Real-Time Monitoring of Grazing Cattle Using LORA-WAN Sensors to Improve Precision in Detecting Animal Welfare Implications via Daily Distance Walked Metrics.

Animal welfare monitoring relies on sensor accuracy for detecting changes in animal well-being. We compared the distance calculations based on global positioning system (GPS) data alone or combined with motion data from triaxial accelerometers. The assessment involved static trackers placed outdoors or indoors vs.

Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions.

Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species. Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies. Here, leveraging global tree databases, we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity.

From feedstock to digestion: Unraveling the impact of humic acid composition on anaerobic digestion.

In the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, the effects of humic acid (HA) derived from different feedstocks on AD are influenced by the variations in their structural composition and oxygen-containing functional groups. Thus, clarifying the structural differences of HA obtained from different feedstocks is crucial for understanding their impact on AD. In this study, the structure of five humic acids (HAs) derived from liquid digestate, food waste, silage corn straw, lignite and commercial HA, and their effects on AD were investigated.

Pesticide use, arthropod fauna and fruit damage in apple orchards in a Nordic climate.

Background: Integrated pest management (IPM) has a long history in fruit production and has become even more important with the implementation of the EU directive 2009/128/EC making IPM mandatory. In this study, we surveyed 30 apple orchards in Norway for 3 years (2016-2018) monitoring pest- and beneficial arthropods as well as evaluating fruit damage. We obtained growers' diaries of pest management and used these data to study positive and negative correlations of pesticides with the different arthropod groups and damage due to pests.

Occupational heat stress, heat-related effects and the related social and economic loss: a scoping literature review.

Introduction: While there is consistent evidence on the effects of heat on workers' health and safety, the evidence on the resulting social and economic impacts is still limited. A scoping literature review was carried out to update the knowledge about social and economic impacts related to workplace heat exposure.

Methods: The literature search was conducted in two bibliographic databases (Web of Science and PubMed), to select publications from 2010 to April 2022.

Condensed tannins, novel compounds and sources of variation determine the antiparasitic activity of Nordic conifer bark against gastrointestinal nematodes.

The antiparasitic potential of plants could offer a vital solution to alleviating the costs of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in ruminant production globally. Leveraging known bioactive molecules, however, is complex, where plant species, extraction processes and seasonality impact bioavailability and efficacy. This study assessed the impact of a comprehensive set of factors on the antiparasitic activity of Norwegian conifers to identify bark compounds specific against GIN.

Chitin, chitosan and chitooligosaccharides as potential growth promoters and immunostimulants in aquaculture: A comprehensive review.

There is a stable growth in aquaculture production to avoid seafood scarcity. The usage of eco-friendly feed additives is not only associated with aquatic animal health but also reduces the risk of deleterious effects to the environment and consumers. Aquaculture researchers are seeking dietary solutions to improve the growth performance and yield of target organisms.

Fungicide-Resistant in Forest Nurseries May Impact Disease Control in Norway Spruce.

Gray mold, caused by spp., is a serious problem in Norway spruce seedling production in forest nurseries. From 2013 to 2019, 125 isolates of were obtained from eight forest nurseries in Norway: 53 from Norway spruce seedlings, 16 from indoor air, 52 from indoor surfaces, and four from weeds growing close to seedlings.

Biochar effects on early decomposition of standard litter in a European beech forest (northern Italy).

The release of biochar (BC) on forest soil is a strategy aimed at increasing carbon reserves and forest productivity. The effect of BC amendments on the decomposition of different quality litter is, however, poorly understood. With this study we investigate the effects of wood-derived BC applications on early decomposition in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.

The role of environmental stress in fruit pigmentation.

For many fruit crops, the colour of the fruit outwardly defines its eating quality. Fruit pigments provide reproductive advantage for the plant as well as providing protection against unfavourable environmental conditions and pathogens. For consumers these colours are considered attractive and provide many of the dietary benefits derived from fruits.

Epitype-inducing temperatures drive DNA methylation changes during somatic embryogenesis in the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce.

An epigenetic memory of the temperature sum experienced during embryogenesis is part of the climatic adaptation strategy of the long-lived gymnosperm Norway spruce. This memory has a lasting effect on the timing of bud phenology and frost tolerance in the resulting epitype trees. The epigenetic memory is well characterized phenotypically and at the transcriptome level, but to what extent DNA methylation changes are involved have not previously been determined.

Global taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of bees in apple orchards.

An essential prerequisite to safeguard pollinator species is characterisation of the multifaceted diversity of crop pollinators and identification of the drivers of pollinator community changes across biogeographical gradients. The extent to which intensive agriculture is associated with the homogenisation of biological communities at large spatial scales remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated diversity drivers for 644 bee species/morphospecies in 177 commercial apple orchards across 33 countries and four global biogeographical biomes.

Temperature-humidity index monitoring during two summer seasons in dairy cow sheds in Mugello (Tuscany).

Many studies have reported that the impact of high temperatures affects physiology, welfare, health, and productivity of farm animals, and among these, the dairy cattle farming is one of the livestock sectors that suffers the greatest effects. The temperature-humidity index (THI) represents the state of the art in the evaluation of heat stress conditions in dairy cattle but often its measurement is not carried out in sheds. For this reason, the aim of this study was the monitoring of the THI in three dairy cattle farms in Mugello (Tuscany) to understand its influence on dairy cows.

Major transcriptomic differences are induced by warmer temperature conditions experienced during asexual and sexual reproduction in ecotypes.

A major challenge for plants in a rapidly changing climate is to adapt to rising temperatures. Some plants adapt to temperature conditions by generating an epigenetic memory that can be transmitted both meiotically and mitotically. Such epigenetic memories may increase phenotypic variation to global warming and provide time for adaptation to occur through classical genetic selection.

Combining Irradiation and Biological Control against Brown Marmorated Stink Bug: Are Sterile Eggs a Suitable Substrate for the Egg Parasitoid ?

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), , is a phytophagous invasive pest native to south-eastern Asia, and it is now distributed worldwide. This species is considered to be one of the most damaging insect pests in North America and in Europe. In agriculture, the predominant approach to managing BMSB is based on the use of insecticides, specifically pyrethroids and neonicotinoids.

Methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, and oxalic acid affects growth, inducible defenses, and pine weevil resistance in Norway spruce.

The large pine weevil () is a major regeneration pest in commercial forestry. Pesticide application has historically been the preferred control method, but pesticides are now being phased out in several countries for environmental reasons. There is, thus, a need for alternative plant protection strategies.

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana induces biosynthesis of flavonoids in oilseed rape following both seed inoculation and natural colonization.

Background: Cultivation of oilseed rape Brassica napus is pesticide-intensive, and alternative plant protection strategies are needed because both pesticide resistance and legislation narrow the range of effective chemical pesticides. The entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana is used as a biocontrol agent against various insect pests, but little is known about its endophytic potential and role in plant protection for oilseed rape. First, we studied whether B.

Genome analysis of strains associated with crown- and leather-rot in strawberry.

has two distinct pathotypes that cause crown rot and leather rot in strawberry ( × ). Strains of the crown rot pathotype can infect both the rhizome (crown) and fruit tissues, while strains of the leather rot pathotype can only infect the fruits of strawberry. The genome of a highly virulent crown rot strain, a low virulent crown rot strain, and three leather rot strains were sequenced using PacBio high fidelity (HiFi) long read sequencing.

Climate, host and geography shape insect and fungal communities of trees.

Non-native pests, climate change, and their interactions are likely to alter relationships between trees and tree-associated organisms with consequences for forest health. To understand and predict such changes, factors structuring tree-associated communities need to be determined. Here, we analysed the data consisting of records of insects and fungi collected from dormant twigs from 155 tree species at 51 botanical gardens or arboreta in 32 countries.

Frequent export of pig slurry for outside storage reduced methane but not ammonia emissions in cold and warm seasons.

Manure management is a significant source of methane (CH) and ammonia (NH), and there is an urgent need for strategies to reduce these emissions. More frequent export of manure for outside storage can lower gaseous emissions from housing facilities, but the longer residence time may then increase emissions during outside storage. This study examined CH and NH emissions from liquid pig manure (pig slurry) removed from the in-house slurry collection pits at three different frequencies, i.

Twenty years of catchment monitoring highlights the predominant role of long-term phosphorus balances and soil phosphorus status in affecting phosphorus loss in livestock-intensive regions.

Livestock husbandry has raised enormous environmental concerns around the world, including water quality issues. Yet there is a need to document long-term water quality trends in livestock-intensive regions and reveal the drivers for the trends based on detailed catchment monitoring. Here, we assessed the concentration and load trends of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in streamwater of a livestock-intensive catchment in southwestern Norway, based on continuous flow measurements and flow-proportional composite water sampling.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Novel Candidate Resistance Genes Involved in Defence against in Strawberry.

Crown rot, caused by , is a devastating disease of strawberry. While most commercial octoploid strawberry cultivars ( × Duch) are generally susceptible, the diploid species is a potential source of resistance genes to . We previously reported several genotypes with varying degrees of resistance to .

Entomophthoralean fungi overwinter with the bird cherry-oat aphid on bird cherry trees.

In Scandinavia, the bird cherry-oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi overwinter as eggs on the bird cherry tree Prunus padus. Branches of P. padus were collected at the late February / early March from 17 locations in Norway over a three-year period.