Abstract
Introduction: Witches’ Broom Disease of Lime (WBDL) severely threatens citrus production in Oman and other subtropical regions. However, the influence of climatic factors on its spread and intensity remains insufficiently explored. This study investigates the individual and interactive effects of temperature, humidity, rainfall, and wind on WBDL occurrence and severity. Methods: Field data were collected from 1,745 lime trees across 15 orchards in North Al-Batinah, Oman, between April 2021 and April 2022. Probit and Tobit regression models were employed to estimate the probability of WBDL occurrence and the degree of severity, respectively. Interaction terms among climatic variables were introduced to capture synergistic or suppressive effects. results: Out of 1,745 lime trees surveyed, 64% exhibited WBDL symptoms, with severity averaging 8.2% but varying widely. Temperature (avg. 40.1°C), relative humidity (avg. 52.8%), and rainfall (avg. 4.4 mm) were positively associated with disease occurrence and severity. In contrast, wind speed (avg. 9.6 km/h) negatively affected both. Seasonal patterns revealed higher incidence during hotter quarters (Q2–Q3), with symptom prevalence rising from 48.7% in Q1 to 78.2% in Q5. Interaction terms showed that simultaneous increases in temperature and humidity significantly amplified disease impact, while the interaction of rainfall and humidity reduced it. Results: A 1°C rise in temperature increased disease severity by 2.7%, while rainfall heightened occurrence and severity by 12.9% and 6.6%, respectively. Conversely, a 1 km/h increase in wind speed reduced occurrence by 10.9% and severity by 5.3%. Interaction analysis showed that high temperature and humidity combinations intensified WBDL, whereas rainfall and humidity interactions suppressed both. Disease prevalence peaked during summer, highlighting strong seasonal effects. Discussion: Climatic variables significantly shape WBDL dynamics through nonlinear interactions. Wind mitigates transmission, while high temperature and humidity favor disease proliferation. Conclusion: Temperature, rainfall, and humidity are major climatic drivers of WBDL, whereas wind acts as a limiting factor. Understanding these effects supports adaptive management through resistant cultivars, optimized planting sites, and protected cultivation to sustain lime production in Oman and similar subtropical agroecosystems.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
64% of surveyed lime trees showed WBDL symptoms.
- Taxon
- lime
.jpg?width=60)
Citrus ×aurantiifoliae0 - Outcome
- WBDL symptomse0
- Value
- 64%e0
- Qualifier
- 1,745e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Out of 1,745 lime trees surveyed, 64% exhibited WBDL symptoms”
Claim · model-written summary
WBDL severity averaged 8.2%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Outcome
- severitye0
- Value
- 8.2%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“severity averaging 8.2% but varying widely”
Claim · model-written summary
Temperature was positively associated with disease occurrence and severity.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- Temperaturee0
- Outcome
- disease occurrence and severitye0
- Direction
- positively associatede0
Not reportedSetting
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“Temperature (avg. 40.1°C), relative humidity (avg. 52.8%), and rainfall (avg. 4.4 mm) were positively associated with disease occurrence and severity”
Claim · model-written summary
Relative humidity was positively associated with disease occurrence and severity.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- relative humiditye0
- Outcome
- disease occurrence and severitye0
- Direction
- positively associatede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“relative humidity (avg. 52.8%), and rainfall (avg. 4.4 mm) were positively associated with disease occurrence and severity”
Claim · model-written summary
Rainfall was positively associated with disease occurrence and severity.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- rainfalle0
- Outcome
- disease occurrence and severitye0
- Direction
- positively associatede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“rainfall (avg. 4.4 mm) were positively associated with disease occurrence and severity”
Claim · model-written summary
Wind speed negatively affected disease occurrence and severity.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- wind speede0
- Outcome
- disease occurrence and severitye1
- Direction
- negatively affectede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“wind speed (avg. 9.6 km/h) negatively affected both”
e1“disease occurrence and severity”
Claim · model-written summary
Symptom prevalence rose from 48.7% in Q1 to 78.2% in Q5.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Outcome
- symptom prevalencee0
- Direction
- risinge0
- Value
- 78.2%e0
- Qualifier
- 48.7% in Q1e0
- Setting
- Q1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“symptom prevalence rising from 48.7% in Q1 to 78.2% in Q5”
Claim · model-written summary
Temperature and humidity together significantly amplified disease impact.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- temperature and humiditye0
- Outcome
- disease impacte0
- Direction
- amplifiede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“simultaneous increases in temperature and humidity significantly amplified disease impact”
Claim · model-written summary
Rainfall and humidity together reduced disease impact.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- rainfall and humiditye0
- Outcome
- disease impacte1
- Direction
- reducede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“the interaction of rainfall and humidity reduced it”
e1“disease impact”
Claim · model-written summary
A 1°C temperature rise increased disease severity by 2.7%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- 1°C rise in temperaturee0
- Outcome
- disease severitye0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Value
- 2.7%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“A 1°C rise in temperature increased disease severity by 2.7%”
Claim · model-written summary
Rainfall increased disease occurrence by 12.9%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- rainfalle0
- Outcome
- occurrencee0
- Direction
- heightenede0
- Value
- 12.9%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“rainfall heightened occurrence and severity by 12.9% and 6.6%, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Rainfall increased disease severity by 6.6%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- rainfalle0
- Outcome
- severitye0
- Direction
- heightenede0
- Value
- 6.6%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“rainfall heightened occurrence and severity by 12.9% and 6.6%, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
A 1 km/h increase in wind speed reduced disease occurrence by 10.9%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- 1 km/h increase in wind speede0
- Outcome
- occurrencee0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 10.9%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“a 1 km/h increase in wind speed reduced occurrence by 10.9% and severity by 5.3%”
Claim · model-written summary
A 1 km/h increase in wind speed reduced disease severity by 5.3%.
- Taxon
- LimeCitrus ×aurantiifoliat0
- Treatment
- 1 km/h increase in wind speede0
- Outcome
- severitye0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- 5.3%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Lime”
e0“a 1 km/h increase in wind speed reduced occurrence by 10.9% and severity by 5.3%”