Drought and heat stress are a global concern affecting crop productivity. The current study investigated the daily shoot and root length growth of 48 elite African sorghum genotypes and two commonly grown check varieties in response to heat and drought stresses applied individually and in combination at the early (7-day-old) and late (21-day-old) seedling stages. Genotype, stress, and their interaction significantly affected root and shoot length at both stages. Our findings indicated that the combined stresses suppressed daily shoot length growth at both stages. Drought, heat, and combined stresses equally suppressed daily root length growth during the early seedling growth stage, and drought applied separately showed the highest negative effect on root length at the late seedling stage. In general, the stress treatments showed the utmost negative effects in daily shoot and root length growth at early seedling stage than the late stage. Heat stress induced the highest relative growth reduction of 78% in hypocotyl length followed by combined stresses at 77.6% and 70.8% for drought stress. The average hypocotyl length changes ranged between 0.37 and 2.31 mm per day at early seedling stage. Root length daily growth was reduced by 69.1% under combined stress, 67.6% under heat stress, and 63.3% under drought stress at early seedling stage. Root length changes ranged between 0.35 and 2.96 mm per day at early seedling stage. At late seedling stage, the highest relative daily growth reduction was observed in shoot length (36.6%) under combined stresses while drought stress induced the highest relative daily root length reduction of 10.8%. The average shoot length changes ranged between 5.1 and 8.1 mm per day at late seedling stage while root length changes ranged between 2.7 and 3.5 mm. In reference to the independent genotypic effects, genotype IS13904 displayed the highest performance in hypocotyl and root length growth at the early seedling stage. At the late seedling stage, genotypes IS6994 and NPGRC1478 showed tolerance to at least two of the assessed stress conditions in terms of daily root length growth. Genotypes IS30164, IS30015, and IS9567 showed similar resistance in shoot growth. The overall analysis of both shoot and root daily length growth at both seedling stages revealed the resistance of genotypes NPGRC1478 and IS30164 to drought stress applied separately and combined stressors. The identified sorghum genotypes can be used as potential donors towards tolerance to combined stresses at both seedling stages and are recommended for utilization in hot and dry agroecologies of sub-Saharan Africa due to their potential vigour in early establishment.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is rich in curcuminoids, which are polyphenolic pigments make it one of the most valuable spice and medicinal plant. The rising need for natural colours and the numerous health advantages of curcuminoids are driving up the demand of turmeric. In this study, the effects of genotype and genotype × environment on the colour characteristics of 21 turmeric genotypes were examined in three different production environments namely vertical farming, greenhouse, and field conditions. The pooled analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P < 0.05) differences among genotypes (G), environments (E), and G × E interaction for three colour parameters [L* (lightness index), A* (redness index), B* (yellowness index)]. Among the genotypes, the values ranged from 41.80 to 54.76, 13.92 to 24.83 and 31.72 to 47.67 for L*, A*, B*, respectively. Erode Local (22.34), IISR Pragati (24.56) and IISR Prathiba (26.55) recorded maximum A* value under vertical farming, greenhouse, and field conditions, respectively. Correlation analysis between colour values and curcuminoids revealed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.608–0.735, P < 0.001) between A* value and curcuminoids. Furthermore, stability analysis for A* value revealed 78.87% genotype × environment interaction (GEI) from the first two principal components of GGE biplot. IISR Pragati and Waigon Turmeric are best was most stable for A* value across environments. Our study revealed that colour traits among genotypes vary widely and are strongly impacted by genetic and environmental factors. These findings are crucial for future breeding programs to enhance turmeric's colour, ensuring high-quality, stable products for producers and consumers.

Amaranth, with its high genetic variability, holds promise for global food security, income generation and climate resilience. Developing stable, high-yielding genotypes is essential for sustainable production. In this study, stability analysis was conducted on five Amaranth accessions over two seasons at three Malawian sites. Significant trait variations, including grain yield, plant height and leaf characteristics, underscored the dynamic nature of Amaranth cultivation. Notably, LL-BH-04 consistently exhibited superior grain yield, while others showed variable performance, highlighting the importance of stability analysis. Employing the Eberhart and Russell model, stable accessions in leaf and grain yield were identified. Additionally, AMMI (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interaction) biplot analysis revealed genetic diversity and stability patterns, aiding resilient cultivar selection. Consequently, LL-BH-04 and PE-UP-BH-01, identified as stable genotypes, were recommended for release, thereby enhancing agricultural sustainability and food security. These findings emphasize the need for site-specific breeding evaluations for sustainable productivity and underscore the importance of selecting stable cultivars to address agricultural challenges. LL-BH-04 and PE-LO-BH-01 were proposed for release to boost Amaranth production in Malawi, serving as the foundation for tailored breeding efforts aimed at improving productivity and resilience. This study contributes valuable insights into the stability and performance of Amaranth cultivars, offering guidance for sustainable crop production and variety development strategies.

One of the critical growth and development stages that is vulnerable to drought and heat stress even in hardy staple crops is germination. Sorghum is a critically essential, resilient, and diverse crop that displays genotypic variations in its ability to withstand such harsh conditions, limiting crop stand and ultimately leading to yield losses. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of 50 high potential genotypes of African sorghum, including landraces, breeding lines and check varieties to simulated drought and heat stress at germination stage. The study used a split plot arrangement for temperature treatments, laid in a completely randomized design with three replications. Final germination percentage, mean germination time, germination index and coefficient variation of germination time (CVt) were determined. Data was subjected to generalized linear model, principal component analysis, hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis to determine statistical differences in genotypes and visualize groups of genotypes according to their overall performance in assessed germination parameters. Drought stress and supra-optimal temperatures suppressed and delayed germination. The genotypes were grouped into six distinct clusters based on their performance. Genotypes NPGRC1593, NPGRC1782, NPGRC1476 and IS224426 performed exceptionally well under both stressors and outperformed check varieties in almost all parameters assessed. To improve crop establishment and increase agricultural yields, breeding and crop improvement programs should focus on genotypes that can withstand both stresses.

The limited genetic resource of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most critical issue impeding its improvement and production. Collection and characterization of chickpea for agronomic traits is prerequisite to build a successful breeding programme through expanding chickpea's genepool to fulfil the needs of farmers and breeders, such as grain size and yield which supply food to a world rising population. To reach such an objective, numerous collection missions were carried out in Algeria, covering the northern agro-ecological environments, this allows us to gather 56 national and international genotypes that report a phenotypic variability and may provide a valuable diversity of useful features. Characterization experiments of 19 agro-morphological traits were set up at the Technical Institute of Field Crops over two successive seasons 2020 and 2021. All traits were statistically significant and the cluster analysis classified the genotypes into three major group, where local and improved accessions revealed an interesting outcome in terms of seed yield and resistance to Ascochyta blight. In general, the current study's findings clearly demonstrated that plant and seed morphological characteristics could be used to distinguish and identify chickpea genotypes. More often, it might participate as a source of variation in breeding programmes to meet the desirable improvement targets.

Most human cystic echinococcosis (CE) cases worldwide are attributed to Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s), followed by the G6 and G7 genotypes. While E. granulosus s.s. has a cosmopolitan distribution, the G6 genotype is restricted to areas where camels and goats are present. Goats are the primary livestock in the Neuquén province in Argentina where the G6 genotype has been reported to be responsible for a significant percentage of CE human cysts genotyped. In the present study, we genotyped 124 Echinococcus cysts infecting 90 CE-confirmed patients. Echinococcus granulosus s.s. was identified in 51 patients (56.7%) with 81 cysts and the G6 genotype in 39 patients (43.3%) harbouring 43 cysts. Most CE cases ≤18 years were male suggesting pastoral work could be a risk factor for the infection. Echinococcus granulosus s.s. was significantly found more frequently in the liver (32/51 patients) and the G6 genotype in the lungs and extrahepatic localizations (27/39). The patients infected with E. granulosus s.s., presented up to 6 cysts while patients infected with G6 presented a maximum of 2. The diameter of lung cysts attributed to E. granulosus s.s. was significantly larger compared to lung cysts from G6. Following the WHO ultrasound classification of liver cysts, we observed inactive cysts in 55.6% of G6 cysts and only 15.3% of E. granulosus s.s cysts. In conclusion, we provide evidence of differences in clinical aspects of CE caused by E. granulosus s.s. and the G6 genotype of E. granulosus s.l. complex infecting humans.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 13 (PCV13) on the molecular epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children from Andalusia. A population-based prospective surveillance study was conducted on IPD in children aged <14 years from Andalusia (2018–2020). Pneumococcal invasive isolates collected between 2006 and 2009 in the two largest tertiary hospitals in Andalusia were used as pre-PCV13 controls for comparison of serotype/genotype distribution. Overall IPD incidence rate was 3.55 cases per 100 000 in 2018; increased non-significantly to 4.20 cases per 100 000 in 2019 and declined in 2020 to 1.69 cases per 100 000 (incidence rate ratio 2020 vs. 2019: 0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20–0.89, P = 0.01). Proportion of IPD cases due to PCV13 serotypes in 2018–2020 was 28% (P = 0.0001 for comparison with 2006–2009). Serotypes 24F (15%) and 11A (8.3%) were the most frequently identified non-PCV13 serotypes (NVT) in 2018–2020. Penicillin- and/or ampicillin-resistant clones mostly belonged to clonal complex 156 (serotype 14-ST156 and ST2944 and serotype 11A-ST6521). The proportion of IPD cases caused by PCV13 serotypes declined significantly after the initiation of the PCV13 vaccination programme in 2016. Certain NVT, such as serotypes 24F and 11A, warrant future monitoring in IPD owing to invasive potential and/or antibiotic resistance rates.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been confirmed as the causative agent for cervical cancer. In this study, a total of 301 880 women were recruited from four different regions of Western China, with 301 880 exfoliated cervical cell samples collected from women for DNA isolation and purification. The HPV genotype was tested by polymerase chain reaction. The overall HPV prevalence rate, high-risk (HR) HPV infection rate, low-risk (LR) HPV infection rate and mixed HPV infection rate was 18.24%, 79.14%, 12.56% and 8.30%, respectively. The four most common HR HPV subtypes were HPV-52, 16, 58 and 53, which accounted for 20.49%, 19.93%, 14.54% and 10.01%, respectively. In LR HPV genotype, HPV-6 ranked the highest (28.17%), followed by HPV-81 (9.09%) and HPV-11 (3.78%). HPV genotype subgroup analysis also showed that single-type infection was the most common (77.26%) among HPV-positive individuals. Among multi-infection genotypes, double infection was the most common with frequencies of 76.04%. The overall prevalence of HPV is high in Western China, whose distribution demonstrates different patterns across different ages and regions. Viral genotypes HPV 53, 6 were frequently detected in this population, which is worth of significant clinical attention.

Onchocerca lupi is a parasitic filarioid and the causative agent of canine ocular onchocercosis, a zoonotic disease of domestic dogs with sporadic reports in humans. A 13-year-old dog with no travel history outside of Israel was presented to an ophthalmology veterinary clinic in Israel with severe right ocular and periocular disease. After surgical exploration, thin helminths were removed from the dorsal sclera of the eye and identified as Onchocerca lupi by polymerase chain reaction according to the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1), reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 5 (nad5) and 12S rRNA genes. Phylogenetic trees and haplotype networks of the cox1 and nad5 genes confirmed the circulation of two genotypes: genotype 1 with worms from dogs, cats and humans from both the Old and New Worlds, and genotype 2 with specimens from Portugal and Spain. The Israeli sequences clustered in genotype 1 and were identical to O. lupi from the USA. Evidence of two genotypes separated geographically sheds light on the phylogeography and evolution of this zoonotic pathogen, and suggests a diverse pathology observed in different regions of the world.

n-3 Long-chain PUFA (LCPUFA) can improve cardiometabolic blood markers, but studies in children are limited. SNP in the FADS genes, which encode fatty acid desaturases, influence endogenous LCPUFA production. Moreover, SNP in genes that encode PPAR and apoE may modulate the effects of n-3 LCPUFA. We explored whether FADS polymorphisms were associated with blood cholesterol and TAG, insulin and glucose and whether polymorphisms in PPAR and APOE modified associations between FADS or n-3 LCPUFA status and the cardiometabolic blood markers. We measured fasting cholesterol and TAG, insulin, glucose and n-3 LCPUFA in 757 Danish 8–11-year-old children and genotyped SNP in FADS (rs1535 and rs174448), PPARG2 (rs1801282), PPARA (rs1800206) and APOE (rs7412+rs429358). Carriage of two FADS rs174448 major alleles was associated with lower TAG (P = 0·027) and higher HDL-cholesterol (P = 0·047). Blood n-3 LCPUFA was inversely associated with TAG and insulin in PPARG2 minor allele carriers and positively with LDL-cholesterol in major allele homozygotes (Pn-3 LCPUFA × rs180182 < 0·01). Associations between n-3 LCPUFA and cardiometabolic markers were not modified by APOE genotype (Pn-3 LCPUFA × APOE > 0·11), but interaction between FADS rs1535 and APOE showed that rs1535 major allele homozygotes who also carried APOE2 had higher HDL-cholesterol than all other genotype combinations (Prs1535 × APOE = 0·019, pairwise-P < 0·05). This indicates that FADS genotypes, which increase endogenous LCPUFA production, may beneficially affect children’s cardiometabolic profile in a partly APOE-dependent manner. Also, the degree to which children benefit from higher n-3 LCPUFA intake may depend on their PPARG2 genotype.

Human strongyloidiasis is a serious disease mostly attributable to Strongyloides stercoralis and to a lesser extent Strongyloides fuelleborni, a parasite mainly of non-human primates. The role of animals as reservoirs of human-infecting Strongyloides is ill-defined, and whether dogs are a source of human infection is debated. Published multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) studies attempt to elucidate relationships between Strongyloides genotypes, hosts, and distributions, but typically examine relatively few worms, making it difficult to identify population-level trends. Combining MLST data from multiple studies is often impractical because they examine different combinations of loci, eliminating phylogeny as a means of examining these data collectively unless hundreds of specimens are excluded. A recently-described machine learning approach that facilitates clustering of MLST data may offer a solution, even for datasets that include specimens sequenced at different combinations of loci. By clustering various MLST datasets as one using this procedure, we sought to uncover associations among genotype, geography, and hosts that remained elusive when examining datasets individually. Multiple datasets comprising hundreds of S. stercoralis and S. fuelleborni individuals were combined and clustered. Our results suggest that the commonly proposed ‘two lineage’ population structure of S. stercoralis (where lineage A infects humans and dogs, lineage B only dogs) is an over-simplification. Instead, S. stercoralis seemingly represents a species complex, including two distinct populations over-represented in dogs, and other populations vastly more common in humans. A distinction between African and Asian S. fuelleborni is also supported here, emphasizing the need for further resolving these taxonomic relationships through modern investigations.

Comprehensive screening of rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica Kato) germplasm resources with different nitrogen (N) efficiency levels is effective for improving N use efficiency (NUE) while reducing pollution and providing high quality, yield, and efficiency agriculture. We investigated 14 indices of 38 varieties under three N application levels to assess differences among genotypes. Rice varieties were classified for screening and identifying N efficient. Descriptive statistical analysis results indicated significant differences in relative yield, and also in NUE indices (agronomic utilization rate and partial productivity of N fertilizer). The genotype main effects and genotype–environment interaction effects (GGE) biplot analysis was used to evaluate suitable varieties, compare the stable and high yield capabilities of different varieties, find the ideal variety, and describe the correlation, discrimination and representativeness of the indices under different N application levels. Descriptive statistical, discrimitiveness and representativeness and factor analysis were used to select indices, in which the panicle number per plant and soil and plant analyzer development (SPAD) value were the key indices for evaluation and identification. Heatmap and hierarchical cluster analysis based on the average value of evaluation indices, and scatter plot based on the comprehensive value of N efficiency (P) according to formula showed that all varieties could be divided into five types under different N treatments. Our findings work toward developing N efficient rice varieties to improve NUE, reduce N fertilizer application and thus N waste, consequently mitigating the effects of rice production on the environment to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural development.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic disease caused by a complex of species known as Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. CE is endemic in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and the South part of Brazil. In contrast, little is known regarding the presence of CE in Bolivia. In this study, 35 cysts isolated from livestock (mostly from the Department of La Paz) and 3 from humans (La Paz, Oruro and Potosi) were genetically characterized analysing the sequence of the cox1 gene (1609 bp). In total, 30 cysts (from La Paz, Cochabamba and Beni) were characterized as E. granulosus sensu stricto (3 fertile and 4 non-fertile cysts from sheep, 8 fertile and 12 non-fertile cysts from cattle and 3 fertile cysts from humans). A detailed analysis of the cox1 haplotypes of E. granulosus s.s. is included. Echinococcus ortleppi (G5) was found in 5 fertile cysts from cattle (from La Paz and Cochabamba). Echinococcus intermedius (G7) was identified in 3 fertile cysts from pigs (from Santa Cruz). Additionally, E. granulosus s.s. was detected in 4 dog faecal samples, while E. ortleppi was present in other two dog faecal samples. The implications of these preliminary results in the future implementation of control measures are discussed.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) represents a major public health problem, while the identification of a HCV genotype is clinically very important for therapy prescription. The aim of the present study was to determine the HCV genotype distribution patients from northern Greece with HCV RNA positive viral load and to identify whether there is a shift in this distribution, during 2009–2017. The study was performed on 915 HCV positive patients and according to the results, genotype 3 was the most prevalent genotype (Ν = 395, 43.2%) followed by genotype 1 (Ν = 361, 39.5%). Regarding the gender of the patients, genotype 1 was mostly detected in women. Moreover, genotype 1 was associated with higher viral loads, while genotype 3 was most frequently detected in patients with a history of intravenous drug use. In conclusion, our results show that genotype 3 is the most prevalent genotype in Greece during the last decade as opposed to older epidemiological studies, likely due to intravenous drug use becoming the major source of infection.

Currently, the types and distribution of the lesions induced in the central nervous system (CNS) by Trypanosoma cruzi remain unclear as the available evidence is based on fragmented data. Therefore, we developed a systematic review to analyse the main characteristics of the CNS lesions in non-human hosts infected. From a structured search on the PubMed/Medline and Scopus platforms, 32 studies were retrieved, subjected to data extraction and methodological bias analysis. Our results show that the most frequent alterations in the CNS are the presence of different forms of T. cruzi and intense lymphocytes infiltrates. The encephalon is the main target of T. cruzi, and inflammatory changes in the CNS are more frequent and severe in the acute phase of infection. The parasite's genotype and phenotype are associated with the tropism and severity of the CNS lesions. The methodological limitations found in the studies were divergences in inoculation pathways, under-reporting of animal age and weight, sample calculation strategies and histopathological characterization. Since the changes were dependent on the pathogenicity and virulence of the T. cruzi strains, the genotype and phenotype characterization of the parasite are extremely relevant to predict changes in the CNS and the neurological manifestations associated with Chagas’ disease.

Measles is a highly infectious human viral disease caused by measles virus (MeV). An estimated 114 900 measles deaths occurred worldwide in 2014. There are currently eight clades (A–H) comprised 24 MeV genotypes. We sought to characterise MeVs among Central African Republic (CAR) refugees during the 2014 measles epidemic in Cameroon. Samples were collected from children <15 years with suspected measles infections in two refugee camps in the east region of Cameroon. Viral RNA was extracted directly from urine samples. RNA detection of MeV RNA was performed with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify a 634 bp nucleotide fragment of the N gene. The sequence of the PCR product was obtained to determine the genotype. MeV RNA was detected in 25 out of 30 samples from suspected cases, and among the 25 positive samples, MeV sequences were obtained from 20. The MeV strains characterised were all genotype B3. The MeV strains from genotype B3 found in this outbreak were more similar to those circulating in Northern Cameroon in 2010–2011 than to MeV strains circulating in the CAR in 2011. Surveillance system should be improved to focus on refugees for early detection of and response to outbreaks.

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are known to cause various clinical manifestations including acute gastroenteritis. Although HPeV infections and their genotypes have been detected in human patients worldwide, no such reports are available from India to ascertain the association of HPeVs in acute gastroenteritis. The present study was conducted to determine the clinical features and genetic diversity of HPeVs detected in children hospitalised for acute gastroenteritis. Stool specimens (n = 979) collected from children aged ⩽5 years hospitalised for acute gastroenteritis in Pune, western India during January 2006–December 2010 were included. HPeV RNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (5′UTR) followed by genotyping using VP1 gene-based PCR and phylogenetic analysis. HPeV was detected in 13·9% (136/979) of the cases, co-infections with other enteric viruses were found in 43·4%. HPeV was more frequent in children ⩽1 year age with infections reported throughout the year. A total of 102/136 (75%) HPeV strains were genotyped, which comprised 13 different HPeV genotypes. Of these, HPeV1 was the most predominant genotype detected and phylogenetically clustered with the Harris strain which is rarely reported. The study documents circulation of heterogeneous HPeV genotypes. Two variant strains of HPeV4 and ‘RGD absent’ HPeV5 and 6 strains were also detected. This is the first report of HPeV with diversified genotypes identified in acute gastroenteritis patients from India.

Twenty-six cultivars of tomatoes from several countries were divided into four metribuzin [4-amino-6-tert-butyl-3-(methylthio)-1,2,4-triazin-5(4H)-one] tolerance groups: tolerant, semi-tolerant, semi-susceptible, and susceptible. Early maturity and tolerance to metribuzin were correlated (r = −0.78) in the field experiment and (r = −0.72) in a sinking leaf-disc bioassay. New super early cultivars were especially sensitive to metribuzin. Chlorophyll a and b content were not highly correlated with tolerance to metribuzin. Metribuzin rates used for weed control are close to toxic concentrations for very early cultivars of tomatoes. Plants in the 9-leaf stage were less sensitive than plants in the 5- or 7-leaf stage. Metribuzin tolerance came at later stages in early maturing cultivars than in later maturing cultivars.