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Plantain is the most important crop for the Peruvian Amazonian population, developed in recent alluvial soils rich in nutrients, but fragile and susceptible to degradation. Therefore, the impact of permanent cultivation was evaluated, through modelling, on indicators of recent alluvial soil quality and production in plantations of Musa paradisiaca L. var. Harton, in the Aguaytia River valley, Peru. The treatments were areas with permanent plantain plantations of 2 (T0), 15 (T1), 4 (T2), and 5 (T3) years of management, evaluating soil physicochemical indicators and plantain production indicators. The results show significant differences for all yield and soil indicators evaluated, except for bulk density (Bd), clay fraction, soil organic matter (OM) and N. The modelling determined a significant positive impact on Bd and a significant negative impact on pH, P, pseudostem diameter and height, commercial fingers and bunch weight. In conclusion, the modelling shows trends of quality and yield reduction in 15 years of permanent management of plantain Var. Harton, and compromises the sustainability of the agroecosystem in the medium term.

In this study, LbCu/ZnSOD, LbFeSOD, and LbMnSOD genes were cloned, the role of strigolactones (SLs), a novel plant hormone that is ubiquitous in plants in modulating plant responses to abiotic stress, on the three superoxide dismutases (SODs) under polyethylene glycol PEG-6000 stress were researched in the petals of cut lily flowers. The results indicated that during the development of the lily bud, the expression levels of LbMnSOD gradually increased and those of LbCu/ZnSOD decreased, while the LbFeSOD expression remained at a very low level. When the cut lily flowers were subjected to 10% PEG-6000 stress, the relative water content (RWC) declined, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electrical conductivity (REC) dramatically increased in the petals. However, when exogenous SLs were employed, the RWC were improved, while the MDA and REC were reduced. Meanwhile, the SLs significantly increased the activities of the total SOD (T-SOD), Cu/ZnSOD and MnSOD, the expression levels of LbCu/ZnSOD and LbMnSOD, especially LbCu/ZnSOD, were markedly up-regulated in the petals. In conclusion, our research indicates that SOD enzymes, especially Cu/ZnSOD and MnSOD, are involved in the drought stress tolerance; the application of strigolactones can enhance the activities of the two SODs, and may increase the expression of LbCu/ZnSOD and LbMnSOD via a positive feedback mechanism in the cut lily petals.

Construction sector has high environmental impact throughout entire life cycle of buildings. One way to reduce the impact is to use building materials with the lowest possible environmental impact – such as wood. The use of wood-based building materials can improve the overall environmental balance of buildings. Compared to other materials, wood probably has the best environmental performance. These findings are particularly significant in the context of the environmental and legislative situation in Europe and the Czech Republic and may be one of the reasons for the increasing number of new wood-based buildings. The main reason for the research is to highlight the potential of wood as an ecological renewable material with multiple applications in all sectors of the national economy, especially in the construction industry. This paper aims to deepen the knowledge of the environmental specifications of building materials, especially wood, highlight its benefits and verify that building with natural and eco-friendly materials is less costly with lower environmental impacts. To illustrate the environmental impact of the construction industry, a case study comparing house variants was conducted to find the most suitable combinations of materials in terms of economic, environmental, and social aspects. It was found that from a sustainable development perspective, building with green materials generally means lower environmental impacts measured by e.g. global warming potential and embodied energy. This is particularly evident in the case of wood, which is not only a renewable material with advantageous thermo-technical and construction properties despite its low weight, but also stores carbon as it grows. The findings show that wood in the structure can reduce the cumulative environmental impact of the whole structure.

Fungal pathogens Plasmopara viticola (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Berl. & De Toni (downy mildew) and Erysiphe necator Schwein. (powdery mildew) represent the biggest threats for grape growers worldwide. Under suitable conditions, these pathogens can spread very quickly through vineyards and cause significant damage. The most ecological way to reduce the possibility of infection in vineyards is growing interspecific genotypes which are able to suppress these pathogens and stop the spread of infection. With this in mind, 9 international and 11 Czech grapevine genotypes were analysed in order to genotype the resistance loci present in them. As a tool a set of SSR markers linked to known loci of resistance to downy and powdery mildew was used. Namely, presence of four loci responsible for resistance to Plasmopara viticola (Rpv3, Rpv4, Rpv7, and Rpv10) and two for Erysiphe necator (Ren3 and Ren9) loci were analysed with respective SSR markers. By this way the degree of resistance gene pyramiding was newly assessed in all analysed cultivars and their perspectives in grapevine breeding are discussed.

This study investigated the impact of deltamethrin (DM) toxicity on brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), examining its effects on the immune system, including the white blood cell (WBC), lymphocyte (Lym), total immunoglobulin (T. Ig), and lysozyme levels, as well as its neurotoxic consequences on the brain tissue. The neurotoxic effects encompassed oxidative stress, the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, such as the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and DNA damage using 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). The DM exposure led to elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and 8-OHdG, while concurrently causing a reduction in the AChE activity, protein and lipid content, WBC count, Lym, lysozyme activity, T. Ig levels, as well as the SOD and CAT levels in the brain tissues of groups 2 and 3 when compared to those in group 1. In summary, the findings of this study strongly indicate that DM induces DNA damage, immunotoxicity, and neurotoxicity in the brain tissue of brown trout, primarily due to the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, the observed dose-dependent responses of DM to the environmental concentrations on all the investigated parameters suggest its potential utility in aquaculture risk assessment.

Tuna meat (Thunnus atlanticus – blackfin tuna) and purslane flour (Portulaca oleracea L.), which contain high protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids but are low fat and cholesterol, are used to substitute beef and tapioca flour to produce quality meatballs. This study aims to determine the effect of substituting beef and tapioca flour with tuna meat and purslane flour on meatballs' chemical, physical, and sensory quality. The beef was substituted with 40% tuna meat, and tapioca flour was substituted with 0, 10, and 20% purslane flour. The data obtained were analysed using a complete randomised design, with three treatments and five replications, respectively, and further tested with the Duncan test. The results showed that increasing the level of purslane flour can increase (P < 0.01) the chemical quality (water, protein, fat, ash, and omega-3) but decrease (P < 0.01) the cholesterol of the meatballs. Physical quality (water holding capacity and sensory quality (colour) of meatballs were increased (P < 0.01), but taste and acceptability were decreased (P < 0.01). It can be concluded that substituting beef and tapioca flour with tuna meat and purslane flour can increase the chemical and physical quality.

Farms are key to agricultural advancement and carbon emission reduction. Understanding the influence of farm size on emissions is vital for eco-friendly farming. Our study used an econometric model with instrumental variable adjustments to examine the effect of farm size on greenhouse gas emissions, revealing an inverted U-shaped relationship. The findings revealed that emissions increased with farm size until a peak and then decreased. We identified an optimal farm size range (0.45 km² to 0.58 km²) for lower emissions, where the farm size maintaining the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per unit area was 0.58 km², while the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per capita occured at a farm size of 0.69 km². Reducing emissions intensity per unit area is easier than reducing GHG emissions per person. Policymakers should prioritise promoting the expansion to moderately sized farms as a means of achieving emission reduction targets rather than solely increasing the number of farms. Overall, these insights offer policymakers novel approaches for ecological farm planning and the transition toward a low-carbon agriculture sector.

This study comprehensively investigates the impact of varying red-to-blue light ratios on the growth of Spanish lettuce. The research considers various factors such as growth morphology, photosynthetic parameters, and chlorophyll fluorescence. Lettuce was cultivated in an environment with a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 200 ± 20 μmol/m²/s and a photoperiod of 16 h per day. The experiment incorporated eight distinct light treatment methodologies, with the red-to-blue light ratios ranging from 2 : 8 (R2B8) to 9 : 1 (R9B1). The data implies that during the initial 20 days of growth, groups exposed to a higher proportion of red light demonstrated superior growth. In particular, the R9B1 group exhibited the highest increase in plant height. The photosynthetic performance of leaves (net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate) showed a tendency to rise with a decreasing red-to-blue ratio within a particular range, peaking at R3B7. However, both the dry matter content and fresh weight were relatively lower under the R3B7 light quality ratio. The results indicate that cultivating lettuce under the R8B2 ratio led to optimal outcomes. This group significantly outperformed the other test groups in terms of weight and exhibited higher photosynthetic rates. Despite exhibiting lower stomatal conductance, this group reduced energy consumption and ultimately achieved the highest overall weight.

Common ragweed – Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae) is an invasive plant species in Europe native to North America. Most of the records of known eriophyid mites on different ragweed species are from their native range. Our field experiments in Slovakia, 2016–2023, aimed to identify specific species feeding on common ragweed. We searched for symptomatic plants and collected growing tips, which were then preserved in 70% ethanol for further study. A recently described species of eriophyid mite, Aceria artemisiifoliae Vidović & Petanović (Acari: Eriophyoidea), was found in western and eastern Slovakia. This is the first record of the species in Slovakia and the second record in the world. It remains unclear whether this species is invasive like Ambrosia, and whether it could be used as a potential biological control agent.

Decision support systems (DSSs) enable dairy farmers to make informed and timely decisions on herd health management. However, the lack of a disease scoring system by category and severity limits the application of this approach. In this study, we developed an innovative approach to dairy herd health management by establishing a novel scoring system for dairy herd health management aimed at providing a more nuanced understanding of disease impact. For this purpose, we retrieved 5-year data from 2 558 disease diary records of 798 primiparous and multiparous cows housed on a Czech farm and classified 125 production diseases into six categories, namely lameness, mastitis, postpartum diseases, digestive system, reproductive diseases and other diseases. Based on this metric, we developed a data-driven DSS for farm management. Using this DSS, we identified markers of disease categories for efficient veterinary monitoring on dairy farms. This DSS highlighted a decreasing trend of average monthly disease scores, yet the prevalence of postpartum and other diseases increased during the same period, due to changes in reproduction management within the herd. These findings underscore the need for data-driven targeted interventions for promoting the herd health. Therefore, our scoring model not only provides a comprehensive framework for dairy herd health monitoring and improvement but also advances dairy farming by providing a decision support system easily applicable to dairy farms based on available data recorded in disease diaries.

Exogenous polyamines can elevate postharvest fruit cold resistance and alleviate cold injury. However, the mechanism, by which polyamines mediate cold tolerance, is still to be explored. So in this paper, the conjugated polyamines in tonoplast and vacuole conformation were illuminated in the flesh cells of peach fruit subjected to cold stress, which were pretreated with exogenous putrescine. The results showed that under cold condition, fruit firmness decreased and flesh browning area increased, and vacuole conformation changed. The cold injury could be alleviated by pretreatment with exogenous putrescine, as judged by stabilization of the vacuole conformation, increased fruit firmness and reduced flesh browning area. Furthermore, the cold alleviation was coupled with the increases in the levels of covalently conjugated putrescine and non-covalently conjugated spermidine and spermine in the tonoplast. The results suggested that these conjugated polyamines in tonoplast and vacuole conformation might be involved in putrescine-mediated cold tolerance. The suggestion was further verified by applications with inhibitors, phenanthroline and methylglyoxal-bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG). Phenanthroline and MGBG could restrain the putrescine-induced increases in covalently and non-covalently conjugated polyamines mentioned above in the tonoplast, respectively, and increase flesh browning area, decrease fruit firmness and vacuole conformation stabilization. So, we can conclude that exogenous putrescine alleviates cold injury in peach fruit via elevating the contents of the polyamines conjugated to the tonoplast and thereby maintaining vacuole conformation.

Drosophila suzukii poses a significant threat to berry fruits with its uncontrolled spread. Essential oils (EOs) have emerged as potential bioinsecticides due to their natural origin, mode of action, and biodegradability. Although EOs show potential for use in agriculture due to ecotoxicologically favourable characteristics, additional research is required to enhance their effectiveness, stability, and application for practical implementation in pest management. The primary objective of this research was the development of a bioinsecticide formulation based on a combination of three EOs – Pelargonium graveolens, Anethum graveolens, and Pinus sylvestris followed by the assessment of formulated bioinsecticide physicochemical properties. Using a two-choice bioassay, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of formulated bioinsecticides on D. suzukii, regarding their insecticidal properties through oviposition deterrence. The developed formulation exhibited favourable physicochemical properties and demonstrated a decrease in the number of larvae in fruits. Bioinsecticides present an environmentally friendly approach to pest control. However, further research and development are imperative to fully exploit their potential for effective crop protection in the field, followed by comprehensive research to evaluate the potential side effects on natural enemies, ensuring that their implementation doesn't harm beneficial organisms and maintain ecological equilibrium.

This study describes a case of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids in a horse. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first confirmed case of Senecio ovatus poisoning. A six-year-old 450-kg Irish cob mare was presented to the Equine Clinic of the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (Czechia) with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy, which progressively worsened with time despite intensive therapy and led to euthanasia. A complex diagnostic and therapeutic approach including the post-mortem patoanatomical and histopathological examination is described here. Regarding the histopathology of the liver, there was necrosis with haemorrhage, fatty changes and inflammation. A later inspection of the grazing area revealed the presence of Senecio ovatus (wood ragwort). A sensitive chromatographic method was used to determine the pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their metabolites in the plasma and the liver. In both of the samples, metabolites of pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected. Although pyrrolizidine alkaloid poisoning was proven, the histopathological findings typical for this disease were absent. It is clear from our case that the histopathology in cases of poisoning by pyrrolizidine alkaloids may not always be conclusive.

Despite accumulating evidence for the adverse effects of magnesium (Mg) deficiency or excess on grain crops, how Mg imbalance affects plant growth and potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) nutrition in vegetable crops is still unclear. The aim of this study was to ascertain the response of plant growth, nutrient uptake and Mg-K-Ca interactions in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to various levels of Mg supply. The growth parameters and nutrient contents of hydroponic plants were measured under the Mg levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 3.0 mmol/L Mg²⁺ from seedling to fruit ripening stage. Results showed that both Mg deficiency (0 mmol/L Mg²⁺) and excess (3.0 mmol/L Mg²⁺) negatively affected shoot and root growth, leading to a noticeable decrease in total plant biomass across different stages (41.2–52.8% and 17.7–38.3%, respectively). Mg imbalance additionally altered leaf morphology and disrupted chloroplast structure. As a consequence of increased Mg levels, the Mg contents in various plant organs increased, whereas the Ca contents decreased substantially. The trend of K contents under different Mg levels was dependent on the plant growth stage. Although Mg levels did not prominently affect plant K contents during the early growth stage, they were significantly negatively correlated in the leaves and positively correlated in the fruit during the late growth stage. When translocated from roots to aboveground organs, Mg and Ca were mainly distributed in the leaves, with K preferentially distributed in the fruit. The findings of this study underscore that the symptoms of Mg imbalance generally develop from middle leaves in vegetable crops, exemplified by tomato, which is different from the pattern in common grain crops. Vegetable production necessitates nutrient supply for the middle and upper parts of Mg-deficient plants, and attention should be paid to the nutritional imbalance of Ca and K in plants under excessive Mg supply.

Sweet cherry juice rich in phenols and anthocyanins is highly perishable and typically undergo thermal pasteurisation, which can diminish its nutritional composition. High pressure processing (HPP), a non-thermal technique using pressure to inactivate the microbes while preserving nutrients, offers a more effective alternative for extending the shelf life of fruit juice. Accordingly, present study evaluated comparative impact of high pressure processing and thermal pasteurisation on phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, microbial and sensory attributes of cherry juice during storage. For study, cherry juice subjected to two different HPP levels (400 and 600 MPa) for 5 min and thermal pasteurisation (95 °C) for 30 s, followed by storage (60 days at 4 °C). Results showed HPP and thermal pasteurisation had significant impact (P < 0.05) on phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidants compared to control, however, thermally pasteurised juice showed rapid deterioration compared to HPP juice, whereas anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-glucoside levels remarkably different in both groups. Microbial findings revealed safety of HPP pasteurisation juice with shelf life (45 days) however, better sensory acceptability for HPP treated juice. In nutshell, HPP pasteurisation is pragmatic approach for enhancing shelf life with better nutrients for cherry juice and findings useful for beverage industry and health professionals.

Cryopreservation reduces the antioxidant activity of spermatozoa and makes them more sensitive to damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The addition of antioxidants to the freezing medium could prevent cryo-damage by mitigating the harmful effects of ROS and, thus, protecting the spermatozoa. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ellagic acid (EA) on the rabbit sperm traits after freezing-thawing. Semen samples collected from New Zealand White rabbit males were cryopreserved in a BotuCrio freezing medium (Nidacon, Sweden) supplemented with different concentrations of ellagic acid (EA at 0, 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 mM) using the manual slow freezing procedure. After thawing, sperm motility parameters were evaluated by CASA. The parameters of viability (DRAQ7), apoptosis (Yo-Pro-1), acrosome integrity (peanut agglutinin; PNA), intracellular ROS (CellROX) and mitochondrial activity (MitoTracker) were evaluated by flow cytometry. EA added to the freezing medium at all concentrations led to a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in intracellular ROS in frozen-thawed sperm cells. However, this effect was not reflected in motility parameters. Semen supplemented with 1.5 mM EA also yielded a lower proportion of apoptotic cells compared to the control group. In conclusion, EA supplementation of semen extender demonstrated its antioxidative properties protecting spermatozoa against oxidative damage during cryopreservation. Nevertheless, to draw a definitive conclusion regarding the effect of EA on spermatozoa functionality, additional research is necessary.

Designing and constructing a road network is one of the most critical steps of the development process in managing natural resources. The current research is going to investigate the application of network connectivity indices to the analysis of road networks in the forested watershed. First, the road network suitability map (RNSM) was created to emphasize the technical and physiographic criteria and integrated management scenarios using a weighted linear combination (WLC) and analytic network process (ANP). Subsequently, three road network alternatives (RNA) were assigned based on the priorities in the RNSM. In order to try to determine the appropriate alternative, the network connectivity of the designed alternatives looked into the forest and non-forest land uses, as well as the whole study area, using the values of alpha (α), beta (β), gamma (γ), eta (η), network density (ND) and detour indices (DI) in the context of the graph theory. Results show that the road density of the RNA2 variant (11.56 m·ha^–1) is shorter than the other alternatives and the existing road network (ERN). In addition, dealing with the whole study area, we realized that the index values which are related to the number two reflect a better status than the other alternatives of alpha, beta, gamma, eta and detour index, in which they were identified to be 0.44, 1.34, 1.16, 0.45 and 0.83, respectively. RNA2 is chosen as the appropriate road network according to the network connectivity, technical and physiographical criteria, along with integrated management scenarios. Further control measures and field surveys are recommended to achieve more relevant results.

One of the main issues addressed by phytology in recent years has been plant tolerance mechanisms for abiotic stress. No combined analysis has been made to identify the genes involved in drought stress tolerance. The meta-analysis of microarray data related to drought stress was analysed by the R software packages and showed 3 029 upregulated genes and 3 017 downregulated genes. The upregulated genes were mostly related to the drought tolerance protein, abiotic stress response, and the Cys2His2 Zinc Finger Transcription Factor (C2H2 zinc finger TF). The downregulated genes were mainly related to the late embryogenesis abundant protein, abiotic stress response, and the basic leucine zipper (bZIP) TF. The common gene ontology (GO) terms in the upregulated and downregulated genes were mainly related to the metabolic process, response to stimulus, cellular metabolic process, and photorespiration. The up and down meta-differential expressed genes (meta-DEGs) mainly belonged to the those following Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways including: the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, plant hormone signal transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway, and RNA degradation. Moreover, in the upregulated and downregulated genes, the TFs with a high percentage mainly belonged to the Teosinte branched1/Cincinnata/proliferating cell factor (TCP), basic helix loop-helix (bHLH) and bZIP. Next, the hub upregulated genes were mainly related to the thiamine biosynthesis protein thiC, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, ribose-5-phosphate isomerase precursor and heat shock protein. The hub downregulated genes were mainly associated with the elongation factor Ts, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and trigger factor. Finally, the data from the present meta-analysis were compared with previous studies on the qRT-PCR results and their up and down expressions were confirmed. Based on the findings of the current study, novel insights into the drought stress molecular response can be provided and various candidate genes can be introduced for barley drought stress tolerance breeding.

Sorghum production energy input-output balance was studied during the 2020/2021 production year in Hararghe lowland areas of Ethiopia under farming methods practised by the farmers. The study aimed to assess the energy input and output and to analyse the energy use efficiency of sorghum production under farming practices of the farmers using the recently adopted early maturing varieties. Three sorghum varieties were used with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in 3 replications. Production inputs were uniformly applied to the entire unit plots. The average total production energy input was 12 188.07 MJ·ha^–1 in which chemical fertiliser and mechanical energy contributed 47.40% (5 771.48 MJ·ha^–1) and 43.60% (5 314.10 MJ·ha^–1), respectively. The highest energy consumer stage was top-dressing followed by land preparation and sowing stages with values of 33.7, 25.20 and 20.20% of the total input, respectively. The remaining 20.90% of the input was distributed among the rest production operations. The mean energy output of 77 284.59 MJ·ha^–1 for Makko was significantly higher than that of Qaqaba and Malkam varieties. Makko was also superior to Malkam and Qaqaba in mean energy ratio with values of 6.31, 5.48 and 5.84, respectively.

Low-temperature drying (withering) is the first stage in black tea processing. Determination of appropriate end moisture content of green tea leaf as well as temperature and relative humidity (RH) maintained during withering eventually aid the final quality of the processed tea. Therefore, the tea leaf withering (partial drying) properties were evaluated in an environmental chamber using mathematical models. The temperatures and RH considered were 25, 30, 35 °C and 80, 85, 90%, respectively. A total of nine combinations of temperature and RH were considered by keeping one parameter constant. The conditions were taken adhering to that of the climatic conditions of Assam, India. The withering data from experiments were fitted into five drying models using the curve fitting method. The Page model gave better predictions with an R2 value of 0.9989 at 30 °C temperature and 90% RH. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the tea leaf samples were evaluated. The best results were 50.60 ± 0.02 mg GAE·g–1 (GAE – gallic acid equivalent) and 22.47 ± 0.01 mg QCE·g–1 (QCE – quercetin equivalent) at 30 °C withering temperature.

This study aims to investigate using different ratios of urea-molasses in silage of food in vitro fermentation, feed value and quality production in feed. After being withered a little, the fodder plant was fragmented into 2–3 cm long pieces. 0, 2 and 4% molasses and 0, 0.5 and 1% urea were added. The treatment groups were UM1 (control), UM2, UM3, UM4, UM5, UM6, UM7, UM8 and UM9 supplemented with 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1.5, 1.5, 1.5% urea and 0, 2, 4, 0, 2, 4, 0, 2, 4% molasses respectively, and a total of 54 silage samples, 9 × 6 parallel, were prepared, vacuumed in ready-made silage bags, and stored at 25 ± 2 °C for 60 days. After the silages were opened, pH, nutrient contents, Fleig scores (FS), in vitro digestibility parameters, energy contents, feed value and feed quality were determined, then the data were subjected to analysis of variance. The effects of urea and molasses additives added to the mixed forage plant silage on all parameters were found to be significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The crude protein (CP) increased its application by UM7. Cell wall component (insoluble fibre in acid detergent (ADF) and neutral detergent insoluble fibre NDF) reduced its application by UM9. All these applications increased the FS. The addition of molasses increased the in vitro gas production, while the addition of urea decreased the production. True organic matter digestibility increased with the addition of molasses. As a result, it was concluded that UM9 application in silages would be appropriate for increasing feed value and feed quality, and the UM3 application in silage would be appropriate for improving true organic matter digestibility (TOMD).

Orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) is a sustainable and inexpensive source of vitamin A that contributes to food and nutritional security in developing countries. Its adoption is low due to unconformity of the variety with community food culture, limited cultivar selection and breeding studies. The current study aimed at breeding of promising OFSP genotypes in Benin using three parental lines. Two hundred and seventy-four seeds and one hundred and six genotypes were obtained through biparental crosses of Tio-joe (imported orange-fleshed variety), Vobodouaho (local white-fleshed variety) and ACAB220 (local orange-fleshed variety). The phenotypic diversity of genotypes was assessed using 10 leaf characters and storage root flesh colour through multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results indicated cross-compatibility between Tio-joe and ACAB220 when ACAB220 was used as female. Reciprocal cross-compatibility was found between ACAB220 and Vobodouaho. The genotypes could be separated into two main populations and classified into five cluster groups. Promising intermediate and pale orange genotypes were obtained indicating possibilities to incorporate beta-carotene into the white background of the Vobodouaho variety through further backcrossing.

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), a member of the family Paramyxoviridae, belongs to the genus Morbillivirus. It causes devastating viral diseases in small ruminants and has been rapidly spreading over various regions in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Although vaccination is thought to be an effective management strategy against PPR infections, the heat sensitivity of PPRV vaccines severely restricts their use in regions with hot climates. In this research, we studied the antiviral activities of ribavirin and aimed to understand the potential mechanisms of action of ribavirin in the African green monkey kidney cells (Vero cells). In brief, the adsorption, intrusion, replication, and release of PPRV, as well as the mRNA expression level of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), were significantly inhibited in the ribavirin-treated Vero cells compared to those in the PPRV-infected cells that were not treated with ribavirin. Additionally, ribavirin has potential as an antiviral drug against PPRV, and its antiviral activity is mediated by the Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) and PI3K/AKT pathways.

The effects of biogas residue as a substrate on ginseng growth and its feasibility for ginseng cultivation are unclear. The present study used biogas residue at different concentrations and maturity levels to cultivate ginseng. The biological characteristics of ginseng, soil physiochemical indices, and ginseng and soil microbial communities were investigated. The results showed that with increasing ginseng content and maturity, the total fresh weight, total length and saponin content significantly increased. The enzyme activities of soil, NO₃^–-N, and available phosphorus also increased. The microbiome analysis revealed that with the addition of biogas residue, microorganisms related to plant growth promotion, such as Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadota and Mortierellomycota, were more common in the plant or rhizosphere soil. The results based on the co-occurrence network showed that the structure of the bacterial community was more stable than that of the fungal community with increasing biogas residue content. Our results indicated that biogas residue could be used as a ginseng cultivation substrate and promote growth.

Salmonellosis is a major foodborne disease transmitted from contaminated poultry products worldwide. Although a wide variety of chemical agents are used in the prevention of foodborne Salmonella spp. infections, consumers prefer natural additives, that do not harm human health and do not impair the characteristics of food. Curcumin is a yellow-coloured, hydrophobic polyphenol obtained from the rhizome of the Curcuma longa L. plant known as turmeric. The purpose of this study was to evaluate curcumin’s antibacterial activity against S. Typhimurium in chicken meat and in vitro. In the first step, chicken samples were experimentally contaminated with S. Typhimurium at a level of 2.8 × 10^–7 CFU/ml. Then, they were kept in a 1, 2, and 3% curcumin solution for 15 minutes. At the end of the treatment, chicken samples were stored at +4 °C. The number of S. Typhimurium in chicken samples was determined according to EN ISO 6579-1. In the result of the study, the number of S. Typhimurium decreased by 2.37, 2.71, and 2.84 log levels at the end of the 6^th day as a result of the 1, 2 and 3% curcumin treatment, respectively. The MIC value of curcumin was determined to be 362 µg/ml for S. Typhimurium.

This article focuses on the occurrence of powdery mildews in the Lamiaceae family in the Czech Republic. A comprehensive analysis of morphological characteristics supported by molecular analysis of partial ITS sequences and analysis of host species gained important insights regarding the occurrence and diversity of powdery mildews. Thirty-four plant samples of the Lamiaceae family infected by powdery mildew collected in the Czech Republic between 2015–2022 were analysed. In these samples, the occurrence of all newly described species within the former Golovinomyces biocellatus complex was confirmed (G. biocellatus, G. salviae, G. neosalviae and G. monardae), and Neoërysiphe galeopsidis was also verified. Moreover, our study expands the already reported host species list of G. biocellatus complex within the Lamiaceae family.

Drought is one of the environmental stresses that threaten food availability. It results in decreased crop yields and developments and diminishes overall plant health. Chemical solutions for alleviating drought stress may be harmful to the environment. Using an alternative, microorganisms help counter the effects of drought stress. Endophytes have a mutualistic relationship with the host as they provide protection and get nutrients. Fungal endophytes assist plants in countering the damaging results of drought stress by producing phytohormones and growth-promoting compounds that promote root and shoot growth and enhance crop productivity. Inoculating maize plants with endophytic fungi like Fusarium oxysporum and Penicillium sp. have a higher chance of surviving drought stress. These organisms can increase root length, allowing moisture to reach deeper into the soil. This review explores endophytic fungi's roles in alleviating drought stress’s consequences on plants. More investigations should be carried out on the favourable effects of fungal endophytes in the mitigation of drought stress through pot and field inoculation.

Soil is a valuable resource for food production, and it demands a long time to recover itself. Soil erosion is one of the most important issues for countries based on agriculture. This review article analyzed articles published on the topic of general soil erosion in Central Asian countries in 1993–2022. More than 50% of the articles reflect the results of the conducted practical work. The main content of these scientific works is aimed at the prevention of erosion processes, their evaluation and the development of countermeasures. During the considered period, the number of publications on soil erosion has increased in the last years compared to the first years, which indicates that the attention to the topic has increased in recent years. The purpose of this article is to get accurate information about the state of soil erosion in the countries of Central Asia and to get acquainted with the practical works carried out against erosion in these countries. For this aim, the contents of the articles were reviewed and the results of the scientific works conducted on the topic of erosion in each country were presented. According to the content of the articles, the use of modern techniques and technologies in the evaluation and prevention of soil erosion gives effective results.

Grey poplar (Populus × canescens) is a natural hybrid of white poplar (Populus alba L.) and Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula L.). It could play a significant role in the afforestation of marginal sites which stretch out on ever more areas due to the negative effects of local climate change. Based on stand structure analyses of grey poplar stands grown on the sandy sites of Hungary, the following relations were found: There is a strong relationship between tree height and stand volume (R² = 0.7256), as well as between basal area per ha and stand volume (R² = 0.9158). There is a moderate relationship between diameter at breast height and stand volume (R² = 0.6175). The results could contribute to a more accurate assessment of applied silvicultural technologies.

Dog. Specifically created to save its master’s life. – (The dog is the ideal) Friend of man, (because it is his devoted slave) (source: Gustave Flaubert, Dictionnaire des Idées Reçues). But is man the best friend of the dog? This question is legitimate when we consider living situations to which modern domestic dogs are exposed. They often do not satisfy basic animal needs. In this narrative review, the author revisits the history of the dog’s presence alongside humans, in the light of current knowledge. The modern dog (breed standards and their interests in canine research) and its breeding strategy, including extreme breeding, will then be given particular attention. Dysfunctional human psychological processes will be explored to make it possible to grasp why the breeding of the modern dog is undergoing such a transformation. Finally, based on these factual and conceptual insights, suggestions to improve canine welfare will be proposed. To be effective, all these must be assessed against real-world conditions.