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Topic Review
Crop Response to Soil Salinity Stress
Soil salinity is a serious problem facing many countries globally, especially those with semi-arid and arid climates. Soil salinity can have negative influences on soil microbial activity as well as many chemical and physical soil processes, all of which are crucial for soil health, fertility, and productivity. Soil salinity can negatively affect physiological, biochemical, and genetic attributes of cultivated plants as well. Plants have a wide variety of responses to salinity stress and are classified as sensitive (e.g., carrot and strawberry), moderately sensitive (grapevine), moderately tolerant (wheat) and tolerant (barley and date palm) to soil salinity depending on the salt content required to cause crop production problems.
  • 1.1K
  • 31 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Plant Growth-Defense Trade-Offs
In order to survive in a hostile habitat, plants have to manage the available resources to reach a delicate balance between development and defense processes, setting up what plant scientists call a trade-off. Most of these processes are basically responses to stimuli sensed by plant cell receptors and are influenced by the environmental features, which can incredibly modify such responses and even cause changes upon both molecular and phenotypic level. 
  • 1.1K
  • 31 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Cover Crops
A cover crops is defined as a “close-growing crop that provides soil protection, seeding protection, and soil improvement between periods of normal crop production, or between trees in orchards and vines in vineyards”. This definition indicates a number of benefits deriving from the application of soil management models which have, however, found discontinuous application in orchards due to different interpretations of the direct effects on production and fruit quality. Soil management is, in fact, one of the key practices that influences the vegetative and productive activity of an orchard.
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary against Host Defense
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a broad host-range fungus that infects an inclusive array of plant species and afflicts significant yield losses globally. S. sclerotiorum possesses an immense arsenal of disease weaponry to subsist and succeed under widespread environmental conditions. The massive pathogenic arsenal of S. sclerotiorum, including oxalic acid (OA), CWDEs, and small secretory proteins (effectors), has long been associated with virulence. A subtle interplay between these virulence factors serves various regulatory functions in host cells, allowing S. sclerotiorum to colonize the host, evade or inhibit the host defense system, and cause disease. Understanding and studying these mechanisms is crucial for detecting pathways of genetic interventions that could result in improved control of this disease.
  • 1.1K
  • 13 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Herbal Extracts and Fish Gene
Herbal bioactive components can act as immunostimulants and influence several immune-related pathways. An immunostimulant is a component or action that elevates immune responses, especially innate immunity. Herbal bioactive components can have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal functions and increase resistance against infectious microorganisms.
  • 1.1K
  • 06 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Novel Treatment Approaches to Combat Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a neglected sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellate protozoan responsible for a prevalence of 110.4 million cases and 156.0 million rate of incidence. The last estimative from the World Health Organization (WHO) demonstrated the incidence rate for trichomoniasis across the globe, highlighting the African Region with the highest rates, followed by America, Western Pacific, Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and last, the European region. Although most cases are asymptomatic, complaints such as pruritus, vaginal discharge, irritation, and odor are still reported. The long-lasting infection of T. vaginalis, which can persist for months to years, may lead to severe complications such as the premature delivery and low weight of newborns, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and a positive association with the onset of cervical and prostate cancer. 
  • 1.1K
  • 23 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Gluten Free Wheat
Gluten proteins, major determinants of the bread-making quality of wheat, are related to several digestive disorders. Advances in plant genetic breeding have allowed the production of wheat lines with very low gliadin content through the use of RNAi and gene editing technologies. 
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Glutamine synthetase (GS) of wheat
Glutamine synthetase isoforms of wheat play distinct roles in nitrogen assimilation for their different kinetic properties, tissue locations, and response to nitrogen regimes.
  • 1.1K
  • 26 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Wool Characteristics Variationacross of Alpacas in Poland
The quality of the fibers obtained from alpacas is primarily determined by the mean fiber diameter (MFD) and the presence of medullas. The staple length and crimping are also important. These parameters depend on many genetic and phenotypic factors, such as age, sex, and the color of the coat.Alpaca wool is luxurious and, hence, arouses great interest among consumers. However, the drawbacks of this wool are its variation in thickness and the proportion of medullated fibers. Knowing about variations in the quality characteristics of the wool on an animal’s body can help in properly evaluating and using this wool.
  • 1.1K
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Effects of Quercetin on Herbivores
Quercetin is one of the most abundant flavonoids in terrestrial plants and pollen. In living plants, quercetin can function as a secondary metabolite to discourage insect herbivory. Literature on insect-quercetin interactions was searched and data synthesized to test the hypothesis that quercetin can become an effective biocide to reduce herbivory. The USDA, National Agricultural Library, DigiTop Navigator platform was used to search the literature for harmful versus nonharmful effects of quercetin on insect behavior, physiology, and life history parameters. Quercetin effects were evaluated on herbivores in five insect orders. Quercetin was significantly more harmful to Hemiptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera but significantly more nonharmful to Coleoptera. Harmful and nonharmful effects to Orthoptera were indistinguishable. Quercetin had significantly more harmful (than nonharmful) effects on herbivores when data from the five insect orders were combined. Quercetin concentration (mg/mL) did not significantly affect these results. This study suggests that quercetin could prevent herbivory but field experiments are necessary to substantiate these results.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Jun 2021
Topic Review
The Potential Use of Probiotics
To address the rapidly growing use of probiotics in animal agriculture, this review discusses the effect of probiotics on animal growth and development, immune response, and productivity. Several benefits have been associated with the use of probiotics in farm animals, such as improved growth and feed efficiency, reduced mortality, and enhanced product quality. While the mechanisms through which probiotics induce their beneficial effects are not well understood, their role in modifying the gastrointestinal microbiota is believed to be the main mechanism. The use of probiotics in fresh and fermented meat products has been also shown to reduce pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and improve sensory characteristics. Although many benefits have been associated with the use of probiotics, their effectiveness in improving animal performance and product quality is highly variable. Factors that dictate such variability are dependent on the probiotic strain being utilized and its stability during storage and administration/inoculation, frequency and dosage, nutritional and health status as well as age of the host animal. Therefore, future research should focus on finding more effective probiotic strains for the desired use and identifying the optimum dose, administration time, delivery method, and mechanism of action for each strain/host.
  • 1.1K
  • 20 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Cloning Coconut via Somatic Embryogenesis
Coconut [Cocos nucifera L.] is often called “the tree of life” because of its many uses in the food, beverage, medicinal, and cosmetic industries. Currently, more than 50% of the palms grown throughout the world are senile and need to be replanted immediately to ensure production levels meet the present and increasing demand for coconut products.
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Agroecology-Based Local Agri-Food Systems
ALAS are assemblages of alternative food networks, assets and infrastructures for local (sustainable) distribution, new and emerging types of institutionality, political measures, and appropriate bottom-up institutional governance, together with the symbolic revival of place-based cultural and historical identities. These assemblages are embedded in specific territories with the aim of maximizing social and ecological sustainability, supported by food and nutritional equality and security, the relocation of metabolic flows, and the improvement of the food system's ecological efficiency. To achieve this, agroecological experiences of production, distribution and consumption must be coordinated among themselves and with other actors, linking rural and urban areas, forming a plural subject led by farmers and peasants committed to agroecology. The aim of this plural subject is to develop operative and place-based ways of de-commodify and de-privatize food systems. Its aim is to achieve economic viability, agency and access to decision-making spheres, the development of physical infrastructures, and symbolic contexts to allow ALAS to emerge as hegemonic food systems as the corporate food regime loses its legitimacy. Such a social subject is tasked with promoting these transitions, while redefining our underlying thought categories and building economic flows, beyond the dualities of urban–rural and productive–reproductive work
  • 1.1K
  • 13 Sep 2021
Topic Review
CRISPR-Cas Genome Editing for Insect Pest Stress
Global crop yield and food security are being threatened by phytophagous insects. Innovative methods are required to increase agricultural output while reducing reliance on hazardous synthetic insecticides. Using the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas technology to develop insect-resistant plants appears to be highly efficient at lowering production costs and increasing farm profitability. The genomes of a model insect, Drosophila melanogaster, and major phytophagous insect genera, viz. Spodoptera, Helicoverpa, Nilaparvata, Locusta, Tribolium, Agrotis, etc., were successfully edited by the CRISPR-Cas toolkits. However, this new method can alter an insect’s DNA to either induce a gene drive or overcome an insect’s tolerance to certain insecticides. The rapid progress in the methodologies of CRISPR technology and their diverse applications show a high promise in the development of insect-resistant plant varieties or other strategies for the sustainable management of insect pests to ensure food security.
  • 1.1K
  • 17 May 2023
Topic Review
Use of Propolis in Sustainable Agriculture
Propolis, also known as “bee glue”, is a resinous substance collected by honeybees from various plant sources. For centuries, propolis has been valued for its medicinal properties, primarily in human health applications.  The effectiveness of propolis in controlling common pests and diseases that affect crops, suppressing postharvest illnesses of fruits and vegetables, stimulating plant defenses and increasing stress resistance, is reviewed herein.
  • 1.1K
  • 08 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Neonicotinoid Insecticides
Neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics) are a novel class of insecticides that act selectively on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central nervous system of insects [1]. 
  • 1.1K
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
VNPs for Anti-Cancer Therapy
Naturally occurring viral nanomaterials have gained popularity owing to their biocompatible and biodegradable nature. Plant virus nanoparticles (VNPs) can be used as nanocarriers for a number of biomedical applications. Plant VNPs are inexpensive to produce, safe to administer and efficacious as treatments. Features which distinguish plant viruses from synthetic nanocarriers include stability, flexibility, diversity in shape and size for use in drug delivery and the nontoxic nature of plant viruses in humans. Cancer is one of the most common death causing disease worldwide and it is characterized by uncontrolled rapid cell division and differentiation. VNPs are an ideal choice to apply for cancer treatment owing to the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) potential of cancer cells for these nanoparticles, whereas VNPs cannot penetrate through healthy tissues due to tightly packed endothelial cells.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Liberibacter
Liberibacter is a group of plant pathogenic bacteria, transmitted by insect vectors, psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea), and has emerged as one of the most devastating pathogens which have penetrated into many parts of the world over the last 20 years.
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Heat Tolerance in Common Wheat
Heat tolerance (HT) in plants is the capacity of plants to tolerate heat stress. It is a quantitative trait involving complex genetic, physiological, and biochemical controls and is affected by environmental factors. In response to heat stress, tolerant varieties generally activate an antioxidant defence system, express heat shock proteins (HSPs) and reduce senescence by staying green.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Sustainable Food Production
Fault diagnosis and prognosis methods are the most useful tools for risk and reliability analysis in food processing systems. Proactive diagnosis techniques such as failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) are important for detecting all probable failures and facilitating the risk analysis process. However, significant uncertainties exist in the classical-FMEA when it comes to ranking the risk priority numbers (RPNs) of failure modes. Such uncertainties may have an impact on the food sector’s operational safety and maintenance decisions.
  • 1.1K
  • 28 Mar 2022
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