Temperature is a key factor influencing plant growth and productivity, however sudden increases in temperature can cause severe consequences in terms of crop performance. We evaluated the influence of elementary sulfur application on the physiology and growth of two tomato genotypes (“Ahmar” and “Roma”) grown in two growth chambers (at 25 and 45 °C). Plants were sprayed with 2, 4, 6, and 8 ppm sulfur 45 days after sowing (untreated plants were kept as control). Plants of the “Roma” cultivar receiving 6 ppm sulfur exhibited maximal shoot and root biomass values followed by those receiving 4 ppm under both temperature conditions. Maximal CO₂ index, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and greenness index values (188.1 µmol mol⁻¹, 36.3 µmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹, 1.8 µmol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹, and 95 SPAD, respectively) were observed in plants of “Roma” cultivar grown at 25 °C, indicating positive influences of sulfur on tomato physiology. Similarly, sulfur maximized proline, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents in leaves of both genotypes at both temperatures. The differences between control and sulfur-treated plants grown under heat stress indicate a possible role of sulfur in mitigating heat stress. Overall, our results suggest that 6 ppm of sulfur is the best dose to alleviate tomato heat stress and enhance the morphological, physiological, and biochemical attributes of tomato plants.

The health and diversity of plant-feeding insects are strictly linked to their host plants and mutualistic symbionts. However, the study of bacterial symbionts within different insects on the same plant lineage is very limited. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial diversity in insect samples that exclusively feed on Bambusa, representing three insect orders, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea, each exhibiting distinct dietary preferences. The bacterial community was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria, Spirochaetota, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota. The study found significant variations in symbiotic organisms among three insect orders: hemipterans had Buchnera, lepidopterans had Acinetobacter, and blattodean had Treponema. Furthermore, the dietary preferences of these insects played a pivotal role in shaping the symbiotic relationship of insects. Proteobacteria are prevalent in sap feeders, Spirochaetota dominate in stem feeders, and Cyanobacteria are abundant in leaf feeders. Seasonal influences also affect bacterial symbionts in P. bambucicola, with Serratia present exclusively in winter. We also observed that the bacterial composition varies across all samples, but their core functions appear to be consistent. This highlights the complex relationship between host phylogeny and diet, with phylogeny being the primary driver, shaping adaptations to specialized diets.

Chemical management of the peach fly, Bactrocera zonata has been compromised due to adverse effects of pesticide residues that not only contaminate environment but also affect non-target organisms including beneficial insects, birds, aquatic life, and soil microorganisms. They can be impacted through direct exposure or by consuming contaminated prey or plants. The present study was designed keeping in view this increasing demand of the consumers to get pesticide residue free fruit and vegetable produce because it reflects the growing consumer concern for food safety and environmental sustainability, motivating the need for alternative pest management strategies. The field experiment was conducted to determine the best slow-release formulation prepared by mixing the following five different types of waxes, including Candelilla wax (CanW), Paraffin wax (PW), Carnauba wax (CarW), Lanolin wax (LW) and Bees wax (BW) with methyl eugenol (ME) (to attract male B. zonata). The selection of the five different types of waxes was likely based on their biodegradability, availability, and potential for slow-release properties. The result revealed that formulations containing SRF-7[LW], SRF-9[CanW], SRF-8[BW], SRF-9[CarW] and SRF-9[PW] exhibited the maximum capture of 42.10 ± 8.14, 43.30 ± 1.76, 34.30 ± 2.96, 35.30 ± 3.18 and 22.70 ± 3.18 male B. zonata per trap per day, respectively. These effective formulations were further evaluated in experiment in which the comparative trapping efficiency of each wax formulation was assessed. The results demonstrated that formulation containing SRF-9[CanW] was expressed maximum capture 13.77 ± 1.26 male B. zonata per trap per day. These formulations were further evaluated in another experiment in which the trapping efficiency was assessed by four different application methods (simple bottle trap, simple bottle trap with water, yellow sticky trap and jute piece with sticky material). The results demonstrated that formulation containing SRF-9[CarW] applied by yellow sticky trap (YST) trapped 61.74 + 7.69 male B. zonata per trap per day and proved more effective. This formulation can be recommended for trapping and management of male population of B. zonata in fruit orchards. This study can influence eco-friendly B. zonata pest control policies, reducing chemical pesticide usage and promoting agricultural sustainability. Future research should study the long-term impact of slow-release formulations on agricultural sustainability, including pest control, crop yield, and agroecosystem health.

The diversity and health of insects that feed on plants are closely related to their mutualistic symbionts and host plants. These symbiotic partners significantly influence various metabolic activities in these insects. However, the symbiotic bacterial community of toxic plant feeders still needs further characterisation. This study aims to unravel bacterial communities associated with the different species of insect representing three insect orders: Thysanoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera, along with their predicted functional role, which exclusively feeds on latex-rich plant species Ficus microcarpa. By using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing, the analysis was able to define the major alignment of the bacterial population, primarily comprising Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Actinobacteriota, and Acidobacteriota. Significant differences in symbiotic organisms between three insect groups were discovered by the study: hemipterans had Burkholderia and Buchnera, and lepidopterans had Acinetobacter. At the same time, Pseudomonas was detected in high abundance in both lepidopteran and thysanopteran insects. Furthermore, these symbionts exhibit consistent core functions, potentially explaining how different insects can consume the same host plant. The identified core functions of symbionts open avenues for innovative approaches in utilising these relationships to develop environment-friendly solutions for pest control, with broader implications for agriculture and environmental conservation.