Aug 2026· Pathogens· Vol 15, pp. 849· 0 citations· 65 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Findings establish F. solani as a causal agent of durian stem rot in Hainan and highlight the potential of Bacillus-based biological control as a sustainable strategy for disease management in durian production systems.
Abstract
Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) is a high-value tropical fruit crop that has recently been cultivated on a commercial scale in Hainan Province, China. However, emerging diseases increasingly threaten sustainable production and fruit quality. Field surveys conducted in Sanya, Hainan, identified stem rot as the predominant disease affecting durian trees, with a disease incidence of approximately 26.6%. Affected trees exhibited necrotic lesions at stem-branch junctions, followed by leaf abscission and progressive decline. The causal agent was identified using morphological characteristics, phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene regions, and pathogenicity assays. Inoculated plants developed symptoms consistent with those observed under field conditions, thereby fulfilling Koch’s postulates. Both morphological and multilocus molecular analyses consistently identified the pathogen as Fusarium solani. A total of 20 Fusarium isolates were obtained from diseased durian stem samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. solani causing stem rot of durian in Hainan Province, China. In addition, Bacillus subtilis SYST2 exhibited strong antagonistic activity against F. solani isolates FS-1, FS-2, and FS-3 in vitro, with inhibition rates of 55.7%, 54.6%, and 53.3%, respectively. Field trials further demonstrated that application of SYST2 significantly suppressed disease development, achieving a biocontrol efficacy of 53.51%. These findings establish F. solani as a causal agent of durian stem rot in Hainan and highlight the potential of Bacillus-based biological control as a sustainable strategy for disease management in durian production systems.
The findings provide a theoretical foundation for accurate disease diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, and the development of effective chemical control strategies for rubber plantations.
Zhiying Cai, Lili He, Li-Ming Dai et al.· Plants· 0 citations
Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) production is increasingly threatened by fungal diseases under conditions of intensive horticulture and ongoing climate change. In southeastern Kazakhstan, symptoms associated with Alternaria spp. have become more frequent in commercial orchards; however, molecularly confirmed data on the pathogen associated with these symptoms remain limited. This study aimed to identify, using multigene molecular phylogenetic analysis, an Alternaria isolate obtained from infected apple leaves and fruits, to confirm its pathogenicity experimentally, and to compare the susceptibility of apple cultivars to this pathogen. For molecular identification, nucleotide sequences of four genetic markers—the ITS region of rDNA, SSU, tef1-α, and RPB2—were obtained by PCR and sequencing. The sequences were compared with reference data from the GenBank database using BLASTn, and phylogenetic relationships were inferred using the maximum likelihood method based on a concatenated dataset of the four loci. The isolate KZ17 clustered within the A. alternata clade, with the broader node uniting this group with A. gossypina and A. longipes receiving a bootstrap value of 78%. A total of 20 fungal isolates were obtained from 112 symptomatic apple leaf and fruit samples. Among them, one representative isolate, KZ17, was selected for multilocus molecular identification and pathogenicity testing. The pathogenicity of isolate KZ17 was confirmed in inoculation experiments on apple microshoots under controlled conditions. Artificial inoculation of detached leaves and ripe fruits of 14 apple cultivars revealed significant cultivar-dependent differences in susceptibility. Lesion diameters ranged from 12.3 ± 0.20 to 19.2 ± 0.35 mm on detached leaves and from 15.0 ± 1.2 to 30.0 ± 2.4 mm on ripe fruits. The least susceptible cultivars were ‘Granny Smith’, ‘Zaman’, and ‘Maksat’, whereas ‘Voskhod’, ‘Saltanat’, and ‘Kamila’ showed the greatest susceptibility. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). This study provides the first multigene-based confirmation of the association of A. alternata with apple leaf and fruit lesions in southeastern Kazakhstan and demonstrates cultivar-dependent differences in susceptibility to this pathogen. These findings contribute to improved pathogen diagnostics, germplasm screening for resistance, and the development of plant protection strategies for commercial apple orchards.
G. Kairova, S. Kazybayeva, Saule Korabayeva et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations
In vitro fungicide sensitivity assays, performed using the hyphal growth inhibition method against six common fungicides, demonstrated that Carbendazim was the most effective agent, indicating significant selectivity.
Fang Wu, Jing Tu, Zhu-xiang Liu et al.· Plant Disease· 0 citations
Background: Botrytis cinerea gray mold is one of the most significant diseases that limits strawberry productivity under field and postharvest conditions. It is essential to accurately identify the pathogen and examine potential control options to develop effective disease-management strategies. Objective: This study aimed to isolate and identify Botrytis cinerea associated with gray mold of strawberry, validate representative isolates through ITS-rDNA sequencing, determine their pathogenicity, and perform an in vitro assessment of the efficacy of selected fungicides, antagonistic microorganisms (AMO) and botanical extracts. Methodology: From Dec. 2024 to Mar. 2025, symptomatic strawberry samples were collected from various growing areas of northern Iraq. Isolation of the fungal isolates was performed on potato dextrose agar and subsequently purified with the hyphal-tip technique. Identification was performed first through colony and microscopic characteristics, then confirmed with pathogenicity tests and amplifying the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA (ITS-rDNA) using primers ITS1 and ITS4. PCR products were sequenced, compared with reference sequences in the NCBI database using BLAST and analyzed phylogenetically using MEGA. In vitro evaluations were conducted to assess the inhibitory effects of selected fungicides, microbial antagonists, and plant extracts. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and means compared using Tukey's test at p < 0.05 when appropriate. Results: B. cinerea was confirmed in infected strawberry tissues by morphology determination and pathogenicity test. ITS-rDNA sequencing of representative isolates revealed significant homology with reference B. cinerea sequences found in GenBank, and phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the tested isolates fell within the B. cinerea group. Isolates evaluated differed in virulence. In vitro, all tested fungicides decreased fungal growth, compared to the control with dicarboximide having the lowest EC50 followed by benzimidazole and then other fungicides. Biological Control Trichoderma spp. showed the highest antagonistic activity. The botanical extracts tested also inhibited the growth of fungi, and all separated these 12 strains into three antifungal bands; Allium sativum had the maximum antifungal effect, followed by Mentha spicata and Tagetes patula, Asystasia gangetica & Syzygium cumini & Rosmarinus officinalis & Achillea millefolium. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained, the current study concluded the presence of abnormally shaped colonies through a multi-faceted approach that included pathogenesis tests and ITS-rDNA sequencing to provide accurate identification of gray mold in strawberries (Botrytis cinerea). The study demonstrated significant variability among the isolates, highlighting the importance of accurate pathogen identification before implementing control measures. The results indicate that dicarboxymides, Trichoderma species, and garlic extract (Allium sativum) were the most effective chemical, biological, and phytochemical treatments, respectively. These findings support the feasibility of integrated management approaches that combine biological, phytochemical, and conventional fungicides for controlling gray mold in strawberries.
Ahmed R. Alsharmani, Ali Marzooq Salman, Hawraa Razzaq Dhaher ALaboudi et al.· International Journal of Env...· 0 citations
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is a soil-borne fungal pathogen responsible for fusarium wilt, which constitutes one of the major constraints in banana cultivation. Information on the occurrence and molecular characteristics of Foc in Malang Regency, one of the banana-producing areas in East Java, Indonesia, remains limited, hindering effective disease surveillance and management. This study was conducted to isolate and characterize fungal isolates associated with fusarium wilt disease in banana plants using an integrated approach combining morphological characterization, pathogenicity testing, PCR amplification, ITS sequence analysis, and phylogenetic analysis. Three fungal isolates were recovered from symptomatic banana plants collected in Donomulyo, Malang Regency, and one representative isolate (DNM) was selected for molecular characterization based on its morphological similarity to the other isolates. Morphological observations revealed characteristics typical of Fusarium oxysporum. ITS sequence analysis showed 100% query coverage and 100% sequence identity with reference Foc sequences available in GenBank, while phylogenetic analysis clustered the DNM isolate with reference Foc isolates with 94% bootstrap support. Pathogenicity assays demonstrated that the isolate induced typical fusarium wilt symptoms, resulting in an LDI of 16.39% at 14 DAI and an RDI of 41.67% at 45 DAI. These findings provide baseline information on putative Foc isolates in Malang Regency, particularly in the Donomulyo area, and establish an integrated characterization framework to support disease surveillance, early detection, and the development of integrated management strategies for fusarium wilt in banana production systems.
Amomum villosum is an evergreen perennial herb widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with significant economic and medicinal importance. Throughout the cultivation process, it faces severe fungal disease problems that significantly impact its yield and quality. In July 2025, leaf spot disease with a 56% incidence was observed on A. villosum in Wenshan, Yunnan, China. Affected leaves initially developed irregular grayish-white lesions surrounded by brown margins. As symptom development progressed, semi-submerged black spots formed on the lesion surfaces. Severe infections resulted in premature leaf abscission and, ultimately, death of the entire plant. To identify the pathogen responsible, we conducted isolation and pathogenicity studies. Through morphological characterization, phylogenetic analysis (ITS, LSU, and TUB), and pathogenicity tests, Pestalotiopsis microspora was determined as a pathogen. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled on attached leaves. After 15 days, typical necrotic lesions appeared on inoculated leaves, while controls remained symptom-free. This is the first report of A. villosum leaf spot caused by P. microspora in China. Biocontrol assays revealed that Trichoderma harzianum T15 and T. asperellum T16 exhibited significant antagonistic activity against P. microspora, with inhibition rates of 44.77% and 50.70%, respectively. In addition, Bacillus velezensis SWFU41, isolated from healthy A. villosum leaves, showed superior disease suppression, achieving a control efficacy of 60.52%. Compared with the fungal biocontrol agents, B. velezensis demonstrated greater inhibitory activity against the pathogen, suggesting that bacterial antagonists may provide a more effective biological control strategy for managing A. villosum leaf spot disease. This is the first report of P. microspora-caused leaf spot disease on A. villosum. Furthermore, the comparative evaluation of fungal and bacterial antagonists demonstrated that B. velezensis SWFU41 outperformed T. harzianum and T. asperellum in disease suppression, highlighting its potential as a promising biocontrol agent for sustainable disease management. These findings provide a scientific basis for pathogen monitoring, epidemiological studies, and the development of integrated biological control strategies for A. villosum cultivation.
Namchul Pu, Rui Wang, Wan-Shan Shao et al.· Journal of Fungi· 0 citations