This study presents the findings of on-farm trials conducted in Hungary between 2023 and 2025, evaluating the efficacy of inundative Trichogramma releases against the European corn borer (ECB) and the cotton bollworm (CBW). The research assessed three Trichogramma preparations, including solo T. brassicae (TB) and two species mixtures: (1) T. dendrolimi, T. cacoeciae, and T. brassicae (TSM1) and (2) T. brassicae and T. pintoi (TSM2). The timing of the releases was synchronized with pest swarming and maize phenology. The efficacy of Trichogramma-based biological control was assessed by comparing the number of damaged plants and the number of pest larvae detected in treated and untreated plots. Statistical analyses revealed a significant association between the release of parasitoids and a reduction in pest damage. The efficacy of the Trichogramma releases was determined using Abbott’s formula. In our research, the following pattern emerged: (1) medium efficacy (ranging from 40% to 68.2%) occurred under low pest pressure and optimal weather conditions; (2) low efficacy (35.5% and 33.3%) occurred under medium pest pressure and suboptimal climatic conditions; and (3) no efficacy occurred under high pest abundance combined with unfavorable weather. Our findings suggest that Trichogramma-based products can serve as complementary components of Integrated Pest Management (IPM); however, they also emphasize that parasitism by Trichogramma wasps is influenced by several factors, such as climatic conditions and pest abundance, indicating that additional plant protection treatments may be necessary, for example, under high pest pressure and/or suboptimal climatic conditions.

The field production of tomato faces challenges regarding abiotic stress factors, which unfavorably impact fruit quality traits. Hedgerows, a form of agroforestry, offer a climate-resilient strategy to buffer temperatures and reduce the impact of direct wind stress on crop production. This study assessed the impact of hedgerow microclimate modulation effects on open-field tomato fruit quality, employing three genotypes (Roma, Ace55, and Szentl & odblac;rinck & aacute;ta). Key quality traits (Total Soluble Solids (TSS), Titratable Acidity (TA), Sugar-Acid Ratio (SAR), Ferric-Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Chroma (C*), and Hue (ho)) were measured over two harvests per season, in two consecutive years (2023-2024). Plots were positioned at five distances (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 m from the hedge) on both windy and protected sides (W1-W5 and P1-P5, respectively, with 1 showing the closest position). We observed that the microclimate of the protected side was consistently warmer, with an average deviation from the reference temperature of +3.54 degrees C at mid-distances and +0.38 degrees C higher overall across both growing seasons. Results show that mid-distance zones (P3-P4, W3-W4) consistently exhibited the highest C* (up to 39.44) at W4 and TSS values at W1 (7.00 degrees Bx). Protected sides favored higher TA at P3 (0.70%) and Hue (ho) values at P3 with (53.06 +/- 0.30) with Ace55 and SAR at P3 (16.35) with Szentl & odblac;rinck & aacute;ta. Windy sides significantly enhanced FRAP and TPC, with the Szentl & odblac;rinck & aacute;ta genotype exhibiting the highest antioxidant capacity at W1 (23.67 mg AAE 100 g-1, FRAP) and TPC (244.17 mg GAE 100 g-1). At W4, Roma showed a 9.4% increase in TPC in the second harvest, while Ace55 showed the highest FRAP values during late-season sampling, highlighting genotype-specific antioxidant resilience under contrasting microclimates. These findings suggest that mid-distance zones and microclimatic variation between windy and protected sides remarkably influence fruit quality traits and antioxidant profiles.

Biofilms underpin microbial survival, yet their three-dimensional structure remains difficult to quantify systematically. We present the Microbial Image Classification Suite (MicroICS), an open-source framework for predictive phenotyping of microbial communities from 3D biofilm images. MicroICS consists of three independent but interoperable modules: feature extraction from 3D biofilm images, machine learning-based classification, and an inference module for applying trained models to new, unseen images. Each module can be run independently, and the classification module accepts externally generated features, enabling integration with existing quantitative image analysis tools. As a pilot study, we demonstrate the framework using eight epidemiologically diverse Listeria monocytogenes strains, with strain differentiation and trait-based grouping as proof-of-principle tasks. MicroICS extracted over 2,700 quantitative structural features from Syto 9-labelled biofilm images. An optimised random forest model achieved human baseline-level accuracy in strain classification on previously unseen images, including biofilms experimentally perturbed by food extracts. BiofilmQ-derived features incorporated into the classification module yielded higher accuracy with fewer features than either tool alone, confirming the framework’s extensibility. Extending the framework to clonal complex-based clinical grouping demonstrates utility beyond strain identity. MicroICS is applicable to any organism or condition for which suitable 3D biofilm images can be obtained.

Fungal lectins, with their specific glycan-binding activity, represent promising biopesticide candidates. This study investigates the potential of six fungal lectins to control Colorado potato beetle (CPB) larvae (Leptinotarsa decemlineata). In vitro feeding trials with recombinant lectins were performed to evaluate their individual toxicity. Marasmius oreades agglutinin (MOA) caused significantly higher mortality than the other lectins, whereas Coprinopsis cinerea lectin 2 (CCL2) and Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) completely inhibited weight gain. Functional analysis of MOA mutants revealed that both carbohydrate-binding and proteolytic domains are essential for toxicity. MOA binds to midgut glycoproteins in CPB larvae, disrupting midgut epithelium. Histology and ultramicroscopy showed that MOA causes loss of apicobasal polarity and detachment of basal lamina. No acute toxicity of lectins against adult European honeybees (Apis mellifera) was found; however, significant sublethal effects on larval development were observed. MOA shows promise as a selective bioinsecticide for sustainable CPB control with minimal nontarget effects.

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is a significant challenge in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) production under protected cultivation systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of four microbial biocontrol agents (Trichoderma asperellum, Beauveria bassiana, Fusarium proliferatum, and Bacillus mojavensis) on cucumber growth and root gall formation. Two greenhouse experiments (spring and summer 2023) were conducted using potted plants inoculated with 100 g of nematode-infected soil. All treatments improved seed germination compared with the untreated control, particularly B. mojavensis and T. asperellum. During vegetative growth, F. proliferatum and B. mojavensis produced higher biomass in the spring experiment, while T. asperellum enhanced root development. Treatment with T. asperellum reduced root galling by 45% in the spring and 31% in the summer experiment, although these differences were not statistically significant. In the chemotaxis assay, the different microbial biocontrol agents showed variation in the chemotaxis index (CI), ranging from 0 to 0.12 among treatments. Overall, microbial treatments mainly enhanced plant growth under nematode stress, while effects on root galling were limited.

Abstract This study evaluated four regression models—Demeyer, simplified Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB), reduced Bizot, and Double-Log Linear (DLL)—to estimate water activity ( ) in fast-ripening salami under industrial production conditions. Three product types (snack, mild, paprika) were monitored over a 20-day ripening period across two batches each. Analytical performance was assessed using two distinct approaches: a laboratory scenario utilizing all measured compositional data, and an industrial scenario where only moisture and water activity were monitored continuously, while other components were estimated via Monte Carlo simulations based on initial batch values. Results indicated that, under laboratory conditions, the DLL model provided the most favorable fit when composition-predicted coefficients were used, while the reduced Bizot and DLL models remained most robust during industrial simulations involving propagated uncertainty. Conversely, the Demeyer model demonstrated the lowest accuracy. Significant batch effects were observed, suggesting that inter-batch variability influences prediction more than model selection, highlighting the necessity of composition-based modeling and uniform mixing.

The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a highly invasive and polyphagous pest causing substantial economic losses in agricultural systems worldwide. Although the species has been reported in neighboring countries, information regarding its occurrence and impact on berry production in Kosovo has been lacking. This study represents the first documented occurrence of H. halys in Kosovo and aimed to investigate its population dynamics, spatiotemporal distribution, and associated damage in raspberry and blueberry plantations over a 2-year period (2024 to 2025). Insect abundance was monitored using trap-based sampling, while crop damage was assessed through damage incidence and severity index evaluations at border and center locations within plantations. The results revealed clear temporal and spatial patterns in pest occurrence and crop damage. Population abundance and damage levels varied between years, crops, and sampling locations, indicating differences in host suitability and pest distribution within plantations. Higher pest pressure was generally associated with plantation borders, suggesting colonization from surrounding habitats. Overall, the findings confirm the successful establishment of H. halys in Kosovo and demonstrate its potential to affect berry production. These results highlight the importance of implementing monitoring programs and developing targeted management strategies, particularly in border areas, to reduce the impact of this invasive pest on berry crops.

Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) is a common weed and medicinal plant that can be used for culinary purposes, including alcoholic liqueurs. The final composition of these products highly depends on the raw material, extraction technology, and degradation or decomposition of extracted metabolites. In our study, a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of dandelion leaf-root drug, flowers, and alcoholic liqueur made from flowers was carried out using liquid chromatography - electrospray ionization - ion mobility separation - high-resolution mass spectrometry. As a whole, 84 compounds, primarily phenolic acid and flavonoid derivatives, were identified in the drug, flower, and liqueur samples, out of which 74, 60, and 59 compounds could be quantified, respectively. A list of 24 compounds (formerly unreported from any dandelion sample) could be set up with important hits such as taraxinositol A and taraxinositol B, whose MS/MS characterization are provided here. 48 compounds could be characterized with multivariate statistical analyses to obtain a concentration profile during the 8 weeks maceration process of the liqueur, showing significant decomposition or build-up curves and shedding light on liqueur (or maceration process) specific metabolites (e.g., sulfated derivatives of caffeic acid and esculetin) that could not be detected in the raw material. Finally, a suggestion on the optimum length of the maceration process, namely one month could be made on the basis of metabolite decomposition/build-up, supporting the improvement of the production technology.

Selenium supply is an important input for milking cows, and the monitoring of selenium uptake has been carried out through total selenium determination in the blood serum samples or the concentration of selenoprotein P. While the optimum concentrations of these two parameters have already been established, the specific selenium requirement of cows' microbiomes has not been addressed. The oral cavity of cows contains basically the first, front-end microbiome of the animal. However, no information is available on its selenium-dependent/ independent strains, its distribution, and ratio. In any case, saliva would be the only readily accessible source of selenium for the microbiome of the oral cavity. Therefore, our study focused on the total selenium and selenium speciation analyses of saliva of Holstein cows, together with the determination of total selenium in whole blood and serum samples. A two-step feeding experiment was conducted with supplementing the selenite-containing daily ration with the hydroxy-analogue of selenomethionine (R,S-2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid, HMSeBA) at the highest authorized rate in the EU. Size-exclusion chromatography – inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used for the speciation of saliva samples that revealed the presence of low molecular weight (LMW) selenometabolites in the 1.78-15.3 µg Se kg−1 range. The supplementation of HMSeBA did not significantly increase the blood selenium concentrations, and no correlation was found between the LMW selenium concentration and blood selenium concentrations. While the identification of LMW selenometabolites with electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry could not be achieved, a dedicated sample preparation protocol has been suggested for future experiments.

The transmaternal properties of diflovidazin were examined under laboratory conditions on Tetranychus urticae. To assess its transmaternal ovicidal effect, leaf discs were dipped in a 100 ppm diflovidazin solution, after which adult females were allowed to feed on the treated surfaces for either 2 or 48 hours. The females then laid eggs on an untreated surface over five consecutive 7-hour periods. Egg mortality was evaluated based on exposure duration and time elapsed since exposure. After being removed from the treated surface, 100% of the eggs laid by females in the first 7-hour period were non-viable. However, mortality—and thus the effect—gradually decreased in subsequent periods, with eggs laid after 28 hours exhibiting mortality levels comparable to naturally occurring rates. Notably, the length of the exposure period did not influence the rate at which egg mortality declined. The effect on egg production was also examined. Females were allowed to lay eggs on treated leaf discs, but the treatment did not significantly alter the number of eggs produced per female. These findings indicate that while diflovidazin effectively induces high egg mortality, it does not reduce overall egg production. Our results suggest that diflovidazin temporarily sterilizes females, likely because developing eggs absorb the active substance from the female's system.

Root-knot nematodes ( Meloidogyne spp.) cause significant damage to many crops and their control remains a challenging task even today. Nowadays, the use of cover crops is one of the key elements of regenerative agriculture due to its numerous benefits. For example, cover crops can reduce the damage and population of Meloidogyne , however, less attention has been paid to their effects and mode of actions on non-target beneficial nematodes. In this experiment, we examined the effects of fresh and dry root extracts derived from four cover crops (rye, radish, red clover, and hairy vetch) on the plant-parasitic nematode M. incognita and the bacteriophagous nematode P. redivivus in area choice, and mortality tests.Dry extract of hairy vetch from 1%, dry extract of radish from 0.5%, and 5% extract of rye and red clover showed mortality rates of over 90% in the case of M. incognita . All root extracts had repellent effect on M. incognita . In the case of P. redivivus , only a 5% root extract of the plants had a lethal effect, but it was never as strong as that observed for M. incognita . A 5% radish root extract was the only one to show significant toxicity. Both dry and fresh extracts of each plant had an attractive effect on P. redivivus . These results may be useful for further studies with cover crops focusing on M. incognita infection and infection suppression and they also draw attention to the need for research into methods that consider the effects on beneficial nematodes.

The genus Trichogramma Westwood (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) includes insect egg parasitoids widely used worldwide as biological control agent of pests. The success of these parasitoids in pest management depends, among other factors, on their adaptation to the climatic conditions of the release area, particularly temperature. This study aimed to identify the Trichogramma species naturally occurring in Hungary. Parasitism was observed by trapping Trichogramma spp. individuals using bait cards containing Sitotroga ceraella eggs (provided by the AMW company) in apple orchard between July 8, 2024, and September 30, 2024. We evaluated the relationship between several variables – the rate of cards with observed parasitism, the parasitism rate, the number of host eggs and the hatching rate – and the time of release, the age of the host eggs and meteorological factors. We found that the parasitism rate significantly depends on the time of release. Pearson's correlation coefficients indicated that temperature parameters (average minimum, maximum and the mean temperatures during the exposure period of the cards) are significantly and negatively correlated with both parasitism rate and number of parasitised eggs. Air pressure showed a significant positive correlation with the number of parasitised eggs. The naturally occurring egg parasitoid species was identified as T. evanescens. These results suggest that these parasitoids are well adapted to the local climate and can be considered as candidates for pest management programs in Hungary and in other countries with a temperate continental climate.

Bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) analysis provides rapid, non-destructive insights into water and nutrient dynamics. However, its application for diagnosing nitrogen (N) deficiency in plants remains limited in the current literature. In this study, we evaluated whether BIS can reliably detect early N deficiency in cucumber plants and serve as a fast, non-destructive alternative to traditional diagnostic methodsTwo commercial hybrids (Nairobi F1 and ES2217 F1) were grown under high and low N conditions in a controlled light chamber, with optimal water and environmental conditions, where N was the only limiting factor. In addition to BIS, plant physiological parameters were evaluated. A custom four-channel BIS device recorded impedance spectra from the third true leaf of seedlings, and a double-shell electrical model was used to extract the impedance parameters. Parameter fitting was performed using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with a custom cost fitness function. In this study, we found that plants under low-N supply showed significantly higher extracellular fluid resistance and lower cell membrane capacitance compared to high-N plants at an early phenological stage. In contrast, changes in vacuole fluid resistance were genotype-dependent, suggesting differential internal nitrate (NO3⁻) storage or vacuole transport capacity between the hybrids. These changes were consistent with plant physiological indicators, including reduced total leaf N and NO3⁻, lower membrane stability index. These two electrical parameters enabled reliable classification of N status, with ROC-AUC values of 0.86–0.92 and overall accuracy up to 91%. Our findings suggest that BIS, combined with PSO-based modelling, can detect early N deficiency quickly and non-destructively.

The key to the utter success for achieving sustainability goals in the medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) industry is the appropriate operation of plant production systems that supports both the regeneration of agroecosystems and operational efficiency, as well as full compliance with quality requirements. Plant production in agroforestry (AF) systems seeks to achieve all the ecological and economical aspects collectively. However, the spread of AF specialised on essential oil bearing plant production is currently limited by the lack of scientifically proven information about the changes of the volatile profile due to shade conditions. The scientific goal of this research was to screen temperate zone cultivated MAP species tolerant of reduced light conditions with a special focus on the changes of essential oil composition. Small-scale experiments under open-field conditions were performed, shade treatments (T30 as 30

Imaging bacterial biofilms using confocal fluorescence microscopy is used to study their structures, but its wider application is constrained by the limited availability of effective labelling tools. Small chemical fluorescent probes offer a versatile alternative to heterologous expression of fusion or reporter proteins, but data on their effects on biofilm formation are lacking. In this study, we synthesized a series of new lipophilic fluorescent probes based on Nile blue, Nile red and coumarin scaffold. We investigated them for the labelling of Listeria biofilms and determined their effects on the growth and biofilm biomass formation. The Nile red probe SP-AM 7 and the coumarin probe PAG 31 inhibited biofilm development and showed a strong bactericidal effect. The Nile blue probe PAG 19 had the least effect on the tested parameters, but labelled slowly, while the fast-labelling Nile red probe SP-AM 8 promoted biofilm formation. Both are suitable for use during biofilm growth, resulting in less variation in biomass-related measurements than probes added prior to imaging. In the 3D imaging-based measurements for selected probes, we found no difference in the total biomass formed compared to the control dye, but a redistribution of biomass in the 3D layers was observed. Other probes were found to be slow to label, leave traces of unused probes or interfere with attachment to the surface. Our results show that fluorescent probe labelling should be evaluated from chemical, physical and biological points of view to understand their reliability and credibility.

In some apricot growing areas in Europe, Asia and Africa, 'Ca.Phytoplasma prunorum' -the agent of European Stone Fruit Yellows (ESFY) -can cause significant economic losses in the stone fruit orchards.In the present study, 'Ca.Phytoplasma prunorum' infection of three apricot cultivars was evaluated by molecular methods in Hungary.We found the pathogen to be prevalent in the studied orchard (54%).We investigated the sensitivity of the apricot cultivars to ESFY.Trees were classified into disease categories based on the symptoms, and the number of dead trees was counted separately.From these data, the disease severity index and tree destruction index were calculated, and statistical comparisons of disease incidence were performed.Damage to ESFY can be reduced by using less susceptible cultivars because chemical plant protection is only effective against the vectors.The presence and infection of phytoplasma were mostly tolerated by the cultivar 'Zebra'.The 'Flavorcot' cultivar was moderately affected by ESFY, but the 'Sweetcot' cultivar was very susceptible.'Ca.Phytoplasma prunorum' causes significant tree mortality; 44% of the trees molecularly confirmed to be infected had died by the end of the study.'Zebra' had the lowest tree mortality (15%), while 'Sweetcot' had the highest (65.8%).Examination of the grafts planted as replacements showed that 3.3% of the plants were infected.The spread of diseased material can represent new sources of infection in orchards.

Certain soil insects, such as the root-damaging larvae of the maize pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), are increasingly difficult to control because of recent bans of some insecticides. An alternative and safer approach may be the development of biopesticides based on entomotoxic defense proteins of higher fungi. Many of these potentially interesting proteins are protease inhibitors, and some have been shown to adversely affect insects. We examined the effects of the cysteine protease inhibitors macrocypin 1, 3, and 4 from Macrolepiota procera, clitocypin from Clitocybe nebularis, and cocaprin 1 and the serine protease inhibitor cospin 1 from Coprinopsis cinerea on D. v. virgifera. We confirmed the inhibition by mycocypins of the cysteine catalytic-type proteolytic activities in gut extracts of larvae and adults. The inhibition of pGlu-Phe-Leu-hydrolyzing activity was stronger than that of Z-Phe-Arg-hydrolyzing activity. Mycocypins and cospin resisted long-term proteolytic digestion, whereas cocaprin 1 was digested. Bioassays with overlaid artificial diet revealed no effects of proteins on neonatal mortality or stunting, and no effects on adult mortality. Immersion of eggs in protein solutions had little effect on egg hatching or mortality of hatching neonates. Microscopic analysis of the peritrophic matrix and apical surface of the midguts revealed the similarity between larvae of D. v. virgifera and the chrysomelid Leptinotarsa decemlineata, which are sensitive to these inhibitors. The resistance of D. v. virgifera to fungal protease inhibitors is likely due to effective adaptation of digestive enzyme expression to dietary protease inhibitors. We continue to study unique protein complexes of higher fungi for the development of new approaches to pest control.

Intensive wheat production, which produces high yields through the excessive use of chemical inputs and non-renewable energy, is unsustainable in the long term. Innovative cultivation methods such as intercropping can address emerging challenges. This kind of plant association offers the possibility of achieving a balanced yield with the use of a natural nitrogen source. An experiment was conducted for three growing seasons (2020/2021, 2021/2022, 2022/2023) with a combination of three winter wheat varieties (GK Szilárd, Cellule, GK Csillag) and a winter pea variety (Aviron) in three sowing densities to determine the species interaction and the economics of mixed plots. The intercropping systems were evaluated in terms of the land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressivity (A), competitive ratio CR), actual yield loss (AYL), monetary advantage index (MAI), and intercropping advantage (IA). In almost all mixtures, the values of partial A, CR, and AYL indicated that wheat was more competitive than peas due to the overconcentration of mixtures. For MAI, the mixture Cellule/Aviron 75:50 was more profitable than the others in the first two years. Our results draw attention to the influence of the seeding rate, which can contribute to new directions for current research.

The foliar application of yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) suspensions is a widely used small-scale horticultural practice against stress impacts and to boost vegetative and nutritional characteristics. In this study, the impact of two strains of S. cerevisiae was investigated on tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) and rocket ( Eruca sativa L.) plants in terms of vegetative growth and nutritional content, focusing on antioxidant properties (FRAP, DPPH, TPC, lycopene) and chlorophyll content. The treatments were applied in two dilutions (0.1 and 1% v/v) and two frequencies (once and three times). When the type strain solutions were applied, DPPH values of both tomato and rocket samples were elevated up to 7.18 and 17.98 i %, respectively, compared to control values of 6.26 and 14.11 i %, respectively. While the other investigated antioxidant traits (FRAP, TPC, lycopene) were identical or slightly lower, than the control values, total chlorophyll content was significantly increased for tomato, up to 61.18 g/100 g, from the control value of 53.46 g/100 g, and for rocket, reaching 43.14 g/100 g, from the control value of 39.13 g/100 g, after using instant yeast solutions. Among the combinations, the double-sprayed 1% suspension and the single-sprayed 0.1% suspension had the most favorable impact on the investigated nutritional traits. Species-level application technology details are still open for refinements.

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of apricot cultivation is greatly threatened by frost damage to flower buds during the dormancy period. One of the most important aspects of the evaluation of cultivars is therefore the determination of their frost tolerance. In this paper, the frost hardiness of flower buds of 16 apricot cultivars was investigated in three dormancy periods, applying a standardised artificial freezing test protocol and determining LT 50 values. The results showed that both the genotypes and the yearly climatic conditions had a significant effect on frost tolerance. A genotype generally determines the potential maximum of its frost tolerance (‘Sweet Red’ and ‘Primaya’ were very sensitive to frost every year, while ‘Harlayne’ and ‘Rózskajszi C.1406’ could be considered as frost hardy). Flower buds can reach different levels of frost resistance each year depending on the temperature conditions during the hardening and dehardening periods. From the point of view of yield security, it is essential when planning an orchard, to take into account and harmonise the frost hardiness of the cultivars selected and the growing site conditions. Therefore, it is very important to have adequate information about the frost hardiness of different apricot cultivars, which should be included in cultivar descriptions. This paper is intended to contribute to this goal.