Bureau of Plant Industry

In April 2024, symptoms of anthracnose were observed on ornamental onion plants (Allium × ‘Millenium’) in a commercial plant nursery in Edgefield County, South Carolina, USA. Primary symptoms were yellowing and necrosis of leaf tips, which died back and caused entire leaves to wither. The incidence was reported as 100% on 43,000 plants. Diseased plants were submitted to the Clemson University Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Under a stereomicroscope, acervuli with black setae of Colletotrichum species were observed on all diseased leaves. A leaf disc (approx. 5 × 5 mm2) was excised from the margin of necrotic tissue from 10 individual diseased plants, sterilized in 10% bleach for 1 min, rinsed in sterile deionized water, placed onto acidified potato dextrose agar [APDA; 0.085% (v/v) lactic acid], and incubated at 25°C. Colletotrichum colonies with identical colonial and conidial characteristics were isolated from eight out of the 10 discs. Four isolates (24-283-A to -D) from different plants were obtained by transferring individual hyphal tips to new APDA plates. After six days, they had almost identical colonial characteristics including circular, flat, filiform, matte, and opaque colonies with a pale green (front) or dark pink (back) center and a pale orange to white edge. Thereafter, isolates 24-283-A and 24-283-C were selected as representatives in the following characterizations. Conidia of 24-283-A and 24-283-C (n = 30 per isolate) measured 19.8 ± 0.5 µm and 18.4 ± 0.7 µm in length and 4.9 ± 0.1 µm and 5.7 ± 0.2 µm in width, respectively. They were unicellular and oblong, some slightly curved and elongated, while others were compact. Setae (n = 30) on APDA were 135.4 ± 34.5 µm (24-283-A) and 187.1 ± 50.8 µm (24-283-C) in length. Sequences of three genetic markers, internal transcribed spacer region, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and actin from both isolates shared 99.6 to 100% similarity with those of C. spaethianum ex-epitype strain CBS 167.49 (Damm et al. 2009). In a phylogenetic tree, both isolates were grouped with the ex-epitype in a distinct cluster. Their identity as C. spaethianum was also confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Identification Services. The pathogenicity of each isolate was tested on five pots, each containing five ‘Millenium’ plants (five- to six-leaf stage). Each pot was sprayed with 10 ml of 1×106 conidia/ml suspension. Five pots of non-inoculated control plants were sprayed with 10 ml of deionized water per pot. Plants were incubated in a closed moist chamber for 8 days at 25°C. Two days after inoculation (DAI), wilting was observed on inoculated leaves. Sixteen DAI, leaves inoculated with either isolate had yellowing at the tips. Colletotrichum acervuli with black setae were observed on only inoculated leaves. Fungal isolates with morphological characteristics identical to those of the representative isolates were recovered from inoculated leaves using the method described above, but not from non-inoculated control plants. The pathogenicity test was repeated once. Colletotrichum spaethianum is known to cause anthracnose on Allium species, namely A. fistulosum in Brazil (Santana et al. 2016) and A. ledebourianum in India (Salunkhe et al. 2018). In the USA, it has been detected on Iris sp. (California Department of Food and Agriculture, 2015), Glycine max (Boufleur et al. 2021), and Beta vulgaris (Bhuiyan Ziaur et al. 2025). This is the first record of C. spaethianum on any plant species in South Carolina. Its exact distribution in the USA warrants further investigation.

Five subfamilies within Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles) have larvae that retain their feces as a coat or armor which serves for thermoregulation, camouflage, or barrier to enemies. The construction, retention and repair of these fecal structures are associated with specialized larval morphologies in the tortoise beetles (subfamily Cassidinae) and in the Cryptocephalinae + Lamprosomatinae (Camptosomata), but morphology associated with fecal encrustations on larvae in the Blepharida-group flea beetles (Galerucinae: Alticini) and in Criocerinae have not been examined. Experiments with live larvae of Podontiaquatuordecimpunctata (L., 1767) (or sineguelas leaf beetle, SLB; Blepharida group) reveal the anus opens dorsally and deposits feces directly to the larva’s dorsum; the armor is maintained and is reconstructed. Scanning electron microscopy reveals integumental microtrichia that presumably hold on the feces. This invasive beetle has become an introduced tree-crop pest in the Philippines, so ongoing research seeks to mitigate its population. Insecticidal chemical assays show that fecal armor does not fully protect SLB larvae but delays potency slightly. The study recommends rotating the insecticides (Imidacloprid, Cypermethrin, and Buprofezin) to prevent the development of resistance. Specialized morphology for fecal retention is known in Cassidinae, Camptosomata and is now documented in the Blepharida group. Such morphology and the fecal-building behavior can offer additional phylogenetic information for these beetles.

The article explores the establishment and methodological framework of Professor V. A. Nefyodov's scientific school, which has pioneered a distinctive direction in Russian urban planning - Architectural-Landscape Reconstruction (ALR). Nefyodov's school was the first to conceptualise ALR as an independent branch of urban planning, emphasising ecologically and visually-spatially oriented reimagining of urban environments through the restoration of natural balance. The first section focuses on the development of the school's methodological foundation, which integrates systems analysis, parametrisation of natural components, landscape transformation modelling, and the incorporation of landscape design techniques and a biopositive approach. This framework enables the consideration of urbanised areas as dynamic socio-natural systems requiring a holistic and adaptive design approach. Through examples of doctoral research supervised by V. A. Nefyodov - ranging from ecological-urban optimisation of riverfront areas (M. Matashova), restructuring of transit spaces (I. Sotnikova), to principles for organising collective spaces in low-rise developments (E. Zaykova)-the practical potential of the school and its adaptability to diverse territorial and climatic contexts are demonstrated. The article highlights the school's significant contribution to advancing sustainable design practices in Russia and internationally. It also examines prospects for its evolution into an interdisciplinary scientific-practical community capable of global integration and the development of new models for regenerative urbanism.

Abstract African swine fever (ASF) is a re-emerging viral disease of swine, causing highly contagious hemorrhagic infection and devastating mortality in domestic pigs. It was first reported in the Philippines in July 2019 and outbreaks have since spread nationwide, reportedly reducing 30% of the local swine population. The present study aims to analyze the phylogenomic characteristics of two ASF virus isolates collected from outbreaks in the Philippines in May and June of 2020. Downstream analysis of short read metagenomic Illumina sequencing data generated two near full-length genome sequences of ASF viruses of genotype 2, serogroup 8, CVR 1, and IGR II. The current study identified 33 genetic variations within the Philippine isolates relative to ASFV Georgia 2007/1.

Resistance to insect pests is an important self-defense characteristic of pepper plants. However, the resistance of different pepper cultivars to Spodoptera litura larvae, one of the main insect pest species on pepper, is not well understood. Among seven pepper cultivars evaluated, cayenne pepper 'FXBX' showed the highest repellency to third instar S. litura larvae, Chao tian chili pepper 'BLTY2' showed the lowest repellency. Plant volatiles (1-hexene, hexanal, β-ionone, (E,E)-2,6-nonadienal, and methyl salicylate) affected host selection by S. litura. Among these, 1-hexene, hexanal, and β-ionone at concentrations naturally-released by pepper leaves were found to repel S. litura. Interestingly, S. litura larvae fed on the larva-attracting pepper cultivar, (BLTY2) had an extended developmental period, which was about 13 days longer than larvae fed on FXBX. Besides, the survival rate of larvae fed on BLTY2 was 22.5 ± 0.0%, indicating that the leaves of BLTY2 can kill S. litura larvae. Correlation analysis showed that larval survival rate, emergence rate, female adult longevity, and pupal weight were positively correlated with the vitamin C, amino acids, protein, cellulose, and soluble sugar contents, but were negatively correlated with wax and flavonoids contents. We identified two different modes of direct defense exhibited by pepper cultivars against S. litura. One involves the release of repellent volatiles to avoid been fed on (FXBX cultivar). The other involves the inhibition of the growth and development or the direct killing of S. litura larvae which feeds on it (BLTY2 cultivar). © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are two major transboundary animal diseases of swine with important socioeconomic consequences at farm, subnational and national level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the direct cost of outbreaks and their control at country/regional level in four countries: namely CSF in Colombia in 2015–2016, the retrospective cost of ASF in the Philippines in 2019 and in a province of Vietnam in 2020 and a hypothetical ASF scenario in one region in North Macedonia, using the newly developed Outbreak Costing Tool (OutCosT). The tool calculates the costs of 106 different items, broken down by up to four types of farms, and by who assumes the cost (whether veterinary services, farmers or other stakeholders).The total cost of CSF in Colombia was US$ 3.8 million, of which 88% represented the cost of the vaccination campaign. For ASF, there were wide differences between countries: US$ 8,26,911 in Lao Cai (Vietnam), US$ 33,19,666 in North Macedonia and over US$ 58 million in the Philippines. While in the Philippines and Vietnam, 96–98% of the cost occurred in the affected farms, the highest expenditure in North Macedonia scenario was the movement control of the neighbouring and at‐risk farms (77%). These important differences between countries depend on the spread of the disease, but also on the production systems affected and the measures applied. Apart from the financial cost, these diseases have other negative impacts, especially in the livelihoods of smallholder farms. The OutCosT tool also allows users to evaluate qualitatively other important aspects related to the epidemics, such as the impact on human health, the environment, animal welfare, socioeconomic vulnerability, trading and political response.OutCosT, which is a FAO corporate tool (available online at: https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/faoweb/animal‐health/OutCosT_PIG.xlsx), can be an important tool to support country authorities to rapidly respond to a swine disease outbreak by estimating the associated costs and for advocacy purposes to mobilize resources at national or international levels.

A respiratory disease outbreak investigation was carried out from October to December 2015 in three broiler farms and two hatcheries in Leyte. Three- to seven-day-old chicks from farms were initially brought to CVM diagnostic laboratory for necropsy and microbial analyses. Subsequent visits to hatcheries and farms were made for random swabbing and sampling of physical facilities, equipment, vehicle, unhatched eggs, 18-day old eggs, eggshells, and day-old chicks. Chick necropsy, embryo examination, and bacteriological method for Mycoplasma, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Aspergillus were performed. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing was conducted for Salmonella and E. coli isolates. The main clinical sign observed in chicks was dyspnea. Necropsy revealed consistent bilateral fibrinous airsacculitis and perihepatitis with few cases of pericarditis, wherein sampled organs consistently showed the presence of E. coli. Out of 83 samples collected, 19 (22.89%) Salmonella, 40 (48.19%) E. coli, and no Aspergillus were isolated. Most E. coli were isolated from chick embryos and necropsied chickens, while Salmonella isolates were mostly from the environment. Mycoplasma was isolated from 63.64% (7/11) of sampled lungs, air sacs, and liver from unhatched embryos (100%), 18-day old embryos (50%), and day-old chicks (33.33%). The majority of Salmonella and E. coli isolates showed multidrug resistance against amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMPS), and tetracycline. Few isolates were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Our results should raise awareness on the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli and Salmonella, and coinfection with Mycoplasma among broilers in Leyte. Therefore, proper selection and usage of antibiotics should be advocated in all poultry farms.

Unraveling the genetic diversity held in genebanks on a large scale is underway, due to advances in Next-generation sequence (NGS) based technologies that produce high-density genetic markers for a large number of samples at low cost. Genebank users should be in a position to identify and select germplasm from the global genepool based on a combination of passport, genotypic and phenotypic data. To facilitate this, a new generation of information systems is being designed to efficiently handle data and link it with other external resources such as genome or breeding databases. The Musa Germplasm Information System (MGIS), the database for global ex situ-held banana genetic resources, has been developed to address those needs in a user-friendly way. In developing MGIS, we selected a generic database schema (Chado), the robust content management system Drupal for the user interface, and Tripal, a set of Drupal modules which links the Chado schema to Drupal. MGIS allows germplasm collection examination, accession browsing, advanced search functions, and germplasm orders. Additionally, we developed unique graphical interfaces to compare accessions and to explore them based on their taxonomic information. Accession-based data has been enriched with publications, genotyping studies and associated genotyping datasets reporting on germplasm use. Finally, an interoperability layer has been implemented to facilitate the link with complementary databases like the Banana Genome Hub and the MusaBase breeding database.