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The success of developing and implementing Smart Cities (SC) projects depends on a varied set of factors, where the availability of a qualified technical workforce is a critical one. The combination of ICT requirements, like the effectiveness and quality of solutions merging IoT, cloud computing, sensors, and communications with the work from many varied disciplines (e.g., civil engineering, architecture, etc.), mixed with aspects of environmental and business sustainability, makes the management of these projects really challenging. Reports forecast a scarcity of qualified candidates, given this complexity and the growth of activity in SC projects. The European project SMACITE has addressed the requirements of the qualification of an ICT workforce with an analysis of multiples sources of information from the labor market, feedback from involved stakeholders, and the literature. The goal was the development of two occupational ICT profiles as a reference for training and for the availability of candidates for job vacancies. The result is two ICT role profiles for engineers and technicians, mapped with the European skills frameworks ESCO and EN16234. The profiles determined the whole set of requirements, including not only the technical areas and soft skills, but also additional technical areas and sustainability and managerial skills and the analysis of different sources of information. Our work has also determined which existing ESCO occupations are similar to the two reference profiles, so they are better adapted to SC projects. The training activities of SMACITE have also suggested the amount of training expected for a varied sample of candidates who want to be qualified for SC projects.

Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin can colonize plant tissues as an endophyte, promoting plant growth and defense against pathogens and insect herbivory. Understanding the endophytic behavior of native isolates is important for developing pest management strategies in maize, a crop affected by Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). This study aimed to genetically characterize a Mexican B. bassiana isolate (Bb-IIAF1-24) collected in Los Reyes, Michoacán, using the β-tubulin gene. The phylogenetic relationships showed that this isolate formed a well-supported clade with other B. bassiana isolates from different countries; however, a low divergence among them was observed. In a second part of this study, the influence of foliar and soil inoculation (1 × 108 conidia mL−1) of Bb-IIAF1-24 isolate on endophytic colonization in maize plants, as well as the effects on plant growth and herbivory by S. frugiperda were evaluated. This fungus was detected in roots, stems, and leaves, but no significant differences were found between root and stem colonization or between foliar and soil inoculation methods. Beauveria bassiana treatment resulted in increased stem diameter in plants when applied to soil compared to foliar application and the control. In contrast, plants subjected to foliar application were significantly taller than those receiving soil application or the control plants. Plants from both application methods experienced lower leaf damage compared to the control. These findings demonstrate the potential of the Bb-IIAF1-24 isolate as an endophytic fungus to promote maize growth and reduce herbivory by S. frugiperda.

The commonly accepted definition of sustainability considers the availability of relevant resources to make an activity feasible and durable while also recognizing users’ support as an essential part of the social side of sustainability. IoT represents a disruption in the general scenario of computing for both users and professionals. The real expansion and integration of applications based on IoT depend on our capacity of exploring the necessary skills and professional profiles that are essential for the implementation of IoT projects, but also on the perception of relevant aspects for users, e.g., privacy, legal, IPR, and security issues. Our participation in several EU-funded projects with a focus on this area has enabled the collection of information on both sides of IoT sustainability through surveys but also by collecting data from a variety of sources. Thanks to these varied and complementary sources of information, this article will explore the user and professional aspects of the sustainability of the Internet of Things in practice.

The Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) is an important pathogen of the fall armyworm and is used as the basis for biological insecticides. In this study, we examined the relationship between the size–frequency distribution of SfMNPV occlusion bodies (OBs) and their insecticidal characteristics when collected at the end of the replication cycle. Exposure of OBs to 40%, 70%, and 90% (wt/wt) glycerol had no effect on OB pathogenicity. Glycerol density gradient (50–100%) centrifugation was used to separate OBs into two fractions. OBs recovered from the upper fraction of the gradient had a significantly smaller median cross-sectional area than those harvested from the lower fraction. These fractions also differed significantly in their size–frequency distributions. The OB concentration–mortality response of S. frugiperda second instars did not differ significantly between the two fractions or with non-centrifuged OBs. The median survival time was similar for insects inoculated with OBs from the upper and lower fractions but was significantly shorter in insects inoculated with non-centrifuged OBs. The proportion of mature OBs (67–71%) and the number of viral genome copies (1.33–1.40 × 108 copies/µL) did not differ significantly between the upper and lower OB fractions. These findings suggest that altering the size–frequency distribution by density gradient centrifugation is not a useful technique for selecting large OBs with high insecticidal activity as part of the baculovirus insecticide production process. Future studies should evaluate a range of OB size separation techniques to determine their effects on OB insecticidal characteristics.

Damage caused by phytophagous mites is one of the main phytosanitary problems on blackberry crop. The mite species identification is a very significant activity to implement a program of integrated pest management. The aim of this study was to identify the species of phytophagous mites, predators, and other mites associated with blackberry crop in two locations of Michoacan, Mexico. The research was performed in two blackberry orchards located at Ziracuaretiro and Tacambaro municipalities, which had different type of management: conventional and non-conventional, respectively. In each orchard, 18 samples were collected at 15 d-intervals during an annual cycle, from June 2015 to May 2016. The collected mites were mounted in permanent slide for their taxonomic determination with specific keys with specific keys. Seventeen mite species belonging to ten families were identified, which six were phytophagous species, six were predatory, and five had varied habits. Six of the 17 taxa identified are new records of mites associated with blackberry crop. Most of the mites were collected in the conventional crop (65.4 %), while the abundance of predator mites was highest in the no-conventional crop.

The biological activity of 2 isolates of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (Sf-YUC and Sf-CHI) obtained from the states of Yucatán and Chiapas, Mexico, on second instar fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Michoacán State, Mexico, was determined and compared with that of a Nicaraguan isolate (Sf-NIC). Response of third and fourth instar S. frugiperda to the most active isolate, Sf-YUC, also was determined. Sublethal effects caused by this isolate and its intergenerational persistence were evaluated. The most pathogenic isolates on second instar S. frugiperda were Sf-NIC and Sf-YUC. No significant differences were detected in the speed of kill between the Sf-NIC (146 h) and Sf-YUC (149 h) isolates, whereas that of the Sf-CHI (158 h) isolate was slower significantly. The lethal concentration that kills 50% of the insects (LC50) values of the Sf-YUC isolate increased with larval stage from 9.45 × 104 to 1.25 × 106 occlusion bodies per mL. Statistically significant reductions in pupal weight, fecundity, fertility, and adult longevity were associated in individuals derived from third instar (generation F0) treated with 4.8 × 104 occlusion bodies per mL of the Sf-YUC isolate. A viral mortality of 15.83 ± 1.43% in larvae as well as a significant reduction in pupal weight of generation F1 was recorded. In conclusion, the Mexican isolates may prove suitable as the basis for biological insecticides for regional control of S. frugiperda. Sublethal infections that persist between generations could incur developmental costs and decrease reproductive capacity of the host insect. En el presente estudio, se determinó la actividad biológica de dos aislados mexicanos del nucleopolyhedrovirus múltiple de Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-YUC y Sf-CHI) sobre larvas de segundo instar del gusano cogollero, Spodptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), y se compararon con un aislado nicaragüense (Sf-NIC). También se determinó la respuesta de tercer y cuarto instar de S. frugiperda al aislado mexicano más activo, Sf-YUC. Finalmente, se evaluaron los efectos subletales causados por este aislado y su persistencia intrageneracional. Los aislados más patogénicos sobre el segundo instar de S. frugiperda fueron Sf-NIC y Sf-YUC. No se detectaron diferencias significativas en la velocidad de muerte entre los aislados Sf-NIC (146 h) y Sf-YUC (149 h), mientras que la del aislado Sf-CHI (158 h) fue significativamente mayor. Los valores de la concentración letal que matan el 50% de los insectos (CL50) se incrementaron con el estado larval desde 9.45 × 104 a 1.25 × 106 cuerpos de oclusión por mL del segundo al cuarto instar. Reducciones estadísticamente significativas en el peso pupal, la fecundidad, la fertilidad y la longevidad de adultos se asociaron con individuos derivados de tercer estadio (generación F0) tratados con 4,8 × 104 cuerpos de oclusión por mL del aislado Sf-YUC. observó una reducción significativa en el peso pupal. En conclusión, los aislados mexicanos pueden ser adecuados como la base de insecticidas biológicos para el control de S. frugiperda. Las infecciones subletales que persisten entre generaciones pueden generar costos de desarrollo y disminuir la capacidad reproductiva del insecto huésped.

The combined and individual effects of spinosad and Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) (Baculoviridae) on the mortality and food consumption of 3rd instars of S. frugiperda were evaluated using maize-leaf bioassays. The mortality data from spinosad (0.001 mg/L)-SfMNPV (106 OBs/mL) mixtures showed a low synergistic effect at 144 h after treatment. The consumption rate was significantly reduced by 2- to 12-fold in the spinosad—SfMNPV mixture treatment compared with the control, but no difference in consumption rate was observed between this treatment and the treatment with spinosad alone. Laboratory observations on the efficiency of spinosad—SfMNPV mixtures require validation in field studies under commercial growing conditions.

This study assessed several bioecological aspects of the black fig fly, Silba adipata McAlpine (Diptera: Lonchaeidae), the main pest of fig (Ficus carica L.). Figs were collected from eight sites in the Mexican states of Michoacán (Plan de Ayala, Los Tejones, Antúnez, Tangancícuaro, Indaparapeo, El Carrizal, and Charapendo) and Morelos (Telixtac). No infestation was recorded in figs collected in Charapendo, but, in the remaining sites, it was variable (2–33%). Figs from Plan de Ayala and El Carrizal were longer and contained more larvae than those from Telixtac and Los Tejones. Some figs (≤12) collected in Telixtac and Los Tejones contained few pupae or adults. The survival of larval and pupal stages (≤86%) and the proportion of females (40–53%) were determined at the sites where the infestation of figs was >6% (Telixtac, El Carrizal, Plan de Ayala, and Los Tejones). In the second part of this study, the development of individuals collected in Los Tejones was analyzed under constant conditions. The estimated larval duration time was between 13 and 15 d, whereas pupae lasted 11 d. The survival rate and longevity of females and males were very similar. Our results could help design a program for integrated pest management against S. adipata.

The efficacy of two selected Metarhizium rileyi Mexican isolates (T9-21 and L8-22) against Spodoptera frugiperda was evaluated under greenhouse conditions. To this end, a suspension (1 × 108 conidia/mL) of these isolates was sprayed on maize plants previously infested with six second-instar larvae. No significant differences were observed between the survival curves of the T9-21 and L8-22 isolates. Cadaver sporulation was significantly higher, and the lethal time was significantly lower with the T9-21 isolate compared with those of the L8-22 isolate (97% and 8 days vs. 70% and 10 days, respectively). Based on these results, a small-scale field trial on maize was performed to evaluate the degree of pest control achieved by the T9-21 isolate and compare it with the insecticide spinetoram, applied at a rate of 1 × 1013 conidia/ha and 75 mL/ha, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the proportion of larval mortality between the T9-21 isolate (0.49) and spinetoram (0.72). However, spinetoram significantly reduced natural enemies and phytophagous insect populations compared with the fungus and the control. In conclusion, M. rileyi T9-21 isolate could be a promising alternative for the control of S. frugiperda larvae.

Urbanisation and population growth continue to accelerate waste generation, posing serious environmental and logistical challenges for the management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management. The present study proposes a predictive framework for forecasting the behaviour of individual Discharge Points (DPs), with the view to enhancing decision-making in urban waste management. The necessity for localised predictions that extend beyond the scope of aggregated waste indicators is identified by research. Furthermore, it addresses the requirement for finer predictive granularity, which is capable of capturing the dynamic variations observed across DPs. The findings underscore the potential of data-driven approaches to facilitate more efficient, scalable, and intelligent waste collection planning in urban contexts by the incorporation of contextual and temporal information. By enabling accurate short-term forecasts, the proposed approach facilitates the transition from reactive to proactive collection planning, reducing operational cost and environmental footprints. Overall, the research contributes to advancing data-driven strategies for sustainable MSW management and demonstrates the potential of AI-based predictive model to support intelligent and scalable urban waste collection systems.