Agronomy

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4 pages, 215 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses

by Krisztina Bela

Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 3024; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13123024 - 10 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1543

Abstract

Crop tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses is a crucial aspect of agricultural research since it directly impacts global food security and crop production sustainability [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

Research

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14 pages, 3528 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Contribution of Glutathione Transferases in the Selective and Light-Dependent Effect of Flumioxazin on Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Its Typical Weed Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas L.)

by Ágnes Gallé, Máté Farkas, Alina Pelsőczi, Zalán Czékus, András Kukri, Zita Dorner, Attila Ördög, Jolán Csiszár, Krisztina Bela and Péter Poór

Agronomy 2023, 13(8), 2053; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13082053 - 2 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1350

Abstract

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are enzymes that catalyse modifications and conjugations of a range of organic and often cytotoxic compounds. GST enzymes with many functions—such as their conjugation activity against herbicides and their metabolites—can be induced and show light and circadian determination. The enzyme [...] Read more.

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are enzymes that catalyse modifications and conjugations of a range of organic and often cytotoxic compounds. GST enzymes with many functions—such as their conjugation activity against herbicides and their metabolites—can be induced and show light and circadian determination. The enzyme family, which is widespread in its function, also shows great diversity in its structure, which has been linked to its enzyme kinetic characteristics and physiological role at many points. In this study, we aimed to find out the role of different glutathione transferases in the herbicide responses to flumioxazin, as well as to determine how the antioxidant and detoxification response to herbicide treatment changes in the presence and absence of light. One of the herbicide treatments was carried out during the light period in the morning (9:00 a.m.), and the other before the end of the dark period (4:00 a.m.). The decrease in the maximal quantum efficiency of PS II and the reduction in the chlorophyll concentration supported the effect of the herbicide on Papaver rhoeas. In the guaiacol peroxidase POD and GST activity, there were large differences between the cultivated plants and the weed; both enzyme activities were much higher in the case of wheat. According to the activity of the antioxidant defence enzymes and GST gene expression data, the application of the photosynthesis inhibitor herbicide, flumioxazin, in the dark could allow the wheat antioxidant defence to switch on before the herbicide effect could appear in the light period. Phi and tau group GSTs were transcriptionally upregulated by the treatments in wheat plants (especially TaGSTU1B), while fewer changes were detectable in poppy weed (PrGSTU4). Based on our results, in the background of the greater and more successful response to flumioxazin may be—among other things—the higher degree of variability of the GSTU genes of wheat compared to poppies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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22 pages, 5326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrative Effects of Zinc Nanoparticle and PGRs to Mitigate Salt Stress in Maize

by Mahmoud F. Seleiman, Awais Ahmad and Thobayet S. Alshahrani

Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1655; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061655 - 20 Jun 2023

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 1882

Abstract

Salinity is one of the most critical problems for agricultural development and threatens future food safety. Therefore, we aimed to investigate root application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs; 0, 50, 100 mg/L), 24-epibrassinolide (EBL; 0, 0.02, 0.04 µM), and their combinations on the [...] Read more.

Salinity is one of the most critical problems for agricultural development and threatens future food safety. Therefore, we aimed to investigate root application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs; 0, 50, 100 mg/L), 24-epibrassinolide (EBL; 0, 0.02, 0.04 µM), and their combinations on the growth and performance of maize (Zea mays L.) as a model plant grown under salt stress (i.e., 0, 5 and 10 dS m⁻¹) in a hydroponic system. The results showed that the highest salt stress negatively affected growth, physiological, and biochemical traits of maize. However, the application of EBL, ZnO-NPs, and their combinations significantly mitigated salt stress and improved the growth and performance of the physiological system in maize plants. In particular, the combination treatment of 100 mg/L ZnO-NPs + 0.02 µM EBL surpassed all other root treatments and resulted in the highest root and shoot growth, leaf area, relative leaf water content, net photosynthesis, total chlorophyll content, and uptake of zinc (Zn) and potassium (K). Furthermore, it minimized salt stress by reducing Na uptake, Na/K ratio, and proline in stressed maize plants. For example, the combination treatment of 100 mg/L ZnO-NPs + 0.02 µM EBL improved root length by +175%, shoot length by +39%, leaf area by +181%, RWC by +12%, net photosynthesis by +275, total chlorophyll content by +33%, and total phenolic content by +38%, in comparison to those obtained from the control, respectively. Furthermore, it enhanced the roots and leaves uptake of Zn under high salt stress treatment (i.e., 10 dS m⁻¹) by +125% and +94%, and K⁺ by +39% and +51%, as compared to those grown without any of NPs or EBL treatments, respectively. Thus, the root application of 100 mg/L ZnO-NPs + 0.02 µM EBL can be a potential option to mitigate salt stress and improve the physiological, biochemical, and performance of strategy crops such maize. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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14 pages, 2316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Two Arabinosyltransferases in Response to Abiotic Stresses in Sijichun Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis L.)

by Tzu-Chiao Liao, Chung-Tse Chen, Mao-Chang Wang, Shang-Ling Ou, Jason T. C. Tzen and Chin-Ying Yang

Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1476; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061476 - 26 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1542

Abstract

The modification of secondary metabolites is crucial to the function of metabolites in tea (Camellia sinensis L.). The arabinan deficient (ARAD) encodes an arabinosyltransferase and is involved in the arabinan biosynthesis pathway. Two full-length sequences of CsARADs were cloned and obtained from [...] Read more.

The modification of secondary metabolites is crucial to the function of metabolites in tea (Camellia sinensis L.). The arabinan deficient (ARAD) encodes an arabinosyltransferase and is involved in the arabinan biosynthesis pathway. Two full-length sequences of CsARADs were cloned and obtained from tea plants through the rapid amplification of cDNA ends and named CsARAD1 and CsARAD2. CsARAD1 and CsARAD2 are predicted to be 2 membrane proteins containing N-glycosylation, phosphorylation, and N-myristoylation sites and are 2 homologs of the glycosyltransferases (GT) 47 family, according to various bioinformatic analyses. CsARADs showed higher transcription levels in nonlignified tissues (e.g., buds and young leaves) than in old leaves and stems. CsARADs also exhibited the highest expression level in autumn, indicating that CsARAD regulation is affected by environmental factors. The transcript levels of CsARADs were changed after various abiotic stress treatments, and CsARAD1 and CsARAD2 displayed different regulation patterns in temperature stress, saline, and drought-like conditions. CsARAD1 and CsARAD2 were both significantly downregulated after tea seedlings were treated with an ethylene precursor and abscisic acid. In addition, CsARAD2 was downregulated after being treated with methyl jasmonate and gibberellin. Collectively, our findings on the function of arabinosyltransferase serve as a basis for further research and breeding applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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30 pages, 1892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Environment Genome-Wide Association Studies of Yield Traits in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) × Tepary Bean (P. acutifolius A. Gray) Interspecific Advanced Lines in Humid and Dry Colombian Caribbean Subregions

by Felipe López-Hernández, Esteban Burbano-Erazo, Rommel Igor León-Pacheco, Carina Cecilia Cordero-Cordero, Diego F. Villanueva-Mejía, Adriana Patricia Tofiño-Rivera and Andrés J. Cortés

Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051396 - 18 May 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2867

Abstract

Assessing interspecific adaptive genetic variation across environmental gradients offers insight into the scale of habitat-dependent heritable heterotic effects, which may ultimately enable pre-breeding for abiotic stress tolerance and novel climates. However, environmentally dependent allelic effects are often bypassed by intra-specific single-locality genome-wide associations [...] Read more.

Assessing interspecific adaptive genetic variation across environmental gradients offers insight into the scale of habitat-dependent heritable heterotic effects, which may ultimately enable pre-breeding for abiotic stress tolerance and novel climates. However, environmentally dependent allelic effects are often bypassed by intra-specific single-locality genome-wide associations studies (GWAS). Therefore, in order to bridge this gap, this study aimed at coupling an advanced panel of drought/heat susceptible common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) × tolerant tepary bean (P. acutifolius A. Gray) interspecific lines with last-generation multi-environment GWAS algorithms to identify novel sources of heat and drought tolerance to the humid and dry subregions of the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where the common bean typically exhibits maladaptation to extreme weather. A total of 87 advanced lines with interspecific ancestries were genotyped by sequencing (GBS), leading to the discovery of 15,645 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Five yield traits were recorded for each genotype and inputted in modern GWAS algorithms (i.e., FarmCPU and BLINK) to identify the putative associated loci across four localities in coastal Colombia. Best-fit models revealed 47 significant quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) distributed in all 11 common bean chromosomes. A total of 90 flanking candidate genes were identified using 1-kb genomic windows centered in each associated SNP marker. Pathway-enriched analyses were done using the mapped output of the GWAS for each yield trait. Some genes were directly linked to the drought tolerance response; morphological, physiological, and metabolic regulation; signal transduction; and fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism. We conclude that habitat-dependent interspecific polygenic effects are likely sufficient to boost common bean adaptation to the severe climate in coastal Colombia via introgression breeding. Environmental-dependent polygenic adaptation may be due to contrasting levels of selection and the deleterious load across localities. This work offers putative associated loci for marker-assisted and genomic selection targeting the common bean’s neo-tropical lowland adaptation to drought and heat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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16 pages, 1837 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Drought Tolerance of Newly Developed Tissue-Cultured Canola Genotypes under Varying Irrigation Regimes

by Nahid A. A. Morsi, Omnia S. M. Hashem, Mohamed A. Abd El-Hady, Yasser M. Abd-Elkrem, Mohamed E. El-temsah, Elhussin G. Galal, Khaled I. Gad, Ridha Boudiar, Cristina Silvar, Salah El-Hendawy, Elsayed Mansour and Mohamed A. Abdelkader

Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030836 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2936

Abstract

Drought is a major abiotic stress that greatly affects canola growth, production, and quality. Moreover, water scarcity is projected to be more severe and frequent as a result of climate change, in particular in arid environments. Thereupon, developing drought-tolerant and high-yielding canola genotypes [...] Read more.

Drought is a major abiotic stress that greatly affects canola growth, production, and quality. Moreover, water scarcity is projected to be more severe and frequent as a result of climate change, in particular in arid environments. Thereupon, developing drought-tolerant and high-yielding canola genotypes has become more critical to sustaining its production and ensuring global food security with the continuing population growth. In the present study, ten canola genotypes comprising six developed tissue-cultured canola genotypes, two exotic genotypes, and two commercial cultivars were evaluated under four irrigation regimes. The applied irrigation regimes were well-watered (100% crop evapotranspiration, ETc), mild drought (80% ETc), moderate drought (60% ETc), and severe drought (40% ETc) conditions. Drought-stress treatments (80, 60, and 40% ETc) gradually reduced the chlorophyll content, relative water content, flowering time, days to maturity, plant height, number of pods, number of branches, seed yield, and oil percentage, and increased proline, phenolic, anthocyanin, and glycine betaine contents. The evaluated genotypes exhibited varied responses to drought-stress conditions. The developed tissue-cultured genotypes T2, T3, and T1, as well as exotic genotype Torpe, possessed the highest performance in all evaluated parameters and surpassed the other tested genotypes under water-deficit conditions. Overall, our findings elicited the superiority of certain newly developed tissue-cultured genotypes and exotic ones compared with commercial cultivars, which could be exploited in canola breeding under water-deficit conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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14 pages, 2321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cloning and Disease Resistance Analysis of the Maize ZmBON3 Gene

by Chen Zhang, Zhuo Qi, Peng Jiao, Zhenzhong Jiang, Siyan Liu, Sujie Fan, Chunli Zhao, Yiyong Ma and Shuyan Guan

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010152 - 3 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2343

Abstract

(1) Corn is the most widely planted food crop, feed crop, and economic crop in the world, and plays an important role in agricultural production and national economy development. The copine gene, also known as the BONZAI gene, encodes a Ca²⁺-dependent [...] Read more.

(1) Corn is the most widely planted food crop, feed crop, and economic crop in the world, and plays an important role in agricultural production and national economy development. The copine gene, also known as the BONZAI gene, encodes a Ca²⁺-dependent phospholipid membrane binding protein that is widely present in eukaryotes. It has been found that the copine protein is a negative regulator of disease resistance regulation and plays a key role in plants’ disease resistance response. In this study, the Agrobacterium-tumefacien-mediated method was used to successfully obtain T2 generation ZmBON3-gene-overexpressing plants and gene-edited plants. Related phenotypes and molecular identification showed that the disease resistance of overexpression plants was significantly reduced, and the disease resistance of gene-edited plants was significantly increased, which verified that the ZmBON3 gene was a negative regulatory gene. By detecting the physiological indexes related to defense, it was found that the content of H₂O₂ and the enzyme active water of CAT, POD, SOD, and PAL in ZmBON3-gene-edited plants was higher than those in the control plants and ZmBON3-gene-overexpressing plants, and the content of H₂O₂ and CAT, POD, and SOD in ZmBON3-gene-overexpressing plants was significantly higher than that in the control plants and ZmBON3-gene-overexpressing plants. The enzyme activity of PAL was the lowest. By detecting the expression of key genes of defense-related signaling pathways, it was found that ZmBON3 may be involved in the related defense processes mediated by the R gene, SA pathway, JA pathway, and ABA pathway. In addition, ZmBON3-geneedited plants showed obvious dwarf phenomenon at the seedling stage, but this did not affect the ear length, axis diameter, ear row number, and grain color. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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26 pages, 1686 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Suitability of Selection Approaches and Genetic Diversity Analysis for Early Detection of Salt Tolerance of Barley Genotypes

by Muhammad Matloob Javed, Abdullah A. Al-Doss, Muhammad Usman Tahir, Muhammad Altaf Khan and Salah El-Hendawy

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3217; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123217 - 19 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2110

Abstract

Assessment of the salt tolerance of a large genotype collection at the early growth stages may assist in the fast-tracking improvement of salt-tolerant barley genotypes in breeding programs. This study aimed to investigate the ability of traits related to seed germination ability and [...] Read more.

Assessment of the salt tolerance of a large genotype collection at the early growth stages may assist in the fast-tracking improvement of salt-tolerant barley genotypes in breeding programs. This study aimed to investigate the ability of traits related to seed germination ability and seedling growth performance with helping of nine sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers to detect the salt tolerance of 70 barley genotypes during the early growth stages. The different genotypes were exposed to three salt concentrations (0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl) and evaluated for salt tolerance by looking at germination percentage, germination index, and mean germination time during eight days as well as the lengths and weights of seedling shoot and root after 21 days from sowing. The results showed that genotypic variations in germination ability and seedling growth performance obviously appeared under 200 and 100 mM NaCl, respectively. The germination traits exhibited a strong correlation among themselves, whereas they had a poor correlation with seedling traits. A strong and positive correlation was only observed for shoot fresh weight with shoot length and root fresh weight under salinity conditions. Principal component analysis revealed that the first two components, which explained 53% of the total variability, succeeded to identify the genotypes with high salt tolerance during only one stage (germination or seedling stage) and both stages. Cluster analysis based on the stress tolerance index of germination and seedling traits grouped 70 genotypes into four key clusters, with genotypes grouped in cluster 1 and cluster 2 being salt tolerant during the germination stage and moderately tolerant during the seedling stage; the opposite was found with the genotypes grouped in cluster 4. According to Ward’s method, the salt tolerance of genotypes that ranked as most salt-tolerant (T) or salt-sensitive (S) remained almost unchanged during germination and seedling stages. In contrast, a change in salt tolerance with both stages was found for the genotypes that ranked as moderately salt-tolerant (MT) and salt-sensitive (MS) genotypes. The nine SRAP markers divided the tested genotypes into two distinct clusters, with clusters B had the most T and MT genotypes. Finally, using appropriate statistical methods presented in this study with SRAP markers will be useful for assessing the salt tolerance of a large number of barley genotypes and selecting the genotypes tolerant of and sensitive to salinity at the early growth stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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21 pages, 5757 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Suitability of Multivariate Analysis for Stress Tolerance Indices, Biomass, and Grain Yield for Detecting Salt Tolerance in Advanced Spring Wheat Lines Irrigated with Saline Water under Field Conditions

by Muhammad Mubushar, Salah El-Hendawy, Muhammad Usman Tahir, Majed Alotaibi, Nabil Mohammed, Yahya Refay and ElKamil Tola

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3084; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123084 - 5 Dec 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2403

Abstract

Successfully evaluating and improving the salt tolerance of genotypes requires an appropriate analysis tool to allow simultaneous analysis of multiple traits and to facilitate the ranking of genotypes across different growth stages and salinity levels. In this study, we evaluate the salt tolerance [...] Read more.

Successfully evaluating and improving the salt tolerance of genotypes requires an appropriate analysis tool to allow simultaneous analysis of multiple traits and to facilitate the ranking of genotypes across different growth stages and salinity levels. In this study, we evaluate the salt tolerance of 56 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) in the presence of salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive control genotypes using multivariate analysis of plant dry weight, measured at 75 (PDW-75) and 90 (PDW-90) days from sowing, biological yield (BY), grain yield (GY), and their salt tolerance indices (STIs). All RILs and genotypes were evaluated under the control and 15 dS m⁻¹ for two consecutive years (2019/2020 and 2020/2021). Results showed significant main effects of salinity and genotype as well as their interactions on four plant traits. Significant genotypic differences were also found for all calculated STIs. STIs exhibited moderate to strong relationships with the four plant traits when measured under either the control or salinity conditions and between each other. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the most variation among all analyzed variables was explained by the first two PCs, with the PC1 and PC2 explained at 61.8–71.8% and at 28.0–38.2% of the total variation, respectively. The PC1 had positive and strong correlations with the four plant traits measured under salinity conditions and STI, YI, REI, SWPI, MRPI, MPI, GMPI, and HMPI. The PC2 had strong correlations with BY and GY measured under the control conditions and SSI, TOL, RSE, and YSI. The PC1 was able to identify the salt-tolerant genotypes, while the PC2 was able to isolate the salt-sensitive ones. Cluster analysis based on multiple traits organized 64 genotypes into four groups varied from salt-tolerant to salt-sensitive genotypes, with the salt-tolerant group attaining higher value for plant traits under salinity conditions and the STIs related to the PC1. In conclusion, the use of multivariate analysis together with the STIs that evaluated the performance of genotypes under contrasting environmental conditions will help breeders to distinguish salt-tolerant genotypes from salt-sensitive ones, even at the early growth stages of plant development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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18 pages, 1642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Analysis of Agronomic and Fall Armyworm-Resistance Traits in Maize Hybrids with Varying Levels of Resistance to Stem Borers

by Anthony Job, Innocent Iseghohi, Ayodeji Abe, Muhammad Yahaya, Richard Olayiwola, Richard Akinwale, Oluwafemi Obisesan and Moses Igyuve

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3042; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123042 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2449

Abstract

Stem borer (SB) and more recently, fall armyworm (FAW) are serious economic pests in maize production in sub-Saharan Africa. It is hypothesized that SB-resistant germplasm may confer resistance against FAW. However, the performance of SB-resistant lines in hybrid combinations and the inheritance of [...] Read more.

Stem borer (SB) and more recently, fall armyworm (FAW) are serious economic pests in maize production in sub-Saharan Africa. It is hypothesized that SB-resistant germplasm may confer resistance against FAW. However, the performance of SB-resistant lines in hybrid combinations and the inheritance of FAW-resistant traits under variable FAW infestations have not been reported. This study was conducted to (i) obtain information on the inheritance of agronomic and FAW-resistant traits under variable FAW infestations; (ii) identify hybrids combining high grain yield (GYLD) and stability under FAW infestations; and (iii) determine the effects of FAW damage on GYLD. Three SB-resistant lines (1393, CKSBL10060 and CML 331) as testers and six open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) as lines were crossed in a line tester scheme to generate eighteen test crosses. The test crosses together with two tester × tester crosses and two checks were evaluated under artificial FAW infestation (AI), natural infestation (NI) and pesticide-protected condition (PC) in Nigeria. Additive and non-additive effects were significant for GYLD, most agronomic and FAW-resistant traits under AI and NI, except ear damage (EDAM) scores under NI, whereas only the non-additive effect was significant for GYLD under PC. Two testers (1393 and CKSBL10060) combined significant and positive GCA effects for GYLD with desirable GCA effects for FAW-resistant traits under AI and NI, whereas CML 331 combined significant and negative GCA effects of GYLD with undesirable GCA effects of FAW resistance under the test conditions. Three OPVs (AWR SYN-W2, AMATZBR-WC4 and TZB-SR) had a significantly positive GCA effect for GYLD and a desirable GCA effect for either leaf damage (LDAM) or EDAM score under AI. The FAW LDAM and EDAM significantly reduced GYLD under AI but not under NI. Three test crosses (AMATZBR-WC4 x CKSBL10060, TZB-SR x CKSBL10060 and TZBR Comp 1-WC2 × 1393) combined high yield with stability and FAW tolerance across the test conditions and thus were recommended for further testing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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12 pages, 1211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Management of Chrysodeixis chalcites Esper (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Based on Trichogramma achaeae Releases in Commercial Banana Crops in the Canary Islands

by Miguel A. Dionisio and Francisco J. Calvo

Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 2982; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12122982 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1506

Abstract

Chrysodeixis chalcites is one of the major pests on banana in the Canary Islands (Spain), where it is widely distributed and causes significant economic losses when larvae feed on developing leaves and fruits. Control of this pest is based on a limited number [...] Read more.

Chrysodeixis chalcites is one of the major pests on banana in the Canary Islands (Spain), where it is widely distributed and causes significant economic losses when larvae feed on developing leaves and fruits. Control of this pest is based on a limited number of pesticides, as growers lack other effective solutions, including biological control. Nevertheless, previous studies have shown some potential against C. chalcites of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma achaeae. We conducted two field trials over two consecutive years in commercial banana crops, comparing the results against C. chalcites of augmentative T. achaeae releases (IPM) and conventional chemical control. In total, 215 and 366 wasps/m² were released in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Naturally occurring Trichogramma species contributed to C. chalcites control in both treatments, but the maximum number of parasitized eggs in IPM plots nearly tripled and doubled those recorded in chemical control plots in 2016 and 2017. Thus, T. achaeae releases significantly increased the parasitism by more than 10% compared to that observed in chemical control plots, amounting to 65.6 ± 7.7% and 56.7 ± 5.8% in 2016 and 2017, respectively. This was enough to keep the pest at tolerable levels in IPM plots, avoiding the need for pesticide applications, whereas in chemical control plots, repeated applications were needed during the experiment for that. Moreover, there were not significant differences in the abundance of larvae and severity of plant damage (<6% in 2016 and <12% in 2017), even when pest pressure in 2016 was two-fold greater in IPM plots. Fruit damage was also similar between treatments in 2016 (<2%) but was significantly reduced from 5.1 ± 1.5% in chemical control to 4.2 ± 1.4% in IPM in 2017. Overall, this study provides guidelines for the biological control of C. chalcites in banana, based on augmentative releases of T. achaeae, and demonstrates that this method can be effective, constituting an environmentally and sustainable alternative to conventional chemical control for banana growers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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10 pages, 2289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Functions of Arabidopsis Pumilio RNA-Binding Protein 6 in Salt Stress

by Sung Un Huh

Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2410; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102410 - 5 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1917

Abstract

To control gene expression, plants use the post-transcriptional/translational regulation system, which plays important roles in development and biotic and abiotic responses. Some RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are known to regulate target genes via direct binding of specific RNA motifs. Pumilio and fem-3 binding factor [...] Read more.

To control gene expression, plants use the post-transcriptional/translational regulation system, which plays important roles in development and biotic and abiotic responses. Some RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are known to regulate target genes via direct binding of specific RNA motifs. Pumilio and fem-3 binding factor (Puf) proteins exhibit a specific capacity for binding of the 3’ untranslational region (3’ UTR) of target mRNA and work as a post-transcriptional regulator in the mammalian system. Recently, it was reported that Arabidopsis Pumilio RNA-binding protein (APUM), a plant Puf homologue, is involved in biotic and abiotic stress and development. However, the function of plant Puf proteins has not yet been fully recovered. In the current study, APUM6 gene expression was reduced by salt stress. APUM6 localized in the cytoplasmic foci of the mRNA decay sites and ER membrane. Purified APUM6-pumilio homologue domain (HD) protein showed ‘UGUANAUA’ binding activity in vitro. APUM6-RNAi transgenic plants displayed reduced tolerance to salt stress during the germination and mature plant stages. In APUM6-RNAi transgenic plants under salt stress, abiotic stress-responsive gene expression levels showed no significant difference compared with Col-0. Collectively, these results indicate that APUM6 might play important roles in responses to salt stress via translational modification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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Review

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14 pages, 1312 KiB

Open AccessReview

Bermudagrass Responses and Tolerance to Salt Stress by the Physiological, Molecular Mechanisms and Proteomic Perspectives of Salinity Adaptation

by Maryam Noor, Ji-Biao Fan, Jing-Xue Zhang, Chuan-Jie Zhang, Sheng-Nan Sun, Lu Gan and Xue-Bing Yan

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010174 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2910

Abstract

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (commonly known as bermudagrass) is a member of the family Poaceae. It is a C4 grass that can grow annually and perennially with clone reproduction and seed-setting. It is not only used as forage but also as a [...] Read more.

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (commonly known as bermudagrass) is a member of the family Poaceae. It is a C4 grass that can grow annually and perennially with clone reproduction and seed-setting. It is not only used as forage but also as a weed in many crops. It grows along roadsides, in barren lands, irrigated lands, and seacoasts, where soil salinity is a major problem. Although bermudagrass is distributed worldwide, it shows limited growth under saline conditions. Under salt stress, the whole-plant growth is disturbed and the forage quality is compromised morphologically. At the physiological level, shoot development is affected owing to the resultant oxidative stress, although the total rate of photosynthesis is not greatly affected. Biochemical changes include a change in the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio; antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and peroxide dismutase increase, while catalase activity slows down. The anatomical changes are visible as salt crystals on the leaf surface and salt glands on the mesophyll surface. In this paper, the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and proteomic mechanisms of bermudagrass under salt stress are discussed, drawing a study of several genes such as ECA4, RAN1, MHX1, psbA1, psbB1, psbP, and psbY at the molecular level. Therefore, the current review aims to understand how bermudagrass grows and adapts well under salt conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Crop Tolerance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses)

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