Plant peptides are small signaling molecules that help plants defend themselves against diseases and pests. These peptides can work by directly killing pathogens or by activating the plant’s immune system. Researchers have identified over 1000 different plant peptides, and this review explains how they work and how they could be used to create disease-resistant crops and natural biopesticides.
Scientists discovered six new species of fungi in Iran that cause leaf spots on common wetland plants. By examining the fungi under microscopes and analyzing their genetic material, researchers were able to identify these previously unknown species and describe their characteristics. This discovery significantly increases our understanding of fungal diversity in Iran and shows how combining traditional observation with modern genetic analysis helps identify new organisms. These findings provide important information for future ecological and evolutionary studies of these fungi.
This research shows that Trichoderma hypoxylon, a beneficial fungus used in agriculture, produces different versions of antifungal compounds called epidithiodiketopiperazines (ETPs) to fight various harmful fungi. By deleting genes responsible for modifying these compounds, scientists found that different modifications work better against different pathogens—some modifications are more effective against mold fungi while others work better against grain pathogens. This demonstrates that the fungus uses chemical diversity as a strategy to protect crops from multiple threats.