Search Results (151)

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

Revealing soil microbial diversity and metabolic limitations in different land uses and soil depths is essential to understanding the regulation processes of soil nutrients. Here, bacterial and fungal microbial diversity and metabolic restriction in the 0–50 cm soil layers of four land uses, namely farmland, grassland, Betula platyphylla secondary forest, and Larix principis-rupprechtii-planted forest in the mountainous forest-grass ecotone of northern China, were determined. The results showed that soil microbial diversity in farmland was the lowest. Soil microorganisms from all land uses are limited by nitrogen, with the highest nitrogen limitation in planted forest. However, microbial nitrogen limitation in farmland increased with increasing soil depth, while microbial nitrogen limitation in grassland, secondary forest, and planted forest decreased with increasing soil depth. The bacterial and fungal community composition was influenced by soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, soil organic carbon:total phosphorus ratio, soil water content, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen:total phosphorus ratio. The soil organic carbon:total phosphorus ratio has an impact on microbial metabolic limitation. This study shows that soil microbial communities were more affected by land-use type than soil depth. Land use changes the input of soil nutrients from aboveground plants, which affects the physical and chemical properties of soil, microbial community diversity, and microbial metabolic limitation. The vertical filtration effect between soil layers reduces soil nutrients, making the microbial diversity and enzyme activity of surface soil greater than those of deep soil. Our study helps to understand the function of soil microorganisms under different land use types in the forest-grass ecotone of northern China and provides a basis for predicting biogeochemical cycle dynamics in the ecotone in the context of global warming. Full article

This study investigated the potential of Tillandsia plants, which can be arranged as a soil-free living green panel, and Banksia flower spikes, which could be arranged as a non-living natural panel, to filter particulate matter (PM) and airborne microorganisms. The Tillandsia panels demonstrated superior PM filtration, achieving up to 74% efficiency for large particles (>10 μm) at air velocities of 1.0 and 1.5 m/s without increasing pressure drop substantially. Conversely, Banksia performed better at 0.5 m/s, filtering up to 53% of PM compared to Tillandsia’s 13%. Notably, both panel types demonstrated significant fungal filtration, removing over 50% of airborne spores at 1.5 m/s. These findings suggest that incorporating plant-based panels into urban environments can enhance air quality and public health especially for allergenic particles and microorganisms. Full article

Persistent organohalogen pollutants—including halogenated nitrophenols (HNCs), trichloroethylene (TCE), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—pose serious environmental and health risks due to their stability, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential. This review critically assesses current remediation technologies including advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), adsorption, membrane filtration, and thermal treatments. While these methods can be effective, they are often limited by high costs, energy demands, toxic byproduct formation, and sustainability concerns. Emerging biological approaches offer promising alternatives. Among these, fungal-based degradation methods (mycodegradation) remain significantly underrepresented in the literature, despite fungi demonstrating a high tolerance to contaminants and the ability to degrade structurally complex compounds. Key findings reveal that white-rot fungi such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor possess enzymatic systems capable of breaking down persistent organohalogens under conditions that inhibit bacterial activity. This review also identifies critical research gaps, including the need for direct comparative studies between fungal and bacterial systems. The findings suggest that integrating mycodegradation into broader treatment frameworks could enhance the environmental performance and reduce the long-term remediation costs. Overall, this review highlights the importance of diversifying remediation strategies to include scalable, low-impact biological methods for addressing the global challenge of organohalogen contamination. Full article

Chestnut blight, caused by Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) M.E. Bar, is a destructive fungal disease threatening chestnut cultivation and production. In response to the limitations of chemical control, biological control using antagonistic microbes has gained increasing attention. A rhizosphere-derived bacterium, strain D39, was isolated from healthy chestnut trees and identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens based on morphological characteristics and the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrA genes. The antifungal activity of strain D39 against C. parasitica was evaluated using dual-culture and double-layer Oxford cup assays. The strain exhibited broad-spectrum and stable antagonistic effects and harbored five key genes associated with antimicrobial compound biosynthesis (srfAA, ituC, fenD, bmyB, and bacA), as confirmed by PCR. A 145 kDa extracellular protein with strong antifungal activity was extracted and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE ion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. LC-MS analysis identified the protein as a serine peptidase belonging to the S8 family, and its structure was predicted using multiple bioinformatic tools. In pot experiments, treatment with the strain D39 significantly reduced disease severity, achieving control efficiencies of 66.07% and 70.89% at 10 and 20 days post-inoculation, respectively. These results demonstrate that B. amyloliquefaciens D39 has strong potential as a biocontrol agent against chestnut blight, offering an effective and environmentally friendly alternative for disease management. Full article

Plant-parasitic nematodes and insect pests critically threaten agricultural productivity, but chemical pesticides face limitations due to resistance and environmental concerns, necessitating eco-friendly biopesticides targeting both pests and nematodes. Here, we developed a high-throughput screening platform using Caenorhabditis elegans to identify entomopathogenic fungi exhibiting nematocidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita. Among 32 tested strains, nine Metarhizium spp. and one Beauveria strain demonstrated dual efficacy against C. elegans and M. incognita. Metarhizium anisopliae CQMa421 showed the highest virulence, suppressing nematode reproduction by 42.7% and inducing >80% mortality. Pot experiments revealed a 50% reduction in the root galling index and 50.3% fewer root galls in Solanum lycopersicum. The CQMa421 filtrate caused irreversible locomotor deficits and reduced egg hatching rates by 28%. Concurrently, intestinal damage, elevated oxidative stress and autophagy were observed in C. elegans. This was accompanied by a transcriptome-wide modulation of genes involved in detoxification and immune defense pathways. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of our C. elegans-based screening method for identifying fungi with nematocidal potential. CQMa421’s virulence against M. incognita suggests its promise for pest management, while molecular insights highlight pathways that may contribute to the future design of future nematicides. This study advances fungal biocontrol agents and offers a sustainable strategy for agriculture. Full article

Mangroves are coastal ecosystems of great ecological importance, located in transition areas between marine and terrestrial environments, predominantly found in tropical and subtropical regions. In Brazil, these biomes are present along the entire coastline, playing essential environmental roles such as sediment stabilization, coastal erosion control, and the filtration of nutrients and pollutants. The unique structure of the roots of some mangrove tree species facilitates sediment deposition and organic matter retention, creating favorable conditions for the development of rich and specialized biodiversity, including fungi, bacteria, and other life forms. Furthermore, mangroves serve as important nurseries for many species of fish, crustaceans, and birds, being fundamental to maintaining trophic networks and the local economy, which relies on fishing resources. However, these ecosystems have been significantly impacted by anthropogenic pressures and global climate change. In recent years, the increase in average global temperatures, rising sea levels, changes in precipitation patterns, and ocean acidification have contributed to the degradation of mangroves. Additionally, human activities such as domestic sewage discharge, pollution from organic and inorganic compounds, and alterations in hydrological regimes have accelerated this degradation process. These factors directly affect the biodiversity present in mangrove sediments, including the fungal community, which plays a crucial role in the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient cycling. Fungi, which include various taxonomic groups such as Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota, are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions, making the study of their diversity and distribution relevant for understanding the impacts of climate change and pollution. In particular, fungal bioremediation has gained significant attention as an effective strategy for mitigating pollution in these sensitive ecosystems. Fungi possess unique abilities to degrade or detoxify environmental pollutants, including heavy metals and organic contaminants, through processes such as biosorption, bioaccumulation, and enzymatic degradation. This bioremediation potential can help restore the ecological balance of mangrove ecosystems and protect their biodiversity from the adverse effects of pollution. Recent studies suggest that changes in temperature, salinity, and the chemical composition of sediments can drastically modify microbial and fungal communities in these environments, influencing the resilience of the ecosystem. The objective of this narrative synthesis is to point out the diversity of fungi present in mangrove sediments, emphasizing how the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic pollution influence the composition and functionality of these communities. By exploring these interactions, including the role of fungal bioremediation in ecosystem restoration, it is expected that this study would provide a solid scientific basis for the conservation of mangroves and the development of strategies to mitigate the environmental impacts on these valuable ecosystems. Full article

Molds are frequent indoor contaminants, where they can colonize many materials. The subsequent aerosolization of fungal spores from moldy surfaces can strongly impact indoor air quality and the health of occupants. The investigation of fungal contamination of habitations is a key point in evaluating sanitary risks and understanding the relationship that may exist between the fungal presence on surfaces and air contamination. However, to date there is no “gold standard” of sampling indoor air for such investigations. Among various air sampling methods, impingement can be used for capturing fungal spores, as it enables real-time sampling and preserves analytical follow-up. Its efficiency varies depending on several factors, such as spore hydrophobicity, sampling conditions, etc. Sampling devices may also impact the results, with recovery rates sometimes lower than filtration-based methods. The Coriolis µ air sampler, an impingement-based device, utilizes centrifugal force to concentrate airborne particles into a liquid medium, offering flexibility for molecular analysis. Several studies have used this device for air sampling, demonstrating its application in detecting pollen, fungal spores, bacteria, and viruses, but it is most often used in laboratory conditions. The present case study, conducted in a moldy house, aims to investigate the efficiency of this device in sampling fungal spores for DNA analysis in indoor environments. The results obtained suggest that the use of this device requires an optimized methodology to enhance its efficiency and reliability in bioaerosol research. Full article

Pine wilt disease, caused by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, poses severe ecological and economic threats to coniferous forests. This study isolated two fungal (Arthropsis hispanica, Penicillium sclerotiorum) and two bacterial (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Enterobacter hormaechei) strains from Pinus massoniana rhizospheres, evaluating their biocontrol potential against pine wood nematodes. Molecular characterization confirmed strain identities. In vitro assays demonstrated that combined fermentation filtrates of CSX134+CSZ71 and CSX60+CSZ71 significantly enhanced plant growth parameters (height, biomass) and root-associated soil enzyme activities (urease, acid phosphatase) in P. massoniana. Treated plants exhibited elevated defense enzyme activities and upregulated defense-related gene expression. The treatments achieved 75.07% and 69.65% nematode control efficacy, respectively, compared to controls. These findings highlight the potential of microbial consortia in activating systemic resistance and suppressing pine wilt disease through the dual mechanisms of growth promotion and defense induction. Full article

Equine farming faces growing challenges with helminthoses, aggravated by the indiscriminate use of anthelmintics without technical criteria. This practice favors resistance to these drugs, generates residues in animal products, compromises food safety and human health, and, when excreted in large quantities, negatively impacts environmental health by affecting invertebrates and fecal microorganisms. This highlights the importance of the One Health approach. A promising alternative is biological control with nematophagous or helminthophagous fungi such as Duddingtonia flagrans, Pochonia chlamydosporia, Arthrobotrys oligospora, Monacrosporium thaumasium, Mucor circinelloides and Purpureocillium lilacinum. Due to their different mechanisms of action, ovicidal and predatory fungi, when used together, can act in a complementary and synergistic way in the biological control of helminths, increasing their effectiveness in reducing parasitic infections. The use of these fungi through biosynthesized nanoparticles from fungal filtrates is also emerging as a new approach to nematode control. It can be administered through feed supplementation in commercial formulations. The aim of this review is to explore the use of helminthophagous fungi in the control of helminthiases in horses, highlighting their potential as a biological alternative. It also aims to understand how these fungi can contribute effectively and sustainably to parasite management in horses. Full article

Endophytic fungi play a vital role in protecting and promoting the growth of their host plants. The diversity of fungal endophytes has been documented across different host plant species and varies depending on factors such as the species of the host, ecological conditions, and the health status of the plant. We isolated endophytic fungi from Prunus yedoensis trees with different decay rates. A total of 31 species were isolated from decayed trees, while 33 species were obtained from healthy trees. The number of endophytic fungi exhibiting antifungal activities against wood decay fungi was higher in healthy trees, with 10 species showing activity compared to only 1 species from decayed trees. Endophytic fungus Fusarium acuminatum (BEN48) had the highest inhibition rates against Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma gibbosum, and Vanderbylia fraxinea. Heating conditions did not significantly affect the inhibitory ability of the culture filtrate from BEN48 on wood decay fungi. At 50% concentration, the inhibitory abilities of the culture filtrates against Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma gibbosum, and Vanderbylia fraxinea were 96.5%, 64.1%, and 92.7%, respectively. The inhibitory effects against Trametes versicolor decreased at concentrations of 30% and 10%, resulting in inhibition rates of 83.7% and 50.8%, respectively. For Ganoderma gibbosum, the inhibition rate reduced to 52.6% at 30% concentration and 24.5% at 10% concentration. For Vanderbylia fraxinea, there was no significant difference between the 30% and 10% concentrations, and the inhibition rates for both concentrations were high, measuring 89.9% and 88.8%, respectively. Hence, Fusarium acuminatum (BEN48) has promise as a biocontrol agent for managing wood decay fungi. Full article

Fungi play vital roles in ecosystems through parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism. Additionally, they are widely used in industry as bioactive compound producers and biological control agents. Biomphalaria glabrata is a freshwater snail often controlled with chemical molluscicides. However, developing effective alternatives to these chemical treatments is essential. This study evaluated the molluscicidal potential of culture supernatant from Hypocreales fungi isolated from a cave in the Brazilian Cerrado against the B. glabrata. The isolates were identified based on morphological features and ITS rDNA sequences. Fifteen filtrates of Hypocreales fungi were obtained and tested both pure and in different dilutions (10% and 50%) against newly hatched snails during 96 h of exposure. The fungal isolates were identified as belonging to the genera of Clonostachys (1), Cylindrocladiella (1), Fusarium (1), Gliocladiopsis (1), Keithomyces (1), Marquandomyces (1), Ovicillium (1), Pochonia (1), Purpureocillium (1), Sarcopodium (1), Sarocladium (1), Trichoderma (3), and Volutella (1). The results showed 93.33% (14) of the fungal filtrates induced significant mortality, indicating their molluscicidal activity, with Pochonia chlamydosporia FCCUFG 100 and Volutella aeria FCCUFG 107 causing 100% mortality in all dilutions. These results reveal the potential of Hypocreales fungi from a Brazilian Cerrado cave as a promising approach for snail control. Full article

Phytophthora cinnamomi causes significant root rot in hickory, leading to substantial yield losses. While Bacillus spp. are recognized as beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms, their application against hickory root rot and their impact on rhizosphere microbial communities remain under-investigated. This study demonstrated that Bacillus velezensis TCS001 significantly inhibited P. cinnamomi ST402 growth in vitro, and achieved 71% efficacy in root rot disease management. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that TCS001 fermentation filtrate induced mycelial deformities in P. cinnamomi. An analysis of α and β diversity indicated a significant impact of TCS001 on rhizosphere bacterial community richness and diversity, with minimal effects on the fungal community. Moreover, TCS001 altered the hickory rhizosphere microbiome co-occurrence network. The differential abundance analysis suggests that TCS001 promotes the recruitment of beneficial microbes associated with disease resistance, thereby suppressing disease development. These findings underscore the influence of TCS001 on the hickory rhizosphere microbiome in the presence of pathogens, providing valuable data for future research and the development of effective biocontrol strategies for hickory root rot. Full article

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge (S. miltiorrhiza) is one of the most commonly used bulk herbs in China; however, root rot can seriously affect its quality and yields. To minimize the use of chemical pesticides for managing this plant fungal disease, biological control utilizing microbial bio-pesticides offers a promising alternative. This study aimed to enhance the biocontrol resources available for combating S. miltiorrhiza root rot by isolating actinomycetes with antifungal activity from the rhizosphere soil of S. miltiorrhiza and identifying biocontrol actinomycetes with a preventive effect on root rot. A total of 35 actinomycetes were successfully screened from the rhizosphere soil of S. miltiorrhizae. The strain B-35 with the strongest antifungal activity was screened out through antagonizing the pathogen Fusarium solani of S. miltiorrhiza, strain morphology and 16S rRNA analysis. The antagonistic actinomycetes fermentation filtrate and crude extract could significantly destroy the mycelium and spores of Fusarium solani; the biocontrol effect of mature S. miltiorrhiza rhizome reached 83.3%, and the number of leaves, plant height and biomass in the B-35 treatment group were significantly increased compared with the control group. B-35 has a certain application potential in the biological control of root rot and the promotion of S. miltiorrhizae. The antifungal activity of actinomycetes sourced from the rhizosphere soil of S. miltiorrhiza has been demonstrated for the first time, potentially enhancing future crop quality and production. Full article

Pectinolytic enzymes play a key role in many beverages manufacturing processes, improving their clarification and filtration steps. Fungal pectinases are considered promising green catalysts for industrial applications, and they can be produced using fruit-processing residues as substrate. In this study, we investigated the optimal conditions to produce polygalacturonase from Aspergillus brasiliensis in a solid-phase bioprocess, using cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) peel as substrate. Then, the pectinolytic extract was applied in the clarification of cupuaçu juice. A central composite design was used to determine the optimal fungal cultivation conditions. Thus, the optimal fungal cultivation (maximum production of 11.81 U/g of polygalacturonase) was obtained using cupuaçu peel with 80% moisture, at 34 °C, for 7 days in a medium containing 4.2% phosphorus and 2.6% nitrogen. The enzymatic extract showed greater activity at 60 °C and stability at a pH range between 5.0 and 7.0. The pectinolytic extract was able to clarify the cupuaçu juice, causing a 53.95% reduction in its turbidity and maintaining its antioxidant activity. Our results demonstrate that the cupuaçu peel can be used as a substrate to produce polygalacturonase, and the enzymatic extract produced can be applied in the cupuaçu juice processing, contributing to the circular economy. Full article