Nematode assemblages in banana (Musa acuminata) monocultures and banana plantations with Juçara palms (Euterpe edulis) in the southern Mata Atlântica, Brazil

The composition of the nematode fauna at two different agrosystems (banana monocultures and mixed banana-palmito plantations) was investigated at six study sites on the coastal plain of southern Brazil. Nematode abundance was higher and the number of families was lower (25 compared to 33) in the soil of banana monocultures. The assemblages in the soil of the banana monocultures were dominated by bacterial feeders and plant parasites, whereas in the soil of the mixed plantations the proportion of the other trophic groups was higher. In the monocultures, the percentage of families categorised as colonisers (c-p 1 families) was higher and the persisters lower. The difference in the assemblage of c-p groups was significant between sites of the two different systems. Principal component analysis (PCA) ordination of the samples by nematode family composition showed site-specific assemblages, similarity between two sites of each system and significant dissimilarities between the two systems. The MI 1-5 and the MI 2-5 were lower in the banana monocultures. Additionally, the MI 2-5 of banana site B2 was significantly higher than that of the two other banana sites. The ratio F/B was higher and the ratio F+B/plant feeders was lower in the banana-palmito plantations. The differences between the systems in nearly all measured parameters indicate a higher degree of disturbance and nutrient enrichment of the soil under monocultures. However, a low number of plant parasites and dominance of c-p 3 taxa at both agroecosystems show that the soil of both agroecosystems seems to be of an advanced successional stage. This may be a result of a less intensive ‘organic’ cultivation without the use of plant protection products and fertilisers and with additional non-host plants. Despite many non-controlled variables in the smallholder systems, according to the results the nematodes can be regarded as suitable indicators of soil disturbance in banana and banana-palmito agro-ecosystems.

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COMPARISON OF CEMELE PEPPER WITH BELL PEPPER GENOTYPES (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum) WITH RESPECT TO AGRONOMIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Hortorum Cultus ◽

10.24326/asphc.2021.2.12 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 121-134

Author(s):

Hakan Başak

Keyword(s):

Capsicum Annuum ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Principal Component ◽

Capsicum Annuum L ◽

Characterization Study ◽

Bell Peppers ◽

The Mean ◽

The Difference ◽

Main Component

This study was conducted in 2014 and 2015 to compare Cemele pepper with other bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum) genotypes with respect to agronomic and morphological traits. Totally 75 bell peppper genotypes were collected from the centrum and villages of Kırşehir province. For a total of 48 agronomic and morphological characteristics of pepper genotype, the characterization study of IPGRI according to the criteria of the International Union of Plant Protection Preservation (UPOV) were done made. As a result of the principal component analysis, total 11 main component axes were obtained and these axes represented 73.25% of the total variance. Genotypes were divided into 15 groups in dendrogram according to morphological and agronomic characteristics. The mean of the quantitative characteristics of each group was determined and it was determined which group or group was the difference between them. As a result of cluster analysis; D1, D20, D54, D67K, D43 and D39 coded genotypes were determined to be the most distant genotypes in terms of agronomic and morphological degree of relation. To conclude, with the identification of the genotypes of bell peppers in Kırşehir province, it will provide significant advantages in future pepper breeding studies as well as contributing to the formation of pepper database.

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Biological treatments for quality improvement and production of Aloe vera gel

GSC Advanced Research and Reviews ◽

10.30574/gscarr.2021.9.1.0237 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 054-063

Author(s):

Domenico Prisa ◽

Marco Gobbino

Keyword(s):

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Aloe Vera ◽

Plant Protection Products ◽

Leaf Length ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Trichoderma Spp ◽

Effective Microorganisms ◽

Organic Cultivation ◽

Bacteria And Fungi

Research goal: The aim of this work was to develop a sustainable and innovative organic cultivation protocol, usable by local Italian companies, based on the use of microbial biostimulants (beneficial bacteria and fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizae and algae) able to improve the growth and quality production of the medicinal gel of Aloe vera. Materials and Methods: The experiments, started in December 2020, were conducted in the greenhouses of CREA-OF in Pescia (Pt), Tuscany, Italy (43°54′N 10°41′E) on Aloe vera (4 year old plants). The experimental groups were: i) group control, irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; ii) group with Effective microorganisms irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; iii) group with Trichoderma spp. irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; iv) group with arbuscular mycorrhizae irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; v) group with Ascophyllum nodosum irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized. Results and Discussion: The experiment showed a significant improvement in agronomic parameters and physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics analysed on plants treated with microbial and algae-based biofertilizers. In particular, there was a significant improvement in the number of leaves per plant, new shoots, fresh vegetative weight, root and gel weight and the inflorescences number. On the leaves of the treated theses, there was a significant increase in leaf length and width and an improvement in gel pureness (optical density). There was also an increase in the number of microorganisms in the treated substrates and a lowering of the pH of the growing medium. The test also showed a lowering of the pH of the gel and a significant increase in soluble solids, sugars and fiber content in the theses inoculated with Effective microorganisms and a significant increase in fructose, glucose, proline and aloin. Conclusions: The trial confirms the significant results already obtained in other trials on vegetable, ornamental and Aloe plants by applying biofertilizing microorganisms and algae. The aim of this work was to develop an organic cultivation protocol based on microbial and algae treatments that can be used to improve the quality of Aloe vera plants. This protocol can be applied in general by those companies that are dedicated to the production of ornamental and fruit cacti and succulents and want to reduce or even eliminate the use of plant protection products

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Estimation of the frequency and severity of plant protection products residues in Greek olive oil originates from organic cultivation of olives during 2008

Toxicology Letters ◽

10.1016/j.toxlet.2009.06.501 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 189 ◽

pp. S233

Author(s):

Ioannis Tsakiris ◽

Aristidis Tsatsakis ◽

Simeon Marnasidis ◽

Haralampos Favas ◽

Athanasios Alegakis

Keyword(s):

Olive Oil ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Plant Protection Products ◽

Organic Cultivation

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Placing plant protection products on the Polish market with regard to the registration of individual formulations

Annales UMCS Agricultura ◽

10.2478/v10081-008-0022-5 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Ewa Matyjaszczyk

Keyword(s):

Plant Protection ◽

Plant Protection Products

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Multivariate micropollutants analysis in marine waters

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1995.0701 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 32 (9-10) ◽

pp. 341-348

Author(s):

V. Librando ◽

G. Magazzù ◽

A. Puglisi

Keyword(s):

Multivariate Data Analysis ◽

Partial Least Squares Regression ◽

Environmental Chemistry ◽

Sampling Site ◽

Principal Component ◽

Least Squares Regression ◽

Organic Micropollutants ◽

Suspended Material ◽

The Difference

The monitoring of water quality today provides a great quantity of data consisting of the values of the parameters measured as a function of time. In the marine environment, and especially in the suspended material, increasing importance is being given to the presence of organic micropollutants, particularly since some are known to be carcinogenic. As the number of measured parameters increases examining the data and their consequent interpretation becomes more difficult. To overcome such difficulties, numerous chemometric techniques have been introduced in environmental chemistry, such as Multivariate Data Analysis (MVDA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR). The use of the first technique in this work has been applied to the interpretation of the quality of Augusta bay, by measuring the concentration of numerous organic micropollutants, together with the classical water pollution parameters, in different sites and at different times. The MVDA has highlighted the difference between various sampling sites whose data were initially thought to be similar. Furthermore, it has allowed a choice of more significant parameters for future monitoring and more suitable sampling site locations.

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Effect of the Application Date of Fertilizer Containing Silicon and Potassium on the Yield and Technological Quality of Sugar Beet Roots

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10020370 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 370

Author(s):

Arkadiusz Artyszak ◽

Dariusz Gozdowski ◽

Alicja Siuda

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Plant Protection ◽

Plant Protection Products ◽

Water Shortage ◽

The European Union ◽

Yield Increase ◽

Time Of Application ◽

Technological Quality

Water shortage and drought are a growing problem in Europe. Therefore, effective methods for limiting its effects are necessary. At the same time, the “field to fork” strategy adopted by the European Commission aims to achieve a significant reduction in the use of plant protection products and fertilizers in the European Union. In an experiment conducted in 2018–2020, the effect of the method of foliar fertilization containing silicon and potassium on the yield and technological quality of sugar beet roots was assessed. The fertilizer was used in seven combinations, differing in the number and time of application. The best results were obtained by treating plants during drought stress. The better soil moisture for the plants, the smaller the pure sugar yield increase was observed. It is difficult to clearly state which combination of silicon and potassium foliar application is optimal, as their effects do not differ greatly.

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Distribution and Severity of Placental Lesions Caused by the Chlamydia abortus 1B Vaccine Strain in Vaccinated Ewes

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10050543 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 543

Author(s):

Sergio Gastón Caspe ◽

Javier Palarea-Albaladejo ◽

Clare Underwood ◽

Morag Livingstone ◽

Sean Ranjan Wattegedera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Principal Component ◽

Placental Pathology ◽

Wild Type ◽

Cell Infiltrate ◽

Chlamydia Abortus ◽

Vaccine Type ◽

The Difference ◽

Enzootic Abortion Of Ewes

Chlamydia abortus infects livestock species worldwide and is the cause of enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE). In Europe, control of the disease is achieved using a live vaccine based on C. abortus 1B strain. Although the vaccine has been useful for controlling disease outbreaks, abortion events due to the vaccine have been reported. Recently, placental pathology resulting from a vaccine type strain (vt) infection has been reported and shown to be similar to that resulting from a natural wild-type (wt) infection. The aim of this study was to extend these observations by comparing the distribution and severity of the lesions, the composition of the predominating cell infiltrate, the amount of bacteria present and the role of the blood supply in infection. A novel system for grading the histological and pathological features present was developed and the resulting multi-parameter data were statistically transformed for exploration and visualisation through a tailored principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the difference between them. The analysis provided no evidence of meaningful differences between vt and wt strains in terms of the measured pathological parameters. The study also contributes a novel methodology for analysing the progression of infection in the placenta for other abortifacient pathogens.

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Possibility of Human Gender Recognition Using Raman Spectra of Teeth

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26133983 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (13) ◽

pp. 3983

Author(s):

Ozren Gamulin ◽

Marko Škrabić ◽

Kristina Serec ◽

Matej Par ◽

Marija Baković ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Raman Spectra ◽

Principal Component ◽

Support Vector ◽

Gender Recognition ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Male And Female ◽

Tooth Type ◽

Tooth Apex ◽

The Difference

Gender determination of the human remains can be very challenging, especially in the case of incomplete ones. Herein, we report a proof-of-concept experiment where the possibility of gender recognition using Raman spectroscopy of teeth is investigated. Raman spectra were recorded from male and female molars and premolars on two distinct sites, tooth apex and anatomical neck. Recorded spectra were sorted into suitable datasets and initially analyzed with principal component analysis, which showed a distinction between spectra of male and female teeth. Then, reduced datasets with scores of the first 20 principal components were formed and two classification algorithms, support vector machine and artificial neural networks, were applied to form classification models for gender recognition. The obtained results showed that gender recognition with Raman spectra of teeth is possible but strongly depends both on the tooth type and spectrum recording site. The difference in classification accuracy between different tooth types and recording sites are discussed in terms of the molecular structure difference caused by the influence of masticatory loading or gender-dependent life events.

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