Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Sivasubramaniyan Sathishkumar Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Indiac Author-Name: Loganathan Arul Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India Author-Name: Swaminathan Manonmani Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India Author-Name: Sheela Venugopal Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India Author-Name: Jagadeesan Ramalingam Title: Revealing the challenges and prospects of Asian rice gall midge resistance in rice Abstract: The Asian rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzae) (Wood-Mason) is a major pest of rice, significantly reducing yields and challenging sustainable rice production. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology, lifecycle and geographical distribution of the rice gall midge, along with the damage symptoms it causes in rice crops. The interactions between rice and gall midge, the pest's infestation mechanism and the plant's defensive responses are also explored. Various management strategies are discussed in detail, including insecticides, cultural practices and resistant varieties. The review emphasises that breeding for resistance, especially through the pyramiding of resistance genes and integrated pest management approaches, shows the most promise for long-term control. Advances in crop improvement through breeding methods such as genotyping, phenotyping, field and greenhouse screening and the pyramiding of resistance genes are highlighted. The review emphasises the importance of monitoring virulence in gall midge populations to guide breeding efforts. The genetic basis of resistance is examined through studies of resistance genes, QTL mapping and marker-assisted breeding. Furthermore, molecular approaches, including metabolomic regulations, microarray analysis and biotechnological strategies, are reviewed for their potential in developing durable gall midge-resistant rice varieties. This article synthesises the current knowledge and highlights future research directions, such as identifying novel resistance genes, improving molecular breeding techniques, and developing integrated pest management strategies that combine genetic resistance with eco-friendly controls. Keywords: Orseolia oryzae, rice pest management, resistance genes, host-plant resistance, marker-assisted selection, molecular breeding, integrated pest management Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 305-325 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/159/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/159/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:159-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Miloň Dvořák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Protection and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Dagmar Stehlíková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnologies, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš Litschmann Author-Workplace-Name: AMET - Litschmann & Suchý Corporation, Velké Bílovice, Czech Republic Title: Monilinia fructigena air detection by two different rotorod samplers combined with quantitative real-time PCR Abstract: The brown rot of apple and stone fruits caused by Monilinia fructigena is a widespread disease causing serious losses in fruit production. The most common way the pathogen spreads is via airborne conidia. Therefore, air samplers can effectively monitor its occurrence. In this study, we have conducted a comparative sampling of two cheap air samplers - rotorod spore traps called ROTTRAP 52 and AMETRAP. An optimised quantitative real-time PCR assay with a hydrolysis probe evaluated samples. 14 concurrent samplings were positive in all cases, showing higher spore counts in almost all AMETRAP samples obtained under various weather conditions. The daily maximum air temperature was the only significant meteorological variable positively affecting the recorded spore counts. Both rotorod samplers are an efficient and economic option for horticulturists and researchers for M. fructigena air inoculum monitoring. Keywords: spore trap, qPCR, moniliosis, silicone grease, air inoculum Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 326-332 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/91/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/91/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:91-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Akerke Maulenbay Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems, Gvardeisky, Kazakhstan Author-Name: Aralbek Rsaliyev Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Biological Safety Problems, Gvardeisky, Kazakhstan Title: Assessing stem rust tolerance in commercial wheat varieties: Insights from field trials in Kazakhstan Abstract: This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of stem rust tolerance in commercial wheat varieties from Kazakhstan and Russia, including spring and winter varieties. Field trials were conducted to compare yield and agronomic traits between stem rust-inoculated and fungicide-treated plots, providing a practical framework for assessing tolerance. Key indicators such as disease severity, area under the disease progress curve, thousand kernel weight, and the stress tolerance index were evaluated to gauge variety resilience under stress. Significant variations in tolerance were observed, with varieties such as 'Pamyat' 47', 'Nadezhda', 'Lyubava 5', 'Tselinnaya 3s', 'Severyanka', 'Egemen-20', 'Zhemchuzhina Povolzh'ya', 'Dimash', 'Serke' and 'Korona' maintaining yield potential despite high disease pressure. Correlations revealed that traits such as flag leaf area, vegetative period, and plant height were associated with greater tolerance, highlighting their potential in breeding. With the expected increase in stem rust outbreaks due to climate change and the evolving virulence of stem rust pathogens, these findings emphasise the need for breeding programs incorporating resistance and tolerance, offering a sustainable alternative to fungicide use. This study provides critical insights for breeders and plant pathologists seeking to enhance wheat resilience in regions prone to rust epidemics. Keywords: field trials, stress tolerance index, resistance, yield Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 333-349 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/219/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/219/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:219-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Palanivelu Kavin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Author-Name: Balakrishnan Usharani Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Author-Name: Pagadala Damodaram Kamala Jayanthi Author-Workplace-Name: Division of Crop Protection, ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, India Author-Name: Krishnasamy Suresh Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Author-Name: Gandhi Gracy Author-Workplace-Name: Division of Insect Genomic Resources, ICAR- National Bureau of Agricultural Insects Resources, Bengaluru, India Author-Name: Sandeep Singh Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Author-Name: Nanchil Richard Kennady Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Horticulture, Horticultural Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Pechiparai, Tamil Nadu, India Author-Name: Madhavan Lysal Mini Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India Author-Name: Chelvi Ramessh Author-Workplace-Name: ICAR- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Aruppukottai, Tamil Nadu, India Title: Insights into the morphometric and molecular characterisation of ber fruit fly (Carpomyia vesuviana Costa) infesting jujube ber, Ziziphus mauritiana (Lamk.) Abstract: Carpomyia vesuviana Costa, a fruit fly species, is a major pest affecting the jujube (Ber). This monophagous insect pest causes significant economic losses in regions where the jujube is cultivated. Hence, the present study was conducted to provide a detailed morphometric and molecular analysis of C. vesuviana across various Indian regions, specifically Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Morphometric measurements were conducted for various developmental stages, from the egg to adult. The overall mean length and width of the egg were 0.61 mm and 0.18 mm, respectively, and the fully grown maggot measured 6.19 mm (length) and 1.91 mm (width). The length and width of the prepupa and pupa were 7.67 mm and 1.64 mm, and 4.00 mm and 1.72 mm, respectively. The overall mean length of the female whole body and wing expanse measured 4.74 mm and 3.92 mm, respectively. The overall mean male whole body length and wing expanse were 4.19 mm and 3.56 mm, respectively. The results of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the maggot's length at different stages, pupa length, and egg width were the main contributors to the variability, particularly in the samples from Rajasthan. Additionally, the adult female fly's morphometric traits, such as the wing and thorax measurements, showed regional variations, with the PCA highlighting Punjab's alignment with larger head and abdomen traits. The molecular analysis based on PCR and sequencing of the COXI-COXII region confirmed the species identity. The nucleotide sequence of C. vesuviana from Tamil Nadu and Punjab was deposited in GenBank as PQ198003.1 and PQ198005.1 which had nearly 99% genetic similarity with two sequences NC_071721.1 (Beijing, China) and MT121231.1 (Beijing, China) submitted in the NCBI database. A phylogenetic analysis further demonstrated that the Tamil Nadu and Punjab populations were closely related to an Iranian sample, while samples from other countries, such as the C. schineri. Keywords: ber, DNA barcoding, morphometrics, molecular and principal component analysis Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 350-365 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/176/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/176/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:176-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alois Honěk Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Agrifood Research Center, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Zdenka Martinková Author-Workplace-Name: Czech Agrifood Research Center, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Ivo Novák Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Roztoky, Czech Republic Author-Name: Terezia Jauschová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Lenka Sarvašová Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Miroslav Saniga Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Milada Holecová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Ján Kulfan Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Peter Zach Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Forest Ecology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Zvolen, Slovak Republic Title: Using thermal time to predict the timing of flight activity in Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) species: Calculation and verification of forecast methods Abstract: From 1967 to 1995, the flight activity of 25 monovoltine species of moths (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera) was monitored via a light trap located in Prague (50.09 N, 14.30 E). For each species, the day when half of the individuals were caught (peak of flight activity, PFA) was specified each year. This study addresses a method of predicting the calendar date of the PFA via thermal time. We determined a base temperature of +6 °C, at which the differences between the predicted and actual dates of the PFA were minimal. For each species and each year, the sum of the degree days exceeding the base temperature from January 1 to the date of the PFA (SumT) was determined, and the average SumT throughout the study was calculated. Each year, the predicted date of the PFA is the date when the average SumT was achieved. Sixty-five percent of the predicted PFA dates fell within ±5 days of the actual date of the PFA. Shifts in the magnitude and direction of the difference between the actual and predicted PFAs affecting concurrently all species were caused by the thermal conditions of the year. Keywords: base temperature, peak flight activity, prediction, thermal time Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 366-377 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/150/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/150/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:150-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Donato Loddo Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council of Italy, Legnaro, Italy Author-Name: Stefano Carlesi Author-Workplace-Name: Group of Agroecology, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Italy Author-Name: Nebojša Nikolić Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Author-Name: Roberta Masin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Title: Comparison of different modeling approaches to estimate cardinal temperatures for germination of Persicaria lapathifolia, Polygonum aviculare and Solanum nigrum Abstract: Emergence predictive models can facilitate weed management, but estimating cardinal temperatures for germination of target species is necessary. Germination tests at a range of alternating temperatures from 12.5/2.5 °C to 35/25 °C were conducted to estimate cardinal temperatures of Persicaria lapathifolia (L.) Delarbre, Polygonum aviculare L. and Solanum nigrum L. Two statistical methodologies were tested: the Thermal time-to-event model (TTEM) and the Threshold limit model (TL). Germination of P. aviculare was maximum at low-mid temperatures, where its optimal range probably lies, and decreased at high temperatures. No differences were observed between the base (Tb) values estimated for this species with the two models (TTEM 3.5 °C, TL 4.1 °C), while a significantly higher ceiling (Tc) value was determined with TTEM (TTEM 41.5 °C, TL 33.6 °C). The Germination of P. lapathifolia and S. nigrum increased monotonically with the rise in temperature, indicating that their optimal temperature lies above the highest tested temperature. TTEM could not be applied to these species since it requires data from the supra-optimal thermal range. TL models could instead estimate Tb values (9.4 °C and 15.4 °C for P. lapathifolia and S. nigrum), while the lack of data in the supra-optimal thermal range impeded the estimation of Tc. actual and predicted PFAs affecting concurrently all species were caused by the thermal conditions of the year. Keywords: emergence model, weed management, Thermal Time-to-event model, Threshold Limit model Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 378-386 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/175/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/175/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:175-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marta Heroldová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Ecology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Eva Jánová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Ecology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic, Author-Name: Jan Zejda Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic, Author-Name: Jan Šipoš Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Josef Suchomel Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Zoology, Fisheries, Hydrobiology and Apiculture, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: An evaluation of two counting methods to establish rodent densities in crop fields Abstract: The common vole (Microtus arvalis) is the main pest in agricultural areas of Central Europe. It is particularly important to monitor its numbers during spring, and if high numbers are detected, some form of pest management should be considered. In the Czech Republic, the number of active burrows is monitored using the burrow index, BI, which allows estimation of the total number of rodents, saves time and is easy to use. We aimed to assess the relationship between the burrow index and the relative abundance of the rodent species examined by snap trapping in crop fields. Bayesian MCMC algorithms with a zero-inflation model were used for this analysis. The positive relationship between BI and vole abundance occurred in the total sample of all fields and in alfalfa, winter wheat and barley crop fields. A positive relationship between BI and the abundance of the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), the second most common pest in the area, was only confirmed in barley, and this relationship was negative in winter rape. The positive influence of the degree of weed cover on BI was confirmed in the total sample and in winter rape and alfalfa, but weed cover has a negative effect on BI in barley and winter wheat. In contrast, weed cover did not affect the relative abundance of both rodent species in any of the sampled crops. The presence of shrubs and forests around the fields reduced BI in the whole sample, especially in alfalfa. The relative abundance of the voles was not affected by the presence of shrubs and forests around the crop. Still, a positive influence was confirmed for the abundances of mice in the whole sample and alfalfa. BI can be a reliable indicator of vole abundance in crops with high densities, but it is not very accurate at low densities and in crop fields rarely used by voles, such as sunflower and maize.  Keywords: common vole, wood mouse, agriculture crops, rodent abundance, burrow index, snap trap, accuracy checking Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 397-406 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/65/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/65/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:65-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Haixia Zhu Author-Workplace-Name: Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Integrated Pest Management of Qinghai Province, Xining, P. R. China Author-Name: Liang Cheng Author-Workplace-Name: Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Integrated Pest Management of Qinghai Province, Xining, P. R. China Author-Name: Yongqiang Ma Author-Workplace-Name: Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, P. R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Integrated Pest Management of Qinghai Province, Xining, P. R. China Title: Isolation and identification of herbicidal active substances of Botrytis strain HZ-011 Abstract: The herbicidally active Botrytis strain HZ-011 was isolated from naturally infected leaves of Rumex patientia L., and previous studies found that strain HZ-011 exhibits highly effective herbicidal effects against the broadleaf weeds Amaranthus retroflexus L., Elsholtzia densa Benth, Malva crispa, and Chenopodium album L. In this study, the active components of strain HZ-011 were isolated, purified, and structurally characterised using silica gel column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The extraction test was carried out using four organic solvents with different polarities, and ethyl acetate was ultimately used as the extractant for the bulk preparation of the crude product of the active substances. Thin-layer chromatography yielded 10 different fractions and 26 components, and components B3 and E1 showed pathogenic effects on C. album. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of compound components B3 and E1 yielded three fractions with larger signal values and peak areas, and raw measurements of them revealed that component 3 was active. By analysing and comparing the spectral data of component 3 from 1H-NMR, 13C-MNR, ESIMS, and EIMS, component 3 was identified as dibutyl phthalate. The activity of the individual compounds was verified. The results of this study lay a theoretical foundation for the discovery and exploration of lead compounds. They will also provide a theoretical basis for developing this strain into a microbially-derived herbicide. Keywords: herbicidal effects, active components, structural identification Journal: Plant Protection Science Pages: 387-396 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/183/2024-PPS File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/183/2024-PPS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/pps-202504-0008.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:183-2024-PPS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Editorial Office Title: Index of Volume 61 Journal: Plant Protection Science Number: 0 Volume: 61 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 File-URL: http://pps.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/pps-202504-0009_index-of-volume-61.php File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpps:v:61:y:2025:i:4:id:pps-202504-0009