Annals of Applied Biology最新文献

Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is characterized by lesions on the plantar region of the footpad. It is one of the most common foot health problems and welfare issues mainly described for broilers and turkeys. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the presence of this footpad disorder in laying hens as well as to identify typical risk factors for FPD during the laying period. Data were collected from 39 German laying hen flocks visited up to 16 times during production, where the housing system, flock size, age of flock, season, litter type and quality as well as hens' foot health were recorded in 30–200 randomly selected animals/visit using a four-point scoring system (FPD-Score 0–3). In total, 15,448 randomly selected laying hens were scored and classified, recording the highest degree of FPD per animal as well as whether FPD was detected in one or both of its feet. Of the hens examined, 78.9% showed no alterations, 18.6% showed slight ones, 2.2% moderate alterations, and 0.3% showed severe FPD. In the animals related to FPD (n = 3253), 48.0% of the hens showed an alteration in one foot and 52.0% in both feet. While few animals showed FPD at the first two visits (AF0, AF1), the percentage of animals related to FPD increased at the laying peak (~28th week of life). At the end of the laying period, 34.4% of the hens showed at least slight alterations (n = 955/2776). The results of the statistical analysis showed that the FPD-Score was statistically affected by the type of litter, the season, and the age of flock (all P < .0001), while the quality of litter at the time of visit (P = .0940), the housing system (P = .2696), and flock size (P = .8776) were not related to FPD. In summary, this study detected that more than a third of the animals examined showed alterations in their footpads at the end of the laying period. Such changes in foot health occurred from the laying peak and increased to the end of the laying period. In addition to the age of the hens, the type of litter and the season were determined as potential risk factors. Moreover, this study shows how common this foot health problem is, not only in turkeys and broilers but also for laying hens.

Pythium sensu stricto (s.s.) and Globisporangium species are important components of the soil microbial community and exhibit diverse lifestyles, including mycoparasitism. However, a comprehensive understanding of the species diversity of these mycoparasites in the West Azarbaijan province of Iran is lacking. In this study, a total of 114 mycoparasitic Pythium s.s. and Globisporangium isolates were obtained from agricultural soils collected from six regions in the province. Through DNA barcoding, all Globisporangium isolates were identified as G. nunn, while the barcode markers were insufficient to accurately resolve species boundaries in Pythium s.s. By combining morphological and multilocus sequence data, five species within the genus Pythium s.s. were identified: P. salmasense sp. nov., a potentially new species, and three known species, P. acanthicum, P. ornamentatum, and P. periplocum. Pythium ornamentatum was the most common species and found in all regions studied, followed by G. nunn and P. acanthicum, which were both isolated from four regions. While the isolates of G. nunn showed no mycoparasitic activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, all Pythium s.s. species were capable of infecting the hyphae of this pathogen. The existence of mycoparasitic species is promising for biological control of soil-borne fungal pathogens in the province. The widespread occurrence of P. ornamentatum, G. nunn, and P. acanthicum may suggest their adaptation to local soil and environmental conditions, indicating their potentially superior effectiveness in controlling plant diseases across different regions if used as biocontrol agents.

Flower strips are an effective way to enhance agroecosystem biodiversity and ecosystem services. Most flower strips are composed of perennial species. Despite their ecological benefits, perennial flower strips are not widely adopted. Barriers to adoption include the long-term commitment required and concerns about weeds. This study explores whether annual flower strips might be feasible for more farmers. We conducted an on-farm experiment on five commercial farms in New York, USA. On each farm, we established four treatments. At maize planting time, we seeded an early-established planting (EP) treatment with a commercial mix of annual flowers. An early-established control (EC) was set up at the same time with no seeding. Four weeks later, we prepared a new seedbed for late-established planting (LP) and late-established control (LC) treatments. We observed significant effects of planting on plant species richness and Shannon diversity (F-test, p < .001). Planted treatments were more diverse than control treatments. However, there was no effect of establishment time on diversity. Both planting (F-test, p = .004) and establishment time (F-test, p = .04) affected the number of dicot species at the flowering stage, which was highest in the EP treatment. This flowering species richness was positively associated with spider abundance in sweep-net samples. Overall, our results demonstrate that annual flower strip establishment is possible even under weedy conditions. In addition, they show that a delay in planting date does not eliminate the benefits of this practice. This information could help farmers make informed, site-specific decisions about whether flower strips are a good fit for their farms.

Melon (Cucumis melo), a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is consumed worldwide. In melon cultivation, abiotic stress has been found to negatively affect crop growth and productivity. Various biotechnological approaches can be used to ameliorate stress tolerance. Previous studies have investigated the effects of major abiotic stress conditions (e.g., drought, salt, cold and heat) on melon growth and development at the phenotypic and physiological levels, and are pivotal to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress responses in melons. This review aims at systematically reviewing current efforts to understand the abiotic stress biology in melon plants. In addition, we discuss several approaches (e.g., fertilization, breeding, genetic engineering) that have been examined to improve melon growth and production under stressful conditions.

A growing challenge in canola (Brassica napus L.) production globally is the management of aphid pests, particularly species that are resistant to insecticides. Aphid pests of canola damage plants through direct feeding and virus transmission, with turnip yellows virus being particularly economically damaging. Integrated Pest Management, a strategy now employed by many growers to reduce the risk of insecticide resistance, requires forward planning and monitoring. Improved risk predictions can be used to help growers limit insecticide spraying by targeting high-risk regions and/or periods. Within Australia, autumnal aphid flights coincide with the critical risk period for virus infestations in canola. In this study, we used an extensive database accumulated from 6 years of surveys collected from more than 200 canola fields across southern Australia with supervised machine learning models to predict aphid movements in autumn-early winter as a function of environmental factors. We found: (i) our models achieve very high predictive accuracy when validated on untrained data; (ii) aphid movements are influenced by a combination of daily temperature and wind regimes as well as ‘green bridge’ effects mediated by summer rainfall patterns; and (iii) higher aphid capture rates in sticky traps are correlated with a higher probability of the aphids being carriers of turnip yellows virus. Taken together these results suggest that growers can use the outputs from predictive models to forecast aphid outbreaks in the early growing season and derive useful rules of thumb around the environmental conditions during which canola crops are at a greater risk of turnip yellows virus transmission.

Drought stress (DS) is one of the main environmental stresses that determines crop productivity. It has been estimated that DS depresses over 40%–60% of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production worldwide, respectively. Although different agronomic strategies are sometimes implemented, the current goal in sustainable agriculture could involve the inoculation with native microorganisms to mitigate DS effects. A potential fungal candidate is Trichoderma, which is recognized as a ubiquitous soil inhabitant with growth-promoting and biocontrol potentiality. However, its potential for mitigating the stress for water deficit is less well-documented. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of inoculation with native Trichoderma harzianum strains on soybean and common bean growth under contrasting conditions of water availability. Seeds were independently inoculated (or not) with IB-J15 and IB-363 strains, and plants were submitted to DS or were kept under optimal irrigation (well-watered, WW). In both legumes, the most evident effect after being inoculated was the modification of plant root architecture, the increase in root area and the development of lateral roots in plants under WW and DS conditions. In soybean, both Trichoderma strains had a positive inoculation response, both fresh and dry root biomass increased under WW, and remarkably under DS conditions. The main effect was an increase of about 110% in root dry weight under WW and, about 330% in DS in plants inoculated with IB-J15 strain, meanwhile, plants inoculated with IB-363 increased root dry weight 60% in WW and 177% in DS conditions. Notably in soybean, the inoculation with both Trichoderma strains increased the root area more than 70% in both WW and DS conditions. Common beans inoculated with IB-363 under WW conditions, reached a positive inoculation responsiveness of around 247% in shoot dry weight biomass, and under WW both strains increased the root area more than 50%. Further, IB-363 increased leaf area by 25% in WW and 72% in DS. Additionally, the in vitro co-culture between both Trichoderma strains and nodulating Rhizobium etli and Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109 showed compatibility between microorganisms, since no inhibition of their growth was observed. We emphasize that plants inoculated with Trichoderma showed better resistance to water deficit, as seen by redistribution of photosynthates, prioritizing mainly, the development of the root system. © 2024 Association of Applied Biologists.

In laying hen husbandry, severe feather pecking and cannibalism are multifactorial problems. Solving these problems is a matter of urgency, as beak trimming is banned in several European countries, including Germany. One approach to addressing severe feather pecking and cannibalism is the administration of additional enrichment material to support normal behaviour. In this on-farm study, two flocks of 17,500 Lohmann Brown-Lite laying hens each were evaluated during one production period (18–78 weeks of life, WoL). One flock was provided with alfalfa bales and pecking stones in combination (EnGr), whereas the other flock served as a control without additional enrichment material (CoGr). During production, the flocks were visited at regular intervals. On each visit, a sample of 50 hens per flock were weighed and scored for plumage condition and skin lesions. The mortality rate was recorded daily by the farm staff. No significant difference in plumage condition and mortality rate was found between EnGr and CoGr (p > .05, Mann-Whitney U test). As there were hardly any skin lesions in both groups during the study period, the effect of additional enrichment material on this variable could not be determined. The average body weight of the EnGr was significantly higher than the average body weight of the CoGr on numerous examination days (26 WoL, p < .001; 34 WoL, p = .040; 42 WoL, p = .007; 62 WoL, p = .041; 66 WoL, p = .006; 74 WoL, p = .036; 78 WoL, p = .028, t-tests). However, this effect could not be clearly attributed to the administering of additional enrichment material, as the feeding and performance variables for EnGr and CoGr had been recorded together because of the housing for the two flocks being supplied by one silo and water source, and eggs from the flocks being collected altogether.

Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. is an essential traditional medicinal herb in China. Soil sickness caused by continuous cropping is the main reason for the yield reduction of C. pilosula. However, because of the lack of systematic research on the mechanism of continuous cropping obstacles in C. pilosula, there is a lack of effective measures to reduce or even restrain the disorder of continuous cropping obstacles in C. pilosula. The root system, inter-root soil microorganisms and non-inter-root soil of C. pilosula under a continuous cropping system (e.g. crop rotation, two consecutive crops and three consecutive crops) as well as under different mulching methods (the mulched film and the uncovered) were used as experimental materials for the study. The plant growth of C. pilosula was significantly inhibited when continuous cropping reached 2 years. At the same time, the mulched film significantly (p < .05) promoted the development of C. pilosula under continuous cropping and considerably mitigated the plant death rate of C. pilosula in all fields. The content of soil nutrients, such as organic matter and inorganic nitrogen, decreased with increasing years of continuous cropping. In contrast, the mulched film improved this soil nutrient in continuous cropping. There was a tendency for the number of endemic operational taxonomic units (OTUs) to decrease in continuous cropping. Additionally, the mulched film altered the distribution of shared and endemic OTUs in the samples and had a recruiting effect on inter-root microorganisms in continuous cropping. Betaproteobacteriales flora abundance decreased with increasing years of continuous cropping, which showed a strong positive correlation with the immune system and environmental adaptation function. The mulched film increased the abundance of beneficial microorganisms, such as AKAU4049, Betaproteobacteriales and Gaiellales, to adapt and improve the continuous crop disorder of C. pilosula. In conclusion, mulching can enhance the soil environment and facilitate the growth and development of C. pilosula during continuous cultivation.

Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a quarantine pest for certain export markets due to its phytosanitary status in affected crops in sub-Saharan Africa, including citrus. Consequently, there is a zero-tolerance policy for T. leucotreta in export markets. In South Africa, an integrated pest management strategy, incorporating a systems approach is used to achieve complete control of T. leucotreta. Preharvest management is multi-faceted, including reliance on sex pheromone tools such as monitoring, attract-and-kill, mating disruptions, and sterile insect technique (SIT). Geographically isolated populations of T. leucotreta occur in South Africa, and there is speculation concerning the possible loss of sexual communication between these isolated populations, thereby compromising the efficiency of sex pheromone tools. To investigate this possibility, we collected samples from five geographically isolated populations of T. leucotreta and a population used for SIT in South Africa. These were subjected to sexual attraction trials under choice and no-choice scenarios in a semi-natural environment. Results of the choice tests revealed that males of each population preferred their corresponding population females, except irradiated males. However, when we deprived males of their preferred females, these preferences dissipated, and they were equally attracted to females from all populations. These results indicate that local adaptation and other selection forces in contrasting environments are important in sexual communication and selection in T. leucotreta but do not necessarily prevent recognition of sexual signals and attraction between geographically isolated populations. These findings are crucial for area-wide IPM and precision control of T. leucotreta.

Post-harvest diseases cause significant economic losses in the carrot production chain. In this study, storage losses and fungal pathogens causing them were analysed in the carrot yield from 52 different field plots in four areas in Finland in 3 years (2016–2018). Over 30,000 carrots were sampled and analysed at three time points during cold storage at 0–1°C. In March, after 5–6 months' storage, the average loss due to diseases was 20%–21% every year. Decay of the root tip was the most common disease symptom, followed by pits on the side and black rot in the crown, detected in 69.2%, 15.0% and 9.0% of the symptomatic samples, respectively. Both intensive carrot cultivation practice and early timing of harvest increased storage losses. Pathogens in 3057 symptomatic carrot tissue samples were isolated by culturing, and fungal species were identified. The most common fungal species detected were Mycocentrospora acerina, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium spp., especially F. avenaceum. However, the frequency of different pathogens varied between the different years and time points during storage. Species-specific PCR tests revealed that M. acerina and F. avenaceum were present in many early time-point samples where they could not yet be detected by the culturing method. In Finland, this study on carrot post-harvest diseases is the first large-scale survey in which the fungal pathogens were isolated and identified by laboratory tests. In comparison with the previous studies, Fusarium spp. were detected more frequently in this study, while grey mould and Sclerotinia rot were less frequent.