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Crop Losses to Pests
Abstract
Productivity of crops grown for human consumption is at risk due to the incidence of pests, especially weeds, pathogens and animal pests. Crop losses due to these harmful organisms can be substantial and may be prevented, or reduced, by crop protection measures. An overview is given on different types of crop losses as well as on various methods of pest control developed during the last century.
Estimates on potential and actual losses despite the current crop protection practices are given for wheat, rice, maize, potatoes, soybeans, and cotton for the period 2001–03 on a regional basis (19 regions) as well as for the global total. Among crops, the total global potential loss due to pests varied from about 50% in wheat to more than 80% in cotton production. The responses are estimated as losses of 26–29% for soybean, wheat and cotton, and 31, 37 and 40% for maize, rice and potatoes, respectively. Overall, weeds produced the highest potential loss (34%), with animal pests and pathogens being less important (losses of 18 and 16%). The efficacy of crop protection was higher in cash crops than in food crops. Weed control can be managed mechanically or chemically, therefore worldwide efficacy was considerably higher than for the control of animal pests or diseases, which rely heavily on synthetic chemicals. Regional differences in efficacy are outlined. Despite a clear increase in pesticide use, crop losses have not significantly decreased during the last 40 years. However, pesticide use has enabled farmers to modify production systems and to increase crop productivity without sustaining the higher losses likely to occur from an increased susceptibility to the damaging effect of pests.
The concept of integrated pest/crop management includes a threshold concept for the application of pest control measures and reduction in the amount/frequency of pesticides applied to an economically and ecologically acceptable level. Often minor crop losses are economically acceptable; however, an increase in crop productivity without adequate crop protection does not make sense, because an increase in attainable yields is often associated with an increased vulnerability to damage inflicted by pests.
... According to estimates, weeds reduce agricultural output in most advanced countries by 5% on average, but in less developed countries, the loss is 10%. According to estimates, weeds reduce agricultural productivity by 5% on average in the majority of advanced countries, 10% in developing nations, and 25% in the least developed nations (Oerke, 2006). ...
... In addition to other biotic and abiotic variables, weeds have a detrimental effect on the typical crop yield. According to reports, weed infestation gone unchecked resulted in up to a 43% decrease in crop productivity globally (Oerke, 2006). Average production losses caused by weeds in several crops are substantially higher in Pakistan (11.5%) than that of globally (9.5%). ...
... Abiotic and biotic stressors are the causes of agricultural productivity losses. Similar to abiotic factors, which include excessive or insufficient water throughout the growth season, high or low temperatures, irradiance, and nutrient availability, biotic stressors can likewise significantly lower yields (Oerke, 2006). The primary biotic restrictions to agricultural productivity are considered to be weeds. ...
Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a vital crop with significant contributions to global food security due to its high protein and oil content. However, weed infestation poses a major threat to soybean yield, necessitating effective management strategies. This review explores recent trends, challenges, and future predictions in organic weed management for soybean cultivation. The discussion covers various non-chemical weed control methods, including preventive, cultural, mechanical, thermal, and biological approaches. Preventive measures focus on preventing the introduction and spread of weed species, while cultural practices such as
narrow row spacing and high seeding density enhance crop competitiveness. Mechanical and thermal methods provide effective weed control without chemical intervention. Biological control, though less prevalent, offers environmentally friendly alternatives. The review highlights the benefits of weeds in agro-ecosystems, such as reducing soil erosion and enhancing soil structure. It also addresses the challenges of herbicide resistance and the need for integrated weed management (IWM) strategies to reduce herbicide dependency. The future outlook emphasizes the importance of merging conventional and organic weed management practices to achieve sustainable soybean production.
... IPM aims to reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides, which are often non-selective and can harm non-target organisms, including beneficial insects, soil microorganisms, and humans (Kogan and Ortman, 1978). The goal of IPM is to maintain pest populations below the economic threshold level (ETL) by implementing a combination of cultural, biological, and chemical control methods (Oerke, 2006). ...
... Chemical control should be used as a last resort and should be integrated with other control methods in an IPM program (Furlong and Groves, 2019). Furthermore, the application of pesticides should follow good agricultural practices to minimize the risk of environmental contamination and adverse effects on non-target organisms (Oerke, 2006). Important findings related to role of different IPM strategies in horticulture have been summarised in Table 1. ...
... The large growth in the global population requires an increase in the quantity and quality of food production. Worldwide, about 18% of crops are lost due to insect damage [1,2], without considering the loss due to plant diseases and weeds. Consequently, insect pest control is an essential tool in agriculture to avoid product losses that would otherwise proceed, from 50% in wheat to more than 80% in cotton production [1,2]. ...
... Worldwide, about 18% of crops are lost due to insect damage [1,2], without considering the loss due to plant diseases and weeds. Consequently, insect pest control is an essential tool in agriculture to avoid product losses that would otherwise proceed, from 50% in wheat to more than 80% in cotton production [1,2]. Starting from the 1950s, insect pest control has been based mainly on so-called 'conventional' synthetic insecticides, but in the last few decades, an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy has gained a significant role and has allowed, with good intentions and harsh realities, satisfactory results [3,4]. ...
The large growth in the global population requires new solutions for the control of harmful insects that compete for our food. Changing regulatory requirements and public perception, together with the continuous evolution of resistance to conventional insecticides, also require, in addition to innovative molecules with different modes of action, new non-chemical control strategies that can help maintain efficient integrated pest management programs. The last 30 years have inaugurated a new era characterised by the discovery of new mechanisms of action and new chemical families. Although European programs also promote a green deal in the crop protection sector, the existing thorough regulations slow down its spread and the adoption of new products. In light of these changes, this review will describe in more detail the dynamics of discovery and registration of new conventional insecticides and the difficulties that the agrochemical industries encounter. Subsequently, the different innovative control strategies alternative to conventional insecticides based on natural substances of different origin, entomopathogenic microorganisms, semiochemical and semiophysical compounds, and classical and augmentative biological control will be described. The advantages of these green strategies will be illustrated and also the constrains to their diffusion and commercialisation. Finally, the main biotechnological discoveries will be described, from transgenic plants to symbiotic control, classical genetic control, and, more recently, control based on insect genomic transformation or on RNAi. These new biotechnologies can revolutionise the sector despite some constrains related to the regulatory restrictions present in different countries.
... Weeds significantly reduce crop yields and are a major threat to global food security (Oerke, 2006;Storkey et al., 2021). Perception of competing vegetation can induce shade avoidance responses in crops, prioritising stem elongation for light foraging, while reducing harvestable biomass and plant robustness (Pantazopoulou et al., 2021;Horvath et al., 2023). ...
Perception of low irradiance ultraviolet B (UV‐B) light (280–315 nm) by the UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) photoreceptor initiates signalling pathways that enhance plant defences to UV‐B damage, mitigating the effects of higher photon irradiances. We therefore questioned whether UVR8 signalling could also prime plants against herbicide‐induced damage, promoting postspray survival.
We assessed the effects of a 2 d, low irradiance UV‐B pretreatment on the photosynthetic resilience and survival of Arabidopsis thaliana plants treated with herbicides promoting photosynthetic disruption and oxidative stress.
UV‐B acclimation increased leaf carotenoid production, antioxidant activity and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and delayed herbicide‐induced reductions in electron transport rate (ETR), facilitating postspray regrowth and enhancing plant survival. In the absence of UV‐B, this protection declined within 4 d, suggesting that it is unlikely to result from structural modifications. UV‐B‐mediated enhancement of photosynthetic resilience was abolished in the uvr8‐6 mutant and increased in the UV‐B hyper‐responsive repressor of UV‐B photomorphogenesis1/2 (rup1rup2) mutant, highlighting the involvement of UVR8 signalling. UV‐B filtering during daylight acclimation also increased herbicide efficacy in Chenopodium, suggesting similar responses in agricultural weeds.
UV‐B‐induced photoprotection enhances the resilience of plant photosystems to herbicide damage, providing a key target for increasing product efficacy and reducing usage.
... Sin embargo, uno de los mayores desafíos que enfrenta esta producción agrícola son las malezas, las cuales constituyen una de las limitaciones bióticas más importantes tanto en países desarrollados como en desarrollo. Las malezas representan la mayor pérdida potencial de rendimiento para los cultivos, llegando hasta un 34 % (Oerke, 2006), ya que compiten con los cultivos por recursos esenciales para su crecimiento y desarrollo y pueden hospedar plagas que representan amenazas significativas para la sanidad de los cultivos. ...
La escasez de herramientas para el reconocimiento de especies de malezas limita los avances de los programas de manejo de malezas. La identificación de malezas adultas es relativamente sencilla; sin embargo, la identificación de semillas y plántulas resulta más compleja, aunque es esencial para implementar estrategias de manejo eficaces que minimicen el impacto en la producción agrícola. Este trabajo busca servir como referencia para la identificación morfológica de semillas y plántulas de malezas. Se realizó una colecta de semillas de malezas comunes, las cuales fueron procesadas adecuadamente en laboratorio. Las características morfológicas distintivas de las semillas se observaron con un microscopio
estereoscópico Leica EZ24-W. Posteriormente, las semillas de maleza se pusieron en condiciones para su germinación en laboratorio e invernadero y sus plántulas se trasplantaron en macetas con suelo estéril. Plántulas con una a tres hojas verdaderas se fotografiaron con una cámara Canon EOS REBEL T6, en una caja de luz para fotografía profesional. Se identificaron 116 especies de malezas como semillas y plántulas, 39 monocotiledóneas y 77 dicotiledóneas, agrupadas en 27 familias botánicas. Las semillas variaron en tamaños desde 0.67 mm hasta 11.54 mm de largo. Semillas de 2.0 mm o más se pueden considerar como semillas grandes por su capacidad para germinar y emerger por debajo de los 3 cm en el perfil
del suelo. Se identificaron 34 especies perennes, 69 anuales, 10 con hábito anual o perenne y tres con hábito anual o bianual. Las observaciones morfológicas de semillas con el microscopio estereoscópico permitieron identificar características distintivas de cada especie. Las fotografías de plántulas son una herramienta visual para su identificación temprana. Este trabajo es una herramienta para la identificación de malezas que fortalece la toma de decisiones para el manejo oportuno de malezas, además de facilitar la investigación de dinámica de poblaciones de malezas a través de bancos de semillas.
... Plant pests, including animals (mainly invertebrates), pathogens (viruses, bacteria and fungi) and weeds, cause losses of up to 40% in major crops worldwide (Oerke, 2006;Kumari et al., 2020). Pest control is often accomplished by pesticide applications and the use of genetically modified organisms in inorganic agriculture. ...
Agriculture production can be achieved by changing or integration of traditional technologies with present systems of farming. It is obvious that traditional technologies have much relevance. For acceptance of this traditional practices, systemic research is needed to identify the mystery of exicting results could be explained on the basis of science
... The worrying population growth rate in many developing countries like Pakistan has increased many issues, such as food security issues [4]. Many weeds, pests, and pathogens have a great effect on crop production and its quality [5]. The whole maize plant is mostly contaminated by fungal species at the preharvest and post-harvest stages. ...
... The annual crop yield loss caused by pests and pathogens account for $220 billion. 1,2 The insecticides targeting upon γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAR) can effectively control agricultural pests. [3][4][5] Currently, several classes of GABAR-targeting insecticides ( Fig. 1) have been developed, such as phenylpyrazoles (fipronil), meta-diamides (broflanilide) and isoxazolines (fluralaner, fluxametamide, and isocycloseram). ...
BACKGROUND
The target of the isoxazoline insecticides, including fluralaner, fluxametamide, and isocycloseram, was the γ‐aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAR). However, the interaction mechanism between isoxazoline insecticides with different chiral structures and GABAR, as well as the selectivity among on‐target and non‐target species GABARs remains unclear.
RESULTS
In this study, we integrated homology modeling, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, molecular docking, and MM‐GBSA calculations to explore the inhibition mechanisms of three isoxazoline insecticides. The MM‐GBSA calculations indicated that the binding affinity between S‐fluralaner with GABAR (−48.43 kcal/mol) was better than that of R‐fluralaner (−36.36 kcal/mol). The analysis of sequence alignment revealed that the key residues in the on‐target species (Plutella xylostella), namely Ile223, Leu227, Met261, Asn265, Gly282, and Phe285, were allele to Leu223, Met227, Ser261, Arg265, Ala282, and Tyr285 in the non‐target species (Danio rerio, Coturnix japonica, and Mus musculus). Consequently, structural analysis reveals that the GABAR site in the on‐target species exhibits a more cavity depth, expanded surface area, and increased volume compared to non‐target species. These distinctive structural features facilitate enhanced binding affinity with S‐fluralaner, thereby contributing to improved species selectivity.
CONCLUSION
The computational results revealed that the S‐conformation of isoxazoline insecticides exhibits higher activity than the R‐conformation when binding to GABAR. Notably, S‐fluralaner demonstrated effective binding with GABAR in the target species, whereas no binding affinity was observed in non‐target species. The findings provide a valuable foundation for the future development of novel, safe, and effective GABAR insecticides. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
... The impact of diseases on maize production continues to grow annually. In 2001, global losses from environmental pathogens in maize production were estimated at 9% (Oerke, 2006), and by 2003, production declines due to disease were reported at 10%, with variations across regions-4% in Northern Europe and up to 14% in South Asia and West Africa (Oerke, 2009). Predominantly fungal pathogens lead to considerable losses, with reports suggesting up to 30% of global maize production is compromised (Agrios, 1997;Chhokar, 2001;Owolade et al., 2005;Hussain et al., 2013). ...
This study evaluated the morphological response of ten maize accessions obtained from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, to field pathogens. The field experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with four replicates. The maize accessions were planted in unsterilized soil under natural field conditions. Data on morphological traits were collected over ten consecutive weeks, and disease severity was rated on a scale of 1 to 5. The findings reveal that Tropical Zea mays (TZM) 115 and TZM 105 accessions outperformed others in most morphological traits. TZM 115 had significantly higher values for the number of leaves (NOL: 10.41) and tassel length (TL: 52.73 cm) while TZM 1422 had the lowest values (NOL: 6.81, TL: 12.44 cm). This is further supported by hierarchical clustering analysis, which indicates that TZM 115 shares some similarity with accessions in the other two clusters. Regarding disease resistance, TZM 105 exhibited the highest resistance to field pathogens, with a disease severity rating of 2.90, whereas TZM 45 had the highest recorded severity rating of 3.38. Thus, this research elucidates the considerable genetic diversity present among maize accessions, revealing notable variations in growth patterns, agronomic characteristics and disease susceptibility. These results also enhance our comprehension of how morphological traits influence disease resistance and highlight the capability of certain maize accessions to thrive in the presence of field pathogens. Therefore, accessions TZM 115 and TZM 105 are recommended for adoption in maize breeding and improvement programs due to their high disease resistance potential and favorable morphological traits for sustainable and cost-effective resistance strategies.
... Weeding costs dominate costs incurred in farming, accounting for one-fifth in developing countries (Kamugisha et al., 2020) and up to 50% of the crop losses (Abouziena & Haggag, 2016). Globally, unmanaged weeds led to a significant crop yield loss amounting up to 61% of cereal crops (Oerke, 2006). The cereal yield loss due to weeds accounts for 32% and 8.5% in the United States and Canada, respectively (Flessner et al., 2021). ...
... These advancements are often documented and acknowledged as theories and principles (Laudan, 1978). Moreover, scientific progress has addressed many global issues, including climate change (Oerke, 2006). ...
The integration of indigenous knowledge with scientific knowledge has emerged as a key area of interest in various disciplines, including environmental management, agriculture, healthcare, and education. Indigenous knowledge, developed over centuries by Indigenous peoples and local communities, reflects a deep-rooted understanding of local ecosystems, sustainable practices, and holistic approaches to health and development. Meanwhile, scientific knowledge, often seen as more universal and formalized, contributes empirical method-ologies and technological advancements. This systematic review explores the importance, challenges, and benefits of integrating these two knowledge systems. By reviewing relevant literature, this paper identifies pathways for successful integration, highlighting case studies from environmental conservation, agriculture, and health-care that demonstrate the complementary strengths of indigenous and scientific knowledge. The paper concludes that integrating scientific and indigenous knowledge holds great promise for addressing global challenges. Despite obstacles like power disparities and differing epistemologies, effective integration can lead to a comprehensive and lasting solution that promotes equitable collaborations, protects intellectual property, and creates culturally appropriate frameworks. Collaborative research that treats indigenous populations as equal partners ensures innovations are both scientifically and culturally valid. Successful integration therefore requires frameworks sensitive to cultural differences and the social and spiritual aspects of indigenous knowledge, supported by legal and policy measures to safeguard and benefit from indigenous knowledge.
... Plant disease mitigation is also a significant topic of both basic and applied plant research (Mahlein, 2016). Plant pathogens affecting crop health have been found to decrease global production by approximately 40% (Oerke, 2006). Conventional methods globally used to diagnose and detect crop diseases include visual scoring with a manual rating and/or a ranking system, morphology study using a microscope to identify pathogens, and several molecular diagnostic technologies (Bock et al., 2010). ...
Dry bean, the fourth-largest pulse crop in Canada is increasingly impacted by climate variability, needing efficient methods to support cultivar development. This study investigates the potential of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and multispectral imaging (MSI) for high-throughput phenotyping of dry bean traits. Image data were collected across two dry bean field trials to assess plant height, lodging and seed yield. Multiple LiDAR-derived features accessing canopy height, crop lodging and digital biomass were evaluated against manual height measurements, visually rated lodging scale and seed yield, respectively. At the same time, three MSI-derived data were used to estimate seed yield. Classification- and regression-based machine learning models were used to estimate key agronomic traits using both LiDAR and MSI-based crop features. The canopy height derived from LiDAR showed a good correlation (R² = 0.86) with measured plant height at the mid-pod filling (R6) stage. Lodging classification was most effective using Gradient Boosting, Random Forest and Logistic Regression, with R8 (physiological maturity stage) canopy height being the dominant predictor. For seed yield prediction, models integrating LiDAR and MSI outperformed individual datasets, with Gradient Boosting Regression Trees yielding the highest accuracy (R² = 0.64, RMSE = 687.2 kg/ha and MAE = 521.6 kg/ha). Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) at the R6 stage was identified as the most informative spectral feature. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of integrating UAV-based LiDAR and MSI for accurate, non-destructive phenotyping in dry bean breeding programs.
... The broad spectrum of fungi-over 10,000 types-can harm numerous plant species. [9][10][11] Macrophomina phaseolina is responsible for root diseases in over 500 plant species. These diseases encompass dry root rot, stalk rot, stem canker, and charcoal rot. ...
Background
Fungal infection predominantly damages agricultural practices, and conventional chemical fungicides and insecticides are applied to control it, which extensively harms human health and the environment. Some bacterial species can control fungus by lysing its outer chitin layer.
Objectives
The present research aimed to isolate microorganisms capable of producing chitinase, thus acting as a highly effective biocontrol agent in combating fungal phytopathogens.
Methods
Two chitinase-producing bacterial strains were successfully isolated and screened from soil samples from a fish market environment. The process involved the aseptic collection of soil samples, followed by serial dilution to facilitate microorganism isolation. The bacterium exhibited optimal extracellular chitinase enzyme production following a 72-h incubation period at a temperature of 30 °C in a chitinase detection medium containing 0.5% chitin. Validation of chitinase production was confirmed through a clear zone assay, thus verifying its chitinase-producing capacity.
Results
Among the various isolated strains, isolates S3C1 and S3C3 demonstrated the highest chitinase activity, leading to their selection for further investigation. Comprehensive morphological and biochemical tests were conducted on these two isolates to assess their characteristics and capabilities. These tests established that both isolates were gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria. Through genetic sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, both organisms were identified as Klebsiella variicola exhibiting a remarkable similarity of 99% with S3C1 and S3C3 respectively. The bacteria exhibited maximum chitinase synthesis at optimal circumstances, which were determined to be a temperature of 30 °C and a pH of 7, after a 48-h incubation period. The bacteria exhibited robust antifungal activity during bioassays, demonstrating their capability to suppress the growth of fungal pathogens (specifically, Fusarium oxysporum) in vitro.
Conclusion
This research suggests a promising alternative to synthetic fungicides in agricultural practices, fostering a sustainable approach to disease management.
... The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that pests and diseases cause approximately 20−40% of global crop production losses each year. 5 Specifically, plant diseases alone contribute to agricultural losses valued at around $220 billion annually. 6 Plant diseases threaten plant health adversely, serving as both a challenge and a critical indicator of ecosystem health. ...
Plant diseases account for nearly one-third of annual global crop losses, making early and real-time detection essential for safeguarding agricultural productivity. Wearable technology has emerged as a promising real-time plant health monitoring approach that detects specific physiological and chemical changes associated with plant diseases or stresses. In this review, we highlight the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as noninvasive biomarkers for tracking plant health and diagnosing diseases. We explore the materials, fabrication techniques, and recent applications of wearable VOC sensors for the real-time monitoring of plant diseases and stresses. Finally, we discuss the current challenges in wearable VOC sensor development and future directions to improve their design, fabrication, and practical implementation. This mini-review aims to guide the advancement of wearable sensing technologies for sustainable agriculture and enhanced crop protection.
... Crop damage by pests is a major challenge for farmers given that pests are responsible for around 20% of yield losses on a global scale (Duflot et al., 2022;Oerke, 2006). Pest attacks are predicted to increase due to global change (Simler-Williamson et al., 2019). ...
Biological pest control is a major ecosystem service and is known to depend on landscape heterogeneity. The composition and configuration of landscapes can affect natural enemy communities, trophic interactions, and pest density within agroecosystems. However, local agricultural management can interfere with natural enemy activity, so the positive effects of landscape heterogeneity may be disrupted by farming practices. Here, we studied the influence of landscape context and management options on the biological control of Lobesia botrana, one of the main insect pests of grapes. We focused on two complementary measures: predation rates, which reflect part of biological control potential, and plant damage, which reflects pest density and the associated infestation. We used a set of sentinel prey (eggs, caterpillars, pupae) to quantify predation rates across different developmental stages of the pest. The study was carried out in a landscape‐scale experimental set‐up consisting of 38 vineyards in Southwestern France. Using structural equation models, we show that predation rates on sentinel prey were affected by both landscape heterogeneity and local management practices. Higher pest predation rates were observed in landscapes with smaller vineyards and in vineyards with low applications of synthetic pesticides. We observed limited relationships between predation rates and grape infestation levels. However, our results suggest that predation rates at the pest pupae stage are significantly shaping infestation levels. Additionally, pest damage in spring and summer was primarily influenced by the intensity of local pesticide use and the grass cover in the field and exacerbated by the decreasing size of vineyards, while semi‐natural habitats had no effect on pest damage. We conclude that links between L. botrana infestation and biological control potential appear tenuous in our study region. This is likely due to the high local management intensity, as evidenced by the negative association observed between pesticide applications and predation rates. Nevertheless, both predation and infestation respond to landscape or field heterogeneity and pesticide use. Reducing the use of pesticides should be combined with multi‐scale diversification measures at field and landscape levels to amplify the predation potential.
... Weeds present a major challenge to crop production as they compete with crops for vital resources such as water, nutrients, light, and space, ultimately hindering crop growth and development [1]. Globally, weeds are responsible for an estimated 43% reduction in crop yields [2], underscoring the importance of effective weed control strategies to protect agricultural productivity. While herbicides have become the most widely used method for weed management, particularly with the rise of genetically modified herbicide-resistant crops, their extensive and indiscriminate use has led to growing concerns. ...
This study presents a novel Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based approach for detecting pigweed in soybean ( Glycine max ) fields using a combination of deep learning and advanced image processing techniques. A custom, high-resolution dataset comprising RGB and multispectral images was collected from USDA operated fields and manually annotated to target pigweed detection. Beyond incorporating YOLOv8 variants for real-time weed classification, this research integrates a comprehensive image processing pipeline, incorporating global thresholding, k-means clustering, 3D surface mapping, and spectral signature analysis to enhance interpretability and detection accuracy. A comparative evaluation of YOLOv8 nano, small, medium, and large models was performed to identify the most practical model for deployment in precision agriculture. The YOLOv8 nano model emerged as the most balanced in terms of precision (75.6%), recall (81.7%), and mAP@0.5 (81.6%), demonstrating effective weed detection performance under real field conditions. Also, quadrant-level weed coverage and spatial heatmaps were generated to support targeted intervention. This work advances the current state of UAV based weed detection by providing a field-ready, explainable, and resource-efficient solution, contributing to sustainable farming and data-driven weed management practices.
... have contributed to the drastic decline in weed species diversity observed over the last decades 35 (Hyvönen et al., 2002;Potts et al., 2010). A 'clean' weed-free field is often seen as the optimal basis to 36 generate high crop yields (Oerke, 2006), even though a high weed species diversity in arable fields could 37 offer ecological and economic advantages (Storkey and Neve, 2018). Increasing concern about the 74 and Shaw, 2004). ...
... In Germany in 2001-2003 the losses of wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans and cotton due to the pests amounted to 18% [16]. ...
In the article the research results are presented on the efficiency of a biological control technology of plum trees, infected with the dominant plum pests, using a complex microbial preparation. The preparation was based on microbial strains with fungicidal (Pseudomonas aureofaciens) and insecticidal (Streptomyces avervitilis) properties, which were stored in the Microbial Culture Collection of the Engineering Technological Institute “Biotekhnika” of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. Both microbial strains were cocultured on a liquid growth medium for the complex microbial preparation. The field trials were carried out in 2021-2023 on the right-bank side of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine in the plantations of the Institute of Horticulture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine on plum trees of the Stanley variety against the main pests: gray bud weevil Sciaphobus squalidus, plum codling moth Grapholita funebrana, plum pollinated aphid Hyalopterus pruni, and black plum sawfly Hoplocampa minuta. The technology was to be affected as 2-6 sprayings of the plum plants with the complex microbial preparation, depending on the type of the pest. Counting of the pest distribution was made before and after the treatment. The test results showed that applying the complex preparation significantly reduced the number of major plum pests. The efficiency of the technology ranged from 57.1% to 89.4% depending on the type of the pest. This confirms its practicability for biological control of fruit pests by a novel complex microbial preparation under the conditions of organic gardening. The high efficiency of the preparation can be explained by synergic action of the microorganisms with different taxonomic status on pests. The application of the complex preparation makes it possible to expand the range of the biological plant protection products and save the natural environment.
... The impact however falls not only on agriculture but also on horticulture as well as the industry connected to the ornamental plants. There have been numerous reviews bringing to our notice, the mammoth losses that have been plaguing us (Oerke, 2006;Sharma et al., 2017;Savary et al., 2019;Savary et al., 2012). As a safeguard measure, various strategies have been availed like the use of chemical pesticides, genetically modified (GM) crops, changes in cropping practices, etc. ...
In the age of ever-increasing population density, the escalating demand for food has to be met. Irrespective of whether individuals prefer animal-derived food or not, the pressure on agricultural systems continues to intensify as it provides the most sustainable means to feed the masses. The climatic variability of crops or dietary preferences is only a part of the problem. The major issue lies in the viability of plants and their resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. Being a huge threat to agriculture, numerous efforts have been made to study and subdue the effects of biotic stress on plants. One such sustainable approach could be the utilisation of microbes inhabiting the rhizosphere. In this review, we thus shed some light on the practical data to discuss the rhizosphere microbiome and how it affects the plant, particularly in conferring resistance to biotic stresses via priming the host plant and promoting the induced systemic resistance (ISR), antagonistic or competitive interactions with pathogens, strengthening insect pest resistance and control and disease suppression. The prospects that this field holds when combined with superior techniques like genetic engineering are immense for the development of a viable and fully-fledged plan for attaining sustainable agriculture.
... Pesticides, as a crucial class of chemical reagents, play an indispensable role in bolstering the global food supply chain. 1 It is estimated that the absence of these agents could lead to a staggering 34-40% reduction in worldwide food production. 2 As the pursuit of pesticides that are safe, cost-effective, and environmentally benign gains momentum, the field of pesticide research and development has transformed into a highly complex and multifaceted realm of scientific exploration. 3,4 The emergence of advanced techniques, especially in the domains of computer science and big data analytics, has profoundly transformed the research landscape. ...
BACKGROUND
Pesticides are crucial for protecting crops from pests and diseases to meet the growing global food demand. In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), computer‐aided approaches have the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency and safety of pesticide design. The application of these methods depends on comprehensive and accurate pesticide data, essential for developing effective pesticides. However, there remains a lack of integrated and user‐friendly databases to display complete information on pesticides.
RESULTS
Digital Pesticide is a comprehensive online platform, containing information on over 2000 pesticides, each with nearly 200 curated attributes. These include identifiers, chemical properties, agrochemical data, regulatory guidelines, environmental impact assessments, and potential human health effects. A web‐based user interface has been developed to facilitate efficient data management and access. This open‐access platform allows users to browse, search, and download information according to their specific needs. Digital Pesticide is free to use on https://dpai.ccnu.edu.cn/digpesticide/.
CONCLUSION
Digital pesticide is a comprehensive pesticide database with a dynamic web platform and it is the cornerstone of the drive for sustainable agricultural development and management. It bridges a critical gap in pesticide research and is expected to serve as a key resource for global pesticide and pest management. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
... The introduction of insect pests has led to significant quantitative and qualitative losses. According to Oerke (2006), these biological invasions have resulted in an average of 25% of crop losses. Among the biological invasions of insect pests in soybean crops is the stem fly Melanagromyza sojae Zehntner (Diptera: Agromyzidae) (Pozebon et al. 2021). ...
Melanagromyza sojae is an important pest in soybean crops in Asia, causing up to 100% losses. In 2015, this insect was introduced to the Americas, the world’s leading producer of soybeans. CLIMEX is program for determining seasonal risk models for pests. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the seasonal risks of M. sojae in the central soybean-producing regions in the Americas using CLIMEX. The study found that the optimum temperature and humidity ranges for M. sojae were 15–29 °C and 0.001–0.5 of soil field capacity, respectively. The insect’s occurrence points in its native region were primarily in areas with high climatic suitability. The model predictions and actual pest densities showed a strong correlation (0.83) and were statistically significant (< 0.0001). Interestingly, the soybean-producing regions of the USA and the Midwest of Brazil did not exhibit high climatic suitability for the pest, which could be a potential advantage for these regions in managing the risk of M. sojae. The soybean-producing regions of Argentina and southern Brazil showed high climate suitability for M. sojae during the months of March–November, and June–January, respectively. Therefore, the model determined in this work is promising for predicting the seasonal risks of M. sojae in soybean crops in the Americas, indicating regions and seasons favorable to the pest.
... A pragmatic approach is to focus on a subset of priority cash and staple crops in each region -along with their main P&Ps -based on their impact on food security and importance on local agricultural economies. This prioritization should leverage existing global estimates of yield losses (Oerke, 2006;Savary et al., 2019), 2 assessments of the current state of plant health (Acuña et al., 2023), and recent approachs for identifying food security hotspots due to P&P risks (Savary & Willocquet, 2020). ...
... Uncontrolled weeds can cause approximately 40% yield loss in maize and sunflower and up to 100% in sugar beet (Oerke, 2006;Gummert et al., 2012). Crops with wide row spacing such as maize, sunflower, and sugar beet are extremely sensitive to weed competition in the critical period of weed control, which is during the first 4-6 weeks after sowing (Knezevic et al., 2002). ...
Sensor-guidance and camera-based weed detection systems have improved weed control, resulting in higher weed control efficacy (WCE), less herbicide use, and less crop damage. In this study, four sensor-guided inter- and intra-row weeding systems were tested in sugar beet, maize, and sunflower. Those four systems included (1) camera-guided inter-row hoeing (HOE), (2) HOE + intra-row finger weeding (HOE+F), (3) HOE + camera-guided intra-row hoeing (HOE + InRow) and (4) HOE + intra-row band spraying (HOE + BS). A broadcast herbicide treatment and an untreated plot were included as control. Six experiments were conducted in 2022 and 2023 in Southwestern Germany. Inter-row and intra-row weed density and crop density were assessed before and after treatment. Yield was measured for each plot. The systems were evaluated based on WCE, crop losses (CL), yield, and herbicide savings. All sensor-based weeding systems controlled at least on average 77% of the weeds. HOE+BS achieved 91% WCE and was similar to the broadcast herbicide application (92% WCE). HOE on average controlled 90% of the inter-row weeds but only 69% of the in-row weeds. HOE and HOE+F had 14% less intra-row WCE than inter-row WCE. HOE+InRow resulted in 77% inter-row and intra-row WCE. Sensor-guided weed control did not cause significant CL or yield reduction compared to the broadcast herbicide application, except for HOE+InRow in maize 2023 because of wrong setting in the segmentation and weed/crop classification algorithm. This study underlines that sensor-guided hoeing and the combination of band spraying with inter-row hoeing provide effective and robust alternatives to conventional broadcast herbicide application in row crops.
... Many works reported that AMF may act as determinants of weed community structure and composition, reducing the development and fitness of several agricultural weed species, mainly those unable to establish a functional mycorrhizal symbiosis (nonhost species) (Li et al., 2016). Although weed communities can sometimes contribute to agroecosystem services and provide diverse benefits (Gazoulis et al., 2024), their excessive growth represents a major problem in agriculture, responsible for 31-34% of global crop yield loss (Oerke, 2006;Kubiak et al., 2022), despite the growing use of herbicides, whose global application increased by 121 percent since the 1990s (FAO, 2024). Such a large utilisation of herbicides and the resulting selective pressure on weeds, which led to the development of herbicide resistance in many aggressive species, have boosted the search for innovative non-chemical weed management practices, including crop competition, the adoption of cover crops (Peterson et al., 2018;Little et al., 2021) and AMF, which negatively affect the survival and growth of several pernicious and widespread weeds in agriculture (Li et al., 2016). ...
The implementation of agroecological practices aims at promoting productivity and reducing environmental impacts due to the excessive use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. It relies on soil microbiota beneficial activities, such as the efficient use of water and natural soil resources and the provision of important ecosystem services. This review will focus on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and their role in weed management. AMF are soil beneficial microorganisms establishing mutualistic symbiotic associations with the roots of most food crops and playing key roles in plant growth, nutrition and health. Several plant species are unable to form functional mycorrhizal symbioses (nonhost plants), lacking “symbiotic-specific” genes, as shown by genomic, transcriptomic and phylogenomic analyses. The majority of nonhost plants belong to families encompassing some of the world’s worst agricultural weed species, such as Chenopodium album , Raphanus raphanistrum , Rapistrum rugosum , Capsella bursa-pastoris and Sinapis arvensis . The nonhost mycorrhizal status entails adverse effects on nonhost weeds due to attempted fungal colonisation, leading to reduced plant survival, growth and nutrient acquisition, particularly when grown in the presence of active AMF extraradical hyphae originating from host plants. These effects have been attributed to the activation of plant root defenses diverting resources from plant growth. This review provides qualitative and quantitative data on the interactions between AMF and nonhost weeds and on the mechanisms underlying weed fitness reduction. The lack of extensive field studies highlights the need for experimental works under real crop conditions to determine whether the combination of AMF with cover crops – a weed management practice adopted in agroecology – could serve as a valuable strategy for weed control, promoting the agroecological transition towards low-input, safe, and resilient agroecosystems.
... Weeds adversely affect crop growth and productivity by competing for resources, including water, sunlight, nutrients, and space, posing a substantial threat to global food security (Restrepo-Arias et al., 2024;Xu et al., 2024;Hasan et al., 2024;Gao et al., 2018;Oerke, 2006). Each year, farmers around the world invest substantial time, capital, and resources to combat weed infestations, which account for an estimated 13.2% in yield loss -equivalent to USD 75.6 billion globally. ...
... Fungal phytopathogens are of great economic significance because they cause major crop diseases and threaten pre and post-harvest crop production. It is estimated that approximately 10% of total agricultural yield is lost due to fungal infection annually (Oerke 2006). With the growing consequences of climate change, these losses are expected to increase (Gregory et al. 2009). ...
Key message
Silencing of target susceptibility (S) genes in plants exhibits a promising and durable strategy for enhanced resistance to fungal pathogens by causing disruption in the host mechanisms that the pathogens exploit, offering an alternative to the traditional resistance gene-based approaches.
Abstract
Devastating fungal diseases have significantly reduced crop productivity, posing a potential threat to global food security. Producing disease-resistant cultivars is the most effective strategy for protecting crops against these fungal pathogens. Typically, susceptibility (S) genes in host plants facilitate the penetration and proliferation of phytopathogens. Perturbation of these S genes can potentially impede the compatibility between the host and the fungal pathogens, thereby providing broad-spectrum and lasting resistance. Consequently, the identification and targeting of S-genes have gained increasing interest in enhancing disease resistance in plants. In this review, we describe three distinct categories of S genes that function during different stages of the infection process. We focus on various gene silencing technologies, including RNA interference (RNAi), virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), and CRISPR-Cas9, to improve plant disease resistance against fungal pathogens. The numerous examples discussed here illustrate the potential of S-genes for use in plant disease-resistance breeding.
... Weeds are major contributors to economic loss in crop production worldwide, potentially causing yield reduction of up to 34 % (Oerke, 2006;Pimentel et al., 2000). Crop yield loss is mainly caused by competition with weeds for light, water, and nutrients, greatly influenced by weed density and crop competitive ability. ...
... Pests exhibit diverse morphological characteristics throughout their life-cycles and can severely damage crops by feeding on plants and transmitting pathogens. This damage can result in significant yield reductions, complete harvest failures, and severe economic losses for farmers [1]. Moreover, certain pest species exhibit high reproductive rates and remarkable environmental adaptability, leading to rapid proliferation and significant ecological risks, undermining environmental sustainability and agricultural stability [2]. ...
Due to target diversity, life-cycle variations, and complex backgrounds, traditional pest detection methods often struggle with accuracy and efficiency. This study introduces RDW-YOLO, an improved pest detection algorithm based on YOLO11, featuring three key innovations. First, the Reparameterized Dilated Fusion Block (RDFBlock) enhances feature extraction via multi-branch dilated convolutions for fine-grained pest characteristics. Second, the DualPathDown (DPDown) module integrates hybrid pooling and convolution for better multi-scale adaptability. Third, an enhanced Wise-Wasserstein IoU (WWIoU) loss function optimizes the matching mechanism and improves bounding-box regression. Experiments on the enhanced IP102 dataset show that RDW-YOLO achieves an mAP@0.5 of 71.3% and an mAP@0.5:0.95 of 50.0%, surpassing YOLO11 by 3.1% and 2.0%, respectively. The model also adopts a lightweight design and has a computational complexity of 5.6 G, ensuring efficient deployment without sacrificing accuracy. These results highlight RDW-YOLO’s potential for precise and efficient pest detection in sustainable agriculture.
... Due to competition for natural resources, weeds can have a negative impact on crop production in agricultural systems by lowering crop quality and productivity [10,11]. Both emerging and developed countries are affected by weeds, which is the main biotic barrier to agricultural output [11,12]. ...
Crop and weed plants often compete for water, sunlight, soil moisture, nutrients, etc. However, both of them are capable of offering floral resources to pollinators. Hence, crops, weeds, and pollinators are crucial agro-ecosystem components. Considering this aspect, a nonlinear differential equation model is developed to portray the complex interactions among the variables, viz. crop, weed, and pollinator. The proposed model is mutualism-competitive type, which comprises the mutualism of pollinators with crops and weeds and inter-specific competition between crops and weeds. The purpose of the model is to clarify how interactive dynamics affect the individual populations as time progresses. Therefore, the developed model is examined for qualitative features, including different states of equilibrium, their existences and stabilities, to get an idea of the system’s behaviour in the long run and possible bifurcations that could occur in the system’s dynamics with variation in model parameters. These perceptive qualitative findings are corroborated by numerical simulations demonstrating various dynamical patterns that could appear in the system. Results from the model indicate that coexisting weeds, crops, and pollinators can result in a stable state. Nevertheless, in some circumstances, the system may also exhibit periodic oscillations due to Hopf-bifurcation whenever there is an imbalance in the mutualism between pollinators and crops or the competition between crops and weeds.
... D, Domain; P, Phylum; C, Class; O, Order; F, Family; G, Genus; S, Species. Balendonck et al., 2010), and natural enemies including insect pests, plant pathogens, and weed (Oerke, 2006). Although environmental parameters are relatively maintained in greenhouse systems, fluctuations could still occur. ...
Introduction
With the predicted 9-10 billion world population increase by 2050 and its accompanying need for sustainable food production, and with the harsh climate conditions challenging agriculture and food security in many countries world-wide, employing “horticultural protected cultivation practices” in farming for seasonal and off-seasonal crop production is on the rise, among which is the use of agricultural greenhouses. The importance of greenhouse farming has been, indeed, evident by the perceived increase in year-round crops production, curtail in production risks, upsurge in agricultural profits, outreaching food stability and security in many countries globally. Yet, and despite this acknowledged success of employing greenhouses in farming, many constraints, including the presence of insect pests, still chaperoned this practice over the years, significantly impacting crop quality and production.
Methods
As such, we assessed in this study the status of “insect pests” in the greenhouse model by collecting insects from different greenhouse sectors grown with tomatoes and cucumbers and identified the collected insects using relevant identification keys. To further explore the pest paradigm in greenhouses, we then focused on particularly studying Trialeurodes vaporariorum (TRIAVA), a key insect species among the collected and identified insects in the studied greenhouse model and a significant pest with an impactful effect on many crops worldwide. To do so, we traced the abundance of TRIAVA in the tomato and cucumber grown greenhouse sectors over the period of the study, analyzed its metagenome and associated its abundance with crop yield.
Results and discussion
Our findings revealed TRIAVA hosted microbes with aptitudes to either serve as symbiotic microorganisms and protect TRIAVA against pathogens or to potentially cause damage to crops. This work provides additional insight into the insect pests paradigm in greenhouses, an upshot that could serve integrated insect pest management strategies in greenhouses for optimal agricultural practices.
... Farmers in Bangladesh indicated substantial productivity reductions, with 30-39% attributed to insect pests (38.5% of respondents) and 40-49% attributable to diseases (37.25% of respondents). This finding corresponds with international research indicating that pests and illnesses significantly contribute to agricultural production reduction, especially in developing countries with subtropical temperatures (Oerke 2006). Significant losses (40-49%) were prevalent, with 22.5% of respondents attributing such decreases to insect pests, highlighting their pivotal impact on output reduction. ...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), an extensively cultivated vegetable in Bangladesh, is profoundly influenced by insect pests and diseases, adversely affecting crop yield and quality. Farmers' knowledge and perceptions about these difficulties are essential for the successful and sustainable implementation of pest control measures in tomato cultivation. This research included a comprehensive survey of 400 tomato-growing farmers across 10 districts in Bangladesh to assess their knowledge of prevalent tomato pests, diseases and existing management strategies. The results indicated that farmers have been facing pest and disease challenges for several years, listing significant pests such as fruit borers, whiteflies and aphids, as well as diseases like Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) and late blight as common. More than 90% of farmers indicated significant crop loss, between 30% and 49%, primarily due to various pests and diseases. A majority of farmers (78.5%) mostly used chemical pesticides, spraying them at intervals of 3-7 days while exhibiting little implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The survey showed that 71% of farmers did not have formal training in pest management, leading them to often use insecticides (mainly neonicotinoids) and fungicides (especially triazoles) every 3-7 days, with short waiting times before just of 2-3 days, which could be more harmful to food safety. The results highlight the critical need for training initiatives and the implementation of more sustainable pest control strategies to enhance tomato cultivation in Bangladesh.
... Weeds are typically the most severe danger to diminishing agricultural productivity, along with germs (parasites, bacteria, and so on.) insects, rats, nematodes, mites, birds, and other less important animal pests (Oerke, 2006). Weeds in India have resulted in economic losses of over eleven billion dollars in only ten crops (Gharde et al. 2018).Weeds, for example, diminish agricultural output, boost farming expenses, and cause significant ecological harms (Sinden et al. 2004;Rao et al. 2020). ...
The widespread expansion of alien weed species are disturbing ecological and agricultural systems. Early detection and prevention of high-risk introductions are crucial for reducing losses and boosting benefits. The Australian-Weed-Risk Assessment System has been successful project for predicting naturalizations in four sub-districts of Moradabad. A study evaluated 30 weed species in the Lamiids Grade/Clade of the APG-IV system. The study found that 56% of the reported weed species were of low rank, 37% had medium rank status, and 7% had a high risk rank. The present study found that Calotropis procera represents the maximum (21.6) and Hygrophila auriculata represents the minimum (1.92) weed risk score.
The outbreaks of emerging phytopathogens constrain socioeconomic development globally and are expected to intensify in the future along with climate change. Oomycetes, a group of fungus‐like eukaryotes, include many phytopathogenic species, making it critical to understand the drivers of their diversity and distribution. This work analyzes 972 soil samples from three major grassland types in China and found that soil phosphorus availability drove oomycete richness, while humidity and nitrogen content affected community composition. Pathogenic oomycete abundance is mostly influenced by precipitation, temperature seasonality, and plant species richness. This work creates a distribution atlas of pathogenic oomycete richness and abundance in Chinese grasslands, using space‐for‐time methods to predict future outbreak areas under climate change. Model predictions indicate a potential increased risk of oomycete disease in ≈42% of the grassland area under SSP 1–2.6 and SSP 5–8.5 climate scenarios, particularly in portions of typical and meadow grasslands. This study enhances the understanding of the drivers behind the distribution of pathogenic oomycetes and highlights the need for disease management strategies in the face of climate change.
The most widespread plant health management approach is pathogen-focused and relies on systematic, often excessive, use of chemical inputs. Conversely, agroecology is gaining ground alongside the emergence of new salutogenic approaches based on an understanding of the factors that promote biodiversity-based plant health. To apply these approaches, it is thus essential to gain further insight into the role of agrobiodiversity, particularly its structure and composition, on plant health. Our study was conducted in cocoa-based agroforestry systems in Côte d'Ivoire, characterized by an agrobiodiversity gradient, varying in terms of species diversity, plant density and spatial distribution. These systems are managed by farmers using diverse agricultural practices based on their knowledge and experience, while also being influenced by the socioeconomic environment. We hypothesized that cocoa tree health could be enhanced via efficient agrobiodiversity management and hence that organic farming systems would be more advanced in this respect than conventional systems due to their closer alignment with biodiversity-based practices. We tested this by comparing management practices and shade tree diversity in both organic and conventional farming systems in a network of 84 cocoa plots. We then performed statistical tests on a subset of 37 plots to assess the relationship between agrobiodiversity and farming practices. Our study revealed that farming practices and their annual intervention frequency varied little between organic and conventional farming situations. However, the organic farmers relied on substitution strategy, replacing chemical inputs with organic inputs. Furthermore, our results indicated that the species richness could have a significant impact on cocoa tree health, particularly in organic farming systems. This raises fundamental questions about how agricultural practices influence biodiversity-health interactions and calls for further research to deepen our understanding of these dynamics.
تجربتين حقليتين نفذتا بمحطة البحوث بالصفصاف بالجبل الأخضر لدراسة تأثير اختلاف الكثافة النباتية 9.52 ، 13.33، 20.0، 33.33 نبات /م2 وعزيق الحشائش لمرة ومرتين لكل شهر وشهرين خلال الموسمين 2021/2022م. صممت الدراسة بالمنشقة لمرة واحدة، وضعت الكثافات في القطع الاساسية وعدد مرات العزيق في الثانوية مساحتها 8م2 (4×2) وفي أربعة مكررات،أظهرت النتائج عدم معنوية معامل السيادة للشوفان البري والعليق باختلاف الكثافة النباتية ومعنوية الفروق بعدد مرات عزيق الحشائش لكلا الموسمين الأول والثاني. بالمثل كانت استجابة دليل الأهمية لكلا نوعي الحشائش لكلا الموسمين لم تتأثر الكثافة النسبية باختلاف الكثافة لنوعي الحشائش لكلا الموسمين وتأثرها معنويا باختلاف عدد مرات عزيق الحشائش. لم يصل للمستوى المعنوي معامل التغطية MDR للشوفان البري والعليق باختلاف الكثافة النباتية وتأثر ذلك المعامل بعدد مرات عزيق الحشائش لكلا الموسمين. لم يتأثر دليل مارقليف لكلا نوعي الحشائش بالكثافة النباتية وعدد مرات عزيق الحشائش لكلا الموسمين الأول و الثاني. لم يظهر دليل سيمبسون لتنوع العليق بالموسمين وللشوفان البري بالموسم الثاني والوزن الجاف للحشائش بالموسمين فروقا معنوية لاختلاف كثافة الزراعة بينما سجلت فروق معنوية عاليه لعزيق الحشائش لمرتين. لم يسجل دليل شانون للتنوع فروقا معنوية لكلا الموسمين للشوفان البري والعليق بينما سجل عدد مرات عزيق الحشائش فروقا معنوية عالية لكلا الموسمين الأول و الثاني.
A trait‐based ecology approach can be used to assess different components of biodiversity, that is, functional diversity (FD, diversity of functional traits) and functional redundancy (FRed, diversity of species performing similar functions in the ecosystem). In order to test the relationship of crop and weed functional structure (i.e., FD and FRed) in weed suppression we used data from an agroforestry experiment, established in late 2016 in humid subtropical Southern Brazil. We quantified traits of crops and weeds and used Structural Equation Modelling to test a causal model that explains how crop FD and crop FRed affect (1) weed FD, (2) weed FRed, (3) soil cover by crops and (4) soil cover by weeds. We found that the most important traits driving the patterns of FD and FRed in the crop community are maximum plant vegetative height (H) and leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC). Crop FRed negatively affected weed cover, directly and indirectly by decreasing weed FRed, which was positively related to weed cover. High crop FD increases soil cover by crops. Crop cover and weed cover are negatively related, and these two variables were used as a surrogate for weed suppression. On the one hand, weeds can reduce crop cover through resource competition, but on the other hand, crop resource pre‐emption is a key mechanism that drives weed suppression. Agroecosystem properties like soil cover by crops, that require high crop FD, can be achieved by mixing crop species that both vary in H and LNC (high FD), as well as other crops with similar values of these traits (high FRed). Therefore, it is possible to achieve a sustainable weed management in the critical early phase of agroforestry establishment by enhancing both components of planned agrobiodiversity (FD and FRed).
The Drosophila intestine is a powerful model for stem cell dynamics and epithelial biology, yet no intestinal derived cell lines have been available until now. Here, we describe the establishment of Drosophila intestinal cell lines. The cell lines were derived from the embryonic intestine through specific RasV12 expression and show continuous proliferation and the ability to be frozen and re-thawed. Each derived cell line exhibited morphological and cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell RNA sequencing confirmed their intestinal origin and cell populations with unique enriched signaling pathways. In addition, L15, one of the three lines, formed 3D spheroids that displayed epithelial polarity. Together, these lines provide an additional resource for studying intestinal development, epithelial organization, and pest management.
Interactions between bacteria and bacteriophages are important for the maintenance of soil communities. In this study, we characterized the giant bacteriophages found within diverse soil bacteria and 14 additional phages isolated directly from soil samples. Based on their genome sizes and genetic composition, we concluded that these phages belong to the Dolichocephalovirinae subfamily. In addition, we used pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to show that the genomes of these phages were present as episomal pseudolysogens in the cytoplasm of their host cells. These findings suggest that episomal phages are important components of soil microbial ecosystems. Understanding the interactions between bacteriophages and bacteria is essential for microbial ecology, as they influence nutrient cycling, community composition, and host evolution. Furthermore, these phage-bacteria dynamics offer potential applications in plant disease control, as bacteriophages could serve as biocontrol agents against soilborne pathogens, promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
In this article, we establish a predator–prey model with fear factor and impulsive nonlinear effects. The globally asymptotically stable conditions for the pest extinction periodic solution and the permanence condition of the formulated model are derived using Floquet theory and the comparison theorem of the impulsive differential equations. Simulations confirm the correctness of the theoretical results obtained in this paper and reveal the complex dynamics of the investigated model. Our results may assist pest control experts in determining the appropriate impulsive control period and release quantity of natural enemies for more effective pest management.
Weed diversity plays an important role in maintaining resilient agroecosystems, yet agricultural practices, such as pesticide applications, significantly shape weed communities. Previous studies have primarily focused on comparing organic and conventional farming, with a particular emphasis on land-use intensification, with less attention on the impact of pesticides. Our study examined the impact of herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide use, both in terms of Treatment Frequency Index (TFI), i.e. intensity of application, and quantity, on weed communities in 96 non-organic cereal fields over 4 years. Interestingly, our results indicate that fungicide application intensity decreased weed abundance by 11.6% and species richness by 14.6% for each one-standard-deviation (1-SD) increase in TFI, whereas the total quantity applied (QA) did not. In contrast, for herbicides, QA had a stronger negative impact on weed communities than TFI, with a 14.3% decrease in weed abundance and a 12.4% decrease in species richness for each 1-SD increase in QA. This suggests that TFI of fungicide, which may reflect low-dose but frequent applications, could exert indirect and long-term effects on weed suppression, potentially by altering symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. In comparison, QA of herbicide more directly reflects the toxic load delivered to weeds and is therefore a better predictor of their suppression. Based on a combination of multivariate and univariate analyses and the study of underlying mechanisms in community changes, our results reveal that herbicides are the main factor shaping weed communities by decreasing the abundance of non-target/non-competitive species while replacing them by problematic, competitive to crops, weed species. These findings point out the potential ineffectiveness of herbicides application on problematic weeds and emphasize the need to reconsider the use of herbicides to maintain weed diversity in agricultural landscapes.
Crop production systems contribute significantly to maintaining global food security. These systems often involve the cultivation of single cultivars in highly homogenised environments to meet demands. Agriculturally important plant fungal pathogens can be destructive constraints in such systems. Integrated disease management strategies comprising the tactical use of cultural, chemical and host genetic controls are deployed to reduce the impact of plant pathogens. The homogenous nature of these cropping systems combined with evolutionary forces on the often‐flexible fungal genome increases the potential for rapid adaptation of plant pathogens to current integrated disease management practices. This review explores the genomic features of the fungal genome (such as transposable elements and copy number variation) that influence the adaptation of pathogen populations in cropping systems. Furthermore, the interactions between such genomic features and the evolutionary forces that drive fungal adaptation are discussed relative to the three major components of integrated disease management in agricultural systems. This review specifies the need for a cohesive analysis of fungal plant pathogens within cropping systems to maintain sustainable food production in the face of future pathogen adaptation and evolution.
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and maize (Zea mays L.) provide about two-thirds of all energy in human diets, and four major cropping systems in which these cereals are grown represent the foundation of human food supply. Yield per unit time and land has increased markedly during the past 30 years in these systems, a result of intensified crop management involving improved germplasm, greater inputs of fertilizer, production of two or more crops per year on the same piece of land, and irrigation. Meeting future food demand while minimizing expansion of cultivated area primarily will depend on continued intensification of these same four systems. The manner in which further intensification is achieved, however, will differ markedly from the past because the exploitable gap between average farm yields and genetic yield potential is closing. At present, the rate of increase in yield potential is much less than the expected increase in demand. Hence, average farm yields must reach 70-80% of the yield potential ceiling within 30 years in each of these major cereal systems. Achieving consistent production at these high levels without causing environmental damage requires improvements in soil quality and precise management of all production factors in time and space. The scope of the scientific challenge related to these objectives is discussed. It is concluded that major scientific breakthroughs must occur in basic plant physiology, ecophysiology, agroecology, and soil science to achieve the ecological intensification that is needed to meet the expected increase in food demand.
Fundamentals of Weed Science, Fifth Edition, provides the latest information on this constantly advancing area of study. Placing weed management in the largest context of weed research and science, the book presents the latest advances in the role, control and potential uses of weed plants. From the emergence and genetic foundation of weeds, to the latest means of control and environmental impact, the book uses an ecological framework to explore the role of responsible and effective weed control in agriculture. In addition, users will find discussions of related areas where research is needed for additional understanding. Explored topics include the roles of culture, economics and politics in weed management, all areas that enable scientists and students to further understand the larger effects on society. Completely revised with 35% new content Contains expanded coverage of ethnobotany, the specific identity and role of invasive weed species, organic agriculture, and herbicide resistance in GM crops Includes an emphasis on herbicide resistance and molecular biology, both of which have come to dominate weed science research Covers all traditional aspects of weed science as well as current research Provides broad coverage, including relevant related subjects like weed ecology and weed population genetics.
Ralf Nauen and Thomas Bretschneider of Bayer CropScience AG, Research, based at Monheim in Germany outline the development of new insecticides based on novel modes of action.
Papaya ringspot potyvirus (PRSV) is rapidly transmitted by a number of aphid species and causes the most serious virus disease of papaya worldwide. This article reviews research to develop transgenic papaya using ‘pathogen-derived resistance’, transforming plants with a pathogen's gene. A papaya transformation system was developed and a promising transgenic papaya line was identified.
Posted 21 June 2000.
Up until the 1940s chemical disease control relied upon inorganic chemical preparations, frequently prepared by the user. Key areas of use were horticulture and vegetable production with key targets being diseases that caused easily recognized damage. After this era and as the damaging effects of more crop diseases became obvious by the use of chemical control, the crop protection industry expanded rapidly and research to discover new active materials began in earnest. As new areas of chemistry were introduced, each one aiming to offer advantages over the previous ones, chemical families were born with research-based companies frequently adopting patent-busting strategies in order to capitalize on the developing fungicides market. Systemic fungicides offered new opportunities in disease control. The rise in Research and Development (R & D) and the increase in the number and quantity of chemicals being applied led to the introduction of regulation in the 1950s, initially on a voluntary basis, but now strictly controlled by legal obligations. In the 1960s, the market switched from horticulture and vegetables to one in which the main agricultural crops dominated. The cereal market, initially based on barley, moved to the current dominant market of wheat. The costs of R & D have risen dramatically in recent years and have become dominated not by the discovery process per se but by the provision of all the extra data needed to obtain registration. These rising costs happened at a time when markets showed little growth and are currently showing some decline. This has resulted in an industry that is continually striving to cut costs, normally by mergers and take-overs. As a consequence, many plant disease problems are not now being targeted by the industry and special measures have been introduced to ensure adequate disease control is available for these minor markets. Plant disease control will remain a necessity and fungicides will remain as a key factor in such control, although it is predicted that integrated control using chemicals, biological controls and biotechnology approaches will begin to dominate.
Genomics, and especially functional genomics, will prove to be one of the major keys in capturing the promising benefits of crop biotechnology. The world will need more food, and better quality food, than can be provided by the old crops of the 20th century. Genetic manipulation (alias plant breeding) has produced excellent results over the past 50 years. However, improvements have been linear and have often been limited to higher yields rather than improved nutritional quality. The use of new tools in crop breeding will allow more precise, more easily measured and more beneficial traits to be added to crops around the world. The application of genomics and use of transgenics must be regulated by sound scientific principles and not by amorphous ideological misinformation. Given a fair chance, genomics will improve crop production, crop protection and enhance the quality of life for billions of people.© 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
The recent intensification of agriculture, and the prospects of future intensification, will have major detrimental impacts on the nonagricultural terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the world. The doubling of agricultural food production during the past 35 years was associated with a 6.87-fold increase in nitrogen fertilization, a 3.48-fold increase in phosphorus fertilization, a 1.68-fold increase in the amount of irrigated cropland, and a 1.1-fold increase in land in cultivation. Based on a simple linear extension of past trends, the anticipated next doubling of global food production would be associated with approximately 3-fold increases in nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization rates, a doubling of the irrigated land area, and an 18% increase in cropland. These projected changes would have dramatic impacts on the diversity, composition, and functioning of the remaining natural ecosystems of the world, and on their ability to provide society with a variety of essential ecosystem services. The largest impacts would be on freshwater and marine ecosystems, which would be greatly eutrophied by high rates of nitrogen and phosphorus release from agricultural fields. Aquatic nutrient eutrophication can lead to loss of biodiversity, outbreaks of nuisance species, shifts in the structure of food chains, and impairment of fisheries. Because of aerial redistribution of various forms of nitrogen, agricultural intensification also would eutrophy many natural terrestrial ecosystems and contribute to atmospheric accumulation of greenhouse gases. These detrimental environmental impacts of agriculture can be minimized only if there is much more efficient use and recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus in agroecosystems.
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