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Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is a crucial crop for food security and economic stability in many regions, including Costa Rica. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and genetic diversity of two major viruses associated with sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) in Costa Rica: sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) and sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV). A total of 50 leaf samples displaying typical viral disease symptoms were collected from major sweet potato‐growing regions. Using multiplex reverse transcription (RT)‐PCR, SPFMV was detected in 82% of the samples and SPCSV in 52%, with a coinfection rate of 48%. Genetic analysis revealed that SPFMV isolates belonged predominantly to phylogenetic group B, while SPCSV isolates clustered with the West African (WA) strain. The low genetic diversity within these viral populations suggests a limited number of initial infection events followed by local spread. Riboprobe technology was evaluated as an alternative to RT‐PCR for virus detection. While the riboprobes for SPFMV demonstrated sensitivity comparable to RT‐PCR, the SPCSV riboprobes showed slightly lower sensitivity, particularly when using crude leaf extracts. Despite this, riboprobes offer significant advantages in terms of cost and ease of use for large‐scale screening. Our findings underscore the need for robust diagnostic and management strategies to control SPVD and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and research to mitigate the impact of viral diseases on sweet potato production in Costa Rica. These insights contribute to the global understanding of SPVD and support collaborative efforts in plant pathology research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on identifying and evaluating the severity of powdery mildew disease in tomato plants. The uniqueness of this work lies in combining the imaging and advanced deep learning methods to develop a technique that transforms Red Green Blue (RGB) images into Simulated Hyperspectral Images (SHSI) to perform spectral and spatial analysis for precise detection and assessment of powdery mildew severity, thereby enhancing disease management. Furthermore, this research evaluates three advanced pre-trained VGG16 models, ResNet50 and EfficientNet-B7 algorithms for image preprocessing and feature extraction. Extracted features are passed to a neural network generator model to convert RGB image features into SHSIs, providing insights into the spectrum. This method enables the image analysis to perform assessments from SHSIs for health classification using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values, which are meticulously compared with accurate hyperspectral data using metrics like mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE). This strategy enhances precision farming, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing accuracy. Results show that ResNet50's architecture offers a robust framework for this study's spectral and spatial analysis, making it a suitable choice over VGG16 and EfficientNet-B7 for transforming RGB images into SHSI. These simulated hyperspectral images offer a scalable and affordable approach for precise assessment of crop disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Long-term use of chemical fertilizers (CFs) can cause soil compaction and acidification. In recent years, bio-organic fertilizers (BOFs) have begun to replace CFs in some vegetables and cash crops, but the application of CFs or BOFs has resulted in crop quality and disease occurrence. Methods: This study aimed to analyze the microbial mechanism of differences between CFs and BOFs in root disease, quality, and yield of tuber Chinese herbal medicine. We studied the effects of CFs, organic fertilizers, commercial BOFs, biocontrol bacteria BOFs, and biocontrol fungi BOFs on rhizosphere microbial community structure and function, root rot, quality, and yield of Codonopsis pilosula at different periods after application and analyzed the correlation. Results and discussion: Compared to CFs, the emergence rate and yield in BOF treatments were increased by 21.12 and 33.65%, respectively, and the ash content, water content, and disease index in the BOF treatments were decreased by 17.87, 8.19, and 76.60%, respectively. The structural equation model showed that CFs promoted the quality and yield of C. pilosula by influencing soil environmental factors, while BOFs directly drove soil bacterial community to reduce disease index and improve the quality and yield of C. pilosula. There was a stronger interaction and stability of soil microbial networks after BOF treatments. Microlunatus , Rubrobacter , Luteitalea , Nakamurella , and Pedomicrobium were identified as effector bacteria, which were related to disease prevention and yield and quality increase of C. pilosula. Microbial functional analysis indicated that the signal transduction and amino acid metabolism of soil bacteria might play a major role in improving the quality and yield of C. pilosula in the early and middle growth stages. In conclusion, compared to CFs, BOFs obtained a lower disease index of root rot and a higher quality and yield of C. pilosula by changing the structure and function of the rhizosphere bacterial community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim is an economically significant crop in Asia, but large-scale cultivation is often threatened by frequent diseases, leading to significant yield declines. Deep learning-based methods for crop disease recognition have emerged as a vital research area in agriculture. Methods: This paper presents a novel model, LT-DeepLab, for the semantic segmentation of leaf spot (folium macula), rust, frost damage (gelu damnum), and diseased leaves and trunks in complex field environments. The proposed model enhances DeepLabV3+ with an innovative Fission Depth Separable with CRCC Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module, which reduces the structural parameters of Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module and improves cross-scale extraction capability. Incorporating Criss-Cross Attention with the Convolutional Block Attention Module provides a complementary boost to channel feature extraction. Additionally, deformable convolution enhances low-dimensional features, and a Fully Convolutional Network auxiliary header is integrated to optimize the network and enhance model accuracy without increasing parameter count. Results: LT-DeepLab improves the mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) by 3.59%, the mean Pixel Accuracy (mPA) by 2.16%, and the Overall Accuracy (OA) by 0.94% compared to the baseline DeepLabV3+. It also reduces computational demands by 11.11% and decreases the parameter count by 16.82%. Discussion: These results indicate that LT-DeepLab demonstrates excellent disease segmentation capabilities in complex field environments while maintaining high computational efficiency, offering a promising solution for improving crop disease management efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichoderma species are ubiquitous saprophytic fungi commonly found in soil, with potential as fungal biocontrol agents for plant disease control and growth promotion. This research aimed to assess the attributes of Trichoderma sp. as plant growth promoters, focusing on nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, plant nutrient solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid production. Out of 19 isolates tested, 6 (T05, T19, T25, T27, T28 and T33) showed superior plant growth promotion abilities. These isolates were further evaluated for their capacity to enhance the germination of Khao Dawk Mali 105 rice seeds. Seeds were soaked in a suspension of conidia at a concentration of 1x1012 conidia/mL, and germination rates were measured. The germination rate ranged between 77.67 - 86.67%, statistically significantly higher than the control rate of 33.33%. Among the isolates, T05 exhibited the highest promotion of plant growth, evidenced by root length (7.27 cm), shoot length (8.50 cm), fresh weight (0.54 g) and dry weight (0.27 g), all significantly different from the control. Additionally, the potential of isolates to inhibit the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum sp. MN-3 was assessed using a dual culture method, with T35 showing the highest inhibition percentage (60.90%). Morphological classification and nucleotide sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of rDNA gene identified the isolates as T. harzianum, T. reesei, T. asperellum and T. longibrachiatum. These findings underscore the effectiveness of Trichoderma sp. in promoting plant growth and suppressing plant pathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptomes from stem-inoculated Scots pine saplings were analyzed to identify unique and enriched H. annosum transcripts in the early stages of infection. Comparing different time points since inoculation identified 131 differentially expressed H. annosum genes with p-values of ≤0.01. Our research supports the results of previous studies on the Norway spruce–Heterobasidion annosum s.l. pathosystem, indicating the role of carbohydrate and lignin degradation genes in pathogenesis at different time points post-inoculation and the role of lipid metabolism genes (including but not limited to the delta-12 fatty acid desaturase gene previously reported to be an important factor). The results of this study indicate that the malic enzyme could be a potential gene of interest in the context of H. annosum virulence. During this study, difficulties related to incomplete reference material of the host plant species and a low proportion of H. annosum transcripts in the RNA pool were encountered. In addition, H. annosum transcripts are currently not well annotated. Improvements in sequencing technologies (including sequencing depth) or bioinformatics focusing on small subpopulations of RNA would be welcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria (e.g., Bacillus) confer health benefits to the host. Bacillus siamensis has been used to control plant disease in fruits and vegetables, but its potential effects on crop performance remain unclear. This study investigated changes in the growth, root transcriptomic profile, and rhizosp here microbiome of maize plants (Zea may L.) following inoculation with B. siamensis 33. All inoculated plants grew better than non‐inoculated controls in pots, as exemplified by 24.0% and 6.8% increase in plant height and stem diameter, respectively (p < 0.01). Shoot dry weight also increased by 20.6% upon inoculation, accompanied by 46.9% increase in root dry weight (p < 0.01). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that inoculation induced (2.16‐ to 5.53‐fold) upregulated expression of genes related to auxin signal transduction in maize. The expression of genes involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, and plant defense‐related signal (e.g., jasmonic acid and salicylic acid) transduction was (2.06‐ to 11.30‐fold) upregulated in inoculated plants. Upon inoculation, bacterial α‐diversity trended higher and potentially beneficial taxa (e.g., Sphingobium, Flavihumibacter, and Parasegetibacter) were enriched in the rhizosphere, likely a result of enhanced root exudation of specific metabolites (e.g., flavonoids) and subsequent recruitment of beneficial microbial taxa. Potential microbial functions associated with nitrogen cycling and pollutant degradation were stimulated by inoculation. These findings indicate that B. siamensis 33 mediates the reprogramming of plant gene expression and reshaping of rhizosphere microbiome structure to bolster maize crop performance. Core Ideas: We uncovered the changes in maize plants and rhizosphere microbiomes after inoculation with Bacillus siamensis.Bacillus siamensis mediated the reprogramming of plant gene expression in roots.Potentially beneficial bacteria were enriched in the rhizosphere of inoculated plants.Inoculation stimulated rhizosphere bacterial community complexity and potential functions.Bacillus siamensis mediates plant gene reprogramming and rhizosphere microbiome reshaping to enhance crop performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the strength of our nation, and its production rate is also important for feeding food to all. The crop production rate is more significantly affected by various diseases. Currently, these diseases are identified and classified using a visual inspection method, which is not suitable for larger crop fields. Therefore, a machine-based, systematic approach is needed to identify various diseases that occur on the leaves of the jasmine plant. The present article develops and proposes a computer-based systematic approach to the detection and diagnosis of jasmine plant diseases using the dual deep learning method. The proposed classifier consists of a general adversarial network (GAN) module and a proposed convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture for diagnosing diseases in the jasmine plant. The GAN module extracts the features from the dataaugmented jasmine plant leaf image, and the CNN module performs the disease classification process. The proposed CNN module contains both lower and higherorder kernels that produce the hybrid features, which are further classified by the CNN architecture. The proposed classification approach is validated on the set of jasmine plant leaf images. The simulation is carried out using MATLAB software, and the results of the plant leaf classification system are compared with state-of-the-art models in terms of crop sensitivity, crop specificity and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fungal metabolites and nanoparticles suppress disease severity. • Fungal metabolites and nanoparticles reduced oxidative stress in tomato plants. • These treatments positively regulate microbial communities in the soil. • Microbial communities showed more abundance by the application of fungal metabolites and nanoparticles. Numerous techniques have been adopted to promote crop growth and improve the effectiveness of biological control. One of these strategies includes the utilization of antimicrobial metabolites from biocontrol agents combined with other strategies. Nanotechnology is a novel and emerging trend in controlling plant diseases. The present study aimed to improve the understanding through an assessment of the mechanism of how the co-application of nanoparticles (SiNPS) and fungal metabolites prevent tomato bacterial wilt infection and explore how the applied treatments regulate the soil microbial community structures present in the rhizosphere of tomato plants. It was demonstrated under in-vitro conditions that the silicon nanoparticles and metabolites of fungi restricted the growth of Ralstonia solanacearum , the causal agent of bacterial wilt. The combined application of nanoparticles and fungal metabolites during planta investigation significantly reduced the disease severity and improved plant growth. These treatments caused significant changes in rhizosphere microbial communities and enhanced the abundance of plant-beneficial microbes. The results of the current study hence advocate the application of fungal metabolites and SiNPS as an effective and environment-friendly strategy for controlling the wilt disease of bacteria in tomato plants and various other host crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most devastating inherited haemoglobinopathy that affects mostly children. Its prevalence can reach up to 13 % in the south-eastern part of Madagascar. For socio-cultural and economic reasons, the majority of patients use plants to manage the symptoms of this genetic disease. This work aims to inventory these plants and collect all information on their use, their therapeutic effects, and their eventual side effects in order to compile a database. These plants will be the subject of future chemical, pharmacological and toxicological investigations in the laboratory. Semi-directive interviews were led among 208 respondents from January 2018 to January 2020 in the eastern part of Madagascar. After obtaining the informed consent of the interviewees, collected data on the used medicinal plants were analyzed for various ethnomedicinal parameters including frequency of citation (FC), use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), family use value (FUV) and informant consensus factor (ICF) related to the SCD management and the other mentioned diseases. Among the 208 respondents, 30.29 % were male; 73.39 % received formal education; 53.37 % were farmers, 8.17 % were traditional healers and 6.73 % were herbal sellers. Most of them (94.23 %) have a good knowledge of SCD and 91.83 % of them use herbal medicine to manage SCD. They recommended 123 plant species belonging to 111 genera and 62 families. Asteraceae (14.50 %) was the most cited family however Blechnaceae was the most valued family (FUV = 0.356). The majority of the cited species (70.73 %) were wild plants. Herbs (42.28 %) were the most used plant life form and the most used common parts were leaves (44.68 %). They usually prepare tea by infusion of plant material (71.83 %). Ficus polita was the most important species with the highest FC (10.93 %), UV (0.393), RFC (75.92 %) and FL (94.94 %). ICF of SCD and its symptoms value was 0.50 showing the homogeneity, and the consensus among the informants in the use of medicinal plants for managing this disease. Some species (08) have been reported for their anti-sickling properties and some of the other species have been reported for their pharmacological properties related to SCD symptoms management. These results confirmed the importance of investigating the use of plant species to manage SCD and its symptoms in the eastern part of Madagascar, suggesting the fundamental role of ethnomedicinal studies for the sustainable use of plant species for future scientific investigations on phyto-drugs for SCD management. [Display omitted] • 123 plant species were cited in the management of SCD and/or its symptoms. • The majority (70.73 %) of them were wild plants. • Herbs (42.28 %) was the most used plant life form and the most used common parts were leaves (44.68 %) and aerial parts (25.53 %). • The majority of the herbal preparation was infusion (71.83 %) and the administration is only by oral route. • The knowledge of medicinal plants depends on the age and the occupation of the informants. • Ficus polita and Stenochlaena tenuifolia were the most important species according to their use value. • Among the 123 species, 8 species have been reported for their anti-sickling properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts of two weed species viz., Ageratum conyzoides L. and Parthenium hysterophorus L. on seed germination and early seedling growth of bell pepper plants infected by Phytophthora capsici. The parameters studied were: Percent disease index (PDI), seed germination, seedling fresh weight and seedling height of bell pepper. The inhibition (%) of different aqueous extracts of both donor weed plants ranged from 74.82 % to 91.16 %. Of all 4-aqueous extracts, ethanolic extract of leaves showed the best antifungal effects. The GC-MS analysis revealed that these extracts had anti-fungal properties due to the presence of distinct groups of active compounds, suggesting their applied role in disease management. These allelochemicals can be potential tool to manage important plant diseases and replace synthetic fungicides for crop disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a globally staple crop vulnerable to various fungal diseases, significantly impacting its yield. Plant cell surface receptors play a crucial role in recognizing pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and activating PAMP‐triggered immunity, boosting resistance against a wide range of plant diseases. Although the role of plant chitin receptor CERK1 in immune recognition and defense has been established in Arabidopsis and rice, its function and potential agricultural applications in enhancing resistance to crop diseases remain largely unexplored. Here, we identify and characterize TaCERK1 in Triticeae crop wheat, uncovering its involvement in chitin recognition, immune regulation, and resistance to fungal diseases. By a comparative analysis of CERK1 homologs in Arabidopsis and monocot crops, we demonstrate that AtCERK1 in Arabidopsis elicits the most robust immune response. Moreover, we show that overexpressing TaCERK1 and AtCERK1 in wheat confers resistance to multiple fungal diseases, including Fusarium head blight, stripe rust, and powdery mildew. Notably, transgenic wheat lines with moderately expressed AtCERK1 display superior disease resistance and heightened immune responses without adversely affecting growth and yield, compared to TaCERK1 overexpression transgenics. Our findings highlight the significance of plant chitin receptors across diverse plant species and suggest potential strategies for bolstering crop resistance against broad‐spectrum diseases in agricultural production through the utilization of plant immune receptors. Significance Statement: CERK1 acts as a chitin immune receptor for plant defense and survival, but its role and applied potential in Triticeae crops remain unknown. We identify TaCERK1 in wheat, revealing distinct characteristics of CERK1 homologs in chitin recognition and immune activation between cereals and the dicot Arabidopsis. Notably, overexpressing CERK1s from both cereal and Arabidopsis in wheat confers broad‐spectrum resistance to fungal diseases. Our findings highlight the potential of plant immune receptors in controlling crop diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kasugamycin (KSM), an aminoglycoside antibiotic, has been widely used as a natural fungicide to control plant diseases, particularly for managing rice blast. However, its uptake mechanism and transport in rice remain to be explored. In this article, rice seedlings were treated by the foliar spraying method, and the content of KSM in rice leaves, stems and roots under different treatments was detected by high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS), respectively. Results showed that leaf‐applied KSM could be transported to the phloem and migrate to roots and stems after uptake by leaves. Concentration, temperature and pH had significant effects on the uptake of KSM. Compared with the control, the competitive inhibitors d‐glucose and phlorizin both inhibited the uptake of KSM, demonstrating that sugar transporter proteins were involved in the uptake process. The energy inhibitors dinitrophenol (DNP) and carbonyl cyanide chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) also significantly inhibited the uptake of KSM, indicating that the uptake of KSM required energy consumption. Thus, the uptake of KSM by rice was an active process involving sugar transporter proteins, and it could migrate downward through the phloem. This study contributes to the promotion of the scientific application of antibiotics and the biological control of crop diseases. It will also provide a theoretical basis for the development of root‐targeted pesticides and transport pesticides with phloem mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant pathogenic fungi are a major cause of plant diseases, contributing significantly to the global decline in food production. Their proliferation results in substantial crop losses, fruit and vegetable deterioration, reduced food accessibility, and billions of dollars in economic losses annually. While synthetic chemical fungicides are commonly used to combat fungal diseases, their environmental impact is concerning. Marine algae provide a sustainable alternative, offering diverse compounds with industrial applications and presenting an eco-friendly solution. Taphrina deformans is responsible for peach leaf curl, a widespread disease in peach trees that can severely impact crop productivity and tree lifespan. Seaweeds and algae, encountering various biological interactions and extreme abiotic conditions, have evolved defense mechanisms, including the production of biologically active substances. In our study, we investigated the efficacy of water extracts from six algae (Nannochloropsis sp., Tetraselmis chuii, Chaetoceros muelleri, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Tisochrysis lutea, Chlorella vulgaris), four seaweeds (Palmaria palmata, Chondrus crispus, Ascophyllum nodosum), and one cyanobacterium (Arthrospira platensis) at two different concentrations (1% and 3%) in suppressing the outbreak of peach leaf curl disease in vivo on peach trees. The spray was applied twice in spring just before budbreak. Algae and seaweed extracts showed significant suppression of peach leaf curl outbreaks on peach trees compared to controls. Following the application of water extract of Chlorella vulgaris at both concentrations, the lowest incidences of symptomatic disease expression were observed (1.00 ±0.00% and 0.25 ±0.50%). Algae and seaweed extracts demonstrate potential in controlling leaf curl disease in peach trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar is one of the fastest-growing temperate trees in the world and is widely used in ornamental horticulture for shade. The root is essential for tree growth and development and its utilization potential is huge. Calcium (Ca), as a signaling molecule, is involved in the regulation of plant root development. However, the detailed underlying regulatory mechanism is elusive. In this study, we analyzed the morphological and transcriptomic variations of 84K poplar (Populus alba x P. glandulosa) in response to different calcium concentrations and found that low Ca2+ (1 mmol • L-1) promoted lateral root development, while deficiency (0.1 mmol • L-1 Ca2+) inhibited lateral root development. Co-expression analysis showed that Ca2+ channel glutamate receptors (GLRs) were present in various modules with significance for root development. Two GLR paralogous genes, PagGLR3.3a and PagGLR3.3b, were mainly expressed in roots and up-regulated under Ca2+ deficiency. The CRISPR/Cas9-mediated signal gene (crispr-PagGLR3.3a, PagGLR3.3b) and double gene (crispr-PagGLR3.3ab) mutants presented more and longer lateral roots. Anatomical analysis showed that crispr-PagGLR3.3ab plants had more xylem cells and promoted the development of secondary vascular tissues. Further transcriptomic analysis suggested that knockout of PagGLR3.3a and PagGLR3.3b led to the up-regulation of several genes related to protein phosphorylation, auxin efflux, lignin and hemicellulose biosynthesis as well as transcriptional regulation, which might contribute to lateral root growth. This study not only provides novel insight into how the Ca2+ channels mediated root growth and development in trees, but also provides a directive breeding of new poplar species for biofuel and bioenergy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citrus bacterial canker (CBC) is resulted from Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) infection and poses a significant threat to citrus production. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are critical in maintaining redox homeostasis in plants, especially in relation to abiotic and biotic stress responses. However, the function of GSTs in resisting CBC remains unclear. Here, citrus glutathione S-transferases were investigated applying a genome-wide approach. In total, 69 CsGSTs belonging to seven classes were identified, and the phylogeny, chromosomal distribution, gene structures and conserved motifs were analyzed. Several CsGSTs responded to Xcc infection, as observed in the upregulation of CsGSTF1 and CsGSTU18 in the CBC-sensitive 'Wanjincheng' variety but not in the resistant 'Kumquat' variety. CsGSTF1 and CsGSTU18 were localized at the cytoplasm. Transient overexpression of CsGSTF1 and CsGSTU18 mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, whereas the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of CsGSTF1 and CsGSTU18 caused strong CBC resistance and ROS burst. The present study investigated the characterization of citrus GST gene family, and discovered that CsGSTF1 and CsGSTU18 negatively contributed to CBC through modulating ROS homeostasis. These findings emphasize the significance of GSTs in infection resistance in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graft healing involves a series of cytological and molecular events including wound responses, callus formation and vascular bundle remodelling. Hormones are important signalling molecules regulating plant development and responses to environmental stimuli. However, the detailed dynamics of phytohormones in graft healing remain elusive. In this research, internodes above and below the graft site were harvested from 0 to 168 h after grafting (HAG), and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determinate jasmonic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, salicylic acid, abscisic acid and gibberellin levels during the graft healing process. Uniform manifold approximation and projection (UMAP) and k-means analyses were performed to explore hormone spatio-temporal dynamics. We found the stage-specific and asymmetric accumulation of phytohormones in the tomato graft healing process. At the early healing stage (before vascular bundle reconnection), IAA, cZ, ABA, JA and SA mainly accumulated above the graft site, while tZ and ACC mainly accumulated below the graft site. MEIAA, ICAld and IP mainly accumulated at the later stage. Comminated with the healing process, we suggested that JA is mainly involved in wound responses, IAA is beneficial to the formation of callus and vascular cell development, tZ promotes cell division, and IP is linked to vascular bundle remodelling. In addition, expression of JA-related genes SlMYC2 and SlJAZ2, IAA-related gene SlIAA1, tZ-related genes SlHP2 and SlRR8, and IP-related gene SlRR9 correlated with hormone accumulation. The findings provide important information about the hormones and genes involved in the tomato graft healing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence is the final stage of leaf development, where the nutrients and energy of senescent leaves are redistributed to developing tissues or organs for plant growth, reproduction, and defense. Outer leaves are photosynthetic organs that usually senesce at the late heading stage in Chinese cabbage, and premature leaf senescence often reduces leafy head yield and quality. In this study, 11 premature leaf senescence mutants were screened from an ethyl methanesulfonate-mutagenized population of the double haploid line 'FT' in Chinese cabbage. At the early heading stage, the mutants exhibited edge yellowing within its outer leaves, and at the mature stage, its leafy head weight decreased significantly. Genetic analysis revealed that the mutated trait of all 11 mutants corresponds to single gene recessive inheritance. Semi-diallel cross tests showed that 5 of the 11 were allelic mutants. MutMap and Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR genotyping revealed that BraA01g001400.3C was the candidate gene, which is orthologous of Arabidopsis SUPPRESSOR OF rps4-RLD 1, encoding an immune regulator, so we named it as BrSRFR1. All the BrSRFR1 in the five allelic mutants exhibited single nucleotide polymorphisms at different positions on their exons and led to premature translation termination, which confirmed that defect in BrSRFR1 led to premature leaf senescence. These results verify the role of BrSRFR1 on leaf senescence and provide a new insight into the mechanisms of leaf senescence in Chinese cabbage, which reveals a novel function of SRFR1 in plant development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deterioration in fruit quality of commercial tomatoes is a major concern of modern tomato breeding. However, the metabolism and genetics of fruit quality are poorly understood. Here, we performed transgenic and molecular biology experiments to reveal that tomato phytoene synthase 1 (SlPSY1) is responsible for the accumulation of an important flavor chemical, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (MHO). To dissect the function of SlPSY1 in regulating fruit quality, we generated and analyzed a dataset encompassing over 2 000 compounds detected by GCeMS and LC-MS/MS along with transcriptomic data. The combined results illustrated that SlPSY1 deficiency imparts novel flavor to yellow tomatoes with 236 volatiles significantly changed and improves fruit firmness, possibly due to accumulation of seven cutins. Further analysis indicated SlPSY1 is essential for carotenoid-derived metabolite biosynthesis by catalyzing prephytoene-PP (PPPP) to 15-cis-phytoene. Notably, we showed that SlPSY1 can influence the metabolic flux between carotenoid and flavonoid pathways, and this metabolic flux was confirmed by silencing SlCHS1. Our study provided insights into the multiple effects of SlPSY1 on tomato fruit metabolome and highlights the potential to produce high-quality fruit by rational design of SlPSY1 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pear (Pyrus spp.) is well known for diverse flavors, textures, and global horticultural importance. However, the genetic diversity responsible for its extensive phenotypic variations remains largely unexplored. Here, we de novo assembled and annotated the genomes of the maternal (PsbM) and paternal (PsbF) lines of the hybrid 'Yuluxiang' pear and constructed the pear pangenome of 1.15 Gb by combining these two genomes with five previously published pear genomes representing cultivated and wild germplasm. Using the constructed pangenome, we identified 21 224 gene PAVs (Presence-absence variation) and 1 158 812 SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) in the non-reference genome that were absent in the PsbM reference genome. Compared with SNP markers, PAV-based analysis provides additional insights into the pear population structure. In addition, some genes associated with pear fruit quality traits have differential occurrence frequencies and differential gene expression between Asian and European populations. Moreover, our analysis of the pear pangenome revealed a mutated SNP and an insertion in the promoter region of the gene PsbMGH3.1 potentially enhance sepal shedding in 'Xuehuali' which is vital for pear quality. PsbMGH3.1 may play a role in the IAA pathway, contributing to a distinct low-auxin phenotype observed in plants by heterologously overexpressing this gene. This research helps capture the genetic diversity of pear populations and provides genomic resources for accelerating breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple replant disease (ARD) is primarily caused by biotic factors that seriously inhibits the development of apple industry. Therefore, the use of biological control measures to inhibit the main pathogens (such as Fusarium spp.) that cause ARD is of great significance to the sustainable development of the apple industry. Trichoderma virens 6PS-2, which exhibited antagonism toward a variety of pathogens, was screened from the rhizosphere soils of healthy apple trees (Malus robusta) in different replanted orchards in the Yantai and Zibo Cities, Shandong Province, China. Its fermentation extract inhibited the growth of pathogenic Fusarium proliferatum f. sp. Malus domestica MR5, which was proportional to the concentration. These substances also increased the hairy root volume and growth of Arabidopsis thaliana lateral roots. The phenotype of Malus hupehensis seedlings and microbial community structure in rhizosphere soils in greenhouse experiment using Highthroughput sequencing were analyzed, and the field experiment with grafted apple trees were used for further verification. Compared with the application of potato dextrose broth (PDB) medium, application of 6PS-2 spore suspension directly to replanted soils could improve the growth of M. hupehensis seedlings as well as the elongation of grafted apple trees. Concomitant decreases in the gene copy number of Fusarium and increases in the culturable bacteria/fungi were also observed in the greenhouse and field experiments. The abundance of Trichoderma, Bacillus, and Streptomyces increased significantly, but that of Fusarium, Pseudarthrobacter, and Humicola decreased. The content of esters, phenols, furans, and amino acids in root exudates of M. hupehensis seedlings increased, which significantly inhibited the multiplication of Fusarium, but was positively correlated with Bacillus and Trichoderma. In summary, T. virens 6PS-2 not only directly inhibits the activity of pathogenic Fusarium but also secrets secondary metabolites with antifungal and growth-promoting potential. In addition, 6PS-2 spore suspension can also promote the growth of plants to a certain extent, and change the soil microbial community structure of rhizosphere soils. It is believed that T. virens 6PS- 2 has the potential for the alleviation of apple replant disease (ARD) in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), an economically important vegetable crop cultivated worldwide, often suffers massive financial losses due to Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans) spread and breakouts. Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi mediated biocontrol has demonstrated great potential in plant resistance. However, little information is available on the regulation of mycorrhizal tomato resistance against P. infestans. Therefore, microRNAs (miRNAs) sequencing technology was used to analyse miRNA and their targets in the mycorrhizal tomato after P. infestans infection. Our study showed a lower severity of necrotic lesions in mycorrhizal tomato than in nonmycorrhizal controls. We investigated 35 miRNAs that showed the opposite expression tendency in mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal tomato after P. infestans infection when compared with uninfected P. infestans. Among them, miR319c was upregulated in mycorrhizal tomato leaves after pathogen infection. Overexpression of miR319c or silencing of its target gene (TCP1) increased tomato resistance to P. infestans, implying that miR319c acts as a positive regulator in tomato after pathogen infection. Additionally, we examined the induced expression patterns of miR319c and TCP1 in tomato plants exposed to salicylic acid (SA) treatment, and SA content and the expression levels of SA-related genes were also measured in overexpressing transgenic plants. The result revealed that miR319c can not only participates in tomato resistance to P. infestans by regulating SA content, but also indirectly regulates the expression levels of key genes in the SA pathway by regulating TCP1. In this study, we propose a novel mechanism in which the miR319c in mycorrhizal tomato increases resistance to P. infestans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horticultural products such as fruits, vegetables, and tea offer a range of important nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and lipids. However, the present yield and quality do not meet the requirements of the rapid population growth associated with global climate change, the decline in horticultural practitioners, poor automation, and epidemic diseases such as COVID-19. In this context, smart horticulture is expected to greatly improve the land output rates, resource-use efficiency, and productivity, all of which should facilitate the sustainable development of the horticulture industry. Emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing, play an important role. This paper reviews past developments and current challenges, offering future perspectives for horticultural chain management. We expect that the horticulture industry would benefit from integration with smart technologies. This requires the use of novel solutions to build a new advanced system encompassing smart breeding, smart cultivation, smart transportation, and smart sales. Finally, a new development approach combining precise perception, smart operation, and smart control should be instituted in the horticulture industry. Within 30 years, we expect that the industry will embrace mechanical, automatic, and informational production to transform into a smart industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gibberellins (GAs) are a class of plant hormones that can affect plant growth and development. GA-oxidases are rate-limiting enzymes, which play a direct role in GA accumulation in plants. However, the roles of GA-oxidase on carrot (Daucus carota L.) taproot development are still unclear. In this study, two GA-oxidase genes, DcGA20ox2 and DcGA2ox1, were identified in carrot. Transgenic carrot plants were obtained by using Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation method. The results showed that overexpression of DcGA20ox2 significantly promoted the accumulation of active GAs in carrot, increased plant height, generated more branches, and enhanced xylem development. Overexpression of DcGA2ox1 significantly reduced the total contents of active GAs compared with the control group, resulting in a dwarf phenotype and markedly increased lignin content of the transgenic carrot. The expression profiling showed that the genes of GA metabolic pathway responded to the negative feedback regulation mechanism. At the same time, the expression of most genes in lignin biosynthesis and polymerization process was up-regulated, corresponding to the massive accumulation of lignin. These findings indicated that DcGA20ox2 and DcGA2ox1 affected carrot growth and development by regulating the levels of endogenous GAs. The results from current work might shed light on further studies aimed to regulate lignification in carrot and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hesperidin is a dihydroflavonoids, accounting for more than 50% of the total flavonoids in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) of traditional Chinese medicine. It is an effective antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has anti-inflammatory, antiviral and hypoglycemic properties. The latest studies reported that hesperidin has a potential for novel coronavirus resistance. However, little is known about the synthesis regulation and accumulation site of hesperidin in plants. In this study, hesperidin synthase gene Crc1,6RhaT was cloned, and the protein can be completely transformed flavanone-7-O-glucoside into hesperidin in vitro and in vivo. Studies on biological characteristics of ovary walls and exocarps showed that the relative expression levels of the Crc1,6RhaT gene and protein decreased gradually with the development of citrus fruits, and the relative content of hesperidin firstly increased, then sequentially decreased. In situ hybridization results further revealed that Crc1,6RhaT transcription was mainly concentrated in the secretory cavity cells, which are revealed to be the site of flavonoid synthesis. Immunocytochemistry localization results showed that the Crc1,6RhaT was mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus and vacuole of secretory cells. We inferred that the Crc1,6RhaT was synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, then was transported into the vacuoles through enlarged vesicles at the end of the endoplasmic reticulum. Our results not only revealed that Crc1,6RhaT may be involved in the synthesis of hesperidin of the main bioactive substance in the medicinal plant Citrus reticulata 'Chachi' fruit, but also provided novel insights into the main subcellular sites of hesperidin biosynthesis in vacuoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic helixeloopehelix (bHLH) transcription factor gene family in plants controls various growth and development aspects; however, the actual roles of these genes in flowering plants are not well known. In this study, a novel bHLH protein CmbHLH110 was found to interact with CmERF110 by in vitro and in vivo experiments, a chrysanthemum ERF110 homolog that acts as a positive flowering regulator. In addition, CmbHLH110 was also found to regulate the flowering of chrysanthemums, overexpression of CmbHLH110 causes chrysanthemums to flower earlier, and suppressed CmbHLH110 leads to delayed flowering. Furthermore, the loss-of-function Arabidopsis mutant of its homologue PERICYCLE FACTOR TYPE-A 5 (PFA5) had a noticeable late flowering phenotype, and CmbHLH110 completely complemented the late flowering phenotype of the pfa5 mutant, whereas heterologous overexpression of CmbHLH110 in Arabidopsis Col-0 caused early flowering. Transcriptome sequencing revealed significant differential expression of flowering-related and circadian clock-related genes in transgenic chrysanthemum. Therefore, we concluded that CmbHLH110, as a novel flowering regulator, could interact with CmERF110 to regulate flowering in chrysanthemum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thumb) is a significant vegetable crop globally and is prone to anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum spp. The use of chemical fungicides for managing crop diseases has adverse impacts on the environment and human health. Therefore, it is important to use biocontrol agents for disease management. In this study, streptomycetes were assessed as a potential biocontrol agent against anthracnose pathogen, Colletotrichum orbiculare WEC2. The potent Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 was isolated from healthy watermelon plants and showed remarkable antifungal efficacy against C. orbiculare WEC2. Rigorous assays confirmed its performance against C. orbiculare WEC2. Bioactive compounds produced by Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 were identified using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). An SEM study indicated the parasitic action of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 against the pathogen. The formulated talc-based product of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 was effective when applied as a seed treatment + foliar spray against C. orbiculare WEC2 under pot culture conditions. These treatments reduced the disease incidence (31.81%) and exhibited a higher disease reduction (52.56%), compared to the untreated control. Therefore, treatment with talc-based Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 is a sustainable solution for anthracnose disease management, and it facilitates eco-friendly crop protection practices against the disease in watermelon. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Isolated streptomycete strains from healthy watermelon plants and screened for its efficacy against the pathogen, Colletotrichum orbiculare WEC2. Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 showed significant antifungal activity against the pathogen. Bio-active compounds produced by Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 was identified by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the parasitic activity of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 against the pathogen was detected. Developed a talc-based formulation of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 and tested it as a seed treatment plus foliar spray, effectively reducing the disease incidence. Graphical abstract illustrating the isolation and characterisation of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 for the management of anthracnose pathogen (Colletotrichum orbiculare WEC2) in Watermelon. Antagonistic potential of Streptomyces sp. isolate WAB2 against Colletotrichum orbiculare: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungus Verticillium dahliae, poses a serious threat to the health of more than 200 plant species worldwide. Although plant rhizosphere‐associated microbiota can influence plant resistance to V. dahliae, empirical evidence underlying Verticillium wilt resistance of perennial trees is scarce. In this study, we systemically investigated the effect of the soil microbiota on the resistance of smoke trees (Cotinus coggygria) to Verticillium wilt using field, greenhouse and laboratory experiments. Comparative analysis of the soil microbiota in the two stands of smoke trees suggested that Bacillus represented the most abundant and key microbial genus related to potential disease suppression. Smoke tree seedlings were inoculated with isolated Bacillus strains, which exhibited disease suppressiveness and plant growth‐promoting properties. Furthermore, repletion of Bacillus agents to disease conducive soil significantly resulted in reduced incidence of smoke tree wilt and increased resistance of the soil microbiota to V. dahliae. Finally, we explored a more effective combination of Bacillus agents with the fungicide propiconazole to combat Verticillium wilt. The results establish a foundation for the development of an effective control for this disease. Overall, this work provides a direct link between Bacillus enrichment and disease resistance of smoke trees, facilitating the development of green control strategies and measurements of soil‐borne diseases. Summary Statement: Bacillus was the key microbial genus responsible for Verticillium wilt disease suppression and plant growth‐promoting and the combination of B. subtilis with a fungicide represented a promising effective control to combat Verticillium wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endophytic bacteria are a potential biocontrol agent to control plant diseases. Controlling plant disease using bactericides has negative impacts, including the death of other organisms on plants. This research aimed to identify potential endophytic bacteria from melon roots for biocontrol against Acidovorax citrulli, the pathogen causing Bacterial Fruit Blotch (BLB) disease in the Cucurbitaceae family. A total of 11 endophytic bacteria were isolated from healthy melon roots. The isolates exhibited similar colony morphology with white, circular, convex elevation. Physiology and biochemistry tests revealed 8 isolates as Gram-negative and catalase-positive, while the remaining 3 were identified as Gram-positive and catalase-negative. A fluorescence test on King's B media indicated that the Gram-negative isolates could belong to the Pseudomonas genus. This study also confirmed Acidovorax sp. cultures isolated from infected melon plants many years ago as A. citrulli. Assessment of pathogenicity in the melon plants showed that A. citrulli isolate N2 was the most pathogenic. Based on the in vitro inhibition test, all the Gram-negative isolates formed inhibition zones ranging from 1.94-4.41 mm, suggesting their potential to inhibit the growth of A. citrulli. The EB6 isolate exhibited the highest inhibition zone at 4.41 mm ±0.28. five of the eight isolates tested (EA1, EB1, EB3, EB4, and EB6) did not exhibit any Hypersensitive Response (HR) reaction in the tobacco leaves, thus can potentially be used as a biocontrol agent against BLB disease in melon plants. Further studies are required to determine the species identity of the isolates and explore their application as biocontrol agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A portable assay kit for plant volatile (E) -2-hexenal, based on luminescent gold nanoclusters hydrogel, is proposed for the first time. • Michael addition reaction and etching ability of cysteine ensure anti-interference capacity. • The portable hydrogel kit demonstrates the potential for early identification of late blight in potato plants. Plants exhibit rapid responses to biotic and abiotic stresses by releasing a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Monitoring changes in these VOCs holds the potential for the early detection of plant diseases. This study proposes a method for identifying late blight in potatoes based on the detection of (E) -2-hexenal, one of the major VOC markers released during plant infection by Phytophthora infestans. By combining the Michael addition reaction with cysteine-mediated etching of aggregation-induced emission gold nanoclusters (Au NCs), we have developed a portable hydrogel kit for on-site detection of (E) -2-hexenal. The Michael addition reaction between (E) -2-hexenal and cysteine effectively alleviates the etching of cysteine-mediated Au NCs, leading to a distinct fluorescence color change in the Au NCs, enabling a detection limit of 0.61 ppm. Utilizing the superior loading and diffusion characteristics of the three-dimensional structure of agarose hydrogel, our sensor demonstrated exceptional performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, reaction time, and ease of use. Moreover, quantitative measurement of (E) -2-hexenal was made easier by using ImageJ software to transform fluorescent images from the hydrogel kit into digital data. Such method was effectively used for the early detection of potato late blight. This study presents a low-cost, portable fluorescent analytical tool, offering a new avenue for on-site detection of plant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea leaf blight (TLB) is a common disease of tea plants and is widely distributed in tea gardens. Although the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing can help to achieve a wider scale for TLB detection, the blurring of UAV images, overlapping of tea leaves, and small size of TLB spots pose significant challenges to the task of detection. This study proposes a method of detecting TLB in UAV remote sensing images by integrating super-resolution (SR) and detection networks. We use an SR network called SERB-Swin2sr to reconstruct the detailed features of UAV images and solve the problem of detail loss caused by the blurring in UAV images. In SERB-Swin2sr, a squeeze-and-excitation ResNet block (SERB) is introduced to enhance the models' ability to extract the target details in the images, and the convolution stem replaces the convolution block in order to increase the convergence rate and stability of the network. A detection network called SDDA-YOLO is applied to achieve precise detection of TLB in UAV remote sensing images. In SDDA-YOLO, a shuffle dual-dimensional attention (SDDA) module is introduced to enhance the feature fusion capability of the network, and an Xsmall-scale detection layer is used to enhance the detection ability of small lesions. Experimental results show that the proposed method is superior to current detection methods. Compared with a baseline YOLOv8 model, the precision, mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95 of the proposed method are improved by 4.2%, 1.6%, and 1.8%, and the size of our model is only 4.6 MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basal Stem Rot (BSR) disease caused by Ganoderma boninense pathogen, is a significant disease in oil palm-producing countries. In Malaysia and Indonesia, the disease attacks on a massive scale in oil palm plantations. Various methods of assessment have been explored on the disease in oil palm plantations. However, none of the measures have yielded an absolute solution. Therefore, this research analysed BSR disease and the resulting plant physiology reaction through water use efficiency (WUE) in oil palm trees to provide a comprehensive understanding of both conditions. The study sought to evaluate WUE performance for mature oil palm trees in varying BSR disease severity and suggested a novel model assessment from WUE for BSR disease severity. Based on the overall result, the WUE parameters were affected by BSR severity in different levels, especially when being compared between healthy (T0) and affected (T1, T2, T3) categories. Secondly, the correlation between WUE with different variables, Photosynthetic Rate (Pr), Transpiration Rate (Tr), Temperature Leaf (TempL), Intercellular CO2 Concentration (Ci), Stomata Conductance (gs), and Chlorophyll Content (F), for frond 9 and frond 17 corresponded to the BSR disease severity. By performing a correlation analysis, a high correlation (0.5 and −0.5) was observed between these variables in both frond levels except in the Chlorophyll Content (F) variables (positive low correlation). Thirdly, the variables that contributed significantly to the WUE performance in mature oil palm included Pr, Tr, and Ci. Specifically, Pr was the highest value in both frond levels while Tr and Ci were inconsistent and ranked second and third place in different frond levels, respectively. Finally, the WUE model developed provides a significant result in BSR disease severity with RMSE (0.54–0.19, 0.48–0.32) for training and validation models respectively. The model order is sorted into Model 1, Model 2, Model 3, and Model 4 in ascending order based on the RMSE accuracy assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial wilt caused by strains of the Ralstonia solanacearum species complex is a severe disease affecting plants. The type III secretion system delivers type III effectors (T3Es) from the pathogen to the host plant and is one of the main virulence determinants of R. solanacearum strains. However, the functions of most T3Es, including the R. solanacearum effectors RipAX1 and RipAX2, are not completely understood. In this study, we determined that RipAX1 and RipAX2 share a potential but highly conserved M91 metalloenzyme structural domain. Heterologous overexpression of RipAX1 or RipAX2 neither caused nor inhibited the hypersensitive response (HR) of plant tissues, and their expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae did not inhibit yeast growth. RipAX1 and RipAX2 localized to the cytoplasm of Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermal cells and Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. The two effectors interacted with specific members of the plant mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. However, RipAX1 and RipAX2 did not directly cleave MAPKs, despite their predicted metalloenzyme activity, although RipAX1 inhibited the phosphorylation of plant MAPKs. These results elucidate a novel aspect of the molecular mechanism underlying the repression of host immunity by T3Es from R. solanacearum species complex strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), used in biological control, could determine the outcome of the biocontrol of plant disease. The efficacy of AMF species (Funneliformi mosseae [Fm]) and PGPRs (Pseudomonas spp. V31Y4 and P. fluorescens WCS365) on pepper plant bacterial spot disease caused by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria (Xe) and host plant growth parameters were investigated. Bacteria biocontrol agents were suppressed significantly the disease severity, however Fm alone was not effective. Combination of Fm and WCS365 was the most successful treatment for disease suppression with a rate of 15% compared with the control. There was no significant difference among treatments with Xe induced defoliation. However, the number of leaves in plants inoculated with Fm and Xe decreased significantly compared with control plants. Nevertheless, single application of Fm and PGPRs significantly increased plant biomass, height and chlorophyll content, and the bacterial strains were more successful. The growth response (GR) value in plants ranged from 22 to 28.6% as a single or combination treatment without the disease pressure. However, under the disease pressure, this value changed from 3.6 to 20.9%. In disease-free conditions, V31Y4 treatment reduced Fm colonization, while WCS365 increased colonization. Conversely, under disease pressure, WCS365 treatment had no effect on Fm colonization while V31Y4 treatment increased it compared with the control. There was no significant relationship between phosphorus content and GR with disease severity.Finally, Fm application increased susceptibility to Xe in pepper plants, but the suitable PGPR and AMF combination treatment was more successful than single applications for disease suppression caused by Xe in pepper plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variables of phytopathological interest correlated to the impact of plant diseases, such as incidence and severity, may display a spatial pattern resulting from an underlying, yet unknown gradient. Along the main direction of the gradient the variable assessed at the site level either increases, or decreases. Spatial gradients may also arise because of the movement of a front of invasion, an imaginary moving contour separating areas already infested by a plant pathogen from those still pathogen-free. Adequate geostatistical tools may shed light on gradients directional properties, as well as on the direction the front of invasion is coming from or moving to. Tools currently available for that may be impractical due to the advanced computational and programming skills required for their application. Hence, the goals of this study were: (I) to develop, test and validate a new user-friendly geostatistical tool named DirGrad (Direction of Gradient) aimed at analyzing spatial gradients resulting from the impact of plant diseases; (II) to build an algorithm able to run DirGrad on R, one the most widespread open source software for statistics; and (III) to apply DirGrad for the ex post modelling of the invasion front dynamics. The designed algorithm was successfully validated both in silico and in the field by using data from real case studies such as those of the invasive fungal pathogens Heterobasidion irregulare and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi in a forest stand of Central Italy and across the Swedish island of Gotland, respectively. The algorithm is released as a user-friendly open-source script. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic allelochemicals from root exudates dominate rhizosphere formation, lead to autotoxicity in plants subjected to continuous monoculture (CM) stress and induce the emergence of replant disease. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing the transport of phenolics from plant roots to the rhizosphere remain poorly understood. A potential phenolic efflux transporter from Rehmannia glutinosa, designated RgMATE35, has been preliminarily characterized. The objective of this study was to elucidate the molecular function of RgMATE35 in the secretion of phenolics and to investigate its role in the development of plant replant disease using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), genetic transformation, HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and other analytical techniques. A tissue expression pattern analysis of RgMATE35 revealed that it is highly expressed in plant roots. Transient expression analysis confirmed the localization of the protein in plasma membranes. An assessment of the transport activity of RgMATE35 in Xenopus oocytes indicated that it plays a role in facilitating the efflux of labeled ferulic acid ([2H3]-FA) and trans-p-coumaric acid [2H6]-pCA. The results of functional studies in R. glutinosa demonstrated that RgMATE35 positively mediates the secretion of FA and pCA from plant roots into the rhizosphere. A molecular and physiological analysis of RgMATE35 transgenic plants subjected to CM stress revealed that the overexpression or repression of RgMATE35 resulted in notable changes in the degree of autotoxic injury in plants. These findings demonstrate that RgMATE35 plays a positive role in the development of replant disease through the secretion of phenolic acids from plant roots. They also provide a fundamental framework for elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanism through which MATEs regulate replant disease through the root secretion of allelochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular wilt is an important tomato disease that affects culture yields worldwide, with Fusarium oxysporum (F.o) being the causal agent of this infection. Several management strategies have lost effectiveness due to the ability of this pathogen to persist in soil and its progress in vascular tissues. However, nowadays, research has focused on understanding the plant defense mechanisms to cope with plant diseases. One recent and promising approach is the use of extracellular DNA (eDNA) based on the ability of plants to detect their self-eDNA as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogens' (non-self) eDNA as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the eDNA of F.o (as a DAMP for the fungus and a PAMP for tomato plants) applied on soil, and of tomato's eDNA (as a DAMP of tomato plants) sprayed onto tomato plants, to cope with the disease. Our results suggested that applications of the eDNA of F.o (500 ng/µL) as a DAMP for this pathogen in soil offered an alternative for the management of the disease, displaying significantly lower disease severity levels in tomato, increasing the content of some phenylpropanoids, and positively regulating the expression of some defense genes. Thus, the eDNA of F.o applied in soil was shown to be an interesting strategy to be further evaluated as a new element within the integrated management of vascular wilt in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of medicinal plants in the management of microbial infections is significant to the health of the indigenous people in many Angolan communities. The present study provides a comprehensive overview of medicinal plants used for the management of microbial infections in Angola. Relevant information was extracted from research articles published and associated with the use of medicinal plants in the management of microbial infections in Angola (from January 1976 to November 2023). Data or information were gathered from the literature sourced from Wiley Online, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, BMC, Elsevier, SpringerLink, PubMed, books, journals and published M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis. A total of 27 plant species, representing 19 families, were recorded in this study. Hypericaceae (11%), Lamiaceae (11%), Malvaceae (11%), Phyllanthaceae (11%), Fabaceae (16%) and Rubiaceae (16%) were the most predominant families. The leaves are the most used parts (96%), followed by bark (74%) and root (70%). The data revealed that medicinal plants continue to play significant roles in the management of microbial infections in Angola. In order to explore the benefits of the therapeutic potential of indigenous medicinal plants for diseases related to infections; further scientific research studies are important to produce data on their effectiveness using appropriate test models. This approach might assist with the continuing drive regarding the integration of Angolan traditional medicine within mainstream healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioformulations with Trichoderma strains offer cost-effective and sustainable options for integrated disease management and plant nutrition. Therefore, this study aimed to selected isolates of Trichoderma with antagonistic and plant growth-promoting potential, specifically in the early development stage of soybean seedlings. Trichoderma isolated from the soybean rhizosphere were screened to assess their antagonistic activity against three phytopathogens; as well as their capability for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis and phosphate solubilization. Three promising were further examined for their tolerance to various in vitro conditions and agrochemicals. Experiments were performed to assess the effect of single inoculation and co-inoculation of strains on the growth and biochemical responses during early soybean development. Nine isolates showed effective antagonism against phytopathogens. Among them, T. reesei GT-31 and T. longibrachiatum GT-32 showed the highest IAA production, with 175.8 and 119.6 μg/mL, respectively, while the T. viride GT-8 showed the highest phosphate solubilization activity after 10 days of growth (285.6 μg P/mL). These strains displayed robust growth under various conditions and agrochemical treatments. The co-inoculation of three strains resulted in even higher dry shoot and root weights, increasing by 50.3% and 48.8%, respectively, compared to non-inoculated seedlings. Co-inoculated plants also exhibited elevated chlorophyll (31.9%), carotenoids (24.9%), flavonoids (13.2%), and phenolic compounds (42.3%). The results suggest that employing the three strains with beneficial mechanisms for plants could significantly enhance the growth and early development of soybean seedlings. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of these novel Trichoderma strains to enhance plant growth and offer benefits in soybean crops, providing a sustainable strategy for agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The phenomenon in which the damage of plant diseases is suppressed by continuous cropping is defined as "suppressiveness" and the development of suppressive soils and key beneficial microorganisms have been identified through various previous studies. However, no studies have been conducted on microbial communities related to disease occurrence before the initial occurrence of diseases in crop monoculture. Methods: We aimed to investigate the ecological modifications of pathogen population density in soil, disease occurrence rate, and microbiota community shifting during ginseng monoculture to better understand the tripartite social relationships in the monoculture system. To achieve the study's objectives, a long-term monoculture of ginseng was established. The microbial diversity and community structure were analyzed using high-throughput sequencing, and the pathogen population density and disease occurrence rate were determined using qPCR and observation. Results and discussion: The results showed that the initial rhizosphere bacterial community of ginseng had already collapsed before the development of the root rot disease. The study also identified the crucial role of soil-borne pathogens in causing disease and the loss of initial keystone taxa populations in the early stages of monoculture. Our study revealed a novel aspect of soil microbiota dynamics during ginseng monoculture, with seven distinct microbes (Beijerinckiaceae, Comamonadaceae, Devosiaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Sphingobacteriaceae, Sphingomonadaceae, and Xanthomonadaceae) participating in soil nitrogen metabolism as an 'initial community' that regulates root rot disease through nutritional competition. The findings contribute to ecological research on disease-suppressiveness soil, disease management, and sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Plants are inherently connected with the microbiome, which plays a crucial role in regulating various host plant biological processes, including immunity, nutrient acquisition, and resistance against abiotic and biotic stresses. Many factors affect the interaction between plants and microbiome. Methods and results: In this study, microbiome samples were collected from five niches (bulk soil, rhizoplane, root endosphere, phylloplane, and leaf endosphere) across four developmental stages (seedling, flowering, podding, and maturity) of various soybean varieties. Composition and structure of bacterial and fungal communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene and ITS (Internally Transcribed Spacer) region amplicon sequencing. It was observed that both niches and developmental stages significantly impact on the assembly and composition of soybean microbiome. However, variety, presence of a transgene, and glyphosate application had minimal effects on microbial communities. The dominant microbiome varied across the five niches, with most containing beneficial microbial communities capable of promoting plant growth or increasing disease resistance. Types and abundance of the dominant microbes affected network stability, potentially resulting in functional changes in different ecological niches. Conclusion: This study provides theoretical evidence for microbial protection of plants against diseases and demonstrates that systematic analysis of the composition and diversity of soybean microbiomes can contribute to the development of biological control technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to determine whether hyper spectral images can be used to identify plant diseases and crop pressure from aerial photographs. With extensive research on the prevalent methods used closer to the problem, this study offers a potent strategy for identifying crop distress and illnesses using this efficient imaging technique. To identify the spectral fingerprints of common indications and symptoms of plant diseases and crop strains, this study evaluates the available hyper spectral photo datasets. After that, the data are examined using two learning algorithms--the highly randomized trees and the Random Woodland set of rules--to create predictions that are entirely dependent on the results that are discovered. In the end, a benchmarked set of test statistics is used to assess the prediction accuracy. The results of this study show that hyper spectral photo evaluation has a strong and promising utility for crop stress and disease identification. Hyper spectral light evaluation is a method for identifying plant diseases caused by strain on crops. By gathering and evaluating high-dimensional spectral reflection data from satellite or aircraft structures, details regarding the physiological homes of flowers can be identified. The health of plants, illnesses brought on by stress, and agricultural productivity predictions can all be made using these facts. Hyper spectral recordings can also be used to create actions that reduce agricultural losses and enhance the health of plants that are prone to disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of copper oxide (CuO), iron oxide (Fe3O4), and their composite (Fe3O4@CuO) nanoparticles on harmful microorganisms in tomato plant roots and stems. The research evaluates agro-environmental factors, including soil composition, moisture levels, and temperature, that influence the efficacy of these nanoparticles. The nanoparticles prepared by the PLAL technique were subjected to structural, morphological, topographic, and optical analysis using a range of methods, including XRD, FE-SEM, EDS, AFM, and UV–Visible spectroscopy. The copper and iron composite particles were found to be polycrystalline, with the iron element present in magnetite and hematite phases. The particles exhibited a spherical form, however, there was agglomeration between them. The optical characteristics exhibited plasmon resonance peaks, indicating the transition of the materials into an optimal nanoscale phase. Both laboratory and field studies were conducted to assess their antifungal activity. The findings reveal that the Fe3O4@CuO composite exhibited superior pathogen suppression compared to the individual nanoparticles. This research offers valuable insights into the application of nanoparticles for controlling plant fungal and bacterial diseases, contributing to more effective and sustainable agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Utilizing fungicides to protect crops from diseases is an effective method, and novel eco‐friendly plant‐derived fungicides with high efficiency and low toxicity are urgent requirements for sustainable crop protection. RESULT: Two series of rosin‐based fungicides (totally 35) were designed and synthesized. In vitro fungicidal activity revealed that Compound 6a (Co. 6a) effectively inhibited the growth of Valsa mali [median effective concentration (EC50) = 0.627 μg mL−1], and in vivo fungicidal activity suggested a significant protective efficacy of Co. 6a in protecting both apple branches (35.12% to 75.20%) and apples (75.86% to 90.82%). Quantum chemical calculations (via density functional theory) results indicated that the primary active site of Co. 6a lies in its amide structure. Mycelial morphology and physiology were investigated to elucidate the mode‐of‐action of Co. 6a, and suggested that Co. 6a produced significant cell membrane damage, accelerated electrolyte leakage, decreased succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) protein activity, and impaired physiological and biochemical functions, culminating in mycelial mortality. Molecular docking analysis revealed a robust binding energy (ΔE = −7.29 kcal mol−1) between Co. 6a and SDH. Subsequently, biosafety evaluations confirmed the environmentally‐friendly nature of Co. 6a via the zebrafish model, yet toxicological results indicated that Co. 6a at median lethal concentration [LC50(96)] damaged the gills, liver and intestines of zebrafish. CONCLUSION: The above research offers a theoretical foundation for exploiting eco‐friendly rosin‐based fungicidal candidates in sustainable crop protection. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Crop diseases can lead to significant yield losses and food shortages if not promptly identified and managed by farmers. With the advancements in convolutional neural networks (CNN) and the widespread availability of smartphones, automated and accurate identification of crop diseases has become feasible. However, although previous studies have achieved high accuracy (>95%) under laboratory conditions (Lab) using mixed data sets of multiple crops, these models often falter when deployed under field conditions (Field). In this study, we aimed to evaluate disease identification accuracy under Lab, Field, and Mixed (Lab and Field) conditions using an assembled data set encompassing 14 diseases of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). In addition, we investigated the impact of model architectures, parameter sizes, and crop‐specific models (CSMs) on accuracy, using DenseNets, ResNets, MobileNetV3, EfficientNet, and VGG Nets. RESULTS: Our results revealed a decrease in accuracy across all models from Lab (98.22%) to Mixed (91.76%) to Field (71.55%) conditions. Interestingly, disease classification accuracy showed minimal variation across model architectures and parameter sizes: Lab (97.61–98.76%), Mixed (90.76–92.31%), and Field (68.56–73.81%). Although CSMs were found to reduce inter‐crop disease misclassifications, they also led to a slight increase in intra‐crop misclassifications. CONCLUSION: Our findings underscore the importance of enriching data representation and volumes over employing new model architectures. Furthermore, the need for more field‐specific images was highlighted. Ultimately, these insights contribute to the advancement of crop disease identification applications, facilitating their practical implementation in farmer's fields. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus subtilis is an important probiotic microorganism that secretes a variety of antimicrobial compounds, including lipopeptides, which are a class of small molecule peptides with important application value in the fields of feed additives, food, biopesticides, biofertilizers, medicine and the biological control of plant diseases. In this study, we isolated a novel B. subtilis HF1 strain that is rich in lipopeptide components and homologs, has a strong antagonistic effect on a variety of plant fungi, and is highly efficient in promoting the growth of broilers. The live B. subtilis HF1 and its fermentation broth without cells showed significant inhibitory effects on 20 species of plant fungi. The crude extracts of lipopeptides in the fermentation supernatant of B. subtilis HF1 were obtained by combining acid precipitation and methanol extraction, and the lipopeptide compositions were analyzed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The results showed that HF1 could produce 11 homologs of surfactin and 13 homologs of fengycin. Among the fengycin homologs, C13-C19 fengycin A and C15-C17 fengycin B were identified; among the surfactin homologs, C11-C17 surfactin A and C13-C16 surfactin B were characterized. C13 fengycin A, C11 surfactin A and C17 surfactin A were reported for the first time, and their functions are worthy of further study. In addition, we found that HF1 fermentation broth with and without live cells could be used as a feed additive to promote the growth of broilers by significantly increasing body weight up to 15.84%. HF1 could be a prospective strain for developing a biocontrol agent for plant fungal diseases and an efficient feed additive for green agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Heterotrophic microbes rely on host‐derived carbon sources for their growth and survival. Depriving pathogens of plant carbon is therefore a promising strategy for protecting plants from disease and reducing yield losses. Importantly, this carbon starvation‐mediated resistance is expected to be more broad‐spectrum and durable than race‐specific R‐gene‐mediated resistance. Although sugars are well characterized as major carbon sources for bacteria, emerging evidence suggests that plant‐derived lipids are likely to be an essential carbon source for some fungal microbes, particularly biotrophs. Here, we comprehensively discuss the dual roles of carbon sources (mainly sugars and lipids) and their transport processes in immune signalling and microbial nutrition. We summarize recent findings revealing the crucial roles of lipids as susceptibility factors at all stages of pathogen infection. In particular, we discuss the potential pathways by which lipids and other plant carbon sources are delivered to biotrophs, including protein‐mediated transport, vesicle trafficking and autophagy. Finally, we highlight knowledge gaps and offer suggestions for clarifying the mechanisms that underlie nutrient uptake by biotrophs, providing guidance for future research on the application of carbon starvation–mediated resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nutritional quality and yield of oats (Avena sativa) are often compromised by plant diseases such as red leaf, powdery mildew, and leaf spot. Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) are newly identified sugar transporters involved in regulating plant growth and stress responses. However, the roles of SWEET genes in biotic stress responses remain uncharacterized in oats. In this study, 13 AsSWEET genes were identified across nine chromosomes of the oat genome, all of which were predicted to contain seven transmembrane regions. Phylogenetic analysis revealed four clades of AsSWEET proteins, with high homology to SWEET proteins in the Poaceae family. Collinearity analysis demonstrated strong relationships between oat and Zea mays SWEETs. Using subcellular localization prediction tools, AsSWEET proteins were predicted to localize to the plasma membrane. Promoter analysis revealed cis-acting elements associated with light response, growth, and stress regulation. Six AsSWEET proteins were predicted to interact in a network centered on AsSWEET1a and AsSWEET11. Gene expression analysis of two oat varieties, 'ForagePlus' and 'Molasses', indicated significant expression differences in several AsSWEET genes following infection with powdery mildew or leaf spot, including AsSWEET1a, AsSWEET1b, AsSWEET2b, AsSWEET3a, AsSWEET11, and AsSWEET16. These SWEET genes are potential candidates for disease resistance in oats. This study provides a foundation for understanding the regulatory mechanisms of AsSWEET genes, particularly in response to powdery mildew and leaf spot, and offers insights for enhancing oat molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diseases present a formidable challenge to the agricultural sector worldwide, leading to significant losses, with the US experiencing annual losses amounting to one-third of crop production. Diagnosis of crop diseases through optical observation of leaf symptoms is particularly daunting for farmers with limited resources. Therefore, there is an urgent need for enhanced detection, monitoring, and prediction methods to mitigate agricultural losses effectively. Harnessing the power of computer vision and deep learning, this paper introduces a cross-platform system designed to automate plant leaf disease diagnosis. The system employs convolutional neural networks to classify 46 disease categories, trained on a dataset comprising 96,206 images of healthy and infected plant leaves. The user interface, accessible across multiple platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, and Linux, allows farmers to capture photos of infected leaves and receive real-time disease classification along with confidence percentages. By empowering farmers to maintain crop health and prevent the application of incorrect fertilizers, the system aims to optimize crop productivity. Performance evaluation includes metrics such as classification accuracy and processing time, with the model achieving an impressive overall accuracy of 93.45% across 46 common disease classes spanning 16 crop species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]