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Sprouting has been used widely to enrich the nutritional quality of cereals and legumes. It improves the bioavailability of nutrients, especially those bound to phytic acid. However, sprouting is a good medium for microbial growth; thus, producing safe sprouts from harmful microbial growth is challenging. In food biotechnology, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can be potentially used to improve nutrition and play a vital role as competitive microbes in food preservation. Therefore, supporting natural LAB growth by adding glucose sources during sprouting can produce a safer sprouting medium. Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) sprouted for up to 50 h with glucose (0.1% and 1%) under aero-anaerobic conditions, with recycled water periodically spraying on the sprouts to support the natural LAB growth. Results show increased LAB counts, lactic acid and acetic acid, and decreased pH. Moreover, the addition of glucose had no significant detrimental effects on sprout quality compared to the control sample relative to nutritional compounds, such as saccharides, which remained similar. This sprouting method can be scaled up to production levels and is considerably cheaper than other treatments.

Erratum in: Vet Med-Czech. 2024 Nov 29;69(11):401. doi: 10.17221/97/2024-VETMED

Asian sand dust (ASD), also called China dust or yellow dust, mainly occurs in East Asia during spring and autumn. Because ASD enters the body mainly through the respiratory system, it can cause respiratory disorders or worsen underlying diseases. Because of this, it has become an important health concern that threatens the well-being of humans and animals. In this study, we investigated the effects of 15 and 30 mg/kg of Pycnogenol (PYC15 and 30 groups), a pine bark extract, on ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation in mice. We evaluated the inflammatory cell counts, inflammatory cytokines, and matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression in animal models. PYC administration significantly decreased inflammatory cell infiltration into lung tissue; this was accompanied by a reduction in the levels of proinflammatory mediators including interleukin (IL)-1β (P < 0.01), IL-6 (P < 0.01) and tumour necrosis factor-α (P < 0.01) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids of ASD-exposed mice (ASD group). Histological analysis revealed that PYC suppressed ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation. Moreover, PYC suppressed the levels of matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 in the lung tissue of ASD-exposed mice, indicating that PYC reduced ASD-induced pulmonary inflammation by suppressing MMP-9. Together, these results indicate that PYC as the potential to treat ASD-driven pulmonary inflammation.

The potential of Leersia hexandra grass in phytoremediation and natural attenuation of three groups of bacteria in soil contaminated with crude oil was evaluated for 180 days. The quantities of new shoots, root and aerial biomass were evaluated; changes in antioxidant concentrations in leaf and root caused by abiotic stress; population densities of Azotobacter, Azospirillum and Pseudomonas; and microbial respiration. The experimental data showed oil-induced increases of 315% and 196% in new shoots and root phytomass, respectively, and a 44% decrease in leaf + stem phytomass. The enzymatic defence in the grass leaf was manifested by higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, phenylalanine ammonium lyase and total flavonoids; the increases fluctuated from 35% to 52%. The response in the root was positive in catalase (16%), and in ammonium phenylalanine lyase, it increased 275% due to the effect of crude oil. The group of indigenous Azotobacter bacteria were tolerant to crude oil exposure, both in the phytoremediation process and in natural attenuation; the population densities varied from 212 to 438 × 10³ colony-forming units (CFUs); they are greater than 49% to 106% compared to densities in control soil. Azospirillum spp. and Pseudomonas spp. recorded population abiotic stress. The grass activates enzymatic and plant defence, complementing microbial respiration in response to adaptation to crude oil.

The aim of this trial was to verify the influence of various autumn-applied nitrogen fertilisers on the growth, yield and quality of winter oilseed rape. In the three years, small-plot field trials were carried out at the Research Station Červený Újezd (50.0697044N, 14.1659086E). The hybrid cultivar DK Exstorm was chosen, with a sowing rate of 50 seeds/m2. Five fertilisation regimes were tested: (1) nitrogen-free control; (2) CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate); (3) ANU (ammonium nitrate urea); (4) U (urea), and (5) US (urea with N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric acid triamide (NBPT) inhibitor). A uniform dose of 40 kg N/ha was applied at the end of October. Fertilisers U (leaf length, root collar diameter, leaf and root dry weight) and US (number of leaves and root length) had the best growth outcomes. The highest seed yields were obtained with US (5.83 t/ha) and ANU (5.82 t/ha) applications, which outperformed the unfertilised control by 0.65 and 0.64 t/ha, respectively. CAN fertiliser appears to be unsuitable for autumn fertilisation in terms of yield. There were no statistically significant differences in oil content (%) or thousand seed weight (g) between the treatments in any of the experimental years.

Adopting low-carbon agricultural technologies (LCATs) is fundamental to reducing carbon emissions in agriculture. Our study explores the factors influencing the adoption of LCATs and the roles of production outsourcing and specialised farming within the framework of off-farm employment. In this regard, survey data were collected from 1 040 farmers in the Yellow River region of China in 2020 to examine the effect of production outsourcing on the farmers’ adoption of LCATs. Potential mechanisms associated with specialised farming and off-farm employment are considered to comprehend this relationship. We also investigate the heterogeneous effects of production outsourcing on adopting LCATs, taking different education levels and arable land areas into account. The results show a positive association between production outsourcing and farmers’ LCATs adoption behaviour, even after considering self-selection bias. Specifically, outsourcing production can significantly increase the likelihood of farmers adopting low-carbon tillage, low-carbon irrigation, and low-carbon fertilisation technologies by 7.2%, 8.1%, and 7.3%, respectively. This effect is more pronounced among farmers with higher levels of education and smaller areas of arable land. Furthermore, production outsourcing increases the LCATs adoption by promoting specialised farming. The findings suggest that outsourcing is vital to alleviating the lack of LCATs adoption resulting from off-farm employment.

In this study, a synergist made of itaconic acid, maleic acid, acrylic acid and other active ingredients polymerised was sprayed on the surface of nitrogen (N) fertiliser particles to make synergistic nitrogen fertilisers (SNF). To explore the effect of SNF on N metabolism of wheat in saline-alkaline land, five treatments were set up: CK – ordinary N fertiliser (299.86 kg N/ha); T1 – SNF (299.86 kg N/ha); T2 – SNF (239.89 kg N/ha); T3 – SNF (179.92 kg N/ha); T4 – SNF (119.94 kg N/ha). The aboveground dry weight of wheat, the photosynthetic characteristics of wheat flag leaves, the activity of the N metabolism enzyme of wheat flag leaves, the expression of N transporter-related genes in wheat roots, and the N accumulation and transport of plants were determined. The results showed that the T1 treatment performed the best. During the two years, the N translocation from stems and leaves to spikes of plants at maturity in T1 was 33.18–45.55% higher than that of CK. The N content of wheat spikes was 12.01–12.66% higher than that of CK. The activities of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthetase and the expression of nitrate transporter gene TaNRT1.1 and ammonium transporter gene TaAMT1.1 were significantly higher than that of CK. The aboveground dry weight of wheat and photosynthetic characteristics of flag leaves were significantly higher than those of CK in T1, whereas the intercellular CO2 concentration was significantly lower than that of CK. The application of SNF positively affected N accumulation and transport in wheat, wheat yield, and fertiliser utilisation, as well as reduced N loss in saline-alkaline land.

The present investigation explored the possible use of Thymus vulgaris essential oil (TVEO) as a beverage antifungal preservative instead of chemical ones. The chemical profile of TVEO exposed carvacrol (60.47%) as the predominant compound. The antifungal properties of TVEO were assessed on various food spoilage yeast and mould species using two tests. TVEO showed a powerful antimicrobial effect against all the fungal strains at the three volumes of essential oil (EO) used (i.e. 10, 20, and 30 µL). The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of TVEO was also evaluated and ranged from 0.0625% to 0.015% (v/v). Furthermore, the potency of TVEO as a beverage antimicrobial preservative was tested at four distinct concentrations (0.6, 1.25, 4, and 6 μL·mL^–1) against Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone and combined with medium heating (70 °C for 2 min) in a real food matrix (Orangina^® drink) for eight storage days. TVEO exhibited a significantly higher preservative effect than chemical preservatives (sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate). Lastly, a molecular docking examined the mechanism of action of carvacrol against two crucial enzymes in S. cerevisiae viability [ERG2 (sterol C8-isomerase) and ERG3 (sterol C5-desaturase)] compared to a chemical preservative (potassium sorbate). The two ligands highly interacted with the two target enzymes. However, carvacrol achieved a better score than potassium sorbate against ERG2 and ERG3, with binding energy of –10.19 kcal·mol^–1 and –11.73 kcal·mol^–1, respectively. Our results open up the perspective of using TVEO as a natural food preservative.

Wind erosion primarily affects sandy soil in arid areas.  However, the specific winter meteorological conditions (freeze-thaw cycles) lead to the disintegration of aggregates into erosion-risk fractions even on clay soils. These changes in the winter erodibility of clay soils were investigated in an area with frequent occurrences of wind erosion in southeastern Moravia (Czech Republic, Central Europe) between the years 2014/2015 and 2020/2021.  The percentage of non-erodible fraction (NEF) before and after winter was assessed. NEF was set as particles larger than 0.84 mm and also larger than 2.00 mm (based on field observations), while soils containing less than 40% NEF have the highest susceptibility to wind erosion. Autumn NEF_0.84 content was 80 and 95%, indicating significant resistance to wind, and although there was a significant decrease in spring to 65%, it still exceeded the 40% threshold. Autumn NEF_2.00 content of 60–70% also indicates a significant resistance to wind erosion. However, spring values were well below the 40% threshold (8 to 35%), indicating significant susceptibility to wind erosion. It showed a significant negative influence of winter on NEF2.00 content and, thus, a greater susceptibility to erosion in spring compared to NEF_0.84. Our results also document vegetation efficiency on the presence of NEF.

In the study, the effects of 0, 100, 200 and 400 ppm spray applications of GA3 on root and above-ground parts of ‘Jan Reus’, ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Yokohama’ tulip cultivars were determined. According to the results, on the development of plant upper part properties, 200 ppm in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Yokohama’ and 100 ppm in ‘Bloody Mary’ were the most effective applications. Again, the least increases in upper part properties were obtained from the control plants in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Bloody Mary’, and from the 100 ppm application in ‘Yokohama’. While 100 ppm was the most effective application in ‘Jan Reus’ and ‘Yokohama’ in terms of root development, the effect of the applications in ‘Bloody Mary’ was lower than the control. The application that least increased root development was determined as 400 ppm in ‘Jan Reus’ and 200 ppm in ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Yokohama’. Root growth was found to be negatively related to GA3 content. High GA3 is thought to negatively affect overall root growth, possibly by suppressing the effect of auxin. It is assumed that GA3 produced by the plant itself may be sufficient for root development or may be effective at much lower dose applications. On the other hand, it has been determined that the effects of GA3 application vary depending on the variety. According to these results, it is recommended to apply it at a dose of 200 ppm to ensure flowering by providing cooling in tulip cultivars and cut flower cultivation. High doses of GA3 are not recommended for root development.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of continuous application of rice straw and biochar for 10 years on soil humus composition and structure in paddy soil. A 10-year field experiment was conducted in a paddy field and included three treatments: rice straw biochar (SC); rice straw (RS), no biochar or rice straw. The elemental analyser, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3D EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy with fluorescence regional integration (FRI) analysis were used to study the soil humus composition and structure under different treatments. The results verified that the incorporation of rice straw and biochar significantly improved soil pH values and the soil organic carbon contents compared with the control. Rice straw significantly increased the contents of extractable humus, humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid in soil, while biochar only significantly affected HA and humic degree values. The molecular structure of HA affected by biochar is characterised by high humification and aromaticity, but rice straw increased the aliphaticity of the HA structure, as presented by elemental composition. Moreover, 3D EEM spectroscopy combined with FRI analysis showed that RS treatment formed soil humus had more aliphatic compounds, while SC treatment increased the aromatic components of humus. These results suggest that rice straw promotes the renewal of humus, and biochar enhances the humification degree of humus and the aromaticity of HA.

To investigate the regulation mechanism of exogenous plant growth regulators on the sugar accumulation of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits, and to provide theoretical support for improving the sugar content of ‘Fengtang’ plum fruits. The expression of fruit sugar fractions and related genes was determined by spraying different concentrations of exogenous  abscisic acid (ABA) and Gibberellic acid 3 (GA3) during the critical period of sugar accumulation in ‘Fengtang’ plum. The results showed that exogenous ABA treatment increased fruit soluble solids content, delayed the decline in fruit firmness, increased fruit sucrose and sorbitol content and decreased glucose and fructose content at 90 and 100 days after flowering, while exogenous GA3 treatment decreased fruit sorbitol and sucrose content and increased glucose and fructose content at 110 days after flowering; Exogenous ABA treatment significantly increased the expression of the fruit sugar transporter protein genes PsSWEET4 and PsSTP1 as well as the sucrose phosphate synthase genes PsSUS4 and PsSPS2 at 90 and 100 days after flowering, whereas exogenous GA3 treatment increased the expression of the neutral converting enzyme genes PsNINV1/3/4 at 90, 100, and 110 days after flowering to convert sucrose to fructose and glucose. The conclusion is that ABA increases fruit sugar content by increasing the expression of the fruit sugar transporter protein genes PsSWEET4 and PsSTP1 as well as the sucrose synthase genes PsSUS4 and PsSPS2, whereas GA3 decreases sugar accumulation and delays fruit ripening by decreasing the accumulation of sugar during ripening by increasing the expression of the neutral transforming enzyme genes PsNINV1/3/4 to break down sucrose into fructose and glucose.

Although the effects of fertiliser addition and liming on semi-natural grassland productivity and biomass quality are well documented, less is known about how fertilisers change plant functional groups and mean ecological values. We researched the effects of liming (no lime and lime with 1 t/ha) and mineral fertilisers (control – no fertilisers, PK-P60K60, N20PK-N20P60K60, N80PK-N80P60K60, and N140PK-N140P60K60) for nine years on the Danthonia alpina Vest. grassland community. Based on Brown-Blanquet cover abundance, we calculated Shannon-Wiener evenness and abundance of plant functional groups (based on height, canopy structure, storage organs presence and flowering duration). We also researched Landolt’s ecological indicator values for nutrients, moisture, reaction, light, and temperature. Results revealed that fertilisers stimulated tall species with longer flowering duration. Shannon-Wiener evenness in control was 0.45, and N20PK increased to 0.71 but significantly decreased in treatment N140PK (0.25). Mean Landolt ecological value for nutrients and moisture increased while temperature dropped. The coverage of legumes and Landolt indicator value for nutrients increased because of the lime application, while the lime had no effect on Shannon-Wiener evenness and abundance of functional groups. Greater Shannon-Wiener evenness in treatments of PK and N20PK is a prerequisite for resistance to the effects of extreme climate events.

We applied the Interbull validation methodology, a widely accepted method in animal breeding, to assess novel weighted and nonweighted repeatability models for the prediction of breeding values for longevity in Czech Holstein cattle. The population included in the estimation also contained 58 704 animals with genotypes. Performance records from 1 055 814 cows in the full dataset and from 831 995 cows in the trimmed dataset were used for evaluation. Both linear models included effects of herd-year-period, animal, permanent environment, and correction for milk production of individual cows in relation to herd average lactation curve, differing only in the use of weighs. The average reliability of the validation bulls increased in the full dataset from 0.85 without weight to 0.91 in the model with weight. This increase was also apparent in the trimmed dataset (from 0.42 to 0.50). Both models showed considerable inflation of genomic breeding values (GEBVs) by Interbull validation and did not manifest distinct benefits supporting their use in the routine evaluation of Czech Holstein cattle in the Czech Republic.

Vehicle collisions with wild animals are a common problem on roads, having a significant impact on road safety and wildlife populations. Collisions with wild animals are one of the most frequent road accidents. According to police statistics, there were nearly 16 000 road accidents caused by collisions with animals in the Czech Republic
in 2019. Collisions with deer are the most common. There are several technologies and measures that can help reduce the risk of a vehicle colliding with a wild animal. One of the technologies used is a night vision system based on infrared spectrum sensing. This technology is slowly becoming part of the equipment of, in particular, premium car brands dueto its high cost. This paper tested a low-cost solution using a commercially available thermal imaging camera and found a substantial reduction in the time to detect wild animals along the road, namely in the order of seconds.

For viable papaya production, more hermaphrodite plants are needed than male and female (though they produce inferior fruits). To this end, the sex of the plants must be ascertained early in their growth cycle, which is not possible with conventional methods. Molecular marker has shown its utility for this purpose, and in this study, 100 seedlings of the CO 7 gynodioecious variety and 100 seedlings of the CO 8 dioecious variety that were released from this university were analysed for their sex using the RAPD-SCAR (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA-sequence characterised amplified region) marker, T12. In those lines under investigation, the T12 marker’s presence indicated male lines, while its absence indicated female or hermaphrodite lines. To confirm that there was no experimental error – that is, the lack of the SCAR marker was caused by the non-existence of the complementary target region – an oligomer primer called OPA 04 was initially employed as a control to validate the molecular marker system among the lines under investigation. Results of this study have shown that T12 has achieved 97% and 98% accuracy in correctly identifying the male and hermaphrodite flowers in the field in CO 7 and CO 8 accessions, respectively. A similarity search of the sequences of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product amplified by T12 from CO 7 and CO 8 has highlighted that they matched with male-specific regions of the papaya Y chromosome. Further, it was estimated that by employing molecularly certified papaya seedlings with predetermined sex, farmers could save up to 55% on labour costs when compared to approaches that use seedlings from conventional ways by implying the removal of male plants. Thus, the findings of this study help growers and breeders to identify sex early and guarantee profitable papaya production.

Corrigendum in: J. For. Sci. 2026 Feb 27;72(2):106. doi: 10.17221/16/2026-JFS

The response of forest trees to bark beetle attack involves substantial changes in terpene content, which varies between resistant and non-resistant species. Terpenes serve as crucial chemical defences against pests, and their production can be influenced by prior attack history, water stress, and biotic interactions. Moreover, the effectiveness of terpenes in resisting bark beetle attack is influenced by their chemical composition. Different tree species produce different types and amounts of terpenes that can affect their overall resistance levels. In conifers, acyclic and cyclic monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were significantly present in all samples. Acyclic monoterpenes, ketones, aldehydes, monocarboxylic acids and their esters, and aromatic and cyclic compounds have been identified in beech. A statistically significant decrease of compounds in infested trees was determined in pine (cis-β-ocimene, neo-allo-ocimene, terpinene-4-ol, and δ-cadinene), and fir (acetophenone, benzonitrile, phenol, and zonarene). In addition, increased benzaldehyde production was observed. However, in infested beech trees, only increased production of some aliphatic and aromatic compounds (2-butanone and 3,5-octadien-2-one, 2-methyl-4-pentenal and 2,4-hexadienal, octanoic acid, nonanoic acid, 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-furandione, acetophenone, benzeneacetaldehyde, 2-ethyl-1H-pyrrole, β-ionone-5,6-epoxide, β-cyclocitral, and geranyl acetone) was found. We investigated the changes in the terpene composition of surviving trees in bark beetle-infested stands of beech (Fagus sylvatica), pine (Pinus sylvestris), and fir (Abies alba). Our data showed that the distribution of different groups of volatile compounds varied according to the tree species.

High-pressure processing (HPP) represents a promising alternative to conventional Holder pasteurisation (HoP) used by human milk banks worldwide. The objective of this study was to identify whether the HPP would achieve the same or better retention of the content of selected analytes than the HoP. Samples collected from 15 breast milk donors were processed in four ways: i) no treatment; ii) HoP; iii) HPP in cycles (350 MPa, 4 cycles); iv) continuous HPP (350 MPa, 20 min). The content of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), lactoferrin and lysozyme was determined using commercially available ELISA kits, and the lipase activity was assessed using an A-lipase activity assay kit. Data were compared statistically using paired t-tests. HoP significantly reduced the content of lysozyme and lactoferrin as well as lipase activity (P < 0.001). Cycled HPP significantly decreased lipase activity (P = 0.002), while continuous HPP led to a significant decrease in lysozyme content (P = 0.001) and lipase activity (P = 0.014). Cycled HPP showed high retention of pretreatment levels of lysozyme – median 99 (88; 99%), lactoferrin – 84 (66; 105%), and sIgA content – 83 (28; 117%). Among the studied treatment regimens, the best preservation of initial levels of bioactive components was achieved using HPP at 350 MPa in cycles.

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.

Assessing the agricultural sustainability of farms is challenging, since it involves various aspects that can change over time and differ by location. This paper develops a composite index to evaluate the sustainability of cereal farming in Catalonia, Spain. Using factor analysis, we integrate 21 indicators across economic, environmental, and social dimensions based on the Farm Accountancy Data Network (2016–2021). The results show sustainability scores ranging from 2 to 5, with larger economic s farms outperforming smaller ones by 0.4 points. Five key factors explain the variance in sustainability across farms, with profitability, benefit-cost ratio, and agri-footprint carrying the highest weights. In addition, our empirical findings indicate that subsidy dependence negatively affects the sustainability of farms, while modernisation and environmental management improvements enhance farm performance. This suggests a need for size-specific policy interventions focusing on smallholder management capacity and broader climate adaptation strategies. The methodology could offer a practical tool for monitoring sustainability progress in Mediterranean cereal production systems, and for identifying possible sources of improvements with regard to more sustainable agricultural practices.

This study investigates the effect of varying concentrations of potato fibre (PF) (1, 2, and 3%) on wheat flour (WF) dough rheological properties and the resultant pan bread quality. Chemical analysis, physical characteristics (weight, loaf volume, and specific volume), and colour attributes were estimated to assess bread quality. The impact of PF on bread sensory evaluation was estimated. The addition of PF significantly affected the properties of the dough. Moreover, the data indicated a substantial increase in water absorption (P ≤ 0.05) from 57.2% for the control to 65.5, 73.3, and 77.6% with the addition of 1, 2, and 3% PF to WF, respectively. Protein, crude fibre, and ash levels significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) with higher PF ratios. Moisture and carbohydrate contents were markedly reduced (P ≤ 0.05). The specific volume considerably decreased from 3.15 cm³·g^–1 in the control to 2.9, 2.74, and 2.53 cm³·g^–1 with the addition of 1, 2, and 3% PF to WF, respectively. All replacement samples exhibited no significant alterations (P ≤ 0.05) in L* values and substantially (P ≤ 0.05) increased values of yellowness (b*) in all fortified samples relative to the control. Sensory assessments revealed that PF can be incorporated into WF at concentrations of 1% and 2% without compromising the overall acceptability of bread compared to the control.

Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF) is a vector-borne viral disease caused by the RNA virus which belongs to the genus Ephemerovirus and the family Rhabdoviridae. To evaluate the effect of the risk factors like the breed of cattle and buffaloes, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on the bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) prevalence, ELISA and virus neutralisation (VN) tests (n = 600) were performed for the BEFV prevalence. The seroprevalence in cattle was 45.6% and 42% by ELISA and VN, respectively (P = 0.001). The breed-wise seropositive ratio was (55–64%) in cattle and (22.5–18.3%) in buffaloes by VN and ELISA. The sex-wise prevalence was (40–49.4%) in females and (35.8–46%) in males by VN and ELISA in cattle and a similar prevalence was reported in buffaloes. The age-wise prevalence in bovines by ELISA was 5.33, 22.66 and 17.66% in the age group < 1 year, 1–3 years and > 3 years, respectively. The disease prevalence was higher in the age group of 1–3 years. The prevalence was higher during the 3^rd lactation in bovines. The region-wise prevalence was higher in the 07 districts while lower (18–21%) in Rawalpindi District by VN and ELISA, respectively (P = 0.001). Commercial dairy farms of cattle showed a higher disease prevalence (52% and 44%) than non-commercial farms (38% and 36%) by ELISA and VN, respectively (P = 0.227). Exotic cows showed higher disease prevalence (76.67% and 70%) by ELISA and VN. The mortality in bovines was 5% (7.7% and 2.3%) in the cattle and buffaloes. The case fatality of BEFV in bovines was 12.25%. There was a significant effect of the risk factors like the breed, age, sex, lactation, housing and region on the BEFV prevalence. This is the first comprehensive study of BEFV in Pakistan.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) has serious environmental implications due to its high organic matter content, particularly its phenolic compounds. Using OMW in crop protection has been suggested as an environmentally friendly alternative to reduce the impact of chemical pesticides on human health and the environment. This study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of fresh and stored OMW, as well as its ethyl acetate extract, against several phytopathogenic fungi: Syncephalastrum racemosum, Paramyrothecium roridum, Fusarium oxysporum, and Verticillium dahliae. OMW was stored at 25 °C and 45 °C for three months, and both fresh and stored OMW were used in non-sterile, sterile, and centrifuged conditions. Phenolic and flavonoid compounds were extracted and identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Results showed that fresh OMW and its derivative compounds significantly inhibited the studied fungi. In contrast, OMW storage, sterilization, and centrifugation increased the mycelium growth of the fungi, particularly S. racemosum, which demonstrated relative resistance to stored OMW and its ethyl acetate extract. During storage, some phenolic and flavonoid compounds disappeared (resorcinol and vanillic acid), while the concentration of others increased (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and quercetin). This work highlights the potential use of fresh OMW as a bio-agent to protect plants from fungal diseases.

Phytopathology deals with a branch of biology encompassing pathogens that infect plants. Pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses, viroids, and phytoplasmas are notorious and hard to control; preventive measures are important for managing disease as early as possible. Age-old management practices are time-consuming and labour-intensive processes. In the past, nucleic acid-based methods, such as hybridization, amplification, and sequencing, have been used extensively for the preliminary identification of plant pathogens. Recently, PCR-based methods have been widely used for the detection of plant pathogens. However, PCR methods are time-bound and require high-quality DNA extraction because of inhibitors' effects on PCR sensitivity. Several isothermal detection techniques are commonly used for the onsite detection of plant pathogens. Among them, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a paradigm diagnostic tool for early plant pathogen detection. Hence, in this review, we discuss the rapid, reliable, sensitive method of the LAMP assay and the limit of detection (LOD) in different sectors of plant pathology. We also address the advantages and disadvantages of different LAMP approaches and future prospects.

Soil salinization is one of the most widespread soil degradation processes, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In such climatic conditions, soluble salts accumulate in the soil, leading to deterioration in soil properties and ultimately reduced crop yield. The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between the level of soil salinity and the main spectral indicators obtained from Landsat satellite data. The studied area was the Maisky district, which is located in the southeastern part of the Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan. The variants of the research were agricultural lands using sprinkler irrigation and flood irrigation, as well as sites without irrigation. To analyse the relationships, we used the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), salinity indices (SI) and soil indices such as SI 1, SI 2, SI 3, SI 4, normalized difference salinity index (NDSI), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and brightness index (BI). The normalized difference salinity index (R-NIR)/(R + NIR), using a quadratic statistical relationship, showed the best correlation with the laboratory data. The vegetation index NDVI showed the weakest correlation due to dryness or poor crop growth. As a result of the lack of clear control over irrigation and agrotechnical measures, the indicators of cation exchange capacity in irrigated plots using the flooding method were higher than in other irrigation methods. During irrigation, it is necessary to ensure clear rules, according to which the supplied water and fertilizers will have a positive effect on the soil and the entire agroecosystem. The methods used in this research can be useful in mapping and studying saline soils using satellite data in natural and climatic conditions of arid and semi-arid regions.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) cause significant complications in the postoperative period in veterinary surgeries. Determining the aetiology of infections is crucial for increasing treatment success rates. This study aims to assess treatment processes by identifying the bacterial agents responsible for infections occurring in cats and dogs after orthopaedic operations and to determine the antimicrobial resistance profiles of these agents. Strains isolated from SSIs were retrospectively analysed in patients brought to the Surgical Clinic of Siirt University Animal Health Application and Research Hospital between 2021 and 2023. The isolates were identified using MALDI-TOF MS. The disc diffusion method was applied to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. A high isolation rate was detected in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae. According to the antimicrobial susceptibility results, cephalosporin treatment was continued in only one of the cases in which prophylactic treatment with cephalosporin group antibiotics was applied. Consequently, this study revealed that preoperative prophylactic antibiotic administration may not be sufficient in preventing surgical site infections. Diagnosis of aetiological agents and evaluation of antimicrobial susceptibility are essential in preventing surgical site infections and determining effective treatment options.

The subject of this study is to point out the issue of various impacts of musculoskeletal disorders in chainsaw operators and their impact on human health. The first goal was to find out whether the body mass index is responsible for excessive stress to individual parts of the body of chainsaw operators at work. The second goal was to determine whether the excessive load to the individual body parts is affected by the time of working with the chainsaw. Questionnaires created for the fulfilment of the goals were distributed to professional forest loggers working in the Czech Republic, which were filled in by 161 of them. Questions in the first part of the questionnaire were formulated in such a way that answers to them would clearly identify information on the individual respondents. The second part of the questionnaire was focused on the assessment of the load upon 12 body parts of the operators (each part being split into the right and left sides). The results of the statistical analysis showed that neither the body mass index (BMI) nor the length of time working with the chainsaw affect the load on the individual parts of the body of the chainsaw operators.

Erratum in: Soil & Water Res., 20: 69. Doi: 10.17221/2/2025-SWR

Soil organic matter and pores distribution within aggregates were studied using X-ray computed tomography (XCT; Nikon XT H 225ST and GE Phoenix L240) and advanced 2D/3D measurements by the digital Keyence VHX-6000 microscope (Japan). A new methodological approach with computed tomography involvement for studying the spatial arrangement of pores, porosity, and soil morphology is presented. Changes in studied parameters are documented along the transect of intensively used Haplic Chernozem. Soil disturbance due to erosion and colluvial soil profile formation is reported. Moreover, soil organic matter quality and aggregate stability were evaluated. Obtained results showed statistically significant differences between the control and eroded sites and between eroded and accumulated sites. The correlation coefficients were the highest for soil organic carbon (SOC) and humic substances C_HS (r = 0.805) and C_HS and C_HA/C_FA (r = 0.764). The highest porosity, aggregates stability and coefficients stability were confirmed on the eroded site. The computed tomography measurements also document the high disturbance of Haplic Chernozem on the control site and the newly formed profile of Colluvisol. Despite excellent complementary technique further research is necessary to improve micro-XCT resolution and capacity for the soil micromorphological study.

Pod dehiscence or pod shattering from mature soybean (Glycine max L.) is one of the most outstanding disadvantages in domesticated cultivars. Pod shattering in relation to 16 quantitative traits and 3 qualitative traits among 140 cultivars of vegetable soybeans, grain soybeans and small-grain soybeans was evaluated over two years. We found the pod shattering percentage is positively correlated with the number of productive branches, pod width, pod length, pod area, 100-seed weight, 1-seeded-pod percentage, 2-seeded-pod percentage and seed protein content, but negatively correlated with the plant height, pod height at the bottom, number of nodes on the main stem, 3-seeded-pod percentage, 4-seeded-pod percentage and seed oil content. The pod shattering percentage in vegetable soybeans is remarkably high, reaching up to 93%, 7.8 times higher than that of grain soybeans. A schematic model of the characteristics for shatter-susceptible and shatter-resistant soybean cultivars is proposed. The pod shattering in vegetable soybeans is related to the “umbrella-shaped” architecture and pod size. It is suggested to select lines with more 2-seeded and 3-seeded pods for vegetable soybeans, but a higher seed oil content and greater node number on the main stem for grain soybeans and small-grain soybeans, to avoid pod shattering in future breeding programmes.

Mango (Mangifera indica) is extremely perishable with a short shelf life that limits its marketability. Chitosan may extend mango storage by preventing moisture loss and gaseous exchange while preserving the nutritional quality. Therefore, the current study was designed to assess the effect of chitosan on the shelf life and quality of fresh-cut mangoes. Manually cubed mango was dipped into 0 (control), 10, 15, 20, 30, and 50 ppm chitosan solution in airtight jar and stored at ambient (25–28 °C) and refrigeration (4 °C) condition. Changes in various microbial, physical, and chemical characteristics were documented to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in prolonging and sustaining the freshness and quality of mango. Treated mangoes significantly retarded growth of total mold and bacterial counts compared to the control sample in both storage conditions and found it lower under refrigeration. Likewise, chitosan also preserved various fruit quality attributes to a significant extent by retaining vitamin C, fat, titratable acidity, soluble sugar, and protein. However, the refrigerator stored mangoes have better ability to retard moisture loss and drop in sensory quality. Among the other solutions, 10 ppm chitosan solution exhibited better performance in reducing perishability of mango while maintaining prolonged shelf life and quality attributes. Overall, the findings revealed that chitosan solution at low temperature effectively preserves mango quality during storage and offers promising approach for the successful commercialisation of chitosan as a natural preserver for mango sellers and consumers to prolong shelf life.

The capacity for flexibility, personal development, and intrinsic motivation is a crucial aspect needed by employees in the process of transforming agricultural organisations. This paper aims to determine the typically oriented groups of employees in terms of their motivation and verify whether the identified groups are invariant even under changing conditions over time. The data from 2019–2023 (from 374 respondents employed in agricultural enterprises in south-central Slovakia) were evaluated using descriptive and inferential (K-means cluster) statistics. According to preferences and constancy of attitudes, three clusters of employees called ‘Materialists’, ‘Team progressives’, and ‘Preferences settled’ were determined. The clusters were also solved in terms of stability over time. Despite the differences in the preferences of these clusters, relational factors indeed played one of the most critical roles, even in the case of materialistically oriented employees. The practical result of the research is the possibility of designing a differentiated motivation program specifically targeted to individual groups of employees with similar motivational preferences based on a competent statistical analysis of motivation. The results are used by agricultural businesses to design motivation programs for similarly motivationally oriented employees sophisticatedly.