@article{pirzada_sohail_tripathi_farias_mathew_li_opperman_khan_2021, title={Toward Sustainable Crop Protection: Aqueous Dispersions of Biodegradable Particles with Tunable Release and Rainfastness}, volume={11}, ISSN={["1616-3028"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202108046}, DOI={10.1002/adfm.202108046}, abstractNote={AbstractFabrication of aqueous particulate dispersions of biodegradable cellulose esters (CEs) as efficient carriers of agrochemical active‐ingredients (AIs) for foliar applications, is reported. The use of different ester substituent groups on CE permits modulation of particle morphology and size, from irregular shapes (<350 nm) to spheres (≈1.1 µm diameter), while maintaining stability as supported by minimal change in zeta potential and particle size over one year. Rainfastness is tested by simulating >50 mm h−1 rainfall on coated banana and tomato leaves and silicon. Surface coverage loss as low as 9%, based on the nature of leaf and formulation, confirms the rainfastness of the formulations. Variation in the release kinetics of a model AI fluopyram from different CEs can be attributed to the particle morphology and the nature of binding between fluopyram and various CEs. Thermodynamic analysis demonstrates spontaneous binding between fluopyram and multiple sites of CEs, justifying its two‐step release from CE particles. System functionalities are corroborated via in‐vitro fungal inhibition assays demonstrating a 100% inhibition of the fungal growth. This “lab‐to‐leaf” approach of materials development involving fundamental insights and functional performance reveals CE dispersions are promising green agricultural formulations with the potential to impact a myriad of crops around the globe.}, journal={ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Pirzada, Tahira and Sohail, Mariam and Tripathi, Anurodh and Farias, Barbara V and Mathew, Reny and Li, Chunying and Opperman, Charles H. and Khan, Saad A.}, year={2021}, month={Nov} }
 @article{schwarz_li_yencho_pecota_heim_davis_2021, title={Screening Sweetpotato Genotypes for Resistance to a North Carolina Isolate of Meloidogyne enterolobii}, volume={105}, ISSN={0191-2917 1943-7692}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-20-0389-RE}, DOI={10.1094/PDIS-02-20-0389-RE}, abstractNote={ Potential resistance to the guava root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii, in 91 selected sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) genotypes was evaluated in six greenhouse experiments. Ten thousand eggs of M. enterolobii were inoculated on each sweetpotato genotype grown in a 3:1 sand to soil mixture. Sixty days after inoculation, the percentage of total roots with nematode-induced galls was determined, and nematode eggs were extracted from roots. Significant differences (P < 0.001) between sweetpotato genotypes were found in all six tests for gall rating, total eggs, and eggs per gram of root. Resistant sweetpotato genotypes were calculated as final eggs per root system divided by the initial inoculum, where Pf/Pi < 1 (reproduction factor; final egg count divided by initial inoculum of 10,000 eggs), and statistical mean separations were confirmed by Fisher’s least significant difference t test. Our results indicated that 19 out of 91 tested sweetpotato genotypes were resistant to M. enterolobii. Some of the susceptible genotypes included ‘Covington,’ ‘Beauregard,’ ‘NCDM04-001’, and ‘Hernandez.’ Some of the resistant sweetpotato genotypes included ‘Tanzania,’ ‘Murasaki-29,’ ‘Bwanjule,’ ‘Dimbuka-Bukulula,’ ‘Jewel,’ and ‘Centennial.’ Most of the 19 resistant sweetpotato genotypes supported almost no M. enterolobii reproduction, with <20 eggs/g root of M. enterolobii. A number of segregants from a ‘Tanzania’ × ‘Beauregard’ cross demonstrated strong resistance to M. enterolobii observed in the ‘Tanzania’ parent. In collaboration with North Carolina State University sweetpotato breeding program, several genotypes evaluated in these tests are being used to incorporate the observed resistance to M. enterolobii into commercial sweetpotato cultivars. }, number={4}, journal={PLANT DISEASE}, publisher={Scientific Societies}, author={Schwarz, Tanner R. and Li, Chunying and Yencho, G. Craig and Pecota, Kenneth V and Heim, Chris R. and Davis, Eric L.}, year={2021}, month={Apr}, pages={1101–1107} }