Abstract The litchi stink bug, Tessaratoma javanica , is a major sucking insect pest of litchi that causes damage to litchi flowers and fruits in India. Chemical insecticide‐based management strategies negatively impact insect pollinators, as litchi is a highly cross‐pollinated entomophilous crop, and are potentially detrimental to egg parasitoids of litchi stink bugs. Therefore, sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions that effectively suppress stink bugs while conserving parasitoids and pollinators are needed. The efficacy of different groups of insecticides and their combination with a mechanical barrier ( stinkBug barrier band ) was examined at different phenophases, and their safety for pollinators and natural enemies in litchi orchards was assessed. The results revealed that various insecticides and their combinations showed different levels of efficacy against litchi stink bugs. The insecticide mixture of profenophos 50% EC (1.5 mL/L) + thiacloprid 21.7% SC (0.5 mL/L) proved effective against litchi stink bugs and was relatively safer for the honey bees, as assessed in terms of foraging rate and speed during full flowering and egg parasitoids at the end of flowering of litchi. The mixture of thiacloprid 21.7% SC (0.5 mL/L) + lambda cyhalothrin 5% EC (1.0 mL/L) with the stinkBug barrier band on tree trunks at the fruit development stage was most effective. Based on the results of the present study, profenophos 50% EC + thiacloprid 21.7% SC at the end of flowering and thiacloprid 21.7% SC + lambda cyhalothrin 5% EC with stinkBug barrier bands on tree trunks at the fruit development stage are recommended for managing the litchi stink bug, T. javanica in the litchi ecosystem.

Abstract Pollinator visits to flowers are essential for maximising yield and fruit quality in many economically important crops, including kiwifruit. However, a lack of clear pollination management guidelines, such as visitation frequency thresholds, hinders the opportunity to determine when corrective actions, particularly artificial pollination, should be applied to prevent kiwifruit production loss. To fill this knowledge gap, we estimated pollination deficits in kiwifruit orchards managed under different honey bee densities, with and without artificial pollination. We found that a visitation frequency of approximately 1 honey bee visits flower −1 h −1 maximises fruit set with no detectable additive effect of artificial pollination. Conversely, fruit weight was more demanding as approximately 2.5 visits flower −1 h −1 were needed to reduce quality‐related deficits to near zero. Artificial pollination could aid to increase fruit weight but only under low honey bee densities. These findings highlight the importance of managing pollinator densities to meet flower visitation demands for maximising fruit set and quality and to decide when to apply artificial pollination for optimising kiwifruit production.

Abstract Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) is a highly toxic mycotoxin that contaminates grain and oil foods. Its strong carcinogenicity poses a serious threat to global food safety. Existing biological detoxification methods have limitations such as poor enzyme stability or insufficient antimicrobial efficacy, highlighting the urgent need for synergistic solutions with both efficient degradation and mould inhibition capabilities. This study aims to construct an engineered Lactobacillus plantarum strain that secretes Spore coat protein A laccase (CotA laccase) and systematically evaluate its AFB 1 degradation ability and industrial application potential. The engineered strain Lp‐CotA was successfully constructed using genetic engineering technology. Mechanistic studies revealed that the CotA enzyme breaks the lactone ring structure of AFB 1 , converting it into low‐toxicity products AFQ 1 and epi‐AFQ 1 , thereby reducing cytotoxicity. Application experiments showed that the engineered strain achieved over 85% AFB 1 degradation within 72 h. In flour, it exhibited preventive and repair effects against AFB 1 , effectively inhibited mould growth, and maximally preserved nutritional components. In apple preservation, the engineered strain controlled the decay rate to 10% with an AFB 1 degradation rate of 85.9%. This research provides an efficient and safe solution for the biological control of AFB 1 in grains, fruits, and vegetables, with important industrial application prospects.

Abstract Sugarcane is a key crop in the global energy transition. However, phosphorus (P) is highly retained in tropical soils, which restricts its availability for sugarcane growth. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as microbial inoculants and organomineral fertilizers (OFs), offer promising alternatives to improve P management, a nutrient essential for plant development. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of Bacillus velezensis UFV 3918 ( Bv ) and OF, applied with different doses of monoammonium phosphate (MAP), on root morphology, soil fertility, and sugarcane nutrition. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with eight treatments: control (100% of the recommended MAP dose), OF alone, OF combined with 1/3, 2/3, or 3/3 MAP, and Bv + OF combined with 1/3, 2/3, or 3/3 MAP. Applying Bv + OF with conventional P fertilization increased soil P content by 41% and P uptake by 15% compared with the control. It also enhanced N and K concentrations in the shoot by 14% and 5%, respectively, due to 28% and 15% greater uptake of these nutrients. Moreover, Bv + OF + 1/3 MAP achieved soil and shoot P content, phosphorus use efficiency, and phosphorus accumulation similar to commercial fertilization (100% MAP). These findings highlight Bv + OF as an efficient strategy to reduce phosphate fertilizer input in sugarcane cultivation by up to 66%, lowering economic costs and environmental impacts while maintaining adequate plant nutrition.

Abstract A specific phenological scale designated for each forest species facilitates the standardization of different phenophases encountered during the growth and development of seeds to seedlings. This study is the first to apply the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemical Industry scale to describe the phenophases during the initial development of five important Brazilian forest species: Bauhinia forficata Link, Ceiba speciosa (A.St.‐Hil.) Ravenna, Handroanthus chrysotrichus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos, Handroanthus impetiginosus (Mart. ex DC.) Mattos and Tabebuia roseoalba (Ridl.) Sandwith. Phenological data were collected from experiments conducted across multiple sowing dates between 2022 and 2024 at the Federal University of Itajubá, in Itajubá, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Two phenophases (main growth stages) were identified and described, that is, stage 0 (germination) and development stage 1 (leaf development), along with 12 sub‐stages. The species reached sub‐stage 110 (10th visible leaf on the main stem), marking the end of initial development, within approximately 171 days ( H. chrysotrichus ), 184 days ( C. speciosa ) and 190 days ( H. impetiginosus , B. forficata and T. roseoalba ), with variations observed in the duration of the sub‐stages (00‐110) in all species. This study highlights the variations in the duration of sub‐stages associated with the emergence and vegetative development phenophases across the five forest species studied. The binary codes assigned in this study can be used for multiple purposes, including the standardization and optimization of silvicultural techniques, as well as establishing comparative benchmarks for global warming studies, such as phenological cycle lengthening or shortening.

Abstract Soil fauna plays an important role in the stabilization of ecosystems in agricultural landscapes, due to their morphological and functional variety and for directly or indirectly participating in biological processes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of landscape fragmentation on soil fauna communities and their relationship with environmental and spatial variables in Southern Brazil. The heterogeneity of land use systems in rural landscapes of three municipalities was considered. A sampling grid was established in a window with a 1 km diameter in each landscape in two sampling periods. The increase in landscape complexity and efficiency followed the fragmentation gradient (High < Intermediate < Low). The environmental variables related to the fauna were land uses, altitude, litter dry weight, litter carbon to nitrogen ratio, soil nitrogen, potassium, pH, biopores, aeration space, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and penetration resistance. Thus, the environmental variables explained the soil fauna composition more than the spatial variables. Furthermore, pasture and native forest were the most important land use systems as refuge and source of soil fauna in the landscape. The heterogeneity of the subtropical landscapes influenced the structure of soil fauna communities, and the more fragmented landscape was less favourable to maintaining complex interconnections.

Abstract Nematodes are among the most diverse and abundant animal groups on our planet, and play key roles in ecosystems, agriculture and human health. This review explores their contributions from a One Health perspective, highlighting their impact on environmental, plant, animal and human well‐being. Free‐living nematodes are essential for nutrient cycling, decomposition and microbial regulation, and their responsiveness to various types of environmental perturbations makes them invaluable bioindicators. In agriculture, nematodes play a dual role: plant‐parasitic species pose serious threats to crops, whereas free‐living and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) support sustainable farming by promoting soil health and serving as biocontrol agents. Advances in molecular tools, such as eDNA metabarcoding, have enhanced their use in environmental biomonitoring programmes. In biomedical research, Caenorhabditis elegans has advanced studies on disease, aging and drug discovery, whereas EPNs and marine nematodes show the potential to address antibiotic resistance. This review emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary efforts to fully leverage the ecological, agricultural and biomedical potential of nematodes and to demonstrate their value within the One Health framework in tackling global challenges.

Abstract Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) causes significant yield and fruit quality losses in cucurbit crops, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Sources of resistance to ToLCNDV have been identified in various cucurbits, including cucumber, where quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been mapped to chromosomes 1, 2, and 6. A candidate gene encoding RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase 3 ( CsRDR3 ) has been identified and functionally validated in QTL1, and a candidate gene encoding heat shock factor A2 ( CsHSFA2 ) has been identified in QTL2. We performed a field screening of cucumber accessions and identified ABS.PE.045 as potentially resistant to ToLCNDV. Since prototype Mediterranean isolates (ToLCNDV‐ES) induce only mild symptoms in cucumber, we cloned ToLCNDV‐CsES, an aggressive isolate from cucumber. The proteins from ToLCNDV‐ES and ToLCNDV‐CsES differ by only 10 amino acids; however, ToLCNDV‐CsES induces severe symptoms in cucumber plants of the Wisconsin cultivar. We used ToLCNDV‐CsES to phenotype ABS.PE.045, Wisconsin, and their F 1 and F 2,3 progenies. ABS.PE.045 plants were highly resistant, F 1 plants showed symptoms and virus progression similar to those of Wisconsin plants, and F 2 individuals segregated, suggesting the involvement of two or more genes in resistance determination. A bulk segregant analysis coupled with RNA‐Seq suggested the involvement of four QTLs in resistance, with defined intervals on cucumber chromosomes 1, 2, 6, and 7. Our analysis suggested that CsRDR3 and CsHSF2A are bona fide candidates for QTLs 1 and 2, in agreement with previous studies. We propose CsaV3_7G022160 , annotated as encoding a CCCH zinc finger protein, as a candidate for QTL7. The new marker and cloned ToLCNDV‐CsES represent important tools for breeding resistance to this virus in cucumber.

Abstract Interactions between environmental factors are a major source of ecosystem complexity. Here we re‐analyse published data to define the type of relationships between drought and biotic and abiotic factors affecting plants and aphids from molecular to community scales. Out of 329 pair‐wise relationships, 55% were additive, 36% antagonistic and 9% synergistic. The type of relationship varied with plant and aphid trait; plant and aphid genotype; timing, duration and intensity of stress in relation to plant and aphid developmental stage; intra‐ and inter‐specific competition; and relations at higher trophic levels. We identify two aspects to make future research in this field more effective. First, frameworks are needed to scale from molecular cross‐talk between stresses to the relevant traits: crop yield in agriculture and fitness in nature. Second, experiments require a shift from a nominal (e.g., well‐watered, droughted) to a quantitative characterisation of stress, and realistic conditions to avoid artefacts from over‐simplified settings, for example, roots confined to pots, insects confined to cages. In the absence of predictive frameworks, interventions in agriculture and conservation are needed that are robust to the uncertainty in the type of relationship, that is, antagonistic, additive or synergistic.