Herbicide selectivity in forest species remains poorly understood, particularly for HPPD inhibitors. We evaluated foliar isoxaflutole tolerance in open-pollinated Eucalyptus “urograndis” progenies (Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla) from three commercial clones (I-144, IPB1, and SUZA217), integrating LC–MS/MS profiling, a dose-gradient assay, and microsatellite analysis. Isoxaflutole, diketonitrile (DKN), and 2-methylsulfonyl-4-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid (BA) levels were measured over 168 h. Total recovered isoxaflutole declined after 6 h, while the internal parent compound stayed stable; among-progeny differences in BA were not significant after false-discovery-rate correction. Shoot biomass showed no consistent dose-dependent decline up to 32× the standard dose. Injury severity differed among the progenies (p = 0.0007) with the progeny × dose interaction being significant (p = 0.027); I-144 showed the greatest injury and diverged from IPB1 and SUZA217 as the dose increased. Maternal-compatibility analysis of 21 microsatellite loci showed that the 1-km isolation radius did not prevent external pollen flow. Here, all the IPB1 and SUZA217 seedlings and at least 4 out of 10 I-144 seedlings carried non-maternal alleles, with 3.67 to 6.71 alleles per locus and outcrossing rates from 0.40 to 1.00. Foliar isoxaflutole caused progeny-specific injury but no mortality or reproducible biomass loss up to 32 times the operational rate, which supports its use in eucalypt plantations.
Invasive arthropods continue to enter the United States at a high rate, yet research on emerging pests often begins only after establishment is evident through economic damage. Using Nipaecoccus viridis as a case example, this study evaluates whether scientific output kept pace with the species’ arrival and establishment in the U.S., as establishment was recognized only after damage was observed. A standardized bibliometric analysis of global, U.S., and open-access publications revealed a consistent research lag pattern. Global publication activity increased gradually following early detections, but rose sharply only after N. viridis became established in commercial citrus and began causing damage. U.S. research output remained low for decades and increased only after the establishment, with damage confirmed in 2020. Open-access availability expanded after 2019, but remained limited and did not increase significantly. Country-level comparisons showed that the U.S. is a strong global outlier in publication intensity, while continent-level differences were not significant. These results illustrate a broader principle in invasion biology: research effort and information accessibility intensify only after a species is established and begins causing damage. This lag affects taxonomy, diagnostics, and pest management, particularly in ornamental landscapes where many invasive arthropods first establish. Proactive development of taxonomic and diagnostic tools, and early IPM capacity would strengthen preparedness for high-risk invasive species and reduce reliance on reactive responses once damage is underway.
Salvia miltiorrhiza is a perennial herb of the Lamiaceae family and an important traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Nanyang in Henan Province is its principal production area, where disease problems have become increasingly prominent under large-scale cultivation. In June 2025, a leaf black spot disease was observed in S. miltiorrhiza plantations in Nanyang. The disease mainly affected leaves and, in severe cases, caused defoliation and branch dieback. In this study, the pathogen was isolated using a tissue isolation method, and a systematic investigation was conducted through morphological observation, multi-gene molecular identification, and pathogenicity assays. Morphological results showed that the colony, mycelial, and conidial characteristics of the isolates were consistent with those of the genus Alternaria. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analyses based on the ITS, tef1, and Alt a 1 genes indicated that the isolates shared 99–100% similarity with Alternaria alternata. Pathogenicity was verified according to Koch's postulates. This study is the first to confirm that A. alternata is the causal agent of black spot disease of S. miltiorrhiza in the Nanyang region of China, providing a scientific basis for precise disease management.
Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most abundant row crops in the southeastern United States. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Z.) has become a pest causing concern for cotton growers and little is known about how deer feeding affects cotton growth and subsequent economic impact, if any. In this study, a total of 38 locations throughout the state of Georgia over two years (19 in both 2024 and 2025) were evaluated to determine the impact white-tailed deer have on cotton in grower's fields. Each location had two treatments (unprotected and protected) replicated three to six times per location. Across all locations, feeding damaged 22% of plants over the entire season, reduced plant heights 11%, delayed maturity, and reduced lint yield and boll density 11 and 17%, respectively. Three groups were formed based on the percentage of plants that had been fed on: low injury (0-33%), moderate (34-66%) and severe (67-100%). No differences were observed where low levels of deer feeding were observed. However, moderate and severe levels of feeding did have consequences. Where severe feeding occurred, agronomic consequences included shorter plants and delayed maturity relative to protected cotton, and lint yield was also reduced 30% as a result of deer feeding. These data indicate white-tailed deer are negatively impacting cotton growth, development, and yield on the farm. Future research should focus on developing management strategies for growers to economically minimize deer damage to cotton.
Bird damage can significantly reduce yields of some crops, contributing to food security challenges around the globe. Farmers use a variety of bird deterrents aimed at reducing crop losses to birds. Despite their wide use, few studies have attempted to independently test the efficacy of bird deterrent methods in the field-largely because of difficulties controlling for numerous confounding factors around crop harvest. Here, we developed a cafeteria-style experiment providing four common seed types, to test the relative efficacy of three common commercial bird deterrents used in Aotearoa New Zealand: gas gun, field laser, and raptor-silhouette kite. We ran a series of 72-h trials to test the deterrents in a randomized block design at three different farms. We found that the field laser was the most successful deterrent for reducing bird foraging on seeds, followed by the raptor kite. The gas gun was not significantly different from the control. Sunflower seeds were the most rapidly consumed seed type, followed by oilseed rape and radish seeds, and barley. There was significant variation across seed types and farms, suggesting that bird deterrent efficacy is context dependent. Bird abundance, tracked with trail cameras, showed all devices decreased bird activity compared to the control, and we recommend further research into vigilance behavior in response to each deterrent type. Utilizing a cafeteria-trial experiment to test bird deterrents is a feasible method that can be carried out at any time, avoiding issues of confounding factors during harvest.
