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Agriculture
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Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges
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Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Protection, Diseases, Pests and Weeds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 November 2022) | Viewed by 22786

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fernanda Fidalgo

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Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: abiotic stress tolerance; redox homeostasis; antioxidants; plant physiology; phytohormones; plant nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Conceição Santos

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Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: biocontrol; cytotoxicology; ecotoxicology; essential oils; natural molecules; OMICS; phytochemistry; plant protection; plant physiologist
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At present, agriculture production is becoming increasingly challenged by an ever-growing population, in a scenario of imminent climate instability and the spread of emerging pest and diseases. Recent works and reports on the area clearly suggest that major actions need to be taken now in order to prevent greater future costs in terms of agricultural yield and profits. Abiotic and biotic pressures are pushing plants beyond their tolerance boundaries, impacting crop growth and yield worldwide, ultimately compromising food safety and quality. This Special Issue (SI) aims to tackle these issues, particularly focusing on: 

  • Crop adaptation to climate change and environmental contamination;
  • Plant responses to emergent biotic and abiotic pressures;
  • Diseases and pest management;
  • Biocontrol approaches;
  • Development of mitigation tools against abiotic stresses;
  • Food safety and quality. 

Integrated in a series of three annually organized seminars, this Special Issue aims to provide readers with a comprehensive and cohesive collection of papers dealing with the alarming effects of climate change and environmental contamination on plant responses, ranging from fundamental studies focusing on signaling processes and biochemical and molecular assays, to approaches with direct impact on the agronomic scenario.

We welcome all scientific works (original research papers, perspectives, hypotheses, opinions, reviews, modelling approaches, and methods) in this domain.

Prof. Fernanda Fidalgo
Prof. Dr. Conceição Santos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant stress tolerance
  • plant pests and diseases
  • climate change
  • food quality and safety
  • crop productivity
  • sustainable agriculture
  • mitigation practices

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 320 KiB  
Article
Response of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to Selected Biostimulants under Drought Conditions
by Dominika Radzikowska-Kujawska, Paula John, Tomasz Piechota, Marcin Nowicki and Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski
Agriculture 2023, 13(1), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13010121 - 31 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1870
Abstract
To prevent the staggering degradation of the environment, restrictions in the use of plant protection products and fertilizers are being strengthened every year. Therefore, methods for improving plant tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions are sought to positively affect both plants and the natural [...] Read more.
To prevent the staggering degradation of the environment, restrictions in the use of plant protection products and fertilizers are being strengthened every year. Therefore, methods for improving plant tolerance to unfavorable environmental conditions are sought to positively affect both plants and the natural environment. Here, we evaluated and compared the efficacy of four commercial biostimulants on the tolerance of winter wheat to drought stress. The effects of the following biological agents: Bacillus sp., soil bacterial strains, free amino acids, and humic substances on winter wheat were assessed in a pot experiment under full hydration soil moisture and under drought. Among the studied biostimulants, the two based on bacterial strains had the strongest beneficial effects on improving the tolerance of wheat plants to drought. In plants treated with either of these two, the highest level of CO2 assimilation was recorded under drought. Moreover, in the same plants, the decrease in transpiration value due to drought was the smallest. The highest stomatal conductance under drought was also noted in these same plants. The results of chlorophyll fluorescence also indicate the smallest damage to the photosynthetic apparatus in the plants on which these bacterial biostimulants were used. Under drought, the lowest initial fluorescence values were noted for these bacterial preparations, as were the highest values of maximum fluorescence. On the other hand, a parameter indicating stress was reduced due to drought in all plants, except for those treated with one of these preparations. Another parameter showing the efficiency of the use of light photons in the photosynthesis process increased only in plants treated with one of these preparations, whereas for other plants it decreased due to drought, with the smallest decrease observed in plants treated with the other preparations. The most effective work of the photosynthetic apparatus in such treated plants was observed by the fastest transport of electrons through photosystems under drought. Additionally, under drought, the highest grain yield was obtained in plants treated with one of these bacterial preparations. The drought stress resistance index indicated that among all tested formulations, plants treated with either of these bacterial preparations scored the best. The use of these two biostimulants is recommended for comparative efficacy studies in the field, to help combat the drought-related yield losses of wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
12 pages, 941 KiB  
Article
Screening Fungicides for Controlling Wheat Crown Rot Caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum across Hebei Province in China
by Na Zhang, Shengliang Yuan, Qi Zhang, Wenze Liu, Ying Zhou and Wenxiang Yang
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1643; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101643 - 08 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Wheat Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is caused predominantly by Fusarium pseudograminearum across most wheat-producing countries; this fungal disease needs a specific combination of fungicides to control it. In this research, the efficacy of four fungicides against F. pseudograminearum is tested using in vitro [...] Read more.
Wheat Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is caused predominantly by Fusarium pseudograminearum across most wheat-producing countries; this fungal disease needs a specific combination of fungicides to control it. In this research, the efficacy of four fungicides against F. pseudograminearum is tested using in vitro assays. Our results showed that fludioxonil had an EC50 of 0.0447 mg/L, followed by difenoconazole (0.3845 mg/L) and tebuconazole (0.4919 mg/L). Azoxystrobin (2.6019 mg/L) was also effective. Commercially available fungicides with the first three ingredients as active ingredients were further tested for the control of FCR. Cruiser Plus and Celest presented higher efficacies in an environmentally controlled pot assay. Further testing in the field achieved a higher level of control by Cruiser Plus than Celest at the seedling (72.34% vs. 62.55%) and adult (56.76% vs. 47.78%) stages in a field plot experiment. When tested in naturally infected wheat fields in Linzhang, Hebei Province, applications of the two fungicides resulted in relative control efficacies of 45.17% and 38.57%, respectively, and grain yields were increased by dressing with Cruiser Plus (8.7%) and with Celest (5.3%). Furthermore, seed dressing combined with additional spraying in early spring resulted in significantly better control of FCR and higher grain yield than seed dressing treatment alone (10.4% and 7.4%, respectively). Similar results were obtained when tested in Xian County, Hebei Province, with a disease control efficacy of 40.36–59.91% and a yield increase of 4.2–7.5%. Integrated measures of dressing (Cruiser Plus and Celest) combined with spraying (Horizon) showed higher control efficacy to FCR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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17 pages, 2572 KiB  
Article
Ascorbate Supplementation: A Blessing in Disguise for Tomato Seedlings Exposed to NiO Nanoparticles
by Sofia Spormann, Filipa Sousa, Fátima Oliveira, Vasco Ferreira, Bárbara Teixeira, Cláudia Pereira, Cristiano Soares and Fernanda Fidalgo
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1546; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101546 - 25 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1743
Abstract
While nanomaterials offer wide-ranging solutions, their intensified use causes environmental contamination, posing ecotoxicological risks to several organisms, including plants. It becomes important to understand the phytotoxicity of NMs and find sustainable strategies to enhance plant tolerance to these emerging contaminants. Thus, this study [...] Read more.
While nanomaterials offer wide-ranging solutions, their intensified use causes environmental contamination, posing ecotoxicological risks to several organisms, including plants. It becomes important to understand the phytotoxicity of NMs and find sustainable strategies to enhance plant tolerance to these emerging contaminants. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of ascorbic acid (AsA) in increasing the tolerance of in vitro grown tomato seedlings to nickel oxide nanomaterials (nano-NiO). Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom were germinated in culture medium containing 30 mg/L nano-NiO, 150 mg/L AsA, or a combination of both. A control situation was included. Surprisingly, single AsA administration in the medium impaired the growth of tomato seedlings and increased the lipid peroxidation of biomembranes. Nonetheless, plant development was more severely repressed by nano-NiO, with evident macroscopic effects that did not translate into serious redox disorders. Still, proline and AsA levels diminished in response to nano-NiO, while glutathione and phenols increased. Despite the negative effects of AsA on non-stressed plants, nano-NiO-induced stress was counteracted by AsA supply, with enhanced levels of glutathione and phenols. Overall, the supplementation with AsA proved to be a “blessing in disguise” for plants under nano-NiO-induced stress, improving antioxidant capacity and activating other defense mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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12 pages, 1654 KiB  
Article
Sensitivity and Recovery of Tomato Cultivars Following Simulated Drift of Dicamba or 2,4-D
by Michele R. Warmund, Mark R. Ellersieck and Reid J. Smeda
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1489; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091489 - 17 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2311
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants are commonly injured by the off-target movement of synthetic auxin herbicides. A greenhouse and a field trial were conducted to determine the relative tolerance of eight fresh market tomato cultivars to drift-simulating rates of dicamba or 2,4-D. [...] Read more.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants are commonly injured by the off-target movement of synthetic auxin herbicides. A greenhouse and a field trial were conducted to determine the relative tolerance of eight fresh market tomato cultivars to drift-simulating rates of dicamba or 2,4-D. Tomato cultivars included ‘BHN 589’, ‘Celebrity’, ‘Florida 91’, ‘Mountain Merit’, ‘Primo Red’, ‘Red Deuce’, ‘Red Morning’, and ‘Skyway’. Dicamba (3,6-dichloro-methoxybenzoic acid) and 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) were applied at 2.8 g ae ha−1 and 5.3 g ae ha−1-D, respectively. By 14 weeks after treatment (WAT), herbicide-treated plants of each cultivar produced less total and marketable yield than their respective nontreated control in the greenhouse trial. For most cultivars, dicamba-treated plants had less marketable yield than 2,4-D-treated plants in the greenhouse. Herbicide treatments also reduced total and marketable yields of each cultivar when compared with their control in the field study at 14 WAT, except for ‘Mountain Merit’. The severity of yield loss from herbicide treatments was cultivar-dependent. Field-grown ‘Skyway’ plants treated with dicamba produced the lowest marketable yield. In contrast, herbicide-treated plants of ‘Florida 91’ produced high marketable yields in the field, but ‘Red Deuce’ plants receiving 2,4-D were also highly productive. Herbicide residue in fruit sampled the third week of the harvest was nondetectable. Because the type of auxin herbicide drift is often unanticipated, ‘Florida 91’ may be the preferred cultivar for cultivation among those tested to maximize tomato production in the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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16 pages, 2812 KiB  
Article
Projection of Agricultural Water Stress for Climate Change Scenarios: A Regional Case Study of Iraq
by Saleem A. Salman, Shamsuddin Shahid, Ahmad Sharafati, Golam Saleh Ahmed Salem, Amyrhul Abu Bakar, Aitazaz Ahsan Farooque, Eun-Sung Chung, Yaseen Adnan Ahmed, Bryukhov Mikhail and Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Agriculture 2021, 11(12), 1288; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11121288 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3781
Abstract
Assessment of possible changes in crops water stress due to climate alteration is essential for agricultural planning, particularly in arid regions where water supply is the major challenge for agricultural development. This study aims to project climatic water availability (CWA) and crop water [...] Read more.
Assessment of possible changes in crops water stress due to climate alteration is essential for agricultural planning, particularly in arid regions where water supply is the major challenge for agricultural development. This study aims to project climatic water availability (CWA) and crop water demand (CWD) to outline the possible future agricultural water stress of Iraq for different radiative concentration pathways (RCPs). The ensemble means of downscaled precipitation and temperature projections of the selected global climate models (GCMs) were used in a simple water balance model for this purpose. The modified Mann–Kendall (mMK) trend test was employed to estimate the tendency in CWA and the Wilcoxon rank test to evaluate CWD alteration in three future time horizons compared to the base period (1971–2000). The results revealed a decrease in CWA at a rate of up to −34/year during 2010–2099 for RCP8.5. The largest declination would be in summer (−29/year) and an insignificant decrease in winter (−1.3/year). The study also showed an increase in CWD of all major crops for all scenarios. The highest increase in CWD would be for summer crops, approximately 320 mm, and the lowest for winter crops, nearly 32 mm for RCP8.5 in the far future (2070–2099). The decrease in CWA and increase in CWD would cause a sharp rise in crop water stress in Iraq. This study indicates that the increase in temperature is the main reason for a large increase in CWD and increased agricultural water stress in Iraq. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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13 pages, 2631 KiB  
Article
Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 Concentration and Water Regime on Rice Yield, Water Use Efficiency, and Arsenic and Cadmium Accumulation in Grain
by Andrisa Balbinot, Anderson da Rosa Feijó, Marcus Vinicius Fipke, Dalvane Rockenbach, Joseph Harry Massey, Edinalvo Rabaioli Camargo, Marcia Foster Mesko, Priscila Tessmer Scaglioni and Luis Antonio de Avila
Agriculture 2021, 11(8), 705; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11080705 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2267
Abstract
(1) Background: Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration affects the growth and development of the rice crop. In Southern Brazil, rice is traditionally produced with continuous irrigation, implying a significant amount of water used. Besides, continuous flooding favors the uptake of toxic elements such [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration affects the growth and development of the rice crop. In Southern Brazil, rice is traditionally produced with continuous irrigation, implying a significant amount of water used. Besides, continuous flooding favors the uptake of toxic elements such as arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd). In this work, one Brazilian rice cultivar (IRGA 424) was tested for the effects of elevated CO2 concentration and different water regimes on rice yield, and As and Cd accumulation in grain. (2) Methods: Rice was grown in two CO2 concentrations (400 and 700 µmol mol−1) and two irrigation regimes (continuous and intermittent). It was evaluated the number of tillers, plant height, aboveground dry weight (ADW), water use efficiency (WUE), rice yield components, and As and Cd concentration in rice grain. (3) Results: Rice plants were taller and had a higher WUE when cultivated at e[CO2]. The ADW and the rice yield component were not affected by CO2 levels nor water regimes. Intermittent flood regimes had a lower average As concentration. The Cd concentration in the samples in both growing seasons and all treatments was below the limit of quantitation (8.76 μg kg−1). (4) Conclusions: Enhanced CO2 concentration did not affect rice yield, increased the WUE, and reduced As concentration in grains. Regarding water management, the intermittent regime enhanced WUE and promoted a reduction in As concentration in grains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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Review

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16 pages, 2307 KiB  
Review
Prospects of the Application of Garlic Extracts and Selenium and Silicon Compounds for Plant Protection against Herbivorous Pests: A Review
by Nadezhda Golubkina, Vladimir Zayachkovsky, Sergei Sheshnitsan, Liubov Skrypnik, Marina Antoshkina, Anna Smirnova, Mikhail Fedotov and Gianluca Caruso
Agriculture 2022, 12(1), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12010064 - 05 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 7838
Abstract
Protection of plants against herbivorous pests is an important aspect that guarantees agricultural efficiency, i.e., food provision to populations. Environmental, water and foodstuff pollution by toxic pesticides, along with climate changes, highlight the necessity to achieve intensive development of ecologically safe methods of [...] Read more.
Protection of plants against herbivorous pests is an important aspect that guarantees agricultural efficiency, i.e., food provision to populations. Environmental, water and foodstuff pollution by toxic pesticides, along with climate changes, highlight the necessity to achieve intensive development of ecologically safe methods of herbivory control. This review discusses modern methods of plant protection against insect pests: the biofortification of plants with selenium, treatment of plants with bulk and nano-silicon, and utilization of garlic extracts. The peculiarities of such methods of defense are described in relation to growth stimulation as well as increasing the yield and nutritional value of products. Direct defense methods, i.e., mechanical, hormonal, through secondary metabolites and/or mineral element accumulation, and indirect defense via predator attraction are discussed. Examples of herbivorous pest control during plant growth and grain/seed storage are emphasized. A comparison of sodium selenate, silicon containing fertilizer (Siliplant) and garlic extract efficiency is analyzed on Raphanus sativus var. lobo infested with the cruciferous gall midge Contarinia nasturtii, indicating the quick annihilation of pests as a result of the foliar application of garlic extract or silicon-containing fertilizer, Siliplant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plants under Emergency – Crop Protection, Mitigation Approaches and Challenges)
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