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Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 14329

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carlos Garrido

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Departamento de Biomedicina, Biotecnología y Salud Pública, Laboratorio de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
Interests: plant pathogens; pathogenic fungi; endophytic microorganisms; Botrytis cinerea; molecular biology of microorganisms
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Dr. Victoria E. González-Rodríguez

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Dr. Hernando José Bolivar Anillo

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Programa de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas y Biomédicas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia
Interests: biocontrol; endophytic microorganisms; Botrytis cinerea
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fungal pathogens are widely known to be destructive, causing economically important plant diseases, especially in greenhouse crops and ornamentals, during their cultivation, storage, and distribution. In recent years, significant developments have been made in the biology of fungi at the genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic levels. In this way, it has been possible to identify genes such as pathogenicity and/or virulence factors, proteins secreted and used by the fungi to cause infection, and also toxins and other metabolites synthesized by these pathogens. Although many scientific advances have been made in the development of in vitro experiments, many groups are choosing to carry out in vivo experiments, closer to reality, where the plant can develop their defense mechanisms. In this Special Issue of the Plants journal, titled "Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction", we want to collect articles from your research groups that study these attack mechanisms of fungal pathogens during plant infection or related with the mechanisms of infection of fungi and mechanisms of defense of host plants, including genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic approaches.

Dr. Carlos Garrido
Dr. Victoria E. González-Rodríguez
Dr. Hernando José Bolivar Anillo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fungal pathogen
plant interaction
pathogenicity factor
virulence genes
disease
infection
proteome
secondary metabolites
toxins
biocontrol

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2660 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnaporthe oryzae Effector AvrPik-D Targets Rice Rubisco Small Subunit OsRBCS4 to Suppress Immunity

by Linlin Song, Tao Yang, Xinxiao Wang, Wenyu Ye and Guodong Lu

Plants 2024, 13(9), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091214 - 27 Apr 2024

Viewed by 397

Abstract

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), is a highly destructive disease that significantly impacts rice yield and quality. During the infection, M. oryzae secretes effector proteins to subvert the host immune response. However, the interaction between the effector protein AvrPik-D and its target proteins in rice, and the mechanism by which AvrPik-D exacerbates disease severity to facilitate infection, remains poorly understood. In this study, we found that the M. oryzae effector AvrPik-D interacts with the Rubisco (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) small subunit OsRBCS4. The overexpression of the OsRBCS4 gene in transgenic rice not only enhances resistance to M. oryzae but also induces more reactive oxygen species following chitin treatment. OsRBCS4 localizes to chloroplasts and co-localizes with AvrPik-D within these organelles. AvrPik-D suppresses the transcriptional expression of OsRBCS4 and inhibits Rubisco activity in rice. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the M. oryzae effector AvrPik-D targets the Rubisco small subunit OsRBCS4 and inhibits its carboxylase and oxygenase activity, thereby suppressing rice innate immunity to facilitate infection. This provides a novel mechanism for the M. oryzae effector to subvert the host immunity to promote infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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21 pages, 2832 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Vitro Studies of Endophytic Bacteria Isolated from Ginger (Zingiber officinale) as Potential Plant-Growth-Promoting and Biocontrol Agents against Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum acutatum

by Alejandro Bódalo, Rogelio Borrego, Carlos Garrido, Hernando José Bolivar-Anillo, Jesús M. Cantoral, María Dolores Vela-Delgado, Victoria E. González-Rodríguez and María Carbú

Plants 2023, 12(23), 4032; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234032 - 30 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1996

Abstract

Agriculture currently confronts a multitude of challenges arising from the excessive utilization of chemical pesticides and the proliferation of phytopathogenic fungi strains that exhibit resistance to commonly employed active compounds in the field. Botrytis cinerea and Colletotrichum acutatum are phytopathogenic fungi that inflict substantial economic losses within agriculture and food due to their high impacts on crops both pre- and post-harvest. Furthermore, the emergence of fungal strains that are resistant to commercial fungicides has exacerbated this problem. To explore more environmentally sustainable alternatives for the control of these pathogens, an investigation into the endophytic bacteria associated with ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) was conducted. The primary focus of this study involved evaluating their inhibitory efficacy against the fungi and assessing their potential for promoting plant growth. The endophytic bacteria genera Lelliottia, Lysinibacillus, Kocuria, Agrococcus, Acinetobacter, Agrobacterium, Zymobacter, and Mycolicibacterium were identified. All isolates showed remarkable in vitro antagonistic ability against B. cinerea (>94%) and C. acutatum (>74%). Notably, the Lelliottia amnigena J29 strain exhibited a notable proficiency in producing extracellular enzymes and indole compounds (IAA), solubilizing phosphate and potassium, and forming biofilm. Furthermore, the Lysinibacillus capsici J26, Agrococcus citreus J28, and Mycolicibacterium sp. J5 strains displayed the capacity for atmospheric nitrogen fixation and siderophore production. These findings underscore the agricultural and biotechnological potential of endophytic bacteria derived from ginger plants and suggest the feasibility of developing alternative approaches to manage these two phytopathogenic fungi. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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17 pages, 3307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lytic and Molecular Evidence of the Widespread Coriander Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Alternaria dauci

by Khalid M. Ghoneem, Abdulaziz A. Al-Askar, Seham M. A. El-Gamal, Ehsan M. Rashad, Elsherbiny A. Elsherbiny, Shafik D. Ibrahim, Samy A. Marey and WesamEldin I. A. Saber

Plants 2023, 12(22), 3872; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12223872 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 992

Abstract

Coriandrum sativum L. is a globally significant economic herb with medicinal and aromatic properties. While coriander leaf blight disease was previously confined to India and the USA, this study presents new evidence of its outbreak in Africa and the Middle East caused by Alternaria dauci. Infected leaves display irregular chlorotic to dark brown necrotic lesions along their edges, resulting in leaf discoloration, collapse, and eventual death. The disease also impacts inflorescences and seeds, significantly reducing seed quality. Koch’s postulates confirmed the pathogenicity of the fungus through the re-isolation of A. dauci from artificially infected leaves, and its morphology aligns with typical A. dauci features. Notably, this study identified strong lytic activity (cellulase: 23.76 U, xylanase: 12.83 U, pectinase: 51.84 U, amylase: 9.12 U, and proteinase: 5.73 U), suggesting a correlation with pathogenicity. Molecular characterization using ITS (ON171224) and the specific Alt-a-1 gene (OR236142) supports the fungal morphology. This research provides the first comprehensive documentation of the pathological, lytic, and molecular evidence of A. dauci leaf blight disease on coriander. Future investigations should prioritize the development of resistant coriander varieties and sustainable disease management strategies, including the use of advanced molecular techniques for swift and accurate disease diagnosis to protect coriander from the devastating impact of A. dauci. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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14 pages, 2548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hormonal Interplay Leading to Black Knot Disease Establishment and Progression in Plums

by Ranjeet Shinde, Murali-Mohan Ayyanath, Mukund Shukla, Walid El Kayal, Praveen Saxena and Jayasankar Subramanian

Plants 2023, 12(20), 3638; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203638 - 21 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1056

Abstract

Black Knot (BK) is a deadly disease of European (Prunus domestics) and Japanese (Prunus salicina) plums caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Apiosporina morbosa. After infection, the appearance of warty black knots indicates a phytohormonal imbalance in infected tissues. Based on this hypothesis, we quantified phytohormones such as indole-3-acetic acid, tryptophan, indoleamines (N-acetylserotonin, serotonin, and melatonin), and cytokinins (zeatin, 6-benzyladenine, and 2-isopentenyladenine) in temporally collected tissues of susceptible and resistant genotypes belonging to European and Japanese plums during of BK progression. The results suggested auxin-cytokinins interplay driven by A. morbosa appears to be vital in disease progression by hampering the plant defense system. Taken together, our results indicate the possibility of using the phytohormone profile as a biomarker for BK resistance in plums. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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11 pages, 9961 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drought Resistant Resting Cysts of Paraphysoderma sedebokerense Preserves the Species Viability and Its Virulence

by David Alors, Sammy Boussiba and Aliza Zarka

Plants 2023, 12(18), 3230; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183230 - 11 Sep 2023

Viewed by 775

Abstract

The blastocladialean fungus P. sedebokerense is a facultative parasite of economically important microalgae and for this reason it has gained a lot of interest. P. sedebokerense has a complex life cycle which includes vegetative and resting stages. The resting cysts were assumed to play an essential role in survival by resisting drought, but this ability was never tested and the factors that trigger their formation were not evaluated. This study was aimed to induce resting cyst formation and germination in P. sedebokerense. At first, we tested the survival of P. sedebokerense liquid cultures and found that infectivity is retained for less than two months when the cultures were stored on the bench at room temperature. We noticed that dry cultures retained the infectivity for a longer time. We, thus, developed a method, which is based on dehydration and rehydration of the biomass, to produce, maintain, and germinate resting cysts of P. sedebokerense in both saprophytic and parasitic modes of growth. When the dry cultures were rehydrated and incubated at 30 °C, resting cysts asynchronously germinated after 5 h and the “endosporangium” was protruding outside of the cyst. Our method can be used to preserve P. sedebokerense for research purposes with the advantage of no need for expensive equipment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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12 pages, 4948 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screening for Fungicide Efficacy in Controlling Blackleg Disease in Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum)

by Yanjun Liu, Changjiang Song, Xin Ren, Guoli Wu, Zihan Ma, Mantong Zhao, Yujia Xie, Yu Li and Yunsong Lai

Plants 2023, 12(17), 3149; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12173149 - 1 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1067

Abstract

Blackleg disease is devastating for wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) production, occurring at any time and everywhere within the main production area of the Sichuan Province, China. There have been very few studies on the chemical control of this disease. In this study, we isolated and identified a local popular strain of the pathogen Plenodomus wasabiae. The isolated fungus strain caused typical disease spots on the leaves and rhizomes upon inoculation back to wasabi seedlings. The symptoms of blackleg disease developed very quickly, becaming visible on the second day after exposure to P. wasabiae and leading to death within one week. We then evaluated the efficacy of ten widely used fungicides to screen out effective fungicides. The efficacy of the tested fungicides was determined through mycelial growth inhibition on medium plates. As a result, tebuconazole and pyraclostrobin were able to inhibit the mycelial growth of P. wasabiae, and the most widely used dimethomorph in local production areas produced the lowest inhibition activity (13.8%). Nevertheless, the highest control efficacy of tebuconazole and pyraclostrobin on wasabi seedlings was only 47.48% and 39.03%, respectively. Generally, the control efficacy of spraying the fungicide before inoculation was better than that after inoculation. An increase in the application concentration of the two fungicides did not proportionately result in improved performance. We cloned the full-length sequence of sterol 14-demethylase (CYP51) and cytochrome B (CYTB) of which the mutations may contribute to the possible antifungalresistance. These two genes of the isolated fungus do not possess any reported mutations that lead to fungicide resistance. Previous studies indicate that there is a significant difference between fungicides in terms of the effectiveness of controlling blackleg disease; however, the control efficacy of fungicides is limited in blackleg control. Therefore, field management to prevent wound infection and unfavorable environmental conditions are more important than pesticide management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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14 pages, 2956 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Induce Changes of Photosynthesis-Related Parameters in Virus Infected Grapevine

by Emanuel Gaši, Tomislav Radić, Mate Čarija, Giorgio Gambino, Raffaella Balestrini and Katarina Hančević

Plants 2023, 12(9), 1783; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12091783 - 26 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1220

Abstract

The negative effects of viruses and the positive effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on grapevine performance are well reported, in contrast to the knowledge about their interactive effects in perennial plants, e.g., in grapevine. To elucidate the physiological consequences of grapevine–AMF–virus interactions, two different AMF inoculum (Rhizophagus irregularis and ‘Mix AMF’) were used on grapevine infected with grapevine rupestris stem pitting virus, grapevine leafroll associated virus 3 and/or grapevine pinot gris virus. Net photosynthesis rate (A_N), leaf transpiration (E), intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) and conductance to H₂O (g_s) were measured at three time points during one growing season. Furthermore, quantum efficiency in light (Φ_PSII) and electron transport rate (ETR) were surveyed in leaves of different maturity, old (basal), mature (middle) and young (apical) leaf. Lastly, pigment concentration and growth parameters were analysed. Virus induced changes in grapevine were minimal in this early infection stage. However, the AMF induced changes of grapevine facing biotic stress were most evident in higher net photosynthesis rate, conductance to H₂O, chlorophyll a concentration, total carotenoid concentration and dry matter content. The AMF presence in the grapevine roots seem to prevail over virus infection, with Rhizophagus irregularis inducing greater photosynthesis changes in solitary form rather than mixture. This study shows that AMF can be beneficial for grapevine facing viral infection, in the context of functional physiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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Review

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21 pages, 1188 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Overview of Mycorrhiza in Pines: Research, Species, and Applications

by Valentyna Dyshko, Dorota Hilszczańska, Kateryna Davydenko, Slavica Matić, W. Keith Moser, Piotr Borowik and Tomasz Oszako

Plants 2024, 13(4), 506; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13040506 - 11 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1180

Abstract

In the latest literature, climate models show that the conditions for pines, spruces, larches, and birches will deteriorate significantly. In Poland, as well as in other European countries, there are already signs of the decline of these species. This review article deals with the symbiotic relationships between fungi and plants, which can hardly be overestimated, using the example of pine trees. These are the oldest known symbiotic relationships, which are of great benefit to both components and can help plants, in particular, survive periods of severe drought and the attack of pathogens on the roots. This article describes symbioses and their causal conditions, as well as the mycorrhizal components of pine trees and their properties; characterizes ectomycorrhizal fungi and their mushroom-forming properties; and provides examples of the cultivation of pure fungal cultures, with particular attention to the specificity of the mycorrhizal structure and its effects on the growth and development of Pinus species. Finally, the role of mycorrhiza in plant protection and pathogen control is described. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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19 pages, 1133 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biofilm-Forming Ability of Phytopathogenic Bacteria: A Review of its Involvement in Plant Stress

by María Evangelina Carezzano, María Fernanda Paletti Rovey, Lorena del Rosario Cappellari, Lucas Antonio Gallarato, Pablo Bogino, María de las Mercedes Oliva and Walter Giordano

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112207 - 3 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2639

Abstract

Phytopathogenic bacteria not only affect crop yield and quality but also the environment. Understanding the mechanisms involved in their survival is essential to develop new strategies to control plant disease. One such mechanism is the formation of biofilms; i.e., microbial communities within a three-dimensional structure that offers adaptive advantages, such as protection against unfavorable environmental conditions. Biofilm-producing phytopathogenic bacteria are difficult to manage. They colonize the intercellular spaces and the vascular system of the host plants and cause a wide range of symptoms such as necrosis, wilting, leaf spots, blight, soft rot, and hyperplasia. This review summarizes up-to-date information about saline and drought stress in plants (abiotic stress) and then goes on to focus on the biotic stress produced by biofilm-forming phytopathogenic bacteria, which are responsible for serious disease in many crops. Their characteristics, pathogenesis, virulence factors, systems of cellular communication, and the molecules implicated in the regulation of these processes are all covered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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29 pages, 11727 KiB

Open AccessReview

From Genes to Molecules, Secondary Metabolism in Botrytis cinerea: New Insights into Anamorphic and Teleomorphic Stages

by Haroldo da Silva Ripardo-Filho, Víctor Coca Ruíz, Ivonne Suárez, Javier Moraga, Josefina Aleu and Isidro G. Collado

Plants 2023, 12(3), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030553 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2225

Abstract

The ascomycete Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr., classified within the family Sclerotiniaceae, is the agent that causes grey mould disease which infects at least 1400 plant species, including crops of economic importance such as grapes and strawberries. The life cycle of B. cinerea consists of two phases: asexual (anamorph, Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr.) and sexual (teleomorph, Botryotinia fuckeliana (de Bary) Wetzel). During the XVI International Symposium dedicated to the Botrytis fungus, which was held in Bari in June 2013, the scientific community unanimously decided to assign the most widely used name of the asexual form, Botrytis, to this genus of fungi. However, in the literature, we continue to find articles referring to both morphic stages. In this review, we take stock of the genes and metabolites reported for both morphic forms of B. cinerea between January 2015 and October 2022. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Plant-Fungal Pathogen Interaction)

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