Search Results (371)

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a critical protein-rich legume supporting food and nutritional security globally. However, Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium solani, remains a major constraint to production, with yield losses reaching up to 84%. While biocontrol strategies have been explored, most microbial agents are sourced from mesophilic environments and show limited effectiveness under abiotic stress. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of extremophilic Bacillus spp. from the hypersaline Lake Bogoria, Kenya, and their biocontrol potential against F. solani. From 30 isolates obtained via serial dilution, 9 exhibited antagonistic activity in vitro, with mycelial inhibition ranging from 1.07–1.93 cm 16S rRNA sequencing revealed taxonomic diversity within the Bacillus genus, including unique extremotolerant strains. Molecular screening identified genes associated with the biosynthesis of antifungal metabolites such as 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol, pyrrolnitrin, and hydrogen cyanide. Enzyme assays confirmed substantial production of chitinase (1.33–3160 U/mL) and chitosanase (10.62–28.33 mm), supporting a cell wall-targeted antagonism mechanism. In planta assays with the lead isolate (B7) significantly reduced disease incidence (8–35%) and wilt severity (1–5 affected plants), while enhancing root colonization under pathogen pressure. These findings demonstrate that extremophile-derived Bacillus spp. possess robust antifungal traits and highlight their potential as climate-resilient biocontrol agents for sustainable bean production in arid and semi-arid agroecosystems. Full article

Banana Fusarium wilt (BFW, also known as Panama disease) is a highly infectious and destructive disease that threatens global banana production, requiring early recognition for timely prevention and control. Current monitoring methods primarily rely on continuous variable features—such as band reflectances (BRs) and vegetation indices (VIs)—collectively referred to as basic features (BFs)—which are prone to noise during the early stages of infection and struggle to capture subtle spectral variations, thus limiting the recognition accuracy. To address this limitation, this study proposes a discretized enhanced feature (EF) construction method, the automated kernel density segmentation-based feature construction algorithm (AutoKDFC). By analyzing the differences in the kernel density distributions between healthy and diseased samples, the AutoKDFC automatically determines the optimal segmentation threshold, converting continuous BFs into binary features with higher discriminative power for early-stage recognition. Using UAV-based multi-spectral imagery, BFW recognition models are developed and tested with the random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and Gaussian naïve Bayes (GNB) algorithms. The results show that EFs exhibit significantly stronger correlations with BFW’s presence than original BFs. Feature importance analysis via RF further confirms that EFs contribute more to the model performance, with VI-derived features outperforming BR-based ones. The integration of EFs results in average performance gains of 0.88%, 2.61%, and 3.07% for RF, SVM, and GNB, respectively, with SVM achieving the best performance, averaging over 90%. Additionally, the generated BFW distribution map closely aligns with ground observations and captures spectral changes linked to disease progression, validating the method’s practical utility. Overall, the proposed AutoKDFC method demonstrates high effectiveness and generalizability for BFW recognition. Its core concept of “automatic feature enhancement” has strong potential for broader applications in crop disease monitoring and supports the development of intelligent early warning systems in plant health management. Full article

The cultivation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), a vital vegetable crop, faces significant threats from Fusarium spp.-induced root rot. In this study, three fungal pathogens (Fusarium falciforme HKFf, Fusarium incarnatum HKFi, and Fusarium oxysporum HKFo) were isolated from symptomatic cowpea plants, and we screened 90 rhizobacteria from healthy rhizospheres using six culture media. Among these pathogens, Priestia megaterium TSA-10E showed a notable suppression of F. oxysporum HKFo (63.21%), F. incarnatum HKFi (55.16%), and F. falciforme HKFf (50.93%). In addition, Bacillus cereus KB-6 inhibited the mycelial growth of F. incarnatum HKFi and F. oxysporum HKFo by 42.39% and 47.93%, respectively. Critically, cell-free filtrates from P. megaterium TSA-10E and B. cereus KB-6 cultures reduced conidial germination in F. oxysporum HKFo and F. incarnatum HKFi, highlighting their role in disrupting the early infection stages. In greenhouse trials, TSA-10E and KB-6 reduced disease severity by 48.7% and 40.4%, respectively, with treated plants maintaining healthy growth while untreated controls succumbed to wilting. Broad-spectrum assays revealed that B. subtilis TSA-6E and P. megaterium TSA-10E were potent antagonists against both economic and grain crop pathogens. These findings underscore the potential of rhizobacteria as sustainable biocontrol agents for managing root rot disease caused by Fusarium spp. in cowpea cultivation. Full article

Fusarium wilt (FW), induced by Fusarium oxysporum, poses a significant threat to global tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production, leading to substantial yield reduction. This study investigated the anatomical and ultrastructural responses of tomato leaves to FW infection and assessed the efficacy of salicylic acid (SA), humic acid (HA), and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as control and inducer agents. FW infection resulted in notable structural alterations, including decreased leaf blade and mesophyll thickness and increased Adaxial epidermal cell wall thickness, thereby disrupting the leaf structure. Also, it caused severe chloroplast damage, such as membrane detachment and a reduced count of starch granules, which could impair photosynthetic efficiency. The different treatments exhibited significant effectiveness in reversing these adverse effects, leading to increased thickness of the leaf blade, mesophyll, palisade, and spongy tissues and enhanced structural integrity. Furthermore, ultrastructural improvements included activated mitochondria, compact chloroplasts with increased numbers, and proliferation of plastoglobuli, indicating adaptive metabolic changes. Principal component analysis (PCA-biplot) highlighted the significant parameters distinguishing treatment groups, providing insights into trait-based differentiation. This study concluded the potential of SA, HA, and ZnO-NPs as sustainable solutions for managing Fusarium wilt and enhancing tomato plant resilience, thereby contributing to improved agricultural practices and food security. Full article

Banana is an important cash and food crop worldwide. Recent outbreaks of banana diseases are threatening the global banana industry and smallholder livelihoods. Remote sensing data offer the potential to detect the presence of disease, but formal analysis is needed to compare inferred disease data with observed disease data. In this study, we present a novel remote-sensing-based framework that combines Landsat-8 imagery with meteorology-informed phenological models and machine learning to identify anomalies in banana crop health. Unlike prior studies, our approach integrates domain-specific crop phenology to enhance the specificity of anomaly detection. We used a pixel-level random forest (RF) model to predict 11 key vegetation indices (VIs) as a function of historical meteorological conditions, specifically daytime and nighttime temperature from MODIS and precipitation from NASA GES DISC. By training on periods of healthy crop growth, the RF model establishes expected VI values under disease-free conditions. Disease presence is then detected by quantifying the deviations between observed VIs from Landsat-8 imagery and these predicted healthy VI values. The model demonstrated robust predictive reliability in accounting for seasonal variations, with forecasting errors for all VIs remaining within 10% when applied to a disease-free control plantation. Applied to two documented outbreak cases, the results show strong spatial alignment between flagged anomalies and historical reports of banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) and Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4). Specifically, for BBTD in Australia, a strong correlation of 0.73 was observed between infection counts and the discrepancy between predicted and observed NDVI values at the pixel with the highest number of infections. Notably, VI declines preceded reported infection rises by approximately two months. For TR4 in Mozambique, the approach successfully tracked disease progression, revealing clear spatial spread patterns and correlations as high as 0.98 between VI anomalies and disease cases in some pixels. These findings support the potential of our method as a scalable early warning system for banana disease detection. Full article

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium solani, is a devastating disease that leads to significant losses in ginger (Zingiber officinale) crops worldwide. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying F. solani infection and disease progression, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis of ginger rhizomes during storage, comparing inoculated and non-inoculated samples. A total of 647 and 6398 DEGs were identified in the 1.5- and 2-day infection groups, respectively. KEGG analysis revealed that most DEGs were enriched in the plant–pathogen interaction pathway, with both PTI and ETI being activated. Six DEGs in this pathway were validated by qRT-PCR at two time points, showing a strong correlation with FPKM values from the transcriptome data. Furthermore, transient expression analysis in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves demonstrated that overexpressing ZoCEBiP1 helped scavenge excess ROS, thereby reducing disease severity. Transcriptional profiling of DEGs in the plant–pathogen interaction pathway revealed significant changes in genes involved in ROS and NO metabolism. In F. solani-infected ginger rhizomes, levels of H₂O₂ and O₂⁻ were elevated, along with increased activities of antioxidant enzymes (POD, CAT, SOD, and APX) and higher NO content and NOS activity. These findings elucidated the early defense response of ginger rhizomes to F. solani infection and provided insights for developing effective strategies to manage fungal diseases. Full article

Rootstocks are vital in cucumber production. Although figleaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia) is among the species used, its application remains limited due to the perception that white-seeded pumpkin (C. maxima × C. moschata) offers superior commercial traits. This perception is partly due to the insufficient collection and evaluation of local figleaf gourd germplasm, which has obscured its potential as a rootstock. Based on prior screening, four wild figleaf gourd genotypes from Yunnan Province were selected and compared with seven commercial white-seeded pumpkin rootstocks. Scions grafted onto figleaf gourd exhibited vegetative growth (stem diameter, plant height, and leaf area) and fruit morphology (length, diameter, biomass, and surface bloom) comparable to the top-performing white-seeded pumpkin genotypes. Fruits from figleaf gourd rootstocks also displayed comparable or significantly higher nutritional quality, including vitamin C, total soluble solids, soluble sugars, and proteins. Notably, figleaf gourd itself showed significantly greater intrinsic resistance to Fusarium wilt than white-seeded pumpkin. When used as a rootstock, it protected the scion from pathogen stress by triggering a stronger antioxidant response (higher SOD and POD activity) and mitigating cellular damage (lower MDA levels and electrolyte leakage). These results provide evidence that these figleaf gourd genotypes are not merely viable alternatives but are high-performing rootstocks, particularly in enhancing nutritional value and providing elite disease resistance. Full article

Potato early dying disease complex (PED) leads to premature senescence and rapid decline in potato plants. Unlike potato wilt caused solely by Verticillium species, PED symptoms are more severe due to the synergistic effects of multiple pathogens, including root-lesion nematodes, fungi such as Colletotrichum and Fusarium, and soft-rot bacteria. To investigate the microbiome responsible for PED, soil and stem samples from healthy-looking and symptomatic plants were analyzed using amplicon-targeted next-generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq and PacBio technologies). Samples were collected from four locations in New Brunswick, Canada from fields previously rotated with barley or oat. Comparative analysis of the bacterial, fungal, and eukaryotic diversity in soil samples showed minimal differences, with only bacterial alpha diversity influenced by the plant health status. Verticillium dahliae was abundant in all soil samples, and its abundance was significantly higher in the stems of diseased plants. Additional fungal species implicated in PED, including Plectosphaerella cucumerina, Colletotrichum coccodes, Botrytis sp., and Alternaria alternata, were also identified in the stems. This study highlights the complex, plant-associated microbial interactions underlying PED and provides a foundation for microbiome-informed disease management strategies. Full article

Fusariosis is an infection caused by the fungus Fusarium spp., which is pathogenic to both plants and humans. The disease presents several clinical manifestations and epidemiological patterns. Current treatment relies on azoles and polyenes, but increasing antifungal resistance requires the exploration of new therapeutic options. This study reviewed patents related to the treatment of Fusariosis from the last 15 years (up to June 2023). The search identified 318 patents, categorized by identification code, publication date, type of application and mechanism of action, using the International Patent Classification and Cooperative Patent Classification systems. In addition, we conducted a bibliographic search in the PubMed database using the same criteria to identify the number of scientific articles. Of the 318 patents, 21 targeted Fusarium infections in humans. The years 2014 and 2018 stood out with three patents each, while the same period recorded an average of 58 published articles. The patents addressed mechanisms such as drug delivery, gene expression, immunotherapy, engineered drugs, and novel compounds. This research highlights the urgent need for continued innovation in therapeutic technologies to effectively treat Fusarium wilt. Full article

With continuous improvements in people’s environmental awareness, biological control agents have garnered considerable attention owing to their advantageous impacts on improving soil fertility and alleviating plant diseases. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) B579, isolated from the rhizosphere soil of cucumber, has effectively suppressed the growth of pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum. Our study investigates the effects of B. subtilis B579 on the properties of the rhizosphere soil (its physicochemical properties and enzymatic activities) and microbial community of cucumber under Fusarium oxysporum infection. An amplicon sequencing analysis of the microorganisms in the rhizosphere soil was conducted, and the soil’s properties were measured. The findings demonstrated that B. subtilis B579 exhibited 73.68% efficacy in controlling cucumber Fusarium wilt disease. B579 pretreatment substantially increased the bacterial and fungi diversity and improved the soil’s physicochemical properties (pH level and OC, TN, TP, AK, and AP contents) and enzyme activities, especially those of urease and alkaline phosphatase, which exhibited significant increases of 77.22% and 64.77%, respectively, in comparison to those under the pathogen treatment. Furthermore, the utilization of B579 reduced the abundance of Fusarium while simultaneously increasing the abundance of beneficial groups, including the Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Sphingomonas, Pseudomonas, Microbacterium, Mortierella, and Trichoderma genera. The RDA showed that the abundance of Bacillus, Paenibacillus, Sphingomonas, and Mortierella in the rhizosphere showed positive correlations with most of the soil properties, whereas Fusarium abundance was negatively correlated with most of the soil’s properties. This study provides novel insights into the disease suppression mechanisms of Bacillus subtilis B579, laying the theoretical foundation for its development as a biocontrol agent. Full article

Lanzhou lily is a plant native to China with high edible, medicinal, and ornamental value that is relatively susceptible to Fusarium wilt. In this study, the application of Trichoderma longibrachiatum SMF2 (TlSMF2) effectively controlled Lanzhou lily wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani. TlSMF2 and the antimicrobial peptaibols trichokonins (TKs) produced by TlSMF2 inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of these two pathogens. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the TKs-induced defense responses of Lanzhou lily were mainly related to the production of plant hormones and defense enzymes. In detail, TKs treatment increased the levels of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) and the expression of their related genes and upregulated the activities of chitinase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL). Moreover, TKs caused the induction of LzWRKY26 and LzWRKY75, which is highly homologous to LrWRKY3 that positively regulates Lilium regale resistance to F. oxysporum. LzWRKY26 expression was also induced by SA and MeJA treatments and F. oxysporum infection, which was consistent with the findings that many cis-acting elements associated with phytohormones and stress responses are present in the promoter region of LzWRKY26. Therefore, the biocontrol mechanisms of TlSMF2 against Lanzhou lily wilt disease involve substrate competition and toxicity against pathogens, as well as the induction of systemic resistance in plants. Our results highlight a promising biological control agent for soil-borne fungal diseases and offer deeper insights into the biocontrol mechanisms of TlSMF2. Full article

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) offers a protected system for agricultural production; however, it remains vulnerable to diseases, particularly root diseases such as Pythium root rot and Fusarium wilt. Sustainable and eco-friendly agricultural practices using plant-beneficial microbes can help mitigate these harmful diseases. These microbes produce natural antibiotics and promote induced systemic resistance (ISR), which enhances nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and disease resistance. While plant-beneficial microbes have been applied in conventional cropping systems, they have yet to be fully integrated into CEA-based systems. Oxygen availability in the root zone is critical for the functionalities of beneficial microorganisms. Insufficient levels of dissolved oxygen (DO) can hinder microbial activity, lead to the accumulation of harmful compounds, and cause stress to the plants. Contemporary aeration technologies, such as novel oxygenated nanobubble (ONB) technology, provide better oxygen distribution and promote optimal microbial proliferation, enhancing plant resilience. Hydroponic and soilless substrate-based systems of CEA production have significant potential to integrate beneficial microbes, increase crop yields, prevent diseases, and improve resource use efficiency. This review aims to summarize the significance of DO and the potential impact of novel ONB technology in CEA for managing root zone diseases while increasing crop productivity and sustainability. Full article

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), a vital economic crop, is severely threatened by Fusarium wilt (FW), which is caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon). To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying FW resistance in watermelon, we tracked the infection process via microscopy, identifying three critical time points (1, 6, and 8 days post-inoculation) corresponding to spore germination, hyphal invasion of the xylem vascular system, and symptom onset, respectively. Transcriptional profiling at these stages revealed six disease-resistance-associated gene modules through differential expression analysis, expression pattern clustering, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and functional enrichment. These modules exhibited strong correlations with distinct infection phases. Protein–protein interaction networks identified 35 hub genes, including receptor-like kinases; WRKY and ethylene-responsive factor transcription factors; and genes involved in cell wall reinforcement, hormone signaling, defense metabolism/detoxification, programmed cell death regulation, and antimicrobial compound biosynthesis. Differential expressions of these genes across infection stages likely underpin the observed phenotypic disparities. Five hub regulatory genes were identified by quantitative real-time PCR in the SRgreen and SRblack modules, namely, Cla97C01G014990 (WRKY transcription factor 42), Cla97C02G042360 (calcium-transporting ATPase), Cla97C08G155710 (AIG2), Cla97C09G170380 (ethylene-responsive factor 1B-like), and Cla97C06G121810 (receptor kinase, putative). These genes mediate early rapid defense responses via SRgreen and sustain long-term resistance through SRblack. By validating the expression patterns of hub genes, the study elucidated the watermelon resistance response and provided insights into transcriptional regulation during different stages of Fon–watermelon interactions. Additionally, it identified candidate genes that could enhance watermelon resistance to wilt disease. Full article

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) causes Fusarium wilt, a devastating epidemic disease that has caused widespread damage to banana crops worldwide. We report the draft genomes of Foc race 1 (16117) and Foc tropical race 4 (Fusarium odoratissimum) (CNSD1) isolates from China, assembled using PacBio HiFi sequencing reads, with functional annotation performed. The strains group in distinct lineages within the Fusarium oxysporum species complex. This genetic resource will contribute towards understanding the pathogenicity and evolutionary dynamics of Foc populations in banana-growing regions around the world. Full article

Banana wilt disease is an important disease in banana production, causing significant losses. Herein, we investigated the mechanism by which Bacillus velezensis isolate X5 enhances the resistance of different resistant banana cultivars to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (Foc4). From the perspectives of metabolism, transcriptome, and key genes in important pathways, this study analyzed the composition and content changes of other types of signaling molecules, such as free amino acids and soluble sugars, in resistant/susceptible varieties. The results indicate that under pathogen stress, the contents of root-secreted metabolite components in both resistant and susceptible varieties increase significantly overall, and the increase in susceptible varieties is generally higher. For example, the free amino acid components in susceptible varieties are significantly more than those in resistant varieties. However, the addition of biocontrol bacteria can inhibit this increase. Exogenous addition experiments prove that differential metabolites can either promote or inhibit Foc4 and X5 at certain concentrations. The results of KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment and GO (Gene Ontology) annotation show that resistant varieties have more defense pathways compared to susceptible varieties. Under X5 treatment, more defense genes in resistant varieties are activated or their expression is enhanced, promoting the plant roots to secrete more substances related to plant resistance, such as phenylpropanoids and lignin. This research revealed the effects of Bacillus velezensis on bananas and pathogens, allowing valuable conclusions to be drawn. The results have good application potential to understand the relationships among the three species, defining the biocontrol effect and mechanism of Bacillus velezensis, and providing a theoretical basis for the biological control of soil-borne diseases such as banana wilt disease. Full article