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BACKGROUND: Peach brown rot, caused by the pathogen Monilinia fructicola, represents a significant postharvest infectious disease affecting peach fruit. This disease is responsible for a substantial increase in fruit decay rates, leading to significant economic losses, often exceeding 50%. Currently, there is a growing interest in identifying biocontrol agents to mitigate peach brown rot, with a predominant interest in Bacillus species. RESULTS: In this investigation, we isolated 410 isolates of actinomycetes from non‐farmland ecosystem soil samples. Subsequently, 27 isolates exhibiting superior inhibitory capabilities were selected. Among these, strain XDS1‐5 demonstrated the most robust fungistatic effect against brown rot disease, achieving an 80% inhibition rate in vitro and a 66% inhibition rate in vivo. XDS1‐5 was identified as belonging to the Streptomyces virginiae species. Furthermore, a fermentation filtrate of XDS1‐5 exhibited the ability to metabolize 34.21% of the tested carbon sources and 7.37% of the tested nitrogen sources. Particularly noteworthy was its capacity to disrupt the cell membrane structure directly, leading to increased cell membrane permeability and cytoplasmic leakage. Additionally, our investigation indicated that indoline, a metabolite produced by XDS1‐5, played a pivotal role in inhibiting the growth of M. fructicola. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study has identified a biocontrol actinomycete, XDS1‐5, with the potential to effectively inhibit postharvest brown rot disease in peaches. This finding holds great significance for the biological control of peach brown rot, offering promising prospects for mitigating the economic losses associated with this devastating disease. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Brown rot is the most important fungal disease affecting stone fruit and it is mainly caused by Monilinia fructicola, M. laxa and M. fructigena. Monilinia spp. are necrotrophic plant pathogens with the ability to induce plant cell death by the secretion of different phytotoxic molecules, including proteins or metabolites that are collectively referred to as necrotrophic effectors (NEs). Methods: We exploited the genomes of M. fructicola, M. laxa and M. fructigena to identify their common group of secreted effector proteins and tested the ability of a selected set of effectors to induce cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana, Solanum lycopersicum and Prunus spp. leaves. Results: Fourteen candidate effector genes of M. fructicola, which displayed high expression during infection, were transiently expressed in plants by agroinfiltration using a modified Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV)-based expression system. Some, but not all, effectors triggered leaf discoloration or cell death in N. benthamiana and S. lycopersicum, which are non-hosts for Monilinia and in Prunus spp., which are the natural hosts. The effector MFRU_030g00190 induced cell death in almost all Prunus genotypes tested, but not in the Solanaceous plants, while MFRU_014g02060, which is an ortholog to BcNep1, caused necrosis in all plant species tested. Conclusion: This method provides opportunities for screening Prunus germplasm with Monilinia effector proteins, to serve as a tool for identifying genetic loci that confer susceptibility to brown rot disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monilinia fructicola is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of rosaceous fruit crops, both in the field and postharvest, causing significant yield losses. Here, we report the discovery of a novel positive single-stranded RNA virus, Monilinia fructicola hypovirus 3 (MfHV3), in a strain (hf-1) of the phytopathogenic fungus Monilinia fructicola. The complete genome of MfHV3 is 9259 nucleotides (nt) in length and contains a single large open reading frame (ORF) from nt position 462 to 8411. This ORF encodes a polyprotein with three conserved domains, namely UDP-glycosyltransferase, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and DEAD-like helicase. The MfHV3 polyprotein shares the highest similarity with Colletotrichum camelliae hypovirus 1. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that MfHV3 clustered with members of the genus Betahypovirus within the family Hypoviridae. Taken together, the results of genomic organization comparisons, amino acid sequence alignments, and phylogenetic analysis convincingly show that MfHV3 is a new member of the genus Betahypovirus, family Hypoviridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Peach brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola severely affects the quality and yield of peach, resulting in large economic losses worldwide. Methyl benzimidazole carbamate (MBC) fungicides and sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides are among the most applied chemical classes used to control the disease but resistance in the target pathogen has made them risky choices. Timely monitoring of resistance to these fungicides in orchards could prevent control failure in practice. RESULTS: In the current study, we developed methods based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and CRISPR/Cas12a systems to detect MBC and DMI resistance based on the E198A mutation in the β‐tubulin (MfTub2) gene and the presence of the Mona element in the upstream region of the MfCYP51, respectively. For MBC resistance, RPA primers were designed that artificially incorporated PAM sites to facilitate the CRISPR/Cas12a reaction. Subsequently, specific tcrRNAs were designed based on the E198A mutation site. For the detection of the Mona element, we designed RPA primers M‐DMI‐F2/M‐DMI‐R1 that in combination with crRNA1 detected 'Mona' and distinguished resistant from sensitive strains. CONCLUSION: Both methods exhibited high sensitivity and specificity, requiring only a simple isothermal device to obtain results within 1 h at 37 °C. The FQ‐reporter enabled visualization with a handheld UV or white light flashlight. This method was successfully used with purified DNA from lab cultures and crude DNA from symptomatic fruit tissue, highlighting its potential for on‐site detection of resistant strains in orchards. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach brown rot, attributed to Monilinia fructicola, presents a significant threat to postharvest peach cultivation, causing losses of up to 80%. With an increasing number of countries, spearheaded by the European Union, imposing bans on chemical agents in fruit production, there is a growing interest in mining highly active antibacterial compounds from biological control strains for postharvest disease management. In this study, we highlight the unique ability of Streptomyces lincolnensis strain JCP1‐7 to inhibit M. fructicola sporulation, despite its limited antimicrobial efficacy. Through GC–MS analysis, eucalyptol was identified as the key compound. Fumigation of diseased fruits with eucalyptol at a concentration of 0.0335 μg cm−3 demonstrated an in vivo inhibition rate against M. fructicola of 93.13%, completely suppressing spore formation. Transcriptome analysis revealed the impact of eucalyptol on multiple pathogenesis‐related pathways, particularly through the inhibition of catalase 2 (Cat2) expression. Experiments with a MfCat2 knockout strain (ΔMfCat2) showed reduced pathogenicity and sensitivity to JCP1‐7 and eucalyptol, suggesting MfCat2 as a potential target of JCP1‐7 and eucalyptol against M. fructicola. Our findings elucidate that eucalyptol produced by S. lincolnensis JCP1‐7 inhibits M. fructicola sporulation by regulating MfCat2, thereby effectively reducing postharvest peach brown rot occurrence. The use of fumigation of eucalyptol offers insights into peach brown rot management on a large scale, thus making a significant contribution to agricultural research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionBrown rot is the most important fungal disease affecting stone fruit and it is mainly caused by Monilinia fructicola, M. laxa and M. fructigena. Monilinia spp. are necrotrophic plant pathogens with the ability to induce plant cell death by the secretion of different phytotoxic molecules, including proteins or metabolites that are collectively referred to as necrotrophic effectors (NEs).MethodsWe exploited the genomes of M. fructicola, M. laxa and M. fructigena to identify their common group of secreted effector proteins and tested the ability of a selected set of effectors to induce cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana, Solanum lycopersicum and Prunus spp. leaves.ResultsFourteen candidate effector genes of M. fructicola, which displayed high expression during infection, were transiently expressed in plants by agroinfiltration using a modified Tobacco Rattle Virus (TRV)-based expression system. Some, but not all, effectors triggered leaf discoloration or cell death in N. benthamiana and S. lycopersicum, which are non-hosts for Monilinia and in Prunus spp., which are the natural hosts. The effector MFRU_030g00190 induced cell death in almost all Prunus genotypes tested, but not in the Solanaceous plants, while MFRU_014g02060, which is an ortholog to BcNep1, caused necrosis in all plant species tested.ConclusionThis method provides opportunities for screening Prunus germplasm with Monilinia effector proteins, to serve as a tool for identifying genetic loci that confer susceptibility to brown rot disease.

BACKGROUND: Brown rot disease, caused by Monilinia fructicola, poses a significant challenge to peach production in China. The efficacy of mefentrifluconazole, a new triazole fungicide, in controlling brown rot in peaches has been remarkable. However, the resistance risk and mechanism associated with this fungicide remain unclear. This study was designed to assess the resistance risk of M. fructicola to mefentrifluconazole and reveal the potential resistance mechanism. RESULTS: The mean median effective concentration (EC50) of 101 M. fructicola isolates to mefentrifluconazole was 0.003 μg mL−1, and the sensitivity exhibited a unimodal distribution. Seven mefentrifluconazole‐resistant mutants were generated from three parental isolates in the laboratory through fungicide adaption. The biological characteristics of the resistant mutants revealed that three of them exhibited enhanced survival fitness compared to the parental isolates, whereas the remaining four mutants displayed reduced survival fitness. Mefentrifluconazole showed strong positive cross‐resistance with fenbuconazole, whereas no cross‐resistance was observed with pyrimethanil, procymidone or pydiflumetofen. No overexpression of MfCYP51 gene was detected in the resistant mutants. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that three resistant mutants (MXSB2‐2, Mf12‐1 and Mf12‐2) had a point mutation (G461S) in MfCYP51 protein. Molecular docking techniques confirmed the contribution of this point mutation to mefentrifluconazole resistance. CONCLUSION: The risk of M. fructicola developing resistance to mefentrifluconazole is relatively low‐to‐medium and point mutation G461S in MfCYP51 could confer mefentrifluconazole resistance in M. fructicola. This study provided essential data for monitoring the emergence of resistance and developing resistance management strategies for mefentrifluconazole. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peach (Prunus persica L.) is one of the most important stone-fruit crops worldwide. Nevertheless, successful peach fruit production is seriously reduced by losses due to Monilinia fructicola the causal agent of brown rot. Chitosan has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial properties and may also act as an elicitor that activate defense responses in plants. As little is known about the elicitation potential of chitosan in peach fruits and its impact at their transcriptional-level profiles, the aim of this study was to uncover using RNA-seq the induced responses regulated by the action of chitosan in fruit–chitosan–M. fructicola interaction. Samples were obtained from fruits treated with chitosan or inoculated with M. fructicola, as well from fruits pre-treated with chitosan and thereafter inoculated with the fungus. Chitosan was found to delay the postharvest decay of fruits, and expression profiles showed that its defense-priming effects were mainly evident after the pathogen challenge, driven particularly by modulations of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to cell-wall modifications, pathogen perception, and signal transduction, preventing the spread of fungus. In contrast, as the compatible interaction of fruits with M. fructicola was challenged, a shift towards defense responses was triggered with a delay, which was insufficient to limit fungal expansion, whereas DEGs involved in particular processes have facilitated early pathogen colonization. Physiological indicators of peach fruits were also measured. Additionally, expression profiles of particular M. fructicola genes highlight the direct antimicrobial activity of chitosan against the fungus. Overall, the results clarify the possible mechanisms of chitosan-mediated tolerance to M. fructicola and set new foundations for the potential employment of chitosan in the control of brown rot in peaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Temperature is one of the key factors affecting the infection and development of fungal plant pathogens. Monilinia fructicola and M. laxa are the most important species causing brown rot of peach fruits worldwide. Considering that symptoms of M. laxa and M. fructicola appear in spring and summer, respectively, the virulence of these two species is expected to differ under temperature stress. To test this hypothesis, four isolates with different virulence levels from both species were selected and their in vitro aggressiveness on peach fruit was tested at different temperatures. Experiments were conducted at 4 °C, 11 °C, 23 °C and 35 °C, relating to postharvest storage temperature, spring temperature, in vitro optimum growth temperature and summer temperature, respectively. Incubation period and relative area under disease progression curve (RAUDPC) were used as aggressiveness components of the pathogens. Incubation period was shortest at 35 °C and longest at 4 °C for both species. Temperature affected aggressiveness responses of these species differently. While M. fructicola was more aggressive at higher temperatures (35 °C), M. laxa was more aggressive at lower temperatures (4 °C & 11 °C). Besides, RAUDPC values of low virulent isolates of both species showed wider distribution at all temperatures evaluated, compared to high virulents. The piecewise regression (PWR) model detected two main clusters and indicated that increased temperatures trigger disease progression rapidly and severely. The PWR model used in this study also provided an example that can be used in the management and prediction of fungal diseases. This case study presented important findings that will guide a comprehensive study plan on the effects of climate change in this pathosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and gum Arabic (GA) edible coatings amended with 0.2% geraniol (GE) were evaluated for the control of brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola, on artificially inoculated plums (Prunus salicina Lindl., cv. Angeleno) stored for 5 weeks at 1 °C. Brown rot is the most important pre- and postharvest fungal disease of stone fruits, causing severe economic losses worldwide. Geraniol is an important constituent of many essential oils that can be obtained as a byproduct from different industrial procedures, such as those of the juice industry. Fruit postharvest quality was also evaluated after 5 and 8 weeks of storage at 1 °C, followed by 3 days at 7 °C plus 5 days at 20 °C, simulating packinghouse, transport, and retail shelf-life conditions, respectively. HPMC coatings containing 0.2% GE reduced the incidence and severity of brown rot by 37.5 and 64.8%, respectively, compared to uncoated fruit after 5 weeks of storage at 1 °C. HPMC-coated plums, with and without GE, showed the highest level of firmness, the lowest change in external peel color parameters (L*, a*, b*, C*, hue), and the lowest flesh bleeding compared to uncoated control and GA-coated samples throughout the entire storage period, which correlated with a higher gas barrier of these coatings without negatively affecting sensory quality. Furthermore, the HPMC-0.2% GE coating provided the highest gloss to coated plums, showing the potential of this coating as a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fungicides and waxes for brown rot control and quality maintenance of cold-stored plums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peach (Prunus persica L.) is one of the most important stone-fruit crops worldwide. Nevertheless, successful peach fruit production is seriously reduced by losses due to Monilinia fructicola the causal agent of brown rot. Chitosan has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial properties and may also act as an elicitor that activate defense responses in plants. As little is known about the elicitation potential of chitosan in peach fruits and its impact at their transcriptional-level profiles, the aim of this study was to uncover using RNA-seq the induced responses regulated by the action of chitosan in fruit–chitosan–M. fructicola interaction. Samples were obtained from fruits treated with chitosan or inoculated with M. fructicola, as well from fruits pre-treated with chitosan and thereafter inoculated with the fungus. Chitosan was found to delay the postharvest decay of fruits, and expression profiles showed that its defense-priming effects were mainly evident after the pathogen challenge, driven particularly by modulations of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to cell-wall modifications, pathogen perception, and signal transduction, preventing the spread of fungus. In contrast, as the compatible interaction of fruits with M. fructicola was challenged, a shift towards defense responses was triggered with a delay, which was insufficient to limit fungal expansion, whereas DEGs involved in particular processes have facilitated early pathogen colonization. Physiological indicators of peach fruits were also measured. Additionally, expression profiles of particular M. fructicola genes highlight the direct antimicrobial activity of chitosan against the fungus. Overall, the results clarify the possible mechanisms of chitosan-mediated tolerance to M. fructicola and set new foundations for the potential employment of chitosan in the control of brown rot in peaches.

Postharvest fruit rot is one of the most serious diseases of fleshy stone fruits such as nectarine and plum. The efficacy of ozonated water sprayed in different doses in a packing line [low dose, 1.5 ppm ozone (Ο3) for 100 sec; medium dose, 3.0 ppm Ο3 for 100 sec; high dose, 1.5 ppm Ο3 for 400 sec] in controlling the brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) development was studied in the nectarine cultivar 'Τasty Free' and the plum cultivar 'Angelino.' Changes in flesh firmness, ripening index, ethylene and respiration rate, and peel color during storage (0℃ for 3 weeks) and shelf-life (20℃ for 4 days) were used as 'indicator' quality parameter responses in storage and shelf-life. The most efficient dose of O3 in controlling the Monilinia infection was the highest applied, followed by the middle O3 dose. The efficacy of O3 treatments was higher when a lower Monilinia spore concentration was applied. The O3 doses applied did not cause any visible symptoms of O3 toxicity, yet they caused an acceleration in the fruit ripening process, suggested mainly by an increase in the fruit respiration rate in both nectarine and plum, and an increase in the ripening index and darker peel coloration only in plums. In conclusion, spraying with ozonated water is an eco-friendly and efficient sanitizing agent, but in fleshy commodities such as nectarine and plum may diminish their postharvest performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenolic and triterpenoid compounds are essential components in stone fruit skin and flesh tissues. They are thought to possess general antimicrobial activity. However, regarding brown rot disease, investigations were only confined to a limited number of phenolics, especially chlorogenic acid. The activity of triterpenoids against Monilinia spp. , as an essential part of the peach cuticular wax, has not been studied before. In this work, the anti-fungal effect of some phenolics, triterpenoids, and fruit surface compound (FSC) extracts of peach fruit at two developmental stages were investigated on Monilinia fructicola and Monilinia laxa characteristics during in vitro growth. A new procedure for assaying anti-fungal activity of triterpenoids, which are notoriously difficult to assess in vitro because of their hydrophobicity, has been developed. Measurements of colony diameter, sporulation, and germination of second-generation conidia were recorded. Furthermore, the expression of twelve genes of M. fructicola associated with germination and/or appressorium formation and virulence-related genes was studied relative to the presence of the compounds. The study revealed that certain phenolics and triterpenoids showed modest anti-fungal activity while dramatically modulating gene expression in mycelium of M. fructicola on culture medium. MfRGAE1 gene was overexpressed by chlorogenic and ferulic acids and MfCUT1 by betulinic acid, at 4- and 7- days of mycelium incubation. The stage II FSC extract, corresponding to the period when the fruit is resistant to Monilinia spp., considerably up-regulated the MfLAE1 gene. These findings effectively contribute to the knowledge of biochemical compounds effects on fungi on in vitro conditions. • Peach surface compounds may have antifungal activity. • A protocol to assay hydrophobic compounds has been developed. • Few compounds have demonstrated limited antifungal capacity against Monilinia spp. • Many compounds dramatically modulated M. fructicola gene expression on culture medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Thirty-one novel skeletons of mandelic acid were designed and synthesized. • Compound Z 31 exhibited obvious in vitro antifungal activity against M. fructicola. • Compound Z 31 exhibited better in vivo protective effect for the postharvest pears. • A 3D-QSAR model was constructed for the deep SAR analysis of these target compounds. • Compound Z 31 can inhibit the growth of the mycelia by disrupting the cell membrane. Brown rot of stone fruit, a disease caused by the ascomycete fungus Monilinia fructicola , has caused significant losses to the agricultural industry. In order to explore and discover potential fungicides against M. fructicola , thirty-one novel mandelic acid derivatives containing piperazine moieties were designed and synthesized based on the amide skeleton. Among them, target compound Z 31 exhibited obvious in vitro antifungal activity with the EC 50 value of 11.8 mg/L, and significant effects for the postharvest pears (79.4 % protective activity and 70.5 % curative activity) at a concentration of 200 mg/L. Antifungal activity for the target compounds was found to be significantly improved by the large steric hindrance of the R 1 groups and the electronegative of the piperazines in the molecular structure, according to a three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) analysis. Further mechanism studies have demonstrated that the compound Z 31 can disrupt cell membrane integrity, resulting in increased membrane permeability, release of intracellular electrolytes, and affect the normal growth of hyphae. Additional, morphological study also indicated that Z 31 may disrupt the integrity of the membrane by inducing generate excess endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) and resulting in the peroxidation of cellular lipids, which was further verified by the detection of malondialdehyde (MDA) content. These studies have provided the basis for the creation of novel fungicides to prevent brown rot in stone fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola , is considered one of the devasting diseases of pre-harvest and post-harvest peach fruits, restricting the yield and quality of peach fruits and causing great economic losses to the peach industry every year. Presently, the management of the disease relies heavily on chemical control. In the study, we demonstrated that the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of endophyte bacterial Pseudomonas protegens QNF1 inhibited the mycelial growth of M. fructicola by 95.35% compared to the control, thereby reducing the brown rot on postharvest fruits by 98.76%. Additionally, QNF1 VOCs severely damaged the mycelia of M. fructicola. RNA-seq analysis revealed that QNF1 VOCs significantly repressed the expressions of most of the genes related to pathogenesis (GO:0009405) and integral component of plasma membrane (GO:0005887), and further analysis revealed that QNF1 VOCs significantly altered the expressions of the genes involved in various metabolism pathways including Amino acid metabolism, Carbohydrate metabolism, and Lipid metabolism. The findings of the study indicated that QNF1 VOCs displayed substantial control efficacy by disrupting the mycelial morphology of M. fructicola , weakening its pathogenesis, and causing its metabolic disorders. The study provided a potential way and theoretical support for the management of the brown rot of peach fruits. • Pseudomonas protegens QNF1 VOCs suppressed M. fructicola mycelial growth by 95.35%. • P. protegens QNF1 VOCs reduced brown rot of postharvest peach fruits by 98.76%. • P. protegens QNF1 VOCs severely damaged the normal morphology of M. fructicola. • P. protegens QNF1 VOCs significantly altered the gene expressions reltated to pathogenesis and other pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and gum Arabic (GA) edible coatings amended with 0.2% geraniol (GE) were evaluated for the control of brown rot, caused by Monilinia fructicola, on artificially inoculated plums (Prunus salicina Lindl., cv. Angeleno) stored for 5 weeks at 1 °C. Brown rot is the most important pre- and postharvest fungal disease of stone fruits, causing severe economic losses worldwide. Geraniol is an important constituent of many essential oils that can be obtained as a byproduct from different industrial procedures, such as those of the juice industry. Fruit postharvest quality was also evaluated after 5 and 8 weeks of storage at 1 °C, followed by 3 days at 7 °C plus 5 days at 20 °C, simulating packinghouse, transport, and retail shelf-life conditions, respectively. HPMC coatings containing 0.2% GE reduced the incidence and severity of brown rot by 37.5 and 64.8%, respectively, compared to uncoated fruit after 5 weeks of storage at 1 °C. HPMC-coated plums, with and without GE, showed the highest level of firmness, the lowest change in external peel color parameters (L*, a*, b*, C*, hue), and the lowest flesh bleeding compared to uncoated control and GA-coated samples throughout the entire storage period, which correlated with a higher gas barrier of these coatings without negatively affecting sensory quality. Furthermore, the HPMC-0.2% GE coating provided the highest gloss to coated plums, showing the potential of this coating as a safe and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fungicides and waxes for brown rot control and quality maintenance of cold-stored plums.

Naturally derived compounds show promise as treatments for microbial infections. Polyphenols, abundantly found in various plants, fruits, and vegetables, are noted for their physiological benefits including antimicrobial effects. This study introduced a new set of acylated phloroglucinol derivatives, synthesized and tested for their antifungal activity in vitro against seven different pathogenic fungi. The standout compound, 3-methyl-1-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl) butan-1-one ( 2b ), exhibited remarkable fungicidal strength, with EC 50 values of 1.39 μg/mL against Botrytis cinerea and 1.18 μg/mL against Monilinia fructicola , outperforming previously screened phenolic compounds. When tested in vivo, 2b demonstrated effective antifungal properties, with cure rates of 76.26% for brown rot and 83.35% for gray mold at a concentration of 200 μg/mL, rivaling the commercial fungicide Pyrimethanil in its efficacy against B. cinerea . Preliminary research suggests that 2b' s antifungal mechanism may involve the disruption of spore germination, damage to the fungal cell membrane, and leakage of cellular contents. These results indicate that compound 2b has excellent fungicidal properties against B. cinerea and holds potential as a treatment for gray mold.

Monilinia fructicola has been widely reported as the causal agent of brown rot disease on many Rosaceae family fruits worldwide. It has been reported on stone fruits, e.g., peach, plum, cherry, apricot and mume; as well as pome fruits, e.g., apple, pear and hawthorn. Loquat is a member of the Eriobotrya genus in subfamily Maloideae along with apple, pear and hawthorn. So far, loquat has not been reported as the host of any Monilia species. In June 2019, brown rot symptoms were observed on loquat fruits in an orchard in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Thirty single spore isolates were obtained and identified as M. fructicola based on morphological characteristics and molecular analysis. This is the first report of loquat brown rot disease caused by Monilia species in the world. Furthermore, upon artificial inoculation, all three Monilia species from peach in China, i.e., M. fructicola, M. mumecola and M. yunnanensis, could cause typical brown rot disease on loquat fruits. At the same time, M. fructicola isolates from loquat showed virulence similar to those isolates from peach when the pathogenicity test was conducted on peach fruits. These results suggested that loquat could be infected by other Monilia species and that isolates from loquat also have potential to damage other Rosaceae family fruits in practice.

Fruit bagging is an acceptable cultural practice for organic production that provides a physical barrier to protect fruit. It can reduce pest and pathogen injury for a variety of fruit crops, but quality attributes have been inconsistent for peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and other bagged fruit. A 2-year experiment on a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic-certified peach orchard in central Florida was conducted to analyze the effects of a commercially available paper bag designed for fruit protection and cardinal quadrant (north, south, east, and west sides) of the tree canopy on low-chill peach ‘TropicBeauty’ fruit quality. Protective bags appeared to delay fruit maturity. Flesh firmness and chlorophyll concentration of bagged fruit were 31% and 27% greater than unbagged fruit, respectively. Bagged fruit were protected as demonstrated with a reduction in mechanical injury by 95%, fruit fly injury by 450%, and scab-like lesions by 810%. Bagging reduced fruit brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) at harvest and 7 days after harvest; unbagged fruit were 2 and 3.5 times more likely to have rot at harvest and 7 days after harvest, respectively. Fruit bags did not affect yield, fruit size, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, peel lightness, peel hue angle, or flesh color. Overall, canopy cardinal quadrant location had minimal effect on fruit quality or fruit injury. These results demonstrate that bagging peach fruit protects against various pests and diseases but has minimal effects on fruit quality. Broad adoption of this technology is highly dependent on available labor, market demands, and profitability but may be suitable for producers using direct-to-consumer market channels.

The effect of nitrogen (N) nutrition on the occurrence of hull rot (caused by Rhizopus stolonifer) in almonds was measured in a heavily infected commercial orchard in 2011 and 2012. Starting in 2008, trees were grown under differing N rates (140, 224, 392. kg/ha). In 2011 spurs in these trees were tagged by type (non-fruiting, one-fruiting, two-fruiting) and evaluated for hull rot incidence after harvest. It is demonstrated here that N application in excess of tree demand significantly increased the incidence of hull rot in fruiting spurs in both 2011 and 2012. In 2012, hull split rate was also observationally recorded every other day in the N treatments of 140 and 392. kg/ha. N application rate altered the pattern of fruit development and delayed the transition from the 'closed hulls' stage to the 'beginning of hull split' stage. However, this delay was not critical in the increased incidence of hull rot and hull infection rates did not significantly differ as a function of difference in time spent within different hull split stages. In conclusion, excess N resulted in higher hull rot incidence due to a higher susceptibility of the hulls, but not due to a longer residence time within a particular stage once the fruit started to split. Possible causal mechanisms of N effect on hull rot and the significance of the disease are considered.

The effect of nitrogen (N) nutrition on the occurrence of hull rot (caused by Rhizopus stolonifer) in almonds was measured in a heavily infected commercial orchard in 2011 and 2012. Starting in 2008, trees were grown under differing N rates (140, 224, 392. kg/ha). In 2011 spurs in these trees were tagged by type (non-fruiting, one-fruiting, two-fruiting) and evaluated for hull rot incidence after harvest. It is demonstrated here that N application in excess of tree demand significantly increased the incidence of hull rot in fruiting spurs in both 2011 and 2012. In 2012, hull split rate was also observationally recorded every other day in the N treatments of 140 and 392. kg/ha. N application rate altered the pattern of fruit development and delayed the transition from the 'closed hulls' stage to the 'beginning of hull split' stage. However, this delay was not critical in the increased incidence of hull rot and hull infection rates did not significantly differ as a function of difference in time spent within different hull split stages. In conclusion, excess N resulted in higher hull rot incidence due to a higher susceptibility of the hulls, but not due to a longer residence time within a particular stage once the fruit started to split. Possible causal mechanisms of N effect on hull rot and the significance of the disease are considered.

U.S. peach (Prunus persica) growers are challenged by the need to protect their orchards from economically damaging diseases and deliver fruit with the quality expectations of the supply chain. This study focuses on the U.S. southeastern peach sector, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Georgia. This region offers a useful case to analyze growers’ preferences for both fruit quality and disease resistance. We collected primary data from peach operations in 2016 and 2018. In both surveys, a discrete choice experiment was used to advance the understanding of how peach growers in the southeastern United States value fruit quality (i.e., fruit size and external color) vs. disease resistance [i.e., brown rot (Monilinia fructicola)]. The sample of growers surveyed in 2016 growers placed a greater importance on the fruit quality attribute that would imply higher returns, that is, fruit size (expressed as fruit diameter) compared with improvements in brown rot resistance and external fruit color. Meanwhile, the sample of growers surveyed in 2018 placed a higher importance to brown rot resistance and external fruit color compared with fruit size. Findings consistent for the 2 years are that growers are willing to pay for larger rather than smaller improvements in brown rot resistance, and that a large improvement in brown rot resistance is more important than external fruit color.

The cultivation of peach trees constitutes the fourth agricultural line of the province of Pamplona, Norte de Santander , Colombia however, they are the results of research on plant pathology issues. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of different pruning moments on the seasonal dynamics of the main diseases of the peach tree Prunus persica (L.) Batsch in the municipality of Cacota. To achieve this, plots were taken with three pruning moments of the Gran Jarillo cultivar, evaluating the incidence percentage, severity and the Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (ABCPE) of the main foliage and fruit diseases. The lots were evaluated for a period of 11 months, taking into account the environmental conditions of the farm. At the end of the production cycle for each variable, a statistical analysis of comparison of means was performed for unrelated samples according to the Z test (p

Brown rot caused by Monilinia fructicola is the major fungal disease during postharvest storage of peach fruit. In this study, the effects of marine yeast Sporidiobolus pararoseus and alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) used alone or in combination to control brown rot in peach fruit were investigated. The results showed that AOS and S. pararoseus used alone could reduce the disease incidence and lesion diameter of brown rot, and their combination significantly increased the control effect than either treatment alone. Especially in the early stage of disease, the incidence of the untreated control fruit has reached 90%, while the incidences of AOS and S. pararoseus treatment were 36.7% and 30%, however, the combination treatment only showed 13.3% of incidence. The combination treatment of AOS and S. pararoseus can also reduce the weight loss and maintain fruit quality of peaches. Meanwhile, AOS could promote the colonization of S. pararoseus in peach fruit wounds and improve the survival of S. pararoseus under stresses. The combined treatment of S. pararoseus and AOS significantly increased the activities and gene expression of resistance-related enzymes such as catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), β -1,3-glucanase (GNS), chitinase (CHI), promoted the accumulation of total phenols. These findings indicated that the increased biocontrol efficacy of AOS combined with S. pararoseus may be attributed to the promoting growth of S. pararoseus by AOS and the enhanced disease resistance of peaches. Overall, the combined application of AOS and S. pararoseus could be an effective method to control brown rot of peach fruit. • AOS and S. pararoseus used alone or in combination reduced brown rot of peach fruit. • The combination treatment significantly improved the control effect. • AOS promoted the growth of S. pararoseus both in vitro and in peach fruit wounds. • AOS combined with S. pararoseus increased the induced resistance of peach fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The paper was to compare the indoor toxicities of sixteen fungicides on mycelial growth and spore germination of Monilinia fructicola, to screen out effective fungicides and to discuss use characteristics of various types of fungicides. [Method] The inhibitory activities of 16 fungicides on mycelial growth and spore germination were determined by mycelial growth rate method and spore germination method. [Result] The ECs(l values of 16 fungicides against mycelial growth ranged from 0.018 4 to 61.530 5 mg/L. Prochloraz, tetramycin, fenbuconazole and fludioxonil had strong inhibitory activities on mycelial growth, and their EC$, values were 0.018 4, 0-045 6, 0.053 1 and 0-081 4 mg/L, respectively, significantly lower than those of other 12 fungicides. The ECsc, values of 16 fungicides against spore germination ranged from 0.008 4 to 189.393 8 mg/L. Tetramycin and chlorothalonil had strong inhibitory activities on mycelial growth, and their EC® values were 0.008 4 and 0-037 8 mg/L, respectively, significantly lower than those of other 14 fungicides-[Conclusion] The 16 fungicides had great value in preventing and controlling peach brown rot. Benzimidazoles, diformimides and ergosterol inhibitors had good inhibitory' activities on mycelial growth. Strobilurins, succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors and multiple-site protective fungicides had good inhibitory' activities on spore germination. The agricultural antibiotics tetramycin, phenazine-l-carboxylic acid and pyrrole fungicide fludioxonil had good inhibitory activities on mycelial growth and spore germination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit bagging is an acceptable cultural practice for organic production that provides a physical barrier to protect fruit. It can reduce pest and pathogen injury for a variety of fruit crops, but quality attributes have been inconsistent for peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and other bagged fruit. A 2-year experiment on a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organiccertified peach orchard in central Florida was conducted to analyze the effects of a commercially available paper bag designed for fruit protection and cardinal quadrant (north, south, east, and west sides) of the tree canopy on low-chill peach 'TropicBeauty' fruit quality. Protective bags appeared to delay fruit maturity. Flesh firmness and chlorophyll concentration of bagged fruit were 31% and 27% greater than unbagged fruit, respectively. Bagged fruit were protected as demonstrated with a reduction in mechanical injury by 95%, fruit fly injury by 450%, and scablike lesions by 810%. Bagging reduced fruit brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) at harvest and 7 days after harvest; unbagged fruit were 2 and 3.5 times more likely to have rot at harvest and 7 days after harvest, respectively. Fruit bags did not affect yield, fruit size, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, peel lightness, peel hue angle, or flesh color. Overall, canopy cardinal quadrant location had minimal effect on fruit quality or fruit injury. These results demonstrate that bagging peach fruit protects against various pests and diseases but has minimal effects on fruit quality. Broad adoption of this technology is highly dependent on available labor, market demands, and profitability but may be suitable for producers using direct-to-consumer market channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monilinia fructicola is an economically important pathogen, causing brown rot on many fruit trees. Previous studies revealed that the resistance in this pathogen to thiophanate-methyl was associated with multiple amino acid variations in the Tub2 protein. To understand the temperature adapatability and the activity of diethofencarb in differrent types of isolates, the sensitivities to thiophanate-methyl, carbendazim and diethofencarb were investigated in the sensitive type isolates S and three types of resistant isolates including R(E198A), R(E198Q) and R(F200Y), among which the cross-resistance of different types to MBCs and diethofencarb were analyzed. The results showed that the optimum growth temperature of the four types was ranged from 21 to 22 ℃, among which the R(E198Q) isolates had the lowest optimum growth temperature, and its growth rate was significantly smaller than the other three types under the conditions of 13 ℃ and 28 ℃. While no significant difference was observed in the growth rate of S, R(E198A) and R(F200Y) isolates under all temperature conditions. The three resistant types showed different sensitivities to thiophanate-methyl, among which the R(E198Q) type was least resistant, and the R(F200Y) type was no difference from the R(E198A) type at low concentration but significantly less resistant under high concentration of thiophanate. The difference in sensitivity of three resistant types to carbendazim was similar to that of thiophanate-methyl, only in which the R(E198Q) and R(F200Y) types were more sensitive to carbendazim than thiophanate-methyl. The sensitivity test to diethofencarb showed that the R(E198A) isolates were sensitive, and S isolates were insensitive, while the other two types of R(E198Q) and R(F200Y) showed resistance with little difference. The results of linear correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between the sensitivity to benzimidazole fungicides and diethofencarb only in R(E198A) type and S type, (thiophanate-methyl and diethofencarb: r =−0.992, p = 0.000; carbendazim and diethofencarb: r = −0.982, p = 0.001). All the results mentioned above showed that only the R(E198A) type had negative cross-resistance to methyl-benzimidazole carbamates (MBCs) and diethofencarb among the three types of resistant isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The use of extracts of algae in agriculture has been growing because of their benefits to plant development and production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Ascophyllum nodosum extract on the postharvest quality of ‘Irati’ and ‘Reubennel’ plums and on the incidence of brown rot. The treatments consisted of concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mL L-1 of a commercial product containing algae extract (Algamare®) that were applied to the fruits by immersion. The fruits were then stored for 15 (cv. Irati) or 30 days (cv. Reubennel) at 2.5 °C and 90% RH and for two additional days at ambient conditions for further physicochemical analysis. A batch of ‘Reubennel’ plums was inoculated with Monilinia fructicola and kept for seven days in a cold room and an additional nine days at room temperature to evaluate the occurrence of brown rot. The postharvest application of the extract at a concentration of 0.4 mL L-1 altered some of the physicochemical characteristics of the fruit after storage; an increase in the total phenolic compound content and PG activity were observed in ‘Irati’ plums. Reubennel fruits had higher titratable acidity, a lower TSS/TA ratio, lower pulp firmness and higher PME activity. The most significant effect was observed with the application of A. nodosum extract at 0.4 mL L-1, which significantly reduced the incidence and severity of brown rot in the inoculated fruits and had a similar control effect as the application of the fungicide iprodione.

A series of ten chalcones (7a–j) and five new dihydrochromane–chalcone hybrids (7k–o) were synthesized and identified using spectroscopic techniques (IR, NMR, and MS). All compounds were evaluated in vitro against the B. cinerea and M. fructicola phytopathogens that affect a wide range of crops of commercial interest. All compounds were tested against both phytopathogens using the mycelial growth inhibition test, and it was found that two and five compounds had similar activity to that of the positive control for B. cinerea (7a = 43.9, 7c = 45.5, and Captan®= 24.8 µg/mL) and M. fructicola (7a = 48.5, 7d = 78.2, 7e = 56.1, 7f = 51.8, 7n = 63.2, and Mystic®= 21.6 µg/mL), respectively. To understand the key chalcone structural features for the antifungal activity on B. cinerea and M. fructicola, we developed structure–activity models with good statistical values (r2 and q2 higher than 0.8). For B. cinerea, the hydrogen bonding donor and acceptor and the atomic charge on C5 modulate the mycelial growth inhibition activity. In contrast, dipole moment and atomic charge on C1′ and the carbonyl carbon modify the inhibition activity for M. fructicola. These results allow the design of other compounds with activities superior to those of the compounds obtained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monilinia fructicola is the most widely distributed species among the Monilinia genus in the world, and causes blossom blight, twig canker, and fruit rot on Rosaceae fruits. To date, studies on genomics and pathogenicity are limited in M. fructicola. In this study, we identified a redox‐related gene, MfOfd1, which was significantly up‐regulated at 1 hr after inoculation of M. fructicola on peach fruits. We used the clustered regulatory inter‐spaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system combined with homologous recombination to determine the function of the MfOfd1 gene. The results showed that the sporulation of knockdown transformants was reduced by 53% to 83%. The knockdown transformants showed increased sensitivity to H2O2 and decreased virulence on peach fruits compared to the wild‐type isolate Bmpc7. It was found that H2O2 could stimulate the expression of MfOfd1 in the wild‐type isolate. The transformants were also more sensitive to exogenous osmotic stress, such as glycerol, d‐sorbitol, and NaCl, and to dicarboximide fungicides (iprodione and dimethachlon). These results indicate that the MfOfd1 gene plays an important role in M. fructicola in sporulation, oxidative response, osmotic stress tolerance, and virulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monilinia fructicola is an important pathogen, causing brown rot in many fruit trees. Carbendazim is an effective fungicide for the control of this disease. In order to clarify the sensitivity of M. fructicola to carbendazim, and to understand the the genetic structure of this pathogen originated from different hosts, the sensitivities of 17 isolates from cherry, plum and peach were investigated in this study. The genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of 32 M. fructicola isolates from cherry and peach were also analyzed accroding to Tub2 nucleotide sequences. The results showed that the proportion of isolates with EC50 < 1 μg/mL and > 1 μg/mL was 58.8% and 41.2%, respectively, among which the proportion of isolates with EC50 > 50 μg/mL was 17.6%. The population diversity of M. fructicola from peach was higher than that from cherry, with the nucleotide diversity of 3.25 × 10−3 and 9.04 × 10−3, respectively, and the haplotype diversity of 0.883 and 0.242, respectively. Significant genetic differentiation between the two populations was detected, and the degree of differentiation was medium with the FST value of 0.148. The haplotype network analysis showed that the populations from cherry and peach contained 3 and 9 haplotypes, respectively, within which 2 haplotypes were common. Different haplotypes evolved mainly in two ways. One pathway only showed one haplotype from peach population, and the other haplotypes formed the second pathway through different mutation steps. The host-specific test showed that the isolates from cherry had a certain host specificity, while the isolates from peach were less associated with the host. In conclusion, the resistant frequency of M. fructicola to carbendazim was high and the genetic structure of populations from different hosts was quite diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia spp., is a major peach disease worldwide. In this study, the response of peach cultivars Royal Glory (RG) and Rich Lady (RL) to infection by Monilinia fructicola or Monilinia laxa, was characterized. Phenotypic data, after artificial inoculations, revealed that 'RL' was relatively susceptible whereas 'RG' was moderately resistant to Monilinia spp. Comparative proteomic analysis identified mesocarp proteins of the 2 cultivars whose accumulation were altered by the 2 Monilinia species. Functional analysis indicated that pathogen-affected proteins in 'RG' were mainly involved in energy and metabolism, while, differentially accumulated proteins by the pathogen presence in 'RL' were involved in disease/defense and metabolism. A higher number of proteins was differentiated in 'RG' fruit compared to 'RL'. Upon Monilinia spp. infection, various proteins were-down accumulated in 'RL' fruit. Protein identification by mass spectrometric analysis revealed that several defense-related proteins including thaumatin, formate dehydrogenase, S-formylglutathione hydrolase, CBS domain-containing protein, HSP70, and glutathione S-transferase were up-accumulated in 'RG' fruit following inoculation. The expression profile of selected defense-related genes, such as major latex allergen, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase and UDP-glycoltransferase was assessed by RT-PCR. This is the first study deciphering differential regulations of peach fruit proteome upon Monilinia infection elucidating resistance responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal diseases seriously affect agricultural production and the food industry. Crop protection is usually achieved by synthetic fungicides, therefore more sustainable and innovative technologies are increasingly required. The atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma is a novel suitable measure. We report on the effect of plasma treatment on phytopathogenic fungi causing quantitative and qualitative losses of products both in the field and postharvest. We focus our attention on the in vitro direct inhibitory effect of non-contact Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge on conidia germination of Botrytis cinerea, Monilinia fructicola, Aspergillus carbonarius and Alternaria alternata. A few minutes of treatment was required to completely inactivate the fungi on an artificial medium. Morphological analysis of spores by Scanning Electron Microscopy suggests that the main mechanism is plasma etching due to Reactive Oxygen Species or UV radiation. Spectroscopic analysis of plasma generated in humid air gives the hint that the rotational temperature of gas should not play a relevant role being very close to room temperature. In vivo experiments on artificially inoculated cherry fruits demonstrated that inactivation of fungal spores by the direct inhibitory effect of plasma extend their shelf life. Pre-treatment of fruits before inoculation improve the resistance to infections maybe by activating defense responses in plant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction-oxidation (redox) environment of the phytobiome (i.e., the plant-microbe interface) can strongly influence the outcome of the interaction between microbial pathogens, commensals, and their host. We describe a noninvasive method using a bacterial bioreporter that responds to reactive oxygen species and redox-active chemicals to compare microenvironments perceived by microbes during their initial encounter of the plant surface. A redox-sensitive variant of green fluorescent protein (roGFP2), responsive to changes in intracellular levels of reduced and oxidized glutathione, was expressed under the constitutive SP6 and fruR promoters in the epiphytic bacterium Pantoea eucalypti 299R (Pe299R/roGFP2). Analyses of Pe299R/roGFP2 cells by ratiometric fluorometry showed concentration-dependent responses to several redox active chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), dithiothreitol (DTT), and menadione. Changes in intracellular redox were detected within 5 min of addition of the chemical to Pe299R/roGFP2 cells, with approximate detection limits of 25 and 6 µM for oxidation by H2O2 and menadione, respectively, and 10 µM for reduction by DTT. Caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, and ascorbic acid mitigated the H2O2- induced oxidation of the roGFP2 bioreporter. Aqueous washes of peach and rose flower petals from young blossoms created a lower redox state in the roGFP2 bioreporter than washes from fully mature blossoms. The bioreporter also detected differences in surface washes from peach fruit at different stages of maturity and between wounded and nonwounded sites. The Pe299R/roGFP2 reporter rapidly assesses differences in redox microenvironments and provides a noninvasive tool that may complement traditional redox-sensitive chromophores and chemical analyses of cell extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivation of peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) is the fourth agricultural row of Pamplona province; however, research results on plant pathology issues are scarce. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence DAP (Days after Pruning) on the seasonal dynamics of main diseases of the peach tree in the municipality of Cacota. Plots with three pruning moments of the "Gran Jarillo" cultivar were selected to evaluate the incidence percentage, severity and the AUDPC (Area under the Disease Progress Curve) of the main foliage and fruit diseases. Plots were evaluated for an 11-months period, considering the farm environmental conditions. At the end of the production cycle, a statistical analysis of mean comparison was performed for unrelated samples according to the Z test (p <0.05) for each variable. Statistix (V4) and SPSS 23 statistical software were used. Results showed that Taphrina deformans affects mainly leaves and Sphaerotheca pannosa fruits. T. deformans is evident from the moment the first leaves unfold and reached its maximum incidence between 57 and 99 DDP for pruning in November and March, respectively. S. pannosa obtained its highest incidence (98.76%) at 166 DDP in November; for this same treatment Monilinia fructicola reached its highest incidence at 260 DDP and only affected fruits in a ripen state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In June and July 2015 and 2017, typical signs and symptoms of brown rot were observed on the fruit of Japanese apricot, peach, apricot, Japanese plum, and sweet cherry with incidence levels of 2-5% in Jeonju and Imsil, Korea. Early symptoms were small, circular, light brown spots that eventually destroyed entire fruit. Small sporodochia later appeared on the surface. Conidia isolated from each host were one-celled, hyaline, lemon-shaped and borne in branched monilioid chains. The optimal temperature range for hyphal growth of all the isolates was 20-25°C. The growth of hyphae was faster on potato dextrose agar and oatmeal agar than others. Multiple alignments using the ITS sequences from different host showed that they matched each other (100%). The ITS sequences showed 100% identity to those of M. fructicola. Based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis via internal transcribed spacer (ITS), all the isolate was identified as M. fructicola. Pathogenicity of representative isolates was proved by artificial inoculation, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This is the first confirmed report on brown rot caused by M. fructicola on stone fruit in Korea.

Monilinia fructicola, Monilia mumecola and Monilia yunnanensis have been reported as the causal agents of brown rot disease on stone fruits in China. Up to date, these species have been identified from peach and plum, and M. mumecola has also been reported on apricot recently. To investigate whether M. fructicola and M. yunnanensis can cause brown rot disease on apricot in China, 37 isolates were collected from four orchards in Chongqing and Beijing municipalities in 2014. These isolates were divided into two phenotypes according to their distinct colony appearances. Two representative isolates of each phenotype and reference species of M. mumecola from apricot were selected for further analysis. Based on the morphological characterization and molecular identification, the two phenotypes of isolates were identified as M. fructicola and M. yunnanensis, respectively.

In order to study the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by Bacillus subtilis CF‐3 combined with heat treatment on Monilinia fructicola in peach and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in litchi fruit, fruits were treated with B. subtilis CF‐3 VOCs and hot air alone or in combination. The quality indexes of peach and litchi fruit after treatment and the changes in defense‐related enzymes were measured. The results showed that the B. subtilis CF‐3 VOCs combined with heat treatment could significantly reduce the rot index of peach and litchi fruit, and effectively maintain firmness and soluble solids content, as well as reduce weight loss of fruits. The combined treatment effectively enhanced the activity of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) than either treatment alone, and enhanced the resistance of fruit to pathogenic fungi by activating disease‐resistant enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase [PAL], chitinase [CHI], β‐1, 3‐glucanase [GLU]) activity. In this study, B. subtilis CF‐3 VOCs combined with heat treatment maintained the quality and delayed the decline of peach and litchi fruit, providing a theoretical basis for future applications. Practical Application: The combination of B. subtilis CF‐3 VOCs and heat treatment reduce the extent of M. fructicola and C. gloeosporioides. The combination maintain the quality of peach and litchi better. The combination obviously improve the activity of defense‐related enzyme in fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peach fruit is susceptible to fungal contamination during postharvest storage and logistics. Brown rot resulting from Monilinia fructicola infection is one serious disease. Plant glycerol, a natural biodegradable sugar alcohol, can restrain several plant diseases. The inhibitory effect and its mechanism of plant glycerol treatment on brown rot of peach fruit were studied in current study. The findings revealed that 50 mg/g plant glycerol combined with 0.02 % Silwet L-77 surfactant could effectively delay the onset of brown rot caused by M. fructicola. But no concentrations of plant glycerol had significant inhibitory effect on sporangium germination and mycelium growth of M. fructicola. The activities of β-1,3-glucanase (GNS) and chitinase (CHI), the gene relative expression of β-1,3-glucanase (PpGNS), chitinase (PpCHI), pathogenesis-related gene 1 (PpPR1) and nonexpresser of pathogenesis-related gene 1 (PpNPR1) and salicylic acid (SA) content were markedly promoted by plant glycerol treatment. The contents of O 2 −, H 2 O 2 and oleic acid were significantly repressed, but the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) and the expressions of glycerol kinase 1 (PpGLI1) and glycerol triphosphate dehydrogenase (PpGPDH) were significantly improved. Plant glycerol treatment could induce disease resistance through systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in peach fruit, which might be related to improving the synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, plant glycerol treatment is effective on inhibiting brown rot development and possesses potential application in postharvest peach fruit. • Plant glycerol treatment induced disease resistance of peach fruit. • Plant glycerol treatment increased poly unsaturated fatty acid synthesis. • Glycerol activated glycerol-3-phosphate pathway triggering salicylic acid pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monilinia spp. are among the main fungal pathogen affecting peaches, and they can cause severe pre- and postharvest losses. Development of smart packaging technologies (e.g., volatile indicators), facilitating infection detection and preventing other fruit from being contaminated, is still limited. In this study, we compared for the first time the aroma profile of whole healthy fresh peaches to Monilinia fructicola- artificially inoculated peaches, identifying discriminant volatile organic compounds (VOCs). More than one hundred VOCs were detected by applying head space solid-phase microextraction followed by GC-MS analysis. The level of methyl esters, hydrocarbons, lactones, and acids decreased in infected peaches indicating fruit aroma deterioration, while the concentration of ethyl esters and alcohols increased. In particular, the amount of ethanol and derived ethyl acetate reached a maximum of 24- and 20-fold increase in the infected peaches, respectively. Isobutanol, propyl acetate, and ethyl isovalerate were specifically emitted by M. fructicola -infected peaches. These compounds might serve as markers for the development of smart sensors allowing the detection of fungal infection. • Strategies to reduce stone fruit losses caused by Monilinia spp. • Profiling of volatile organic compounds in whole fresh peaches by HS-SPME-GC-MS • Ethanol-sensitive sensors to monitor the quality of fresh fruit. • Specific markers to detect Monilinia fructicola in peaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of the mechanism of saction of wild-type and mutant Monilinia fructicola beta-tubulin protein resistance. • Ligand docking predicts cross resistance to MBCs fungicides for the E198A, E198Q, F200Y. • Study of the free energy of interacting amino acid residues. Monilinia fructicola can infest plants during fruit flowering and during fruit storage and transportation, causing serious economic losses. The resistance problem of methyl benzimidazole carbamates inhibitors fungicide is becoming more and more prominent as the use time increases. By exploring the molecular binding mode, we studied the changes of the binding mode of the main amino acid residues between the four MBCs fungicides and the wild type and mutant Monilinia fructicoloa beta-tubulin protein constructed by homologous modeling. Constructing homology related models through sequence alignment based on sequence information from Monilinia fructicola beta-tubulin protein. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were then used to identify the optimum binding mode of benomyl, carbendazim, thiabendazole and thiophanate-methyl with Monilinia fructicola beta-tubulin protein. Furthermore, we calculated the binding free energy of four wild-type and mutant protein-ligand complexes using MM/PBSA. The result shows that when E198A was mutated, the hydrogen bonding force of thiophanate-methyl binding to the protein was reduced. The possible underlying cause of the resistance is the disappearance of the π-π stacking interaction with Phe200. When E198Q was mutated, all three fungicides, excluding carbendazim, interacted with Gln198 of the protein through hydrogen bonding. However, the binding pattern of carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl were least affected. When F200Y was mutated, the binding pocket of benomyl is slightly altered concerning the binding pattern between the wild-type protein and the fungicide concerning the amino acid residues. The resistance mechanism of M. fructicola beta-tubulin protein to MBCs fungicides and the mechanism of cross-resistance between MBCs fungicides were initially elucidated by computer simulation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study found that 1-octen-3-ol fumigation treatment could effectively induce the resistance of peach fruit diseases. However, 1-octen-3-ol is a liquid fumigant, which is not conducive to storage and application. Herein, the gel of 1 % agar compound with 1 % curdlan was used as a novel material for covering 1-octen-3-ol. The interaction of agar and curdlan was promoted by adding 1-octen-3-ol, leading to a higher thermostability compared to single-component antibacterial gels. Moreover, 1-octen-3-ol resulted in changes in the internal structure and mechanical properties of gel to form a pore-like structure, which is beneficial to the retention and release of 1-octen-3-ol. Additionally, the 2 % agar gel containing 1-octen-3-ol had the best inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of Monilinia fructicola and Rhizopus stolonifer in vitro , and the compound hydrogel of 1 % agar and 1 % curdlan with 1-octen-3-ol could most effectively inhibit brown rot and soft rot caused by these two pathogens in vivo. Overall, the data indicated that the novel 1-octen-3-ol-loaded agar/curdlan hydrogels could effectively retain and release 1-octen-3-ol, and induce the resistance of peach fruit diseases. • Preparation of agar and curdlan compound gel is a good means to limit the release of 1-octen-3-ol. • The interaction of agar and curdlan was promoted with the addition of 1-octen-3-ol. • The polymerisation network formed could facilitate the retention and release of 1-octen-3-ol. • Agar/curdlan hydrogels with 1-octen-3-ol has better control effect on postharvest diseases of peach fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfur-containing salts, classified as food additives, sodium metabisulfite (SMBS), potassium metabisulfite (PMBS), aluminum sulfate (AlS), and aluminum potassium sulfate (AlPS), were evaluated for their activity against Monilinia fructicola, Rhizopus stolonifer, and Geotrichum candidum, the most economically important fungal pathogens causing postharvest disease of stone fruit. In in vitro tests with potato dextrose agar (PDA) Petri dishes amended with different concentrations of the salts (0, 10, 20, 30, 50, and 100 mM), SMBS and PMBS at all concentrations, AlS above 20 mM, and AlPS above 30 mM, completely inhibited the mycelial growth of the three fungi after incubation at 25 °C for up to 10 days. In in vivo primary screenings with artificially inoculated nectarines, aqueous solutions of the four salts reduced the incidence and severity of brown rot (BR) at concentrations of 10 and 50 mM, whereas only AlS and AlPS reduced Rhizopus rot (RR), and none of the salts was effective against sour rot (SR). Solutions at 100 mM were phytotoxic and injured the fruit peel. In small-scale trials, 1 min dip treatments at 20 °C in SMBS or PMBS at 10 mM significantly reduced the incidence and severity of BR after incubation at 20 °C for up to 8 days. Conversely, dips in AlS and AlPS reduced neither BR nor RR. Results highlight the potential of SMBS and PMBS as new nonpolluting tools for the integrated control of BR, but not RR and SR, on stone fruit.

The aim of this study was to synthesize a series of novel and known dihydrocarvone-hybrid derivatives (2–9) and to evaluate mycelial growth activity of hybrid molecules against two strains of Monilinia fructicola, as well as their toxicity. Dihydrocarvone-hybrid derivatives have been synthesized under sonication conditions and characterized by FTIR, NMR, and HRMS. Antifungal efficacy against both strains of M. fructicola was determined by half maximal effective concentration (EC50) and toxicity using the brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT). Among the synthesized compounds, 7 and 8 showed the best activity against both strains of M. fructicola with EC50 values of 148.1 and 145.9 µg/mL for strain 1 and 18.1 and 15.7 µg/mL for strain 2, respectively, compared to BC 1000® (commercial organic fungicide) but lower than Mystic® 520 SC. However, these compounds showed low toxicity values, 910 and 890 µg/mL, respectively, compared to Mystic® 520 SC, which was highly toxic. Based on the results, these hybrid compounds could be considered for the development of more active, less toxic, and environmentally friendly antifungal agents against phytopathogenic fungi.

In this study, we evaluated the effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by Bacillus subtilis CF-3 in inhibiting Monilinia fructicola in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro experiments, the effect of VOCs on the growth of the pathogenic fungi was explored by using plate enthalpy test; mycelial morphology was studied by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy; and fatty acid contents in the cell membrane were assessed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that treatment with benzothiazole and CF-3 for 24 h, in the form of a fermentation broth (24hFB), significantly inhibited the germination of fungal spores, modified hyphal and cell morphology, and decreased the cell membrane fluidity and integrity. In the in vivo experiments, the effect of VOCs on the defense mechanism of peach fruit toward M. fructicola was studied, and we found that benzothiazole and CF-3 24hFB inhibited the activity of the pathogenic enzymes (pectinase, cellulase) secreted by M. fructicola to reduce the decomposition of plant tissues, activate the antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase) in the fruit to eliminate excessive reactive oxygen species in order to reduce plant cell damage, and trigger the disease-resistant enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, chitinases, and β-1,3-glucanase) to enhance the resistance of peach fruit to M. fructicola and inhibit its growth. This study suggests that CF-3 VOCs could activate disease-resistant enzymes to prevent the invasion of pathogenic fungi and induce resistance in peach, thereby providing a theoretical basis for future applications.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal action of ethanolic extracts of avocado seeds, by conducting two experiments in the laboratory of plant pathology of EPAMIG SUL/Lavras, MG, Brazil, in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The first consisted of the following treatments ('Breda' 3%, 'Breda' 2%, 'Margarida' 3%, 'Margarida' 2%, Control, and Ethanol) testing its inhibitory effect on two fungal species (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Monilinia fructicola) and the second consisted of different concentrations of extracts (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) on the fungus F fructicola. The evaluations were performed at three times (7, 14, and 21 days of incubation) by measurements of the mycelial diameter using a digital caliper. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and the averages were compared by Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The results demonstrated the positive potential of the ethanolic extracts of avocado seed on the mycelial development of fungi M. fructicola and C. gloeosporioides during the evaluated days.

Over the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the development of alternative pest control strategies to reduce environmental impact. In this contest, exclusion nets have been evaluated as a sustainable alternative to pesticides. In this study, the use of a photoselective exclusion net was investigated in semi-field conditions as a potential strategy to protect nectarine orchards from different pests (i.e., fruit moths, Halyomorpha halys and Drosophila suzukii) in NW Italy. The presence and abundance of pest populations inside and outside the net, as well as the damage they caused on fruits, were evaluated. Moreover, any possible effects of the net on beneficial arthropods, postharvest rots and fruit quality and nutraceutical parameters were considered. The exclusion net significantly reduced pest populations. At harvest, fruit damage caused by Grapholita molesta and H. halys in netted plots was reduced up to 90% and to 78%, respectively, compared with insecticide-treated plots. The exclusion net allowed the production of healthier fruits with a strong reduction of insecticide treatments (up to seven less) and of their related costs without any negative impact on postharvest rots, neither fruit quality nor nutraceutical properties.

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