Abstract Aphids (family Aphididae) are among the most species-rich groups of Sternorrhyncha in the order Hemiptera, and have a complex life cycle that can include several different phenotypes that are perfectly adapted to specific ecological niches. However, because aphids have a small body size, indistinct appearance, and cryptic adult behavior, their species level identification is often difficult and may be time-consuming. To overcome these limitations, DNA barcoding has been employed as an effective tool for species identification. In this study, we conducted a DNA barcoding test based on 566 specimens of Korean Aphididae, representing 125 morphospecies. Based on intraspecific genetic divergence, a threshold of 2% was estimated to efficiently differentiate the morphospecies. Only 87 morphospecies (69.6%) identified across four species delimitation methods (namely, automatic barcode gap discovery, assemble species by automatic partitioning, Poisson-tree-processes or PTP, and Bayesian implementation of the PTP) were consistent with the morphological identifications of the species. This indicates the presence of many cases of cryptic diversity among the other morphospecies, except the abovementioned 87 species. Careful morphological examination of morphospecies exceeding 2.0% intraspecific variability revealed cryptic diversity in three species (Eriosoma yangi, Tuberculatus kuricola, and Greenidea kuwanai). Two morphospecies, Sitobion avenae and Aphis craccivora, also exhibited high intraspecific divergence and comprised a single molecular operational taxonomic unit. Overall, our findings indicate that DNA barcoding can be a powerful tool for identifying species belonging to the family Aphididae, while also revealing cases of cryptic diversity.
Bastian Wyink, Henrike von Haacke, Felix Reich
et al.
Abstract Poultry meat and its production are worldwide one major pillar of food production. As food from animals is always associated with microbiological contamination, there is a possible risk for consumers to be exposed to pathogenic microorganisms. It is therefore crucial to control microbiological contamination at all processing stages with appropriate measures. To assess the effectiveness of reduction measures integrated into the slaughtering process, a baseline of contamination needs to be defined. This review therefore aimed to address sampling techniques and units used to describe levels of contamination on broiler carcasses in routine slaughter by means of a narrative survey. Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp. and the total viable count were the contaminants of interest. In order to compare the selected studies and trials, the sampled matrix, sampling method, process step and unit had to be taken into account. However, the investigation shows a wide variety of sampling techniques within those factors, which hinders the comparability of results across different studies. Additionally, reporting of standard statistical metrics was not sufficient. This highlights the need to harmonise sampling techniques and reporting of methods from a scientific and practical perspective. Therefore, this review evaluated the sampling methods at each process step and for each sampled matrix separately and identified the missing statistical metrics. This is a prerequisite to select matrices and methods of main interest and draft a guide to ensure better data quality and comparison between studies in the future.
The grass carp (<i>Ctenopharyngodon idella</i>) is highly susceptible to infections caused by <i>Aeromonas</i> species, particularly <i>A. hydrophila</i> and <i>A. veronii</i>. However, the immunological mechanisms underlying co-infection by these pathogens remain largely uncharted. This study investigated the pathogenesis and host immune response in grass carp following concurrent infection with <i>A. hydrophila</i> and <i>A. veronii</i>. Mortality was observed as early as 24 h post-infection, with cumulative mortality reaching 68%. Quantitative analysis demonstrated significantly elevated bacterial loads in hepatic tissue at 3 days post-infection (dpi). Histopathological evaluation revealed severe hepatic lesions characterized by cellular necrosis, cytoplasmic vacuolization, and hemorrhagic manifestations. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of hepatic tissues between co-infected and control specimens identified 868 and 411 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 1 and 5 dpi, respectively. Gene ontology and KEGG pathway analyses revealed significant enrichment of immune-related genes primarily associated with Toll-like receptor signaling and TNF signaling cascades. Notably, metabolic pathways showed substantial suppression while immune responses were significantly activated after infected. These findings provide novel insights into the host–pathogen interactions during <i>Aeromonas</i> co-infection in grass carp, which may facilitate the development of effective prevention and control strategies.
Xishu Gardens, an exemplary narrative of classical Chinese gardens, faces challenges in preserving its commemorative spatial structures while accommodating modern visitors’ needs. While trajectory analysis is critical, existing studies struggle to interpret multi-dimensional perception-preference data owing to spatiotemporal mismatches in multi-source datasets. This study adopted an improved Ward–K-medoids hybrid clustering algorithm to analyze 885 trajectory samples and 34,384 synchronized data points capturing emotional valence, cognitive evaluations, and dwell time behaviors via panoramic digital twins across three heritage sites (Du Fu Thatched Cottage, San Su Shrine, and Wangjiang Tower Park). Our key findings include the following: (1) Axial bimodal patterns: Type I high-frequency looping paths (27.6–68.9% recurrence) drive deep exploration, in contrast to Type II linear routes (≤0.5% recurrence), which enable intensive node coverage. (2) Layout-perception dynamics: single-axis layouts maximize behavioral engagement (DFTC), free-form designs achieve optimal emotional-cognitive integration (WTP), and multi-axis systems amplify emotional-cognitive fluctuations (SSS). (3) Spatial preference hierarchy: entrance and waterfront zones demonstrate dwell times 20% longer than site averages. Accordingly, the proposed model synchronizes Type II peak-hour throughput with Type I off-peak experiential depth using dynamic path allocation algorithms. This study underscores the strong spatial guidance mechanisms of Xishu Gardens, supporting tourism management and heritage conservation.
Paddington T. Mundagowa, Enid Keseko, Rhoda Musungu
et al.
Abstract Background This scoping review protocol aims to examine the current evidence base on the experiences, barriers, and facilitators of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) among adolescent mothers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The review will help to identify the nature and extent of available research in this area and highlight evidence and knowledge gaps for future research. The work is significant because of the urgent need to understand the unique challenges faced by adolescent mothers in SSA and inform the development of evidence-based interventions to improve IYCF practices. Methods The review will be guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A comprehensive search strategy will be employed to identify relevant studies from electronic databases, grey literature, and additional sources. Four independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model system levels will be used as a guiding framework to code, interpret and frame the results by identifying experiences, barriers, and enablers influencing IYCF practices at microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem levels. Furthermore, the review will highlight gaps in existing literature, providing valuable insights for future research and evidence-based interventions. Discussion The study is aligned with global efforts to address child malnutrition and emphasizes the importance of evidence-based interventions in SSA and findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentation at national and international conferences. The protocol has been registered prospectively on the Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/h7kzw ).
This study aims to assess the role of headwater systems (HS) in enhancing ecological connectivity and supporting Green Infrastructure in the Centre Region of Portugal. Specifically, it identifies restoration opportunity areas within HS by analysing land-use changes over the past 70 years, modelling land-use scenarios to promote ecological resilience, and evaluating connectivity between HS and Natura 2000 sites. The methodology integrates spatial analysis of historical land-use data with connectivity modelling using least-cost path approaches. Results show substantial transformation in HS areas, notably the expansion of eucalyptus plantations and a decline in agricultural land. Approximately 58% of the HS are identified as requiring restoration, including areas within the Natura 2000 network. The connectivity assessment reveals that HS can function as effective ecological corridors, contributing to improved water regulation, soil conservation, gene flow, and wildfire mitigation. A total of 61 potential ecological linkages between Natura 2000 sites were identified. These findings highlight the strategic importance of integrating HS into regional and national Green Infrastructure planning and supporting the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The study recommends prioritising headwater restoration through multi-scale planning approaches and active involvement of local stakeholders to ensure sustainable land-use management.
Abdelhameed S. A. Mohamed, Marija Milošević, Mohamed Mohany
et al.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with organic selenium (OR-Se) and/or vitamins C and E on the rectal temperature (Rectal-T), growth performance, carcase yield, intestinal morphology, plasma thyroid hormone levels, and antioxidant status of broilers reared in hot environmental conditions. Under heat stress conditions (29.4 to 33.6 °C), 360 Arbour Acres chicks were fed in a (2 × 3) factorial design with two dietary levels of organic selenium (0 and 0.6 mg/kg) and three dietary levels of a mix of vitamins C and E (0, 200 and 250 mg/kg). Chicks were randomly assigned to six treatments (T) with three replicates of 20 birds each: the 1st group (T1): basal diet with no supplementation (control group); the 2nd group (T2): basal diet supplemented with 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg; the 3rd group (T3): basal diet with a mixture of vitamins C and E, 200 mg of each/kg diet (Vita-Mix A); the 4th group (T4): basal diet with a mixture of vitamins C and E, 250 mg of each/kg diet (Vita-Mix B); the 5th group (T5): basal diet with (Vita-Mix A) + 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg diet; the 6th group (T6): basal diet with Vita-Mix B and 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg diet for a five-week feeding period. Results showed that chicks fed diets supplemented with OR-Se and/or vitamins (C, E) had lower (p < 0.01) rectal-T, growth performance indicators (except feed intake). Also, compared to un-supplemented birds, the carcase yield, digestibility of ether extract, and antioxidant indices were significantly improved. In conclusion, dietary 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg and/or a mixture of vitamins C and E (both at 200 or 250 mg/kg) improved growth performance, carcase yield, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant capacity under heat-stress conditions. In addition to the previously mentioned results, it would be more reliable when applied to a large number of chicks to ensure data robustness and reliability for productive performance indices.Highlights Adding 0.06 mg of organic selenium plus a mixture of vitamins C and E to the broiler’s diet (per 1 kg diet) improved growth performance. Including 0.6 mg of organic selenium plus a mixture of vitamins C and E (per 1 kg diet) in the broiler led to a better average feed conversion ratio throughout the rearing period and boosted the FCR of broiler chicks. Vita-Mix plus organic selenium supplementation led to better antioxidant status (GSH-px, SOD, and MDA) of broiler chicks.
Nil Patil, Rupal Dhariwal, Arifullah Mohammed
et al.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly becoming a major public health concern in our society. While many studies have explored the use of natural polyketides, alkaloids, and other chemical components in AD treatment, there is an urgent need to clarify the concept of multi-target treatment for AD. This study focuses on using network pharmacology approach to elucidate how secondary metabolites from Dictyostelium discoideum affect AD through multi-target or indirect mechanisms. The secondary metabolites produced by D. discoideum during their development were obtained from literature sources and PubChem. Disease targets were selected using GeneCards, DisGeNET, and CTD databases, while compound-based targets were identified through Swiss target prediction and Venn diagrams were used to find intersections between these targets. A network depicting the interplay among disease, drugs, active ingredients, and key target proteins (PPI network) was formed utilizing the STRING (Protein-Protein Interaction Networks Functional Enrichment Analysis) database. To anticipate the function and mechanism of the screened compounds, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were conducted and visually presented using graphs and bubble charts. After the screening phase, the top interacting targets in the PPI network and the compound with the most active target were chosen for subsequent molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies. This study identified nearly 50 potential targeting genes for each of the screened compounds and revealed multiple signaling pathways. Among these pathways, the inflammatory pathway stood out. COX-2, a receptor associated with neuroinflammation, showed differential expression in various stages of AD, particularly in pyramidal neurons during the early stages of the disease. This increase in COX-2 expression is likely induce by higher levels of IL-1, which is associated with neuritic plaques and microglial cells in AD. Molecular docking investigations demonstrated a strong binding interaction between the terpene compound PQA-11 and the neuroinflammatory receptor COX2, with a substantial binding affinity of −8.4 kcal/mol. Subsequently, a thorough analysis of the docked complex (COX2-PQA11) through Molecular Dynamics Simulation showed lower RMSD, minimal RMSF fluctuations, and a reduced total energy of −291.35 kJ/mol compared to the standard drug. These findings suggest that the therapeutic effect of PQA-11 operates through the inflammatory pathway, laying the groundwork for further in-depth research into the role of secondary metabolites in AD treatment.
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of soil fertilising biopreparations, i.e. compost extract, vermicompost extract and humus extract, used against the background of NPK mineral fertilisation, on the content of manganese, iron, zinc and copper in the biomass of Lolium perenne, Festulolium braunii, and Dactylis glomerata. In the spring of 2019 and 2020, a single dose of the biological preparation was applied. During each vegetation period, the plants were mown three times. During mowing, fresh plant mass was taken from each plot, dried, ground and the content of Cu, Zc, Mn and Fe was determined using the ICP-AES method. The use of a biological preparation with the composition of an extract from compost significantly increased the content of Mn, Fe and Zn in the dry mass of the tested grass species. The grass species that accumulated the highest total content of microelements in its above-ground parts was Lolium perenne. The use of only biological preparations in the cultivation of the analysed grass species gave better production effects, for example in the form of a higher concentration of microelements in the dry mass of plants compared to objects fed only with minerals. This creates the possibility of using the tested biopreparations in organic farms. The Fe:Mn ionic ratio was too wide in relation to the standards on all experimental objects, which resulted from the excess of Fe in the plants. Only the combination of compost extract with mineral fertilisation narrowed the above relationship, but it was still too high.
River, lake, and water-supply engineering (General), Irrigation engineering. Reclamation of wasteland. Drainage
Weather-related risks thwart agricultural productivity gains especially in the face of climate change. Agricultural insurance serves as a reliable risk mitigation instrument for coping with climate-related hazards. This notwithstanding, agricultural insurance penetration among smallholder farmers in the global south remains low. This study investigated the access and acceptability of agricultural insurance among smallholder food crop farmers in Ghana. The study employed a mixed-methods approach involving both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study was carried out in the Northern, Volta and Western regions involving 7 communities in 5 districts. A total of 200 farmers were sampled through a multi-stage purposive sampling and interviewed. A cross-sectional survey involved 100 respondents under the quantitative approach whilst the qualitative study engaged additional 100 farmers. The results show that smallholder farmers’ access and acceptability of agricultural insurance is low (14%) and scarce but ironically considered useful by many (90%) as an effective tool to deal with agricultural risks. Inadequate knowledge about agricultural insurance products constituted the most stated reason (64%) for the scarce adoption rate, followed (23%) by the unavailability of insurance products in areas needed but absent. A few (5%) reported insurance to be expensive. Acceptability and accessibility of agricultural insurance are further influenced by gender, educational level, low knowledge, information asymmetry and wrong perception concerning agricultural insurance products. Sense of security and reduced impact of climate variabilities constituted important benefits guaranteed by agricultural insurance. Agricultural insurance access and acceptability is constrained by limited knowledge of agricultural insurance products. It is recommended that more insurance companies be incentivized to augment already existing efforts by Ghana Agricultural Insurance Pool (GAIP) to enroll more smallholder farmers. The government can consider bundling existing insurance products with credit or inputs under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme (PFJ) to improve uptake and accessibility of agricultural insurance.
Abstract One way of fostering smallholder farmers’ agricultural productivity is through encouraging agricultural technology adoptions. However, agricultural technology adoption remains very low in Ethiopia. As a consequence, many studies have been researched why agricultural technology adoption remained low. Nonetheless, a handful information is available on aggregate factors influencing agricultural technology adoption in Ethiopia. Therefore, very little is known about the common factors affecting agricultural technology adoption in Ethiopia. Hence, this meta-analysis was aimed to quantify the determinants of agricultural technology adoption from adoption literature. Based on a comprehensive and systematic search strategy, and inclusion and exclusion criterion, 12 studies conducted between 2010 and 2018 were included in this meta-analysis. Random effect model was used to identify the determinants of agricultural technology adoption in Ethiopia. Results of random effect model confirmed that age of the household head, education level, farm size, livestock holding, access to extension services, access to credit services, cooperative membership and distance from the market were significantly associated with agricultural technology adoption. Therefore, policy makers and other stakeholders should focus on common variables found to affect agricultural technology adoption in designing policies that encourage agricultural technology adoption in Ethiopia.
Jianming Fu, Robert L. Bowden, S. V. Krishna Jagadish
et al.
In many regions worldwide wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants experience terminal high temperature stress during the grain filling stage, which is a leading cause for single seed weight decrease and consequently for grain yield reduction. An approach to mitigate high temperature damage is to develop tolerant cultivars using the conventional breeding approach which involves identifying tolerant lines and then incorporating the tolerant traits in commercial varieties. In this study, we evaluated the terminal heat stress tolerance of 304 diverse elite winter wheat lines from wheat breeding programs in the US, Australia, and Serbia in controlled environmental conditions. Chlorophyll content and yield traits were measured and calculated as the percentage of non-stress control. The results showed that there was significant genetic variation for chlorophyll retention and seed weight under heat stress conditions. The positive correlation between the percent of chlorophyll content and the percent of single seed weight was significant. Two possible mechanisms of heat tolerance during grain filling were proposed. One represented by wheat line OK05723W might be mainly through the current photosynthesis since the high percentage of single seed weight was accompanied with high percentages of chlorophyll content and high shoot dry weight, and the other represented by wheat Line TX04M410164 might be mainly through the relocation of reserves since the high percentage of single seed weight was accompanied with low percentages of chlorophyll content and low shoot dry weight under heat stress. The tolerant genotypes identified in this study should be useful for breeding programs after further validation.
Eduardo da Costa Nunes, Marcelo Zanella, Carlos Alberto Koerich
Os cultivares de mandioquinha-salsa SCS380 INCA (RNC nº 49967) e SCS381 COQUEIRAL (RNC nº 49968) foram obtidos a partir da identificação, seleção e posterior clonagem de plantas que demonstraram comportamento agronômico e atributos produtivos diferenciados em áreas de produção comercial no município de Angelina, provavelmente originadas da germinação in loco de sementes botânicas, oriundas de cruzamentos populacionais naturais espontâneos. Estes materiais genéticos estão sendo avaliados e caracterizados de forma participativa, envolvendo produtores rurais e agentes de pesquisa
e extensão rural, desde 2014 (INCA) e 2017 (COQUEIRAL). De maneira geral, ambos apresentam como principais vantagens, quando comparados em relação ao material genético mais cultivado no Brasil (cv. Senador Amaral), o alto potencial produtivo de raízes (mantendo boas características comerciais, como formato cilíndrico, coloração amarela, aroma e sabor característico), boa adaptabilidade e resistência a pragas e doenças, plantas mais vigorosas e grande capacidade de produção de mudas. As raízes de ambos os cultivares podem ser usadas para consumo fresco in natura, sendo que o cv. INCA, apresenta grande potencial para processamento agroindustrial. São indicados para cultivo nas regiões recomendadas pelo zoneamento agroclimático de Santa Catarina sob cultivo convencional. O cv. COQUEIRAL tem-se mostrado adaptado ao culti vo em Sistema de plantio direto de hortaliças (SPDH), com bons resultados e tem sido cultivado em áreas de menor altitude e com temperaturas mais elevadas que em condições de cultivo normalmente recomendadas.
Abstract The conversion of natural habitats to agriculture is one of the main drivers of biotic change. Madagascar is no exception and land-use change, mostly driven by slash-and-burn agriculture, is impacting the island's exceptional biodiversity. Although most species are negatively affected by agricultural expansion, some, such as synanthropic bats, are capable of exploring newly available resources and benefit from man-made agricultural ecosystems. As bats are known predators of agricultural pests it seems possible that Malagasy bats may be preferentially foraging within agricultural areas and therefore provide important pest suppression services. To investigate the potential role of bats as pest suppressors, we conducted acoustic surveys of insectivorous bats in and around Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, during November and December 2015. We surveyed five landcover types: irrigated rice, hillside rice, secondary vegetation, forest fragment and continuous forest. 9569 bat passes from a regional assemblage of 19 species were recorded. In parallel, we collected faeces from the six most common bat species to detect insect pest species in their diet using DNA metabarcoding. Total bat activity was higher over rice fields when compared to forest and bats belonging to the open space and edge space sonotypes were the most benefited by the conversion of forest to hillside and irrigated rice. Two economically important rice pests were detected in the faecal samples collected - the paddy swarming armyworm Spodoptera mauritia was detected in Mops leucogaster samples while the grass webworm Herpetogramma licarsisalis was detected from Mormopterus jugularis and Miniopterus majori samples. Other crops pests detected included the sugarcane cicada Yanga guttulata, the macadamia nut-borer Thaumatotibia batrachopa and the sober tabby Ericeia inangulata (a pest of citrus fruits). Samples from all bat species also contained reads from important insect disease vectors. In light of our results we argue that Malagasy insectivorous bats have the potential to suppress agricultural pests. It is important to retain and maximise Malagasy bat populations as they may contribute to higher agricultural yields and promote sustainable livelihoods.