Management of Strawberry Grey Mold Disease Using Biocontrol Agents and Plant Extracts

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a significant global soft fruit crop, prized for its nutrient content and pleasant flavor. However, diseases, particularly grey mold caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr. poses major constraints to strawberry production and productivity. Grey mold severely impacts fruit quality and quantity, diminishing market value. This study evaluated five B. cinerea isolates from various locations in the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya. All isolates were pathogenic, with isolate SGM 2 identified as highly virulent. Host range studies showed the pathogen-producing symptoms in the fava bean pods, marigold, gerbera, and chrysanthemum flowers and in the fava bean, gerbera, and lettuce leaves. In vitro tests revealed that neem extract (15% w/v) achieved the highest mycelial growth inhibition at 76.66%, while black turmeric extract (5% w/v) had the lowest inhibition at 9.62%. Dual culture methods with bio-control agents indicated that Bacillus subtilis recorded the highest mean inhibition at 77.03%, while Pseudomonas fluorescens had the lowest at 20.36% against the two virulent isolates. Pot evaluations demonstrated that B. subtilis resulted in the lowest percent disease index at 20.59%, followed by neem extract at 23.31%, with the highest disease index in the control group at 42.51%. Additionally, B. subtilis significantly improved plant growth, yielding an average of 0.32 kg compared to 0.14 kg in the control. The promising results of B. subtilis and neem leaf extract from this study suggest their potential for eco-friendly managing grey mold in strawberries under field conditions.

Ellagic Acid Enhances Antioxidant System Activity and Maintains the Quality of Strawberry Fruit during Storage

Ellagic acid(EA)is a natural antioxidant,widely present in a lot of forms’soft fruits,nuts,and other plant tissues,and helpful for promoting human health;however,its protective effect on postharvest fruit and improving the quality index of postharvest fruit have rarely been studied.In this experiment,the strawberries were soaked in 0,100,200,300,400,and 500 mg L^(−1) EA,respectively,and the influential EA on fruit quality and the antioxidant system of strawberries were studied.Compared with the control,EA treatment can reduce the browning degree and rotting rate of strawberry fruit during storage and augment the soluble solid content(SSC).EA treatment can also increase the content of related stuff and enzyme activity in antioxidant systems;the gene expression level of polyphenol oxidase(PPO)in strawberries treated with EA was always down-regulated,correspondingly,the expression of other antioxidant enzyme genes was enhanced.Among the strawberry fruits treated with EA of different concentrations,300 mg L^(−1) EA had the best effect in the process of strawberry preservation.The results suggested that the proper concentration of exogenous EA at 300 mg L−1 could maintain strawberries’quality and enhance the antioxidant system by improving the activities of antioxidative enzymes and the ascorbateglutathione(AsA-GSH)cycle during storage.

Real-Time Detection and Instance Segmentation of Strawberry in Unstructured Environment

The real-time detection and instance segmentation of strawberries constitute fundamental components in the development of strawberry harvesting robots.Real-time identification of strawberries in an unstructured envi-ronment is a challenging task.Current instance segmentation algorithms for strawberries suffer from issues such as poor real-time performance and low accuracy.To this end,the present study proposes an Efficient YOLACT(E-YOLACT)algorithm for strawberry detection and segmentation based on the YOLACT framework.The key enhancements of the E-YOLACT encompass the development of a lightweight attention mechanism,pyramid squeeze shuffle attention(PSSA),for efficient feature extraction.Additionally,an attention-guided context-feature pyramid network(AC-FPN)is employed instead of FPN to optimize the architecture’s performance.Furthermore,a feature-enhanced model(FEM)is introduced to enhance the prediction head’s capabilities,while efficient fast non-maximum suppression(EF-NMS)is devised to improve non-maximum suppression.The experimental results demonstrate that the E-YOLACT achieves a Box-mAP and Mask-mAP of 77.9 and 76.6,respectively,on the custom dataset.Moreover,it exhibits an impressive category accuracy of 93.5%.Notably,the E-YOLACT also demonstrates a remarkable real-time detection capability with a speed of 34.8 FPS.The method proposed in this article presents an efficient approach for the vision system of a strawberry-picking robot.

FaSnRK1a mediates salicylic acid pathways to enhance strawberry resistance to Botrytis cinerea

Strawberry is a major fruit crop worldwide because its nutritional and health benefits to human health,but its productivity is limited by Botrytis cinerea.Sucrose nonfermentation 1-related protein kinase 1(SnRK1)has a defense function against pathogens,but the function of SnRK1 in the defense response to B.cinerea in plants is still unclear.In this study,FaSnRK1a-OE and RNAi fruits were constructed and then inoculated with B.cinerea.The result reveals a positive role of Fa SnRK1a in the regulation of resistance to gray mold.FaSnRK1a affects SA content by regulating FaPAL1 and FaPAL2 expressions.The genes related to the SA signaling pathway(FaTGA1 and FaTGA2.1)were significantly increased/decreased in FaSnRK1a-OE or FaSnRK1a-RNAi fruit,respectively.FaSnRK1a interacted with the FaWRKY33.2 protein and negatively regulated FaWRKY33.2 expression,and FaWRKY33.2 acts as a repressor of disease resistance to B.cinerea.Finally,FaSnRK1a regulates the expression of six PR genes and the activities of antioxidant enzymes to boost defense response after B.cinerea inoculation.Our findings showed that FaSnRK1a increases the resistance of strawberry fruit to B.cinerea via SA signaling pathway and interaction with the FaWRKY33.2 transcription factor.

Genome-Wide Discovery and Expression Profiling of the SWEET Sugar Transporter Gene Family in Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) under Developmental and Stress Conditions: Structural and Evolutionary Analysis

The SWEET(sugar will eventually be exported transporter)family proteins are a recently identified class of sugar transporters that are essential for various physiological processes.Although the functions of the SWEET proteins have been identified in a number of species,to date,there have been no reports of the functions of the SWEET genes in woodland strawberries(Fragaria vesca).In this study,we identified 15 genes that were highly homolo-gous to the A.thaliana AtSWEET genes and designated them as FvSWEET1–FvSWEET15.We then conducted a structural and evolutionary analysis of these 15 FvSWEET genes.The phylogenetic analysis enabled us to categor-ize the predicted 15 SWEET proteins into four distinct groups.We observed slight variations in the exon‒intron structures of these genes,while the motifs and domain structures remained highly conserved.Additionally,the developmental and biological stress expression profiles of the 15 FvSWEET genes were extracted and analyzed.Finally,WGCNA coexpression network analysis was run to search for possible interacting genes of FvSWEET genes.The results showed that the FvSWEET10 genes interacted with 20 other genes,playing roles in response to bacterial and fungal infections.The outcomes of this study provide insights into the further study of FvSWEET genes and may also aid in the functional characterization of the FvSWEET genes in woodland strawberries.

LED supplementary strategy based on hourly light integral for improving the yield and quality of greenhouse strawberries

Supplemental lighting is critical to the growth of greenhouse crops under the environmental conditions of low temperatures combined with weak radiation during the winter and spring seasons.To achieve the essential daily light integral(DLI)for greenhouse crop growth,a supplemental light strategy was proposed based on hourly light integral(HLI).The target HLI was calculated by dividing the target DLI by the duration of light exposure,while the actual HLI was obtained by accumulating the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density(PPFD)based on real-time monitoring.Subsequently,the supplemental lighting duration for the next hour was determined by the difference between the target HLI and the actual HLI from all previous periods.Furthermore,the supplementary lighting strategy incorporated maximum values for both PPFD and temperature,and the supplemental light was withheld whenever the actual PPFD or temperature exceeded these values.An experiment was conducted on strawberries in a commercial greenhouse,targeting a DLI of 12.6 mol/(m2∙d),with no supplemental lighting as the control.The results indicated that LED supplemental lighting based on HLI increased the DLI to approximately10 mol/(m2∙d)and raised the strawberry canopy temperature by 1°C-2°C.Compared to the control treatment,the LED supplemental lighting based on HLI significantly improved the net photosynthetic rate,stem thickness,number of leaves,leaf length,and leaf width of the strawberry plants.Additionally,the fruit yield per plant,soluble solids content,and sugar-acid ratio in the supplemental lighting treatment increased by 32%,21%,and 33%,respectively.Thus,LED supplemental lighting based on HLI is an effective strategy for improving the yield and quality of greenhouse crop production.

Effect of K Fertilizer on Absorption of Mineral Elements in Greenhouse-grown Strawberry Fruits

[Objectives]The paper was to explore the effect of K fertilizer on the absorption of mineral elements in greenhouse-grown strawberry fruits.[Methods]A systematic investigation was conducted on the effects of K fertilizer dosage levels on the absorption of mineral elements in Fengxiang strawberries,an excellent variety suitable for cultivation in Anhui Province.The investigation was carried out under medium N and P conditions in a greenhouse.[Results]The N content of strawberry fruits increased as the K_(2)O dosage increased within the range of 0-250 kg/hm^(2).Similarly,the P content of strawberry fruits increased gradually with the increase of K_(2)O dosage within the range of 0-125 kg/hm^(2).[Conclusions]This study presents a basis for enhancing the absorption of mineral elements in strawberry fruit by applying K appropriately.

5-Aminolevulinic acid against strawberry Fusarium wilt:Bidirectional regulation of biocontrol agents and pathogens

Strawberry Fusarium wilt (SFW) is a systematic soil-borne disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.fragaria (Fof),which infects the vascular bundles,blocking water and nutrient transport from roots to the aboveground.It is a severe pathogen which spreads rapidly and destroys strawberry production.Finding a way to control this disease is of great scientific value and practical importance.In this study,three fungi were isolated from the vascular tissues of sick strawberries in the field.After DNA sequencing,they were identified as Fof,Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichoderma harzianum,respectively,among which the first two are pathogens and the third is a probiotic.All fungi were controlled by thiophanate-methyl (TM),a commercial fungicide.On PDA medium,20 mg·L^(-1)5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA),a natural non-protein amino acid,promoted T.harzianum proliferation,but inhibited Fof and A.fumigatus.In confrontation test,the growth of Fof or A.fumigatus was inhibited by T.harzianum and exogenous ALA promoted T.harzianum growth but significantly inhibited the pathogen growth.When three species of fungi were separately or combinedly inoculated on healthy strawberry plants,T.harzianum promoted plant growth and development while Fof or A.fumigatus caused growth retardation,where Fof directly caused leaf yellowing and plant wilting.When the plants inoculated with different fungus were treated with ALA,the results turned out that ALA alleviated SFW symptoms by bidirectionally promoting T.harzianum proliferation and inhibiting Fof and A.fumigatus.Thus,ALA might be used in comprehensively controlling SFW in strawberry industry.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals the molecular mechanism by which blue light promotes lutein synthesis in strawberry

Carotenoids are an important component of the human diet, and fruit is a primary source of carotenoids. The synthesis and regulation of carotenoids in fruit are important contributors to the formation of fruit quality. In China, strawberry is one of the main seasonal fruits grown in the winter. Previous studies have shown that light has a significant effect on the metabolism of anthocyanins, sugars, and polyphenols in strawberry. However, the understanding of the role of light in regulating the metabolism of carotenoids in strawberry remains limited. This study investigated the effects of blue, red, yellow-green, and white light on carotenoid metabolism in strawberry.Blue light treatment promoted the synthesis of multiple carotenoids, including lutein, compared with the other three treatment groups. The RNA sequencing data revealed that blue light treatment promoted the expression of lycopene ε-cyclase(LCYE), and the transient overexpression of LCYE in strawberry fruit promoted lutein accumulation in strawberry. Overall, the results suggest that blue light can promote the synthesis of lutein in strawberry by inducing the expression of LCYE.

Nutritional, Textural, Sensory Properties and Storage Stability Evaluation of Newly Formulated Strawberry Bar

An analytical study was conducted to develop a strawberry bar and analysis of the nutritional quality and storage stability of a newly formulated strawberry bar. In proximate analysis moisture, ash, pH, acidity, vitamin C, total phenolic content, and antioxidant of strawberry pulp were found 82%, 0.5%, 2.57, 1.38%, 49 mg/100g, 0.33%, 75.17% whereas, in the strawberry bar, it was found 18%, 0.71%, 2.10, 1.10%, 22 mg/100g, 0.14%, 56.13% respectively. For textural properties analysis, the textural profile of the strawberry bar such as hardness, factorability, viscosity, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, springiness, gumminess, chewiness, probe diameter, threshold, filtering range of strawberry bar was found 5.538 × 104 N/m, 0.000 N/m2, 1.687 × 104 N/m2, 0.6636, 2.908 × 103 J/m3, 0.8664, 3.675 × 104 N/m2, 3.184 × 104 N/m2, 20.000 mm, 5 N, 0.4 N respectively whereas the maximum level was 17.4 N at 29.628 seconds and the minimum level was -5.3 N at 30.166 seconds. The sensory evaluation of the strawberry bar was conducted based on nine-point hedonic scales. The sensory evaluation results indicated that the appearance of the strawberry bar was liked very much and the taste, texture, color, aroma, and overall acceptability of the strawberry bar were liked moderately by panelists. In microbiological analysis, the Total Viable Count (TVC) and Total Coliform Count (TCC) of the strawberry bar were found safe levels for up to third days. But on the sixth day, the TCC of the strawberry bar was not found and the TVC of the strawberry bar was found 17 × 104 cfu/g respectively which is higher than the permitted value (Gulf Standard: 105 cfu/g). From the microbial point of view, the newly formulated strawberry bar was safe to consume for up to 3 days but not for 6 days.

In Vitro Propagation of Three Strawberry Cultivars through Runner Tips Culture

At the Genetics and Plant Breeding Laboratory of the Department of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, strawberry in vitro propagation was done. Five Benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations were utilized for shoot induction—0.0 mg/L (Control), 0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 1.5 mg/L, and 2.0 mg/L and five Indole Buteric Acid (IBA) concentrations—0.0 mg/L(Control), 0.5 mg/L, 1.0 mg/L, 1.5 mg/L, and 2.0 mg/l—were used for the induction of the root. The highest mean amount of shoots (eight) and length of the shoot (3.40 cm) were observed at a concentration of BAP of 0.5 mg/L. Festival also had the highest mean amount of leaves (6) when we used the identical concentration, while RABI-3 and Camarosa did the least well. The IBA of 0.5 mg/L concentration of rooting performed the best across all metrics tested among the five concentrations. The longest (3.3 cm) roots and most roots (7) were likewise obtained from this concentration in Festival. However, RABI-3 and Camarosa performed worse than Festival in the same concentration. Half-strength MS media without IBA concentration showed no response regarding root induction for each of the three cultivars.

In Vitro Propagation of Three Strawberry Varieties and Field Evaluation

A study was done to produce a rapid in vitro propagation of three strawberry genotypes and tested in the field under Bangladeshi circumstances. Festival, RABI-3, and Neho strawberry genotypes’ runner tips were cultivated in vitro to induce root induction and multiple shoot proliferation. MS (Murashige and Skoog) media that were basally containing three different concentrations at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 of BA (6-benzyl adenine), KIN (6-furfuryl amino purine), or GA3 (gibberellic acid) at 0.5 mg/L increasing tips of the runner was attained. The culture grew on the medium provided with 1.5 mg/L 6-benzyl adenine and 0.5 mg/L 6-furfuryl amino acid to increase shoot at the best level. Micro-cuttings were rooted on MS media at half strength combined with 0.5 mg/L - 1.5 mg/L IBA (indole butyric acid) or IAA (indole acetic acid). IBA attained 4 - 9 roots and 91% - 96% rooting at 1.0 mg/L. The resulting plantlets grew into hardy plants and took root in the earth. The genotype festival had the highest response rate, followed by RABI-3 and Neho.

Rapid Screening of Pesticide Residues in Strawberry Based on HPLC-QTOF/MS SWATH Acquisition Mode

[Objectives]The paper was to establish a rapid screening method of pesticide residues in strawberry based on HPLC-QTOF/MS SWATH acquisition mode.[Methods]The strawberry sample was extracted with acetonitrile,purified with anhydrous magnesium sulfate,sodium chloride and primary secondary amine(PSA)powder,and then loaded on the machine.The full information spectrum was collected by positive ion mode and screened by comparing with the spectrum library,and 20 kinds of pesticide residues were quantitatively analyzed.[Results]The detection limits of 20 pesticide residues were 0.0002-0.0100 mg/kg,and they showed good linearity in the range of 0.0005-0.1000μg/mL(R 2≥0.995).The recoveries ranged from 62.8%to 106.3%.[Conclusions]This method is rapid,simple,sensitive and non-targeted,and can be used for rapid screening of multiple pesticide residues in strawberry.

Facility Cultivation Techniques of ‘Kaorino’ Strawberry

Strawberry‘Kaorino’is one of the perfect early-maturing strawberry varieties with high quality and high yield due to its anthracnose resistance,early maturity and good quality.The variety has become more and more popular with the promotion over the last few years,but there are great differences from other varieties in cultivation.Based on its varietal characteristics and cultivation performance in production over the last few years,we summarized the seedling cultivation techniques,planting management techniques,main disease control techniques and harvesting and storage techniques,aiming to provide reference for better promotion and application of‘Kaorino’.

Application Effect of Functional Microbial Products in the Cultivation of Green Ecological Strawberry

In order to promote the transformation and high-quality development of strawberry industry and speed up the application of functional microbial products in strawberry,the application technology of functional microbial products in strawberry planting is studied and summarized.It mainly includes:the periods and methods of continuous cropping strawberry soil reduction and disinfection at high temperature,before and after strawberry planting,before plastic film mulching and whole process of plant spraying.Through multi-point test and demonstration,the purpose of advancing the season of strawberries,improving the quality,increasing production and increasing efficiency is achieved,and there is no risk of agricultural residue pollution,which meets the needs of people's consumption upgrading.Therefore,the application of functional microbial products in green ecological planting is very necessary,and it is worth further speeding up the demonstration and promotion.

棉隆熏蒸后添加微生物菌剂对草莓连作土壤中真菌多样性的影响

为研究土壤消毒后添加不同微生物菌剂对草莓连作土壤中真菌多样性的影响,设置棉隆熏蒸后分别施用T1(哈茨木霉+枯草芽孢杆菌+放线菌)、T2(哈茨木霉+枯草芽孢杆菌)、T3(哈茨木霉+放线菌)、T4(CK)、T5(枯草芽孢杆菌)、T6(放线菌)、T7(哈茨木霉)7个处理,采用高通量测序平台(Illumina HiSeq 2500),对土壤真菌群落及组成进行分析。结果表明:施用微生物菌剂可以增加真菌丰度、多样性和种群数量。与CK相比,单独施加菌剂T5、T6、T7均能提高真菌群落物种丰度;而施用混合菌剂T1、T3增加了物种丰度,T2会降低物种丰度。棉隆熏蒸后施用不同微生物菌剂均可增加土壤真菌多样性;与CK相比,除T2处理中真菌种群数量减少,其他微生物菌剂土壤真菌种群数量增加了5.62%~57.54%,各处理从高到低依次为T6、T7、T3、T1、T5、T2;棉隆熏蒸后施用含有枯草芽孢杆菌、放线菌、哈茨木霉微生物菌剂处理,土壤真菌种群数量和恢复速度显著增加,尤其是蜡蚧菌属、枝鼻菌属、酵母属、曲霉属有益菌属种群恢复速度加快。综上,草莓连作土壤经棉隆熏蒸消毒后添加微生物菌剂,对于重建耕作土壤微生物区系平衡和缓解连作障碍是一种科学有效的方法。

Study on a Bowl-based Mechanism for Transplanting Potted Strawberry Seedlings

To improve the efficiency of fetching and transplanting seedlings for the mechanization of strawberry planting,an integrated transplanting mechanism was designed with protruding,fetching and planting performance to achieve rapid fetching and pushing bowl movements.According to the working principle of the slewing mechanism,a kinematics model and the optimization goal were established,respectively.Based on visual auxiliary analysis software,optimal parameters were obtained.A three-dimensional model was established to obtain a simulation trajectory by means of a virtual simulation design analysis.Three-dimensional printing technology was used to manufacture the test prototype,and the actual working trajectories of the test prototype were extracted using high-speed photography technology,which verified the consistency of the actual trajectory with the theoretical and simulated trajectories.A prototype transplanting experiment was performed with the success rate of seedling extraction of 91.2%and excellent planting rate of 82.8%,which met the requirements for integrated strawberry harvesting,planting and transplanting.The experimental results verified the correctness and feasibility of the design of integrated transplanting mechanism.

不同栽培模式对草莓果实挥发性香气物质的影响

为探明不同栽培模式对草莓果实挥发性香气物质的影响,以红颜(HY)、天使8号(TS8H)为试验材料,设置常规土壤栽培和高架基质栽培2种模式进行栽培试验。果实成熟后,采用搅拌棒吸附萃取(SBSE)结合气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用技术对草莓果实的香气成分进行测定与分析。结果表明:2个草莓品种中共检测出83种、12大类挥发性香气物质。其中,脂肪酯29种、内酯3种、芳香族酯6种、脂肪醇4种、萜烯醇5种、呋喃酮2种、脂肪酮3种、萜烯酮2种、脂肪酸6种、脂肪醛8种、萜烯6种、其他9种。香气组分中,内酯、萜烯醇、脂肪酯相对含量较高。常规土壤栽培处理红颜果实内酯、萜烯醇、脂肪酯相对含量分别为46.77%、21.46%、16.18%,天使8号分别为44.20%、25.71%、19.77%;高架基质栽培处理红颜果实内酯、萜烯醇、脂肪酯相对含量分别为51.17%、24.21%、13.10%,天使8号分别为43.59%、18.11%、16.54%。不同栽培模式下,同一品种中90%以上挥发性香气物质种类一致,主要挥发性香气物质均为γ-癸内酯、γ-十二内酯、反式橙花叔醇;高架基质栽培方式下红颜果实γ-癸内酯和天使8号果实4-甲氧基-2,5-二甲基-3(2H)-呋喃酮(DMMF)的相对含量明显高于常规土壤栽培。综上,高架基质栽培在维持草莓果实主要挥发性香气物质稳定的同时,还可以提升果实的果香、甜香味。

草莓移栽机控制系统设计与试验

针对草莓高起垄定向移栽农艺要求,设计一种机械打穴、人工识别草莓苗弓背方向后定向穴栽的移栽机。基于可编程控制器(PLC)设计整机控制系统,包括移栽机定速行走控制系统、前轮转向控制系统、打穴控制系统等任务模块。整机采用直流无刷电机作为底盘的驱动元件,根据电机自带编码器的输出值进行行走速度、栽植株距和打穴频率的协调控制,采用步进电机作为打穴机构的驱动元件,由接近开关对打穴机构进行定位,通过二者配合完成打穴过程,在人机协同作业下,完成草莓苗移栽。试验结果表明:当单行移栽效率为15株/min,株距为150 mm、200 mm、250 mm时,株距合格率、孔深合格率、孔径合格率均在95%以上,其变异系数均小于5%,打穴成功率均大于95%,符合移栽机行业标准,打穴移栽效果满足农艺要求。

基于改进YOLOv5的草莓病害智能识别终端设计

为实现低成本、便捷、高效的草莓病害识别与检测,提升草莓种植与生产效益,在YOLOv5模型基础上,引入高效通道注意力(Efficient Channel Attention, ECA)机制,研究构建一种草莓病害识别模型,应用嵌入式与软件工程技术研发草莓病害识别终端设备。终端设备应用系统由图像采集、图像检测、检测结果展示和数据传输等模块组成,实现草莓图像实时采集和病害实时识别检测等功能。基于草莓病害检测数据集对系统开展测试,结果表明,该系统可以有效识别草莓白粉菌果病、角斑病、叶斑病等病害。与YOLOv5相比,AP0.5∶0.95、AP0.5、AP0.75、APM、APL都有比较大幅度提升。系统具有高效、便捷、实时等优点,可广泛应用于草莓生产领域,从而有效提升草莓病害识别与检测效率。