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Horticulturae
Special Issues
New Challenge of Fungal Pathogens of Horticultural Crops
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New Challenge of Fungal Pathogens of Horticultural Crops

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Pathology and Disease Management (PPDM)".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2024) | Viewed by 2059

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Spinelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 46, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Interests: fungi; kiwifruit vine decline syndrome; crop production; bacteria; bio stimulants; microbiome
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Giovanni Mian

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna Desrtment of Agrosciences, Viale Fanin 44, Bologna, 40172, Italy
Interests: microbiota; pathobiome; actinidia; grapevine; plant disease; resistance; bioinformatics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horticultural crop production faces an escalating challenge from fungal pathogens, posing significant threats to both yield quantity and quality. The intensification of these challenges is propelled by various factors, including climate change-induced alterations in temperature and precipitation patterns, evolving pathogen strains, and globalization facilitating the spread of invasive species. The objective of this Special Issue is to showcase pioneering research, strategies, and technologies that have emerged and may be used to combat these adversities. Key areas of focus include disease surveillance and early detection methods that leverage advanced molecular tools, novel fungicides and biocontrol agents, precision application techniques that optimize efficacy while minimizing environmental impact, and integrated disease management strategies that synergistically combine cultural, biological, and chemical control measures. Furthermore, this Special Issue aims to shed light on emerging fungal pathogens and their interactions with horticultural crops, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis and host resistance. Research exploring the manipulation of plant microbiomes to enhance disease resilience and the development of resilient crop varieties through breeding or genetic engineering will also be highlighted. Additionally, the role of cultural practices—such as crop rotation, sanitation, and irrigation management—in mitigating the proliferation of pathogens will be explored in depth. Contributions addressing the impact of fungal diseases on the post-harvest quality, food safety, and marketability of horticultural commodities are encouraged. This includes investigations into the persistence of mycotoxins, allergens, and other contaminants in harvested produce, as well as the development of post-harvest treatments for mitigating spoilage and extending shelf life.

Dr. Francesco Spinelli
Dr. Giovanni Mian
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. Horticulturae 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 2200 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

  • metabarcoding
  • emergent threats
  • sustainability
  • plant resilience
  • pathobiomes
  • bio control

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2911 KiB  
Article
Integrated Control of Powdery Mildew Using UV Light Exposure and OMRI-Certified Fungicide for Greenhouse Organic Lettuce Production
by Arash Ghalehgolabbehbahani, Gladis Zinati, Said Hamido, Nikita Bhusal, Madhav Dhakal, Reza K. Afshar, Jean B. Contina, Romans Caetani, Andrew Smith and Dinesh Panday
Horticulturae 2025, 11(3), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11030246 - 25 Feb 2025
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a widely cultivated crop due to its short production cycle and high market demand. However, powdery mildew (Golovinomyces cichoracearum) poses a significant threat, reducing yields by up to 30% in various lettuce cultivars. This greenhouse [...] Read more.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a widely cultivated crop due to its short production cycle and high market demand. However, powdery mildew (Golovinomyces cichoracearum) poses a significant threat, reducing yields by up to 30% in various lettuce cultivars. This greenhouse study, conducted at the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania, evaluated the impacts of pre-transplant UV light exposure and post-planting application of an OMRI-certified fungicide, potassium bicarbonate (MilStop), on powdery mildew infestation, yield, and nutritional quality of lettuce. The treatment included three factors: (a) UV-B (280 to 315 nm) exposure: treated vs. non-treated, (b) UV-C (100 to 280 nm) exposure: treated vs. non-treated, and (c) fungicide application: treated vs. non-treated, arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design with four replications. Lettuce seedlings (Salanova cultivar) were exposed to UV light before transplanting and later treated with MilStop. The results indicated that the combination of UV-B and MilStop significantly reduced powdery mildew infestation, while UV-C alone showed no significant effect. MilStop application enhanced lettuce yield, with treated plots showing a 44.8% increase in harvestable weight over control plots. While mineral and monosaccharide content were unaffected, UV-B exposure significantly increased total amino acid concentrations, including essential and non-essential amino acids. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed a strong negative relationship between powdery mildew severity and harvestable weight, highlighting the importance of disease management. These findings highlight the potential of integrating UV light treatments and fungicide applications as effective, sustainable strategies for managing powdery mildew, improving lettuce yield, and maintaining nutritional quality in regenerative organic systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenge of Fungal Pathogens of Horticultural Crops)
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17 pages, 2899 KiB  
Article
Green Alternatives for the Control of Fungal Diseases in Strawberry: In-Field Optimization of the Use of Elicitors, Botanical Extracts and Essential Oils
by Sebastian Soppelsa, Antonio Cellini, Irene Donati, Giampaolo Buriani, Francesco Spinelli and Carlo Andreotti
Horticulturae 2024, 10(10), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10101044 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 958
Abstract
Finding safe and reliable alternatives to fungicides is currently one of the biggest challenges in agriculture. In this regard, this experiment investigated the effectiveness of different elicitors, botanical extracts and essential oils to control grey mold (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew [...] Read more.
Finding safe and reliable alternatives to fungicides is currently one of the biggest challenges in agriculture. In this regard, this experiment investigated the effectiveness of different elicitors, botanical extracts and essential oils to control grey mold (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera aphanis) on strawberry plants. This trial was conducted in field conditions under a plastic tunnel with strawberry plants ‘Elsanta’. A first group of strawberry plants was treated before flowering with elicitors [acibenzolar-S-Methyl–(BTH), chitosan], botanical extracts (seaweed extract, alfalfa hydrolysate) and essential oils (thyme and juniper), and grey mold incidence on flowers was evaluated (Experiment 1). Furthermore, a second group of plants was treated before (Experiment 2) and after (Experiment 3) controlled inoculation with P. aphanis. The results indicated that the incidence of flower infected by B. cinerea was reduced by approximately 50% with thyme and juniper essential oils’ applications compared to the untreated control, with no significant difference observed compared to the commercial fungicide penconazole (positive control). As a consequence, the final yield of essential-oil-treated plants was +27% higher than that of non-treated plants. No significant differences emerged for other tested products against grey mold. However, gene expression analysis showed an up-regulation (>2 ÷ 5 folds as compared to control 4 days after application) of FaEDS1, FaLOX and PR gene expression (FaPR1, FaPR5, FaPR10) in leaves treated with BTH. The other natural substances tested also induced defense-related genes, albeit at a lower level than BTH. In Experiment 2, all treatments applied prior to inoculation significantly reduced the incidence and severity of powdery mildew as compared to control. At 28 days after inoculation, chitosan and thyme essential oil applications performed similarly to their positive controls (BTH and penconazole, respectively), showing a significant reduction in disease incidence (by −84 and −92%) as compared to control. Post-inoculum application of essential oils (Experiment 3) showed an efficacy similar to that of penconazole against powdery mildew. These results indicated that the tested substances could be used as alternatives to fungicides for the control of grey mold and powdery mildew in strawberry, therefore representing a valuable tool for the control of these fungal diseases under the framework of sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Challenge of Fungal Pathogens of Horticultural Crops)
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