Fusarium, Alternaria, and Rhizoctonia: A Spotlight on Fungal Pathogens—3rd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2025 | Viewed by 1197

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: species identification of Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium; molecular mechanism of resistance to fungicides; mycoviruses associated with fungi
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: Fusarium and Fusarium mycovirus
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium are very important phytopathogens that cause devastating diseases in many important crops all over the world. The accurate species identification of plant pathogens will provide a theoretical basis for controlling diseases effectively. To date, the management of crop diseases caused by these three genera has mainly relied on the timely application of fungicides. However, resistance to fungicides has been reported in Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium due to their long-term use. In addition, many biocontrol agents have been recorded to protect crops from infection by pathogens belonging to these three genera. Mycoviruses are viruses that replicate in fungi and are widespread in all major taxonomic groups of fungi, including Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium. Some mycoviruses are reported to confer hypovirulence or hypervirulence to their host fungi, and mycoviruses that confer hypovirulence are considered potential biological agents for controlling fungal diseases. This Special Issue will showcase contributions exploring advances in species identification, molecular mechanisms of resistance, pathogenic mechanisms, resistance mechanisms in plants, mycoviruses, and biocontrol agents used to control diseases caused by Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to,

  • the species identification of Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium;
  • molecular mechanism of resistance in Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium to fungicides;
  • pathogenic mechanisms in Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium;
  • resistance mechanisms in plants to Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium;
  • mycoviruses associated with Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium;
  • biocontrol agents used to control diseases caused by Alternaria, Rhizoctonia, and Fusarium.

Prof. Dr. Xuehong Wu
Prof. Dr. Lihua Guo
Prof. Dr. Shimin Zuo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • species identification
  • molecular mechanism of resistance
  • pathogenic mechanism
  • resistance mechanisms in plants
  • mycoviruses
  • biocontrol agents

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 4570 KB  
Article
Fusarium suttonianum Identified as the Causal Agent of Root Rot in Plukenetia volubilis in Peru
by Elvin Delgado-Mera, Angel David Hernández-Amasifuen, Ángel Tuesta-Casique, Julio Santiago Chumacero-Acosta, Gerry Antonio Cosme-Garate, Gladstone Alves da Silva, Fernando Marcelo Carvajal Vallejos, Ronan Xavier Corrêa and Mike Anderson Corazon-Guivin
J. Fungi 2025, 11(9), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11090642 - 29 Aug 2025
Viewed by 313
Abstract
Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) is a high-value crop due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids and its outstanding nutritional, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic properties. However, this species faces challenges from diseases, particularly root rot. In this study, we identified one [...] Read more.
Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis) is a high-value crop due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids and its outstanding nutritional, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic properties. However, this species faces challenges from diseases, particularly root rot. In this study, we identified one of the causal agents of root rot in sacha inchi using morphological observations, molecular methods, and pathogenicity tests. The pathogen was isolated from root tissues showing symptoms of Fusarium infection, observed in a plot in the Picota province. Morphological identification, DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis using the ITS and TEF-1α markers revealed that the isolate causing root rot was Fusarium suttonianum (FSSC 20). Analysis of the PQ636870 (ITS) and PQ639345 (TEF-1α) sequences in the NCBI database, together with phylogenetic analysis, revealed 99.58% and 99.51% similarity with the ITS and TEF sequences, respectively, corresponding to F. suttonianum. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that this species induced the same symptoms observed in the field, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. This study represents the first report of F. suttonianum as a pathogen causing root rot in sacha inchi in Peru. This finding is critical for developing effective strategies for disease management and control, contributing to the sustainability and improvement of sacha inchi production in the region. Full article
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18 pages, 5499 KB  
Article
Overexpression of OsCSP41b Enhances Rice Tolerance to Sheath Blight Caused by Rhizoctonia solani
by Jianhua Zhao, Yan Zhang, Taixuan Liu, Guangda Wang, Ran Ju, Quanyi Sun, Qi Chen, Yixuan Xiong, Penfei Zhai, Wenya Xie, Zhiming Feng, Zongxiang Chen, Kemin Hu and Shimin Zuo
J. Fungi 2025, 11(8), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11080548 - 23 Jul 2025
Viewed by 627
Abstract
Sheath blight (ShB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani), poses severe threats to global rice production. Developing a resistant variety with an ShB-resistance gene is one of most efficient and economical approaches to control the disease. Here, we [...] Read more.
Sheath blight (ShB), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani), poses severe threats to global rice production. Developing a resistant variety with an ShB-resistance gene is one of most efficient and economical approaches to control the disease. Here, we identified a highly conserved chloroplast-localized stem-loop-binding protein encoding gene (OsCSP41b), which shows great potential in developing an ShB-resistant variety. OsCSP41b-knockout mutants exhibit chlorotic leaves and increased ShB susceptibility, whereas OsCSP41b-overexpressing lines (CSP41b-OE) display significantly enhanced resistance to R. solani, as well as to drought, and salinity stresses. Notably, CSP41b-OE lines present a completely comparable grain yield to the wild type (WT). Transcriptomic analyses reveal that chloroplast transcripts and photosynthesis-associated genes maintain observably elevated stability in CSP41b-OE plants versus WT plants following R. solani infection, which probably accounts for the enhanced ShB resistance of CSP41b-OE. Our findings nominate the OsCSP41b gene as a promising molecular target for developing a rice variety with stronger resistance to both R. solani and multi-abiotic stresses. Full article
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