method for Dictamnus dasycarpus offers fast detection speed, high localization accuracy, and stable tracking, supporting the implementation of laser weeding during the seedling stage of Dictamnus dasycarpus. Full article

Interspecific hybridization between two different Brassicaceae species, namely Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis (♀) (AA, 2n = 2x = 20) and genetically modified Brassica napus (♂) (AACC, 2n = 4x = 38), was performed to study the transmission of a herbicide resistance gene from a tetraploid to a diploid Brassica species. Initially, four different GM B. napus lines were used for hybridization with B. rapa via hand pollination. Among the F1 hybrids, the cross involving the B. rapa (♀) × GM B. napus (♂) TG#39 line exhibited the highest recorded crossability index of 14.7 ± 5.7. However, subsequent backcross progenies (BC1, BC2, and BC3) displayed notably lower crossability indices. The F1 plants displayed morphological characteristics more aligned with the male parent B. napus, with significant segregation observed in the BC1 generation upon backcrossing with the recurrent parent B. rapa. By the BC2 and BC3 generations, the progeny stabilized, manifesting traits from both parents to varying degrees. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a substantial reduction in chromosome numbers, particularly in backcrossing progenies. BC1 plants typically exhibited 21–25 chromosomes, while BC2 progenies showed 21–22 chromosomes, and by the BC3 generation, stability was achieved with an average of 20 chromosomes. SSR marker analysis confirmed the progressive reduction of C-genome regions, retaining minimal C-genome-specific bands throughout successive backcrossing. Despite the extensive elimination of C-genome-specific genomic regions, the glyphosate resistance gene from the male parent B. napus was introgressed into BC3 progenies, suggesting that the glyphosate resistance gene located and introgressed in A-chromosome/genome regions of the Brassica plants. Full article

Although herbicides are essential for global agriculture and controlling weeds, they impact soil microbial communities and CO₂ emissions. However, the effects of herbicides, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertilisation on CO₂ emissions under different environmental conditions are poorly understood. This review explores how various agricultural practices and inputs affect CO₂ emissions and addresses the impact of pest-management strategies, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertiliser usage on CO₂ emissions using multiple databases. Key findings indicate that both increased and decreased tendencies in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were observed, depending on the herbicide type, dose, soil properties, and application methods. Several studies reported a positive correlation between CO₂ emissions and increased agricultural production. Combining herbicides with other methods effectively controls emissions with minimal chemical inputs. Conservation practices like no-tillage were more effective than conventional tillage in mitigating carbon emissions. Integrated pest management, conservation tillage, and nitrogen fertiliser rate optimisation were shown to reduce herbicide use and soil greenhouse gas emissions. Fertilisers are similarly important; depending on the dosage, they may support yield or harm the soil. Fertiliser benefits are contingent on appropriate management practices for specific soil and field conditions. This review highlights the significance of adaptable management strategies that consider local environmental conditions and can guide future studies and inform policies to promote sustainable agriculture practices worldwide. Full article

Using plant extracts to replace traditional chemical herbicides plays an essential role in sustainable agriculture. The present work evaluated the quality of durum wheat cv Valbelice in two years (2014 and 2016) using plant aqueous extracts of sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) and mugwort (Artemisia arborescens L.) as bio-herbicides on the main quality characteristics of durum wheat. The untreated, water-treated, and chemically treated durum wheat products were also analyzed as controls. Following the official methodologies, grain commercial analyses and defects of the kernels were determined. The main chemical and technological features were determined on the wholemeal flour: proteins, dry matter, dry gluten, gluten index, colorimetric parameters, mixograph, falling number, and sedimentation test in SDS. An experimental bread-making test was performed, and the main parameters were detected on the breads: bread volume, weight, moisture, porosity, hardness, and colorimetric parameters on crumb and crust. Within the two years, grain commercial analyses of the total five treatments showed no statistically significant differences concerning test weight (range 75.47–84.33 kg/hL) and thousand kernel weight (range 26.58–35.36 kg/hL). Differently, significant differences were observed in terms of kernel defects, particularly starchy kernels, black pointed kernels, and shrunken kernels, mainly due to the year factor. Analyses on the whole-grain flours showed significant differences. This affected dry gluten content (7.35% to 16.40%) and gluten quality (gluten index from 6.44 to 45.81). Mixograph results for mixing time ranged from 1.90 min to 3.15 min, whilst a peak dough ranged from 6.83 mm to 9.85 mm, showing, in both cases, statistically significant differences between treatments. The falling number showed lower values during the first year (on average 305 s) and then increased in the second year (on average 407 s). The sedimentation test showed no statistically significant differences, ranging from 27.75 mm to 34.00 mm. Regarding the bread produced, statistically significant year-related differences were observed for the parameters loaf volume during the first year (on average 298.75 cm³) and then increased in the second year (on average 417.33 cm³). Weight range 136.85 g to 145.18 g and moisture range 32.50 g/100 g to 39.51 g/100 g. Hardness range 8.65 N to 12.75 N and porosity (range 5.00 to 8.00) were closely related to the type of treatment. Finally, the color of flour and bread appeared to be not statistically significantly affected by treatment type. From a perspective of environmental and economic sustainability, the use of plant extracts with a bio-herbicidal function could replace traditional chemical herbicides. Full article

The negative implications for weeds encourage the finding of novel sources of phytotoxic agents for sustainable management. While traditional herbicides are effective, especially at large scales, the environmental impact and proliferation of resistant biotypes present major challenges that natural sources could mitigate. In this study, the potential of ginger metabolites as phytotoxic agents has been investigated for the first time. Root extracts, prepared via various extraction techniques, showed phytotoxicity in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Burgos) coleoptile bioassays at 800–100 ppm, and the most active extract (prepared by sonication with ethyl acetate) was purified by chromatographic methods, yielding seven compounds: five phenolic metabolites with gingerol and shogaol structures, β-sitosterol, and linoleic acid. Some of the major phenolic metabolites, especially [6]-shogaol and [6]-gingerol, exerted phytotoxicity on wheat coleoptiles, Plantago lanceolata and Portulaca oleracea (broadleaf dicotyledon weeds). This promoted the study of a collection of derivatives, revealing that the 5-methoxy, oxime, and acetylated derivatives of [6]-shogaol and [6]-gingerol had interesting phytotoxicities, providing clues for improving the stability of the isolated structures. Ginger roots have been demonstrated to be a promising source of bioactive metabolites for weed control, offering novel materials with potential for the development of agrochemicals based on natural products. Full article

The accelerating impact of climate change on golf course conditions has led to a significant increase in pesticide dependency, underscoring the importance of innovative management strategies. The shift from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) to the latest CMIP6 phase has drawn the attention of professionals, including engineers, decision makers, and golf course managers. This study evaluates how climate projections from CMIP6, using Canadian Earth System Models (CanESM2 and CanESM5), impact pesticide application trends on Quebec’s golf courses. Through the comparison of temperature and precipitation projections, it was found that a more substantial decline in precipitation is exhibited by CanESM2 compared to CanESM5, while the latter projects higher temperature increases. A comparison between historical and projected pesticide use revealed that, in most scenarios and projected periods, the projected pesticide use was substantially higher, surpassing past usage levels. Additionally, in comparing the two climate change models, CanESM2 consistently projected higher pesticide use across various scenarios and projected periods, except for RCP2.6, which was 27% lower than SSP1-2.6 in the second projected period (PP2). For all commonly used pesticides, the projected usage levels in every projected period, according to climate change models, surpass historical levels. When comparing the two climate models, CanESM5 consistently forecasted greater pesticide use for fungicides, with a difference ranging from 65% to 222%, and for herbicides, with a difference ranging from 114% to 247%, across all projected periods. In contrast, insecticides, growth regulators, and rodenticides displayed higher AAIR values in CanESM2 during PP1 and PP3, showing a difference of 28% to 35.6%. However, CanESM5 again projected higher values in PP2, with a difference of 1.5% to 14%. Full article

Exposure to pesticides such as paraquat and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) has been linked to harmful health effects, including alterations in male reproduction. Both herbicides are widely used in developing countries and have been associated with reproductive alterations, such as disruption of spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis. The thyroid axis and Ca²⁺-permeable ion channels play a key role in these processes, and their disruption can lead to reproductive issues and even infertility. This study evaluated the short-term effects of exposure to commercial herbicides based on paraquat and 2,4-D on gene expression in rat testes. At the molecular level, exposure to paraquat increased the expression of the thyroid hormone transporters monocarboxylate transporter 8 (Mct8) and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1C1 (Oatp1c1) and the thyroid receptor alpha (TRα), suggesting a possible endocrine disruption. However, it did not alter the expression of the sperm-associated cation channels (CatSper1-2) or vanilloid receptor-related osmotically activated channel (Trpv4) related to sperm motility. In contrast, exposure to 2,4-D reduced the expression of the Mct10 transporter, Dio2 deiodinase, and CatSper1, which could affect both the availability of T3 in testicular cells and sperm quality, consistent with previous studies. However, 2,4-D did not affect the expression of CatSper2 or Trpv4. Deregulation of gene expression could explain the alterations in male reproductive processes reported by exposure to paraquat and 2,4-D. These thyroid hormone-related genes can serve as molecular biomarkers to assess endocrine disruption due to exposure to these herbicides, aiding in evaluating the health risks of pesticides. Full article

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is a persistent weed species that poses significant management challenges in key agricultural crops such as wheat, corn, cotton, and soybean. This study investigated the prevalence of resistance to ACCase inhibitor herbicides, specifically diclofop and pinoxaden, among field-collected Italian ryegrass populations. The survey revealed widespread resistance to diclofop and emerging cross-resistance to pinoxaden. To elucidate the physiological mechanism of ACCase herbicide resistance, we investigated mutations in the carboxyl-transferase (CT) domain of the ACCase enzyme, a critical region for herbicide sensitivity. Using dCAPS assays and CT domain sequencing, several known resistance-conferring mutations were detected in diclofop survivors, including I1781L, W2027C, I2041N, D2078G, and C2088R. Additionally, other mutations such as L1701M, E1874A, N1878H, G1946E/Q, V1992D, and E2039D were identified. To understand the functional role of these mutations in herbicide resistance, homology modeling was performed using AutoDock Vina for selected mutation combinations. The computational analysis revealed that all mutations and their combinations resulted in reduced binding affinity with diclofop and pinoxaden compared to the wild-type ACCase CT domain. Computational binding energy predictions indicated that the G1946E mutation and the L1701M + I1781L + E1874A + N1878H combination exhibited the lowest affinities for diclofop and pinoxaden, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular basis of ACCase inhibitor resistance in Italian ryegrass. However, further research is needed to validate the functional significance of each new substitution and its combinations in conferring herbicide resistance. Full article

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop that provides essential vegetable oil but faces significant competition from weeds that are influenced by various agronomic practices and environmental conditions. This study examines the complex interactions between canola stand density and weed intensity over three growing seasons, identifying a total of 27 weed species. It is important to establish a connection between the density of winter canola stands, the intensity of weeding and the response of individual weed species in real conditions. The case study was executed on plots located in the Přerov district (Olomouc region, Czech Republic). The assessment was carried out during two periods—autumn in October and spring in April. Canola plants (plant density) were counted in each evaluated area, weed species were identified, and the number of plants for each weed species was determined. Half of the plots were covered with foil before herbicide application to prevent these areas from being treated with herbicides. We used redundancy analysis (RDA) to evaluate the relationships between canola density and weed dynamics, both with and without herbicide treatment. The results show the ability of canola to compete with weeds; however, that is factored by the density of the canola stand. In dense stands (over 60 plants/m²), canola is able to suppress Galium aparine L., Geranium pusillum L., Lamium purpureum L., Papaver rhoeas L. and Chamomilla suaveolens (Pursh) Rydb. Nevertheless, there are weed species that grow well even in dense canola stands (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv., Phragmites australis (Cav.) Steud., Tripleurospermum inodorum (L.) Sch. Bip. and Triticum aestivum L.). These findings highlight the potential for using canola stand density as a strategic component of integrated weed management to reduce herbicide reliance and address the growing challenge of herbicide-resistant weed populations. This research contributes significantly to our understanding of the dynamics of weed competition in canola systems and informs sustainable agricultural practices for improved crop yield and environmental stewardship. Full article

Dicamba is a post-herbicide, showing some activity in soil, and its dynamics can be influenced by several factors, including the presence of straw. Brazil has more than 50% of its production area in a no-till system; thus, a good amount of the herbicide is intercepted by the straw. This study aimed to evaluate dicamba dynamics in straw and weed control efficacy when sprayed as a PRE herbicide. For this, five different studies were conducted: we utilized different straw amounts (1) and different drought periods (2) for straw sprayed with dicamba and dicamba + glyphosate to evaluate its release from straw, different straw amounts (3), different drought periods (4), and wet and dry straw (5) to evaluate pre-emergence weed control (Bidens pilosa and Ipomoea grandifolia) and dicamba availability in medium-texture soil. Around 80% of dicamba was released from the straw after 100 mm of rainfall. One day after dicamba application, 65–70% of dicamba was released from the straw with 20 mm of rainfall, while for 7 and 14 DAA, 60% was released. Dicamba was efficient in controlling the pre-emergence of both species studied, and the amount of straw did not interfere in weed control; however, dicamba was less available in the soil after rainfall when sprayed in the straw than when sprayed directly in the soil. Up to 80% of dicamba can be released from the straw after 100 mm of rainfall and weed control was efficient for the species studied; however, the carryover effect in sensitive crops might become an issue. Full article

The effects of mulch on the dissipation of S-metolachlor-SMOC, foramsulfuron-FORAM, and thiencarbazone-methyl-TCM and the formation of their main degradation metabolites were studied here. The herbicides were jointly applied in preemergence of maize on two separate occasions to two agricultural soils under conventional tillage (CT) and non-tillage (NT) over two wheat-maize cycles. Herbicide concentrations were determined in topsoil samples at different times after both applications, and they were fitted to kinetic models. The half-life (DT₅₀) values for SMOC were higher under CT management than under NT (mean values: 25.6 and 7.38 days, respectively) in both soils over the two years. The faster herbicide dissipation with mulch could be because it is partially intercepted and strongly adsorbed/retained through different potential pathways, especially biodegradation, which was supported by the detection of SMOC-ESA and SMOC-OA metabolites. The mean DT₅₀ values for FORAM (6.15 and 6.07 days, respectively) were very close for both soils under NT and CT management over the two-year experiment. The mulch had a lesser impact than for SMOC due to the former’s higher water solubility and lower adsorption, with dissipation being controlled mainly by biodegradation and likely also by leaching. TCM recorded intermediate DT₅₀ values (mean value 20.8 days) in both soils+CT in the two-year experiment compared to SMOC and FORAM. The mulch effect on TCM dissipation was observed only after the second application because the DT₅₀ values were higher in soils+NT after the first application (mean value: 26.9 days) than after the second one (mean value: 5.9 days). The amount of soil surface covered by the mulch controlled the herbicide dissipation, and soil and herbicide properties determine their adsorption behaviour by both mulch and soils. Full article

The transformation protocol based on the dual selection approach (fluorescent protein and herbicide resistance) has been applied here to produce transgenic plants of two cereal species, emmer wheat and bread wheat, with the goal of activating the synthesis of the stress hormone jasmonates by overexpressing ALLENE OXIDE SYNTHASE from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtAOS) and bread wheat (TaAOS) and OXOPHYTODIENOATE REDUCTASE 3 from A. thaliana (AtOPR3) under the strong constitutive promoter (ZmUbi1), either individually or both genes simultaneously. The delivery of the expression cassette encoding AOS was found to affect morphogenesis in both wheat species negatively. The effect of transgene expression on the accumulation of individual jasmonates in hexaploid and tetraploid wheat was observed. Among the introduced genes, overexpression of TaAOS was the most successful in increasing stress-inducible phytohormone levels in transgenic plants, resulting in higher accumulations of JA and JA-Ile in emmer wheat and 12-OPDA in bread wheat. In general, overexpression of AOS, alone or together with AtOPR3, negatively affected leaf lamina length and grain numbers per spike in both wheat species. Double (AtAOS + AtOPR3) transgenic wheat plants were characterized by significantly reduced plant height and seed numbers, especially in emmer wheat, where several primary plants failed to produce seeds. Full article