Search Results (13)

The yield and quality of cultivated food crops are frequently compromised by the prevalent threat from fungal pathogens that can cause widespread damage in both the pre-harvest and post-harvest stages. This paper investigates the challenges posed by fungal pathogens to the sustainability and yield of essential food crops, leading to significant economic and food security repercussions. The paper critiques the long-standing reliance on synthetic fungicides, emphasizing the environmental and health concerns arising from their widespread and occasionally inappropriate use. In response, the paper explores the potential of biological control agents, specifically endophytic fungi in advancing sustainable agricultural practices. Through their diverse symbiotic relationships with host plants, these fungi exhibit strong antagonistic capabilities against phytopathogenic fungi by producing various bioactive compounds and promoting plant growth. The review elaborates on the direct and indirect mechanisms of endophytic antagonism, such as antibiosis, mycoparasitism, induction of host resistance, and competition for resources, which collectively contribute to inhibiting pathogenic fungal growth. This paper consolidates the crucial role of endophytic fungi, i.e., Acremonium, Alternaria, Arthrinium, Aspergillus, Botryosphaeria, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Cevidencealdinia, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Gliocladium, Muscodor, Nigrospora, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Phomopsis, Pichia, Pochonia, Pythium, Ramichloridium, Rosellinia, Talaromyces, Trichoderma, Verticillium, Wickerhamomyces, and Xylaria, in biological control, supported by the evidence drawn from more than 200 research publications. The paper pays particular attention to Muscodor, Penicillium, and Trichoderma as prominent antagonists. It also emphasizes the need for future genetic-level research to enhance the application of endophytes in biocontrol strategies aiming to highlight the importance of endophytic fungi in facilitating the transition towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural systems. Full article

Hypogea are natural or artificial spaces located underground often of great interest from an anthropological, archeological, religious, artistic, or historic point of view. Due to their features, these environments usually present conservative problems and biological colonization could be considered as one of the main threats. The present three-year study was carried out by specialists of the Central Institute for Restoration of Rome (ICR) in the hypogeous site preserved in the Roman Archeological Museum of Positano (Positano MAR) and focused on characterizing biological alterations present on the mural paintings; setting up efficient strategies and protocols for biodeterioration control; and monitoring the efficacy of direct and indirect interventions. Patinas with different morphologies were analyzed through microscopic observations, cultural analyses and next-generation sequencing. The results proved that the alterations comprised a great variety of microorganisms forming very distinct communities, differently distributed over space and time. The main taxa represented were bacteria of phyla Pseudomonadota and Actinomycetota, fungi belonging to the genus Fusarium and Gliocladium, and algae of the genus Chlorococcum. Preservation protocols were set up considering the alterations’ composition and included the application of biocides, limiting daily temperature changes, decreasing illuminance values on painted surfaces, and the screening of natural light sources. Full article

Tar spot disease in corn, caused by Phyllachora maydis, can reduce grain yield by limiting the total photosynthetic area in leaves. Stromata of P. maydis are long-term survival structures that can germinate and release spores in a gelatinous matrix in the spring, which are thought to serve as inoculum in newly planted fields. In this study, overwintered stromata in corn leaves were collected in Central Illinois, surface sterilized, and caged on water agar medium. Fungi and bacteria were collected from the surface of stromata that did not germinate and showed microbial growth. Twenty-two Alternaria isolates and three Cladosporium isolates were collected. Eighteen bacteria, most frequently Pseudomonas and Pantoea species, were also isolated. Spores of Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Gliocladium catenulatum (formulated as a commercial biofungicide) reduced the number of stromata that germinated compared to control untreated stromata. These data suggest that fungi collected from overwintered tar spot stromata can serve as biological control organisms against tar spot disease. Full article

The possibility of inducing systemic resistance in roselle against root rot and wilt diseases was investigated using biotic and abiotic inducers. The biotic inducers included three biocontrol agents (i.e., Bacillus subtilis, Gliocladium catenulatum, and Trichoderma asperellum) and two biofertilizers (i.e., microbein and mycorrhizeen), while the abiotic inducers included three chemical materials (i.e., ascorbic acid, potassium silicate, and salicylic acid). In addition, preliminary in vitro studies were conducted to evaluate the inhibitory activity of the tested inducers on the growth of pathogenic fungi. The results show that G. catenulatum was the most efficient biocontrol agent. It reduced the linear growth of Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, and Macrophomina phaseolina by 76.1, 73.4, and 73.2%, respectively, followed by B. subtilis by 71.4, 69, and 68.3%, respectively. Similarly, potassium silicate was the most effective chemical inducer followed by salicylic acid, each at 2000 ppm. They reduced the linear growth of F. solani by 62.3 and 55.7%; M. phaseolina by 60.7 and 53.1%; and F. oxysporum by 60.3 and 53%, respectively. In the greenhouse, all inducers applied as a seed treatment and/or foliar spray strongly limited the development of root rot and wilt diseases. In this regard, G. catenulatum, at 1 × 10⁹ CFU mL⁻¹, achieved the highest values of disease control, followed by B. subtilis; while T. asperellum, at 1 × 10⁵ CFU mL⁻¹, recorded the lowest values. In addition, the plants treated with potassium silicate followed by salicylic acid, each at 4 g/L, recorded the highest disease control compared to ascorbic acid at 1 g/L, which had the lowest values. The mixture of mycorrhizeen + microbein (at 10 g/kg seeds) was the most effective compared to either of them alone. All treatments, applied alone or in combination in the field, significantly reduced the incidence of diseases. The most effective treatments were a mixture of G. catenulatum (Gc) + Bacillus subtilis (Bs) + Trichoderma asperellum (Ta); a mixture of ascorbic acid (AA) + potassium silicate (PS) + and salicylic (SA); G. catenulatum; potassium silicate; and a mixture of mycorrhizeen + microbein. Rhizolix T had the highest disease-reducing efficacy. In response to the treatments, significant improvements in growth and yield, changes in biochemicals, and increased activities of defense enzymes were achieved. This research points to the activity of some biotic and abiotic inducers that can play a vital role in managing the root rot and wilt of roselle through the induction of systemic plant resistance. Full article

The fungi species dwelling in the rhizosphere of crop plants, revealing functions that endeavor sustainability of the plants, are commonly referred to as ‘plant-growth-promoting fungi’ (PGPF). They are biotic inducers that provide benefits and carry out important functions in agricultural sustainability. The problem encountered in the agricultural system nowadays is how to meet population demand based on crop yield and protection without putting the environment and human and animal health at risk based on crop production. PGPF including Trichoderma spp., Gliocladium virens, Penicillium digitatum, Aspergillus flavus, Actinomucor elegans, Podospora bulbillosa, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, etc., have proven their ecofriendly nature to ameliorate the production of crops by improving the growth of the shoots and roots of crop plants, the germination of seeds, the production of chlorophyll for photosynthesis, and the abundant production of crops. PGPF’s potential mode of action is as follows: the mineralization of the major and minor elements required to support plants’ growth and productivity. In addition, PGPF produce phytohormones, induced resistance, and defense-related enzymes to inhibit or eradicate the invasion of pathogenic microbes, in other words, to help the plants while encountering stress. This review portrays the potential of PGPF as an effective bioagent to facilitate and promote crop production, plant growth, resistance to disease invasion, and various abiotic stresses. Full article

Prunus mandshurica is a rare species of the Russian Far East; it is cultivated for fruits and as an ornamental tree. The objective was to determine the fungi associated with young shoots of the Manchurian apricot, which is an important biotic factor for plant viability and productivity. Fungi were isolated by incubation of shoot fragments (unsterilized or surface-sterilized) on a growth medium and identified according to their cultural and morphological characteristics. Diaporthe eres and Nothophoma quercina isolates were identified by multilocus phylogenetic analysis (apn2, cal, tef1-α, tub2 for D. eres, and ITS, rpb2, tub2 for N. quercina). In total, 12 species (Alternaria alternata, A. tenuissima, Aureobasidium pullulans, Cladosporium cladosporioides, C. herbarum, D. eres, Epicoccum nigrum, Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, N. quercina, Sarocladium strictum, and Tripospermum myrti) and one genus (Gliocladium sp.) were found. Alternaria alternata, N. quercina, and D. eres were the most frequent species of the shoots. Alternaria tenuissima and F. oxysporum were also frequent in some collections, while all other species were rare or occasional in occurrence. Molecular analysis of D. eres and N. quercina revealed redundancy of some species within the D. eres species complex and the genus Nothophoma. This is the first report on the fungal inhabitants of asymptomatic shoots of P. mandshurica. Nothophoma quercina was identified in Russia for the first time. Full article

Nayarit ranks first in national soursop production (Annona muricata L.). However, the soursop fruits are perishable and susceptible to microorganisms attack, reaching up to 60% of the postharvest losses. Due to the previously mentioned points, the objective of the present study was to isolate, identify, and determine the pathogenicity of fungi related to postharvest diseases in soursop fruits in the main producing areas of Nayarit, Mexico. Several fungi belonging to the genera Fusarium sp., Rhizopus, Lasiodiplodia, Gliocladium, and Colletotrichum were isolated and morphologically identified. Further, bioinformatics sequence analysis of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the rDNA identified that most pathogen species were Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, and Nectria haematococca, which cause postharvest diseases in soursop fruit, affecting their quality. Lasiodiplodia causes the highest postharvest damage in soursop among the pathogenic species identified. Full article

The study evaluated the dose–response relationship of two commercial microbial biocontrol agents, Bacillus subtilis and Gliocladium catenulatum, against Botrytis cinerea both in vitro and in vivo. Inoculum doses, formulation, temperature and foliar leaf part all affected the control achieved by the two BCAs. In vitro competition assays on modified PDA plates tested a range of BCA doses (log₁₀ 3–10 CFUs or spores/droplet) at 4, 10 and 20 °C on the development of B. cinerea colonies. The dose–response relationship was influenced by both the BCA formulation and temperature. In vivo studies on lettuce plants in semi-commercial greenhouses examined the BCA dose (log₁₀ 5–9 CFUs or spores/mL) for controlling B. cinerea with a high inoculum (log₁₀ 6 spores/mL). Leaf disc assays showed that the dose–response relationship was influenced by the leaf parts sampled. These results suggest that the dose–response relationship between a BCA and specific pathogen will be significantly influenced by environmental conditions, formulation and plant phyllosplane tissue. Full article

Optimising the use of biocontrol agents (BCAs) requires the temporal tracking of viable populations in the crop phyllosphere to ensure that effective control can be achieved. No sensitive systems for quantifying viable populations of commercially available BCAs, such as Bacillus subtilis and Gliocladium catenulatum, in the phyllosphere of crop plants are available. The objective of this study was to develop a method to quantify viable populations of these two BCAs in the crop phyllosphere. A molecular tool based on propidium monoazide (PMA) (PMAxx™-qPCR) capable of quantifying viable populations of these two BCAs was developed. Samples were treated with PMAxx™ (12.5–100 μM), followed by 15 min incubation, exposure to a 800 W halogen light for 30 min, DNA extraction, and quantification using qPCR. This provided a platform for using the PMAxx™-qPCR technique for both BCAs to differentiate viable from dead cells. The maximum number of dead cells blocked, based on the DNA, was 3.44 log₁₀ for B. subtilis and 5.75 log₁₀ for G. catenulatum. Validation studies showed that this allowed accurate quantification of viable cells. This method provided effective quantification of the temporal changes in viable populations of the BCAs in commercial formulations on lettuce leaves in polytunnel and glasshouse production systems. Full article

In 2018, the area of plantation forests in Indonesia reached 8,668,670 ha. Pests and diseases have been considered as critical factors in sustainable production of plantation forests in the humid tropic areas. With the introduction of new plant species such as fast-growing plants of acacias and eucalypts, new pests and diseases have become emerging threats. Several pathogenic fungi and bacteria have been recorded in plantation forests in Indonesia since their early establishment. The fungal species associated with the most common diseases include Ceratocystis manginecans (Ceratocystis wilt and dieback), Ganoderma philippii (red root rot), Phellinus noxius (brown root rot and heart rot), and Fusarium spp. (Fusarium wilt), whereas the major bacterial pathogens are Ralstonia spp. (bacterial wilt) and Xanthomonas spp. (leaf streak). As one key component of integrated pest management, biocontrol measure plays significant roles in managing major diseases of tropical plantation forests in Indonesia. A number of forestry companies have put development of biocontrol agents as one of their priority research programs. For this scenario, antagonists have been collected and isolated from different ecosystems. This paper reviews development of biocontrol agents to manage major diseases of tropical plantation forests in Indonesia. Full article

Clonostachys (teleomorph: Bionectria) fungi are well known to produce a variety of secondary metabolites with various biological activities to show their pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications. Up to now, at least 229 secondary metabolites, mainly including 84 nitrogen-containing metabolites, 85 polyketides, 40 terpenoids, and 20 other metabolites, have been reported. Many of these compounds exhibit biological activities, such as cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antileishmanial, antimalarial activities. This mini-review aims to summarize the diversity of the secondary metabolites as well as their occurrences in Clonostachys fungi and biological activities. Full article

Laser irradiation is considered a new technology in agriculture; however, the success of irradiation depends on the selection of precise parameters for the light source and exposure. In this study, the impact of laser stimulation on germination and the occurrence of mycoflora in soybean seeds was assessed. The following factors were considered: (1) irradiation using blue and red coherent lights, (2) irradiation of seeds only (a), use of Bradyrhzobium japonicum vaccine only (b), and irradiation of the seeds plus the Bradyrhzobium japonicum vaccine (c). The germination index, seedling weight and seeds infected by fungus were determined. It was found that the laser treatment of seeds increased germination and seedling weight. Laser irradiation affected the abundance of species Phoma glomerata, Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus nigricans and Gliocladium roseum. The use of blue laser (LB—514 nm) reduced the number of the non-pathogenic species, R. nigricans and G. roseum. Full article

Abstract: There are certain saprophytic fungi in the soil able to develop an antagonistic effect against eggs of parasites. Some of these fungal species are ingested by animals during grazing, and survive in their feces after passing through the digestive tract. To identify and isolate ovicidal fungi in the feces of wild captive animals, a total of 60 fecal samples were taken from different wild animals kept captive in the Marcelle Natureza Zoological Park (Lugo, Spain). After the serial culture of the feces onto Petri dishes with different media, their parasicitide activity was assayed against eggs of trematodes (Calicophoron daubneyi) and ascarids (Parascaris equorum). Seven fungal genera were identified in the feces. Isolates from Fusarium, Lecanicillium, Mucor, Trichoderma, and Verticillium showed an ovicidal effect classified as type 3, because of their ability to adhere to the eggshell, penetrate, and damage permanently the inner embryo. Penicillium and Gliocladium developed a type 1 effect (hyphae attach to the eggshell but morphological damage was not provoked). These results provide very interesting and useful information about fungi susceptible for being used in biological control procedures against parasites. Full article