The aim of the research was to determine the effect of increasing NaCl concentration (one of the important stress factors for crop plants) on the growth of entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Beauveria and Metarhizium in vitro. The influence of 1, 3, 5 and 15% NaCl con¬centration on the growth of colonies of four selected species of fungi Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria brongniartii, Metarhizium anisopliae and Metarhizium flavoviride was examined in laboratory conditions. Test concentrations were added to Sabouraud’s culture medium (SDA). Colony growth observations were made every 5 days until day 20, measuring the colony diameter in mm. The conducted research showed that the NaCl concentrations used in the experiment had a differential effect on the growth of colonies of the tested species of entomopathogenic fungi of the genus Beauveria and Metarhizium. A slight salinity of the culture medium (1% NaCl concentration), regardless of the date of observation, increased the growth of B. bassiana and B. brongniartii colonies and limited the growth of M. fla¬voviride. On the 20th day of observation, 3% salinity statistically significantly stimulated the growth of the B. bassiana and M. flavoviride strains. A higher concentration of NaCl limited the growth of the tested strains, with M. flavoviride showing the greatest resistance, which may indicate it as a species with a relatively high potential for resistance to salinity. 15% salinity completely inhibited the growth of all entomopathogenic fungi tested.
The study examined the impact of aqueous extracts from Urtica dioica L. and fresh nettle parts on the feeding behavior of Sitona linea¬tus L., the survival of Aphis fabae Scop. on broad bean leaves, and the feeding of L4 larvae of Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say. Olfactory responses of the insects to nettle were also investigated. Results revealed that 10, 20 and 30% concentrations of aqueous extracts from fresh nettle significantly inhibited feeding in S. lineatus females. Conversely, the 10% extract from dried nettle had the most pronounced effect on S. lineatus males. Higher concentrations of common nettle extracts increased mortality in A. fabae females and larvae, with fresh extracts exhibiting a more potent impact. The body weight of L. decemlineata larvae slightly increased with all extracts, particularly the 30% concentration of fresh nettle. While all extracts reduced food consumption by L. decemlineata larvae, no discernible differences were observed based on concentration or preparation method. Olfactometer research indicated a repellent response of L. decemlineata females to common nettle odors, but no significant influence on the behavior of S. lineatus and winged A. fabae females was observed.
The basis of phytopathological diagnostics are Koch’s postulates, the fulfillment of which allows determining whether the examined microorganism is the cause of a given disease. The third of these postulates specifies that inoculation of a healthy host plant with a pure culture of the putative pathogen must result in the induction of disease symptoms similar or the same to those occurring in natural con¬ditions. To meet Koch’s third postulate, a pathogenicity test result is required, and incorrect interpretation may lead to rejection of cor¬rect results. Many years of research on bacteriosis of crop plants, including corn, have shown that the symptoms of the disease resulting from inoculation with the tested strain of bacteria may vary, depending on the inoculation method used and the incubation conditions of the inoculated plants. The conducted research determined the impact of various methods of inoculating corn plants with selected strains of pathogenic bacteria isolated from diseased corn plants on the occurrence and development of disease symptoms. These strains belonged to the species Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, Dickeya zeae, Pantoea ananatis, Pantoea agglomerans and Enterobacter cloaceae subsp. dissolvens. It was observed that the symptoms of the disease caused by the inoculation methods used dif¬fer from the symptoms observed in natural conditions. Moreover, regardless of the species affiliation of the tested bacterial strains, the observed symptoms were similar within a given inoculation method. Also, regardless of the species affiliation of the tested strain, incuba¬tion of inoculated plants in a culture chamber with optimal conditions for the development of the disease resulted in the acceleration of symptoms and disease development.
The physico-chemical properties of the spray liquid affect the efficiency and effectiveness of crop protection treatments. A measure of leaf wettability is the wetting angle, the testing of which is neglected in routinely performed spraying. In the search for a method useful for determining leaf wetting angle for crop protection treatments, the method that Bikerman (1941) applied to the surface of the object observed from above was evaluated. The assumptions of the method and the resulting opportunities and constraints in its application are presented in this paper. The influence of leaf, liquid and droplet properties on the wetting angle was discussed. It was concluded that Bikerman’s method is suitable for determining leaf wetting angles over a wide range of physical properties of liquids used in crop protection treatments.
The study aimed to determine the species composition and abundance of parasitoids from the subfamilies Pimplinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) and Aphidiinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) found in various habitats in urban greenery and to demonstrate the rela¬tionship between plant species diversity and the species structure of parasitoid assemblages. It was found that only for the subfamily Aphidiinae was there a significant effect of habitats on the abundance of individual assemblages and the effect of years on the total abundance of assemblages. A positive relationship was observed between vegetation diversity and the abundance and species diversity of parasitoids of the subfamily Aphidiinae, as well as similarity in the qualitative-quantitative structure of Pimplinae assemblages present in a given habitat. Positive effects of trees: Betula pendula, Tilia tomentosa, Salix alba and Salix caprea, shrubs: Berberis julianae, Ber¬beris vulgaris and Spiraea japonica, and herbaceous plants: Elymus repens, Festuca rubra and Hypochoeris radicata on the qualitative¬-quantitative structure of parasitoid assemblages of the subfamily Pimplinae by creating a suitable food base for these entomophagous imagines were noted.
European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) is the most dangerous pest of maize (Zea mays L.) in Poland. Since 2009, the pest has been present in all provinces. This species requires monitoring to determine the need and timing of non-chemical or chemical control. One of the most effective methods of observing the appearance of the species in maize fields is the use of light traps that catch males and females of this species during the night. These are precision devices. In the tests carried out, it was checked which potential light sources would be useful to create a mobile battery-powered light trap. It was found that fluorescent lamps emitting UV radiation, such as: Philips TL Actinic BL (Hg) 15 W, Philips Actinic BL (Hg) 15 W and Philips TL BLB 18 W showed good suitability for catching O. nubilalis moths. Of these fluorescent lamps, the Philips TL Actinic BL (Hg) 15 W turned out to be the best. The comparison lamp powered by high-power mains electricity (Osram 250 W mercury bulb) was the most effective but required access to 230 V electricity.
Entomopathogenic nematodes in the family Steinernematidae (Filipjev, 1934) and Heterorhabditidae (Poinar, 1976) include more than 90 species and are symbiotically related to bacteria in the genera Xenorhabdus (Poinar, 1979) and Photorhabdus (Boemare, 1993). These nematodes are recognized as promising agents for biological control of many insect pest species in crops. The nematodes act as vectors, allowing the bacteria to enter the insect’s body, while the bacteria, after killing the insect, provide the nematodes with continued access to food and an environment for reproduction. Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus bacteria are closely related phylogenetically, but differ in their host specificity and production of different antibiotics and insecticidal toxins. Due to this symbiosis, they have been successfully implemented in integrated pest management programs around the world due to their strong insecticidal properties and wide range of action. This work presents a review of the symbiosis between bacteria and nematodes and their relationship in biological plant protection.
Since Poland has joined the structures of the European Union (EU), legal regulations at the EU level allow marketing of plant varieties registered in any country of the community. As part of the Post Registration Variety Trials (PRVT) in the Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) voivodeship, the analysis of the interaction of winter triticale cultivars for: height, lodging, diseases, yield and thousand kernel weight in growing seasons 2017–2019 was performed. For farmers, the most important and valuable effect of the research conducted in the PRVT system is the annual “List of varieties recommended for cultivation in the voivodeship”. The main purpose of PRVT research is to help farmers in accurate selection/choice of the most valuable varieties for cultivation, adapted to local conditions. This type of research provides users with continuous information about the variety value for cultivation and use, including their reaction to various agrotechnical factors.
Dry rot of tubers is one of the dozens of soil-borne diseases that cause severe yield losses of economic importance. The disease is caused by fungi of the Fusarium genus, which commonly live in the soil, and feed on organic matter as saprotrophs. Their widespread occurrence means they also inhabit other economically important crops: wheat, rye, oats, barley, triticale, and maize. Fusarium fungi are currently among the world’s most pathogenic and phytotoxic microorganisms. They cause numerous potato crop losses, and the disease’s course includes field and storage.
Leaf spot of oat caused by the fungus Pyrenophora chaetomioides Speg. (Drechslera avenae anamorph) (Eidam) (Scharif) is one of the most harmful and widespread diseases of oat. Field experiments were carried out in 2012–2016 in breeding fields in Kopaszewo. The aim of the study was to assess the susceptibility of oat cultivars to the infestation of D. avenae and to determine its influence on the yield. The incidence of the disease was dependent on the variety and varied between the study years, indicating the effect of a variation × year interaction. However, no statistical differences were found between the varieties of a given form. The cultivar least infested by the fungus D. avenae was the naked cultivar Nagus. In the group of hulled varieties Bingo and Zuch showed the highest resistant. The highest yield value was obtained in cultivation of the Arden hulled variety.
Climate changes observed for many years adversely affect the development of crops, but also create conditions for the development of individual diseases or their complexes, which so far have not found favorable conditions fot their development. One of such complexes is potato early dying (PED). The fungus Verticillium dahliae is considered to be the main culprit of this disease, but other culprits of PED include Colletotrichum coccodes (Wallr.) Hughes, Verticillium albo-atrum Reinke & Berthold and Fusarium spp. and pectynolytic bacteria Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum. Nematodes Paratylenchus penetrans (Cobb) Sher and Allen play an important role in stimulating the disease and increasing losses. The disease is common in potato-growing areas, causing losses of up to 50%. Due to large amount of infectious material and the possibility of long-term survival in the soil and the wide range of hosts, combating its harmfulness requires the use of all available methods.
Common wheat is an economically important crop, cultivated mainly for food purposes. During the growing season, wheat crops are exposed to feeding by numerous animal pests: insects, snails and plant parasitic nematodes. Among phytophagous nematodes, cystforming nematodes of the genus Heterodera and root-knot nematodes of Pratylenchus are recognized as pests of the crop. Spring observations of cultivation of common wheat in the winter form showed clusters of plants with symptoms of growth inhibition. Tylenchorhynchus dubius (Bütschli, 1873), Geocenamus microdorus (Geraert, 1966), Paratylenchus projectus Jenkins, 1956, Trichodorus primitivus (De Man, 1880) and Trichodorus viruliferus Hooper, 1963 were isolated from the soil of wheat root zone, pointing to them as a potential threat to the proper vegetation of the crop. Therefore, there is a message to start monitoring winter wheat crops for the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes, especially in the face of ongoing climate change.
The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the use of plant protection products on the freshwater ecosystem in the production of maize for grain in different soil tillage systems. The analyzes were performed on the basis of data on chemical protection of maize in conventional tillage, reduced tillage and direct sowing. The data were obtained from 15 selected farms located in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. The studies were conducted in accordance with the life cycle assessment methodology. Using the PestLCI 2.08 model, emissions to the environment from the use of plant protection products were determined. The calculated emissions were used to assess the freshwater ecotoxicity potential using the USEtox 2.02 model. It was found that in all soil tillage systems, the largest stream of emissions of active substances to the environment was the amount of substances available for leaching and surface runoff, followed by emissions to air and emissions to groundwater. Herbicides were the main source of emissions from plant protection products used. A greater threat of toxic effects on the freshwater ecosystem was observed on farms producing maize for grain in direct sowing due to the greater use of herbicides than on farms with conventional and reduced tillage.
The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) is the most dangerous pest of maize (Zea mays L.) in Poland. In the north of the country, in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, the pest appeared on maize for the first time in 2009. So far, there has been no information about the flights dynamics of this pest in this part of the country. In studies carried out in 2020–2023 in Tynwałd and Szałkowo, the flights of males and females of this pest was observed using a light trap. Based on the observations, it was found that the moths began to appear in the light trap from June 12, and their flight ended on August 15 at the latest. The maximum flights occurred at the end of the second and third decade of July. July was the month of greatest pest activity. During the research period, 142 moths were caught in the light trap in 2020, 245 in 2021, 224 in 2022 and 153 individuals in 2023. In all years of the study, the dominant sex was females, which constituted from 63.4 to 72.5% of the total population of caught moths.
Permanent human pressure on agricultural fields is a factor shaping and modifying the composition and structure of segetal commu¬nities. On arable fields, especially large-area ones, the phenomenon of impoverishment of species composition and the formation of fragmentary communities with a small number of species is observed. Communities appropriate for a given type of soil or crops are disappearing. In the communities, the total number of species is decreasing, but the number of troublesome species is increasing, which causes an increase in weed infestation of the stands. Weeds with wide adaptability, including ruderal species, which are starting to ap¬pear more and more often on agricultural fields, are becoming a problem. In recent years, an increase in the intensity of thermophilic species has also been observed. Among them, new taxa appear so far in southern Europe, such as common velvetleaf (Abutilon theo¬phrasti Medik.) or common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.). In the near future, we should expect problems from species that pose a significant threat to our southern neighbors, such as the Aleppo grass [Sorgum halepense (L.) Pers.], hairy cupgrass [Eriochloa villosa (Thunb.) Kunth.] or narrow-leaved ragwort (Senecio inequidens DC).
A significant problem of modern agriculture is the reduction in the effectiveness of plant protection products available on the market. The reason for the decrease or even complete loss of effectiveness of fungicides is often the increase in resistance to their active sub¬stances among the pathogens being fought. Resistance to the active substances of preparations is a feature that naturally occurs in fungal populations. However, human activities cause the development of this phenomenon to intensify. The article presents the modeses of action of the active substances of the fungicides most commonly used in Poland to protect crops: triazoles, morpholines, succinic acid de¬hydrogenase inhibitors and strobilurins. The mechanisms of acquiring resistance by fungi to these substances have also been described.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the cultivation system on the rate of degradation and movement of terbuthylazine in the soil. Model experiments were carried out on soil taken from the field, parts of which were differentiated for 3 years in terms of the cultivation system: conventional (with pre-winter ploughing), reduced (disk harrow + tillage unit) and zero tillage (no tillage – application of glyphosate-containing herbicide + direct sowing). The soil was collected with a Van der Horst core sampler into the columns. In a stationary spray chamber, a herbicide containing terbuthylazine was applied at the recommended dose of 500 g/ha. On the basis of the conducted research, it was found that terbuthylazine is a substance with medium persistence in soil (DT50 = 27–34 days). This substance shows the slowest degradation in soil with a zero tillage system. On the other hand, the lack of disturbing the soil structure has a positive effect on the mobility of the herbicide, allowing it to move faster outside the plant root zone.
The field research were carried out in 2021–2022, in Mariza sugar beet cultivar. The aim of the study was to develop an alternative weed control program without lenacil. The tested mixtures containing metamitron, ethofumesate, triflusulfuron-methyl, clopyralid, dimethanamid-P and quinomerac, used in various combinations together with the Atpolan BIO 80 EC Premium adjuvant, effectively controlled Chenopodium album up to phase 1 of the true leaf pair (BBCH 11). The absence of ethofumesate in the composition of mixtures or the use of metamitron (1050 g/ha) with triflusulfuron-methyl (15 g/ha) results in a deterioration in the effectiveness of combating Ch. album indencisive results. The addition of dimethanamide-P and quinomerac to the mixture of metamitron, ethofumesate and clopyralid gave inconclusive results. Depending on the year of the study, comparable control efficiency was obtained, oscillating in the range of the mixture of metamitron with ethofumesate, or a negligible improvement. The conducted research proved that the withdrawal of lenacil affect the deterioration of the effectiveness of combating Ch. album.
The paper presents the most important issues concerning the breeding of apple trees resistant to fire blight, which creates great opportunities to increase the efficiency of apple fruit production without the use of other protection methods, including the chemical treatment. The phenotypic assessment of susceptibility of apple genotypes to the disease is based on observations on the occurrence of symptoms in field and/or closed facilities, e.g. in the greenhouse. Molecular biology methods, including identification of resistance markers, and biotechnology are valuable tools to accelerate the breeding process. Breeding programs conducted in various research centers around the world use wild species of the genus Malus and commercial cultivars of apple. Apple rootstocks with very high resistance to fire blight (USA) and a number of scab-resistant cultivars, also showing high resistance to the disease (Germany, Switzerland) have already been bred. In recent years cultivar Early Szampion and clone No. 69 (J-2003-05) have been bred in Poland. Both genotypes are characterized by a very high resistance, and produce attractive tasty fruit. They have the prospect of being used in breeding programs and commercial plantings.
The microplot experiment was carried out on two soils (clay and sandy) with spring wheat and fodder pea. In the experiment, the effect of a granular product made of basalt dust and elemental sulphur with a sulphur content of 1.5% was tested. Fertilization of wheat with sulphur in the dose of 30 kg/ha S and pea in the dose of 20 kg/ha S in the form of basalt-sulphur granulate resulted in a significant increase in the content of methionine, cystine and protein in wheat grain on sandy soil. However, no increase in the content of these amino acids and protein in pea seeds was observed. Moreover, an increase in the content of sulphur in wheat grain and straw as well as in pea straw was noted. The use of sulphur in combination with basalt dust did not lower the pH of any of the experimental soils.
