Search Results (319)

Biological control using beneficial microbes offers a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides for managing postharvest diseases. This study reports the isolation and characterization of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens AsL-1 from the latex of Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br., unconventional ecological niche. The cell-free supernatant (CFS) of AsL-1 showed strong antifungal activity, inhibiting the growth of Colletotrichum musae (48.89 ± 0.57%), Glomerella cingulata (52.22 ± 0.00%), Fusarium graminearum (47.78 ± 0.57%), and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (47.78 ± 0.00%) in vitro. Microscopy revealed that the CFS disrupted fungal development by blocking conidial germination and appressorium formation, and in C. gloeosporioides caused melanization defects linked to reduced virulence. In vivo tests on mango fruit confirmed that AsL-1 significantly decreased anthracnose lesion size and disease incidence. Protein analyses (SDS-PAGE, gel overlay, and LC-MS/MS) identified two antifungal proteins (24 and 16 kDa), corresponding to β-1,3-1,4-glucanase and flagellin. The detected β-1,3-1,4-glucanase activity indicates its role in degrading fungal cell walls and interfering with melanin biosynthesis pathways essential for pathogenicity. Overall, these findings highlight B. amyloliquefaciens AsL-1 as a promising protein-based biocontrol agent and show that latex-associated microbes may serve as valuable sources of new antifungal strategies. Full article

Postharvest diseases represent a critical challenge for global agriculture, resulting in substantial economic losses and threatening worldwide food security. Species of the genus Colletotrichum stand out among the main phytopathogens for being responsible for up to 40% of postharvest losses in various crops, including Capsicum species. This study evaluated the antifungal activity of two Streptomyces strains isolated from Amazonian sediments against different Colletotrichum species, with a focus on C. scovillei, the causal agent of anthracnose in Capsicum chinense fruits. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses indicated that strain APUR 32.5 possibly represents a new species, while MPUR 40.3 was identified as Streptomyces murinus. Both strains exhibited in vitro antifungal activity against seven Colletotrichum species, with inhibition percentages ranging from 56.3% to 88.6%. In fruit bioassays, S. murinus MPUR 40.3 reduced the incidence of anthracnose by 95%, while Streptomyces sp. APUR 32.5 achieved a 39.25% reduction. Scanning electron microscopy revealed complementary mechanisms of antifungal action, with MPUR 40.3 acting during the early infection stages through germination tube lysis, while APUR 32.5 targeted established mycelial structures through hyphal degradation. Additionally, both strains demonstrated plant growth-promoting capacity and exhibited biotechnologically relevant characteristics, including production of hydrolytic enzymes, siderophores, and phosphate solubilization ability. These results highlight the biotechnological promise of these Amazonian isolates as multifunctional agents for the sustainable management of anthracnose in Capsicum peppers. Full article

Strawberry anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum siamense threatens global strawberry production. Traditional chemical control faces environmental and safety challenges, making resistant cultivar development critical for sustainability. This study aimed to rank 10 cultivars’ resistance to C. siamense Cs.4J and clarify temporal redox and transcriptomic drivers of resistance. We evaluated resistance using the disease index (DI), observed oxidative stress indicators [peroxidase (POD), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT)], and conducted Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Significant resistance differences emerged: ‘Tianxianzui’ (TXZ) was resistant (DI 10.0–20.0%), while ‘Miaoxiang7’ (MX7) was highly susceptible (DI > 50%). ‘MX7’ showed sustained POD overactivation, progressive H₂O₂ accumulation, and high MDA (severe oxidative damage); ‘TXZ’ maintained redox balance via earlier CAT activation. KEGG identified 5 key pathways (e.g., phenylpropanoid biosynthesis), and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed 2 core modules (resistance-related red, susceptibility-related brown) plus 2 hub genes (FvRNF144B-like [Fragaria vesca RING Finger Protein 144B-like], FaPHR1-like [Fragaria × ananassa PHR1-like]). ‘TXZ’ and ‘MX7’ represent resistant/susceptible cultivars; early CAT activation for redox balance is a key resistance trait. The 5 pathways and 2 hub genes provide a theoretical basis for future functional validation and exploring strawberry–C. siamense interaction mechanisms. Full article

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes rubber tree anthracnose and leads to serious loss in natural rubber production. Autophagy is a highly conserved process to maintain nutrient recycling and plays important roles in growth, development and pathogenicity in plant pathogenic fungi. The process of autophagy is modulated by a series of autophagy-related (ATG) genes. ATG16 is a subunit of the ATG12-ATG5-ATG16 complex which functions in a manner analogous to an E3-like enzyme which is essential for autophagosome formation. However, the function of the ATG16 homolog in C. gloeosporioides remains unknown. In this study, the ATG16 homolog of C. gloeosporioides was identified and named as CgATG16. The expression level of CgATG16 was particularly higher in conidium, germination, appressorium, and the early stage of infection, and significantly induced by nutritional deficiency. Absence of CgATG16 led to slower colony growth, decreased conidia production and germination rate, longer germ tube cells, lower appressorium formation rate and impaired pathogenicity to rubber tree leaves. Absence of CgATG16 resulted in lower melanin content with decreased expression of polyketide synthase gene CgPKS1 and scytalone dehydratase gene CgSCD1. Moreover, absence of CgATG16 also led to the universal autophagy marker ATG8-GFP failing to enter into the vacuoles in mycelium and during appressorium development with a significantly reduced autophagosome number. Both rapamycin and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) partially restored the appressorium formation ability in CgATG16 knockout mutant. Absence of CgATG16 increased the activity of target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase and decreased the content of cAMP. These data suggest that CgATG16 contributes to the pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides to the rubber tree by regulating the mycelium growth, melanin synthesis and the formation of invasion structure, and this process is related to autophagy mediated by TOR and cAMP signaling. Full article

Banana anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum musae, causes substantial postharvest losses worldwide, yet effective biocontrol remains limited. Although Hanseniaspora thailandica shows potential, its direct application provides inadequate control. This study demonstrates that alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) potently enhances the biocontrol efficacy of H. thailandica Lg 3 against this disease. Through in vivo fruit assays, H. thailandica Lg 3 that was cultured in AOS-supplemented medium significantly elevated key defense enzymes, specifically ployphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), chitinase (CHI) and β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) in bananas, and enhanced yeast biofilm formation. This led to higher yeast populations in banana wounds and effective suppression of C. musae expansion. Furthermore, AOS boosted the activity of critical antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPX) in H. thailandica Lg 3 under in vivo conditions. RNA-seq analysis of H. thailandica Lg 3 revealed corresponding alterations in glutathione metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation pathways following the addition of 10 mg/L AOS to the medium. The 10 mg/L AOS concentration proved most effective, robustly enhancing biocontrol efficacy. Our findings identify AOS-induced H. thailandica Lg 3 as a practical, ready-to-test biocontrol strategy that could be developed into a commercial formulation to reduce chemical fungicide dependence in postharvest banana protection. Full article

Anthracnose, caused by the Colletotrichum sp. gloeosporioides complex, severely affects guava quality, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives to synthetic postharvest fungicides. This study is the first to evaluate modulated UV-C radiation as an innovative approach to controlling postharvest diseases and extending guava shelf-life. The modulation frequency significantly influenced mycelial growth and conidial germination, following a quadratic model (R² = 0.98), with maximum efficacy at ~30 Hz, reducing germination to 5.3 × 10⁴ CFU per plate. In vivo, the combinations of 0.99 kJ m⁻²/30 Hz and 0.66 kJ m⁻²/45 Hz inhibited anthracnose incidence and severity. Most physicochemical parameters remained unaffected after seven days of storage. However, treated fruits showed a higher hue angle (h) and lower a*, indicating the maintenance of shades closer to green due to slower chlorophyll degradation, and firmness was preserved, suggesting delayed ripening. Modulated UV-C also significantly reduced the respiration rate, lowering the climacteric peak. These findings demonstrate that anthracnose control depends on the modulation frequency, with 0.99 kJ m⁻²/30 Hz being particularly effective. Modulated UV-C radiation represents a promising, sustainable, and effective strategy for improving guava postharvest quality and shelf-life. Full article

Tea Anthracnose (TA), caused by fungi of the genus Colletotrichum, is one of the major threats to global tea production. UAV remote sensing has been explored for non-destructive and high-efficiency monitoring of diseases in tea plantations. However, variations in illumination, background, and meteorological factors undermine the stability of cross-temporal data. Data processing and modeling complexity further limits model generalizability and practical application. This study introduced a cross-temporal, generalizable disease monitoring approach based on UAV multimodal data coupled with relative-difference standardization. In an experimental tea garden, we collected multispectral, thermal infrared, and RGB images and extracted four classes of features: spectral (Sp), thermal (Th), texture (Te), and color (Co). The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to identify reference areas and standardize features, which significantly reduced the relative differences in cross-temporal features. Additionally, we developed a vegetation–soil relative temperature (VSRT) index, which exhibits higher temporal-phase consistency than the conventional normalized relative canopy temperature (NRCT). A multimodal optimal feature set was constructed through sensitivity analysis based on the four feature categories. For different modality combinations (single and fused), three machine learning algorithms, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP), were selected to evaluate disease classification performance due to their low computational burden and ease of deployment. Results indicate that the “Sp + Th” combination achieved the highest accuracy (95.51%), with KNN (95.51%) outperforming SVM (94.23%) and MLP (92.95%). Moreover, under the optimal feature combination and KNN algorithm, the model achieved high generalizability (86.41%) on independent temporal data. This study demonstrates that fusing spectral and thermal features with temporal standardization, combined with the simple and effective KNN algorithm, achieves accurate and robust tea anthracnose monitoring, providing a practical solution for efficient and generalizable disease management in tea plantations. Full article

This study conducted a systematic investigation and identification of pathogenic fungi associated with anthracnose symptoms on economically important plants across multiple provinces in China (Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Shaanxi). Through multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (ITS, gapdh, chs-1, act, tub2, his3, and cal) and morphological characterization of 67 strains, a total of 16 Colletotrichum species were identified, belonging to six species complexes (C. acutatum, C. boninense, C. destructivum, C. gloeosporioides, C. orchidearum, and C. spaethianum). Among these, four novel species were described: Colletotrichum aquilariae, C. crataegi, C. dongguanense, and C. flavosporum. The study also confirmed 12 known species: C. boninense, C. fioriniae, C. fructicola, C. godetiae (with C. americanum proposed as its synonym), C. gloeosporioides (with C. juglandicola, C. juglandium, and C. peakense proposed as its synonyms), C. karsti, C. nymphaeae, C. orchidearum (with C. subplurivorum proposed as its synonym), C. plurivorum, C. siamense, C. sojae, and C. spaethianum. The research revealed significant pathogen species diversity, distinct geographical distribution patterns (greatest diversity in Beijing, novel species primarily from Guangdong), and host preferences (e.g., C. gloeosporioides was the most widely distributed and dominant species on walnut). Furthermore, ten new host records were reported. The study explored correlations between pathogens and their hosts, particularly walnut, providing a crucial foundation for understanding the pathogen composition and ecology of anthracnose diseases affecting plants in China. Full article

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose on a wide range of plants, resulting in serious economic losses worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenicity still remain largely unknown. In the past 20 years, the importance of acetylation/deacetylation modification in the pathogenicity of phytopathogens has already been highlighted, but how it functions in C. gloeosporioides is obscure. Here, we identified and functionally characterized a histone acetyltransferase CgHat1 in C. gloeosporioides. As suspected, CgHat1 is localized to the nucleus and regulates the acetylation levels of histone H4K5 and H4K12. Targeted gene deletion revealed that CgHat1 plays crucial roles in growth, colony pigmentation, and conidiation. Furthermore, we provided evidence showing that ΔCghat1 mutant is defective in conidial germination, appressorial formation, and response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. These combined effects lead to the decreased pathogenicity of ΔCghat1 mutant. Our studies not only firstly shed light on the pleiotropic roles of histone acetyltransferase in C. gloeosporioides, but also offer a potential fungicide target for anthracnose control. Full article

Anthracnose is one of the main diseases of mango, which seriously affects the yield and quality. Previous studies found that mango anthracnose in China involves at least 13 species of Colletotrichum. From mango with anthracnose symptoms samples, we previously obtained 134 strains from 13 species, and 26.0% were C. fructicola, while 27.6% were C. siamense, and 31.3% were C. asianum, with a few specimens for each of the remaining species. These three main species were used in intraspecific mating tests to assess sexual reproduction. The intraspecific mating tests revealed that C. fructicola and C. siamense readily produced ascospores, while C. asianum did not. From the 595 intraspecific crosses with 35 isolates of C. fructicola, 34 crosses were considered fertile. Among these, thirty single-ascospore isolates were chosen for pathogenicity testing and genetic variation analysis (ITS and ApMat loci). The results revealed that some progeny showed higher aggressiveness than their parents, while some progeny showed lower aggressiveness. Future tests are needed to assess the genetic basis of these aggressiveness differences. The results provide a scientific basis for further research on sexual reproduction and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum, which may allow for comprehensive disease prevention and control. Full article

This study evaluated the efficacy of essential oils (EOs) for the postharvest management of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in mango. EOs from Cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Oregano (Origanum vulgare), Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), and Black pepper (Piper nigrum) were chemically characterized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The main compounds identified included eugenol, methyl eugenol, carvacrol, and eucalyptol, all recognized for their antifungal and antioxidant properties. In vitro assays showed that cinnamon and black pepper EOs significantly inhibited mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides at all tested concentrations, whereas rosemary EO exhibited lower efficacy. In vivo experiments confirmed that all tested EOs significantly reduced disease severity in mango fruits compared to the control. Overall, the antifungal activity of EOs was dose-dependent and strongly influenced by their chemical complexity and synergistic interactions among major and minor components. These findings highlight the relevance of oxygenated monoterpenes, hydrocarbon monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes as candidate groups for developing sustainable alternatives for the control of C. gloeosporioides in mango production. Full article

The study investigates the morphological and phylogenetic characteristics of Colletotrichum species linked to anthracnose on Yunnanopilia longistaminea (Opiliaceae) in Yunnan, China. From July 2023 to July 2024, foliar anthracnose on Y. longistaminea 20-year-old plants with an incidence rate of 16% and two-year-old seedlings with an incidence rate of >90% were investigated in Yunnan, China. Based on morphological features and molecular approaches, four isolates of Colletotrichum were identified as C. karstii and C. fructicola. Two species were verified to induce foliar anthracnose by validating Koch’s postulates. This is the first report of C. karstii and C. fructicola inducing foliar anthracnose on Y. longistaminea in Yunnan, China, and globally. These findings enhance our understanding of the fungal pathogens affecting Y. longistaminea leaves and provides a theoretical basis of conservation and disease management in the study area. Further research is needed to explore these species’ ecological impacts and potential control measures in agricultural practices and wild resources protection. Full article

Anthracnose is a leaf fungal disease caused by multiple Colletotrichum species. Currently, the predominant deployment of chemical agents for anthracnose control increases ecological pollution risks and potential food safety concerns. The comprehension of the pathogenic mechanism and physicochemical properties of anthracnose is, therefore, essential for effective prevention and control. In this study, the pathogenic strain (pathogen) was isolated from the infected tea plant (Camellia sinensis) leaves and was identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides based on microscope observations and gene sequences. This fungus exhibited optimal growth at 28 °C and a pH of 6, with a lethal temperature threshold of 53 °C on PDA plate medium. The 80% tea saponin and 10% polymycin B could effectively inhibit its mycelium growth. Notably, the 10% polyoxin B exhibits a stronger inhibitory effect with an EC₅₀ value of 1.07 mg mL⁻¹. Following infection with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the resistant cultivar ‘Zhongcha 108’ exhibited higher levels of H₂O₂ and O₂⁻ than the susceptible ‘Longjing 43’, with later symptom onset and slower disease progression. Although the exogenous treatment of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) did not inhibit C. gloeosporioides directly, it significantly reduced lesion areas in ‘Longjing 43’ leaves caused by C. gloeosporioides. This treatment increased peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, but limited malondialdehyde content, thereby enhancing ‘Longjing 43’ resistance to the pathogen. The findings provide scientific guidance for the anthracnose prevention and control in tea gardens. Full article

Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) is a herbaceous vegetable grown and consumed worldwide. In Thailand, chili plants are severely hampered by anthracnose disease, leading to severe yield losses. This study aimed to investigate endophytic bacteria (EPB) for their potential as a biocontrol agent and plant growth promoter (PGP). Among a total of 108 isolates, strain KKU-RE-018 was identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing as belonging to the genus Bacillus. This isolate exhibited strong antifungal activity against Colletotrichum capsici; its activity occurred through the production of hydrolytic enzymes, including chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase, and exhibited PGP properties. This endophytic bacterium significantly reduced anthracnose severity compared with the control, achieving a disease reduction index (DRI) of over 60%. Moreover, chili plants treated with the bacterium showed higher plant growth parameters under greenhouse conditions. The levels of phenolic compounds and salicylic acid in plants treated with Bacillus sp. KKU-RE-018 could activate systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that Bacillus sp. KKU-RE-018 plays a multifaceted role, capable of suppressing anthracnose and simultaneously promoting chili growth. Full article

Anthracnose, predominantly caused by Colletotrichum fructicola, severely reduces yield in Fragaria × ananassa production. We assessed ensemble machine learning (ML) frameworks to improve genomic prediction (GP) of resistance using a training population of 300 individuals from six full-sib families. Genotyping with the Axiom^® 50K FanaSNP array and phenotyping by AUDPC after artificial inoculation enabled evaluation of five algorithms—G-BLUP, LASSO, LightGBM, Random Forest, and XGBoost—combined with informed feature selection and resampling-based data augmentation (3×, 5×). Ensemble ML models consistently outperformed linear approaches, with Random Forest, LightGBM, and XGBoost achieving the highest accuracies. Marker prioritization revealed that a reduced SNP panel of ~200 markers provided near-maximal predictive performance (R² up to 0.991), demonstrating that compact subsets can support cost-efficient GP. Data augmentation, implemented through the resampling of existing observations rather than the creation of new alleles, improved statistical power and model stability under limited sample sizes. Collectively, this study demonstrates that (i) ensemble ML models deliver superior accuracy for predicting polygenic resistance, (ii) small SNP panels can achieve high efficiency, and (iii) augmentation enhances robustness in resource-constrained breeding populations. These findings establish a scalable and breeder-oriented GP pipeline to accelerate the development of anthracnose-resistant strawberry cultivars. Full article