Application of computer vision in assessing crop abiotic stress: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Abiotic stressors impair crop yields and growth potential. Despite recent developments, no comprehensive literature review on crop abiotic stress assessment employing deep learning exists. Unlike conventional approaches, deep learning-based computer vision techniques can be employed in farming to offer a non-evasive and practical alternative. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using the revised Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement to assemble the articles on the specified topic. We confined our scope to deep learning-related journal articles that focused on classifying crop abiotic stresses. To understand the current state, we evaluated articles published in the preceding ten years, beginning in 2012 and ending on December 18, 2022. RESULTS: After the screening, risk of bias, and certainty assessment using the PRISMA checklist, our systematic search yielded 14 publications. We presented the selected papers through in-depth discussion and analysis, highlighting current trends. CONCLUSION: Even though research on the domain is scarce, we encountered 11 abiotic stressors across 7 crops. Pre-trained networks dominate the field, yet many architectures remain unexplored. We found several research gaps that future efforts may fill.

Klebsiella pneumoniae pathogenicity in silk moth larvae infection model.

The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a major health concern worldwide in recent years. The objective of this study is to establish the larvae of the silk moth (commonly known as silkworm), Bombyx mori as an infection model to study antibacterial effect of antibiotics against Klebsiella pneumoniae. In this study, the pathogenicity of a K. pneumoniae strain isolated from food to silkworm larvae was examined. Within 72 h of bacterial injection, all silkworm larvae were killed in a dose-dependent manner with their body color turning into black due to increased melanization. Bacterial numbers in the larval hemolymph (blood) significantly increased after 9 h of infection with a decrease in viable circulatory hemocytes in hemolymph. When presented with bacteria laden leaves, larvae did not eat but injection of bacteria directly into the midgut killed larvae within 12 h with a higher load required in comparison to that required for the killing by hemolymph injection. Administration of four different antibiotics into larval hemolymph showed therapeutic effect at different doses with varying efficacies against hemolymph-injected K. pneumoniae. These results indicate that the silkworm larvae can be used as an infection model not only to study the pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae but also to perform rapid screening for the identification of antibiotics effective against multidrug-resistant strains of K. pneumoniae.

Therapeutic Effect of Antibiotics Against Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Silk Moth Larvae Animal Model.

The increasing clinical incidence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a major global health care issue. Rampant use of antimicrobials is one of the major reasons of the dramatic rise in antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Suitable animal models are required to improve our understanding of bacterial pathogenicity, evolution and search for novel antibiotics. The larvae of the silk moth (commonly called silkworm), Bombyx mori, have been used as an animal model for testing the pathogenicity of a clinically isolated strain of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 upon injection through hemolymph. Here, we show that a foodborne E. coli O157:H7 strain can kill silkworm larvae upon injection through either hemolymph (blood) or midgut. Bacterial number in the hemolymph started to increase after 3 h of injection into hemolymph, while the number of viable circulating hemocytes decreased. Administration of four well-known antibiotics into the larval hemolymph up to 100 µg per larva showed therapeutic effect with varying efficacies against E. coli O157:H7 with ceftriaxone and imipenem showing better effect. Our findings indicate that silkworm larvae can be used as an animal model to screen for novel antibiotics that are effective against E. coli O157:H7.