Black truffle, Tuber melanosporum Vittad., production is increasing due to an improvement in cultivation management and to the demand for this highly appreciated fungus. However, this intensification of truffle cultivation has led to the appearance of problems related to pest incidence. Specifically, the truffle beetle, Leiodes cinnamomeus (Panzer, 1793) (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), causes significant losses in black truffle marketability. However, its biology is still poorly known, and no effective agro-ecological methods exist to mitigate its damage to the truffles. This study aimed at assessing the population dynamics of L. cinnamomeus over four seasons (2019-2023) in an orchard located in NE Spain and relating these dynamics to weather variables and damage to truffle fruit bodies. Moreover, we described the diversity of arthropods captured in the traps in search of potential natural enemies of this beetle. The maximum population peak was observed in November, except for a single season in which it occurred in December. Moreover, the sex ratio was balanced (0.54 on average), but it varied over the growing season and among years. Significant and positive relationships of the population density of truffle beetles with air temperature and relative humidity were observed. The number of beetles per trap and day was strongly linked to heat accumulation. Finally, the Carabid Percus (Pseudopercus) patruelis (L. Daufour, 1820) was identified as a natural enemy of L. cinnamomeus. These results could be used in the future for monitoring and predicting truffle beetle populations.

Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, wireworms and white grubs are important pests of potato that are challenging to manage. This study evaluated three endemic entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) (Steinernema carpocapsae 'NY01', S. feltiae 'NY04', and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora 'Oswego') as biocontrol agents against L. decemlineata, wireworms and white grubs in New York. The efficacy of individual EPN species and their combinations on L. decemlineata larval mortality was assessed via soil-based bioassays in the laboratory. Additionally, L. decemlineata survival and percentage of tubers damaged by wireworms and white grubs were evaluated in field trials in which combinations of pairs of EPN species were applied to the soil at least one month prior to initiating the experiment. Results from bioassays indicated that among the three EPN species, L. decemlineata late instars were most susceptible to H. bacteriophora 'Oswego'. Additionally, larval mortality was generally higher (14% on average) using pairs of EPN species compared to single species. Soil applications of pairs of EPN species prior to potato planting did not affect L. decemlineata adult survival either during the summer or following spring. However, tuber damage caused by wireworms and white grubs was reduced by 40% using a combination of H. bacteriophora 'Oswego' and S. feltiae 'NY04'. Overall, EPNs applied in soil have potential as biocontrol agents for soil-dwelling pests like wireworms and white grubs in potato, and their efficacy also may extend beyond a single cropping season, but do not seem to be an effective tool for L. decemlineata management in potato.

Pioneering results of seed-potato health improvement and the suppression of soil-borne infection during the potato production by the preplant coating of tubers with an azoxystrobin-loaded degradable polymer film coating are presented. The film coating was applied to the surface of potato tubers by spraying with a 1% solution of the degradable polymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in dichloromethane mixed with azoxystrobin. The film coating did not damage the tubers or reduce germination. The half-life of the polymer coating in field soil was 25 days. The film degraded gradually from potato planting to the beginning of flowering, ensuring long-term delivery of the fungicide to the plants. In the experimental group, a more effective reduction in the total number of rhizospheric soil fungi, including plant pathogens Alternaria alternata and Fusarium oxysporum, was revealed, compared with the preplant treatment of tubers with the commercial fungicide azoxystrobin (comparison group). The healing effect of the fungicide-loaded coating led to an improvement in the quality of the potato crop. In the experimental group, the total yield and the share of marketable tubers exceeded those of the comparison group by 5.6 t/ha and 8%, respectively. The proportion of Fusarium infected tubers was 8.5% in the experimental group versus 12.1% in the comparison group. The fungicidal effect of a long-term degradable polymer film coating with azoxystrobin was more successful than traditional treatment of tubers with a solution of this fungicide. Thus, the proposed approach is promising for the protection of seed potatoes.

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) has been a prominent food and cash crop for most farmers in the yam production areas of Ghana, with the sales of yam in both domestic and international markets contributing significantly to the economy of the country. However, yam production by smallholder farmers is constrained by several challenges, including postharvest loss resulting from yam nematodes. This study conducted field surveys across seven districts across Ghana to collect data from randomly selected 150 yam farmers to investigate the status of nematode infestation, management practices and other socio-economic factors contributing to yam production in the country. The most common farm size for yam production from 2019 to 2022 was between 0.4 and 0.8 hectares. The majority of the farmers (56%) have been farming for over 15 years, with 6-10 years of experience in yam production, and preferred to use their own planting materials every year. Although most farmers (97.99%) experienced pests and diseases, most of them (77.33%) had no knowledge about nematode infestations in their farm causing damage to the tubers. Although yam farmers experienced yield losses, farmers were unable to manage nematode infestations in their farms. Twelve (12) genera of nematodes were identified in soils of yam rhizosphere across the seven districts. Tylenchus spp. (35.5%) and Scutellonema spp. (92.8%) were the most abundant nematode in soil samples and tuber peels, respectively while the second highest nematode in tuber peels was Meloidogyne spp. (4.0%). The presence of these parasitic nematodes in yam farms across Ghana suggests serious threats to the growth and yield of yams, although their presence is either not known or is usually neglected. Our result also confirmed the correlation between farmer storage practices and the management of nematodes, suggesting some storage practices such as barns may be effective in controlling nematodes. On the other hand, we find no association between pest occurrence in the field and nematode management. The lack of an association could be an indication that pest management in the field and nematode management in storage are separate activities and this underlines the importance of providing tailored postharvest training for smallholder farmers in effectively managing nematodes. It was therefore necessary to undertake this study and establish knowledge on the species as well as their prevalence in the farms across Ghana, contributing towards enhanced farmers' understanding on nematode management and effective storage of yams to prevent losses caused by nematode infestation.

Using chemical fertilizers in agriculture increases production and improves the quality of the product; however, their higher usage globally has brought forth damage to ecosystems. Using biofertilizers is a better strategy to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and ultimately increase soil fertility. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and characterize bacteria from the soil rhizosphere of medicinal plants ( Rumex tuberosus L. and Verbascum sp.) for in vivo screening. Nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, HCN, ammonia levels, Lipase, protease, catalase and siderophore production biochemical tests were also conducted. The two isolates that gave positive results from the biochemical tests were chosen out of 25 for further experiments. Based on 16S rRNA sequencing analysis the isolated organisms were identified as Alcaligenes faecalis Go1 (Accession No. OP001725) and Bacillus subtilis T11 (Accession No. OP218376). The compound fertilizer NPK was used as the positive control for field experiments, while selected stains were individually and in-combination were tested on potato crops as inoculum, over two successive cropping seasons. Plant height, number of tubers per plant, chlorophyll content, and tuber weight all increased for both isolated bacterial strains. The quality of the potato tubers was checked through visual observation for the presence or absence of disease symptoms. The treated tubers exhibited excellent quality, remaining free from any signs of disease, however, the control tubers showed infections with ( Streptomyces scabiei, Fusarium sp ., F. solani and Erwinia amylovora). The soil analyzed after harvesting both bacteria increased percentages of P, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, SO4, total nitrogen content and total organic matter. The findings showed that the tested bacterial isolates could replace the use of chemical fertilizers in the production of potatoes.

An adequate provision of essential plant nutrients to cash crops such as potatoes not only ensures higher productivity and desired tuber quality but also promotes better development under unfavorable environments. The present trial was planned to investigate and understand the effects of various treatments of mineral fertilizers viz., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) (NPK) in individual and combined forms on potato crops. Experimental treatments were comprised various combinations viz., control (no addition of any type of fertilizer); N = 150 kg ha-1; P = 75 kg ha-1; K = 225 kg ha-1; NP = N + P; NK = N + K; PK = P + K; NPK = N + P + K in soil. The results indicated that different combinations of NPK fertilizer in individual and combined forms not only influence the growth attributes such as stem diameter (83.96%) and tuber yields (180.09%) but also enhance photosynthetic attributes by improving the total chlorophyll (135.63%), carotenoids contents (143.75%), and potato quality by increasing tuber starch contents (78.75%), plant sucrose contents (52.86%) and sucrose enzyme activity (69.68%). A linear decrease in the lipid per oxidation attributes was observed where a combined application of NPK was applied. It was obvious that all the yield and quality attributes were enhanced by the combined application of NPK fertilization and then decreased gradually with the individual application of NPK fertilization. In contrast, though, the P and K application in combined form showed inferior response as compared to NP and NK fertilization. A clear and significant change in potato plants was observed under the various types of treatments especially related to the content and uptake of NPK in plants. Moreover, a highly significant relationship was observed between the balanced combination of NPK fertilization with tuber quality. This study underscores the importance of balanced fertilization practices in bolstering growth, yield, tuber quality, and antioxidative defense mechanisms and mitigating oxidative damage in potato crops.

To increase the difference in the particle size distribution of root tuber and soil aggregates and further promote the segregation effect of the binary mixture under external force. The present study investigates the bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii (BFT) as the research subject. Initially, static compression and dynamic impact tests were conducted on BFT and soil aggregates. Subsequently, a breakage model of BFT and soil aggregates was established based on the Tavares UFRJ Breakage Model, and the accuracy of the breakage model and mechanical parameters was verified. Lastly, the optimal structural and operating parameters of the screening device with a crushing function were determined through single-factor testing and multi-objective optimization. The results indicate that the breakage resistance of BFT was significantly higher than that of soil aggregates, as evident from the differences in fracture energy and damage parameters. Furthermore, the optimal operating parameters of the new vibrating screen were determined by maximizing the soil aggregate breakage rate and minimizing the BFT breakage rate.

With the intensifying global warming trend, extreme heat and drought are becoming more frequent, seriously impacting potato yield and quality. To maintain sustainable potato production, it is necessary to breed new potato varieties that are adaptable to environmental changes and tolerant to adversity. Despite its importance, there is a significant gap in research focused on the potential mechanisms of potato resistance to abiotic stresses like drought and high temperatures. This article provides a comprehensive review of the recent research available in academic databases according to subject keywords about potato drought tolerance and high temperature tolerance with a view to providing an important theoretical basis for the study of potato stress mechanism and the selection and breeding of potato varieties with drought and high-temperature resistance. The suitable relative soil moisture content for potato growth and development is 55% to 85%, and the suitable temperature is 15 degrees C to 25 degrees C. The growth and development of potato plants under drought and high-temperature stress conditions are inhibited, and plant morphology is altered, which affects the process of potato stolon formation, tuberization and expansion, ultimately leading to a significant reduction in potato tuber yields and a remarkable degradation of the market grade of tubers, the specific gravity of tubers, and the processing quality of tubers. In addition, stress also adversely affects potato physiological and biochemical characteristics, such as reduction in root diameter and leaf area, decrease in net photosynthetic rate of leaves, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increase in membrane lipid peroxidation. In addition, various types of genes and transcription factors are involved in the response to drought and heat at the molecular level in potato. This paper illustrates the effects of stress on potato growth and development and the molecular mechanisms of potato response to adversity in detail, which is intended to reduce the damage caused by drought and high temperature to potato in the context of global warming and frequent occurrence of extreme weather to ensure potato yield and quality and to further safeguard food security.

Among climate-change related effects, drought, heat, and waterlogging are the most important adversely affecting the production of potatoes in Europe. As climate change progresses, agricultural practices must adapt to maintain potato yields. This study is based on a European-wide survey. It presents potato growers' perception of climate change, its impact, and possible adaptation strategies, focusing on the results from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Potato growers strongly agreed that climate change had affected their potato production in the last ten years, as indicated by 98% of German and more than 90% of Swiss and Austrian respondents. Drought caused the most severe impact, and to varying extents damage was caused by heat and the occurrence of pests and pathogens. The most preferred adaptation measure was the planting of adapted varieties. In line with the comparably low access to at least partial irrigation that Austrian potato growers reported, Austria appeared to be the country most affected by drought. Other more pronounced challenges were late spring frost, flash floods, and soil erosion. The study highlights and discusses specific differences between the countries, as well as between conventional and organic potato production based on the Austrian responses. The results underline that to successfully develop effective climate change mitigation strategies, country-specific and local challenges and needs should be considered.

One of the critical steps in the root crop harvesting process is screening tubers from soil. However, low screening efficiency seriously hinders the rapid development of the root crop industry. Clarifying the tuber-soil mixture separation behaviour and establishing the connection between vibration, airflow parameters, and separation index (SI) is critical to increasing screening efficiency. Corydalis Yanhusuo is employed as the research object, and the three-dimensional scale distribution and mechanical properties of tubers and soil particles are first counted. Then, a vibration and airflow coupling separation model of the tuber-soil mixture was constructed using the computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) coupling method, and the physical parameters in the model were calibrated. A new method for calculating the SI is proposed. The relationship between vibration amplitude, frequency, airflow velocity, SI, and separation velocity was analysed. Simultaneously, the porosity change in the particle group during the separation process was investigated, and the relationship between vibration, frequency, and airflow velocity on the separation dynamics of binary mixtures was revealed by utilising data visualisation and frequency domain analysis. The platform for the vibration and airflow separation physical test was built. The separation behaviour of mixed particles in various parameters was discussed, as was the feasibility and accuracy of the numerical simulation results. The results of this study can provide theoretical support for the efficient screening of tuber-soil mixtures and further promote the rapid development of the root industry.