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Colorectal cancer morphogenesis begins at the cellular level from cell mutations in the intestinal epithelium cavities called crypts. These mutations lead to a pressure difference in the epithelium crypt walls, which causes deformation and generates visible abnormalities in the epithelium. The geometrical modeling of these crypts and the mathematical modeling of the physical process that cause the deformations can be simulated by using a Finite Element Method. The method solves numerically the system of PDE equations that governs this phenomenon and permits to estimate the deformations of the crypt walls. We simulate in this work the crypt deformation when the cell mutations appear in several regions of the crypt epithelium.

Abstract  Esca is one of the most important grapevine trunk diseases, and it can induce severe decline. In the past, the disease occurred mostly on mature vines, but today it is also present in young vineyards. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of esca in young ( 11 years old) vineyards on cvs Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Verdicchio and Passerina located in the main viticultural areas of the Marche Region, central-eastern Italy. The average incidence of diseased plants was higher in mature (32.6%) than young (5.2%) vineyards, and Verdicchio and Passerina appeared to be the most sensitive among the cultivars considered, followed by Sangiovese and Montepulciano. The analysis of the spatial spread of esca carried out in two mature vineyards on cv. Verdicchio and a young vineyard on cv. Sangiovese showed a fluctuation in the numbers of infected plants over the three years of observation. The fungi associated with symptomatic plants were detected by classical and molecular tools. Isolation on agar media yielded colonies of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Pch), Botryosphaeria spp. (Bot), Fomitiporia mediterranea (Fomed) and, sporadically, Phaeoacremonium aleophilum (Pal). In samples from young plants, Bot and Pch were recurrent, while Pch and Fomed were found in mature vines and old rootstocks. Molecular detection with specific primer pairs for Pch, Pal, Fomed, and B. dothidea confirmed the data obtained using classical tools, and in some cases it was more sensitive. This study thus provides a further contribution to the association between causal agents and esca symptoms, and it confirms the importance of molecular tools for a sensitive detection of associated pathogens, which can also be present in propagative materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan (CTS) and its degradation product, chitooligosaccharide (COS), promote fruit healing by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism. This study investigates their effects on sucrose metabolism in pear wounds. CTS and COS were found to activate neutral invertase, acid invertase, sucrose synthase, and sucrose phosphate synthase, increasing sucrose, glucose, and fructose levels in fruit wounds. They also enhanced sorbitol dehydrogenase activity and promoted sorbitol accumulation. In addition, CTS and COS improved the activities of hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate kinase, increasing phosphoenolpyruvate and ATP production. They activated glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and increased erythrose-4-phosphate, NADPH, and shikimic acid levels. In conclusion, CTS and COS support the formation of the healing closing layer by supplying carbon skeletons, energy, and reducing power through the activation of sugar and respiratory metabolism during the healing process. Compared to CTS, COS was superior in activating the above metabolisms, which is expected to be widely used as a chitin product in postharvest fruit and vegetable preservation and provide new insights into preserving pear freshness., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The global diversity of fungi has been estimated between 2 to 11 million species, of which only about 155 000 have been named. Most fungi are invisible to the unaided eye, but they represent a major component of biodiversity on our planet, and play essential ecological roles, supporting life as we know it. Although approximately 20 000 fungal genera are presently recognised, the ecology of most remains undetermined. Despite all this diversity, the mycological community actively researches some fungal genera more commonly than others. This poses an interesting question: why have some fungal genera impacted mycology and related fields more than others? To address this issue, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify the top 100 most cited fungal genera. A thorough database search of the Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed was performed to establish which genera are most cited. The most cited 10 genera are Saccharomyces , Candida , Aspergillus , Fusarium , Penicillium , Trichoderma , Botrytis , Pichia , Cryptococcus and Alternaria . Case studies are presented for the 100 most cited genera with general background, notes on their ecology and economic significance and important research advances. This paper provides a historic overview of scientific research of these genera and the prospect for further research. Citation: Bhunjun CS, Chen YJ, Phukhamsakda C, Boekhout T, Groenewald JZ, McKenzie EHC, Francisco EC, Frisvad JC, Groenewald M, Hurdeal VG, Luangsa-ard J, Perrone G, Visagie CM, Bai FY, Błaszkowski J, Braun U, de Souza FA, de Queiroz MB, Dutta AK, Gonkhom D, Goto BT, Guarnaccia V, Hagen F, Houbraken J, Lachance MA, Li JJ, Luo KY, Magurno F, Mongkolsamrit S, Robert V, Roy N, Tibpromma S, Wanasinghe DN, Wang DQ, Wei DP, Zhao CL, Aiphuk W, Ajayi-Oyetunde O, Arantes TD, Araujo JC, Begerow D, Bakhshi M, Barbosa RN, Behrens FH, Bensch K, Bezerra JDP, Bilański P, Bradley CA, Bubner B, Burgess TI, Buyck B, Čadež N, Cai L, Calaça FJS, Campbell LJ, Chaverri P, Chen YY, Chethana KWT, Coetzee B, Costa MM, Chen Q, Custódio FA, Dai YC, Damm U, de Azevedo Santiago ALCM, De Miccolis Angelini RM, Dijksterhuis J, Dissanayake AJ, Doilom M, Dong W, Alvarez-Duarte E, Fischer M, Gajanayake AJ, Gené J, Gomdola D, Gomes AAM, Hausner G, He MQ, Hou L, Iturrieta-González I, Jami F, Jankowiak R, Jayawardena RS, Kandemir H, Kiss L, Kobmoo N, Kowalski T, Landi L, Lin CG, Liu JK, Liu XB, Loizides M, Luangharn T, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Makhathini Mkhwanazi GJ, Manawasinghe IS, Marin-Felix Y, McTaggart AR, Moreau PA, Morozova OV, Mostert L, Osiewacz HD, Pem D, Phookamsak R, Pollastro S, Pordel A, Poyntner C, Phillips AJL, Phonemany M, Promputtha I, Rathnayaka AR, Rodrigues AM, Romanazzi G, Rothmann L, Salgado-Salazar C, Sandoval-Denis M, Saupe SJ, Scholler M, Scott P, Shivas RG, Silar P, Souza-Motta CM, Silva-Filho AGS, Spies CFJ, Stchigel AM, Sterflinger K, Summerbell RC, Svetasheva TY, Takamatsu S, Theelen B, Theodoro RC, Thines M, Thongklang N, Torres R, Turchetti B, van den Brule T, Wang XW, Wartchow F, Welti S, Wijesinghe SN, Wu F, Xu R, Yang ZL, Yilmaz N, Yurkov A, Zhao L, Zhao RL, Zhou N, Hyde KD, Crous PW (2024). What are the 100 most cited fungal genera? Studies in Mycology 108 : 1-411. doi: 10.3114/sim.2024.108.01., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute.)

Naturally occurring and readily available α-hydroxy carboxylic acids (AHAs) are utilized as platforms for visible light-mediated oxidative CO 2 -extrusion furnishing α-hydroxy radicals proved to be versatile C1 to C n hydroxyalkylating agents. The direct decarboxylative Giese reaction (DDGR) is operationally simple, not requiring activator or sacrificial oxidants, and enables the synthesis of a diverse range of hydroxylated products, introducing connectivity typically precluded from conventional polar domains. Notably, the methodology has been extended to widely used glycolic acid resulting in a highly efficient and unprecedented C1 hydroxyhomologation tactic. The use of flow technology further facilitates scalability and adds green credentials to this synthetic methodology., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Among grapevine yellows, Bois noir (BN), associated with ' Candidatus Phytoplasma solani', represents the biggest threat in the main wine-growing areas worldwide, causing significant losses in berry quality and yields. BN epidemiology involves multiple plant hosts and several insect vectors, making considerably complex the development of effective management strategies. Since application of insecticides on the grapevine canopy is not effective to manage vectors, BN management includes an integrated approach based on treatments to the canopy to make the plant more resistant to the pathogen and/or inhibit the vector feeding, and actions on reservoir plants to reduce possibilities that the vector reaches the grapevine and transmit the phytoplasma. Innovative sustainable strategies developed in the last twenty years to improve the BN management are reviewed and discussed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Pierro, Moussa, Mori, Marcone, Quaglino and Romanazzi.)

Tuber melanosporum is an ascomycete that forms ectomycorrhizal (ECM) symbioses with a wide range of host plants, producing edible fruiting bodies with high economic value. The quality of seedlings in the early symbiotic stage is important for successful truffle cultivation. Numerous bacterial species have been reported to take part in the truffle biological cycle and influence the establishment of roots symbiosis in plant hosts and the development of the carpophore. In this work, three different bacteria formulations were co-inoculated in Quercus ilex L. seedlings two months after T. melanosporum inoculation. At four months of bacterial application, the T. melanosporum ECM root tip rate of colonization and bacterial presence were assessed using both morphological and molecular techniques. A 2.5-fold increase in ECM colonization rate was found in the presence of Pseudomonas sp. compared to the seedlings inoculated only with T. melanosporum . The same treatment caused reduced plant growth either for the aerial and root part. Meanwhile, the ECM colonization combined with Bradyrhizobium sp. and Pseudomonas sp. + Bradyrhizobium sp. reduced the relative density of fibrous roots (nutrient absorption). Our work suggests that the role of bacteria in the early symbiotic stages of ECM colonization involves both the mycorrhizal symbiosis rate and plant root development processes, both essential for improve the quality of truffle-inoculated seedlings produced in commercial nurseries.

The antibacterial effects of chitosan have been widely studied, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. We investigated the molecular responses of Escherichia coli MG1655 cell, a model gram-negative bacterium, upon exposure to chitosan (Cs), alkylated Cs (AlkCs), and chitosan nanoparticles (CsNPs). Nine target genes involved in relevant signaling pathways (ompF, ompC, ompA, mrcA, mrcB, mgtA, glnA, kdpA, lptA) were selected for analysis. A significant reduction in the expression of mrcA, mgtA, glnA, and lptA genes was observed in the cells treated with Cs. Those treated with Cs, AlkCs, and CsNPs revealed an increase in ompF gene expression, but the expression level was lower in the cells treated with AlkCs and CsNPs compared to Cs. This increase in porin expression suggests compromised membrane integrity and disrupted nutrient transport. In addition, the changes in the expression of mgtA, kdpA, and glnA are related to different effects on membrane permeability. The higher expression in the genes mrcA and mrcB is associated with morphological changes of cells treated with AlkCs and CsNPs. These findings contribute to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chitosan-induced stress responses and provide insights for the development of safer antimicrobial compounds in the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Essential oils (EOs) extracted from aromatic or medicinal plants are biodegradable, safe, and regarded as alternatives to chemical pesticides to reduce fungal species attacking different crops. In this study, thirty EOs at 0.5 mg/mL were evaluated for in vitro growth inhibition of the main postharvest fungi, which are Alternaria alternata , Botrytis cinerea , and Penicillium italicum . Cinnamomum verrum EO completely inhibited the mycelial growth of A. alternata and B. cinerea , and Syzygium aromaticum EO completely inhibited the mycelia of A. alternata . B. cinerea mycelial growth was completely inhibited by Gautheria fragrantissima , Cymbopogon nardus , Pelargonium asperum , and Cupressus sempervirens EOs. G. fragrantissima EO inhibited the mycelia growth of P. italicum by 98%. Overall, B. cinerea displayed the highest sensitivity to EOs than P. italicum and A. alternata . G. fragrantissima , C. sempervirens , C. nardus , P. asperum , Mentha piperita , Foeniculum vulgare , C. verrum , and S. aromaticum EOs showed the highest inhibition for these three pathogens. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were lower for C. verrum and S. aromaticum EOs, ranging between 0.31 and 0.45 mg/mL and 0.37 to 0.57 mg/mL, respectively, against the three pathogens. The tested EOs inhibited the in vitro growth of three of the main postharvest fungal pathogens. Further studies are needed to confirm these activities in vivo.

Gray mold and brown rot, caused respectively by Botrytis cinerea and Monilinia spp., are fungal diseases responsible for significant losses during the storage of fruit and vegetables. Nowadays, the control of postharvest diseases is shifting towards more sustainable strategies, including the use of plant secondary metabolites. In this study, the antifungal activity of Origanum vulgare , Thymus vulgaris , Thymus serpyllum , Melaleuca alternifolia , Lavandula officinalis , Lavandula hybrida , Citrus bergamia , Rosmarinus officinalis , Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oils (EOs) in vapor phase was tested in vitro against B. cinerea, Monilinia fructicola , Monilinia fructigena , and Monilinia laxa . For the experiments, a protocol using a volatile organic compounds (VOC) chamber was designed. Results indicate a dose-dependent inhibitory activity of all the tested EOs, with O. vulgare , T. vulgaris , and T. serpyllum being the most active ones, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 22.73, 45.45, and 22.73 µl/L, respectively, against B. cinerea and a range between 5.64 and 22.73 µl/L against the three Monilinia spp. Overall, B. cinerea presented lower sensitivity to vapor-phase EOs than any of the Monilinia strains, except for the C. zeylanicum EO, which consistently showed higher inhibition against B. cinerea . Among the three Monilinia spp., M. fructicola was the least sensitive, while M. fructigena was the most sensitive. The use of VOC chambers proved to be a reliable protocol for the assessment of antimicrobial activities of EOs. These results suggest that the VOC emitted by the tested EOs are effective towards important decay-causing fungi, and that they could be used for the control of gray mold and brown rot in in vivo trials., Competing Interests: SÁ -G possesses a 55% share as main inventor. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The authors declare the existence of potential financial competing interests derived from the patent held by the University of León regarding the VOC Chamber. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection; analyses; or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2023 Álvarez-García, Moumni and Romanazzi.)

Harvested fruit and vegetables are perishable, subject to desiccation, show increased respiration during ripening, and are colonized by postharvest fungal pathogens. Induced resistance is a strategy to control diseases by eliciting biochemical processes in fruits and vegetables. This is accomplished by modulating the progress of ripening and senescence, which maintains the produce in a state of heightened resistance to decay-causing fungi. Utilization of induced resistance to protect produce has been improved by scientific tools that better characterize physiological changes in plants. Induced resistance slows the decline of innate immunity after harvest and increases the production of defensive responses that directly inhibit plant pathogens. This increase in defense response in fruits and vegetables contributes to higher amounts of phenols and antioxidant compounds, improving both the quality and appearance of the produce. This review summarizes mechanisms and treatments that induce resistance in harvested fruits and vegetables to suppress fungal colonization. Moreover, it highlights the importance of host maturity and stage of ripening as limiting conditions for the improved expression of induced-resistance processes.

Pathogens and pests constantly challenge food security and safety worldwide. The use of plant protection products to manage them raises concerns related to human health, the environment, and economic costs. Basic substances are active, non-toxic compounds that are not predominantly used as plant protection products but hold potential in crop protection. Basic substances' attention is rising due to their safety and cost-effectiveness. However, data on their protection levels in crop protection strategies are lacking. In this review, we critically analyzed the literature concerning the field application of known and potential basic substances for managing diseases and pests, investigating their efficacy and potential integration into plant protection programs. Case studies related to grapevine, potato, and fruit protection from pre- and post-harvest diseases and pests were considered. In specific cases, basic substances and chitosan in particular, could complement or even substitute plant protection products, either chemicals or biologicals, but their efficacy varied greatly according to various factors, including the origin of the substance, the crop, the pathogen or pest, and the timing and method of application. Therefore, a careful evaluation of the field application is needed to promote the successful use of basic substances in sustainable pest management strategies in specific contexts.

Both chitosan (CTS) and chitooligosaccharide (COS) can promote fruit healing. However, whether the two chemicals regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis during wound healing of pear fruit remains unknown. In this study, the wounded pear fruit (Pyrus bretschneideri cv. Dongguo) was treated with a 1 g L -1 CTS and COS. We found CTS and COS treatments increased NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and promoted O 2 .- and H 2 O 2 production at wounds. CTS and COS also enhanced the activities of catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase, and elevated the levels of ascorbic acid and glutathione. In addition, the two chemicals improved antioxidant capacity in vitro and maintained cell membrane integrity at fruit wounds during healing. Taken together, CTS and COS can regulate ROS homeostasis at wounds of pear fruit during healing by scavenging excessive H 2 O 2 and improving antioxidant capacity. Overall, the COS demonstrated superior performance over the CTS., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this manuscript. This work is original research, and the data presented in the manuscript has not been published elsewhere., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Xylem anatomy may change in response to environmental or biotic stresses. Vascular occlusion, an anatomical modification of mature xylem, contributes to plant resistance and susceptibility to different stresses. In woody organs, xylem occlusions have been examined as part of the senescence process, but their presence and function in leaves remain obscure. In grapevine, many stresses are associated with premature leaf senescence inducing discolorations and scorched tissue in leaves. However, we still do not know whether the leaf senescence process follows the same sequence of physiological events and whether leaf xylem anatomy is affected in similar ways. In this study, we quantified vascular occlusions in midribs from leaves with symptoms of the grapevine disease esca, magnesium deficiency and autumn senescence. We found higher amounts of vascular occlusions in leaves with esca symptoms (in 27% of xylem vessels on average), whereas the leaves with other symptoms (as well as the asymptomatic controls) had far fewer occlusions (in 3% of vessels). Therefore, we assessed the relationship between xylem occlusions and esca leaf symptoms in four different countries (California in the USA, France, Italy and Spain) and eight different cultivars. We monitored the plants over the course of the growing season, confirming that vascular occlusions do not evolve with symptom age. Finally, we investigated the hydraulic integrity of leaf xylem vessels by optical visualization of embolism propagation during dehydration. We found that the occlusions lead to hydraulic dysfunction mainly in the peripheral veins compared with the midribs in esca symptomatic leaves. These results open new perspectives on the role of vascular occlusions during the leaf senescence process, highlighting the uniqueness of esca leaf symptoms and its consequence on leaf physiology., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Strawberry is a perishable fruit with a limited shelf life after harvest due to deterioration of quality and the development of gray mold, Rhizopus rot and other minor diseases. In this study, the effectiveness of commercial compounds based on chitosan, phosphoric acid plus micronutrients, and sweet orange essential oil (EO) in reducing decay and optimizing the quality of strawberries was analyzed. The plant canopy of a greenhouse crop was sprayed once and strawberry fruit were harvested three days later. Gray mold infections were evaluated after chilled storage for seven days at 4 ± 0.5 °C followed by five days shelf life. The qualitative parameters were recorded at harvest (initial day) and after three days of storage at room temperature (RT, 20 °C) or after cold storage and shelf life (CS, 4 °C). The application of sweet orange EO increased the antioxidant and flavonoid content at harvest, while a decrease was reported following three days of storage at RT. At the same time, increased ethylene production and weight loss were observed during CS three days after harvesting. Chitosan treatment maintained the harvest fruit quality and was effective in the control of postharvest decay. Our results suggest that the investigated natural compounds could improve strawberry quality after harvest. Since chitosan performed best in terms of maintaining quality and reducing postharvest decay, it could be considered as a good substitute for chemical-synthetic fungicides for the preservation of strawberry postharvest gray mold.

Fresh fruits and vegetables contain high percentage of water and continue metabolic activity after being harvested, resulting in ripening, increased sensitivity to decay-causing fungi, and consequent loss and waste. Edible coatings are prepared from naturally occurring renewable sources and can contribute to reducing waste, respecting environment, and consumer health. Chitosan and other edible coatings form a thin layer surrounding fresh produce that acts as a protective agent, extending shelf life, and have the potential to control their ripening process and maintain nutritional properties of the coated product. This review discusses recent research on the application of chitosan and other edible coatings to prevent fungal decay, keep the quality, and reduce fresh product waste., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are contaminants introduced by different pathways in the marine ecosystem, affecting both aquatic and sediment bodies. Identification of their sources is of vital importance for protecting the marine ecosystem. The attribution of the pollution sources is usually made by using diagnostic molecular ratios of PAHs isomers. The reliability of this approach diminishes when PAHs contents are measured far from their original source, for example in water bodies or in bottom sediments. Conventionally the source attribution is based on time consuming univariate methods. In the present work coupling of molecular ratios with advanced supervised statistical techniques was used to increase the accuracy of the PAH source attribution in bottom sediments. Data on PAHs distribution within 5 port areas, with known pattern port activity, were collected. Evaluation of multiple PAHs ratios at once by means of supervised OPLS-DA technique was performed. A robust descriptive and predictive model was set up and successfully validated. The proposed methodology helps identify PAH transport pathways, highlighting interactions between pollution patterns, port activities and coastal land-use supporting decision makers in defining monitoring and mitigation procedures., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The grape volatile fraction determines to a great extent its aroma, which is one of the most important characteristics influencing wine quality and consumer preferences. Grapevine downy mildew (GDM) is one of the most important and devastating diseases of grapevines worldwide. In this study, the impact on the volatile composition of cv. Verdicchio grapes of classical copper formulations, was compared to that of alternative products. Thus, 11 treatments were foliar applied throughout one grapevine cycle., Results: Most of the volatile compounds present in the grapes were not affected by the treatments used in order to prevent GDM. In the case of the total C 13 norisoprenoids, some differences were found between grapes untreated control and those applied with the grapefruit seed extract. Moreover, the content of alcohols was smaller in grapes from Bordeaux mixture treatment and higher in the samples from chitosan application., Conclusion: Therefore, from the qualitative point of view of the berry, treatment with tested products alternative to copper is recommended, which minimize the environmental and health problems that this heavy metal brings to the soil and in the winery, since it means that their applications did not affect the grape aroma. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Overall, 180 yeasts and bacteria isolated from the peel of citrus fruits were screened for their in vitro antagonistic activity against Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum , causative agents of green and blue mold of citrus fruits, respectively. Two yeast and three bacterial isolates were selected for their inhibitory activity on mycelium growth. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA and ITS rDNA sequences, the yeast isolates were identified as Candida oleophila and Debaryomyces hansenii while the bacterial isolates were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens , B. pumilus and B. subtilis . All five selected isolates significantly reduced the incidence of decay incited by P. digitatum and P. italicum on 'Valencia' orange and 'Eureka' lemon fruits. Moreover, they were effective in preventing natural infections of green and blue mold of fruits stored at 4 °C. Treatments with antagonistic yeasts and bacteria did not negatively affect the quality and shelf life of fruits. The antagonistic efficacy of the five isolates depended on multiple modes of action, including the ability to form biofilms and produce antifungal lipopeptides, lytic enzymes and volatile compounds. The selected isolates are promising as biocontrol agents of postharvest green and blue molds of citrus fruits.

Grapevine Bois noir (BN) is associated with ' Candidatus Phytoplasma solani'. It has been recorded in vineyards throughout Europe as well as in different countries in Asia, where it now constitutes a threat to Iranian viticulture. BN is strictly dependent on ' Ca . P. solani' strains, wild host plants, and insect vectors. The molecular typing of ' Ca . P. solani', based on the nonribosomal gene tuf and the two hypervariable markers vmp 1 and stamp , is valuable for the reconstruction and clarification of the pathways of BN spread. In this study, an RFLP analysis was performed on the vmp 1 gene, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis confirmed new vmp types in ' Ca . P. solani'. A stamp gene phylogenetic analysis allowed us to distinguish between the new genotype infections in the grapevines and the 'weeds' Convolvulus arvensis and Erigeron bonariensis in Iranian vineyards, highlighting the close genetic relatedness of the strains of ' Ca . P. solani' found in Iran and Azerbaijan. The most common genotype in the grapevines was tuf b/V24/ stamp III, which was associated with C . arvensis . This information contributes toward the identification of further routes of introduction of ' Ca . P. solani' in Iran to sustain the control measures for the management of BN.