Crop Protection最新文献

{"title":"Development of a new method for characterizing olive cultivar resistance to Verticillium dahliae, the causal agent of Verticillium wilt","authors":"Begoña I. Antón-Domínguez ,&nbsp;Pedro Valverde ,&nbsp;Carlos Agustí-Brisach ,&nbsp;Carlos Trapero","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107396","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107396","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Verticillium wilt of olive (<em>Olea europaea</em> L.), caused by the soil-borne fungus <em>Verticillium dahliae</em> Kleb., is one of the most important diseases affecting this crop. Using resistant cultivars is among the most effective control measures. Various inoculation methods have been used to assess olive cultivars resistance to Verticillium wilt under controlled conditions, but significant discrepancies often arise when comparing results with field conditions. This study aimed to develop a new method capable of detecting subtle differences in resistance or susceptibility among olive cultivars. Olive cultivars ‘Picual’, ‘Arbequina’, ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Frantoio’ were inoculated using an artificial substrate containing <em>V. dahliae</em> microsclerotia at two doses (20 and 80 %). For comparison, root seedlings were also immersed in a conidial suspension of the pathogen. The 20 % substrate dose allow distinguished close levels of susceptibility (‘Picual’ and ‘Arbequina’), while the 80 % dose can distinguish between close variations of resistance (‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Frantoio’). To validate these findings under real conditions, a field experiment was conducted over 4 years, demonstrating alignment with the controlled environment results. ‘Frantoio’ consistently showed the highest resistance, ‘Picual’ the greatest susceptibility, and ‘Arbequina’ exhibited intermediate levels, thus confirming the differentiation achieved using the artificial inoculation method. Consequently, this newly developed method offers a significant advancement in the accuracy and reliability of resistance assessments for olive cultivars against Verticillium wilt within breeding programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107396"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Laboratory and greenhouse endophytic colonization of tomato by three entomopathogenic fungal isolates for the management of Tetranychus urticae and field efficacy trials","authors":"Waqas Wakil ,&nbsp;Maria C. Boukouvala ,&nbsp;Nickolas G. Kavallieratos ,&nbsp;Aqsa Naeem ,&nbsp;Syed Adnan Haider ,&nbsp;Muhammad Usman Ghazanfar ,&nbsp;Pasco B. Avery","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107394","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Tetranychus urticae</em> is a devastating arthropod in tomato crops, causing significant economic and yield losses globally. Several <em>Metarhizium robertsii</em> and <em>Beauveria bassiana</em> isolates have been extensively tested by direct application against <em>T. urticae</em>. Here, the endophytic colonization of <em>M. robertsii</em> (WG-04 and WG-05) and <em>B. bassiana</em> (WG-11) isolates on tomato plant parts was investigated by different inoculation methods. Their endophytic effect was investigated against <em>T. urticae</em> in the greenhouse and laboratory, and their acaricidal efficacy was evaluated in the field in 2020 and 2021, after their leaf-surface application. At 28 days after inoculation, WG-04 and WG-05 achieved high leaf colonization, reaching 95 % and 100 %, respectively, following foliar application, while WG-11 showed the lowest colonization rate (79 %). The three EPF as endophytes killed 75–94 % of nymphs and 69–85 % of adult females after 4 and 10 days, respectively, in laboratory trials. They also caused a considerable reduction in the establishment of <em>T. urticae</em> life stages on both surfaces of tomato leaves in greenhouse tests. In field trials, their direct application to mites on plants significantly decreased the mite population 8 days after treatment in both experimental years. Overall, WG-05 was the best EPF isolate that deserves further experimentation as an endophyte under field conditions against <em>T. urticae.</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107394"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emerging threat of carob moth (Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller) in Turkish walnut orchards: Evidence for economic damage and implications for integrated pest management","authors":"Levent Efil ,&nbsp;Alperen Gök ,&nbsp;Amna Saeed ,&nbsp;Mehmet Mamay","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Walnut (<em>Juglans regia</em> L.) is an important nut crop recognized for its nutritional and economic value, with Türkiye ranked among the top four producers globally. Infestation of Lepidopteran pests significantly threaten walnut yield and quality. Pest management strategies and official national recommendations in Türkiye have traditionally concentrated on codling moth (<em>Cydia pomonella</em> L.) as a major pest of walnut. Carob moth <em>(Ectomyelois ceratoniae</em> Zeller) is a polyphagous pest, causing damage to pomegranate and citrus orchards. However, it has been generally overlooked by national walnut integrated pest management strategies in Türkiye. This two-year field study (2022–2023) evaluated infestation patterns, damage severity, and economic losses caused by codling and carob moths in four walnut orchards in Çanakkale Province, Türkiye. Weekly monitoring, fallen fruit culturing, and harvest assessments indicated a distinct phenological differentiation between the studied moths. Infestations of codling moth peaked during early to mid-season, whereas carob moth infestations dominated later in the season. Carob moth surprisingly caused fruit damage and quality losses equivalent to codling moth, i.e., US$3500 to US$3900 ha⁻¹. These results indicate that current management strategies, which neglect carob moth, are inadequate for protecting walnuts during late-season pest infestations. We recommend revising national pest management strategies to include monitoring and control actions for carob moth. It is essential to use integrated strategies that include cultural sanitation, pheromone trapping, and biological control to reduce losses and maintain superior walnut production in Türkiye.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107393"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of sulfur phytotoxicity on Vitis vinifera grapevines in northern Georgia","authors":"Walter W. Sanders ,&nbsp;Marin T. Brewer ,&nbsp;Paul M. Severns ,&nbsp;Sarah R. Lowder ,&nbsp;Nathan Eason ,&nbsp;Clark MacAllister ,&nbsp;Jacob Williams ,&nbsp;John Scaduto ,&nbsp;Phillip M. Brannen","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grapevine powdery mildew (GPM), caused by the fungal pathogen <em>Erysiphe necator</em>, is an economically important disease wherever grapes are grown. Elemental sulfur is a contact fungicide used as a management tool in powdery mildew control programs. However, sulfur has been reported to induce phytotoxicity when hot temperatures and high relative humidities (RH) occur simultaneously. Therefore, grape producers in northern Georgia (U.S.) often avoid sulfur applications during mid-to late summer when higher temperatures and humid conditions are more persistent. In this study, we assessed the phytotoxicity response when Microthiol Disperss (sulfur) was applied at high temperatures to <em>Vitis vinifera</em> and interspecific hybrid cultivars with American grape heritage in northern Georgia. On days that were selected for their predicted high temperatures (≥30 °C), the highest label rate of sulfur was applied at 3:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. to plots of vines in four <em>V</em>. <em>vinifera</em> cultivars located across four commercial vineyards (2023 and 2024) and plots of three hybrid cultivars located at a University of Georgia Durham Horticulture Research Farm (2024). One week after application, treated leaves were assessed for phytotoxicity symptoms and compared to untreated controls. Significant foliar phytotoxicity symptoms, scorch or discoloration, were not observed on <em>V</em>. <em>vinifera</em> grapes when sulfur applications were conducted at times that coincided with moderate to relatively higher temperatures (21.7–33.1 °C) and concurrent relative humidity measurements of 40–80 %. Though high temperatures (&gt;30 °C) often occurred at the time of sulfur applications, RH &gt;70 % did not occur simultaneously at these warmer temperatures, both of which are purportedly required to induce phytotoxicity. Based on a review of historical data over the last 21 years, we can further predict that simultaneous conditions of high temperatures and humidities are unlikely to occur in northern Georgia, and therefore, sulfur-induced phytotoxicity is highly unlikely to occur on <em>V</em>. <em>vinifera</em> vines grown there. The known combination of high temperatures and high RH that reportedly causes phytotoxicity appeared to be exceedingly rare and likely short-lived. However, we observed a phytotoxic response on the <em>Vitis</em> hybrid ‘Crimson Cabernet’ when sulfur was applied at 3:00 p.m. (31.7 °C, 45 % RH), displaying greater scorch damage when compared with untreated controls and sulfur application at 7:00 p.m. (27.8 °C, 56 % RH) (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). These studies support season-long sulfur use on <em>V</em>. <em>vinifera</em> grapes in Georgia, with very limited danger from phytotoxicity. However, this is not necessarily true when sulfur is applied to all <em>Vitis</em> hybrids, and these should each be reviewed independently for the potential of sulfur phytotoxicity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107392"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microlevel analysis of smallholder farmers’ knowledge and perspectives of cassava pests, disease risks, and eco-friendly management techniques in two agroecological landscapes of Ghana","authors":"Benedicta Nsiah Frimpong ,&nbsp;Victor Owusu ,&nbsp;Robert Aidoo ,&nbsp;Bright Owusu Asante ,&nbsp;Allen Oppong ,&nbsp;Justin Pita ,&nbsp;Eveline M.F.W. Compaoré-Sawadogo ,&nbsp;Ousmane Ndoye ,&nbsp;Kouassi Modeste","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107388","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107388","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cassava, Africa's most significant tuberous crop and one of Ghana's strategic commodities, is currently threatened by pests and diseases. This study explored agroecological disparities in farmers' knowledge and perceptions regarding cassava pests, disease risks, and management approaches. We employed both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze data collected from 511 smallholder cassava farmers across two distinct agroecological landscapes in Ghana. While farmers demonstrated a strong understanding of pests, diseases, and their causes, their knowledge of control measures and disease transmission between farms was lacking. The findings indicate that overall knowledge among farmers was moderate, with scores slightly above 50 % on knowledge-related questions. Farmers in the forest zone exhibited greater awareness of the benefits and challenges associated with integrated cassava disease management techniques compared to those in the forest-savannah transition zone. We conclude that there is a need to enhance farmers' capabilities in detecting, understanding, and managing cassava diseases. To improve farmers' knowledge and perceptions of crop health, a collaborative effort involving experts in cassava crop protection (entomologists, virologists, mycologists, and weed scientists), social scientists, advisory groups, and policymakers is essential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107388"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144926301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of ethyl formate for the management of insect pests in commercial greenhouses cultivating watermelon, zucchini, and melon","authors":"Kyeongnam Kim ,&nbsp;Dongbin Kim ,&nbsp;Chaeeun Kim ,&nbsp;Donghyeon Kim ,&nbsp;Yubin Lee ,&nbsp;Kwang-Soo Jung ,&nbsp;Jieun Lee ,&nbsp;Yeonju Lim ,&nbsp;Junyeong Park ,&nbsp;Jinuk Yang ,&nbsp;Yongha You ,&nbsp;Junhee Son ,&nbsp;Byung-Ho Lee ,&nbsp;Sung-Eun Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107382","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ethyl formate (EF) fumigation has been demonstrated as a feasible approach for pest management in small-scale greenhouse systems in previous studies, underscoring the need for further validation and optimization at the commercial scale. This study aims to evaluate optimal conditions of EF fumigation for controlling agricultural insect pests, focusing on both susceptible and imidacloprid-resistant <em>Myzus persicae</em> and spinosad-resistant <em>Thrips palmi</em>, while also preventing invasive pests such as <em>Bemisia tabaci</em> and <em>Aphis gossypii</em> in commercial greenhouse operations. The commercial-scale application of EF fumigation in the greenhouse was optimized by using a 0.3 mm fine nozzle and positioning spray nozzles at locations that facilitated uniform gas distribution. This approach achieved significant efficacy against susceptible and imidacloprid-resistant <em>M. persicae</em>, as well as spinosad-resistant <em>T. palmi</em>. The findings revealed that melon greenhouses provided the most suitable conditions for effective pest management with minimal phytotoxic effects. In contrast, watermelon and zucchini greenhouses exhibited phytotoxicity, attributed to the crop's heightened sensitivity to EF and uneven fumigant distribution. A positive correlation was identified between EF concentration at 1 h and phytotoxicity, as well as between the concentration-time value and mortality of target pests. These findings suggest that EF fumigation could be a promising alternative to conventional pesticides, demonstrating high efficacy and minimal phytotoxicity in melon greenhouse cultivation. However, further research is required to assess the application of EF fumigation across different crop developmental stages and growing seasons, considering seasonal pest dynamics, plant tolerance, and crop sensitivity to both heat stress and EF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107382"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144996153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toxicity and sublethal effects of thiamethoxam on life-history traits, feeding behavior, and detoxifying metabolism of Aulacorthum solani","authors":"Tianyu Xing,&nbsp;Jiahui Lei,&nbsp;Xue Han,&nbsp;Jiayi Wang,&nbsp;Xiaoyun Wang,&nbsp;Changchun Dai,&nbsp;Jian Liu,&nbsp;Zhenqi Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107387","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107387","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The foxglove aphid, <em>Aulacorthum solani</em> (Hemiptera: Aphididae), has emerged as a significant pest in soybean fields. Currently, no insecticides were registered for its management on soybean. Thiamethoxam, widely used to control <em>Aphis glycines</em>, represents a potential candidate for managing <em>A. solani</em>. However, the toxicity and sublethal effects of thiamethoxam on <em>A</em>. <em>solani</em> remain poorly understood and warrant further investigation. In addition to inducing direct mortality through typical acute toxicity (lethal effects), insecticides can significantly disrupt various key biological traits and population growth of aphids through physiologically and behaviorally mediated sublethal impacts, which must be thoroughly considered to comprehensively evaluate its overall impacts. Here, we assessed its life-history traits through an age-stage, two-sex life table, evaluated activities of detoxification enzymes, and examined the feeding behavior of <em>A</em>. <em>solani</em> using electropenetrography (EPG). Bioassays revealed thiamethoxam exhibited acute toxicity to <em>A</em>. <em>solani</em> (LC₅₀: 2.138 mg/L at 24 h). Exposure to low-lethal concentrations (LC₁₅ and LC₃₀) of thiamethoxam significantly reduced the adult longevity and fecundity of F0 <em>A</em>. <em>solani</em>. Moreover, it also significantly reduced the life-history traits of F1 <em>A</em>. <em>solani</em>. EPG recordings demonstrated that thiamethoxam significantly prolonged the time to first probe and total duration of nonprobing time (np), and decreased total duration of E1. Enzymatic assays indicated that thiamethoxam exposure decreased activity of glutathione <em>S</em>-transferase (GST), while enhanced activity of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450) in adult aphids. These findings showed that thiamethoxam has a great efficient against <em>A. solani</em>, and sublethal concentrations of thiamethoxam exhibit significant negative effects on <em>A. solani</em>. Our results highlight its potential for IPM strategies targeting this emerging soybean pest.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107387"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917421","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Garlic essential oil nanoemulsion for sustainable management of Bemisia tabaci and phytotoxicity evaluation in four key horticultural crops","authors":"Gaetano Giuliano ,&nbsp;Annamaria Ienco ,&nbsp;Alberto Urbaneja ,&nbsp;Meritxell Pérez-Hedo ,&nbsp;Vittoria Pettinato ,&nbsp;Valentina Coco ,&nbsp;Giulia Giunti ,&nbsp;Vincenzo Palmeri ,&nbsp;Orlando Campolo","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107385","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107385","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Bemisia tabaci</em> is a cosmopolitan pest damaging many crops, leading to significant yield losses through direct feeding activity, honeydew deposition, as well as virus transmission. The overuse of synthetic insecticides has prompted resistant pest populations, necessitating alternative control tools. This study evaluates the insecticidal efficacy of a garlic (<em>Allium sativum</em>) essential oil (EO) nanoemulsion against different life stages of <em>B. tabaci</em>, its effect on adult fertility, and its phytotoxic effects on cucumber, eggplant, tomato, and pepper. The EO was chemically characterized by GC-MS and then used to develop an EO-based nanoemulsion by high-pressure microfluidization.</div><div>The garlic EO nanoemulsion was highly effective against nymphs and adults, achieving over 80 % and 90 % mortality, respectively, at the highest tested concentrations. Furthermore, treated adults exhibited a marked decrease in oviposition rate. At the highest concentration, oviposition was almost completely inhibited. While ovicidal activity was limited, with less than 50 % egg mortality observed at the maximum concentration, the combined impact on adult mortality and produced offspring highlighted the nanoemulsion's potential to reduce the target pest population. No significant phytotoxicity at LC₅₀ across all tested crops was revealed, while LC₉₀ concentrations caused moderate damage to cucumber and eggplant but were less detrimental to tomato and pepper.</div><div>On this basis, garlic EO nanoemulsions may be an eco-friendly alternative to conventional insecticides for whitefly control. By targeting multiple life stages and reducing reproductive success, garlic EO nanoemulsions have potential to be used in integrated pest management strategies, although field studies are needed to further evaluate the EO nanoemulsion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107385"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Use of N-gene and Me-gene peppers as rootstocks to reduce the impact of the Southern Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, on a highly susceptible bell pepper cultivar","authors":"Francisco Franco-Navarro,&nbsp;Antoon T. Ploeg","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bell peppers are an excellent host for several root-knot nematode species, particularly the Southern Root-Knot Nematode (SRKN; <em>Meloidogyne incognita</em>) and can sustain serious damage because of these nematodes. One strategy to avoid nematode build-up and crop damage is the use of nematode resistant cultivars or plants grafted onto nematode resistant rootstocks. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of several <em>M. incognita</em>-resistant pepper cultivars and rootstocks on nematode multiplication, degree of pepper root-symptoms and yield. Nematode-susceptible pepper plants grafted onto resistant rootstocks were compared to susceptible non-grafted and own-root-grafted plants in greenhouse pot trials and field experiments. Plant growth or fruit yields were not different between the different rootstock treatments. Nematode-induced root symptoms (i.e., root-galling) and nematode reproduction, however, were strongly affected by the rootstock. Compared to plants growing on susceptible roots, root-galling and nematode reproduction were significantly reduced on the resistant rootstocks. There were no significant differences among the resistant rootstocks. Grafting susceptible bell pepper onto resistant rootstocks appears an effective strategy to manage root-knot nematodes. Increasing costs and regulation of nematicides used in soil fumigation, demand for organic produce, and developments in grafting technology resulting in lower transplant costs, likely will result in an increase in the use of grafted vegetables as an economically viable option in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107384"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Silicon fertilization suppresses black cutworm performance and enhances nematode-induced cutworm mortality","authors":"Tarikul Islam ,&nbsp;Matthew S. Brown ,&nbsp;Joseph R. Heckman ,&nbsp;Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The black cutworm (<em>Agrotis ipsilon</em>) is a destructive global pest of many plants, including turfgrasses. Silicon (Si) accumulation confers physical resistance to plants by making tissues tougher and more abrasive, reducing their digestibility and palatability for insect herbivores. However, whether Si interacts with biological control agents, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), remains unknown. We examined the impacts of Si fertilization of creeping bentgrass (<em>Agrostis stolonifera</em>), a widely cultivated turfgrass, on black cutworm performance, larval susceptibility to the EPN <em>Steinernema carpocapsae</em>, and EPN reproduction. In greenhouse experiments, grasses were treated with wollastonite, a calcium silicate mineral, at rates of 1221 kg/ha, 2442 kg/ha, and 4884 kg/ha. Si fertilization increased leaf Si concentrations and decreased cutworm larval performance, with the highest application rate reducing larval weight by up to 45 % and head capsule width by 20 %. Si also enhanced turf cover and quality under herbivory. All Si rates increased EPN-induced larval mortality, and larvae fed high-Si grass clippings died faster than those fed untreated clippings. However, fewer infective juveniles (IJs) emerged from cadavers of larvae fed Si-treated grass clippings, correlating with decreased cadaver length and weight. Si treatment negatively affected IJ emergence even after controlling for cadaver length and weight, suggesting an additional effect beyond host size reduction. We provide novel evidence that Si fertilization synergistically enhances EPN-based biological control of cutworms. Although decreased IJ emergence may inhibit long-term EPN persistence, this trade-off is unlikely to limit initial biological control success, as EPNs are commonly applied via inundative release.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"198 ","pages":"Article 107383"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}