Screening Wild Birds for Tick-Borne Zoonotic Pathogens in Portugal.

Wild birds may be involved in the transmission of agents of infectious diseases, including zoonoses, a circumstance which raises a number of public and animal health issues. Migratory bird species play a significant role in the introduction of tick-borne pathogens to new geographic areas, contributing to the dissemination of various etiological agents. This preliminary study aimed to assess the occurrence of four potentially zoonotic pathogens ( spp.

Contrasting Responses to Ethenylbenzene (Styrene) and 2-Ethyl-1-hexanol Suggest their Role as Chemical Cues in Host Selection by the Seed Beetle Zabrotes subfasciatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae).

Seed beetles spend most of their lives within the seeds of host plants belonging to the Fabaceae family. Evidence suggests the cues that mediate pre-oviposition behaviour in Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman) are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by the seeds and suggests differential abilities in environment sensing between sexes. Here, we tested whether VOCs from different legume species trigger different levels of attraction, whether females and males differ in their ability to respond to VOCs, and whether the seeds promoting different behaviours feature singular VOCs.

Efficiency of Desiccation, Biomass Production, and Nutrient Accumulation in Zuri and Quênia Guinea Grasses in Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems and Second-Crop Maize.

Modern agriculture faces the challenge of increasing production without expanding cultivated areas, promoting sustainable practices that ensure food security and environmental preservation. Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLSs) stand out as an effective strategy, diversifying and intensifying agricultural production in a sustainable manner, ensuring adequate soil cover, and improving nutrient cycling efficiency. Thus, this study aimed to explore and compare integrated crop-livestock systems with Zuri guinea grass ( cv.