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Interactions of insect pests, diseases, and Sub1 rice varieties across agro-climatic zones in Assam: insights for strengthening resilient rice cultivation
Get PDFThis study investigates the prevalence and interaction of insect pests and diseases across the agro-climatic zones of Assam, which are deployed with submergence-tolerant (Sub1) rice varieties. Utilizing data collected from farmers’ fields over 2 years (2020 and 2022), the research provides novel insights into how host genotype and climatic zones influence insect pests and disease prevalence under real-world conditions. The results reveal significant variability in insect and disease incidence across different agro-climatic zones and among rice varieties. The Central Brahmaputra Valley (CBV) zone exhibited a higher prevalence of insect pests such as the L. acuta, S. incertulas, and C. medinalis, while the Lower Brahmaputra Valley (LBV) zone demonstrated increased disease incidence, particularly of M. oryzae and B. oryzae. Similarly, varietal responses varied across agro-climatic zones; Bahadur-Sub1 exhibited comparatively lower insect and disease incidence, whereas Bina dhan 11 showed higher L. acuta and C. medinalis incidence across zones. Principal component analysis underscored zone-specific associations between insect pests and diseases, emphasizing the complex interactions among host plants, agro-climatic conditions, and insect-pest population buildup. Temporal variation was also observed, with differences in insect pests and disease prevalence between the 2 years, highlighting the impact of macro and micro-climatic factors. These findings suggest continuous monitoring and development of adaptive, zone-specific insect and disease management strategies that can minimize insect-pest adaptation and enhance the resilience and productivity of rainfed rice ecosystems in Assam.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART).The authors thankfully acknowledge the support received from IRRI and AAU through the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART). APC also acknowledges the CERCA project of the Generalitat of Catalonia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Exposure of Wild Ruminants to Toxoplasma gondii in Alpine Ecosystems, NE Spain
No full textAbstract.
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle that involves warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts and felids as definitive hosts. Its epidemiology in alpine ecosystems remains poorly understood. This study presents the first long-term investigation of T. gondii exposure in wild ruminants in the Pyrenees (NE Spain), where definitive hosts are scarce. Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica; n = 1045) and mouflon (Ovis aries musimon; n = 115) sera collected between 2001 and 2024 were tested (Modified Agglutination Test, ELISA-IDvet, ELISA-IDEXX) for the presence of T. gondii antibodies. Sera from 53 chamois and 27 mouflon foetuses and hearts and brains from 38 chamois and 35 mouflon foetuses were analysed for the presence of antibodies and parasite’s DNA, respectively. Moreover, heart and brain (n = 3) and faeces (n = 91) from Pyrenean wildcats (Felis silvestris) were analysed for parasite’s DNA. Seroprevalence was overall low (chamois: 5.24%; mouflon: 1.74%). In multivariate analyses performed in chamois, seroprevalence variation was mainly associated with geographic origin and the diagnostic method used, with little influence of the individual traits of sex or age. No antibodies or T. gondii DNA were detected in chamois or mouflon foetuses. However, chamois did not show a clear age-related increase in exposure to T. gondii, as would be expected if indirect horizontal transmission were the predominant route. In contrast, T. gondii DNA was detected in brain and faecal samples from wildcats, confirming their role as definitive hosts in this ecosystem. Overall, our results reinforce the hypothesis that alpine ecosystems are environments with low T. gondii oocyst contamination and that the parasite most probably relies on sylvatic cycles. These results suggest that wild ruminants, such as chamois and mouflon, could serve as effective sentinels of changes in the extent of this parasite under ongoing environmental and ecological changes.M. P. Ribas was funded through the 2021 FI Scholarship, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (FI_B 00171). The study was funded by the “Subdirecció General d’Activitats Cinegètiques i de Pesca Continental, Departament d’Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural. Catalonia Government: AG-2022-993”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Spontaneous generation of diverse recombinant prion strains: sulfated glycan cofactors facilitate strain emergence but do not determine specific strain properties
No full textSignificant advances over the last two decades in the study of in vitro prion formation and propagation have revealed that distinct cofactors can facilitate or induce spontaneous prion misfolding. This, in turn, has raised important questions about the role of cofactors and their potential significance in vivo in prion diseases. Key questions include whether cofactors are necessary for prion infectivity or whether they might play a crucial role in determining strain features without being essential for infection. Grounded in previous work that showed that polyanions such as RNA or dextran sulfate facilitate spontaneous prion misfolding in vitro, we have addressed whether other chemically similar cofactors could expand the diversity of PrPSc conformers and whether these would exhibit distinctive strain features. Using the Protein Misfolding Shaking Amplification (PMSA) and three different polyanionic cofactors (heparin, chondroitin sulfate and pentosan polysulfate), we obtained and characterized a total of nine conformers and compared them to previously generated strains obtained with dextran sulfate. All nine conformers proved infectious in transgenic mice, generating distinct prion strains and suggesting that different cofactors can indeed drive the formation of distinct conformers. However, the observed variations within conformers generated with the same cofactor indicate a degree of structural flexibility, likely resulting in related but distinguishable groups of conformers. Our study demonstrates that sulfated glycans not only facilitate in vitro spontaneous PrPSc generation but also enable the emergence of multiple distinct prion strains, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying strain diversity and their potential relevance to spontaneous prion diseases.The present work was partially funded by the following grants awarded by “Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación” (Spanish Government): PID2024-160022OB-I00, PID2021-122201OB-C21 (granted to J.C.), PID2021-122201OB-C22 (granted to E.V.), and PID2020-117465GB-I00 (granted to J.R.R.), funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Changes in quality-related traits and ethylene metabolism of two distinct apple genotypes grown at high vs low altitudes
No full textOrchard locations with differing altitudinal characteristics were studied to better understand how different
environmental conditions may affect the ripening process of ‘Golden Reinders’ and ‘Mandy’ apple cultivars, as
well as their quality traits at harvest and after storage. During the first season, differences on quality traits at
harvest and postharvest were detected between apples grown at several low and high-altitude orchards,
particularly for the ‘Mandy’ cultivar. In the second season, the study focused on selected low and high-altitude
orchards for both genotypes investigating the influence of the environmental conditions on ethylene metabolism
and fruit quality at harvest and postharvest. Results showed that fruit grown at cooler locations exhibited
increased physiological maturity at harvest. This increase in maturity was determined at an early stage, during
growth, and generally associated with significant changes in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis and signalling.
Nonetheless, and despite the increased maturity, fruit from high altitude orchards, exhibited better
quality after storage and during shelf-life, with improved colouration, maintained firmness and acidity, and
better sensorial acceptance. These results suggest that the final quality of the apples is influenced not only by
ethylene-dependent processes but also by other factors modulated by environmental cues. In fact, the impact of
the environment was greater on the ‘Mandy’ cultivar, while the effect of the genotype was different between lowaltitude
and high-altitude locations, thus highlighting the importance of genotype × environment interactions
for selecting genotypes with stable performance across different environments and resulting specifically interesting
in the new challenging context of climate change.This work has been financially supported by the CERCA programme and SGR 01477 (Generalitat de Catalunya), by Spain’s Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through national project PID2020–117607RR-I00 /AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (ENVIRONAPPLE). We would especially like to thank Elisabeth Duaigues for her indispensable and outstanding technical support.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Digital Twin Irrigation Strategies to Mitigate Drought Effects in Processing Tomatoes
No full textThe increasing frequency and intensity of droughts, a direct consequence of climate change,
represent one of the main threats to agriculture, especially for crops with a high water
demand such as the processing tomato. The objective of this study is to evaluate the
potential of the IrriDesK digital twin (DT) as a tool for automated irrigation management
and the implementation of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies tailored to the crop’s
water status and phenological stage. The trial was conducted in an experimental plot
over two consecutive growing seasons (2023–2024), comparing three irrigation treatments:
full irrigation based on lysimeter measurements (T1) and two RDI strategies programmed
through IrriDesK (T2 and T3). The results showed water consumption reductions of 30–45%
in treatments T2 and T3 compared to treatment T1, with applied volumes of 277–400 mm
versus approximately 570 mm in treatment T1, thus remaining within the sustainability
threshold (<500 mm, equivalent to 5000 m3 ha−1
). This threshold corresponds to the
maximum seasonal allocation typically available for processing tomato under drought
conditions in the region and was used to configure the DT’s seasonal irrigation plan.
The monitoring of leaf water potential (Ψleaf) and the normalized difference vegetation
index (NDVI) confirmed the DT’s ability to dynamically adjust irrigation and maintain
an adequate water status during critical crop phases. In terms of productivity, treatment
T1 achieved the highest yields (≈135 t ha−1
), while RDI strategies reduced production to
90–108 t ha−1
, but improved fruit quality, with increases in total soluble solids content of
up to 10–15% (◦Brix). These results demonstrate that IrriDesK is an effective tool for the
optimization of water use while maintaining crop profitability and enhancing the resilience
of processing tomatoes to drought scenarios.ET4DROUGHT (PID2021-127345OR-C33) and DigiSPAC (TED2021-131237B-C22) projects funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities/State Research Agency/10.13039/501100011033 co-financed by ERDF a way of making Europe and by EU Next Generation/Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Development of vegetable creams enriched with different microalgae species: a study on the physicochemical and sensory stability over time
Get PDFVegetable creams are a popular food with sensory characteristics (intense color, smooth texture, rich flavor) suitable for the inclusion of microalgae ingredients. Limited examples of vegetable creams reformulation with microalgae are reported in the literature, and no research has focused on their stability. This study evaluates the quality parameters of heat-treated, high-protein vegetable creams formulated with Spirulina, Tetraselmis chui, and four different Chlorella vulgaris strains over an 8-month period. The investigation examines changes in physicochemical properties (color, moisture, consistency, pH, °Brix, syneresis), microbiological parameters, and sensory profile. Physicochemical results showed enhanced homogenization effects of microalgae, suggesting valuable technological applications. The sensory analysis highlights a general enhancement of umami and salty perception, with differences depending on the species considered. Yellow chlorellas were the least impactful in terms of flavor but require further investigation regarding their pronounced color influence. Tetraselmis chui altered the most the sensory profile with a strong fishy and shellfish flavor. Over time, color variation deserves attention since slight browning phenomena, with possible negative effects on consumer perception, were observed. Regarding sensory aspects, limited and no detrimental effects were detected over time in texture, taste, and smell. No adverse impact on shelf life was observed, suggesting applications in long-term storage foods.This research has been supported by the ProFuture project (H2020 Grant Agreement n° 862980) and CERCA Programme (Generalitat de Catalunya).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Evaluating the impact of drought and water restrictions on agricultural production in irrigated areas through crop water productivity functions and a remote sensing-based evapotranspiration model
Get PDFIn Mediterranean regions, climate change is leading to reduced precipitation, along with more frequent and severe droughts, and prolonged periods of water scarcity. In this context, as reservoir levels drop dramatically, some irrigated agricultural areas are compelled to impose water restrictions on farmers to enhance efficiency and protect crops. This study aims to evaluate the impact of varying levels of water restrictions on crop productivity across different crops, taking into account water allocation rights and the irrigation management practices of each irrigation district. Since crop yield is closely linked to the water used (crop actual evapotranspiration, ETcact), this study proposes a novel approach based on using crop water productivity functions and a remote sensing-based surface energy balance model to spatially estimate ETcact. The research was conducted across fourteen irrigation districts in Lleida and Girona, Spain, simulating six scenarios with different levels of precipitation and water rights reductions. The findings showed that reduced water availability significantly negatively affected both simulated evapotranspiration and crop yields across all districts, with variations between districts and crops. On average, yield reductions reached up to 18 % in Lleida and 16 % in Girona under the least restrictive scenarios, while more severe restrictions caused decreases of 48 % and 28 %, respectively. This approach offers valuable insights for water management agencies regarding the effects of water restrictions on crop yield losses, enabling them to make more informed decisions. Incorporating this methodology into emergency drought management plans is essential for fostering resilience in a changing climate.This research was supported by the Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda (DACC) of the government of Catalonia, under the framework of drought during 2023. In addition, projects ET4DROUGHT (No. PID2021-127345OR-C31) and DIGISPAC (TED2021-131237B-C21) both funded by the Spanish Research Agency of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN-AEI) of Spain, also contributed with this research. We also extend our gratitude to the Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (SMC), particularly Vicent Altava, for providing us with the high-resolution precipitation maps.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Mono- and sesquiterpenoid fingerprinting: A powerful and streamlined solution for pine nut authentication
Get PDFThis study proposes a novel authentication method for pine nut geographical and botanical origin, using mono-
and sesquiterpene fingerprints (extracted ion chromatograms from specific ions) analysed via solid-phase
microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, combined with chemometrics (partial
least squares – discriminant analysis). It was tested on 253 samples from China, Russia (major producers of Pinus
koraiensis and Pinus sibirica), Spain and Turkey (supplying Pinus pinea), across harvest years. The method ach-
ieved 100 % accuracy in external validation when distinguishing Spanish from non-Spanish pine nuts, and 99 %
accuracy in differentiating Pinus pinea samples from two distinct Spanish regions. This simple, affordable, and
automatable approach proves to be an effective screening tool. It could support official controls in preventing
pine nut counterfeiting, as these highly valued nuts have sensory and nutritional characteristics influenced by
their species and origin, which, in turn, affect their priceThis work was developed in the context of the project TRACENUTS, PID2020-117701RB-I00 financed by MICIU/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033. B. Torres-Cobos thanks the Spanish Ministry of Universities predoctoral fellowships FPU20/01454.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Activating Thermoplastic Polyurethane Surfaces with Poly(ethylene glycol)-Based Recombinant Human α‑Defensin 5 Monolayers for Antibiofilm Activity
Get PDFAddressing multidrug-resistant microbial infections linked to implantable biomedical devices is an urgent need. In recent years, there has been an active exploration of different surface coatings to prevent and combat drug-resistant microbes. In this research, we present a facile chemical modification of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) surfaces with poly(ethylene glycol)-based recombinant human α-defensin 5 (HD5) protein with antimicrobial activity. TPU is one of the most relevant materials used for medical devices with good mechanical properties but also good chemical resistance, which makes it difficult to modify. The chemical modification of TPU surfaces is achieved via a three-step procedure based on (i) TPU activation using hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI); (ii) interfacial reaction with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivatives; and finally, (iii) a facile click reaction between the PEG-maleimide terminated assembled monolayers on the TPU and the cysteine (-thiol) termination of the recently designed recombinant human α-defensin 5 (HD5) protein. The obtained PEG based HD5 assembled monolayers on TPU were characterized using a surface science multitechnique approach including scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, contact angle, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The modified TPU surfaces with the HD5 protein derivative exhibit broad-spectrum antibacterial properties reducing biofilm formation against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (Gram-positive) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) (Gram-positive). These findings underscore the substantial potential of protein-modified TPU surfaces for applications in combating bacterial infections associated with implantable materials and devices.Financial support by the MICIU of Spain (projects PID2019105622RBI00, PID2020-115296RA-I00, PID2022-137332OBI00, CEX2019-000917-S, CEX2023- 001263-S), CSIC (project 2023AEP092), the Marató de TV3 foundation (project number 201812-30-31-32-33 and 202326-30-31-32-33), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (project SGR Cat 2021-00438 and 2021-01552) is acknowledged. The authors are also grateful for the financial support received from Instituto de Salud Carlos III and the Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBERBBN). J.G. is grateful to the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research (Heidelberg, Germany) for their collaboration through the Max Planck Partner Group “Dynamic Biomimetics for Cancer Immunotherapy”. ICMAB-CSIC acknowledges support from the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (FUNFUTURE, CEX2019-000917-S). J.M.M. received a personal 80:20 research grant from the Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain, during 2017−24. This work has been developed inside the Materials Science PhD program of Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. X.R.R. was supported by a grant PTA2021-020955-I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and the FSE. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 801342 (Tecniospring INDUSTRY) and the Government of Catalonia’s Agency for Business Competitiveness (ACCIO; TECSPR19-1-0065). A.L.-C. received a predoctoral fellowship from Generalitat de Catalunya (FIAGAUR), and P.B. was supported by a PFIS predoctoral fellowship (FI20/00009) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. The authors also acknowledge the ICTS NANBIOSIS for the support of the Biomaterial Processing and Nanostructuring Unit (U6) at ICMAB-CSIC (https://www.nanbiosis.es/ portfolio/u6-biomaterial-processing-and-nanostructuring-unit/info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio