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Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants
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Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 11570

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wei Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
Interests: plant-pathogen interactions; plant immunity; plant defense signaling; genetic engineering
Dr. Wei Tang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: rice blast; fungal development; pathogenesis; genomics; plant-pathogen interactions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In their natural habitats, plants inevitably encounter a broad range of microbial pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, viruses, nematodes and other organisms. Plants have evolved sophisticated defense mechanisms to protect themselves against these potential threats. Some adapted pathogens can evade or overcome host immune systems to cause diseases, which pose great risks to food safety and security. The advances in research on diseases of plants may provide effective strategies for the sustainable control of these diseases.

In this Special Issue of Biology, we welcome fundamental and advanced applied research articles or reviews on the genetics, omics, biochemistry, and molecular biology in the field of plant–pathogen interactions that advance our understanding of plant disease or disease controls.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Wei Cheng
Dr. Wei Tang
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. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • phytopathogen
  • plant immunity
  • plant disease resistance
  • gene expression/regulation
  • signal regulation
  • pathogenesis
  • virulence
  • genetic engineering
  • disease control

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3210 KiB  
Article
Integrative Transcriptome Analysis of mRNA and miRNA in Pepper’s Response to Phytophthora capsici Infection
by Yuan Li, Nan Wang, Jianwen Guo, Xianjun Zhou, Xueyi Bai, Muhammad Azeem, Liyun Zhu, Lin Chen, Moli Chu, Hui Wang and Wei Cheng
Biology 2024, 13(3), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13030186 - 14 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1043
Abstract
Phytophthora blight of pepper is a notorious disease caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora capsici, which poses a great threat to global pepper production. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of non-coding small RNAs that regulate gene expressions by altering the translation efficiency [...] Read more.
Phytophthora blight of pepper is a notorious disease caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora capsici, which poses a great threat to global pepper production. MicroRNA (miRNA) is a class of non-coding small RNAs that regulate gene expressions by altering the translation efficiency or stability of targeted mRNAs, which play important roles in the regulation of a plant’s response to pathogens. Herein, time-series mRNA-seq libraries and small RNA-seq libraries were constructed using pepper roots from the resistant line CM334 and the susceptible line EC01 inoculated with P. capsici at 0, 6, 24, and 48 h post-inoculation, respectively. For mRNA-seq analysis, a total of 2159 and 2971 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in CM334 and EC01, respectively. For miRNA-seq analysis, 491 pepper miRNAs were identified, including 330 known miRNAs and 161 novel miRNAs. Among them, 69 and 88 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were identified in CM334 and EC01, respectively. Examination of DEMs and their targets revealed 22 regulatory networks, predominantly featuring up-regulated miRNAs corresponding to down-regulated target genes. Notably, these DEM-DEG regulatory networks exhibited significant overlap between CM334 and EC01, suggesting that they might contribute to pepper’s basal defense against P. capsici. Furthermore, five selected DEMs (miR166, miR1171, miR395, miR530 and miRN2) and their target genes underwent qRT-PCR validation, confirming a consistent negative correlation in the expression patterns of miRNAs and their targets. This comprehensive analysis provides novel insights into the regulatory networks of miRNAs and their targets, offering valuable contributions to our understanding of pepper’s defense mechanisms against P. capsici. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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25 pages, 6188 KiB  
Article
First European Erwinia amylovora Lytic Bacteriophage Cocktails Effective in the Host: Characterization and Prospects for Fire Blight Biocontrol
by Elena G. Biosca, Ricardo Delgado Santander, Félix Morán, Àngela Figàs-Segura, Rosa Vázquez, José Francisco Català-Senent and Belén Álvarez
Biology 2024, 13(3), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13030176 - 08 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1416
Abstract
Fire blight, caused by the plant-pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a highly contagious and difficult-to-control disease due to its efficient dissemination and survival and the scarcity of effective control methods. Copper and antibiotics are the most used treatments but pose environmental and [...] Read more.
Fire blight, caused by the plant-pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a highly contagious and difficult-to-control disease due to its efficient dissemination and survival and the scarcity of effective control methods. Copper and antibiotics are the most used treatments but pose environmental and human health risks. Bacteriophages (phages) constitute an ecological, safe, and sustainable fire blight control alternative. The goal of this study was to search for specific E. amylovora phages from plant material, soil, and water samples in Mediterranean environments. A collection of phages able to specifically infect and lyse E. amylovora strains was generated from former fire blight-affected orchards in Eastern Spain. Following in vitro characterization, assays in immature fruit revealed that preventively applying some of the phages or their combinations delayed the onset of fire blight symptoms and reduced the disease’s severity, suggesting their biocontrol potential in Spain and other countries. The morphological and molecular characterization of the selected E. amylovora phages classified them as members of the class Caudoviricetes (former Myoviridae family) and genus Kolesnikvirus. This study reveals Mediterranean settings as plausible sources of E. amylovora-specific bacteriophages and provides the first effective European phage cocktails in plant material for the development of sustainable fire blight management measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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19 pages, 5018 KiB  
Article
Differences of Pine Wood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) Developmental Stages under High-Osmotic-Pressure Stress
by Shuting Wang, Qiaoli Chen and Feng Wang
Biology 2024, 13(2), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13020123 - 16 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1136
Abstract
Under ion imbalance, water deficiency, and salt stress, the osmotic pressure of the tree sap increases, and pine wood nematodes (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, PWN) parasitizing in the trees may be subjected to high-osmotic-pressure stress. KCl, L-malic acid, sucrose, and glycerol solutions were [...] Read more.
Under ion imbalance, water deficiency, and salt stress, the osmotic pressure of the tree sap increases, and pine wood nematodes (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, PWN) parasitizing in the trees may be subjected to high-osmotic-pressure stress. KCl, L-malic acid, sucrose, and glycerol solutions were used as osmolytes to explore the highest osmotic concentration that PWN can tolerate. Survival analysis showed that when the treatment concentration exceeded 90%, only a few nematodes in the glycerol group survived under 6 h treatment, and most of the survivors were third-stage dispersal juveniles (DJ3). Further examination revealed that under different concentrations of glycerol-induced high osmotic pressure, the survival rate and body length change rate were the highest in the DJ3 and the lowest in the second-stage propagative juveniles. In order to explore the molecular mechanism of resistance of DJ3 to high osmotic stress, transcriptome sequencing was performed at each developmental stage of PWN and differentially expressed genes that were up-regulated or down-regulated only in DJ3 were screened. The expression of genes related to CoA in DJ3, a key enzyme in metabolism, was significantly higher than the other developmental stages. In addition, the expression of the anti-reversal signal pathway-related gene AKT-1 in DJ3 was significantly lower than in the other development stages. Therefore, the specific expression of genes in DJ3 under high osmotic pressure may help them rapidly produce and accumulate energy-related compounds and activate the adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway to respond to damage caused by high-osmotic-pressure stress in time, thus promoting survival. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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22 pages, 6348 KiB  
Article
Plant Growth Promotion and Stress Tolerance Enhancement through Inoculation with Bacillus proteolyticus OSUB18
by Piao Yang, Wenshan Liu, Pu Yuan, Zhenzhen Zhao, Chunquan Zhang, Stephen Obol Opiyo, Ashna Adhikari, Lijing Zhao, Garrett Harsh and Ye Xia
Biology 2023, 12(12), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12121495 - 06 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1702
Abstract
The isolation of B. proteolyticus OSUB18 from switchgrass unveiled its significant potential in both the enhancement of plant growth and the suppression of plant diseases in our previous study. The elucidation of the related mechanisms governing this intricate plant–microbe interaction involved the utilization [...] Read more.
The isolation of B. proteolyticus OSUB18 from switchgrass unveiled its significant potential in both the enhancement of plant growth and the suppression of plant diseases in our previous study. The elucidation of the related mechanisms governing this intricate plant–microbe interaction involved the utilization of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In our comprehensive study on Arabidopsis, OSUB18 treatment was found to significantly alter root architecture and enhance plant growth under various abiotic stresses. An RNA-seq analysis revealed that OSUB18 modified gene expression, notably upregulating the genes involved in glucosinolate biosynthesis and plant defense, while downregulating those related to flavonoid biosynthesis and wound response. Importantly, OSUB18 also induces systemic resistance in Arabidopsis against a spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens and exhibits antagonistic effects on phytopathogenic bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes, highlighting its potential as a beneficial agent in plant stress management and pathogen resistance. Overall, our findings substantiate that OSUB18 exerts a stimulatory influence on plant growth and health, potentially attributed to the remodeling of root architecture, defense signaling, and the comprehensive mitigation of various biotic and abiotic stresses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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18 pages, 6283 KiB  
Article
An Insight into Occurrence, Biology, and Pathogenesis of Rice Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne graminicola
by Arunachalam Arun, Annaiyan Shanthi, Muthurajan Raveendran, Nagachandrabose Seenivasan, Ramamoorthy Pushpam and Ganeshan Shandeep
Biology 2023, 12(7), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12070987 - 11 Jul 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2294
Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most widely grown crops in the world, and is a staple food for more than half of the global total population. Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), Meloidogyne spp., and especially M. graminicola, seem to be [...] Read more.
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most widely grown crops in the world, and is a staple food for more than half of the global total population. Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), Meloidogyne spp., and especially M. graminicola, seem to be significant rice pests, which makes them the most economically important plant-parasitic nematode in this crop. RKNs develop a feeding site in galls by causing host cells to differentiate into hypertrophied, multinucleate, metabolically active cells known as giant cells. This grazing framework gives the nematode a constant food source, permitting it to develop into a fecund female and complete its life cycle inside the host root. M. graminicola effector proteins involved in nematode parasitism, including pioneer genes, were functionally characterized in earlier studies. Molecular modelling and docking studies were performed on Meloidogyne graminicola protein targets, such as β-1,4-endoglucanase, pectate lyase, phospholipase B-like protein, and G protein-coupled receptor kinase, to understand the binding affinity of Beta-D-Galacturonic Acid, 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosane, (2S)-2-amino-3-phenylpropanoic acid, and 4-O-Beta-D-Galactopyranosyl-Alpha-D-Glucopyranose against ligand molecules of rice. This study discovered important molecular aspects of plant–nematode interaction and candidate effector proteins that were regulated by M. graminicola-infected rice plants. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe M. graminicola’s molecular adaptation to host parasitism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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16 pages, 4413 KiB  
Article
Cotton RSG2 Mediates Plant Resistance against Verticillium dahliae by miR482b Regulation
by Pan Wu, Chengzhe Lu, Bingting Wang, Feiyan Zhang, Linfang Shi, Yunjiao Xu, Aimin Chen, Huaijun Si, Junji Su and Jiahe Wu
Biology 2023, 12(7), 898; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12070898 - 23 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1307
Abstract
Cotton Verticillium wilt, mainly caused by Verticillium dahliae, has a serious impact on the yield and quality of cotton fiber. Many microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified to participate in plant resistance to V. dahliae infection, but the exploration of miRNA’s function mechanism [...] Read more.
Cotton Verticillium wilt, mainly caused by Verticillium dahliae, has a serious impact on the yield and quality of cotton fiber. Many microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified to participate in plant resistance to V. dahliae infection, but the exploration of miRNA’s function mechanism in plant defense is needed. Here, we demonstrate that the ghr-miR482b-GhRSG2 module mediates cotton plant resistance to V. dahliae infection. Based on the mRNA degradation data and GUS fusion experiments, ghr-miR482b directedly bonds to GhRSG2 mRNA to lead to its degradation. The knockdown and overexpression of ghr-miR482b through virus-induced gene silencing strategies enhanced (decreased by 0.39-fold in disease index compared with the control) and weakened (increased by 0.46-fold) the plant resistance to V. dahliae, respectively. In addition, silencing GhRSG2 significantly increased (increased by 0.93-fold in disease index) the plant sensitivity to V. dahliae compared with the control plants treated with empty vector. The expression levels of two SA-related disease genes, GhPR1 and GhPR2, significantly decreased in GhRSG2-silenced plants by 0.71 and 0.67 times, respectively, and in ghr-miR482b-overexpressed (OX) plants by 0.59 and 0.75 times, respectively, compared with the control, whereas the expression levels of GhPR1 and GhPR2 were significantly increased by 1.21 and 2.59 times, respectively, in ghr-miR482b knockdown (KD) plants. In sum, the ghr-miR482b-GhRSG2 module participates in the regulation of plant defense against V. dahliae by inducing the expression of PR1 and PR2 genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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22 pages, 1148 KiB  
Article
Induction of Systemic Resistance in Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. to Control Root Rot and Wilt Diseases Using Biotic and Abiotic Inducers
by Hamada F. A. Ahmed, Sameh Elnaggar, Gomaa A. Abdel-Wahed, Ragab S. Taha, Awais Ahmad, Wadei A. Al-Selwey, Hoda M. H. Ahmed, Naeem Khan and Mahmoud F. Seleiman
Biology 2023, 12(6), 789; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12060789 - 30 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1374
Abstract
The possibility of inducing systemic resistance in roselle against root rot and wilt diseases was investigated using biotic and abiotic inducers. The biotic inducers included three biocontrol agents (i.e., Bacillus subtilis, Gliocladium catenulatum, and Trichoderma asperellum) and two biofertilizers (i.e., [...] Read more.
The possibility of inducing systemic resistance in roselle against root rot and wilt diseases was investigated using biotic and abiotic inducers. The biotic inducers included three biocontrol agents (i.e., Bacillus subtilis, Gliocladium catenulatum, and Trichoderma asperellum) and two biofertilizers (i.e., microbein and mycorrhizeen), while the abiotic inducers included three chemical materials (i.e., ascorbic acid, potassium silicate, and salicylic acid). In addition, preliminary in vitro studies were conducted to evaluate the inhibitory activity of the tested inducers on the growth of pathogenic fungi. The results show that G. catenulatum was the most efficient biocontrol agent. It reduced the linear growth of Fusarium solani, F. oxysporum, and Macrophomina phaseolina by 76.1, 73.4, and 73.2%, respectively, followed by B. subtilis by 71.4, 69, and 68.3%, respectively. Similarly, potassium silicate was the most effective chemical inducer followed by salicylic acid, each at 2000 ppm. They reduced the linear growth of F. solani by 62.3 and 55.7%; M. phaseolina by 60.7 and 53.1%; and F. oxysporum by 60.3 and 53%, respectively. In the greenhouse, all inducers applied as a seed treatment and/or foliar spray strongly limited the development of root rot and wilt diseases. In this regard, G. catenulatum, at 1 × 109 CFU mL−1, achieved the highest values of disease control, followed by B. subtilis; while T. asperellum, at 1 × 105 CFU mL−1, recorded the lowest values. In addition, the plants treated with potassium silicate followed by salicylic acid, each at 4 g/L, recorded the highest disease control compared to ascorbic acid at 1 g/L, which had the lowest values. The mixture of mycorrhizeen + microbein (at 10 g/kg seeds) was the most effective compared to either of them alone. All treatments, applied alone or in combination in the field, significantly reduced the incidence of diseases. The most effective treatments were a mixture of G. catenulatum (Gc) + Bacillus subtilis (Bs) + Trichoderma asperellum (Ta); a mixture of ascorbic acid (AA) + potassium silicate (PS) + and salicylic (SA); G. catenulatum; potassium silicate; and a mixture of mycorrhizeen + microbein. Rhizolix T had the highest disease-reducing efficacy. In response to the treatments, significant improvements in growth and yield, changes in biochemicals, and increased activities of defense enzymes were achieved. This research points to the activity of some biotic and abiotic inducers that can play a vital role in managing the root rot and wilt of roselle through the induction of systemic plant resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Research on Diseases of Plants)
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