Optimizing Sowing Depth of Tef for Irrigated Mediterranean Conditions: From Laboratory to Field Studies

Developing new crops adapted to arid conditions is a promising approach to meet the increasing demand for food production under expanding aridity. Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a C4 cereal crop cultivated mainly in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, and known for its high resilience to stressful environments. Due to their tiny size, tef seeds are traditionally sown by broadcasting and lightly covering with soil. Under semiarid Mediterranean conditions, a deeper sowing may guarantee seedling establishment while saving on irrigation water. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the effects of sowing depth on tef emergence, development, lodging, and productivity. Tef seeds were sown at different depths in test tubes and pots, and in two field experiments. In tubes and pots, time from sowing to emergence increased about twofold and emergence rate decreased in the deepest sowing (3 cm) treatment compared to controls (0 cm). In the pot and field trials, deep sowing (3 cm) significantly reduced plant height, shoot and root biomass, and lodging. Sowing depths of 1–2 cm allowed successful plant establishment while not exacting penalties on plant emergence or development; hence this range appears to be optimal for sowing irrigated tef.

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Development of Strategies to Evaluate Brassica oleracea L. Vegetable Crops for Wirestem Caused by Rhizoctonia solani

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.31.4.621c ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 621c-621

Author(s):

Mark W. Farnham ◽

Anthony P. Keinath

Keyword(s):

Rhizoctonia Solani ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Effective Means ◽

Field Studies ◽

Field Trials ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Environment Interaction ◽

Vegetable Crops ◽

Respective Field ◽

Controlled Environments

Wirestem, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is a destructive disease of B. oleracea cole crops and is distributed worldwide. Effective means of wirestem control include soil fumigation and soil treatment with pentachloronitrobenzene, which are increasingly expensive and environmentally undesirable. As a consequence, alternative methods of wirestem control are needed. Thus, we conducted controlled-environment and field experiments to develop methodology to study host-plant resistance and possibly biocontrol agents as potential wirestem control alternatives. Seedlings of 12 cultivars (three each of cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and collard) at the four- to five-leaf stage were transplanted to trays in a growth room or into field plots and covered with soil infested with R. solani AG-4 sclerotia. Disease progression (percent of plants healthy, diseased, and dead) was observed every 3 days for 2 weeks in the controlled environments and for 3 weeks in field trials. At the end of two studies, plants were dug with roots intact and rated for disease using a 1 to 10 scale. In all trials, percent healthy plants stabilized at about 2 weeks after inoculation. Incidence of wirestem disease varied among experiments ranging from 70% to 100% diseased, dead plants in controlled environments, and from 51% to 88% and 33% 65% in the two respective field studies. Disease rating was always negatively and significantly correlated with percent healthy plants. Although a genotype × environment interaction was observed, some cultivars (i.e., `Snowcone' and `Snowcrown' cauliflowers) were always severely diseased, while others (i.e., `Viking' broccoli and `Blue Max' collard) were consistently among the least diseased.

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Controlling Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp.) with Herbicides

Weed Technology ◽

10.1614/wt-05-187.1 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 80-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mark A. Czarnota ◽

Jeffrey Derr

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Field Studies ◽

Field Trials ◽

Grass Species ◽

Bamboo Shoot ◽

Bamboo Species ◽

Limited Information ◽

Single Application ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Greenhouse Experiments

Bamboos are grass species that can escape cultivation and invade lawns, landscapes, and other areas. Limited information is available on ways to control invasive bamboo species. Greenhouse and field studies were initiated to determine the level of bamboo control provided by a single application of selected PRE and POST herbicides. Bamboo species included in the study were golden bamboo in greenhouse experiments and red-margined bamboo in field experiments. In greenhouse trials, MSMA, quinclorac, dithiopyr, clethodim, fenoxaprop, and sethoxydim did not control either species. Glyphosate, glufosinate, and fluazifop significantly reduced bamboo-shoot fresh weight, although regrowth occurred after a single application. In field trials, bamboo control with dichlobenil in the 2002 and 2004 experiments was less than 23%. For the study initiated in 2002, glyphosate and imazapyr provided 76% and 98% bamboo control, respectively, at 58 wk after treatment (WAT). By 161 WAT (approximately 3 yr after treatment), bamboo-control ratings were 40% with glyphosate and 85% with imazapyr. For the study initiated in 2004, at 61 WAT, glyphosate and imazapyr provided 46 and 88% control of bamboo, respectively.

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Corrosion and performance of dust palliatives : laboratory and field studies

10.21079/11681/42125 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lulu Edwards ◽

Charles Weiss ◽

J. Newman ◽

Fred Nichols ◽

L. Coffing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Field Studies ◽

Field Trials ◽

Ground Vehicle ◽

Wind Speeds ◽

Corrosion Studies ◽

Air Impingement ◽

And Performance ◽

Rotary Wing

This report details laboratory and field experiments on BioPreferred® dust suppressants to assess performance and corrosion characteristics. Numerous bio-based dust suppressant products are marketed, but little data are available to assess performance for dust abatement and corrosion of common metals. A laboratory study used an air impingement device and the Portable In-Situ Wind ERosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL) to simulate wind speeds similar to those in field conditions for rotary wing aircraft. Laboratory corrosion studies used metal coupons imbedded in soil treated with dust palliative. Field trials were conducted using ground vehicle traffic to minimize cost and lower safety concerns while increasing surface wear from repetitive traffic. These studies clearly show that bio-based products demonstrate low corrosion potential with similar dust abatement performance to synthetic-based agents.

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COR/LEA Proteins as Indicators of Frost Tolerance in Triticeae: A Comparison of Controlled versus Field Conditions

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10040789 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 789

Author(s):

Klára Kosová ◽

Miroslav Klíma ◽

Ilja Tom Prášil ◽

Pavel Vítámvás

Keyword(s):

Cold Acclimation ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Quantitative Relationship ◽

Field Trials ◽

Frost Tolerance ◽

Late Embryogenesis Abundant ◽

Field Conditions ◽

Lea Proteins ◽

Winter Cereals ◽

Vernalisation Requirement

Low temperatures in the autumn induce enhanced expression/relative accumulation of several cold-inducible transcripts/proteins with protective functions from Late-embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) superfamily including dehydrins. Several studies dealing with plants grown under controlled conditions revealed a correlation (significant quantitative relationship) between dehydrin transcript/protein relative accumulation and plant frost tolerance. However, to apply these results in breeding, field experiments are necessary. The aim of the review is to provide a summary of the studies dealing with the relationships between plant acquired frost tolerance and COR/LEA transcripts/proteins relative accumulation in cereals grown in controlled and field conditions. The impacts of cold acclimation and vernalisation processes on the ability of winter-type Triticeae to accumulate COR/LEA proteins are discussed. The factors determining dehydrin relative accumulation under controlled cold acclimation treatments versus field trials during winter seasons are discussed. In conclusion, it can be stated that dehydrins could be used as suitable indicators of winter survival in field-grown winter cereals but only in plant prior to the fulfilment of vernalisation requirement.

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Exploiting Thrips Aggregation Pheromones to Develop a Lure-and-Kill Strategy for the Management of the Bean Flower Thrips

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071269 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1269

Author(s):

David K. Mfuti ◽

Amanuel Tamiru ◽

William D. J. Kirk ◽

Adeyemi O. Akinyemi ◽

Heather Campbell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Insect Pests ◽

Field Trials ◽

Aggregation Pheromones ◽

Megalurothrips Sjostedti ◽

Flower Thrips ◽

Antifungal Effects ◽

Field Efficacy ◽

Management Alternative ◽

Trap Catches

The potential of semiochemicals to lure insect pests to a trap where they can be killed with biopesticides has been demonstrated as an eco-friendly pest management alternative. In this study, we tested two recently characterized male-produced aggregation pheromones of the bean flower thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom), namely (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate (major) and (R)-lavandulol (minor), for their field efficacy. Moreover, compatibility of these pheromones and two other thrips attractants, Lurem-TR and neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, with the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 has been determined. Our study revealed that the M. sjostedti aggregation pheromones have dose-dependent antifungal effects on the EPF viability, but showed no fungistatic effect at a field-realistic dose for attraction of thrips. (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate had similar antifungal effects as neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate 8 days after exposure; whereas, Lurem-TR had a stronger antifungal effect than other thrips attractants. In the semi-field experiments, all autoinoculation devices maintained at least 86% viability of M. anisopliae conidia after 12 days of exposure. Field trials demonstrated for the first time that (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate increases trap catches. Our findings pave a way for designing a lure-and-kill thrips management strategy to control bean flower thrips using autoinoculation devices or spot spray application.

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Evaluating the Impact of Two Generalist Predators on the Leafhopper Erasmoneura vulnerata Population Density

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12040321 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 321

Author(s):

Stefan Cristian Prazaru ◽

Giulia Zanettin ◽

Alberto Pozzebon ◽

Paola Tirello ◽

Francesco Toffoletto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Field Studies ◽

Generalist Predators ◽

Predator Species ◽

Potted Plants ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Orius Majusculus ◽

Limited Effectiveness ◽

Pest Outbreaks ◽

The Impact

Outbreaks of the Nearctic leafhopper Erasmoneura vulnerata represent a threat to vinegrowers in Southern Europe, in particular in North-eastern Italy. The pest outbreaks are frequent in organic vineyards because insecticides labeled for organic viticulture show limited effectiveness towards leafhoppers. On the other hand, the naturally occurring predators and parasitoids of E. vulnerata in vineyards are often not able to keep leafhopper densities at acceptable levels for vine-growers. In this study, we evaluated the potential of two generalist, commercially available predators, Chrysoperla carnea and Orius majusculus, in suppressing E. vulnerata. Laboratory and semi-field experiments were carried out to evaluate both species’ predation capacity on E. vulnerata nymphs. The experiments were conducted on grapevine leaves inside Petri dishes (laboratory) and on potted and caged grapevines (semi-field); in both experiments, the leaves or potted plants were infested with E. vulnerata nymphs prior to predator releases. Both predator species exhibited a remarkable voracity and significantly reduced leafhopper densities in laboratory and semi-field experiments. Therefore, field studies were carried out over two growing seasons in two vineyards. We released 4 O. majusculus adults and 30 C. carnea larvae per m2 of canopy. Predator releases in vineyards reduced leafhopper densities by about 30% compared to the control plots. Results obtained in this study showed that the two predators have a potential to suppress the pest density, but more research is required to define appropriate predator–prey release ratios and release timing. Studies on intraguild interactions and competition with naturally occurring predators are also suggested.

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Synergistic Effect of Combined Application of a New Fungicide Fluopimomide with a Biocontrol Agent Bacillus methylotrophicus TA-1 for Management of Gray Mold in Tomato

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-01-19-0143-re ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 103 (8) ◽

pp. 1991-1997 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Xiaoxue Ji ◽

Jingjing Li ◽

Zhen Meng ◽

Shouan Zhang ◽

Bei Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Biocontrol Agent ◽

Severe Disease ◽

Combined Treatment ◽

Field Trials ◽

Antimicrobial Activities ◽

Gray Mold ◽

Control Efficacy ◽

Bacillus Methylotrophicus

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea can be a severe disease of tomato infecting leaves and fruits of tomato plants. Chemical control is currently the most effective and reliable method; however, application of fungicides has many drawbacks. The combination of biological control agents with newly developed fungicides may be a practicable method to control B. cinerea. Fluopimomide is a newly developed fungicide with a novel mode of action. Bacillus methylotrophicus TA-1, isolated from rhizosphere soil of tomato, is a bacterial strain with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activities. Little information is currently available about the effect of fluopimomide and its integrated effect on B. cinerea. Therefore, laboratory, pot, and field experiments were carried out to determine the effects of fluopimomide alone and in combination with B. methylotrophicus TA-1 against gray mold on tomato. The in vitro growth of B. methylotrophicus TA-1 was unaffected by 100 mg liter−1 fluopimomide. Inhibition of B. cinerea mycelial growth was significantly increased under combined treatment of fluopimomide and B. methylotrophicus TA-1. In greenhouse experiments, efficacy against gray mold was significantly greater by an integration of fluopimomide and B. methylotrophicus TA-1 than by either alone; control efficacy of fluopimomide at 50 and 100 g ha−1 in combination with B. methylotrophicus TA-1 at 108 colony-forming units (cfu) ml−1 reached 70.16 and 69.32%, respectively, compared with the untreated control. In both field trials during 2017 and 2018, control efficacy was significantly higher for the combination of fluopimomide at 50 and 100 g ha−1 in combination with B. methylotrophicus TA-1 than for either treatment alone. The results from this study indicated that integration of the new fungicide fluopimomide with the biocontrol agent B. methylotrophicus TA-1 synergistically increased control efficacy of the fungicide against gray mold of tomato.

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Effects of irrigation regimes on powdery scab disease and yield of potatoes

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea9860745 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 745 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

PA Taylor ◽

SP Flett ◽

RFde Boer ◽

D Marshall

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Field Trials ◽

Powdery Scab ◽

Infested Soil ◽

Spongospora Subterranea ◽

Potato Tubers ◽

Potato Plants ◽

Tuber Set ◽

Large Scale Field

The period of susceptibility of potato tubers to powdery scab (Spongospora subterranea) was studied by inoculating potato plants with spores, or by watering plants in infested soil, at different stages of plant development in greenhouse conditions. Maximum susceptibility began about 1 week before the stage when 50% of stolons had swollen to at least 5-mm diameter (tuber set), and ended 3-4 weeks later. With holding irrigation water during this period reduced the severity of powdery scab by 65-75% in field experiments in 1981-82 and 1982-83, but had no apparent effect on disease severity in 3 out of 6 large-scale field trials during 1984-85.

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Management strategies to reduce losses caused by fusarium seedling blight of field pea

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps2012-293 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 93 (4) ◽

pp. 619-625 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

K. F. Chang ◽

S. F. Hwang ◽

H. U. Ahmed ◽

B. D. Gossen ◽

G. D. Turnbull ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root Rot ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Stand Density ◽

Field Trials ◽

Field Pea ◽

Seedling Blight ◽

Inoculum Level ◽

Fusarium Seedling Blight ◽

Disease Pressure

Chang, K. F., Hwang, S. F., Ahmed, H. U., Gossen, B. D., Turnbull, G. D. and Strelkov, S. E. 2013. Management strategies to reduce losses caused by fusarium seedling blight of field pea. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 619–625. Fusarium seedling blight can cause substantial reductions in the stand density of field pea in western Canada. In greenhouse experiments, emergence decreased and root rot severity rose with increasing inoculum density. In field trials in 2007 and 2008 near Edmonton, AB, seeding at different depths and seeding dates did not consistently affect emergence or yield in Fusarium-infested soils. In field experiments, emergence declined significantly with each increase in inoculum level. Also, seed yield were reduced at high levels of disease pressure. Treatment of seed with Apron Maxx improved emergence, nodulation and yield of treatments challenged with inoculum of F. avenaceum in both greenhouse and field experiments. This research demonstrates the need to prevent seedling blight and root rot through proper seed treatment.

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Impact of the biofungicide tetramycin on the development of Fusarium head blight, grain yield and deoxynivalenol accumulation in wheat

World Mycotoxin Journal ◽

10.3920/wmj2019.2494 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 235-246

Author(s):

W.Q. Shi ◽

L.B. Xiang ◽

D.Z. Yu ◽

S.J. Gong ◽

L.J. Yang

Keyword(s):

Fusarium Head Blight ◽

Fusarium Graminearum ◽

Spore Germination ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Synergistic Effects ◽

Field Trials ◽

Head Blight ◽

Mycelium Growth ◽

Key Aspects

Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease that leads to extensive yield and quality loss in wheat and barley production. Integrated pest management (IPM) is required to control this disease and biofungicides, such as tetramycin, could be a novel addition to IPM strategies. The current study investigated in vitro tetramycin toxicity in Fusarium graminearum and evaluated its effectiveness for the control of Fusarium head blight FHB. Tetramycin was shown to affect three key aspects of Fusarium pathogenicity: spore germination, mycelium growth and deoxynivalenol (DON) production. The in vitro results indicated that tetramycin had strong inhibitory activity on the mycelial growth and spore germination. Field trials indicated that tetramycin treatment resulted in a significant reduction in both the FHB disease index and the level of DON accumulation. The reduced DON content in harvested grain was correlated with the amount of Tri5 mRNA determined by qRT-PCR. Synergistic effects between tetramycin and metconazole, in both the in vitro and field experiments were found. Tetramycin could provide an alternative option to control FHB.

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