The study assessed the impact of climate change, aphid infestation and drought stress on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the performance of English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae) under abiotic stress in controlled environmental conditions. To understand wheat and aphid interactions under different climatic condition, wheat plants were grown in controlled climatic chambers simulating present (400 ppm CO2, 19.8 degrees C, RH 69.2%) and future (700 ppm CO2, 23.4 degrees C, RH 67.5%) scenarios, combined with biotic stress (aphid) and abiotic stress (drought). Climate change effects combined with other stress factors are expected to alter crop physiology and insect biology. The results showed that aphid performance was significantly enhanced under future climatic conditions, with higher fecundity (56%), and a shortened or faster developmental time. As for wheat structural growth, above-ground biomass improved by up to 80% under future climate. However, its physiological efficiency, water content and photosynthetic efficiency were significantly reduced under the combined biotic and abiotic stresses. The study demonstrates that climate change may increase wheat plant growth under controlled conditions, yet it simultaneously boosts the shift in pest attacks and intensifies stress impacts, which eventually threaten wheat productivity. The findings emphasize the improvement of wheat varieties and pest-resistant strains capable of withstanding future climatic conditions.

Rapid urbanization and climate change intensify the urban heat island effect. This study quantifies the UHI impact in Luxembourg’s Pro-Sud region and explores sustainable mitigation strategies. In situ and mobile measurements, EURO-CORDEX regional climate projections (RCP4.5), and the FITNAH-3D urban climate model were used considering also future building developments. The results reveal a significant UHI effect, with substantial temperature and thermal stress level differences between urban and rural areas. Regional climate projections indicate a marked UHI intensification under future scenarios. FITNAH-3D simulations show increased thermal stress levels, especially in densely built areas, and highlight green infrastructure’s importance in mitigating UHI effects. Recommendations for spatial unit-specific urban climate measures specifically for vegetation, unsealing, and optimized urban design and planning are provided. Our research emphasizes the urgent need for tailored urban planning, adaptation, and mitigation strategies to enhance urban climate resilience and address thermal stress.

Due to their high potential for fungicide reduction, fungus-tolerant “PIWI” cultivars are increasingly gaining interest in European viticulture. This investigation aimed (i) to obtain phenological observation datasets of PIWI cultivars across a broad set of European locations, (ii) to apply the temperature sum based “UniPhen” model allowing for a precise simulation of the phenological development at all BCCH stages between bud swelling and berries ripe for harvest and (iii) to discuss the potential implementations in applied viticulture as well as in viticultural climate change impact research. Four consecutive years of complete data sets of phenological observations originating from eight locations in Central Europe for 13 PIWI and 3 traditional cultivars were used to apply the UniPhen model using a cumulative degree day approach with three temperature thresholds (lower threshold: 10 °C; upper threshold: 20 °C; heat threshold: 30 °C). Muscaris showed the thermal-temporally earliest budburst, while Solaris was earliest in beginning of flowering and harvest ripeness. The latest budburst and the latest beginning of flowering in PIWI cultivars were observed in Pinotin, while harvest ripeness was reached latest by Calardis blanc. The average normalised standard deviation (SD15 °C) over all stages, locations and cultivars was 5.5, corresponding to 5.5 days at 15 °C, with the lowest SD15 °C values around budburst and flowering stages. The highest SD15 °C values were observed in the bunch closure and post-veraison stages. UniPhen “PIWI” enables a precise simulation of all 31 BBCH stages between the beginning of the bud swell (01) and berries being ripe for harvest (89) for 13 fungus-tolerant cultivars and can be extended to additional cultivars. The model can be applied (i) as a bioclimatic indicator describing the suitability of a location/region for the cultivation of specific cultivars under present and future climate conditions, (ii) for the simulation of cultivar-specific phases of highest susceptibility for fungal diseases and, indirectly, the timing of fungicide treatments as well as (iii) for the classification of the relative late frost risk depending on the thermal-temporal precocity of budburst. This knowledge helps to lower the barrier to growing PIWI cultivars and helps to pave the way for a more sustainable, climate change-resilient viticulture.

The impact of elevated air temperature and heat stress on human health is a global concern. It not only affects our well-being directly, but also reduces our physical work capacity, leading to negative effects on society and economic productivity. Climate change has already affected the climate in Luxembourg and, based on the results of regional climate models, extreme heat events will become more frequent and intense in the future. To assess historical conditions, the micro-scaleRayManPro 3.1 model was used to simulate the thermal stress levels for different genders and age classes based on hourly input data spanning the last two decades. For the assessment of future conditions, with a special emphasis on heat waves, a multi-model ensemble of regional climate models for different emission scenarios taken from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) was used. For both, the past and future conditions in Luxemburg, an increase in the heat stress levels was observed. Small differences for different age groups and genders became obvious. In addition to the increase in the absolute number of heat waves, an intensification of higher temperatures and longer durations were also detected. Although some indications of the adaptation to rising air temperatures can be observed for high-income countries, our results underscore the likelihood of escalating heat-related adverse effects on human health and economic productivity unless more investments are made in research and risk management strategies.

In our investigation, we have developed innovative statistical models tailored to predict specific phenological stages of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) cultivation in Luxembourg. Leveraging extensive field observations and meteorological data, our modeling approach accurately forecasts critical growth stages of WOSR, including inflorescence emergence (BBCH 51), initial flowering (BBCH 60), and cessation of flowering (BBCH 69), capitalizing on accumulated heat units. Our findings challenge conventional assumptions surrounding base temperatures, advocating for a specific base temperature of 3 °C for winter oilseed rape emergence, consistent with prior research. Validation via leave-one-out cross-validation yields promising outcomes, with average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values below 1, surpassing analogous studies. Particularly noteworthy is our model’s performance in predicting crucial growth stages, notably BBCH 60, pivotal for pest control. Despite advancements, hurdles persist in forecasting late-stage phenological events influenced by leaf senescence and anticipated climate change impacts, likely accelerating WOSR development and introducing new risks. In response, cultivar selection strategies informed by individual development rates and temperature sensitivities emerge as vital mitigation measures. As climate variability intensifies, precision agriculture assumes paramount importance in optimizing resource allocation and ensuring sustainable WOSR cultivation practices. Our study advocates for proactive integration of predictive modeling into adaptive management frameworks, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions taking climatic dynamics into account.

Knowledge of the chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) is essential for understanding its source distribution, identifying potential health impacts of toxic elements, and developing efficient air pollution abatement strategies. Traditional methods for analysing PM composition, such as collection on filter substrates and subsequent offline analysis with, for example, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), are time-consuming and prone to measurement errors due to multiple preparation steps. Emerging near-real-time techniques based on non-destructive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) offer advantages for continuous monitoring and source apportionment.This study characterizes the Horiba PX-375 EDXRF monitor by applying a straightforward performance evaluation including (a) limit of detection (LoD), (b) identification and quantification of uncertainty sources, and (c) investigation and comparison of measurement results from three contrasting sites in Luxembourg (urban, semi-urban, rural). We used multi-element reference materials (ME-RMs) from UC Davis for calibration and performed measurements during spring and summer 2023. The LoDs for toxic elements like Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb were below 3 ng m-3 at 1 h time resolution. Higher LoDs were observed for lighter elements (e.g. Al, Si, S, K, Ca). Expanded uncertainties ranged between 5 % and 25 % for elemental concentrations above 20 ng m-3 and were maximal for concentrations below 10 ng m-3, reaching 60 %-85 %. Elemental analysis revealed S and mineral elements (Fe, Si, Ca, Al) as dominant contributors to PM10. Although the PM mass contribution of toxic trace elements (e.g. Zn, Cu, As) was generally very low, they were found to be enriched at the urban site Belvaux and the semi-urban site Remich compared to the more rural site Vianden. Our results explained on average 51 %-74 % of the gravimetric PM10 mass at the three sites. The study highlights the suitability and importance of the continuous PX-375 particle monitor for future air quality monitoring and source apportionment studies, particularly under changing emission scenarios and air pollution abatement strategies.

Despite ample evidence that pollutant emissions from aircraft may cause or exacerbate human health problems and have considerable environmental impacts, ambient air quality measurements including particle number size distributions (PNSD) near airports are scarce. We performed two measurement campaigns of particulate (ultrafine particles (UFP) and PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10) and gaseous (NO, NO2, O3) pollutants near a mid-sized airport in Central Europe (Findel, Luxembourg) during summer 2018 and winter/spring 2019. Mean UFP number concentrations (5-350 nm) were dominated by nucleation mode particles that are one of the major environmental health risks in Europe. Mean values during summer (-9200 # cm-3) exceeded those measured during winter (-7800 # cm-3). PNSD maxima of UFP occurred at sizes of 12.6 nm in the summer and 14.6 nm in the winter when air masses arrived from the airport sector to the measurement site. K-means cluster analysis revealed that air masses arriving from forest or urban background sectors are characterized by an UFP signal that is a factor of five to 10 lower than of the airport sector. During the winter/spring season the main airport NO2 (and PM2.5) emissions are attributed to exhaust gases from heating systems of airport buildings. Pollutant concentrations (except O3), including UFP were diminished during daytime due to turbulent mixing, although flight movements were highest during that time. This study presents a new perspective on the critical role of mixed layer temporal dynamics on the dilution of pollutant and UFP concentrations that is influenced by airport siting and terrain.

Remote sensing technology is vital for precision agriculture, aiding in early issue detection, resource management, and environmentally friendly practices. Recent advances in remote sensing technology and data processing have propelled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into valuable tools for obtaining detailed data on plant diseases with high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. Given the growing body of scholarly research centered on UAV-based disease detection, a comprehensive review and analysis of current studies becomes imperative to provide a panoramic view of evolving methodologies in plant disease monitoring and to strategically evaluate the potential and limitations of such strategies. This study undertakes a systematic quantitative literature review to summarize existing literature and discern current research trends in UAV-based applications for plant disease detection and monitoring. Results reveal a global disparity in research on the topic, with Asian countries being the top contributing countries (43 out of 103 papers). World regions such as Oceania and Africa exhibit comparatively lesser representation. To date, research has largely focused on diseases affecting wheat, sugar beet, potato, maize, and grapevine. Multispectral, reg-green-blue, and hyperspectral sensors were most often used to detect and identify disease symptoms, with current trends pointing to approaches integrating multiple sensors and the use of machine learning and deep learning techniques. Future research should prioritize (i) development of cost-effective and user-friendly UAVs, (ii) integration with emerging agricultural technologies, (iii) improved data acquisition and processing efficiency (iv) diverse testing scenarios, and (v) ethical considerations through proper regulations.

Biological control by augmentative release of parasitoids is an established practice for controlling an economi-cally very important insect pest group, whiteflies (Aleyrodidae), in protected cropping systems worldwide. One of the two most used parasitoids is Encarsia formosa. Anthropogenic climate change will modify multitrophic interactions between organisms, and sensitive biocontrol systems are not an exception. At the same time, there is a knowledge gap in our understanding of the performance of E. formosa as a biocontrol agent in mid-future climate. In the present study, we evaluate the parasitization rate, development time, and longevity of this important biocontrol agent by performing climatic chamber simulation driven by physically consistent, regionally downscaled, numerical future climate projections. The parasitoid shows 8.6 days accelerated development, 15-fold higher parasitization rate, and 38% shorter longevity under the tested future climate conditions. Challenges in conclusively assessing life parameters of this parasitoid, and the implications on whitefly biocontrol in the future are discussed.

Whiteflies of the Bemisia tabaci species complex are among the most damaging insect pests in agriculture worldwide, causing damage by feeding on crop plants and by vectoring plant viruses. The species complex consists of over 35 cryptic species that differ in many aspects of their biology including the optimal environment, geographic distribution, and host range. Global warming and associated climate change resulting from human activities is expected to contribute to biological invasions. Bemisia tabaci species show fast adaptability to changes in agroecosystems and have a long record of biological invasions. Climate change driven increase in B. tabaci importance in agricultural systems of Europe has been predicted, but so far not experimentally tested. The present study evaluates the development of B. tabaci MED (=Mediterranean) in a climatic chamber simulation of the future climate in Luxembourg, chosen as a representative region for the Central Europe. Future climate predictions for the period 2061-2070 were derived from a multimodel ensemble of physically consistent regional climatic models. Results show a 40% shorter development time of this important pest in future climatic conditions, with an increase in fecundity by a third, and insignificant difference in mortality. Accelerated development, combined with its already established year-round presence in European greenhouses and predicted northward expansion of outdoor tomato production in Europe, means faster population build-up at the beginning of the outdoor cropping season with the potential of reaching economic importance. Benefits of simulating hourly diurnal cycle of physically consistent meteorological variables versus previous experiments are discussed.

Climate change (CC) poses one of the foremost challenges for humanity in the 21st century [...].

Whiteflies (Aleyrodidae) cause high economic losses in agricultural systems worldwide. Heavy reliance on insecticide use for whitefly control has led to the resistance development towards nearly all used groups of insecticides. A more sustainable, widely used, and irreplaceable control measure in protected cropping systems is biological control by augmentative release of parasitoids. All commercially available whitefly parasitoids are wasps from the genera Encarsia and Eretmocerus, with one of the most used parasitoid species being Eretmocerus eremicus. Biocontrol by these highly specialized natural enemies is sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Ongoing anthropogenic climate change could affect multitrophic interactions between organisms, and biocontrol systems are not an exception. At the same time, little is known about the development of E. eremicus under projected future climate conditions. The present study evaluates the longevity of this important biocontrol agent by performing climatic chamber simulation driven by physically consistent, regionally downscaled, multi-model ensemble projections of the future climate for Luxembourg. Results show a reduction of its longevity up to 50% under future climate. The median survival in the projected future climate was found to be 13 days, which is 9 days less than under present climate. Implications on the efficacy of the whitefly biocontrol practices in future climate conditions are discussed.

Septoria leaf blotch (SLB) is among the most damaging foliar diseases of wheat worldwide. In this study, data for seven cropping seasons (2003–2009) at four representative wheat-growing sites in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg (GDL) were used to assess SLB risk on the three upper leaves (L3 to L1, L1 being the flag leaf) based on the combination of conducive weather conditions, simulated potential daily infection events by Zymoseptoria tritici, and SLB severity on lower leaves between stem elongation and mid-flowering. Results indicated that the variability in SLB severity on L3 to L1 at soft dough was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the disease severity on the lower leaf L5 at L3 emergence and the sum of daily mean air temperature between stem elongation and mid-flowering. Moreover, analyzing the predictive power of these variables through multiple linear regression indicated that the disease severity on L5 at L3 emergence and mild weather conditions between stem elongation and mid-flowering critically influenced the progress of SLB later in the season. Such results can help fine tune weather-based SLB risk models to guide optimal timing of fungicide application in winter wheat fields and ensure economic and ecological benefits.

Whiteflies are among the most important global insect pests in agriculture; their sustainable control has proven challenging and new methods are needed. Bacterial symbionts of whiteflies are poorly understood potential target of novel whitefly control methods. Whiteflies harbour an obligatory bacterium, Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum, and a diverse set of facultative bacterial endosymbionts. Function of facultative microbial community is poorly understood largely due to the difficulty in their selective elimination without removal of the primary endosymbiont. Since the discovery of secondary endosymbionts, antibiotic rifampicin has emerged as the most used tool for their manipulation. Its effectiveness is however much less clear, with contrasting reports on its effects on the endosymbiont community. The present study builds upon most recent method of rifampicin application in whiteflies and evaluates its ability to eliminate obligatory Portiera and two facultative endosymbionts (Rickettsia and Arsenophnus). Our results show that rifampicin reduces but does not eliminate any of the three endosymbionts. Additionally, rifampicin causes direct negative effect on whiteflies, likely by disrupting mitochondria. Taken together, results signify the end of a rifampicin era in whitefly endosymbiont studies. Finally, we propose refinement of current quantification and data analysis methods which yields additional insights in cellular metabolic scaling.

With global warming, grapevine is expected to be increasingly exposed to water deficits occurring at various development stages. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential impacts of projected climate change on water deficits from the flowering to veraison period for two main white wine cultivars (Riesling and Müller-Thurgau) in Germany. A process-based soil-crop model adapted for grapevine was utilized to simulate the flowering-veraison crop water stress indicator (CWSI) of these two varieties between 1976–2005 (baseline) and 2041–2070 (future period) based on a suite of bias-adjusted regional climate model (RCM) simulations under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Our evaluation indicates that the model can capture the early-ripening (Müller-Thurgau) and late-ripening (Riesling) traits, with a mean bias of prediction of ≤2 days and a well-reproduced inter-annual variability for more than 60 years. Under climate projections, the flowering stage is advanced by 10–20 days (higher in RCP8.5) between the two varieties, whereas a slightly stronger advancement is found for Müller-Thurgau than for Riesling for the veraison stage. As a result, the flowering-veraison phenophase is mostly shortened for Müller-Thurgau, whereas it is extended by up to two weeks for Riesling in cool and high-elevation areas. The length of phenophase plays an important role in projected changes of flowering-veraison mean temperature and precipitation. The late-ripening trait of Riesling makes it more exposed to increased summer temperature (mainly in August), resulting in a higher mean temperature increase for Riesling (1.5–2.5 °C) than for Müller-Thurgau (1–2 °C). As a result, an overall increased CWSI by up to 15% (ensemble median) is obtained for both varieties, whereas the upper (95th) percentile of simulations shows a strong signal of increased water deficit by up to 30%, mostly in the current winegrowing regions. Intensified water deficit stress can represent a major threat for high-quality white wine production, as only mild water deficits are acceptable. Nevertheless, considerable variabilities of CWSI were discovered among RCMs, highlighting the importance of efforts towards reducing uncertainties in climate change impact assessment.

Viticulture is exposed and vulnerable to extreme weather and climate change. In Europe, owing to the high socio-economic value of the winemaking sector, the development of adaptation strategies to mitigate climate change impacts will be of foremost relevance for its future sustainability and competitiveness. Some guidelines on feasible short-term adaptation strategies are provided here (Figure 1), collected by the Clim4Vitis action (https://clim4vitis.eu/). Long-term adapation startegies are described in an accompanying technical review.

The Earth's surface is both an important source and sink for atmospheric trace compounds (gases and aerosols). This chapter provides a detailed overview of methods to determine immission, dry deposition fluxes, and deposition velocities of trace substances to the biosphere. In particular, relevant measurement techniques are described, and their requirements and limitations for determining accurate fluxes are analyzed. Furthermore, several quality control procedures are outlined. Typical applications are explained in detail, taking into account current and future challenges and developments.

Climate change is a major challenge to viticulture worldwide. The adaptation potential of the different strategies to cope with climate change still embraces many uncertainties (e.g., unpredictable social-economic developments and land-use changes), particularly in the long-term. However, adaptation strategies adjusted to local terroirs and regional climate change projections will contribute to the sustainable development of the winemaking sector. The Clim4Vitis action (https://clim4vitis.eu/) recommends some guidelines for long-term adaptation (Figure 1).

The intensification of livestock production, to accommodate rising human population, has led to a higher emission of ammonia into the environment. For the reduction of ammonia emissions, different management steps have been reported in most EU countries. Some authors, however, have criticized such individual measures, because attempts to abate the emission of ammonia may lead to significant increases in either methane, nitrous oxide, or carbon dioxide. In this study, we carried out a meta-analysis of experimental European data published in peer-reviewed journals to evaluate the impact of major agricultural management practices on ammonia emissions, including the pollution swapping effect. The result of our meta-analysis showed that for the treatment, storage, and application stages, only slurry acidification was effective for the reduction of ammonia emissions (−69%), and had no pollution swapping effect with other greenhouse gases, like nitrous oxide (−21%), methane (−86%), and carbon dioxide (−15%). All other management strategies, like biological treatment, separation strategies, different storage types, the concealing of the liquid slurry with different materials, and variable field applications were effective to varying degrees for the abatement of ammonia emission, but also resulted in the increased emission of at least one other greenhouse gas. The strategies focusing on the decrease of ammonia emissions neglected the consequences of the emissions of other greenhouse gases. We recommend a combination of treatment technologies, like acidification and soil incorporation, and/or embracing emerging technologies, such as microbial inhibitors and slow release fertilizers.

The red gum lerp psyllid, Glycaspis brimblecombei Moore (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae), is an invasive pest of Eucalyptus trees worldwide, responsible for serious damage, including the death of plants. Knowledge about the incidence of climatic factors on the insect development are essential to define useful strategies for controlling this pest. To this aim, G. brimblecombei has been sampled by two different methods from April 2012 to February 2013 in eastern Sicily on Eucalyptus camaldulensis in nine different sites, where the main climatic data (air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation) have been also registered. The Glycaspis brimblecombei population showed a similar trend in all nine sites, positively correlated only with air temperature, but a negative correlation has emerged with precipitation and relative humidity. The results show the need for a deeper understanding of the role played by other abiotic (such as different concentrations of CO2) and biotic (e.g., the antagonistic action of natural enemies, competition with other pests, etc.) factors. The greater sensitivity, even at low densities of psyllid, of sampling methods based on the random collection of a fixed number of leaves compared to methods based on the collection of infested leaves in a fixed time interval has been also outlined.