Current Issue : October-December Volume : 2025 Issue Number : 4 Articles : 5 Articles
Spectral indices such as NDRE (Normalized Difference Red Edge Index), CCCI (Canopy Chlorophyll Content Index), and IRECI (Inverted Red Edge Chlorophyll Index), derived from the Red Edge band of MSI/Sentinel-2A (B05, B06, B07), are critical for coffee monitoring. To align the Red Edge band (20 m resolution) with the NIR band (10 m resolution), the nearest neighbor, bilinear, cubic and Lanczos resampling methods were used, available in the Terra package in the R software(4.4.0). This study evaluates these methods using two original B05 images from 24 November 2023, and 21 September 2023, covering the “Ouro Verde” (15 ha) and “Canto do Rio” (45 ha) farms in Bahia, Brazil. A total of 500 random points were analyzed using PSF, linear models, and cross-validation with R2, MAE, and RMSE. PSF analysis confirmed data integrity, and the cubic method demonstrated the best performance (R2 = 0.996, MAE = 0.008 and RMSE = 0.012 in the “Ouro Verde” Farm and R2 = 0.995, MAE = 0.007 and RMSE = 0.011 in the “Canto do Rio” Farm). The results highlight the importance of selecting appropriate resampling methods for precise remote sensing in coffee cultivation, ensuring accurate digital processing aligned with study objectives....
Phoxim is a pesticide extensively applied in mulberry fields, and residues may persist on leaves even after the recommended pre-harvest interval. However, the potential risks of these residues to Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) have long been overlooked. The results demonstrated that chronic low-dose exposure from the second to fifth instars significantly impaired silkworm development and silk production. Specifically, larvae in the 0.316 μg/mL treatment group (1/2 LC50) exhibited a significant reduction in body weight, while the cocoon shell ratio was significantly decreased in both the 0.079 μg/mL (1/8 LC50) and 1/2 LC50 groups. Cocoon deformities were observed in the 0.032 μg/mL (1/20 LC50), 1/8 LC50, and 1/2 LC50 groups. Histopathological analysis revealed silk gland damage in the treatment groups, with severity increasing with higher phoxim concentrations. Biochemical analyses indicated elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels accompanied by increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities. Notably, phoxim exposure selectively reduced juvenile hormone (JH) titers without affecting ecdysone titers. JH-regulated genes including the receptors Met1 and Met2, and transcription factors Kr-h1 and Dimm were downregulated, accompanied by suppressed expression of the fibroin synthesis gene Fib-H. These results collectively indicate that chronic low-concentration phoxim exposure disrupts endocrine regulation, damages silk gland integrity, and ultimately reduces silk production in silkworm....
Air assistance and electrical charge transfer to droplets can optimize pesticide applications and reduce losses in sweet pepper cultivation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spray rate and pneumatic spraying with and without an electrostatic charge on spray deposition, spray coverage, and ground losses in sweet pepper crops. Four application techniques were employed: standard farmer hydraulics (SFH), reduced volume hydraulics (RVH), pneumatic with air and electrostatic assistance (PAEA), and pneumatic with air assistance (PAA). The effects of the application techniques on spray deposition varied as a function of plant height, canopy depth, and leaf surface. The SFH resulted in the greatest amounts of spray deposition on the adaxial leaf surface. In contrast, PAEA resulted in the greatest amounts of deposition on the abaxial leaves. The PAEA treatment improved spray coverage on abaxial leaves of the external canopy but did not improve spray coverage on the internal canopy. Compared to the SFH treatment, the 50% reduction in the spray rate of the RVH treatment decreased deposition and spray coverage. The pneumatic treatments, regardless of electrostatic charges, resulted in lower spray loss to the ground....
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), cultivated worldwide for its nutrient-rich underground tubers, represents a crucial staple crop whose yield is primarily determined by both tuber number and tuber size. TCP transcription factors, especially TCP containing miR319 binding sites, play pivotal roles in plant growth and development, yet their functions in potato tuber number and size remain largely unexplored. In this study, we systematically identified 32 TCP genes in potato harboring the conserved TCP domain, among which six were predicted to contain binding sites for Stu-miR319. Semi-quantitative experiments revealed that StTCP10 exhibited the highest expression levels in stolons, swollen stolons, and tuber tissues compared to other StTCP genes containing miR319 binding sites. To elucidate its biological function, we generated StTCP10-overexpressing transgenic potato lines through Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. Phenotypic analysis demonstrated that overexpression of StTCP10 reduced tuber number per plant while enhancing tuber size, with no significant change in total yield. These findings reveal that StTCP10 with Stu-miR319 binding sites plays a critical role in tuber size and mediates the trade-off between tuber size and number, providing novel insights into the molecular breeding aimed at improving tuber size....
Planting density can influence the growth and potential yield of grain sorghum systems, particularly in resource-limited environments. Therefore, documenting the sorghum’s response to different planting densities is essential for understanding crop behavior in relation to optimal yields. A study was conducted in Lahoma and Perkins, Oklahoma, in 2019 and 2020 to assess the impact of varying planting densities and within-row planting in-row gaps. Planting density varied from 43,225 to 223,500 plants ha−1. Three additional treatments were implemented at 148,000 plants ha−1 with 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m gaps. An increase in plant density resulted in higher yields at Lahoma in 2019. However, at Perkins in 2019 and 2020, yields were optimized at 148,000 and 111,000 plants ha−1, respectively, and decreased as planting densities diminished. In-row gaps of 0.3 and 0.6 m did not significantly affect yields across all site-years; however, at Perkins, the 0.9 m gap significantly reduced yields compared to stands without gaps in both years. Overall, a direct relationship was observed between sorghum yields and planting density. Further evaluation of in-row gaps and how planting management should be adjusted is warranted based on the presented information....
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