Annals of Applied Biology最新文献

{"title":"Towards a National Food Pulse Strategy: The role of public policy in unlocking the potential of pulses in England's agri-food system","authors":"Lucy Michaels,&nbsp;Rosanne Maguire,&nbsp;David Barling","doi":"10.1111/aab.70156","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70156","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Despite recognised agronomic, environmental, and nutritional benefits, English pulse production and consumption remain limited, constrained by locked-in cereal rotations, limited farmer know-how and processing infrastructure, and weak consumer demand. This Policy Forum paper aims to support ongoing discussion of the role public policy could play in enabling the expansion of domestically grown food pulses in England, examining the current policy, research and market landscape, systemic opportunities, food-system trade-offs, and potential ways forward. Matrix analysis was employed to facilitate structured comparison and synthesis of academic literature, policy documents, and semi-structured expert interviews (<i>n</i> = 13). Analysis identifies no direct policy support for food pulse production in England and a fragmented, under-resourced research landscape. International examples highlight different, albeit context-specific, public policy drivers including production incentives, support for translational research, value-chain coordination and demand measures. Potential public policy interventions identified for England range from subsidies and R&amp;D investment to infrastructure support and knowledge exchange, market coordination, and greater policy coherence. Food pulse production in England remains marginal because it requires a coupled production–consumption transition. Progress is further complicated by disagreements over priorities, desired outcomes, and the level of state support and market intervention necessary. The paper identifies routes beyond this impasse, including sequencing feed and food markets to support infrastructure and demand formation and enabling parallel agroecological and commodity-scale pathways. It also highlights the need for greater coordination of policy, research and innovation, involving stakeholders across government, the value chain and wider society.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70156","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148871958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated pest management uptake in UK fresh produce: Barriers and opportunities","authors":"Alex Kelly,&nbsp;Rosemary Collier","doi":"10.1111/aab.70148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70148","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Growers of fruits and vegetables have a reducing toolbox of synthetic pesticide options available to them, driven directly by pesticide resistance issues and indirectly by environmental and health concerns which prompt the withdrawal of pesticide authorisation approvals. Integrated pest management (IPM) is promoted as a means to reduce use of, and reliance on, synthetic pesticides. This article explores the barriers to IPM uptake in the UK fresh produce industry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 key stakeholders including producers, crop protection product manufacturers/ associations, retailers, policy makers, researchers and NGOs. Opportunities to address these barriers are explored subsequently in the discussion. Key barriers identified reveal that the great diversity of crops and cropping systems means that the definition, practical application and adoption of IPM are highly variable and therefore difficult to legislate. Politically, uptake of IPM has been undermined by a lack of top-down strategy, which has resulted in uncertainties surrounding future pesticide targets, future trade deals, insufficient subsidies and no system to effectively measure and monitor any changes in uptake. The strict quality requirements for fresh produce foster a uniquely high perception of risk amongst growers and agronomists in implementing IPM practices. Added to this, there are large gaps in knowledge about IPM across the range of crops, as well as an insufficiently funded research base to address them. The industry's capacity for knowledge exchange is inadequate as crop protection becomes more complex, compounded by the dissolution of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Horticulture (a levy board funded by farmers and growers), an insufficient supply of advisors and courses, and weak product stewardship for biological alternatives. Opportunities to address these barriers are discussed such as the creation of an expert steering group to help guide IPM strategy and policy, focusing on industry and crop specific targets, policies, and implementation of a measuring and monitoring system for IPM uptake. Independent events, online platforms and stronger researcher–agronomist ties are needed in place of AHDB Horticulture, as well as an expansion of training and new entrants. Biopesticide regulatory reform, a research gap analysis and a review of the future funding landscape are necessary steps for increasing the availability of IPM tools for growers.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70148","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148872074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Industry perceptions of biological control in food manufacturing environments: A qualitative analysis of barriers and opportunities","authors":"Bethany Hadfield,&nbsp;Ben J. Clunie,&nbsp;Tom W. Pope,&nbsp;Joe M. Roberts","doi":"10.1111/aab.70155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70155","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Progressive withdrawal of synthetic chemical insecticides and evidence of resistance in important pest species have led to increased interest in biological control within food manufacturing environments. However, the acceptability of these approaches to industry remains largely unknown. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study comprising semi-structured interviews with 17 food manufacturing professionals associated with 15 focal facility contexts in northwest England and north Wales (UK). Sentiment analysis was used descriptively to characterise attitudinal valence, while reflexive thematic analysis examined conditional acceptability, perceived barriers and potential routes to implementation. Sentiment analysis classified 40.7% of participant utterances as positive, 40.3% as neutral and 19.0% as negative. Participant accounts showed that willingness to consider any of the approaches was usually conditional on locations, controls or approvals. Five principal barriers were identified: (1) food safety and quality concerns, (2) retailer requirements, (3) health and safety considerations, (4) resistance to novel approaches and (5) negative connotations associated with biological terminology. Participants identified controlled trials, formal risk assessment, stakeholder education and evidence of efficacy and cost-effectiveness as potential facilitators. These findings do not estimate the prevalence of these views across the wider food manufacturing sector. Rather, they provide exploratory evidence that some experienced UK professionals would consider biological control when supported by appropriate authorisation, operational evidence, contamination controls and engagement with retailers and relevant assurance stakeholders.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70155","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating parthenocarpy: Paradigms from cucumber and initial exploration in other Cucurbitaceae crops","authors":"Thuy Thi Bich Vo,&nbsp;Bich Hang Do,&nbsp;Nguyen Hoai Nguyen","doi":"10.1111/aab.70154","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70154","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Parthenocarpy, the ability to set fruit without pollination and fertilisation, is an important crop trait that helps stabilise yield in Cucurbits under unfavourable environmental or indoor farming conditions. While cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) is widely recognised as the primary model for parthenocarpy research in Cucurbitaceae owing to its abundant natural varieties, emerging studies are now deciphering the molecular pathways underlying this trait in zucchini (<i>Cucurbita pepo</i> L.). Conversely, other cucurbit species continue to suffer from substantial research gaps. Primarily, the review provides a systematic summary of the parthenocarpy basis and discovered parthenocarpic varieties in Cucurbits. Subsequently, by delving into the genetic and molecular mechanisms, this review highlights the central roles of auxin, gibberellin, and cytokinin in activating parthenocarpy, whereas ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) function as negative regulators of this trait. Conventional genetic, next-generation gene mapping and sequencing studies have identified numerous important quantitative trait loci and candidate genes, most of which are involved in auxin biosynthesis, signalling transduction, and polar transport. In addition, the synergistic interactions between auxin and gibberellins, cytokinins, and the inhibition of ABA/ethylene were thoroughly analysed to clarify this complex regulatory network. In addition to discussing the latest advances in the genetic and molecular biology mechanisms of parthenocarpy, this review also aims to highlight the potential of gene editing technology and molecular markers in shortening parthenogenetic breeding processes. This is a key direction for developing next-generation cucurbit varieties that meet the needs of indoor cultivation and adapt to global climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Squash silverleaf disorder and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci MEAM1) infestation: Implications for plant disease management in a changing climate","authors":"Nihal Oztolan-Erol,&nbsp;Yusuf Sen,&nbsp;Melike Cokol-Cakmak,&nbsp;Guler Demirbas-Uzel,&nbsp;Stuart J. Lucas","doi":"10.1111/aab.70150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70150","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate warming over the next century is expected to have a large impact on the interactions between pests and their hosts in agriculture. Vector-borne diseases are sensitive to warming or climate change because temperature changes can alter vector development rates, shift their geographical distribution, or alter transmission dynamics. One clear recent example of this is squash silverleaf disorder (SLD), a physiological disease of cucurbits resulting from feeding by <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> MEAM1 (silverleaf whitefly, SLW). SLD is marked by silvering of the leaves of <i>Cucurbita</i> spp. resulting in decreased photosynthetic efficiency, loss of vigour, and thus declining fruit production. When SLW infestation occurs in combination with drought stress, the severity of SLD dramatically increases. In this review, we summarize the pathology of SLD on crops, the available studies both phenotypically and genetically characterizing SLD in <i>Cucurbita</i> spp., and also the available SLD management strategies. Finally, we identify major research questions that remain to be answered in order to ameliorate the increasing challenge that this disorder presents to sustainable vegetable crop production.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70150","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dispersal responses of cereal aphids to wheat cultivar and planting configuration","authors":"Maria Elisa D. A. Leandro,&nbsp;Joe M. Roberts,&nbsp;Edward T. Dickin,&nbsp;Tom W. Pope","doi":"10.1111/aab.70152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70152","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Cultivar mixtures are advocated as an agroecological strategy for suppressing cereal aphid vectors and reducing barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) transmission, yet their effects on within-crop dispersal remain largely untested, particularly across vector species and virus infection states. We quantified the walking dispersal of <i>Sitobion avenae</i> and both BYDV-PAV-viruliferous and non-viruliferous <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> through wheat stands comprising a 1970s cultivar (Maris Huntsman) and a <i>Bdv2</i>-carrying BYDV-resistant cultivar (RGT Wolverine), arranged as monocultures, alternating-row intercropping and randomised mixtures. Dispersal responses were species-specific, cultivar-dependent and fundamentally altered by virus infection status. <i>S. avenae</i> colonised non-source plants at comparable rates across all treatments. Non-viruliferous <i>R. padi</i> showed strong cultivar-mediated responses as colonisation on Maris Huntsman monocultures was 67%–69% lower than on Wolverine, with a steep distance-decay gradient (64% decline per unit distance) indicating rapid arrestment on the preferred host. Within randomised mixtures, <i>R. padi</i> preferentially colonised Maris Huntsman, but the presence of Wolverine plants disrupted arrestment and produced spatially uniform dispersal resembling that on Wolverine monocultures. Source plant cultivar, rather than surrounding planting configuration, was the primary driver of <i>R. padi</i> dispersal in mixtures. Critically, BYDV-PAV infection eliminated all cultivar-specific responses in <i>R. padi</i> as viruliferous aphids dispersed uniformly regardless of cultivar arrangement, consistent with virus-induced behavioural manipulation overriding host-acceptance cues. These findings demonstrate that this cultivar combination does not provide consistent associational resistance and can create associational susceptibility for non-viruliferous <i>R. padi</i>, indicating that species-specific vector ecology and virus-mediated behavioural modification must be integrated into the design of cultivar diversification strategies for BYDV management in cereals.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70152","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimising the greenhouse cultivation of Lotus japonicus under dimmable LED","authors":"Liliya Yaneva-Roder,&nbsp;Caroline Gutjahr,&nbsp;Karin I. Köhl","doi":"10.1111/aab.70151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70151","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Legumes are important crops as a source of plant-based proteins, and their independence of nitrogen fertilizers reduces the carbon footprint of cropping systems. Within the family, <i>Lotus japonicus</i> is an important model system for research on arbuscular mycorrhiza and root nodule symbiosis. Genetic approaches require year-round reproducible growth and seed production. Thus, we aimed to optimise the cultivation system of <i>L. japonicus</i> in a modern research greenhouse with dimmable LEDs while reducing energy consumption. Dimmable LEDs allow us to regulate the light provided by energy-consuming lamps in response to the ambient light intensities to achieve constant daily light integrals (DLIs) for the plants inside the greenhouse. The use of moving lamps can further reduce the number of LEDs per area, provided the cultivated species tolerates light fluctuations. In our study, we compared the plant development and the seed production during spring/summer and autumn/winter in two ecotypes (Gifu B-129, MG-20). Plants were cultivated under stationary or moving LEDs with two fertilisation schemes and two seed pre-treatments. Heat-treatment of the seed had no negative effect on the germination rate and the plant development and can be recommended as a standard hygiene procedure. The weekly fertilisation of <i>L. japonicus</i> can be replaced by adding slow-release fertilizer at the start of the cultivation. Cultivation on increased micro- or macronutrient supply did not increase pod yield; we thus conclude that the plants were not nutrient limited. <i>L. japonicus</i> developed more slowly and produced lower yields in the fluctuating light of moving LEDs than under stationary LEDs. The difference was enhanced during times of low ambient light intensities. As previously observed, Gifu developed more slowly than MG-20. While the reduced initial growth rate in the first weeks may be caused by the lower seed weight of Gifu, the delay in subsequent development seemed to result from a higher sensitivity of Gifu to low light intensities and light intensity fluctuations, as the difference between the ecotypes decreased with increasing DLI. In conclusion, we developed an optimised cultivation system for <i>L. japonicus</i> in a climate-controlled greenhouse by dimming LED in response to ambient light intensities to achieve a DLI of 20 to 25 mol m⁻² d⁻¹.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aab.70151","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing G × E interactions to improve durum wheat resilience: Evidence from irrigated and drought-stressed trials","authors":"Reza Mohammadi,&nbsp;Mohammad Armion,&nbsp;Moslem Abdipour,&nbsp;Mahnaz Rahmati,&nbsp;Kamal Shahbazi,&nbsp;Hossein Hadavand Mirzaei","doi":"10.1111/aab.70116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70116","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Durum wheat (<i>Triticum durum</i> Desf.) is a critical staple and cash crop in semi-arid regions, yet its productivity remains highly vulnerable to climate-induced abiotic stresses, particularly drought and rising temperatures. This study leverages data from the 30th Elite Regional Durum Wheat Yield Trials conducted across 13 rainfed and irrigated environments in Iran (2022–2025) to dissect genotype × environment (G × E) interactions and identify high-performing, stable genotypes for deployment under increasing climatic uncertainty. Using an integrative analytical framework—combining Additive Main Effects and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI), Genotype plus genotype-by-environment (GGE) biplot, and Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression with 19 climatic covariates—we quantified the relative contributions of environment, genotype, and their interaction, delineated environmental groups, and identified key climatic drivers of yield variation. Results revealed that environment accounted for 81% of total yield variance, with terminal drought (low June rainfall) imposing a universal constraint. G × E interaction, though modest in magnitude (7.65%), was over six times larger than genotype main effects, underscoring its operational relevance for varietal recommendation. Breeding lines G12 (CIMMYT-derived) and G24 (Iranian) emerged as top candidates: G12 featured among the top-four performers in 10 of 13 environments and ranked first in 7, while G24 displayed exceptional stability and broad adaptability. PLS modelling identified February and April rainfall—coinciding with tillering to heading—as the strongest climatic predictors of yield, surpassing total seasonal precipitation in explanatory power; late-season (May–June) temperature also significantly modulated G × E, particularly under terminal heat stress. Environment evaluation highlighted KD3 (Khorramabad) and KH3 (Kermanshah) as the most discriminative and representative test sites, whereas MN4 (Moghan) and IM5 (Ilam) served as effective stress filters. Collectively, our findings support an empirical framework that integrates pattern recognition (AMMI/GGE) with environmental modelling (PLS) to guide environment-targeted selection—providing a foundation for developing durum wheat varieties with improved adaptation to Iran's heterogeneous rainfed agroecologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148753271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selecting Trichoderma and Pseudomonas species from pigeonpea rhizosphere microbial complex and profiling potential candidates for management of Fusarium wilt","authors":"Keshav Chandra Bagale,&nbsp;Saroj Belbase,&nbsp;Md. Mahtab Rashid,&nbsp;Gagan Kumar,&nbsp;P. R. Ashwinkumar,&nbsp;Sudheer Kumar Yadav,&nbsp;Anirudha Chattopadhyay,&nbsp;Raina Bajpai,&nbsp;Dawa Dolma Bhutia,&nbsp;Mariya Ansari,&nbsp;Aalok Mishra,&nbsp;Vipin Verma,&nbsp;Sonu Kumari,&nbsp;Ankita Sarkar","doi":"10.1111/aab.70149","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70149","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Pigeonpea wilt, caused by the soil-inhabiting <i>Fusarium udum</i>, is a severe threat to crop production, attributed to its aetiology and sustainable management. Host plant resistance is the only deployable practice under agricultural sustainability whose durability can be achieved through the application of native rhizospheric microbes, as currently practised. Thus, it is necessary to explore the native rhizospheric microbiome of pigeonpea plants grown in sick plots to isolate and assess candidate microbes. In the present investigation, four isolates from the 28 <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. and <i>Trichoderma</i> spp. were selected, namely <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. P-9 and P-28, and <i>Trichoderma</i> spp. K-1 and K-2, based on their biochemical and antagonistic characterization. All four isolates exhibited significant plant growth-promoting abilities and showed higher antagonistic potential against the wilt phytopathogen. Phylogenetic studies revealed the selected <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. isolates closer to <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas azotoformans</i>. Similarly, the selected <i>Trichoderma</i> spp. isolates were identified as <i>Trichoderma atroviride</i>, marking the first report of its isolation from the pigeonpea rhizosphere. The selected isolates also enhanced plant defence responses to the phytopathogen by upregulating PAL, PO, CAT, and lignification, indicating multifaceted traits. Thus, the isolates can be considered potential candidates for biological control and the development of synthetic microbial communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148752983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eco-friendly essential oil nanoformulations against root-knot nematodes","authors":"Hamdy R. Soltan,&nbsp;Mohamed A. Radwan,&nbsp;Gomaa M. Gomaa,&nbsp;Mohamed H. Khalifa","doi":"10.1111/aab.70147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/aab.70147","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The root-knot nematode (<i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>) poses a serious threat to global agriculture, necessitating an ongoing effort to discover new alternatives to conventional nematicides. The use of nanoformulations for sustainable pest control is rapidly evolving. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of garlic essential oil-based nanoemulsion (GEO-NE) for nematode control remains limited. Therefore, this study focused on analysing the chemical composition of garlic essential oil (GEO), and developing three distinct GEO-NEs. These formulations were subsequently characterized and evaluated for their in vivo nematicidal properties against <i>M. incognita</i> attacking tomatoes. GC–MS analysis revealed diallyl disulphide (66.68%), diallyl sulphide (8.56%), and diallyl trisulphide (7.4%) as the major constituents in GEO. The GEO was utilized to develop nanoemulsions using a high-energy emulsification technique, resulting in a uniform and stable dispersion. This was accomplished by adding Tween 20 (F1), Tween 80 (F2), or a blend of Tween 80/Span 80 (F3) as surfactants, keeping varied emulsifier-to-garlic oil ratios. The three GEO-NEs demonstrated particle sizes (≤130 nm), a polydispersity index (≤0.42), and zeta potential values between −12.7 and 4.50 mV. Excellent stability and spherical morphology were also achieved under diverse stress conditions. Furthermore, the findings indicated that all GEO-NEs effectively manage <i>M. incognita</i> by decreasing root galling and 2nd stage juvenile's numbers in the soil, while enhancing tomato growth. Specifically, F1 and F2 demonstrated greater nematicidal efficacy compared to that of the tested nematicides: oxamyl and cadusafos. Our findings underscore the GEO-NE efficacy as a promising bio-rational option for greenhouse root-knot nematode management, strengthening a more sustainable integrated nematode management approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":7977,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Applied Biology","volume":"189 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148617044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}