Katalin Somfalvi-Tóth

Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences · Deparment of Agronomy

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different exposures of UV-C radiation (253.2 nm) (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mins) on the mortality of adult stages of four stored product pests: Sitophilus granarius L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) as a primary pest, Tri bolium castaneum (Herbst) (Col.: Tenebrionidae), Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Step...

The weevils of the Ceutorhynchus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) are significant pests, posing a threat to oilseed rape cultivation in Central Europe. Due to their lifestyle, these weevils cause hidden damage within the stems. Our non‐invasive computer tomography‐based study aimed to compare the damage characteristics of three species within this genus...

This chapter presents the expected climate scenario in corn-producing areas and suggests alternative strategies for producing resilient forage for dairy cattle in dry continental climate zones. The consideration of irrigating corn for silage production arises due to the alterations in climate. However, it is anticipated that different crop rotation...

A well-known insect phenomenon is colour polymorphism, from which the species hopes to gain some ecological advantage. Herbivores adapt to the colours of their environment to reduce their chances of becoming prey, while predators use camouflage colours to succeed in hiding from prey. The larvae of the cosmopolitan, highly invasive cotton bollworm (...

The cypress jewel beetle, Lamprodila festiva, as one of the most destructive local invasive pests in Europe is currently an extreme threat to the coniferous Cupressaceae trees. The beetle spread at an unprecedented pace and intensity and poses a threat to many countries. Our study aimed to map the Palearctic distribution of L. festiva and measure t...

Background: The study examined the impact of varying the concentrations of zinc (Zn) on plant responses, particularly on photosynthetic and oxidative metabolic processes. This investigation aimed to distinguish between the beneficial and harmful effects of Zn on plants, highlighting significant nutrient supply concerns. Methods: The investigation m...

Climate change requires the introduction of alternative crops in certain temperate areas due to the warmer and drier growing seasons. Maize, one of the most important crops, is projected to become less tolerant of a drier climate. Therefore, it is necessary to find an alternative species that is less susceptible to environmental stressors. This stu...

After decades of development, neonicotinoids were widely used in Hungarian sugar beet production and seeds included thiamethoxam treatment by 2019 increasing protection against early spring pests. In Hungary, neonicotides’ influence on bee health led to their removal of emergency authorization. In the absence of thiamethoxam in 2020, experience sho...

The objective of this study was to characterize the effects of barley powdery mildew infection on wheat via the evolution and dynamics of chloroplasts and oxidative processes based on in vivo measurements of ultra-weak photon emission, parallel measurement of chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content, and molecular identification of the pathogen. The r...

The occurrence and regularity of macrofungal fruitbody formation are influenced by meteorological conditions; however, there is a scarcity of data about the use of machine‑learning techniques to estimate their occurrence based on meteorological indicators. Therefore, we employed an artificial neural network (ANN) to forecast fruitbody occurrence in...

In temperate climates, most fruit trees need cold weather, low temperatures in winter, and a certain amount of heat during the growing season until harvest. One of the most apparent effects of climate change is the elevated temperature in all seasons of the year. In our study, the changes in thermal conditions have been calculated in Hungary's most...

Understanding the invasion potential of any plant species is crucial for early detection in habitat conservation, particularly when observing their expansion within their native region. As a test species, we utilised Allium ursinum L., a dominant clonal species in early spring forest floors. We compared the species' germination capacity in native (...

Strawberry is a typical spring fruit, for which consumer demand is particularly high; however, information is scarce on the comparison of quality traits of strawberries of local and imported origin during household refrigeration storage. That is why we sought to answer the question of to what extent the quality of strawberries changes during 5 days...

This study was carried out on the effects of different exposures of UV-C irradiation (253.2 nm) (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mins) on the mortality of stored product pests: Sitophilus granarius L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) as a primary pest, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Col.: Tenebrionidae) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Col.: Laemophloeidae)...

Wet snow events in Hungary can occasionally cause damage to overhead power lines and serious power supply failures. Return period calculation of such high snow mass events was determined upon a 50-year long data series available at 12 meteorological stations. Wet snow masses were estimated with a model of cylindrical accretion around wire of 3.1 cm...

The accidentally introduced ragweed leaf beetle ( Ophraella communa ) is a most promising biological control agent for common ragweed ( Ambrosia artemisiifolia ), which herbivore has already emerged in several areas of the Palearctic region. The aim of our study was to model the expansion of O. communa and the number of generations in the various P...

Oulema melanopus L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is one of the most serious pests of winter wheat that causes peeling of the epidermis and tissue loss. The complex mapping of the physiological responses triggered by O. melanopus as a biotic stressor in winter wheat has not been fully explored with the help of non-invasive imaging and analytical assa...

The aim of our three consecutive years (2017–2019) field trial was to obtain information as to the effect of weather conditions of the actual year as well as to assess the impact of some technological parameters such as fertilisation, the choice on the hybrid type on the yield parameters, phytosanitary conditions and mycotoxin contamination of maiz...

High temperature induces oxidative processes in wheat, the alleviation of which is promising using biostimulants. Priming has been used for enhancing stress tolerance of seedlings. However, the usage of biostimulants for priming is an unexplored area under either normal or stress conditions. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the heat...

Biophoton radiation also referred to as ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) is used to denote a spontaneous and permanent photon emission associated with oxidative processes in cells and seems to universally occur in all living systems as a result of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are produced under stress conditions. The measure...

Achieving high quantitative and qualitative parameters of maize harvest is a global interest of mankind because this cultivated plant provides the bulk of forage and energy for both animal husbandry and industry (Hossain 2020). Successful maize production is mainly determined by the correct application of cultivation inputs that provide sustainable...

The herb layer plays a significant role in maintaining forest functions, and its community composition is determined by various abiotic factors and biotic interactions. This study attempted to investigate the interspecific plant-plant biotic interactions using a functional traits approach. Specifically , the effects of a dominant species coverage o...

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important leguminous plant worldwide, in which pests trigger significant damage every year. One of the most important pest is pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum, L) which causes covert damage in crops. In the present study, our aim was to obtain precise information pertaining to the extent and the nature of damage in pea cause...

Pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) (Aphelenchida: Parasitaphelencidae) is one of the most harmful agents in coniferous forests. The most important vectors of pine wood nematode are considered to be some Monochamus species (Col.: Cerambycidae), which had been forest insects with secondary importance before the appearance of B. xylophilu...

The expansion of Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was mapped with the help of its biological constants and climatological data based on a 55.8×55.8 km grid of ECMWF ERA-Interim dataset in Europe and North America, in order to determine the tendency of the expansion of the ecotypes between 2003-2018. In the quest of visual mapping of...

Agroforestry is a traditional cultivation method, which can bridge the gap between nature conservation and agriculture systems. Hungary is one of the most vulnerable countries in the term of climate change, and according to climatological forecasts, several areas in the Carpathian basin will be exposed to extensive and prolonged droughts in the nex...

Worldwide distribution and theoretical spreading of Trichoferus campestris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) depending on the main climatic elements

The velvet longhorned beetle, Trichoferus campestris (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a serious wood-boring pest that is a major threat to the phytosanitary condition of forests and orchards. Its worldwide expansion is a major concern for plant health. We have collected all bibliographical references, phytosanitary reports and authentic photographic e...

Deep cyclones, originating in the Mediterranean area, are frequently the cause of heavy precipitation and environments characterized by large temperature gradients and strong wind. In winter period, several types of precipitation can be observed in such situations, including freezing rain and wet snow, which can cause serious damage on the electric...

Methods to model wet snow accretion on structures are developed and improved, based on unique records of wet snow icing events as well as large datasets of observed and simulated weather. Hundreds of observed wet snow icing events are logged in detail in an icing database, most of which include an estimate of the mean and maximum diameter of observ...

The COST Action ES1002 “Weather Intelligence for Renewable Energies WIRE” was launched in November 2010 to promote the short time forecasts of energy production for wind and solar energy. Its goals are 3-fold: evaluate the accuracy of existing forecast systems (including post processing algorithms) by validating their results with in-situ measureme...