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Apple phenotyping using deep learning and 3D depth analysis: An experimental study on fruitlet sizing during early development
Get PDFCurrent research in apple-growing focuses on collecting extensive biometric data to better understand physiological processes, improve orchard productivity and predict yields. In this context, fruit thinning has emerged as a key horticultural practice to enhance fruit size and quality while preventing alternate bearing. Despite the growing role of plant imaging technologies in agronomic management, fruitlet sizing remains challenging, particularly in early phenological stages. To address this challenge, we developed an RGB-D-based vision pipeline that combines YOLO models with depth information and relies on the statistical analysis of frame series to detect and cluster fruitlets into flower corymbs, providing both fruitlet counting and diameter estimates for each video acquisition. After obtaining an [email protected] and AP@[0.5:0.95] of respectively 0.894 and 0.77 in fruitlet detection, along with a precision of 0.881 and a recall of 0.846, our approach efficiently processed video frames, extracting the most reliable data for each labeled cluster. While the comparison of true positive estimates with calibrated caliper measurements showed a mean RMSE of 1.05 mm, challenges remain in achieving the correct fruitlet count, with a mean counting error of 0.63 fruitlets per video. Additionally, the proposed workflow retrieved the exact number of fruitlets as the ground truth in 56.4% of the videos, increasing to 75% when excluding those videos where the correct fruitlet count was never detected in any frame by the YOLO model. Despite these limitations, our results are promising, proposing a potential data acquisition tool without compromising the reliability of traditional practices. This approach could pave the way for future applications, including the evaluation of plant growth regulator trials and the development of predictive models for yield and productivity optimization
Enhanced photocatalytic performance of ZnO nanoparticles functionalized with 5-(4′-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin-zinc
No full textZnO nanoparticles were decorated with 5-(4′-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenyl porphyrin-zinc (ZnTPPCO2Na) and used for photocatalytic removal of Rhodamine B dye. The morphology, composition, and structure of the resulting ZnTPPCO2Na/ZnO nanocomposite were characterized by SEM, HRTEM, XRD, EDS, UV–vis, and FTIR spectroscopy. The nanocomposite exhibits spherical nanoparticles of diameter 30–100 nm with an extremely thin organic layer on the surface. The nanomaterial exhibited good photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B in aqueous solution, far exceeding the performance of pure ZnO nanoparticles. The thinness of the porphyrin layer aids the synergistic combination between the nanomaterials, significantly increasing the removal rate of RhB up to 99.86 % after 120 min under UV light illumination. The photocatalytic mechanism occurs at the interface between ZnTPPCO2Na, ZnO, and dye and mainly involves •O2− and OH•, enhancing charge separation via exciton-coupled charge transfer processes. Despite promising results, the UV-specific activity limits the usability, emphasizing the need for visible light-responsive systems for broader applications in environmental remediatio
Reduced stomatal density improves water-use efficiency in grapevine under climate scenarios of decreased water availability
Get PDFIn Arabidopsis stomatal initiation relies on the transcription factor SPEECHLESS, which is positively regulated by AtEPFL9, a peptide of the epidermal patterning factor family. In grapevine, two EPFL9 paralogs exist but despite a structural similarity, their specific function remains unclear. In this study, we investigated their distinct functional roles and the extent to which reduced stomatal density (SD) may be beneficial for grapevine in terms of water use. We combined expression analysis of the two paralogs in untreated and ABA-treated leaves with the functional characterization of the two genes using grapevine epfl9-1 and epfl9-2 mutants. A physiological analysis of epfl9-2 mutants under different environmental conditions was also performed. We showed that VviEPFL9-1 is exclusively expressed in leaf primordia, whereas VviEPFL9-2 plays a predominant role in fine-tuning SD during the leaf expansion. An epfl9-2 mutant line with 84% lower SD than wild type, exhibited a significant improvement in intrinsic water-use efficiency under both well-watered and water-stressed conditions, with little trade-off in photosynthesis. When the reduction in SD was close to 60%, photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance were comparable to WT. Our results provide compelling evidence that VviEPFL9-2 knockout determines a significant reduction in stomatal density without a major impact on photosynthesis which may help optimize the adverse impacts of climate change on viticultur
Quantifying the effect of evaporation on the survival of Aedes albopictus at different temperatures
No full textAnts’ semiochemicals deters Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) activity on olive trees
Get PDFThe meadow spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) (L.), is the primary vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae) (Wells et al.), which causes a severe vascular disease leading to significant economic losses in olive production in southern Italy. In this study, we investigated the deterrent effect of ant scent on the behavior and activity of P. spumarius on olive twigs. Using binary choice experiments, we found that the compounds released by Crematogaster scutellaris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) (Olivier) ants significantly reduced the time spent by spittlebugs on the olive twigs. Chemical analysis of ant cuticular composition, and of ant-scented and control olive leaves identified a mixture of specific compounds, which include octadecanal, triacontane, nepetalactol, and pelargonic acid, presumably involved in this interaction. Our findings contribute to the understanding of trait-mediated indirect interactions in agroecosystems and suggest further studies focused on behavioral bioassay-based experiments to evaluate the potential role of ants' chemical cues in P. spumarius control to preserve olive grove
Tracking polysulfide dynamics and hydrogen sulfide formation in wine using advanced chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques
No full textExploring antibiotic resistance in earth's coldest regions
Get PDFAntibiotics, important medicines that fight harmful bacteria, face a big problem: bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant. This means that bacteria are changing in ways that antibiotics designed to kill them do not cause any harm anymore. Once only a concern in hospitals, antibiotic-resistance has reached Earth’s coldest places, like glaciers and the Arctic. This article explores how bacteria in these icy places learned to withstand antibiotics and how human activities, like tourism, worsen the problem. Join us on a fascinating journey into the ice, to understand how antibiotic-resistance spreads in these faraway places, how strong these bacteria can be, and how human behavior can play a role in bacterial antibiotic-resistance in icy locations. Together, we will find ways to keep antibiotics working well, to protect people’s health everywhere
O DI-MS for precision fermentation: case study of microalgae fermentation with kefir starters by PTR-ToF-MSR1
No full textNative and non-native monumental trees in cultural landscapes: a spatially heterogeneous source of biodiversity
Get PDFMonumental trees hold considerable ecological, cultural, and socio-economic values, providing crucial ecosystem services. Updated catalogues of monumental trees represent an essential starting point for the study and appropriate management of these entities. This study offers comprehensive insights into the composition, distribution, and ecological significance of the Italian monumental tree community. We used the Italian monumental trees inventory (4657 spatially explicit records) provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry. While native species dominate the monumental trees community, the noteworthy presence of non-native trees highlights ecological and historical dynamics at the national scale. Non-native species dominate the urban monumental trees community. Spatial analysis reveals clustering of monumental trees at provincial and local levels, suggesting the existence of biodiversity and cultural hotspots (e.g., parks, churches, historic villas, and royal palaces). We showed discrepancies concerning the application of monumentality criteria between native and non-native species, which also depend on their surrounding environment (e.g., urban settings favoring historical and architectural significance criteria). Native species are positively associated with criteria used to identify monumental trees such as age, circumference, crown size, shape, and ecological value, while non-native species are linked with historical, landscape, architectural, and botanical rarity values. Our findings highlight the multifaceted nature of the monumental tree communit
DNA metabarcoding analysis of stomach flushing contents reveals the exceptionally diverse diet of the golden alpine salamander
Get PDFAmphibians, particularly salamanders, are facing dramatic population declines worldwide; therefore, investigating their role as predators through diet analysis could inform targeted conservation programs. DNA metabarcoding significantly outperforms morphology-based identification of prey taxa in other vertebrates, but has rarely been applied to amphibians, and then only for faecal samples. Here, we chose the golden Alpine salamander Salamandra atra aurorae, an endangered endemism of the Italian Alps, to (i) develop a new metabarcoding protocol for amphibian stomach flushing samples; (ii) investigate the diet of this subspecies, including differences in the Frequency of Occurrence (%FO) of prey taxa between sexes; and (iii) compare these results with a recently published morphology-based identification of diet for the same samples. From 53 golden Alpine salamanders from the Province of Trento (Italy) population, targeting two COI fragments with DNA metabarcoding, we detected an extraordinary 177 prey taxa (103 to species), obtaining a much higher proportion of positive samples and taxonomic resolution compared to the morphological study. The FO of these taxa showed a strong positive correlation between sexes. In amphibian diet studies, the inclusion of metabarcoding protocols for stomach flushes could accelerate our understanding of their trophic ecology and improve future conservation actions