Among the key diseases affecting the asparagus crop (Asparagus officinalis L.), vascular wilting of asparagus caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi stands out worldwide. This disease significantly shortens the longevity of the crop and limits economic production. Traditional control measures have been largely ineffective, and chemical control methods are difficult to apply, making biological control approaches, specifically the use of Trichoderma, an economical, effective, and risk-free alternative. This study aimed to identify the main factors that affect the efficacy of biopesticides studied as Biological Control Agents (BCAs) against Fusarium wilt in asparagus and to assess the efficacy of Trichoderma-based biopesticides under greenhouse and semi-field conditions. We evaluated the response of three Trichoderma spp. (T. atroviride, T. asperellum, and T. saturnisporum) to environmental variables, such as temperature and water activity, and their antagonistic capacity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi. All three Trichoderma species inhibited the growth of the pathogen in vitro. A decrease in water activity led to a greater reduction in the growth rate. The efficacy of the three biological control agents decreased with higher temperatures, resulting in minimal inhibition, particularly under conditions of restricted available water in the environment. The effect of the fungal inoculum density was also analyzed at two different temperatures. A direct correlation between the amount of inoculum and the score on the Disease Severity Index (DSI) was observed. A notable reduction in DSI was evident in treatments with high inoculum density (10⁶ conidium/mL) for all three species of Trichoderma tested at both temperatures. In greenhouse and semi-field tests, we observed less disease control than expected, although T. asperellum and T. atroviride showed lower disease severity indices and increased the dry weight of seedlings and crowns, whereas T. saturnisporum resulted in the highest disease rate and lowest dry weight. This work highlights that the efficacy of Trichoderma as BCAs is influenced by various factors, including the quantity of soil inocula, and environmental conditions. The study findings have strong implications for selecting appropriate Trichoderma species for controlling specific pathogens under specific environmental conditions.

Soil-borne diseases threaten sustainable agriculture, traditionally managed by chemical fumigants, whose use is now restricted due to environmental and health concerns. This study evaluates the biofumigation potential of Brassicaceae species, specifically Brassica carinata A. Braun., Brassica juncea (L.) Vassiliĭ Matveievitch Czernajew., Raphanus sativus L., and Sinapis alba L., cultivated in central Spain. Field trials across two growing cycles assessed biomass production, glucosinolate (GSL) concentration, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception, and radiation use efficiency (RUE). Biomass production varied across species and sampling dates, with S. alba and R. sativus outperforming other species in shorter cycles, while B. juncea and B. carinata showed a more efficient GSL profile regarding soil-borne disease control, particularly in aliphatic GSLs like sinigrin. Results highlight B. juncea and B. carinata as potent biofumigants due to their high GSL levels, whereas S. alba and R. sativus are more suited to early biomass production. The study also explores the chlorophyll content index (SPAD) as a potential field indicator of GSL concentration, providing a practical approach for optimizing biofumigation timing. These findings support the selection of specific Brassicaceae species adapted to climatic conditions and crop cycles for effective biofumigation in sustainable agricultural practices.

Information about the paper titled "LEARNING STYLES AND RESEARCH BASED LEARNING IN ENGINEERING STUDIES" at IATED Digital Library

Brassicaceae-based bio-disinfestation is a promising non-chemical option to manage lettuce Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae (FOLac), but evidence integrating pathogen suppression, residue chemistry, and soil microbiome response remains limited. We conducted a greenhouse mesocosm assay with naturally infested soil to compare biofumigation (uncovered soil) and biosolarization (plastic-covered soil for 40 days) using five Brassicaceae residues (Brassica carinata, B. juncea, B. napus, Sinapis alba and Raphanus sativus) applied at two field-equivalent doses. Biosolarization created a distinct disinfestation environment, increasing soil temperature by an average of 2.74 °C and shifting oxidation–reduction potential toward reducing conditions. This strategy consistently reduced culturable Fusarium populations, F. oxysporum-assigned colony-forming units (CFU) and lettuce wilt severity compared with uncovered biofumigation. The strongest disease suppression was observed under plastic-covered conditions, including the soil-only control, indicating that the covered microenvironment was a major driver of suppressiveness, while Brassicaceae residues modulated the magnitude and consistency of the response. Glucosinolate profiling revealed contrasting residue chemistries among species, providing a biochemical context for interpreting species-dependent effects. Shotgun metagenomics further showed that biosolarization and biofumigation produced distinct genus-level microbial community structures, with significant effects of strategy, timepoint and their interaction, and higher Shannon diversity under biosolarization. Overall, the integration of disease severity, culture-based inoculum quantification, physicochemical indicators, residue chemistry and metagenomics supports Brassicaceae-based biosolarization as a promising pre-plant approach for suppressing FOLac wilt in naturally infested soils, with the plastic-covered disinfestation environment emerging as the main driver of suppression and Brassicaceae residues modulating the response.

Information about the paper titled "RESEARCH BASED LEARNING IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING STUDIES" at IATED Digital Library

Soil-borne diseases threaten sustainable agriculture, traditionally managed by chemical fumigants, whose use is now restricted due to environmental and health concerns. This study evaluates the biofumigation potential of Brassicaceae species, specifically Brassica carinata A.Braun., Brassica juncea (L.) Vassiliĭ Matveievitch Czernajew., Raphanus sativus L., and Sinapis alba L., cultivated in central Spain. Field trials across two growing cycles assessed biomass production, glucosinolates (GSLs) concentration, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception, and radiation use efficiency (RUE). Biomass production varied across species and sampling dates, with S. alba and R. sativus outperforming other species in shorter cycles, while B. juncea and B. carinata showed more efficient GLS profile to soil-borne diseases control, particularly in aliphatic GSLs like Sinigrin. Results highlight B. juncea and B. carinata as potent biofumigants due to their high GSL levels, whereas S. alba and R. sativus are more suited to early biomass production. The study also explores the Chlorophyll Content Index (SPAD) as a potential field indicator of GSL concentration, providing a practical approach for optimizing biofumigation timing. These findings support the selection of specific Brassicaceae species adapted to climatic conditions and crop cycles for effective biofumigation in sustainable agricultural practices.