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Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition
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Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Pathogenesis and Disease Control".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 10194

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Essaid Ait Barka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Unit Induced Resistance and Plant Bioprotection, University of Reims, EA 4707 USC INRAe 1488, SFR Condorcet FR CNRS 3417, 51100 Reims, France
Interests: plant-microbe interaction; stress physiology plants responses to biotic and abiotic stress; crop protection; biological control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Rachid Lahlali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Protection, Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès, Km 10, BP S/40, Meknès 50001, Morocco
Interests: plant–microbe interaction; mycology; crop protection; biological control; horticultural crops
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The outcome of interactions between plants and microbes can be neutral, detrimental, or even beneficial for the photoautotrophic organisms. Cultivated plants and fruit trees are permanently assaulted by several pathogens namely fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, phytoplasmas, viruses, and nematodes.

The interaction between plants and their fungal pathogens is more than just a series of puzzles for plant biologists to resolve, as it can be a matter of life and death for the plant. Nowadays, it has become clear that plant and animal innate immunity display many structural and functional similitudes, which suggests a shared evolutionary origin of pathogen perception and respective signal transduction in higher eukaryotes.

Why are some microbes able to attack certain types of plants and not others? Is it because they do not have the necessary weapons to infect them or because some plants are equipped with better arsenals to counteract the assault?

Why some microbes are pathogenic and others not? How do plants defend themselves from pathogen attack?

Plant pathogens are generally managed by chemical treatments using different synthetic substances belonging to different chemical specialties. However, it is important to understand the cause of symptoms in a plant to effectively control the disease while avoiding unnecessary efforts. In this Special Issue, understanding the critical role of host-pathogen interaction in developing new and alternative biocontrol agents that promote plant health and disease resistance in crop pathosystems is of interest.

Based on the above, we highly encourage experts and researchers to contribute with original scientific articles, reviews, and communications addressing the following topics:

  • Isolation, morphological and molecular characterization of plant fungal pathogens;
  • Etiology and epidemiology of plant fungal pathogens;
  • Pathogenesis mechanisms and plant defense;
  • Plants resistance mechanisms;
  • Chemical controls and integrated control strategies;
  • Biological control: screening, mechanisms of action, formulation and field applications.

Prof. Dr. Essaid Ait Barka
Prof. Dr. Rachid Lahlali
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • isolation, morphological, and molecular characterization of plant pathogens
  • etiology and epidemiology of plant pathogens
  • pathogenesis mechanisms and plant defense
  • plants resistance mechanisms
  • chemical controls and integrated control strategies
  • biological control: screening, mechanisms of action, formulation, and field applications

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

25 pages, 1998 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Food Additives Based on Organic and Inorganic Salts as Antifungal Agents against Monilinia fructigena and Maintaining Postharvest Quality of Apple Fruit
by Nadia Lyousfi, Ikram Legrifi, Nabil Ennahli, Abdelali Blenzar, Said Amiri, Salah-Eddine Laasli, Nadia Handaq, Zineb Belabess, Essaid Ait Barka and Rachid Lahlali
J. Fungi 2023, 9(7), 762; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9070762 - 19 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1776
Abstract
A set of commonly used food additives was evaluated for their antifungal activity against the brown rot disease of fruits caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia fructigena, which is one of the most economically important agents, causing important damage to pome fruits, [...] Read more.
A set of commonly used food additives was evaluated for their antifungal activity against the brown rot disease of fruits caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia fructigena, which is one of the most economically important agents, causing important damage to pome fruits, such as pears and apples. The radial mycelial growth of the fungal pathogen was assessed in PDA amended with different concentrations (0.5, 2, 2.5, and 5%) of each additive. The results underlined that most of the additives displayed a significant inhibition of mycelial growth, with the extent of inhibition varying depending on the specific additive and concentration used. Five food additives showed high inhibition rates (above 88%), of which sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, copper sulphate, and sodium hydroxide were the most effective, whereas ammonium carbonate, magnesium chlorite, and citric acid were the least effective. Interestingly, the coatings containing sodium bicarbonate, copper sulphate, and ammonium bicarbonate significantly reduced the incidence of brown rot disease in apples, but other additives were not effective, such as ammonium carbonate and magnesium sulphate. The anhydrous sodium sulphate used at a concentration of 2%, was found to be one of the least effective additives, with a reduction rate of 20%. Subsequently, food additives showing good growth inhibition rates and reduction in disease severity were then tested in semi-commercial trials at temperatures of 4 °C and 22 °C. The results indicated that these additives demonstrate effectiveness in controlling M. fructigena at specific concentrations, and lower temperatures (4 °C) can improve the efficiency of the control measures. In addition, the selected food additives exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against M. fructigena, suggesting their application as a promising alternative for managing brown rot disease in apple fruits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 3057 KiB  
Article
Cyclic Lipopeptides of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens DHA6 Are the Determinants to Suppress Watermelon Fusarium Wilt by Direct Antifungal Activity and Host Defense Modulation
by Dhabyan Mutar Kareem Al-Mutar, Muhammad Noman, Noor Salih Abduljaleel Alzawar, Azizullah, Dayong Li and Fengming Song
J. Fungi 2023, 9(6), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9060687 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1832
Abstract
Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon), poses a serious threat to watermelon productivity. We previously characterized six antagonistic bacterial strains, including DHA6, capable of suppressing watermelon Fusarium wilt under greenhouse conditions. This study investigates the role of [...] Read more.
Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon), poses a serious threat to watermelon productivity. We previously characterized six antagonistic bacterial strains, including DHA6, capable of suppressing watermelon Fusarium wilt under greenhouse conditions. This study investigates the role of extracellular cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) produced by strain DHA6 in Fusarium wilt suppression. Taxonomic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence categorized strain DHA6 as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified five families of CLPs, i.e., iturin, surfactin, bacillomycin, syringfactin, and pumilacidin, in the culture filtrate of B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6. These CLPs exhibited significant antifungal activity against Fon by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting structural integrity, inhibiting mycelial growth and spore germination. Furthermore, pretreatment with CLPs promoted plant growth and suppressed watermelon Fusarium wilt by activating antioxidant enzymes (e.g., catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase) and triggering genes involved in salicylic acid and jasmonic acid/ethylene signaling in watermelon plants. These results highlight the critical roles of CLPs as determinants for B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6 in suppressing Fusarium wilt through direct antifungal activity and modulation of plant defense responses. This study provides a foundation for developing B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6-based biopesticides, serving as both antimicrobial agents and resistance inducers, to effectively control Fusarium wilt in watermelon and other crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 3652 KiB  
Article
Locally Isolated Trichoderma harzianum Species Have Broad Spectrum Biocontrol Activities against the Wood Rot Fungal Species through Both Volatile Inhibition and Mycoparasitism
by Mu En Chan, Jhing Yein Tan, Yan Yi Lee, Daryl Lee, Yok King Fong, Marek Mutwil, Jia Yih Wong and Yan Hong
J. Fungi 2023, 9(6), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9060675 - 15 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2083
Abstract
Pathogenic root/wood rot fungal species infect multiple urban tree species in Singapore. There is a need for sustainable and environmentally friendly mitigation. We report the local Trichoderma strains as potential biocontrol agents (BCAs) for pathogenic wood rot fungal species such as Phellinus noxius [...] Read more.
Pathogenic root/wood rot fungal species infect multiple urban tree species in Singapore. There is a need for sustainable and environmentally friendly mitigation. We report the local Trichoderma strains as potential biocontrol agents (BCAs) for pathogenic wood rot fungal species such as Phellinus noxius, Rigidoporus microporus, and Fulvifomes siamensis. Isolated Trichoderma strains were DNA-barcoded for their molecular identities and assessed for their potential as a BCA by their rate of growth in culture and effectiveness in inhibiting the pathogenic fungi in in vitro dual culture assays. Trichoderma harzianum strain CE92 was the most effective in inhibiting the growth of the pathogenic fungi tested. Preliminary results suggested both volatile organic compound (VOC) production and direct hyphal contact contributed to inhibition. SPME GC-MS identified known fungal inhibitory volatiles. Trichoderma harzianum strain CE92 hyphae were found to coil around Phellinus noxius and Lasiodiplodia theobromae upon contact in vitro and were possibly a part of the mycoparasitism. In summary, the work provides insight into Trichoderma inhibition of pathogenic fungi and identifies local strains with good potential for broad-spectrum BCAs against root/wood rot fungi in Singapore. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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46 pages, 1615 KiB  
Review
Plant-Associated Neoscytalidium dimidiatum—Taxonomy, Host Range, Epidemiology, Virulence, and Management Strategies: A Comprehensive Review
by Sibel Derviş and Göksel Özer
J. Fungi 2023, 9(11), 1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof9111048 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3744
Abstract
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, a plant- and human-associated fungus, has emerged as a substantial global ecological and agricultural threat aggravated by global warming. It inflicts various diseases, including canker, blight, dieback, leaf spot, root rot, and fruit rot, across a wide spectrum of fruit trees, [...] Read more.
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, a plant- and human-associated fungus, has emerged as a substantial global ecological and agricultural threat aggravated by global warming. It inflicts various diseases, including canker, blight, dieback, leaf spot, root rot, and fruit rot, across a wide spectrum of fruit trees, field crops, shrubs, and arboreal species, with a host range spanning 46 plant families, 84 genera, and 126 species, primarily affecting eudicot angiosperms. Six genera are asymptomatic hosts. Neoscytalidium dimidiatum exhibits worldwide distribution, with the highest prevalence observed in Asia and North America, notably in Iran, Turkey, and California. Rising disease prevalence and severity, aggravated by climate change, particularly impact tropical arid places across 37 countries spanning all 7 continents. This comprehensive review encapsulates recent advancements in the understanding of N. dimidiatum, encompassing alterations in its taxonomic classification, host range, symptoms, geographic distribution, epidemiology, virulence, and strategies for effective management. This study also concentrates on comprehending the taxonomic relationships and intraspecific variations within N. dimidiatum, with a particular emphasis on N. oculus and N. hylocereum, proposing to consider these two species as synonymous with N. dimidiatum. Furthermore, this review identifies prospective research directions aimed at augmenting our fundamental understanding of host—N. dimidiatum interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Fungal Pathogens: Isolation, Characterization and Control Strategies, 2nd Edition)
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