Adapting Microbial Inoculants, Plant Extracts, and Legume Intercrop to Mitigate Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and Improve Maize (Zea mays L) Performance

Complementary effects of silicon-induced plant defense and Trichogramma pretiosum biological control of fall armyworm in maize

Data suggest that combining silicon-induced resistance with T. pretiosum biological control offers an effective and durable approach to controlling fall armyworm while improving maize performance.

Weed Growth, Phytosociology and Soil Microbial Activity in Direct-Seeded Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Under Sole and Sequential Application of Herbicide and Mulching

Synergistic Effect of Microbial Biostimulants Arthrobacter pascens and Bradyrhizobium japonicum, as the Primary Driver of Climate-Resilient Soybean Productivity at 55° N Latitude in Europe

Climate change and increasing demand for local protein resources offer a significant reason to introduce soybean (Glycine max (L.)) in Lithuania, which is beyond soybean’s typical distribution area in Europe. This study was carried out to examine the effect of microbial biostimulant inoculation in combination with chemical micronutrients on soybean under the edaphic condition of Lithuania. A three-year field trial (2023–2025) tested five treatments, including uninoculated control, Arthrobacter pascens (AP), Bradyrhizobium japonicum (BJ), BJ + AP, and BJ + AP combined with micronutrients (BJ + AP + MN) on soybean biomass, nodulation, growth, quality, yield, and yield components. BJ alone promoted most of the crop traits because the northern soil lacks biological nitrogen fixation rhizobia. It established nodulation, increased SPAD value, shoot biomass (81%), plant height (19.16%), root biomass (40.1%), protein (6.9%), pods per plant, and grain yield (33.2%) over the uninoculated control. Moreover, AP also elevated biomass and yield components significantly without nodule formation. The effects of combined biostimulant treatments in many cases were not significantly different from the single treatment of BJ. All the treatments exhibited stable performance in growing seasons, although with year-to-year climatic variation. The year 2025 gave the highest biomass and yield because of the good precipitation and temperature over that year. The most positive response of soybean grain yield was observed with inoculation of BJ + AP, which increased grain yield by 35.65% over the untreated control. This study highlights the potential of the novel epiphyte Arthrobacter pascens 13LEP5 as a highly efficient, nodule-independent biofertilizer that can match or exceed the performance of traditional inoculants in soybean production. This study suggests identifying rhizobial inoculation as a strong climate-smart strategy for the launch of a productive, low-input, organic soybean system as an expansion poleward cultivation under the edaphic condition of Lithuania.

Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infestation in maize and its management using mulberry organic residues

Introduction. Soil incorporation of Morus alba biomass mitigates Spodoptera frugiperda damage in maize, through the release of bioactive secondary metabolites with antifeedant properties. Objective. To characterize farmer perceptions of Spodoptera frugiperda severity and evaluate the efficacy of Morus alba residue incorporation as a sustainable management strategy in the Mocache canton, Ecuador. Materials and methods. The research was conducted between December 2023 and May 2024. The study consisted of two phases: a survey of farmers and a field experiment. The farmers were surveyed regarding the agronomic practices they implemented to manage S. frugiperda. The experiment was conducted in the locality of Jesús del Gran Poder and consisted of three treatments: i) a control without pest management or residue incorporation (Control); ii) soil incorporation of 1 t ha⁻¹ of a mixture of maize residues (80 %) and fragmented mulberry cv. Tigreada (20 %) (M+M); and iii) the application of methomyl insecticide. The variables of severity of infestation and agricultural yield were evaluated. A randomized complete block design with three treatments and three replicates was employed. Treatment means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test (α = 0.05). Statistical processing was performed using the InfoStat package. Results. Residue incorporation reduced severe foliar damage (grades 4-5) to 29.6%, significantly lower than the control (36.1%; p < 0.05). Grain yield reached 4.1 t ha⁻¹ with residues, statistically comparable to methomyl (4.6 t ha⁻¹) and 17 % higher than the control (3.5 t ha⁻¹). Conclusions. The high perception of severity of S. frugiperda by farmers corresponds with high levels of infestation, associated with inadequate agronomic practices and poor technical training. The maize and mulberry residues incorporated into the soil reduce severity and allow obtaining yields like the insecticide, validating its effectiveness as a management alternative in Ecuador and similar regions.

Biochar Improves Plant Vigor and Defense Response to Green Peach Aphid Myzus persicae in Hydroponic Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa )

Biochar (BC) is increasingly recognized as a sustainable agricultural amendment to improve soil health, promote plant growth, and suppress insect pests. While its application has been extensively refined in conventional soil‐based agroecosystems, its performance in hydroponics, particularly in liquid formulations remain largely unexplored. The variability in BC feedstocks, pyrolysis parameters, delivery methods and application rates demands optimization to maximize benefits while avoiding unintended effects on plants and beneficial organisms. In this study, we evaluated the concentration dependent effects of pine‐derived liquid BC applied to a rockwool based hydroponic lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) system under green peach aphid (GPA) ( Myzus persicae ) herbivory. After germination in water for 14 days, the seedlings were subjected to BC sub‐irrigation at 0% (control), 1%, 5%, and 10% BC concentrations and evaluated for plant growth parameters, physiological traits, and aphid performance. Our results show that a single application of liquid BC amendment of 5% resulted in enhanced early seedling vigor when compared to other concentrations and also adversely affected aphid performance. Overall, the findings from this study collectively suggest that 5% BC mediated substrate amendment represents an optimal concentration for managing GPAs in hydroponic lettuce production. The aphids exhibited reduced performance and showed a clear preference against plants that received 5% BC treatment. The results from this study are exploratory and demonstrate that the effects of the pine‐BC observed here are concentration dependent, within a single substrate and plant species underscoring the importance of systematic optimization of BC use to fully realize it's potential for sustainable crop production and pest control.

Genotypic Variation in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) for Resistance to Pulse Beetle (Callosobruchus maculatus F.) and the Protective Effects of Botanical Powders

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a significant grain legume commonly grown in tropical and subtropical regions and is an important source of protein, vitamins, and minerals for humans and livestock. Nevertheless, storage losses caused by the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.), continue to constrain cowpea production and storage, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed varietal resistance and botanical powders as alternative protectants against C. maculatus infestation under in vitro conditions at the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Nyankpala, Ghana. The experiment used a split-plot factorial arrangement in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plots comprised four cowpea varieties (Padituya, Songotra, Apagbaala, and Zaayura), while the subplots comprised five protectant treatments (untreated control, neem seed powder, basilicum powder, hyptis powder, and Phostoxin). Data were collected on oviposition, developmental period, adult mortality, progeny emergence, grain damage, and grain weight loss. Significant interaction effects between variety and protectant were observed for oviposition, adult emergence, and mortality of C. maculatus. Songotra and Zaayura recorded lower oviposition, adult emergence, grain damage, and grain weight loss than Apagbaala and Padituya. Phostoxin produced the lowest adult emergence and highest mortality, while neem seed and basilicum powders similarly reduced oviposition, progeny emergence, and grain damage. Hyptis powder provided comparatively lower protection. These findings indicate that combining resistant varieties, particularly Songotra and Zaayura, with neem seed or basilicum powder may improve the protection of stored cowpea grains and provide a more environmentally favourable alternative to synthetic insecticides.