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Rhizoctonia is a widespread soilborne fungus in different agroecosystems worldwide. It has been reported as a destructive fungal pathogen that caused various types of diseases on a wide variety of crops. The aim of this study was to characterize Rhizoctonia spp. isolated from various crops. We obtained 37 Rhizoctonia isolates from rice, corn, spinach, chrysanthemum, and chili grown in various locations in Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 35 isolates were classified under Rhizoctonia solani (multinucleate) and two isolates belonged to binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) according to the number of nuclei and morphological characteristics. Based on rDNA-ITS sequences and PCR profiling using AG group-specific primers, these isolates were identified as R. solani AG-1 IA (75.6%), AG-1 ID (10.8%), AG-2-2 IV (2.7%), AG-4 HG-I (5.4%), BNR AG-Fa (2.7%), and AG-A (2.7%). A specific primer of binucleate Rhizoctonia AG-Fa was designed and its specificity was evaluated by PCR. Further investigation using tef-1α gene confirmed the AG group identities for these isolates. Clustering analysis of molecular markers (OPA13 and OPE-6, 2080 iPBS, and 2249 iPBS and ISSR 3) supported the AG concept rather than geographical origin or plant host. Pathogenicity tests on the leaves of rice and corn showed that R. solani AG-1 IA rice isolates cause necrotic lesions greater than AG-1 IA corn isolates. Rhizoctonia solani AG-1 IA, AG-2-2IV, and AG-4 HG-I isolates cause necrotic lesions greater than BNR isolates on seedling of cabbage, cauliflower, and radish. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on morphology and molecular characterization of Rhizoctonia spp. isolated from various crops and regions in Malaysia.

Essential oils (EOs) have gained a renewed interest in many disciplines such as plant disease control and medicine. This review discusses the components of ginger EOs, their mode of action, and their potential nanotechnology applications in controlling tropical plant diseases. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography, and headspace procedures are commonly used to detect and profile their chemical compositions EOs in ginger. The ginger EOs are composed of monoterpenes (transcaryophyllene, camphene, geranial, eucalyptol, and neral) and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (α-zingiberene, ar-curcumene, β-bisabolene, and β-sesquiphellandrene). GC-MS analysis of the EOs revealed many compounds but few compounds were revealed using the headspace approach. The EOs have a wide range of activities against many phytopathogens. EOs mode of action affects both the pathogen cell’s external envelope and internal structures. The problems associated with solubility and stability of EOs had prompted the use nanotechnology such as nanoemulsions. The use of nanoemulsion to increase efficiency and supply of EOs to control plant diseases control was discussed in this present paper. The findings of this review paper may accelerate the effective use of ginger EOs in controlling tropical plant diseases.

The effects of plant growth-promoting (PGP) compost, conventional fertilizer (NPK), and their combination on fresh and dry herb yield, nutrient uptake, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoids (TF), and antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP) of Orthosiphon stamineus and Cosmos caudatus were determined. The highest values for each measured variable of O. stamineus and C. caudatus were obtained when both herbs were cultivated in soils supplemented with PGP compost and NPK at halved rates. Considering the effect of treatments on herb nutrient composition, a marginal but significant rise was detected in macro- and micronutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, and Mn) in both herbs grown in soils supplemented with PGP compost and NPK. TPC ranged from 121–172.6 mg GAE g−1 DW, TF from 95.4–125.4 catechin CE g−1 DW, FRAP from 42.2–58.3 mmol Fe2+equivalent g−1 DW, and DPPH from 185.1–279.4 μmol Trolox equivalent g−1 DW in O. stamineus. TPC, TF, DPPH, and FRAP activities in C. caudatus were 176.1 mg GAE g−1FW, 152.49 catechin CE g−1 FW, 174.86 μmol Trolox equivalent g−1 FW, and 154.68 mmol Fe2+ equivalent g−1 FW, respectively. It is suggested that the usage of PGP compost in combination with NPK at halved rates can reduce the indiscriminate use of mineral fertilizers in greenhouse soil and that a combination treatment had better effects in terms of yields and phytochemical composition in both of the herbs compared with conventional mineral fertilization and unfortified or fortified compost alone.

The bacterial leaf blight (BLB) caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the most serious rice diseases, causing huge yield losses worldwide. Several technologies and approaches have been opted to reduce the damage, however, these have had limited success. Recently, scientists have been focusing their efforts on developing efficient and environmentally friendly nanobactericides for controlling bacterial diseases in rice fields. In the present study, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) were utilized to investigate the mode of actions of ginger EOs on the cell structure of Xoo. The ginger EOs caused the cells to grow abnormally, resulting in an irregular form with hollow layers, whereas the dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) treatment showed a typical rod shape for the Xoo cell. Ginger EOs restricted the growth and production of biofilms by reducing the number of biofilms generated as indicated by CLSM. Due to the instability, poor solubility, and durability of ginger EOs, a nanoemulsions approach was used, and a glasshouse trial was performed to assess their efficacy on BLB disease control. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the developed nanobactericides was promising at different concentration (50–125 µL/mL) tested. The efficacy was concentration-dependent. There was significant antibacterial activity recorded at higher concentrations. A glasshouse trial revealed that developed nanobactericides managed to suppress BLB disease severity effectively. Treatment at a concentration of 125 μL/mL was the best based on the suppression of disease severity index, AUDPC value, disease reduction (DR), and protection index (PI). Furthermore, findings on plant growth, physiological features, and yield parameters were significantly enhanced compared to the positive control treatment. In conclusion, the results indicated that ginger essential oils loaded-nanoemulsions are a promising alternative to synthetic antibiotics in suppressing Xoo growth, regulating the BLB disease, and enhancing rice yield under a glasshouse trial.

The rapid expansion of oil palm (OP) has led to its emergence as a commodity of strategic global importance. Palm oil is used extensively in food and as a precursor for biodiesel. The oil generates export earnings and bolsters the economy of many countries, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia. However, oil palms are prone to basal stem rot (BSR) caused by Ganoderma boninense which is the most threatening disease of OP. The current control measures for BSR management including cultural practices, mechanical and chemical treatment have not proved satisfactory. Alternative control measures to overcome the G. boninense problem are focused on the use of biological control agents and many potential bioagents were identified with little proven practical application. Planting OP varieties resistant to G. boninense could provide the ideal long-term solution to basal stem rot. The total resistance of palms to G. boninense has not yet been reported, few examples of partial resistances have been observed. Importantly, basidiospores are now recognized as the method by which the disease is spread, and control methods require to be revaluated because of this phenomenon. Many methods developed to prevent the spread of the disease effectively are only tested at nursery levels and are only reported in the national journal inhibiting the development of useful techniques globally. The initial procedures employed by the fungus to infect the OP require consideration in terms of the physiology of the growth of the fungus and its possible control. This review assesses critically the progress that has been made in BSR development and management in OP., The authors thank the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Malaysia for providing financial support under the project Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2019/STG05/UPM02/22) and University Putra Malaysia. We are also thankful to Dr Yuvarani Naidu from Malaysian Palm Oil Board for providing images of Basal Stem Rot disease symptoms from her personal collection. Professor Paterson is grateful for his second IOI Professorial Chair 2018/19., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Grafting is regarded as an integral component of sustainable vegetable production. It is important in the management of soil-borne diseases, and reports suggest that grafting with viable rootstocks can enhance crop growth and yield. This research was conducted using splices and cleft grafting techniques to investigate graft compatibility among varieties of high yielding eggplant scion (MCV1, MCV2, CCV1, CCV2, CCV3, NCV, and TCV) grafted onto wild rootstocks (MWR, BWR, and TWR) to study their morphophysiological and yield characteristics. High yielding scions grafted onto wild relative rootstocks were compared with two controls including self-grafted and non-grafted. All the scion had a high rate of germination (&ge, 95%) and remarkable graft success (100%) was recorded in MCV1, MCV2, and TCV using the cleft techniques. Generally, the use of rootstocks resulted in higher total and marketable fruit yield compared to the non-grafted and self-grafted scion plants, respectively. In particular, MWR and TWR rootstock conferred the highest vigour to the scion, resulting in the highest values recorded for total and marketable fruit yield, number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight. A similar result was obtained in fruit length and diameter, where long and wide fruits were observed in scions grafted onto MWR and TWR rootstocks, respectively. Grafting of high yielding eggplant scion onto resistant MWR, BWR and TWR eggplant rootstock was found to be beneficial for eggplant cultivation. The remarkable compatibility and vigour of the rootstock with scion led to the improvement in total and marketable yield of the fruits. As such, it can be concluded that the use of wild relative rootstocks of eggplant species can be a valuable method of improving eggplant production.

Sugarcane is an important industrial crop because it is the major source of white sugar. It is also one of the crops for the alcohol and biofuel industries. Disease-causing organisms can significantly decrease the productivity of sugarcane plants and sugar quality. Among the disease-causing organisms, Colletotrichum falcatum Went causes the most significant economic loss (5–50%) in the sugarcane production due to red rot disease. This loss results in only 31% sugar recovery. It is reported that C. falcatum can kill sugarcane plants. Currently, there is no sustainable way of preventing red rot disease from spreading in sugarcane plantations. Many popular sugarcane varieties are no longer used in sugarcane cultivation because of their susceptibility to C. falcatum. The objectives of this manuscript were to: (i) summarize existing approaches for the early detection of red rot disease and controlling techniques of red rot disease in the field and laboratory and (ii) assess red rot disease control effectiveness so as to propose better methods for mitigating the spread C. falcatum. If our proposition is adopted or practiced, it could significantly contribute to the mitigation of C. falcatum infection in the sugarcane industry. This could enable achieving sustainable cultivation of sugarcanes to guarantee the sustainability of the sugar industry in the tropics and the subtropics.

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon) is the causative agent of Fusarium wilt disease of watermelon; it is the most serious soil-borne pathogen around the globe. The yield loss is around 30–80% or even more, and is presently a major hindrance to watermelon cultivation worldwide. Initially, the infected watermelon plant shows symptoms like loss of turgor pressure of the leaves and vines that can be recovered at night. The progress of the disease in contaminated transplants turns into dull green to yellow and finally necrotic. When the fungus continues to colonize the xylem vessel, it usually forms more tyloses, finally limiting water movement and causing wilt. The correct identification of the pathogen is necessary for proper disease control. As such, the selection of a molecular marker could serve as an effective means of screening the pathogen. Additionally, different methods have also been reported for the identification of Fon. Therefore, this review focused on the comprehensive description of the biology, diversity, detection, aggressiveness, mycotoxin production, and eco-friendly management strategies of the Fusarium wilt disease of watermelon.

Ganoderma boninense is a causal agent of basal stem rot (BSR) and is responsible for a significant portion of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) losses, which can reach US$500 million a year in Southeast Asia. At the early stage of this disease, infected palms are symptomless, which imposes difficulties in detecting the disease. In spite of the availability of tissue and DNA sampling techniques, there is a particular need for replacing costly field data collection methods for detecting Ganoderma in its early stage with a technique derived from spectroscopic and imagery data. Therefore, this study was carried out to apply the artificial neural network (ANN) analysis technique for discriminating and classifying fungal infections in oil palm trees at an early stage using raw, first, and second derivative spectroradiometer datasets. These were acquired from 1,016 spectral signatures of foliar samples in four disease levels (T1: healthy, T2: mildly-infected, T3: moderately infected, and T4: severely infected). Most of the satisfactory results occurred in the visible range, especially in the green wavelength. The healthy oil palms and those which were infected by Ganoderma at an early stage (T2) were classified satisfactorily with an accuracy of 83.3%, and 100.0% in 540 to 550 nm, respectively, by ANN using first derivative spectral data. The results further indicated that the sensitive frond number modeled by ANN provided the highest accuracy of 100.0% for frond number 9 compared with frond 17. This study showed evidence that employment of ANN can predict the early infection of BSR disease on oil palm with a high degree of accuracy.

Foot rot disease is a very destructive disease in black pepper in Malaysia. It is caused by Phytophthora capsici Leonian, which is a soilborne pathogenic protist (phylum, Oomycota) that infects aerial and subterranean structures of many host plants. This pathogen is a polycyclic, such that multiple cycles of infection and inoculum production occur in a single growing season. It is more prevalent in the tropics because of the favourable environmental conditions. The utilization of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as a biological control agent has been successfully implemented in controlling many plant pathogens. Many studies on the exploration of beneficial organisms have been carried out such as Pseudomonas fluorescens, which is one of the best examples used for the control of Fusarium wilt in tomato. Similarly, P. fluorescens is found to be an effective biocontrol agent against the foot rot disease in black pepper. Nowadays there is tremendous novel increase in the species of Burkholderia with either mutualistic or antagonistic interactions in the environment. Burkholderia sp. is an indigenous PGPR capable of producing a large number of commercially important hydrolytic enzymes and bioactive substances that promote plant growth and health; are eco-friendly, biodegradable and specific in their actions; and have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity in keeping down the population of phytopathogens, thus playing a great role in promoting sustainable agriculture today. Hence, in this book chapter, the potential applications of Burkholderia sp. to control foot rot disease of black pepper in Malaysia, their control mechanisms, plant growth promotion, commercial potentials and the future prospects as indigenous PGPR were discussed in relation to sustainable agriculture.

Mineral nutrients are essential for the normal growth and development of both plants and microorganisms and play a crucial role in plant–pathogen interactions, which could be beneficial or detrimental to plant health. Excessive nutrient uptake causes toxicity in plants, so meeting optimal nutrient requirements is very important in the prevention of plant nutrient-deficiency symptoms. In most cases, mineral nutrients represent the primary lines of plant defense against plant pathogens and are directly affected by the plant host, pathogens, and environmental factors. In general, mineral nutrients may affect disease resistance through induced defenses, including by the production of toxins, metabolites, and lignin. The application of an enhanced nutritional programme (ENP) to minimize the deleterious effects of phytopathogens has become a hot topic of discussion around the world. Furthermore, various reports from several countries have shown that the application of mineral nutrients such as calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in a disease-control programme could enhance crop production and quality, suppress various plant diseases, and promote plant growth. Thus, the aim of this chapter is to discuss conventional disease control methods in the tropics with special reference to major diseases in rice, oil palm, and citrus, as well as limitations on their control. Moreover, the potential application of an ENP as part of a disease control programme in plantation crops in Malaysia is also discussed.