Crop Protection最新文献

{"title":"Sustainable management of fusarium rots in melons: A dual strategy combining thermotherapy and 1-MCP","authors":"Breno de H. Almeida ,&nbsp;Maria H.D. Costa ,&nbsp;Luiz F.B. Evangelista ,&nbsp;Rebeca M.S. Frutuoso ,&nbsp;Atarissis M. Dias ,&nbsp;Jarlan L.S. Silva ,&nbsp;Daniel J. Silva ,&nbsp;Jackson T. Lobo ,&nbsp;Washington da Silva ,&nbsp;Márcia M.Q. Ambrósio","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107522","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107522","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brazil is a leading producer and exporter of Galia melon (<em>Cucumis melo</em> L.), a variety renowned for its exceptional sensory qualities. However, postharvest diseases caused by <em>Fusarium</em> spp. Lead to significant economic losses, estimated at up to US$22 million annually. The current reliance on fungicides, such as Imazalil, is unsustainable due to regulatory restrictions and the increasing fungal resistance to current chemistry, which calls for the development of alternative control strategies. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of thermotherapy combined with ripening phytoregulators for managing rots caused by <em>F. falciforme</em> and <em>F. sulawesiense</em> in Galia melons. Inoculated fruits underwent eight different treatments [Mock (control), HWT (hot water treatment), 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), HWT + 1-MCP, GA (gibberellin), HWT + GA, GRAD (Graduate A+®), and HWT + GRAD] and were stored for 20 days at 10 ± 2 °C. We evaluated disease severity, melon fruit physicochemical parameters, and the activity of plant defense enzymes. Most treatments significantly reduced rot severity compared to the control. Notably, Graduate A+® achieved up to a 72.9 % reduction, and its efficacy was enhanced when combined with thermotherapy. Furthermore, 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment, alone and with thermotherapy, preserved postharvest quality and enhanced defense-related enzyme activity. These findings suggest that the combination of thermotherapy and 1-MCP represents a promising and sustainable approach to reducing Fusarium rot in Galia melons destined for export, with no associated regulatory risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107522"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145753428","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":"A disease complex: crop losses and economic impact of corn stunt diseases on Brazilian corn production","authors":"Charles Martins de Oliveira ,&nbsp;Tiago dos Santos Pereira ,&nbsp;Larissa Pereira Mouro ,&nbsp;Maria Cristina Canale","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107549","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107549","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maize is a major global cereal due to its high yield, adaptability, and wide use in food, industry, and energy. It plays a key role in combating food scarcity, especially in food-insecure countries. Brazil ranks third in maize production and is a leading exporter, contributing to global supply chains. Since 2015, however, Brazil has been increasingly threatened by corn stunt diseases, whose pathogens [maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBSP) and corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS)] are transmitted by the corn leafhopper <em>Dalbulus maidis</em> (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). These diseases have no curative treatment and can lead to total crop failure in highly susceptible hybrids under high incidence conditions. In this study, it was estimated the economic and production losses associated with corn stunt diseases in Brazil using official data and field surveys conducted with stakeholders in the maize production sector. The findings indicate that corn stunt diseases led to an average production loss of 22.7 % between 2020 and 2024, equivalent to approximately 31.8 million tonnes annually, resulting in an estimated average annual financial loss of 6.5 billion dollars. Insecticide application costs for controlling <em>D. maidis</em> rose 19 % (2020/21–2023/24), exceeding 9 dollars per hectare. These results highlight the substantial impact of corn stunt diseases on maize production and reinforce the need for robust monitoring systems, systematic loss evaluations, and coordinated efforts across the production chain to mitigate their effects and adapt to ongoing challenges posed by this complex pathosystem.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107549"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033225","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":"The combined application of entomopathogenic nematodes and insecticides: A strategy for the management of Holotrichia serrata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in sugarcane","authors":"Aarthi Nekkanti ,&nbsp;Jagadeesh Patil ,&nbsp;Sonia Soni ,&nbsp;Raghubir Kumar Patidar ,&nbsp;Priyank Hanuman Mhatre ,&nbsp;Manjunatha T. Gowda ,&nbsp;Vijaykumar R ,&nbsp;B.S. Gotyal ,&nbsp;S.N. Sushil","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are important biological agents used to control various insect pests and can be applied in conjunction with different insecticides. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the survival of infective juveniles (IJs) of two EPN species, <em>Heterorhabditis indica</em> and <em>Steinernema carpocapsae</em>, after exposure to fipronil and imidacloprid. The combination of these nematodes and insecticides at different rates for controlling the white grub <em>Holotrichia serrata</em> was evaluated both in the laboratory and in sugarcane fields. In laboratory assays, two insecticides, fipronil and imidacloprid, at different concentrations had no effect or a negligible effect on the survival of both nematode species, with mortality rates below 4.0 %. The combinations had a synergistic or additive effect on the third-instar grubs of <em>H. serrata</em> and caused faster and greater mortality than either an EPN species or an insecticide alone. Mortality and speed of kill were significantly increased in the combinations of <em>H. indica</em>–fipronil, <em>H. indica</em>–imidacloprid, and <em>S. carpocapsae</em>–imidacloprid, but nematode reproduction was also unaffected by these insecticides. However, both in the laboratory and in sugarcane fields, the degree of interaction varies with nematode species, being synergistic for <em>H. indica</em>–fipronil, <em>H. indica</em>–imidacloprid, and <em>S. carpocapsae</em>–imidacloprid against grubs. These three nematode–insecticide combinations produced significantly (P &lt; 0.05) greater percentage reductions in <em>Holotrichia serrata</em> than did the chlorpyrifos treatment. We conclude that <em>H. indica</em> at 6.1 × 10⁸ IJ ha⁻¹ combined with imidacloprid or fipronil is a practical strategy for the management of <em>H</em>. <em>serrata</em> in sugarcane production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107496"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145598555","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":"Chemigation efficacy of bifenthrin and chlorantraniliprole for Striacosta albicosta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) management in corn under different irrigation depths","authors":"Andrea Rilaković ,&nbsp;Miloš Zarić ,&nbsp;Vamsi Manthena ,&nbsp;Ana M. Vélez Arango ,&nbsp;Greg R. Kruger ,&nbsp;Brian Krienke ,&nbsp;Daran R. Rudnick ,&nbsp;Julie A. Peterson","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107536","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107536","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Western bean cutworm, <em>Striacosta albicosta</em> Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a significant pest in Midwestern U.S. corn (<em>Zea mays</em> L.) production. In Nebraska, foliar application of insecticides at the tasseling stage of corn is commonly performed via chemigation using overhead irrigation systems (center pivots). However, the efficacy of various chemigation practices for <em>S. albicosta</em> have not been well explored. A two-year field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of chlorantraniliprole and bifenthrin, applied at both minimum and maximum label rates for bifenthrin (36.8 and 112.1 g a.i. ha⁻¹) and chlorantraniliprole (52.7 and 75.1 g a.i. ha⁻¹), using two application depths (6.35 mm and 19.05 mm). In 2021, chlorantraniliprole reduced ear feeding injury compared to bifenthrin 28 days after application (DAA). In 2022, no differences were observed between the two insecticides for the ear feeding injury. Throughout both field seasons, no <em>S. albicosta</em> larvae were found in plots treated with chlorantraniliprole during ear assessments at 28 DAA. This was not the case with bifenthrin, which provided moderate control. Application depths of the applied insecticides did not influence ear feeding injury.</div><div>Our results indicate that insecticide selection for <em>S. albicosta</em> management is more important than the depth of the application. Chlorantraniliprole provided superior larval control, supporting its use in chemigation-based management strategies for <em>S. albicosta</em> in corn.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107536"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145920885","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":"First report of Fusarium solani causing bulb rot of British bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)","authors":"Shu Miura ,&nbsp;Tianlan Liao ,&nbsp;Xing Du ,&nbsp;Jinyan Luo ,&nbsp;Ying Shen ,&nbsp;Lei Chen ,&nbsp;Bin Li ,&nbsp;Qianli An","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107519","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107519","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>British bluebell [<em>Hyacinthoides non-scripta</em> (L.) Chouard ex Rothm.] is native to British Isles and North-Central Europe and has been introduced to America, Oceania, and Asia due to its aesthetic and horticultural appeal. In November 2022, rotten bulbs of British bluebell were found in Songjiang District, Shanghai, China. Fungal isolates from the rotten bulbs were identified as <em>Fusarium</em> based on ITS sequences. Further analyses of <em>tef1</em>, <em>rpb1</em>, and <em>rpb2</em> barcoding sequences and conidial micromorphology identified the <em>Fusarium</em> isolates as <em>F. solani</em>. The pathogenicity of the <em>F. solani</em> isolates was verified and fulfilled Koch's postulates. This is the first report that <em>F. solani</em> causes bulb rot of British bluebell.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107519"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145731115","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":"Leaf spot of Rhododendron hybridum caused by Neopestalotiopsis maddoxii in China","authors":"Shi-Qi Guo ,&nbsp;Chada Norphanphoun ,&nbsp;Fatimah Al-Otibi ,&nbsp;Kevin D. Hyde ,&nbsp;Juan Liu ,&nbsp;Hong-Mei Liu ,&nbsp;Wen-E Zhang ,&nbsp;Yong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Rhododendron</em> is an important ornamental crop in Guizhou Province, China, where intensified cultivation has led to increasing disease problems. In this study, a leaf spot disease was investigated on <em>Rhododendron</em> in the Baili Forest Region. The disease initially appeared as brown, circular to irregular lesions, which gradually enlarged, turned dark brown, and developed lighter margins with visible signs of wilting and decay. Severe infection led to premature leaf death, thereby compromising plant vigor. Field surveys of 200 <em>Rhododendron hybridum</em> leaves revealed 66 symptomatic samples, corresponding to a disease incidence of 33 %, which has caused notable economic losses to local horticultural operations. Morphological examination, together with multi-gene phylogenetic analysis (ITS, <em>tef1-α</em>, and <em>β-tubulin</em>), identified the causal agent as <em>Neopestalotiopsis maddoxii</em>. Pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial inoculation, which reproduced typical symptoms and fulfilled Koch's postulates. This is the first report of <em>N. maddoxii</em> causing leaf spot on <em>Rhododendron</em> in Guizhou Province, providing a basis for future studies on its epidemiology and management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107527"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145893700","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":"Effect of fungicides and the biological control agent Debaryomyces hansenii on pathogens and the mycobiome of durum wheat grain under drought conditions","authors":"Weronika Giedrojć ,&nbsp;Wioletta E. Pluskota ,&nbsp;Urszula Wachowska","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107526","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107526","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Powdery mildew (PM) caused by <em>Blumeria graminis</em> and Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by <em>Zymoseptoria tritici</em> are common and devastating diseases of durum wheat. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of fungicides and a <em>Debaryomyces hansenii</em> yeast strain (a biological control agent, BCA) on pathogens and the mycobiome of durum wheat grain. The experiment was conducted on naturally infected plants. The effectiveness of BCA was tested alone by applying three protective treatments in the stem elongation, heading, and flowering stages. In the integrated approach, BCA was applied after fungicide treatment (proquinazid, prothioconazole, and spiroxamine) in the stem elongation stage.Unprotected plants (control) and plants protected with one or two fungicide treatments were used as reference materials. The severity of leaf, spike, and grain diseases, and grain colonization by fungi were evaluated using phytopathological and mycological methods. The number of fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) was determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS). In both years of the experiment, fungicides applied in the stem elongation stage (proquinazid, prothioconazole, and spiroxamine) and the heading stage (prothioconazole and tebuconazole), and BCA treatments applied three times reduced the prevalence of STB (by 55.56 % and 35.45 %, respectively) and the percentage of kernels with symptoms of infection (by 44.69 % and 36.46 %, respectively) relative to unprotected plants. Integrated fungicide and biological treatments (Integ) inhibited STB by 47.62 %, but the percentage of infected kernels was only 24.71 % lower than in the control treatment. When the first fungicide treatment was not applied (Fung 2), the effectiveness of protection against <em>Z. tritici</em> decreased in the second year of the study. Grain treated with BCA was colonized predominantly by <em>D. hansenii,</em> which reduced the number of OTUs of biotrophic (including <em>Blumeria graminis</em>) and necrotrophic pathogens (including <em>F. avenaceum</em>). The study demonstrated that the integration of fungicides with biological yeast treatments applied in the flowering stage is a promising approach to controlling diseases in organically grown durum wheat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107526"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145995805","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":"Underestimating low and overestimating high parakeet damage: Linking crop losses and farmer perception","authors":"Javier Godoy-Güinao ,&nbsp;Sonia B. Canavelli ,&nbsp;Marcela Márquez-García ,&nbsp;Eduardo A. Silva-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The economic impact of crop damage caused by wildlife can be perceived as significant by producers. Consequently, producers adopt different management strategies, which can affect the populations of the species involved. However, it is generally unknown whether producers’ damage estimates reflect actual losses, fostering conflicts between producers and conservationists. The objective of our study was to evaluate the association between damage caused by wildlife and damage perceived by producers, using interactions between native parakeets (<em>Enicognathus</em> spp.) and forage maize crops in southern Chile as a study model. Perceived damage was measured using a structured questionnaire, and actual losses were estimated in the field determining the percentage of plants damaged by parakeets. Producers reported that most paddocks (&gt;80 %) did not experience losses caused by parakeets. Similarly, field measurements indicated that most paddocks (88.5 %) had damage below 5 % of the sown area. Significant losses (&gt;5 %) were detected in 11.5 % of the paddocks. Comparing perceived and actual damage, producers underestimated damage in 62.3 % of paddocks and overestimated it in 14.8 %. Quantile regression showed that actual and perceived damage differed across levels of perceived damage. No significant association was observed at low levels, whereas at intermediate and high levels, perceived and actual losses were positively associated, with some producers underestimating and others overestimating damage as actual losses increased. Considering that perceived damage is positively associated with actual damage—especially at high levels of perceived damage— and that such damage can be severe, it is necessary to test management and financial alternatives that enable coexistence between agriculture and wildlife.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107523"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786043","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":"Impact of crystalline and vegetative protein expression in dual- and multi-gene transgenic cottons on bollworm larval survival","authors":"Nathan S. Little,&nbsp;Ryan T. Paulk,&nbsp;Blake H. Elkins,&nbsp;R. Michelle Mullen,&nbsp;K. Clint Allen","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107543","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107543","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The bollworm (<em>Helicoverpa zea</em>), a persistent pest of U.S. cotton, poses ongoing challenges to producers. Transgenic cotton expressing <em>Bacillus thuringiensis</em> (Bt) insecticidal proteins has revolutionized bollworm control while reducing reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides. However, variability in toxin expression across plant structures and developmental stages may reduce efficacy and contribute to the development of resistance. This study evaluates the relative expression of Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, and Vip3A proteins in two Bt cotton cultivars throughout the growing season and compares these data with bollworm larval mortality on fruiting structures. Our results show a general decline in Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab levels throughout the growing season, while Vip3A expression remained relatively stable. Bollworm larval mortality was highest in squares, followed by blooms and bolls. Bollgard II cotton exhibited higher early-season Cry1Ac levels than the Bollgard III variety, potentially influencing early-season pest suppression. Vip3A expression was the highest in blooms of Bollgard III cotton, followed by squares and bolls. These findings underscore the importance of mid-to late-season scouting for surviving larvae on blooms and boll damage in Bt cotton. A better understanding of the spatiotemporal expression of Vip3A, coupled with preemptive resistance screening, will be vital for preserving Bt cotton's longevity and maintaining its role in sustainable production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107543"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145972887","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":"Effects of spring wheat cultivar resistance on leaf and Fusarium head blight diseases and deoxynivalenol content in Lithuania","authors":"Jūratė Ramanauskienė,&nbsp;Roma Semaškienė,&nbsp;Akvilė Jonavičienė,&nbsp;Yuliia Kochiieru,&nbsp;Eimantas Venslovas,&nbsp;Karolina Lavrukaitė,&nbsp;Mohammad Almogdad,&nbsp;Aurimas Sabeckis","doi":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107546","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cropro.2026.107546","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fungal diseases represent a major threat to wheat, causing significant quantitative and qualitative grain yield losses. The use of fungicides is an important factor that provides a high level of disease control, helps increase crop yields, and ensures stability of production, but environmental and health risks necessitate foundational strategies for fungal disease management. One of them could be use of resistant cultivars. A field experiment was conducted over four growing seasons (2016–2019). Six spring wheat cultivars were evaluated to assess the effects of cultivar resistance on disease severity. Cultivar resistance significantly influenced disease outcomes: powdery mildew area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values ranged from 68.04 to 342.28, while tan spot ranged from 45.03 to 163.44. These results showed that the choice of less susceptible varieties could significantly reduce disease severity by 72.4–80.1 %. Fusarium head blight indexes (FHBi) ranged from 0.03 to 13.62 %, showing a 99.8 % difference between extreme cultivars. A moderate positive correlation (p &lt; 0.01) was observed between the FHBi and the percentage of Fusarium-infected kernels (FIK), while FIK and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination showed only weak correlation. The effectiveness of fungicides varied by cultivar, with sensitive cultivars showing higher yield responses (+24.6 %) than disease resistant cultivars (+13.5 %). These results demonstrate that strategic cultivar selection can substantially reduce disease impact while optimizing chemical inputs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10785,"journal":{"name":"Crop Protection","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 107546"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146033226","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}