Effect of heat on rheology,surface hydrophobicity and molecular weight distribution of glutens extracted from flours with different bread-making quality

Gluten was extracted from flours of several different wheat varieties of varying baking quality. Creep compliance was measured at room temperature and tan δ was measured over a range of temperatures from 25 to 95 °C. The extracted glutens were heat-treated for 20 min at 25, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 90 °C in a water bath, freeze-dried and ground to a fine powder. Tests were carried out for extractability in sodium dodecyl sulphate, free sulphydryl (SH) groups using Ellman's method, surface hydrophobicity and molecular weight (MW) distribution (MWD) using field-flow fractionation and multi-angle laser light scattering. With increasing temperature, the glutens showed a decrease in extractability, with the most rapid decreases occurring between 70 and 90 °C, a major transition in tan δ at around 60 °C and a minor transition at 40 °C for most varieties, a decrease in free SH groups and surface hydrophobicity and a shift in the MWD towards higher MW. The poor bread-making variety Riband showed the highest values of tan δ and Newtonian compliance, the lowest content of free SH groups and the largest increase of HMW/LMW with increasing temperature. No significant correlations with baking volume were found between any of the measured parameters.     

Disease Tolerance in Helianthus petiolaris : A Genetic Resource for Sunflower Breeding

Abstract

Argentina is a major sunflower producer in the world, with crop acreage of 2?2.7 million ha in the last four years. Sunflower crop yield is often influenced by sanitary constraints, mainly fungal pathogens. Helianthus petiolaris is a wild species native to North America established in central Argentina displays a high tolerance to a number of fungal diseases and insects. Controlled crosses of this species with sunflower demonstrated that H. petiolaris constitutes a valuable genetic variability source for sunflower breeding to improve tolerance to rust (Puccinia helianthi), white rust (Albugo tragopogonis), verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae), powdery mildew (Erisiphe sp.) and the sunflower moth (Rachiplusia nu). This places H. petiolaris in an outstanding position as a genetic resource since different important traits could be transferred to the crop through interspecific hybridization.     

Identification of a Novel Stop Loss Mutation in P2RX2 Gene in an Iranian Family with Autosomal Nonsyndromic Hearing Loss

Background:Hearing loss, a congenital genetic disorder in human, is difficult to diagnose. WES is a powerful approach for ethiological disgnosis of such disorders. Methods:One Iranian family with two patients were attented in the study. Sequencing of known NSHL genes was carried out to recognize the genetic causes of HL. Results:Molecular analyses identified a novel stop loss mutation, c.1048T>G (p.Term350Glu), whitin the P2RX2 gene, causing a termination-site modification.This event would lead to continued translation into the 3'' UTR of the gene, which in turn may result in a longer protein product. The mutation was segregating with the disease phenotype and predicted to be pathogenic by bioinformatic tools. Conclusion:This study is the first Iranian case report of a diagnosis of ADNSHL caused by P2RX2 mutation. The recognition of other causative mutations in P2RX2 gene more supports the probable function of this gene in causing ADNSHL. Key Words: Autosomal dominant 41, Deafness, Mutation, P2RX2, Whole exome sequencing     

Control of grassy weeds in annual canarygrass

There are currently no herbicides registered in Argentina for the selective control of grassy weeds in annual canarygrass (Phalaris canariensis L.). The principal grassy weeds are darnel ryegrass (Lolium temulentum L.) and wild oats (Avena fatua L.), which cause grain yield and quality losses. The potential of diclofop-methyl and clordinafop-propargyl for their control was assessed through greenhouse and field trials, in which crop phytotoxicity and weed control efficacy were evaluated. It was found that (i) field application of clordinafop-propargyl resulted in severe crop damage, except for low doses that did not affect the species to be controlled; (ii) although field application of diclofop-methyl resulted in a certain degree of phytotoxicity on wild oats, these effects were insufficient for efficacious control; and (iii) field and greenhouse application of diclofop-methyl between 200 and 500 g a.i. ha⁻¹ revealed differences between crop sensitivity and that of darnel ryegrass. In this range, crop phytotoxicity in the greenhouse was less than 20% compared to more than 60% in the weed, and in the field only slight crop phytotoxicity symptoms were observed. As in the greenhouse, field application resulted in significant phytotoxic effects upon darnel ryegrass, high efficacy levels, a low survival rate amongst treated plants and a notable reduction in seed production by surviving plants. Only the highest dose (500 g a.i. ha⁻¹) in one of the field trials resulted in a significant reduction in crop grain yield. Hence diclofop-methyl application appears to offer a promising means for controlling darnel ryegrass.     

Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Effects of Polyphenols in Brown Alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ecklonia stolonifera</Emphasis> in Genetically Diabetic KK-A<Superscript>y</Superscript> Mice

The dietary intake and control of blood glucose levels are very important in hyperglycemic patients and α-glucosidase inhibitors are a cost-effective means to preventing the progression of diabetes. In search of a natural inhibitor from food materials, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and the anti-hyperglycemic effects of a brown alga, Ecklonia stolonifera, were investigated using non-insulin dependent diabetic mice. Methanolic extract of E. stolonifera (MEE), which contains a high content of polyphenols, showed strong inhibition of α-glucosidase in vitro. Male KK-A^y mice, a genetically non-insulin dependent diabetic model, showed hyperglycemia with aging, but the ingestion of MEE suppressed the increase in plasma glucose and lipid peroxidation levels in unfasted KK-A^y mice dose dependently. In KK-A^y mice, which were fed the MEE diet for 4 weeks, MEE moderated the elevation of plasma glucose levels after the oral administration of maltose. The polyphenols in MEE were estimated to be phlorotannins by HPLC-PDA and LC/MS analyses. These results demonstrate that E. stolonifera, seaweed typically used as a health food, has strong antidiabetic and antioxidant effects in vivo, thus, it may have beneficial properties in the prevention of diabetes and could be useful in the development of an antidiabetic pharmaceutical and functional food.     

Application of organic amendments followed by soil plastic mulching reduces the incidence of Phytophthora capsici in pepper crops under temperate climate

A greenhouse experiment was performed to study the effectiveness of the application of organic amendments followed by soil plastic mulching for control of Phytophthora capsici in temperate climate regions. The organic amendments were i) a non-composted mixture of sheep manure and chicken litter; ii) a semicomposted mixture of horse manure and chicken litter, and iii) Brassica carinata pellets + Sinapis alba as fresh green manure. In particular, we studied the effect of treatments on P. capsici oospore survival, disease incidence and soil properties. The treatment with B. carinata + S. alba resulted in a 93% reduction in disease incidence. The application of the semicomposted and non-composted mixture followed by soil plastic mulching caused 86 and 65% reduction, respectively, in disease incidence due, at least partially, to a decrease in oospore viability, the production of NH₃ and an increase in soil microbial activity. Significantly higher values of dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, urease and acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were detected in treated soils, possibly resulting in pathogen suppression. The application of organic amendments followed by soil plastic mulching can be a good option for control of P. capsici in protected pepper crops under temperate climate.     

Are seeding densities an opportunity to increase grain yield of winter wheat in a living mulch of white clover?

Optimum plant densities are a key to maximise yields in most crops. However, such information is often lacking for more environmentally sound cropping systems, such as living mulches (LM) for small grains. In 2004 and 2005, three trials were conducted in the Swiss Midlands on fields managed in accordance with the Swiss organic farming guidelines. The objective of the study was to determine whether seeding density of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a relevant factor for determining grain yield in a white clover (Trifolium repens L.) living mulch. The winter wheat cv. Titlis was directly sown in wide spaced rows (0.375 m) at densities of 300 (LM300), 450 (LM450) or 600 (LM600) viable grains m⁻² in a white clover living mulch established at a seeding rate of 15 kg ha⁻¹. A bare soil control treatment with a wheat density of 450 viable grains m⁻² (BS450) was also included in the trials. Mean grain yields of LM300, LM450, and LM600 never reached the values observed in BS450. This was mainly due to a lower ear density, which, nevertheless, increased linearly with the seeding density within the living mulch in all trials, but the rate of increase depended on the environment. The decrease of the grain weight brought about by the increasing seeding density had only a marginal impact on the grain yield, which was increased from 1.31, 1.98, and 4.09 Mg ha⁻¹ (LM300) to 1.97, 2.64, and 4.75 Mg ha⁻¹ (LM600) for each of the three trials in the study. Significantly higher protein contents were observed for LM300 compared to the higher densities in the living mulch and to BS450. Our research showed that an increase of the seeding density is an effective mean to increase the grain yield in living mulch systems with white clover. However, it is likely that the control of the living mulch to reduce competition with the main crop is a more relevant factor.     

Localization of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA in latently infected BALB/c mice neurons using in situ polymerase chain reaction

Background: Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) establishes a lifelong latent infection in neurons following primary infection. The existence of latent HSV-1 DNA in the trigeminal ganglia of infected BALB/c mice was examined using a direct in situ PCR technique, based on Digoxigenin-11-dUTP detection system with anti-digoxigenin-peroxidase and 3,3''-diaminobenzidine (DAB) substrate. Methods: Eight-week-old male BALB/c mice were inoculated via the eye by 10⁴ plaque forming unit of wild type Iranian isolates of HSV-1. After establishment of latency, trigeminal ganglia were removed and examined using in situ PCR to detect HSV-1 genome. Finally, the results of in situ PCR were verified by a two-round PCR method, using amplification cocktail of in situ reaction, as a template for a conventional gel base PCR. Results and Conclusion: The results suggest that a direct in situ PCR method using a peroxidase and DAB detection system is a useful means for detection of latent HSV-1 DNA in the latently infected ganglia. Key Words: Herpes simplex virus-1, Latency, In situ PCR, two-round PCR, Trigeminal ganglia     

An Ethical Assessment of Cisgenesis in Breeding Late Blight Resistant Potato

Because of objections and worries related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the approval of GMO crops is a long and expensive process. Recently some researchers argued that a specific form of genetic modification, cisgenesis, would be safer and ethically more acceptable and therefore require a less stringent assessment. In this paper cisgenesis, as defined in recent literature, is ethically evaluated. After some general remarks on ethics in science and technology, two different basic attitudes towards reality are sketched as an evaluative framework for interventions in nature. Combined with general characteristics of biotechnology in agriculture and a view of the role of genetic information in organisms, that framework helps to formulate an ethical distinction between and evaluation of cisgenesis and transgenesis. It is argued that there is a significant ethical difference between transgenesis and cisgenesis, but that nevertheless any form of genetic modification should be integrated in a broader normative understanding of agriculture in order to work towards a more sustainable agriculture.

The Potato Ontology: Delimitation of the Domain,Modelling Concepts,and Prospects of Performance

The ever increasing amount of data gathered by more growers in more years offers possibilities to add value. Therefore—for interested parties and stakeholders—a common and controlled vocabulary of the potato domain that describes concepts, attributes, and the relations between them in a formal way using a standardised knowledge representation language is being developed: a potato ontology. The advantage is that all possible stakeholders will be able to understand the data expressed by this ontology and that software applications can process them automatically. It will also allow the application of advanced numerical techniques that may help to uncover previously unknown correlations. This version of the potato ontology aims at the domain of processing potatoes in a setting of mechanised potato production where growers have access to automated decision support systems and exchange data electronically. This paper describes the procedures to establish such an ontology where competency questions formulated by stakeholders and potential users take a central position. The potato ontology formally describes “Concepts” or “Classes”. The three main classes are those used in crop ecology: Crop, Environment and Management. Classes, e.g., biocides are a subclass of agro-chemicals, and in turn have a subclass Fungicides. The ontology also describes the “Properties” of classes, e.g., agrochemicals are produced synthetically in a factory; biocides are used to protect crops and fungicides to control fungi. The ontology also describes the “Attributes” (properties) of the concepts, e.g., all agrochemicals have attributes such as dose and time of application and mode of application. “Restrictions” may be that a particular chemical can only be applied with a certain type of equipment, or its application is restricted to a certain period or dose. The ontology also features “Instances” which are the individual data such as a particular herbicide treatment with values for field, time, dose, active ingredient, trademark, mode of application, which equipment operated by whom. The standardisation language used is the “Ontology Web Language”.     

Field assessment of novaluron for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), management in Louisiana sugarcane

On-farm field experiments were conducted in 2004 and 2007 to assess the suitability of novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, for sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), management in Louisiana sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids). Aerial insecticide applications reproducing commercial production practices were made when D. saccharalis infestation levels exceeded a recommended action threshold. In addition to decreased D. saccharalis infestations, 6.3 – 14.5-fold reductions in end of season injury, expressed as the percentage of bored sugarcane internodes, were observed in plots treated with novaluron. D. saccharalis control in novaluron plots was equivalent to (P > 0.05) or better (P < 0.05) than that achieved with tebufenozide, an ecdysone agonist that has been extensively used for over a decade on sugarcane. With a numerical trend of a 3.1-fold decrease in percent bored internodes, the pyrethroid gamma-cyhalothrin seemed less effective than the biorational insecticides in protecting sugarcane against D. saccharalis. Using continuous pitfall trap sampling, no measurable (P > 0.05) decreases in predaceous and non-predaceous soil-dwelling non-target arthropods were associated with insecticides. However, numerical trends for decreases in immature crickets associated with novaluron and gamma-cyhalothrin were recorded in 2007. Our data suggest that novaluron will fit well in Louisiana sugarcane integrated pest management.     

Use of Chaetomium globosum for biocontrol of potato late blight disease

The efficacy of Chaetomium globosum as a biocontrol agent against the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans was evaluated in potato plants. Among eight Chaetomium isolates evaluated C. globosum isolate Cg-6 showed greater inhibition to mycelial growth of P. infestans in vitro. TLC studies showed that isolate Cg-6 produced an antibiotic called ‘Chaetomin’. Isolate Cg-6 showed greater exo- and endo-glucanase enzyme activity when compared to other isolates. PCR amplification of the ITS region and sequencing of the PCR product confirmed that isolate Cg-6 belongs to the C. globosum group. C. globosum Cg-6 was formulated as a liquid and applied as a tuber, soil and foliar treatment either individually or in combination against Phytophthora infection in potato plants. Among different treatments, combined application of C. globosum as a tuber treatment @ 1 ml/kg of tubers, as a soil application @ 1 ml/kg of Farm Yard Manure (FYM) and foliar spray @ 0.7% resulted in significantly less late blight infection (72%) compared to untreated control (100%) under field conditions. The application of C. globosum resulted in greater tuber yield by reducing late blight infection in two field trials when compared to untreated controls. The study clearly demonstrated the potential use of C. globosum as a biocontrol agent in the management of late blight disease in potato plants.     

Planococcus maritimus ML1206 Isolated from Wild Oysters Enhances the Survival of Caenorhabditis elegans against Vibrio anguillarum

With the widespread occurrence of aquaculture diseases and the broad application of antibiotics, drug-resistant pathogens have increasingly affected aquatic animals’ health. Marine probiotics, which live under high pressure in a saltwater environment, show high potential as a substitute for antibiotics in the field of aquatic disease control. In this study, twenty strains of non-hemolytic bacteria were isolated from the intestine of wild oysters and perch, and a model of Caenorhabditis elegans infected by Vibrio anguillarum was established. Based on the model, ML1206, which showed a 99% similarity of 16S rRNA sequence to Planococcus maritimus, was selected as a potential marine probiotic, with strong antibacterial capabilities and great acid and bile salt tolerance, to protect Caenorhabditis elegans from being damaged by Vibrio anguillarum. Combined with plate counting and transmission electron microscopy, it was found that strain ML1206 could significantly inhibit Vibrio anguillarum colonization in the intestinal tract of Caenorhabditis elegans. Acute oral toxicity tests in mice showed that ML1206 was safe and non-toxic. The real-time qPCR results showed a higher expression level of genes related to the antibacterial peptide (ilys-3) and detoxification (ugt-22, cyp-35A3, and cyp-14A3) in the group of Caenorhabditis elegans protected by ML1206 compared to the control group. It is speculated that ML1206, as a potential probiotic, may inhibit the infection caused by Vibrio anguillarum through stimulating Caenorhabditis elegans to secrete antibacterial effectors and detoxification proteins. This paper provides a new direction for screening marine probiotics and an experimental basis to support the potential application of ML1206 as a marine probiotic in aquaculture.     

Seed longevity and seedling emergence rate of Urochloa decumbens as influenced by sowing depth in a Cerrado soil

Urochloa decumbens (Signal grass) is an African grass species that is widely used in Brazil for pasture formation, and it has a high potential for invading natural areas. This study evaluated the longevity of U. decumbens seeds in the soil seed bank and the emergence rates of seedlings from different depths. In the greenhouse (natural light; ~25°C), seeds were sown at depths of 0, 1, 2 or 3 cm, in trays filled with sterile soil, to assess seedling emergence. Seeds sowed on the soil surface began to germinate 3 days after sowing. Seeds sowed at depths of 2 and 3 cm germinated 5 days after sowing. No seedlings emerged after 15 days. The seedling emergence rate was 74 ± 7% with no significant difference between sowing depths. In the field, seed longevity was evaluated by burying 60 replicates of 100 seeds at a soil depth of 2–3 cm, in a Cerrado area in the IBGE Ecological Reserve, Brasília. From September 2016 to April 2017, five samples were retrieved monthly to assess seed viability. In September, the viability was 68%, declining to 3% in October; by February, viable seeds were no longer recorded. As U. decumbens flowers in several episodes throughout the year, a soil survey may result in a misleading interpretation of the formation of a permanent soil seed bank.     

Canopy temperature on clear and cloudy days can be used to estimate varietal differences in stomatal conductance in rice

Leaf photosynthetic potential, a major determinant of yield potential in rice, is mostly explained by stomatal conductance (g_s) as well as leaf N content (Rubisco protein content). Therefore, the rapid and precise evaluation of g_s as well as leaf N content would be a valuable addition to rice breeding programs aimed at improved yield potential. We established a simple method based on infrared thermography to estimate varietal differences in g_s. Seven rice varieties were cultivated in two-row plots in 2007, and canopy temperatures in three varieties, including a control variety, Koshihikari, were simultaneously measured to determine canopy temperature difference (CTd) between Koshihikari and the other varieties on clear days. The varieties Takanari, Habataki, and TUAT1-5-6a displayed significantly (P < 0.05) lower leaf temperature and higher g_s and leaf photosynthetic rate (P_n) than Koshihikari. CTd was closely correlated with g_s and P_n. These results indicate that CTd may be useful as a relative index to estimate varietal differences in g_s. A significant CTd was still observed even under cloudy conditions in 2008. Takanari and TUAT1-5-6a had lower leaf temperature than Koshihikari on cloudy days as well as on clear days. Subsequent investigation of photosynthetic light response curves revealed that Takanari and TUAT1-5-6a had higher g_s and P_n than Koshihikari under lower irradiance. These results suggest that infrared thermography may be a simple method of evaluating varietal differences in g_s through CTd, and that it may be practicable even under cloudy conditions.     

Influence of processing temperature on the water vapour transport properties of wheat gluten based agromaterials

The influence of processing conditions (thermoforming temperature) on water vapour transport properties (permeability, sorption and diffusion) of wheat gluten-based films was studied in relation to structural properties (cross-linking degree of the wheat gluten matrix). Increasing temperature from 80 °C to 120 °C led to a significant decrease in material swelling in high moisture environment and a WVP reduction mainly due to a decrease in diffusivity but without important effect on the moisture sorption isotherms. This was attributed to a higher cross-linking degree of protein network for film thermoformed at 120 °C, with a limited mobility and less possibilities of rearrangement in high moisture conditions.     

Duration of the grain-filling period in maize is not affected by photoperiod and incident PPFD during the vegetative phase

Total number of initiated leaves and duration from sowing to silking increases when photoperiod is increased during the photoperiod-sensitive phase in maize (Zea mays L.). Little is known, however, about possible other effects of photoperiod and incident photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) on rate of development and duration of life cycle. A study was undertaken to quantify effects of photoperiod and incident PPFD from sowing to the 15-leaf stage on rate of leaf appearance and duration of the grain-filling period. The short-season maize hybrid Pioneer 3902 was grown in growth cabinets from sowing to the 15-leaf stage with either (i) a 10 h photoperiod at high PPFD (650 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹), (ii) a 20 h photoperiod consisting of 10 h of high PPFD followed by 10 h of low PPFD (5–50 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹), or (iii) a 20 h photoperiod of high PPFD. From the 15-leaf stage to maturity the plants were placed under a 16 h photoperiod in a growth room. Increasing photoperiod from 10 to 20 h increased final number of initiated leaves and delayed silking but did not affect rate of leaf appearance. Doubling incident PPFD to a value similar to that under Ontario field conditions during the summer resulted in a 16% increase in rate of leaf appearance and in a significant increase in total number of initiated leaves. Differences in final number of initiated leaves and in rate of leaf appearance from sowing to the 15-leaf stage among treatments resulted in a 4-day difference in silking date between the 10 h photoperiod treatment and the two 20 h photoperiod treatments. Duration of the grain-filling period did not differ among the three treatments.     

Puroindoline genotype,starch granule size distribution and milling quality of wheat

Genetically-diverse wheat samples from the Australian Winter Cereals Collection propagated in two environments were sequenced to identify puroindoline genotypes then the relationships between flour yield, genotype, starch granule size distribution and starch-bound puroindoline protein content were investigated. The Pina-D1a, Pinb-D1b genotype resulted in a higher average flour yield than either the Pina-D1b, Pinb-D1a or the Pina-D1a, Pinb-D1a but the ranges of flour yields for the three genotypes showed considerable overlap. For both hard wheat genotypes (Pina-D1a, Pinb-D1b or Pina-D1b, Pinb-D1a), a higher proportion of type A to type C starch granules was associated with higher flour yield and this relationship accounted for between 31% and 33% of the variation in flour yield. This result is consistent with previously reported findings for soft wheat. For the Pina-D1a, Pinb-D1b genotype, increased flour yield was also associated with a decrease in starch granule-bound puroindoline protein, which accounted for 31–35% of the variation in flour yield across the two environments. The combined effect of starch granule type and associated puroindoline content accounted for 68% of the variation in flour yield within the Pina-D1a, Pinb-D1b genotype.     

A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the identification of Nicotiana tabacum in tobacco products

A simple and specific real-time PCR assay based on TaqMan^® technology has been developed for the identification of cultured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) in various commodities such as cigars, cigarettes and reconstituted tobacco. The TaqMan^® assay targets a sequence of the putrescine N-methyltransferase gene family encoding an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of nicotine. To reduce the possibility of false negatives, universal plant chloroplast primers were also used in a separate real-time PCR reaction to give indication if DNA is amplifiable in the matrix. The TaqMan^® assay successfully identified tobacco in over 40 commercial tobacco products, while negative results were obtained from the assay for DNA extracted from a variety of other botanical products. In our study, two commercial DNA isolation kits were used, namely, the Qiagen DNeasy^® Plant Mini kit and the Qiagen Gentra^® Puregene^® kit. They produced good quality DNAs in sufficient quantities for real-time PCR analysis. In a few cases, an additional purification step with the Promega DNA IQ™ system had to be implemented to obtain amplifiable DNA.     

Efficacy of azoxystrobin for the control of cucumber downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) and fungicide residue analysis

During a five-year trial (2007–2011), the efficacy of azoxystrobin (Quadris, 250 g a.i. L⁻¹, Syngenta) in two doses (187.5 g a.i. ha⁻¹ and 250 g a.i. ha⁻¹) and chlorothalonil (Bravo 720-SC, 720 g a.i. L⁻¹, Syngenta) at a rate of 1.44 kg a.i. ha⁻¹ was tested for the control of cucumber downy mildew (CDM). Cultivars that were susceptible or resistant to CDM (Regal and Haros, respectively) were tested for their response to fungicide applications. Differences in both disease severity and yield of the cultivars among resistance levels and fungicide treatments were observed. A highly significant and negative correlation was obtained between AUDPC and yield. Higher yields can be achieved by planting more resistant cultivars in combination with lower doses of fungicides. This is an indication that CDM contributes significantly to yield losses in cucumber production in Serbia. While monitoring the degradation of azoxystrobin residues, a decrease in residue levels to 1.0 mg kg⁻¹ below the maximum residue level (MRL) was observed at the end of the pre-harvest interval (PHI).