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Phomopsis cane and leaf spot (PCLS) disease, affecting grapevines (Vitis vinifera and Vitis spp.), has been historically associated with Diaporthe ampelina. Typical disease symptoms, comprising bleaching and black pycnidia, have also been associated with other Diaporthe spp. In this study, we conducted a molecular identification of the Diaporthe isolates isolated from grapevine canes from different geographic areas of southern Europe showing PCLS symptoms. Then, we investigated their morphological characteristics (including mycelium growth and production of pycnidia and alpha and beta conidia) in response to temperature. Finally, we artificially inoculated grapevine shoots and leaves with a subset of these isolates. Based on our results, PCLS etiology should be reconsidered. Though D. ampelina was the most crucial causal agent of PCLS, D. eres and D. foeniculina were also pathogenic when inoculated on green shoots and leaves of grapevines. However, D. rudis was not pathogenic. Compared to D. ampelina, D. eres and D. foeniculina produced both pycnidia and alpha conidia at lower temperatures. Thus, the range of environmental conditions favorable for PCLS development needs to be widened. Our findings warrant further validation by future studies aimed at ascertaining whether the differences in temperature requirements among species are also valid for conidia-mediated infection since it could have substantial practical implications in PCLS management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a survey conducted in the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons, sunflower heads showing symptoms of dry rot were collected from 80 fields in the semi‐arid Pampa region of Argentina. A total of 72% of the fields examined in 2021, 71% in 2022 and 63% in 2023 showed the presence of the disease. The highest incidence was recorded as 70% in 2021. Phomopsis head rot began as dry, brown spots on the back of the head, progressing to necrosis and twisting of adjacent leaves. Infected head tissue samples were surface sterilised, cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated at 25°C for 14 days. Diaporthe helianthi was identified based on cultural and morphological characteristics as well as molecular data. A phylogenetic analysis was performed. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1‐α (ef1‐α) and β‐tubulin sequences were deposited in GenBank, showing the identity with the ex‐type D. helianthi strain CBS 592.81. Pathogenicity experiments confirmed the presence of similar disease symptoms in inoculated sunflower heads, and D. helianthi was consistently reisolated from these organs. Our Koch's postulates testing results on heads constitute the first confirmed report that D. helianthi is the cause of Phomopsis head rot on sunflower in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Asparagus stem blight, a highly destructive disease in global asparagus cultivation, is caused by the fungus Phomopsis asparagi. However, the underlying mechanisms of the infectious process and pathogenesis of P. asparagi remain poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the infection event of P. asparagi at the cytological and ultrastructural levels in asparagus stem through a microscopic observation. The host responses were also examined by microscopic observation and fluorescent probe. It revealed that P. asparagi germinated at either the tip or the middle of the conidia to produce short germ tubes on the surfaces of the asparagus stem at 20 h post-inoculation (hpi). The germ tubes penetrated the host cell wall with appressorium-like structures or narrow pegs at 1 day post-inoculation (dpi). At 3 − 5 dpi, a large number of P. asparagi hyphae colonized the epidermal cells. The hyphae were found to grow both intracellularly and intercellularly. The movement of hyphae between cells was facilitated by constricted invasive hyphae pegs. The hyphae exhibited bidirectional intracellular growth, extending and branching along the inner side of the cell wall within the stem cortex and towards the central cylinder. The fungal colonization resulted in cellular damage in plants, which is characterized by plasmolysis, rupture of the cell wall, and disruption of the cytoplasm. At 11 dpi, the fungi penetrated the parenchyma cells, and the fungal pycnidia were formed. At 13 dpi, the fungi penetrated the stem center parenchyma cell, where the conidia were released. In addition, the host defense response was investigated, which revealed a notably reduced germination rate of conidium, the formation of callose analogs, and the reactive oxygen burst. These findings provide unexpected perspectives on the infection process and host response in P. asparagi-plant interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] Peach shoot blight (PSB) greatly influenced the development of peach industry, Phomopsis amygdali which caused PSB was the most prevalent pathogens in peach orchard at south China. However, the infection process and pathogenic influencing factors remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the infection process of P.amygdali and its pathogenic influencing factors. [Methods]In this work, conidial germination of P.amygdali and infection sites were observed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) . Different environmental conditions were used to explore pathogenic influencing factors of P.amgdali. Commercial fusicoccin was used to measured its virulence effect. [Results] The germination rate of α-conidia of P.amygdali was 66.4% at 3 hours post inoculation, 97.6% at 9 h, then, single long germ tube produced at 24 h, septum formed at 30 h, and branching mycelium formed at 36 h. SEM observation showed that infective hyphae might mainly infect xylem and pith part of peach twigs, that destroyed the structure of xylem, and there were no infective hyphae at the phloem. Further, the study found that temperature and relative humidity (RH) were the main factors affecting the pathogenicity of P.amygdali. Among them, 30 ℃ and 98% RH were the best optimum temperature and relative humidity for the disease. Fusicoccin, one toxin produced by P.amygdali, was also one of pathogenic factors of P.amygdali. [Conclusions] In this work, the infection process of P.amygdali was investigated for the first time and the main environmental factors affecting its pathogenicity were temperature and RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the genetic diversity of 30 isolates of the pathogen Phomopsis helianthi was studied using the mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs) method. Mycelial compatibility tests were carried out on two media - PDA + 80 µl/L and PSA +80 µl/L, with added colorant (Christmas red - Sly Commerce OOD) and without added colorant. The use of PDA medium was found to be inadvisable due to the indistinct dividing line (groove) in isolates having an incompatible phenotypic response. Based on the tests done, 416 combinations were carried out and the four types of reaction were observed- NC-N - incompatible with necrosis, NC-Gincompatible, mycelium do not approach with a pronounced distance between them, NC-DL- both lines (black) are spaced, C-compatible. Their percentage ratio is presented. Isolates are grouped into 20 MCGs, with two of the groups containing only one isolate due to their incompatibility. The remaining isolates were found to occur in more than one MCG. The isolates originating from the region of Ruse were marked with the greatest genetic diversity, and the isolates from the area of Karnobat with the least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis vexans is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens associated with eggplant and currently poses a significant threat to eggplant production worldwide. The detrimental impact of P. vexans on eggplant yield has been extensively explored by various mycologists who have conducted thorough studies on the diversity, pathology and biological aspects of the pathogen. However, achieving enduring resistance or effective management has proven to be a challenge thus far. PCR‐based detection and molecular association of Phomopsis resistance use molecular markers to examine the potential for heterosis in various crosses, aiming for premium hybrids with genetic resistance and high‐yielding capabilities. The latest genome sequencing methods and availability of a wider range of genetic diversity has enabled the breeding of resistant varieties of eggplant. This review provides a detailed description on P. vexans including its epidemiology, dispersal methods, symptomology, colony characteristics, taxonomy and evolution of its strains. Different resistance breeding techniques including heterosis breeding, host plant resistance, identification of resistant sources, inheritance pattern for Phomopsis resistance, importance of grafting to impart resistance, significance of induced resistance, PCR‐based detection and molecular association of Phomopsis resistance are explained. Future approaches include molecular marker techniques such as genome‐wide association studies, sequence‐characterized amplified regions (SCAR), role of biotic inducers, pathogenesis‐related proteins and plant growth‐promoting rhizobacteria against Phomopsis blight of eggplant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brinjal is one of the most popular vegetables of India and equally widespread throughout the world. However, this crop is affected a lot by various diseases which are the major production constraints and Phomopsis fruit rot and blight is second most devastating diseases of brinjal in India. Development of resistant genotypes is the most economical and environment friendly way to control the disease, for which proper screening of the segregating lines is crucial. For this the F2 line of Muktakeshi × Pant samrat were screened in field conditions. Among the 181 plants producing fruits, Phomopsis fruit rot was observed in fruits of 160 plants, while 21 plants remained immune. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2014, we have successfully isolated endophytic fungi from the leaves of Indonesian Annona muricata, exhibiting potential anti-breast cancer properties. The analysis of Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) showed the identified fungi species as Phomopsis sp. The ethyl acetate extract derived from Phomopsis sp. inhibited MCF7 cells (IC50

A new cyclohexenone derivative, phomopine (1), together with five known compounds (2-6) were isolated from Phomopsis sp. XM-01. The structure of 1 was determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. In vitro bioassays, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited potent antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus with their corresponding minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 64 μg/mL and 16 μg/mL, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggplant is a vegetable crop of the Solanaceae family. In November 2021, leaf blights of eggplant were observed from an eggplant field with an approximate disease incidence of 10%–30% in Cavite, Philippines. The infected leaves had typical symptoms of Phomopsis blight disease. Two fungal isolates were obtained, and morphological characteristics resemble those of a Diaporthe species. Based on the combined multi‐gene phylogenetic analysis, Diaporthe melongenae sp. nov. formed a separate clade from closely related species: D. guangdongensis, D. melonis and D. moriniae with high bootstrap support values of 99/1.0 ML/PP. Moreover, the morphological characteristics of D. melongenae have differences from the closely related species. D. melongenae differs by having a slightly smaller average alpha conidial size than D. guangdongensis and absence of beta conidia. Diaporthe melonis is distinct from D. melongenae by having slightly constricted middle alpha conidia. Together, based on morphology, multi‐locus phylogeny, GCPSRA and ecology (lifestyle, host and pathogenicity) herein we introduce D. melongenae as a novel species. Furthermore, this study presented the current phylogenetic tree of D. sojae species complex based on accepted Diaporthe species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean stem canker (SSC) is an important disease caused by different Diaporthe spp., including D. aspalathi, D. caulivora and D. longicolla, that leads to soybean (Glycine max) yield losses around the world. Most studies have been focused on the morphological characterization and molecular identification of Diaporthe spp. present in SSC lesions. Several soybean resistance loci to Diaporthe spp. causing SSC have been identified, although the molecular identities of the resistance genes are at present unknown. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on SSC disease, the molecular characterization of Diaporthe spp. and their evolutionary relationships. We highlight how recent genomic and transcriptomic information is allowing significant progress in our understanding of the molecular components and mechanisms underlying Diaporthe infection strategies as well as soybean disease resistance. The information generated, combined with available resources enabling functional genomics, will contribute to the development of breeding strategies for disease resistance, leading to a more sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi derived from Aegiceras corniculatum, antibacterial activity of ferment extract of endophytic fungi was used as evaluation index to screen active strains, the chemical constituents were separated on the basis of bioactivity-guiding method combined with various chromatographic techniques and identified by spectral technique together with comparison with literature data, and the antibacterial activity of pure compounds was determined by microplate method. The results were as follows: (1) Sixteen taxa of endophytic fungi isolated from A. corniculatum were distributed in 2 classes, 7 orders, 10 families and 10 genera. Fusarium was dominant genus. The ferment extract of endophytic fungi GXIMD02029 and GXIMD02039 displayed different levels of inhibitory effects on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Actinomyces viscosity, and Staphylococcus aureus when that of GXIMD02038 against methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus. (2) Seven pure compounds were isolated from endophytic fungi Phomopsis sp. GXIMD02029 and identified as (15R)-acetoxydothiorelone A (1), cytosporone B (2), pestalotiopsone H (3), pestalotiopsone B (4), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (6), N-(2-phenylethyl)acetamide (7). (3) Compounds 1 and 2 showed different levels of antibacterial effects. Compound 1 exhibited inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and methicillin-resistant S. aureus with MIC value of 15.625 g·mL-1, Micrococcus luteus and Actinomyces viscosity with MIC value of 7.812 5 g·mL-1, and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 31.25 g·mL-1. Compound 2 displayed inhibitory effect on Micrococcus luteus with MIC value of 62.5 g·mL-1, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Actinomyces viscosity with MIC values of 125 g·mL-1, and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 250 g·mL-1. Three active strains were reported in the project. It is reported that Compound 1 shows the antibacterial activity for the first time. The result provides the basis for the antibacterial values of endophytic fungi of Aegiceras corniculatum.

Endophytes can be developed into biocontrol agents and can be fungi, bacteria, or archaea that live inside plant tissues without causing symptoms of disease. Phomopsis liquidambari is an endophytic fungus that plays an important ecosystem role as a biofertilizer by helping its host obtain soil nitrogen. How this fungus impacts N mineralization and microbial communities is little known. Our understanding of soil nutrient transformations and soil-plant-microbe interactions in Phomopsis liquidambari-crop versus conventional crop systems is incomplete. This study provided a better understanding of the effect of Phomopsis liquidambari on nitrogen mineralization and investigated the interaction between P. liquidambari and nitrogen, which in turn will be helpful to the farmer in reducing the required amount of soil N fertilizer. This change in N availability in maize soil will have significant implications for soil productivity and plant N utilization, especially in N-limited soils, and significantly reduce the required amount of soil N fertilizer. The effect of P. liquidambari on N mineralization in maize soil was investigated by treating it with four levels of N (urea) at rates of 0, 1.25, 2.5, and 3.75 g of nitrogen. N-mineralization was determined by the anaerobic incubation method. Were stored for 7 days in an incubator at a constant 37 C. A colorimetric microplate procedure was used for NH4+-N analysis. A significant increase in the available NH4+-N contents was reported in soil maize (Zea mays L.) inoculated with P. liquidambari, which increased by 80%. A significant increase in N-mineralization was observed under all N conditions. This work highlighted the importance of the fungal endophyte for soil N-mineralization with lower N input. Using this fungal agent will almost certainly help reduce fertilizer input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endophytic fungal diversity of Cirsium kawakamii, a herb indigenous to Taiwan, was analyzed in this study. In addition, some fungal isolates were evaluated for the risk they pose as plant pathogens. In total, 1836 endophytic fungi were isolated from C. kawakamii from Hehuanjian, Puli Township, and Tatachia. They were classified into 2 phyla, 8 classes, 40 families, and 68 genera. Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Phomopsis, and Xylaria, (Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes) were the dominant genera. The genus accumulation curve (based on the bootstrap estimator) was non-asymptotic, with estimated richness significantly exceeding the richness captured by our sampling to date. Considering the collection time, the data indicated significant differences in the proportions of the C. kawakamii endophyte genus from Hehuanjan, Puli Township (across two seasons), and Tatachia. The Shannon and Gini–Simpson indices revealed variations in diversity, with C. kawakamii endophytes (Puli Township in winter) significantly reducing alpha diversity compared with other seasons and locations. Meanwhile, the Gini–Simpson index suggested that there were no significant differences in richness among the four sampling sites. The PCA results unveiled distinct community structures across different locations and seasons, explaining 46.73% of the total variation in fungal community composition significantly affected diversity and richness. In addition, a considerable number of Fusarium isolates exhibited harmful properties towards wheat, potatoes, and apples. It is postulated that these fungi belong to the Fusarium tricinctum species complex (FTSC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi derived from Aegiceras corniculatum, antibacterial activity of ferment extract of endophytic fungi was used as evaluation index to screen active strains, the chemical constituents were separated on the basis of bioactivity-guiding method combined with various chromatographic techniques and identified by spectral technique together with comparison with literature data, and the antibacterial activity of pure compounds was determined by microplate method. The results were as follows:(1)Sixteen taxa of endophytic fungi isolated from A. corniculatum were distributed in 2 classes, 7 orders, 10 families and 10 genera. Fusarium was dominant genus. The ferment extract of endophytic fungi GXIMD02029 and GXIMD02039 displayed different levels of inhibitory effects on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Actinomyces viscosity, and Staphylococcus aureus when that of GXIMD02038 against methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus aureus.(2)Seven pure compounds were isolated from endophytic fungi Phomopsis sp. GXIMD02029 and identified as(15R)-acetoxydothiorelone A(1), cytosporone B(2), pestalotiopsone H(3), pestalotiopsone B(4), 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde(5), p-Hydroxybenzoic acid(6), N-(2-phenylethyl)acetamide (7).(3) Compounds 1 and 2 showed different levels of antibacterial effects. Compound 1 exhibited inhibitory effect on Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and methicillin-resistant S. aureus with MIC value of 16.25. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1, Micrococcus luteus and Actinomyces viscosity with MIC value of 7.812 5. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1, and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 31.25. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1. Compound 2 displayed inhibitory effect on Micrococcus luteus with MIC value of 62.5. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Actinomyces viscosity with MIC values of 125. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1, and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC value of 250. SymbolmA@ g·mL-1. Three active strains were reported in the project. It is reported that Compound 1 shows the antibacterial activity for the first time. The result provides the basis for the antibacterial values of endophytic fungi of Aegiceras corniculatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out to decipher inheritance of resistance and to identify linked SSR markers for Phomopsis blight resistance in eggplant. An F2 population comprising 161 plants was developed from the cross of Pusa Kranti and BR‐40‐7. Genetic analysis was carried out using Chi square test. Artificial inoculation of fruits was carried out using pin prick method, and scoring was done as per the standard scoring scale. The F2 plants segregated into 92 susceptible (77—highly susceptible, 15—susceptible): 69 resistant (17—highly resistant, 27—resistant, 25—moderately resistant) suggesting complimentary epistasis with ratio of 9:7. To identify the putatively linked markers to resistance gene, parental polymorphic markers were subjected to bulk segregant analysis (BSA), and two markers (emk03O04 and emf11A03) could differentiate resistant and susceptible bulk and co‐segregated with resistance gene. The genetic distance between the identified markers was found to be 18.12 cM using QTL IciMapping V3.2 software depicting two new QTLs on chromosome number 6. The identified QTLs have great significant importance in marker assisted breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis canker is one of the major devastating stem diseases that occur in tea plants caused by the fungal pathogen Phomopsis theae. Rapid development of this disease leads to a capital loss in the tea industry which demands an ecofriendly disease management strategy to control this aggressive pathogen. A total of 245 isolates were recovered from the tea rhizosphere and screened for in vitro plant growth promoting (PGP) traits and antagonism against P. theae. Among them, twelve isolates exhibited multifarious PGP traits including phytohormones, siderophore, hydrogen cyanide, salicylic acid production, phosphate solubilization, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity, and antifungal activity. In vitro studies on morphological, biochemical, and phylogenetic analyses classified the selected isolates as Pseudomonas fluorescens (VPF5), Bacillus subtilis (VBS3), Streptomyces griseus (VSG4) and Trichoderma viride (VTV7). Specifically, P. fluorescens VPF5 and B. subtilis VBS3 strains showed the highest level of PGP activities. On the other hand, VBS3 and VTV7 strains showed higher biocontrol efficacy in inhibiting mycelia growth and spore germination of P. theae. A detailed investigation on hydrolytic enzymes produced by antagonistic strains, which degrade the fungus cell wall, revealed that highest amount of chitinase and β-1,3- glucanase in VTV7 and VBS3 strains. Further, the key antifungal secondary metabolites from these biocontrol agents associated with suppression of P. theae were identified using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The above study clearly recognized the specific traits in the isolated microbes, which make them good candidates as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biocontrol agents to improve plant growth and health. However, greenhouse trials and field application of these beneficial microbes is required to further confirm their efficacy for the management of stem canker in tea cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaporthe gulyae, first identified as causing stem lesions and mid-stem lodging on sunflower in Australia, is a highly virulent pathogen now also reported on sunflower in Argentina, Canada, China and North America. This report details the first observations of sunflower leaf infection by D. gulyae in the field and confirms a leaf-to-stem infection pathway by glasshouse experiments. Further, capitula tissues and seed were also infected by D. gulyae following stem infection, demonstrating that hyphae associated with stem lesions can colonize upwards into the capitulum under favourable conditions. Leaf and stem lesion symptoms caused by D. gulyae are very similar to those caused by D. helianthi, the cause of Phomopsis stem canker (PSC) of sunflower in China, Europe, North and South America and Russia. Leaf colonization followed by stem infection is also the recognized infection pathway of D. helianthi and the almost identical symptoms and signs caused by D. gulyae and D. helianthi on sunflower highlight the difficulties of differentiating these species in the field. Additionally, seedlings that emerged from infected seeds with pericarp halves attached were shown to be a viable source of D. gulyae inoculum, which may contribute to further spread both locally and internationally. The name Diaporthe Stem Canker (DSC) is attributed here to the disease caused by D. gulyae to enable distinction from PSC caused by D. helianthi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaporthe and its anamorph Phomopsis, a genus of endophytic, saprotrophic, and plant pathogenic fungi, are found in many different ecosystems worldwide. Diaporthe (Phomopsis) fungi generate natural products such as pyrones, polyketides, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Most of these natural products show antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and/or cytotoxic activity. In this review, we describe the 331 bioactive secondary metabolites isolated from 75 known species and various unidentified species of Diaporthe and Phomopsis from 2016 to 2021. These products comprise 143 bioactive compounds from Diaporthe and 188 from Phomopsis, including quinones, alkaloids, terpenoids, pyrones, polyketides, diphenyl ketones, diphenyl ethers, steroids, and fatty acids. The major activities of these compounds are as cytotoxic, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory chemicals. All 21 fungi in the genus Diaporthe (Phomopsis) with available whole genome sequencing data contain several gene clusters for secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Such gene clusters and biosynthetic mechanisms have been identified for rugulosin A, terpestacin, and sch-642305. Diaporthe (Phomopsis) fungi produce abundant novel active natural products with great potential for drug development. In addition, these fungi provide important resources for research on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

The investigation aimed to isolate, identify, characterized and evaluate fungal endophytes from Embelia ribes. The main objective of the study was to identify and evaluate the fungal endophytes for PGP and antifungal activities against selected phytopathogens. A total of eight fungal endophytes were identified by amplifying the ITS region, with phylogenetic analysis confirming their placement within the Ascomycota. Phomopsis and Daldinia sp. dominant species in E. ribes. To evaluate their antifungal activities, three selected endophytes were tested against three fungal pathogens selected based on their relevance and prevalence as plant pathogens in the study area. SEM analysis of the interaction zones between the endophytes and pathogens provided insights into the inhibitory mechanism's endophytes. Furthermore, the IAA and chitinase activities by endophytes known to exhibit inhibitory activities against pathogenic fungi. Further research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms underlying their inhibitory effects and to assess their performance under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to develop eco-friendly Emulsifiable Concentrates (EC) using citronella and lemon grass essential oil (EO) and evaluate its antifungal activity against Phomopsis vexans in Solanum melongena. Among nine prepared formulations, F1 formulation with EO (40%) + vegetable oil (50%) and emulsifier blends (10%) with hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value (12.86) were found suitable for both EO formulations. These formulations (CF1 and LF1) performed well in terms of emulsion stability, cold test, accelerated storage and foam test indicating feasibility for their commercial production. In laboratory studies, at 0.1% concentration, citronella essential oil, lemon grass essential oil and their EC formulations CF1 and LF1 inhibited the growth of P. vexans with EC50 values 0.0087, 0.0098, 0.009 and 0.0126, respectively. Further, under field conditions, CF1 performed better than LF1 formulation in terms of minimum disease severity (32.22%). Hence, EC formulations can be used as natural and eco-friendly fungicide for P. vexans control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new isoindolinone lactam lithocarlactam A (1) and one new triterpene lithocarin D (2), along with nine known natural products (3–11) were isolated from the broth extract of marine fungus Phomopsis lithocarpus FS508, which was isolated from a deep-sea sediment sample. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of spectroscopic analysis and comparison with previously published literatures for the known compounds. Moreover, compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against SF-268, MCF-7, HepG-2, and A549 cell lines. However, both of them showed no activity against the tumor cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis or Sunflower gray spot with telemorph Diaporthe helianthi and anamorph Phomopsis helianthi is one of the economically important diseases of sunflowers worldwide. Losses caused by the pathogen reach 40% of productivity, and in oil content - 15-20%. The use of resistant hybrids is considered the most effective measure to control the disease. The established aggressive variation in pathogen populations creates significant difficulties in the breeding process. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the aggressiveness of Diaporthe helianthi isolates with a view to their further use as markers in the breeding of resistance to the fungus. The study included 30 isolates of the fungus from four agro-ecological areas in Bulgaria. The aggressiveness of the isolates was established under field conditions, by artificial inoculation of the Deveda hybrid and the Favorit variety using the Straw-method. The inoculation was carried out at the beginning of flowering, and the results were reported af- ter 14 days on a 9-point scale. Based on the score, the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC) for each gen- otype was calculated, as well as the Avarage Area Under Disease Progress Curve for both genotypes (AAUDPC). A highly significant influence of genotype and isolate, as well as their interaction (P<0.0001), was found. Six of the studied isolates showed high aggressiveness towards the Deveda hybrid. Nine of the studied isolates showed high aggressiveness in relation to the Favorit variety. Isolate 29 (21-211) (AAUDPC=52.0), followed by isolate 6 (21-6212) are characterized by the highest aggressiveness compared to the studied genotypes, and the differences in values are not significant. Variation in the aggressiveness of the isolates was observed in each of the production areas, with the aggressiveness of the isolates of Karnobat origin being below the average of all studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor seed quality of soybean is often associated with Phomopsis seed decay (PSD), which is one of the most economically important seed diseases. Diaporthe longicolla (syn. Phomopsis longicolla) is the primary cause of PSD. Control of PSD is best accomplished by planting PSD-resistant cultivars. Sixteen exotic soybean accessions from the USDA soybean germplasm collection were screened for reaction to PSD at Stoneville, Mississippi. They consisted of maturity groups (MG) II, III and IV. Seeds from inoculated and non-inoculated plots harvested either promptly at maturity, or after a two-week delay in harvest, were assessed for infection by D. longicolla. Seed infection ranged from 0 to 36.7%. Overall, PI 417050 (MG II), PI 417017 (MG III), and PI 594692 (MG IV) had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower percentages of seed infected by D. longicolla and higher seed germinations than other genotypes in the same maturity groups. PI 587982A also performed well. As a result of these findings, these resistant accessions were used over multiple cycles of breeding to develop improved breeding lines with resistance to PSD and low seed damage. Breeding line 11043-225-72, with combined resistance from both PIs 417050 and 587982A, had low scores for PSD (6.7%) and seed damage (3.4%), while DS65-1, deriving resistance from PI 587982A, had the lowest seed damage score (1.1%) and the highest seed germination (85.6%) among all lines tested in 2017. DS65-1 and 11043-225-72, along with five other improved breeding lines, were provided to public soybean breeders for developing improved cultivars and germplasm lines. DS31-243 (PI 700941), derived from PI 587982A, was publicly released by the USDA in 2022. This research will lead to future releases of improved germplasm lines and cultivars with PSD resistance and high seed quality. It will also aid in disease management and be a benefit to soybean producers and the industry at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wild chili pepper Capsicum chacoense produces the spicy defense compounds known as capsaicinoids, including capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which are antagonistic to the growth of fungal pathogens. Compared to other microbes, fungi isolated from infected seeds of C. chacoense possess much higher levels of tolerance of these spicy compounds, having their growth slowed but not entirely inhibited. Previous research has shown capsaicinoids inhibit microbes by disrupting ATP production by binding NADH dehydrogenase in the electron transport chain (ETC) and, thus, throttling oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Capsaicinoids may also disrupt cell membranes. Here, we investigate capsaicinoid tolerance in fungal seed pathogens isolated from C. chacoense We selected 16 fungal isolates from four ascomycete genera (Alternaria, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, and Phomopsis). Using relative growth rate as a readout for tolerance, fungi were challenged with ETC inhibitors to infer whether fungi possess alternative respiratory enzymes and whether effects on the ETC fully explained inhibition by capsaicinoids. In all isolates, we found evidence for at least one alternative NADH dehydrogenase. In many isolates, we also found evidence for an alternative oxidase. These data suggest that wild-plant pathogens may be a rich source of alternative respiratory enzymes. We further demonstrate that these fungal isolates are capable of the breakdown of capsaicinoids. Finally, we determine that the OXPHOS theory may describe a weak primary mechanism by which dihydrocapsaicin, but not capsaicin, slows fungal growth. Our findings suggest that capsaicinoids likely disrupt membranes, in addition to energy poisoning, with implications for microbiology and human health.IMPORTANCE Plants make chemical compounds to protect themselves. For example, chili peppers produce the spicy compound capsaicin to inhibit pathogen damage and animal feeding. In humans, capsaicin binds to a membrane channel protein, creating the sensation of heat, while in microbes, capsaicin limits energy production by binding respiratory enzymes. However, some data suggest that capsaicin also disrupts membranes. Here, we studied fungal pathogens (Alternaria, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, and Phomopsis) isolated from a wild chili pepper, Capsicum chacoense By measuring growth rates in the presence of antibiotics with known respiratory targets, we inferred that wild-plant pathogens might be rich in alternative respiratory enzymes. A zone of clearance around the colonies, as well as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data, further indicated that these fungi can break down capsaicin. Finally, the total inhibitory effect of capsaicin was not fully explained by its effect on respiratory enzymes. Our findings lend credence to studies proposing that capsaicin may disrupt cell membranes, with implications for microbiology, as well as human health.

Mangrove-associated fungi are important sources for the discovery of new bioactive natural products. Three new isocoumarins (1–3) and one new pyrone derivative (4) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the fermentation broth of the mangrove endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. DHS-11. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (one-dimensional and two-dimensional) and mass spectrometry were used to determine the structures of these new compounds. The absolute configurations for the new isocoumarins 1–3 were determined by comparing their experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, while the configuration for the new pyrone-derivative 4 was tentatively solved by comparison of its 13C NMR data with reported data. In the biological activity test, compounds 1 and 3 showed cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells with IC50 values of 11.49 ± 1.64 µM and 8.70 ± 0.94 µM, respectively. The initial structure and activity relationship (SAR) analysis revealed that the length of the side chain at C-3 for isocoumarin-type compounds 1–3 could affect the cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. Compound 4 exhibited cytotoxic activities against human hepatoma cells HepG2 with an IC50 value of 34.10 ± 2.92 µM. All compounds have no immunosuppressive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asparagus officinalis Linn is known as the “king of vegetables” because of its high nutritional value and many functions such as moistening lung, relieving cough, eliminating phlegm, inhibiting the growth of tumor and so on. However, prevailing occurrence of stem blight brings severe impact on asparagus, it has been a destructive disease to asparagus and is commonly known as "Asparagus cancer". It is of great significance for the formulation of control strategies to know the biological characteristics and genetic polymorphism of the disease. In this paper, the taxonomic characteristics of Phomopsis asparagi from the aspects of historical evolution of taxonomic status, host range, morphological identification, and molecular biological identification were introduced. Furthermore, the name of the fungus was clarified as Phomopsis asparagi, but not Phoma asparagi. The difference of growth rate of different Phomopsis asparagi strains was introduced from the aspects of colony diameter and hypha dry weight. The pathogenicity of Phomopsis asparagi was introduced from pathogenicity test and pathogenicity comparison of strains from different regions. Genetic polymorphism law of strains of Phomopsis asparagi from different regions was introduced from the aspects of pathogenicity-based genetic polymorphismrDNA ITS-based genetic polymorphism, and ISSR-based genetic polymorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to isolate endophytic fungi and examine their anti-diabetic as well as antioxidant potential. Twenty-nine endophytic fungi were isolated from the stem and root parts of Bryophyllum pinnatum. Based on the presence of phytoconstituents, 16 endophytic isolates were tested for the inhibition of α-amylase enzyme and free radicals. Thirteen isolates showed significant inhibition of α-amylase enzyme (18.8 ± 0.8 to 62.5 ± 0.4%) and free radicals (15.3 ± 0.2 to 87.4 ± 0.8%). Good inhibitions were found in six isolates, which was further tested to validates its anti-diabetic activity by glucose uptake in yeast cell and glucose diffusion inhibition studies. The most active isolates were identified as Daldinia eschscholtzii (BPS17) and Phomopsis mangiferae (BPK9) by microscopic and molecular identification method. Identified fungal isolates were tested for glucose uptake using 3T3 cell lines (100 µg/mL) and the result showed effective glucose utilization. These finding provides evidence that D. eschscholtzii and P. mangiferae are potent endophytic fungi having anti-diabetic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis capsici (P. capsici) causes branch blight of walnuts, which leads to significant economic loss. The molecular mechanism behind the response of walnuts remains unknown. Paraffin sectioning and transcriptome and metabolome analyses were performed to explore the changes in tissue structure, gene expression, and metabolic processes in walnut after infection with P. capsici. We found that P. capsici caused serious damage to xylem vessels during the infestation of walnut branches, destroying the structure and function of the vessels and creating obstacles to the transport of nutrients and water to the branches. The transcriptome results showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly annotated in carbon metabolism and ribosomes. Further metabolome analyses verified the specific induction of carbohydrate and amino acid biosynthesis by P. capsici. Finally, association analysis was performed for DEGs and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs), which focused on the synthesis and metabolic pathways of amino acids, carbon metabolism, and secondary metabolites and cofactors. Three significant metabolites were identified: succinic semialdehyde acid, fumaric acid, and phosphoenolpyruvic acid. In conclusion, this study provides data reference on the pathogenesis of walnut branch blight and direction for breeding walnut to enhance its disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant iron (Fe) deficiency is widely present in alkaline calcium soils worldwide, and endophytes show great potential for promoting plant nutrient absorption. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To clarify the mechanisms by which the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambaris promotes peanut Fe absorption, we designed this study to detect the physiological changes in peanut with P. liquidambaris infection. We measured ethylene and auxin in peanuts under Fe deficiency and found that fungal colonization promoted their accumulation (50% and 20%, respectively, at the top point). Moreover, plant Fe absorption ability and transfer were enhanced according to qPCR and enzyme results; the Fe content in the leaf increased (29.52%) as the symptoms of leaf chlorosis were ameliorated. Finally, the chlorophyll content increased (29%), and plant growth was enhanced (13.3%). We also proved that during Fe insufficiency, auxin functions downstream of ethylene to induce the upregulation of Fe absorption-related gene and enzyme activity including that of AHA4, IRT1, H+-ATPase, and FCR. We conclude that the addition of P. liquidambaris activates the auxin signaling pathway downstream of ethylene and improves peanut Fe absorption by promoting rhizosphere acidification, increasing FCR and IRT1 expression in peanut roots, leading to plant Fe absorption and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diaporthe caulivora is an economically important fungal pathogen and a causal agent of soybean stem canker and seed decay. Here, the genome of a Russian Far Eastern isolate of D. caulivora was sequenced, assembled, and announced. Assembly quality was enough for advanced annotation, including prediction of potential disease-related genes encoding virulence factors and molecular determinants contributing to pathogen-host selection, interactions, and adaptation. Comparative analysis of 15 Diaporthe species was conducted regarding general genome properties, collinearity, and proteomes, and included detailed investigation of interspersed repeats. A notable feature of this analysis is a high recombinant variability of Diaporthe genomes, determined by the number and distribution of interspersed repeats, which also proved to be responsible for the diversity of GC content and genome size. This variability is assumed the main determinant of the divergence of Diaporthe genomes. A Bayesian multi-gene phylogeny was inferred for the 15 Diaporthe species on the basis of twenty thousand polymorphic sites of > 100 orthologous genes using independently adjusted evolutionary models. This allowed for the most accurate determination of evolutionary relationships and species boundaries for effective reporting about these plant pathogens. The evidence, obtained by different genome analysis techniques, implies the host-independent evolution of Diaporthe species. Key points: • The genome of a Far Eastern isolate of D. caulivora was announced. • A high degree of recombinant variability determines genomic divergence in Diaporthe genus. • The multi-gene phylogeny implies host-independent evolution of Diaporthe species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sponge-microbe symbiosis is considered among the most primitive ecological relationships between metazoans and microorganisms. There is strong interest in understanding the occurrence of microbial communities in sponges due to their integral roles in host ecology, nutrient cycling, and production of potential bioactive secondary metabolites. However, most studies on sponges have been centered on marine species. In this study, the freshwater sponge Spongilla alba and its associated microorganisms were explored for the first time. Sponge samples collected from Lake Taal were taxonomically identified using gross morphology and spicules analysis. Both bacterial and fungal isolates were culturally characterized and molecularly identified using 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and ITS for fungi. Five bacterial species were identified as Pseudomonas sp., Enterococcus sp., Stenotrophomonas sp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Pseudomonas mosselii plus eight fungal species with spore sizes from 5-10 μm were identified as Colletotrichum truncatum, Trichosporon asahii, Rhizopus microsporus, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici strain, Talaromyces columbinus, Phoma sp., Phomopsis sp., and Lichtheimia ramosa. Phylogenetic analysis revealed microbial sequences belonging to Proteobacteria (n = 4), Firmicutes (n = 1), Ascomycota (n = 4), Zygomycota (n = 2), and Basidiomycota (n = 2). The study reports infrequent occurrences of Enterococcus, Stenotrophomonas, Puccinia, and Lichtheimia species as freshwater sponge-associated microbes. This also presents the culturable microbial composition of freshwater sponges and rare occurrence of marine- and terrestrial-associated fungi T. asahii, R. microsporus, Phoma sp., Phomopsis sp., C. truncatum, and T. columbinus in a unique freshwater ecosystem such as Lake Taal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis vexans is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes Phomopsis blight in eggplant, one of the major issues limiting eggplant production. In this study, the genome of a P. vexans isolate PV4 was sequenced for the first time and assembled through Illumina and Nanopore sequencing, generating 7.28 gigabase (Gb) clean data. The genome size of P. vexans is about 59.78 Mb, with 51.24% GC content, 26 contigs, and an N50 contig length of 4.93 Mb. The integrity of this genome was 97.59% as evaluated by BUSCO v2.0. A total of 15,034 protein-coding genes, 2.89 Mb (4.84%) annotated repetitive elements, and 305 non-coding RNAs were identified. The Carbohydrate-Active enZYmes (CAZy) database was used to annotate 1,206 genes. Moreover, 134 effector proteins were predicted. A homology search and phylogenetic analysis showed that P. vexans is evolutionarily closer to Diaporthe helianthi than to Diaporthe ampelina but displays different synteny from both of them. Overall, we believe that this genome will serve as an important resource for studies on the pathogenesis of P. vexans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The browning of the internal tissues of hazelnut kernels, which are visible when the nuts are cut in half, as well as the discolouration and brown spots on the kernel surface, are important defects that are mainly attributed to Diaporthe eres. The knowledge regarding the Diaporthe eres infection cycle and its interaction with hazelnut crops is incomplete. Nevertheless, we developed a mechanistic model called DEFHAZ. We considered georeferenced data on the occurrence of hazelnut defects from 2013 to 2020 from orchards in the Caucasus region and Turkey, supported by meteorological data, to run and validate the model. The predictive model inputs are the hourly meteorological data (air temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall), and the model output is the cumulative index (Dh-I), which we computed daily during the growing season till ripening/harvest time. We established the probability function, with a threshold of 1% of defective hazelnuts, to define the defect occurrence risk. We compared the predictions at early and full ripening with the observed data at the corresponding crop growth stages. In addition, we compared the predictions at early ripening with the defects observed at full ripening. Overall, the correct predictions were >80%, with <16% false negatives, which confirmed the model accuracy in predicting hazelnut defects, even in advance of the harvest. The DEFHAZ model could become a valuable support for hazelnut stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem diseases of soybean with symptoms typical of infection by Diaporthe spp. are common in the Northern USA. Information is limited, however, on the characteristics of the associated pathogens. This study determined the identity and characteristics of Diaporthe spp. associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic soybean stems across diverse environments in Minnesota. Plants with symptoms of stem canker, pod and stem blight, and plant dieback, as well as asymptomatic plants, were sampled. Agar-based media and PCR assays were used to isolate and detect Diaporthe spp. from stems. The isolates were identified to species based on DNA sequencing and morphology. Diaporthe spp. were common in symptomatic and asymptomatic plants across all environments. Three species were detected: D. longicolla, D. caulivora, and D. cucurbitae. Diaporthe longicolla was the most widespread in distribution. Diaporthe cucurbitae was isolated from symptomatic soybean and confirmed to be a soybean pathogen for the first time. Only D. longicolla was detected in asymptomatic plants. While all isolates were pathogenic to soybean, virulence differed among isolates, and cultivars differed in susceptibility. Temperatures of 25°C and 32°C differentially influenced the growth of D. longicolla and D. caulivora. All isolates were sensitive to pyraclostrobin and tebuconazol. The results advance our understanding of the Diaporthe species associated with different soybean stem diseases, as well as their characteristics and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diseases caused by necrotrophic fungi, such as the cosmopolitan Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and the Diaporthe/Phomopsis complex, are among the most destructive diseases of sunflower worldwide. The lack of complete resistance combined with the inefficiency of chemical control makes assisted breeding the best strategy for disease control. In this work, we present an integrated genome-wide association (GWA) study investigating the response of a diverse panel of sunflower inbred lines to both pathogens. Phenotypic data for Sclerotinia head rot (SHR) consisted of five disease descriptors (disease incidence, DI; disease severity, DS; area under the disease progress curve for DI, AUDPCI, and DS, AUDPCS; and incubation period, IP). Two disease descriptors (DI and DS) were evaluated for two manifestations of Diaporthe/Phomopsis: Phomopsis stem canker (PSC) and Phomopsis head rot (PHR). In addition, a principal component (PC) analysis was used to derive transformed phenotypes as inputs to a univariate GWA (PC-GWA). Genotypic data comprised a panel of 4269 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), generated via genotyping-by-sequencing. The GWA analysis revealed 24 unique marker–trait associations for SHR, 19 unique marker–trait associations for Diaporthe/Phomopsis diseases, and 7 markers associated with PC1 and PC2. No common markers were found for the response to the two pathogens. Nevertheless, epistatic interactions were identified between markers significantly associated with the response to S. sclerotiorum and Diaporthe/Phomopsis. This suggests that, while the main determinants of resistance may differ for the two pathogens, there could be an underlying common genetic basis. The exploration of regions physically close to the associated markers yielded 364 genes, of which 19 were predicted as putative disease resistance genes. This work presents the first simultaneous evaluation of two manifestations of Diaporthe/Phomopsis in sunflower, and undertakes a comprehensive GWA study by integrating PSC, PHR, and SHR data. The multiple regions identified, and their exploration to identify candidate genes, contribute not only to the understanding of the genetic basis of resistance, but also to the development of tools for assisted breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European blueberry is a common plant in coniferous and mixed forests that grows in Russia, Northern Europe, Asia, United States, and Canada. Among the fungi that cause blueberry diseases, the most harmful are Diaporthe vaccinii and Colletotrichum acutatum. These fungi are included in the consolidated list of quarantine objects of the Eurasian Economic Union and their occurrence and spread in the territory of countries of this Union is subject to strict control. Most taxa of micromycetes, particularly, Diaporthe and Colletotrichum species, can be correctly identified to the species level based on solely molecular phylogenetic features. The aim of the present work was to assess the biodiversity of fungi associated with blueberry growing in North-Western Russia and in Finland using morphological and molecular genetic features. Altogether, the study included 17 specimens of wild blueberry exhibiting necrotic spots on leaves and stem lesions that were collected in 2017 in St. Petersburg and in five districts of Leningrad region, as well as in the Republic of Karelia and in Finland. Analysis of the morphological and molecular genetic features of the fungal strains isolated from these blueberry specimens led to identification of 11 species: Boeremia exigua, Colletotrichum salicis, Diaporthe eres, Fusarium avenaceum, F. incarnatum,F. sporotrichioides, Heterophoma sylvatica, Kalmusia longispora, Microsphaeropsis olivacea, Neocucurbitaria cava, and Sporocadus rosigena. There were also fungi representing two sections of the genus Alternaria: Alternaria and Infectoriae, and micromycetes of the genera Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Coniothyrium, Curvularia, Epicoccum, Penicillium, Pestalotiopsis, Sordaria, and Trichoderma. The species Colletotrichum salicis, Heterophoma sylvatica, Kalmusia longispora, Microsphaeropsis olivacea, and Neocucurbitaria cava were for the first time found in Russia. The species Sporocadus rosigena was for the first time detected in Finland. Fusarium avenaceum, F. incarnatum, and F. sporotrichioides were for the first time observed in association with blueberry plants. The species Diaporthe vaccinii and Colletotrichum acutatum included in the consolidated list of quarantine objects of the Eurasian Economic Union were not detected in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two previously undescribed lactones, phomolides A and B (1 and 2), and three new sesquiterpenoids, phomenes A–C (3–5), together with one known compound, colletotricholide A (6), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. SZSJ-7B. Their chemical structures, including the absolute configurations, were comprehensively established by extensive analyses of NMR, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, electronic circular dichroism powered by theoretical calculations, and X-ray diffractions. Moreover, the cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of compounds 1–6 were also evaluated, and the results demonstrated that compound 2 showed significant antibacterial effects towards methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and S. aureus strains with minimum inhibitory concentration as low as 6.25 μg/ml, which was comparable to that of the clinical drug vancomycin. Moreover, all compounds showed no cytotoxic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis vexans, which causes Phomopsis blight of eggplant, has been reported worldwide. To study the biocontrol of this disease, 162 leaf and fruit samples of eggplant Phomopsis blight were collected from Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Anhui Provinces from 2017 to 2019. Eighty-seven pathogenic fungus isolates were identified as P. vexans. The following studies were conducted: screening of sporulation medium, spore morphology analysis, mycovirus detection and identification of novel mycoviruses in these isolates. The results showed that eggplant tissue medium was the most suitable medium for rapid sporulation, and all isolates had mycoviruses consisting of mainly mixed infections. The genome of these mycoviruses varied from 1-15 kb. Five novel mycoviruses infecting P. vexans were obtained, including "Phomopsis vexans fusarivirus 1" (PvFV1), "Phomopsis vexans ourmia-like virus 1" (PvOLV1), "Phomopsis vexans endornavirus 2" (PvEV2), "Phomopsis vexans partitivirus 1" (PvPV1) and "Phomopsis vexans victorivirus L1" (PvVVL1). Thus, PvVVL1 displays a unique genome structure, and this is the first report of a victorivirus consisting of two segments and of a deltapartitivirus infecting the fungus host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore 50 extracts from fungal endophytes from roots, stems, and leaves of Z. spinachristi based on the chemical content and their antioxidant activity. Isolation of fungal endophytes was carried out in CMMA and PDA media. Cultivation was in PDB and GYP media. Determination of antioxidant activity qualitatively by TLC-bioautography and quantitatively by DPPH method. Phytochemical screening of these extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins. The results showed that seven types of fungal endophytes had antioxidant activity, namely Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sect. Flavi, Aspergillus sect. Nigri, Aspergillus sect. Terrei, Phomopsis sp., Sordariomycetes, and Hyphomycetes. One root isolate from PDB (Aspergillus sect. Terrei Bi. Ak. 3.3) possesses very strong antioxidant activity (IC50 of 9.17 µg/mL and AAI = 3.35) and one stem isolate (Aspergillus nigri Bi. Bt. 1.2.2) has strong antioxidant activity (IC50 22.13 µg/mL and AAI = 1.38). The fungal endophyte culture extract from GYP media produced one root isolate (Aspergillus terrei Bi. Ak. 3.3) with strong antioxidant activity (IC50 19.54 µg/mL and AAI = 1.57). It can be concluded that the fungal endophytes of Z. spina-christi have the potential to be developed as an antioxidant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolation, characterization, and bioproduction capacity of (+)-epoxydone produced by Phomopsis sp. TcBt1Bo-6 was performed in this present report. The fungus was cultured in potatoes dextrose broth (PDB) medium. Isolation and purification of (+)-epoxydone using chromatography methods. The metabolite structure elucidation was carried out by using UV, FTIR, 1D/2D-NMR, MS, and optical rotation, and compared with other reports. This fungus has the bioproduction ability of (+)-epoxydone of 189.43 mg/L. The metabolite of (+)-epoxydone has potent as antibacterial and antimycobacterial against E.coli, S.aureus, and M.smegmatis with MIC values of 25, > 50, and 50 (partial) μg/mL, respectively. This study is the new report on the bioproduction of bioactive metabolite (+)-epoxydone as well as the antibacterial and antimycobacterial activities of this compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex environments of plants force them to prioritize their immune responses to stimuli occurring simultaneously, including colonization by microbes or nutrient availability. Little is known about how the interplay between endophytes and nutrient status affects the immune responses of both plants and fungi. We primarily monitored immune responses in rice following inoculation with the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambaris under different nitrogen (N) conditions. Ph. liquidambaris promoted plant growth under low N (LN) conditions, concomitant with higher root colonization. Plant production of oxidative signals, including hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide, was activated by Ph. liquidambaris colonization under LN conditions, while salicylic acid (SA) was maintained at high levels and was involved in controlling rice‐fungal interactions. High N (HN) conditions enhanced the ability of Ph. liquidambaris in suppressing plant cell death and the ability of roots to degrade Ph. liquidambaris cell walls. Furthermore, under both LN and HN conditions, the activity of plant defence‐associated enzymes and fungal antioxidases was not affected in the interactive association. Our data reveal the alteration of plant immunity, including oxidative signalling and plant cell death, by fungal colonization in response to external N conditions and identify SA signalling as a potential controller for rice‐Ph. liquidambaris interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis mali Roberts (Phomopsis fruit tree canker) is a fungus that infects the fruit tree trunks, branches and sprigs. There were described more than 60 species of Phomopsis. Every of the species is identified in general after the size of the conidia and after the host from which was isolated, the precise identification being sometimes difficult. Phomopsis is a fungus that can produce serious damages in production because it affects the fruitful sprigs. On the other hand, in case of massive attacks it can lead to the fruit trees decline. In the young orchards cultivated in ecologic super-intensive system, the young trees can die in the case of severe infections. The purpose of this research was to identify the Phomopsis fungus in an ecologic super-intensive apple orchard from Arad County (western Romania), in the first two years after the plantation. The biological material used was consisting in six samples sets (sprigs, stems, branches and roots) collected from four apple varieties (Primiera/M9, Crimson Crisp/M9, Golden Orange/M9 and GoldRush/M9). The identification of the disease and of the pathogen was done using visual and laboratory methods. In laboratory was identified the fungus with the humid chamber method and by placement of diseased tissue samples on culture medium followed by incubation at 23 - 24oC for seven days. The branches, sprigs and stems were analysed at stereomicroscope too. Under the cracked bark were identified numerous pycnidia of black colour and pear shaped, specific to the Phomopsis mali fungus. There were noticed young and old fructifications, the old ones were from the previous year or even from the precedent years. The obtained results after the visual analysis of the trees in the orchard and after the laboratory analyses highlighted the presence of the fungus Phomopsis mali. There were highlighted at the microscope the alpha and beta conidia, typical for this fungus. In the orchard all the trees were presenting symptoms specific to the Phomopsis fruit tree canker. The trees covered with numerous canker lesions were died. At the assessment time the dead trees rate on varieties was the following: Primiera – 16.5%, Crimson Crisp – 1.7%, Golden Orange – 16.1%, and Gold Rush – 17.2%. From all the analysed apple varieties only Crimson Crisp had reacted well to the attack of the Phomopsis mali fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Endophytes have been shown to be a source of novel drug prototypes. The Casearia genus is known for presenting cytotoxic clerodane diterpenes; however, there are few reports on secondary metabolites produced by its fungal microbiota. Thus, in the present study endophytic fungi obtained from the fresh leaves of C. arborea were grown in potato dextrose broth and rice to perform a secondary metabolite prospection study. The cytotoxic profile of the crude extracts at 10 µg/mL was determined by a colorimetric assay on tumor cell lines. The endophytes producing cytotoxic extracts were identified through phylogenetic analysis and belong to Diaporthe and Colletotrichum species. Metabolites present in these extracts were organized in molecular networking format based on HRMS-MS, and a dereplication process was performed to target compounds for chromatographic purification. Metabolic classes, such as lipids, peptides, alkaloids, and polyketides were annotated, and octaketide and cytochalasin derivatives were investigated. Cytochalasin H was purified from the cytotoxic Diaporthe sp. CarGL8 extract and its cytotoxic activity was determined on human cancer cell lines A549, MCF-7, and HepG2. The data collected in the present study showed that molecular networking is useful to understand the chemical profile of complex matrices to target compounds, minimizing the cost and time spent in purification processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study evaluated the control effect of the endophytic fungus Phomopsis liquidambaris B3 against rice bakanae disease (RBD) caused by Fusarium proliferatum and the disease control result of different inoculation times of beneficial micro‐organisms. Methods and Results: Rice seedlings preinoculated, coinoculated and noninoculated with B3 were exposed to F. proliferatum stress and grown under controlled conditions. Greenhouse experimental results showed that rice preinoculation with B3 significantly reduced rice bakanae disease by 21.45%, inhibited the colonization of F. proliferatum, increased defence‐related enzyme activities, upregulated the expression of defence genes and promoted plant photosynthesis. However, bakanae disease in rice coinoculation with B3 increased by 11.45%, resulted in excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) bursts and plant cell death. Conclusions: Preinoculation with the endophytic fungus P. liquidambaris B3 significantly reduced rice bakanae disease by triggering the SA‐dependent defence pathways of plants, and promoted plant growth. However, coinoculatiton with P. liquidambaris B3 activated excessive defence responses, resulting in plants cell death and aggravation of bakanae disease. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study indicated that P. liquidambaris B3 was an effective method for agricultural control against rice bakanae disease caused by F. proliferatum, and provides an experimental basis for the development of sustainable endophytic fungal resources to effectively control plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi, and suggests that precise application of beneficial micro‐organisms may be become a key factor in farmland crop disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold-climate wine grapes are produced on 8,000 ha in the North Central region of the United States. Wisconsin has experienced considerable growth, with a 26% increase in acreage since 2017. Chemical management of fungal diseases in cold-climate, interspecific hybrid grapes mirrors that of traditional Vitis vinifera cultivars despite significant differences in disease susceptibility. Most cold-climate cultivars display disease tolerance or resistance to key pathogens such as Plasmopara viticola (downy mildew), Erysiphe necator (powdery mildew), and Phyllosticta ampelicida (black rot). Current fungicide programs in Wisconsin's cold-climate grape industry underutilize genetic resistance, resulting in overreliance on at-risk fungicides and an increased threat of fungicide resistance development. In vineyard trials, the impacts of a reduced fungicide application number compared to current grower "Standard" programs was assessed for disease incidence and severity for five diseases: anthracnose, black rot, downy mildew, Phomopsis cane and leaf spot and powdery mildew. In 2022, with moderate disease pressure at both vineyard sites, there were no significant differences observed when fewer fungicides (six or five applications vs. four applications) were applied. In 2023, higher disease incidence was observed in the "Standard" spray program at one study location which received a greater number of fungicide applications. In both years, grape cultivar was a significant factor with the 'LaCrosse' displaying greater average disease severity than the 'St. Pepin' in both the "Standard" and "Reduced" Programs. These findings present a promising opportunity for cold-climate grape growers to reduce the number of fungicide applications while maintaining disease control and marketable yield.