Wheat is a major source of dietary energy for the growing world population. Developing cultivars with enriched zinc and iron can potentially alleviate human micronutrient deficiency. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population with 245 lines derived from cross Zhou 8425B/Chinese Spring was used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grain zinc concentration (GZnC) and grain iron concentration (GFeC) across four environments. Three stable QTL for GZnC with all favorable alleles from Chinese Spring were identified on chromosomes 3BL, 5AL, and 5BL. These QTL explaining maxima of 8.7%, 5.8%, and 7.1% of phenotypic variances were validated in 125 resequenced wheat accessions encompassing both landraces and modern cultivars using six kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) assays. The frequencies of favorable alleles for QGZnCzc.caas-3BL, QGZnCzc.caas-5AL and QGZnCzc.caas-5BL were higher in landraces (90.4%, 68.0%, and 100.0%, respectively) compared to modern cultivars (45.9%, 35.4%, and 40.9%), suggesting they were not selected in breeding programs. Candidate gene association studies on GZnC in the cultivar panel further delimited the QTL into 8.5 Mb, 4.1 Mb, and 47.8 Mb regions containing 46, 4, and 199 candidate genes, respectively. The 5BL QTL located in a region where recombination was suppressed. Two stable and three less stable QTL for GFeC with favorable alleles also from Chinese Spring were identified on chromosomes 4BS (Rht-B1a), 4DS (Rht-D1a), 1DS, 3AS, and 6DS. This study sheds light on the genetic basis of GZnC and GFeC in Chinese Spring and provides useful molecular markers for wheat biofortification.

Native bacterial bioagents for management of potato soft rot disease caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum

The use of bio-stimulants (BSs) has become an important policy in managing many
stressed crop plants through the regulation of the balance of phytohormones, osmo-protectors
(OPs), antioxidant systems, and gene expression, all of which reflect plant growth and productivity.
Garlic + onion extract (GOE) at a concentration of 2.0–3.0% and diluted bee honey solution (BHs) at a
concentration of 1.0–1.5% were applied exogenously to squash (Cucurbita pepo) plants subjected to
cadmium (Cd) + lead (Pb) stress (0.3 mM CdCl2 + 0.3 mM PbCl2). The objective was to determine the
effects of these treatments on growth characteristics, organic metabolites/biomolecules, and mineral
nutrients. Cd + Pb stress significantly increased electrolyte leakage (EL, 103%) and malondialdehyde
(MDA, 90%) because of an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 145%) and superoxide (O2
?, 152%)
levels, and contents of abscisic acid (ABA, 164%), Cd (674–711%), and Pb (754–805%). Consequently,
marked increases in the contents of OPs and non-enzymatic antioxidants (28–133%), activities of
antioxidant enzymes (48–80%), and expressions of enzyme genes (60–84%) were observed. The administration
of Cd + Pb treatment reduced plant growth and development parameters (25–59%), yield
components (61–86%), photosynthetic components (27–67%), leaf proportional water content (26%),
indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 44%), gibberellic acid (GA3, 56%), and cyto-kinin (CKs, 49%) contents.
Nonetheless, the administration of GOE, BHs, and GOE + BHs attenuated the adverse impacts of
Cd + Pb stress. The best treatment was GOE + BHs which significantly decreased EL (52%) and MDA
(49%) because of a reduction of O2
– (61%), H2O2 (60%), ABA (63%), Cd (89–91%), and Pb (89–91%)
levels. This positive outcome was linked to an increase in the OPs’ (22–46%) and non-enzymatic
antioxidant (27–46%) levels, activities of enzymes (26–44%), and enzyme gene expressions (35–40%),
all of which contributed to the promoted relative water content (RWC, 37%), pigment contents
(47–194%), hormonal levels (82–132%), growth traits (31–149%), yield components (154–626%), and
fruit quality traits (31–92%). From these results, it can be concluded that treatment of GOE + BHs
is recommended as a foliar application to reduce the adverse effects of Cd + Pb stress treatment
in squash.

In order to alleviate the shortage of irrigation water in dry regions, refining water use

efficiency (WUE) is a key issue in sustainable productivity. Furthermore, glycinebetaine (GlyBet) is a

vital osmoprotectant produced in crops for improving drought tolerance; however, little is known

about its role in improving plant WUE under field conditions in non-accumulating plants such

as cucumber. In order to elucidate the effectiveness of GlyBet concentrations (0, 2000, 4000, and

6000 mg/L) in mitigating the deleterious effects of drought (e.g., well-watered (1250 m3/fed), moderate

drought (950 m3/fed), and severe drought (650 m3/fed)), field experiments were conducted at

Elmia village, Dakahlia, Egypt in the 2020 and 2021 seasons on vegetative growth, some physiological

attributes, as well as yield and quality. Drought considerably decreased vegetative growth, yield and

its components, leaf relative water content, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations compared

with well-watered plants while increasing electrolyte leakage. The most harmful causes were severe

drought. However, exogenous spraying with GlyBet substantially boosted the mentioned attributes,

but reduced electrolyte leakage within well-watering. Commonly 6000 mg/L contributed to the maximum

growth and productivity, preserving cucumber plant water status above other concentrations or

untreated plants. Under extreme drought, the application of 6000 mg/L GlyBet had a beneficial effect

on moderating the damage of water deficit on cucumber plant growth and productivity. Overall,

using GlyBet as a cost-effective and eco-friendly biostimulant six times (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 days

from sowing) has the potential to mitigate drought damage while also increasing yield; however,

more research is needed to determine the optimal rate and timing of application.

The potential of three plants extracts, to protect potato plants against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum was determined under greenhouse and field conditions. All soil drenching treatments of aqueous plant extracts of Hibsicus sabdariffa, Punica granatum and Eucalyptus globulus significantly reduced the disease severity compared with inoculated control. Although the applications of all three plant extracts resulted in similar reductions of disease severity in field up 63.23 to 68.39%, treatment of E. globulus leaf extract was found greater in restricting the symptom development than other the two plant extracts in the greenhouse. More than 94% reduction in the bacterial wilt symptom was observed in potato plants. All tested plant extracts were effective in inhibiting the growth of bacterial pathogen, not only in vitro, but also in stem of potato plants as compared with the inoculated control. Potato plants treated with extract of H. sabdariffia reduced bacterial growth more effectively than treatment with R granatum and E. globulus. Activity of defence-related enzymes, including peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase, were significantly increased in plants treated with the plant extracts compared to the control during the experimental period. In general, the higher enzymes activities were determined in both inoculated and non-inoculated treated potato plants after 8 days from plant extracts treatment. These results suggested that these plant extracts may be play an important role in controlling the potato bacterial wilt disease, through they have antimicrobial activity and induction of systemic resistance in potato plants..

Susceptibility of sixteen sugarcane varieties to infection with pokkah boeng
disease and effect of the disease on vegetative growth of sugarcane plants were
tested under open greenhouse conditions and artificial inoculation of Fusarium
subglutinans in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons in Upper Egypt. All tested
sugarcane varieties were susceptible to infection with the pathogen with different
degrees of susceptibility. In the two tested seasons, the G.T.54-9 and G.2004-32
varieties showed high susceptibility followed by G.2003-47, G.2003-3, G.1999-
103 and G.1998-28, then other tested varieties. However, G.2001-79 and
G.2000-176 varieties proved to be moderately susceptible. K2 isolate of F. subglutinans
caused higher disease severity than K5 isolate, on the tested sugarcane
varieties in both tested seasons. The interaction between tested varieties and fungal
isolates was significant in both seasons. The highest disease severity (٧٢.0
and 76.0%) was recorded on G.T.54-9 and G.2004-32 varieties inoculated with
K2 of F. subglutinans in both seasons, while the lowest disease severity (20.0%)
was recorded on G.2001-79 and G.2000-176 varieties infected with K2 and K5
isolates. Infection with of F. subglutinans isolates increased the number of tillers/
plant by two folds in infected plants compared with non-inoculated plants in
both seasons, however, the number of internodes/plant, stalk length and stalk diameter
of the tested sugarcane varieties were significantly decreased by infection.
Keywords: Sugarcane plants, pokkah boeng disease, Fusarium subglutinans,
sugarcane varieties, vegetative growth.

Root rot and wilt disease complex were detected in several guava, lemon and olive transplant nurseries
and new orchards at El-Kharga, Baris, ballet, El-Dakhla and El-Farafrah districts, the New Valley
Governorate, Egypt. The average percentage of root rot/wilt incidence and severity in surveying
districts were 37.7, 26.5%in guava; 41.7, 34.0%;in lemon and 41.2, 29.5% in olive transplants,
respectively. The most frequently isolated fungi from rotted roots of the guava, lemon and olive
transplants were Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani. In
pathogenicity tests, all the tested fungi were pathogenic to guava, lemon and olive transplants. The
effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) individually and/or mixed when used as a soil
drench treatment were varied in reducing root rot/ wilt incidence and severity under greenhouse
conditions compared with control. The mixed of PGPR gave the highest protection against root rot/wilt
diseases compared with the use of PGPR individually. All treatments significantly increased plant
height (cm), number of leaves transplanting-1, leaf area (cm2), fresh and dry weights transplanting-1
(gm) compared with control treatment.

Five fungal isolates were isolated from infected tomato seedlings showing damping-off which collected from several tomato nurseries of Assiut and New Valley Governorates, Egypt. These isolates were Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici Schlechtendahl, Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Rav., Setosphaeria rostrata Leonard and Alternaria alternata (Fries) Keisler. Also, six tomato cultivars and hybred, namely Castle Rock, Super marmande, Super Strain B, Enz 10F1, 0240F1 and Dream Hybrid were evaluated for their susceptibility to damping-off disease. All tested tomato cultivars were susceptible to damping-off disease, Castle Rock cv. showed the highest percentage of pre and post emergence damping-off disease severity followed by Super marmande and Super Strain B cvs. then Dream Hybrid and Enz 10F1 Hybrid. 0240 F1 Hybrid gave the lowest ones. Each tested tomato cultivars showed higher amount of total phenolic and total protein content in infected plants with the tested pathogenic fungal isolates than uninfected plants (control). The highest amount of total phenol and total protein was found in infected plant of tomato Enz 10F1. followed by 0240F1. while the lowest amount of total phenol and total protein were found in infected plant of castel Roke. then super marmande.

The biological control agents of endophytic actinomycetes was investigated
to determine whether control of bacterial speck of tomato, caused by Pseudomonas
syringae pv. tomato (Pst). From natural infected tomato leaves showing bacterial
speck disease symptoms, six isolates of Pst (Pst1, Pst2, Pst 3, Pst4, Pst5,
and Pst DC3000) were isolated, it proved to be pathogenic and able to infect tomato
plants under greenhouse condition, causing speck disease symptoms. From
the eighty eight isolates of endophytic actinomycetes recovered from healthy tomato
leaves plants, nine isolates were selected and tested for their potential inhibition
against bacterial tomato speck disease in vitro and in vivo. According
to16SrDNA analysis the isolates TR-24 and TR-26 of isolated actinomyces
proved to be Streptomyces glaucescens. While the isolates TR-20, TR-32 and
TR-34 were identified as Streptomyces graminisoli and isolates TR-25 identified
as Streptomyces flavovirens as well as isolates TR-33 and TR-35 were identified
as Streptomyces scabies. Finally isolate TR-36 was identified as Streptomyces
roseochromogenus. Application of nine isolates of Streptomyces by spraying or
drenching methods, all Streptomyces isolates were able to reduce disease severity
of bacterial speck compared to infected control. Minutely, the spore suspensions
of TR-24 and TR-26 isolates gave the highest reduction of the disease severity.
However, the lowest reduction was achieved by isolate TR-35 compared with
other Streptomyces isolates.

One of the most fatal diseases that harm Allium species is purple blotch, which is brought on by Alternaria porri. As the disease's severity rises, crop production may decrease. In this study, 12 isolates of A.porri exhibiting purple blotch symptoms have been isolated from diseased onion plants. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) allowed for the identification of the isolate that was the most virulent and caused a disease severity of 85.93%. Under greenhouse and field growing conditions, the efficiency of two bio-agents, Trichoderma asperellum T34 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae AUMC 10203, as well as three doses (50, 25, and 12.5 ppm) of their green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against purple blotch disease was assessed. For avoiding or treating purple blotch disease in onion plants, it has been demonstrated that the T.asperellum T34 spore suspension was the most effective resulting in a 76% reduction in disease severity. The spore suspension of S. cerevisiae and a 50-ppm dosage of AgNPs were the top contenders for T. asperellum. When compared to the control plants, the plants treated with bio-agents and AgNPs showed a significant decline in disease incidence and disease severity. Additionally, improvements were made to the broadness of inflorescences, the number of flowers and seeds, the weight of seeds per inflorescence, and the seed productivity.Therefore, it is recommended in this study to use T. asperellum T34 spore suspension as a potent bio-agent to manage the symptoms of purple blotch on onions.