Plant Protection Science

ISSN 1212-2580 (Print)
ISSN 1805-9341 (On-line)

An international open access peer-reviewed journal published by the Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences and financed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic. Founded 1921 (by 1997 under the title Ochrana rostlin)

The journal is administered by an international Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief: prof. Ing. Aleš Lebeda, DrSc.
Co-editor: prof. Ing. Radovan Pokorný, Ph.D.
Executive Editor: Ing. Eva Karská
Technical Editor: Ing. Bc. Ilona Adamírová
The journal is published quarterly

Aims & Scope

original papers, short communications, critical reviews, personal news, and book reviews covering all areas of diseases and pests of plants, weeds and plant protection. Articles are published in English.

Current issue

Exploring the role of endophytic fungi in the amelioration of drought stress in plantsReview

Alulutho Nombamba, Ayomide Emmanuel Fadiji, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):213-228 | DOI: 10.17221/25/2023-PPS

Drought is one of the environmental stresses that threaten food availability. It results in decreased crop yields and developments and diminishes overall plant health. Chemical solutions for alleviating drought stress may be harmful to the environment. Using an alternative, microorganisms help counter the effects of drought stress. Endophytes have a mutualistic relationship with the host as they provide protection and get nutrients. Fungal endophytes assist plants in countering the damaging results of drought stress by producing phytohormones and growth-promoting compounds that promote root and shoot growth and enhance crop productivity. Inoculating...

TIR-NBS-LRR genes play a role in plant defense against biotic stress in Solanum lycopersicumOriginal Paper

Namo Dubey, Anjali Chaudhary, Kunal Singh

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):229-240 | DOI: 10.17221/127/2023-PPS

Among the many biotic factors with adverse effects on Solanum lycopersicum (tomato), diseases caused by fungi, viruses and nematodes are notable. Since the genome of S. lycopersicum became available, efforts have continued to identify the genes and proteins associated with the plant defence activity. One such gene family belongs to TIR-NBS-LRR (TNL), a subfamily of larger NBS-LRR genes. In total, 27 full-length TNLs were identified via genome wide analysis. Four pairs of segmental duplication events were observed involving different pairs of chromosomes, except the pairing of Solyc02g082050-Solyc02g032650, which were both present...

The control of soil-borne fungal pathogens in grapevine nurseries in Türkiye and their impact on sapling qualityOriginal Paper

Nurdan Gungor Savas

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):241-257 | DOI: 10.17221/94/2023-PPS

In the production of grafted vines, losses are caused by fungal pathogens during callus forming or after planting in the soil. To control or reduce natural soil-born fungal infections in nurseries, certain applications were conducted in the sapling cultivation stage to analyse the efficacy of cyprodinil + fludioxonil, fluopyram + tebuconazole active substances, and Trichoderma harzianum biological preparation: 1103 Paulsen rootstock and Vitis viniferea L. cv. In the study, Sultana cultivars were stored in fungicide suspensions for 60 min before and after grafting. After grafting, the saplings were divided into (i) cutting + sawdust (ii)...

Isolation, molecular identification, and efficacy of indigenous entomopathogenic fungus isolates against Tribolium confusum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae and adultsOriginal Paper

Koko Dwi Sutanto, Mureed Husain, Khawaja Ghulam Rasool, Mohammed Ibrahim Elbashir, Richard W. Mankin, Abdalsalam Osman Omar, Abdulrahman Saad Aldawood

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):258-266 | DOI: 10.17221/131/2023-PPS

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) represent the future of pest control, as they have the capacity to induce serious infections in insects, trigger epizootics, and effectively manage insect populations. The study aimed to identify and test indigenous EPF isolates against Tribolium confusum using soil samples from Northwestern and central Saudi Arabia. Galleria mellonella larvae were used as insect bait to collect EPF from soil samples from date palm groves, fruit groves, and maise fields. Only 27.3% of soil samples tested positive for palm grove-originating EPFs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified the cultured fungi as Metarhizium...

Selectivity and efficiency: evaluation of synthetic Grapholita molesta sexual pheromonesOriginal Paper

Žaneta Pražanová, Hana Šefrová

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):267-277 | DOI: 10.17221/47/2024-PPS

The effectiveness of pheromone lures for Grapholita molesta (Busck 1916) from Propher (Czech Republic) and Pherobank (Netherlands), the attractiveness of green and transparent pheromone traps and the representation of non-target species were evaluated in three study areas of southern Moravia (Czech Republic) in 2019–2021 (24 traps per year). A total of 6 536 Grapholita molesta and 946 individuals of 17 non-target species were collected. Grapholita molesta was frequently captured in green delta traps with a Pherobank pheromone lure. Therefore, pheromone lures from different manufacturers have different efficacy and require the independent...

Enhancing pest management in sugar beet cultivation: impact of variety selection and insecticide seed treatments on sugar beet flea beetles and weevilsOriginal Paper

Darija Lemic, Mario Schumann, Ralf Tilcher, Olaf Czarnecki, Katarina M. Mikac, Domagoj Vučemilović-Jurić, Helena Viric Gasparic

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):278-287 | DOI: 10.17221/8/2024-PPS

This study focused on evaluating the effectiveness of seed treatments and different sugar beet varieties in controlling flea beetles (Chaetocnema tibialis) and sugar beet weevils (Asproparthenis punctiventris) in Croatia. The field trials were conducted in Vukovar-Sirmia County and targeted the developmental stages of sugar beet from BBCH 12 to BBCH 31. Although the sowing was done within the optimal period, no clear pattern between germination of the seeds and susceptibility was identified as the results showed different responses at different development stages and among the three variants. The experimental design comprised no insecticide,...

Biopesticide formulation based on essential oils in Drosophila suzukii management as a future of pest controlOriginal Paper

Dragana Bošković, Slavica Vuković, Sanja Lazić, Nuray Baser, Mihaela Kavran, Dragana Novaković, Aleksandra Šušnjar, Jelena Ećimović, Milica Stožinić, Dragana Šunjka

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):288-294 | DOI: 10.17221/11/2024-PPS

Drosophila suzukii poses a significant threat to berry fruits with its uncontrolled spread. Essential oils (EOs) have emerged as potential bioinsecticides due to their natural origin, mode of action, and biodegradability. Although EOs show potential for use in agriculture due to ecotoxicologically favourable characteristics, additional research is required to enhance their effectiveness, stability, and application for practical implementation in pest management. The primary objective of this research was the development of a bioinsecticide formulation based on a combination of three EOs – Pelargonium graveolens, Anethum graveolens,...

Responses of seed germination of Xanthium orientale L. and Xanthium spinosum L. to temperatureOriginal Paper

Biljana Kelečević, Zlatan Kovačević, Siniša Mitrić, Sava Vrbničanin

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):295-304 | DOI: 10.17221/124/2023-PPS

Species of the genus Xanthium (cocklebur) are invasive plants widespread all over the world. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Xanthium orientale L. was an invasive species, while Xanthium spinosum L. was an economically harmful weed species. The reason these species are spread over vast areas and across various climate conditions must be attributed to their biology, particularly the biology of their seeds. Germination of populations of X. orientale and X. spinosum at a temperature range of 15 °C to 40 °C over 2 to 20 days ranged between 15.0% (X. spinosum) and 90.0% (X. orientale). By means of the application of a statistical model, a positive correlative...

First report of Colletotrichum nigrum causing tomato anthracnose in SerbiaShort Communication

Renata Iličić, Jovana Blagojević, Ferenc Bagi, Đina Konstantin, Vojislav Trkulja, Nenad Trkulja, Tatjana Popović Milovanović

Plant Protect. Sci., 2024, 60(3):305-309 | DOI: 10.17221/14/2024-PPS

During the survey of open tomato fields in Vojvodina (Serbia), characteristic anthracnose disease symptoms, including black, circular, sunken, and watery lesions, were observed in about 20% of fruits in September 2018. Subsequent pathogen isolations formed white aerial mycelia and numerous spherical, black conidiomata on the Potato Dextrose Agar. Ten representative isolates produced hyaline, smooth-walled, cylindrical, and aseptate conidia. The presence of initially brownish necrotic lesions on the tomato, which later expanded into large rotted areas, ultimately leading to complete fruit rot, confirmed the pathogenicity of the tested isolates. Molecular...