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Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the...
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Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the Biological Activity of Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds?

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 December 2020) | Viewed by 29508

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Francesca Degola

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Life Science and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
Interests: plant physiology and pathology; mycotoxins; plant extracts; antifungals and biopesticides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Luca Nerva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, CREA-Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology, Viale XXVIII Aprile 26, 31015 Conegliano, Italy
Interests: genome editing; plant-microbe interactions; sustainability; agroecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Botanicals and compounds of a natural origin have been used for a long time for a wide variety of purposes, and have become very important as additives in food and cosmetic industry, as well as being a treasure chest for new drug discovery, mainly because of their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties—driven by the growing demand for herbal medicines and plant extract-based functional food, additives, and sustainable pesticides. The market of natural compounds is projected to reach USD 59.4 billion in the next five years, with a CAGR of 16.5%, from 2019 to 2025. Over the years, the study of such diverse and fascinating molecules, pure or in mixtures, has given us important knowledge for the control of crop pests and human pathogens; nevertheless, much remains to be discovered, as their huge chemical diversity copes badly with the majority of in vitro assays used, for example, to assess the scavenging activity predictive for the in vivo desired biological effect. On the other hand, studies aimed at the evaluation of the biological effect of plant extracts or derivatives in fungal species, as well as their molecular, biochemical, or metabolic bases, are now more essential than ever for exploiting their best potentialities. In this sense, fungi might be thought of as excellent model organisms—well suited for investigating the biochemical events that characterize the cell cycle and metabolism, together with the opportunity for genetic manipulations and the high amount of accessible data, fungi represent an ideal system for the study of mechanisms controlling biology and development in eukaryotes, at the same time lending themselves to the drawing up of broad screenings for bioactive efficacy.

This Special Issue of Plants aims to bring to the fore the importance of fungal microorganisms as model systems, collecting the most updated results in the examination of botanicals and natural compounds. Papers focused on plant extracts—or derivatives—and supporting new possibilities for the use of fungicides or protectants for plant, human, and animal health; describing their role in ruling the interactions of fungi with their environment; providing insight into their molecular/cellular targets; or simply assessing new, unexpected, and intriguing biological activities, are encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Francesca Degola
Dr. Luca Nerva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant extracts
  • botanicals
  • fungi
  • fungal model system
  • natural bioactives
  • in vivo assays
  • biocontrol
  • new generation fungicides
  • plant protection
  • antioxidants compounds

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2025 KiB  
Article
Crude Citric Acid of Trichoderma asperellum: Tomato Growth Promotor and Suppressor of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici
by Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, WesamEldin I. A. Saber, Khalid M. Ghoneem, Elsayed E. Hafez and Amira A. Ibrahim
Plants 2021, 10(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020222 - 24 Jan 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4219
Abstract
Presently, the bioprocessing of agricultural residues to various bioactive compounds is of great concern, with the potential to be used as plant growth promoters and as a reductive of various diseases. Lycopersiconesculentum, one of the most consumed crops in the human [...] Read more.
Presently, the bioprocessing of agricultural residues to various bioactive compounds is of great concern, with the potential to be used as plant growth promoters and as a reductive of various diseases. Lycopersiconesculentum, one of the most consumed crops in the human diet, is attacked by Fusarium wilt disease, so the main aim is to biocontrol the pathogen. Several fungal species were isolated from decayed maize stover (MS). Trichodermaasperellum was chosen based on its organic acid productivity and was molecularly identified (GenBank accession number is MW195019). Citric acid (CA) was the major detected organic acid by HPLC. In vitro, CA of T.asperellum at 75% completely repressed the growth of Fusariumoxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). In vivo, soaking tomato seeds in CA enhanced the seed germination and vigor index. T. asperellum and/or its CA suppressed the wilt disease caused by FOL compared to control. There was a proportional increment of plant growth and yield, as well as improvements in the biochemical parameters (chlorophyll pigments, total phenolic contents and peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase activities), suggesting targeting both the bioconversion of MS into CA and biological control of FOL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the Biological Activity of Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds?)
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11 pages, 2007 KiB  
Article
The Use of Essential Oils from Thyme, Sage and Peppermint against Colletotrichum acutatum
by Armina Morkeliūnė, Neringa Rasiukevičiūtė, Lina Šernaitė and Alma Valiuškaitė
Plants 2021, 10(1), 114; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010114 - 8 Jan 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3863
Abstract
The Colletotrichum spp. is a significant strawberry pathogen causing yield losses of up to 50%. The most common method to control plant diseases is through the use of chemical fungicides. The findings of plants antimicrobial activities, low toxicity, and biodegradability of essential oils [...] Read more.
The Colletotrichum spp. is a significant strawberry pathogen causing yield losses of up to 50%. The most common method to control plant diseases is through the use of chemical fungicides. The findings of plants antimicrobial activities, low toxicity, and biodegradability of essential oils (EO), make them suitable for biological protection against fungal pathogens. The aim is to evaluate the inhibition of Colletotrichum acutatum by thyme, sage, and peppermint EO in vitro on detached strawberry leaves and determine EO chemical composition. Our results revealed that the dominant compound of thyme was thymol 41.35%, peppermint: menthone 44.56%, sage: α,β-thujone 34.45%, and camphor: 20.46%. Thyme EO inhibited C. acutatum completely above 200 μL L−1 concentration in vitro. Peppermint and sage EO reduced mycelial growth of C. acutatum. In addition, in vitro, results are promising for biological control. The detached strawberry leaves experiments showed that disease reduction 4 days after inoculation was 15.8% at 1000 μL L−1 of peppermint EO and 5.3% at 800 μL L−1 of thyme compared with control. Our findings could potentially help to manage C. acutatum; however, the detached strawberry leaves assay showed that EO efficacy was relatively low on tested concentrations and should be increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the Biological Activity of Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds?)
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11 pages, 1178 KiB  
Article
The Extracts of Cinnamon and Clove as Potential Biofungicides against Strawberry Grey Mould
by Lina Šernaitė, Neringa Rasiukevičiūtė and Alma Valiuškaitė
Plants 2020, 9(5), 613; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9050613 - 11 May 2020
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 7882
Abstract
Biofungicides from plants are a possibility for the biocontrol of fungal diseases, as chemical products may be harmful to the environment and humans. Strawberry is one of the many plants infected by grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), and innovative methods of biocontrol [...] Read more.
Biofungicides from plants are a possibility for the biocontrol of fungal diseases, as chemical products may be harmful to the environment and humans. Strawberry is one of the many plants infected by grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), and innovative methods of biocontrol against B. cinerea are under investigation. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia L.) accumulate natural compounds, such as eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, which provide antimicrobial and antifungal properties; thus, extracts of these plants could be possibly used as biofungicides. During this study, the inhibition of B. cinerea by clove and cinnamon extracts was evaluated in vitro on Petri plates and detached strawberry leaves; additionally, the chemical composition of volatiles was identified. Clove extract consisted of 52.88% eugenol, and cinnamon consisted of 74.67% cinnamaldehyde. The efficacy of the extracts on detached strawberry leaves showed that 12 mL L−1 concentration of clove extract was effective in suppressing the grey mould infection. Clove and cinnamon extracts showed an equal ability to inhibit B. cinerea on Petri plates. However, the results of the detached strawberry leaves assay showed that clove extract was more effective as a biocontrol product. Overall, clove extract expressed a high potential for application in biofungicides formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the Biological Activity of Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds?)
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Review

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27 pages, 2802 KiB  
Review
Bryo-Activities: A Review on How Bryophytes Are Contributing to the Arsenal of Natural Bioactive Compounds against Fungi
by Mauro Commisso, Francesco Guarino, Laura Marchi, Antonella Muto, Amalia Piro and Francesca Degola
Plants 2021, 10(2), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020203 - 21 Jan 2021
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 11931
Abstract
Usually regarded as less evolved than their more recently diverged vascular sisters, which currently dominate vegetation landscape, bryophytes seem having nothing to envy to the defensive arsenal of other plants, since they had acquired a suite of chemical traits that allowed them to [...] Read more.
Usually regarded as less evolved than their more recently diverged vascular sisters, which currently dominate vegetation landscape, bryophytes seem having nothing to envy to the defensive arsenal of other plants, since they had acquired a suite of chemical traits that allowed them to adapt and persist on land. In fact, these closest modern relatives of the ancestors to the earliest terrestrial plants proved to be marvelous chemists, as they traditionally were a popular remedy among tribal people all over the world, that exploit their pharmacological properties to cure the most different diseases. The phytochemistry of bryophytes exhibits a stunning assortment of biologically active compounds such as lipids, proteins, steroids, organic acids, alcohols, aliphatic and aromatic compounds, polyphenols, terpenoids, acetogenins and phenylquinones, thus it is not surprising that substances obtained from various species belonging to such ancestral plants are widely employed as antitumor, antipyretic, insecticidal and antimicrobial. This review explores in particular the antifungal potential of the three Bryophyta divisions—mosses (Musci), hornworts (Anthocerotae) and liverworts (Hepaticae)—to be used as a sources of interesting bioactive constituents for both pharmaceutical and agricultural areas, providing an updated overview of the latest relevant insights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Model Systems: What Can They Tell Us about the Biological Activity of Plant Extracts and Natural Compounds?)
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