sustainable agriculture – Page 5

Editorial: Unraveling pathogen-plant-microbiome interactions in horticultural crops through omics approaches

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This editorial presents a collection of research on how diseases affect valuable crops like tomatoes, tea, and potatoes. Scientists used advanced genetic and molecular techniques to understand how pathogens infect plants and how the beneficial microbes around plant roots can help fight disease. The studies suggest that managing crop diseases sustainably requires understanding the complex interactions between pathogens, plants, and their microbial communities.

Screening, Identification, and Fermentation Optimization of the Antagonistic Actinomycete Strain TCS21-117 Against Botrytis cinerea

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Scientists isolated a beneficial bacterium called Streptomyces roietensis from soil that effectively fights gray mold, a serious fungal disease affecting crops worldwide. They identified the strain and optimized growing conditions to maximize production of antifungal compounds, achieving 93% effectiveness against gray mold. This discovery offers a natural, environmentally-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides for protecting agricultural crops, potentially reducing crop losses and environmental pollution.

Chilean Aloysia Essential Oils: A Medicinal Plant Resource for Postharvest Disease Control

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Researchers tested essential oils from two Chilean herbs, Aloysia citriodora and Aloysia polystachya, against fungi that cause fruit rot after harvest. They found that oil from Aloysia citriodora, especially a compound called farnesol, effectively killed the disease-causing fungi in laboratory tests. These natural oils could replace synthetic fungicides that are becoming less effective and harmful to the environment, offering farmers a safer way to protect their fruit during storage and transport.

Organic and Inorganic Amendments Shape Bacterial Indicator Communities That Can, In Turn, Promote Rice Yield

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Farmers wanting to grow more rice while protecting the environment can benefit from combining chemical fertilizers with mushroom waste. This combination encourages specific beneficial bacteria in the soil that help break down organic matter and make nutrients available to rice plants. The study found that soil health measured through microbial activity is a better predictor of rice harvest than traditional soil chemistry tests, suggesting that managing soil microbes should be a priority for sustainable farming.

Soil Allies: Exploring the Combined Potential of Folsomia candida and Trichoderma spp. Against Fusarium oxysporum

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This study explores how springtails and beneficial fungi called Trichoderma can work together to fight a harmful soil fungus that damages cape gooseberry crops. The springtails preferentially eat the pathogenic fungus while avoiding the beneficial Trichoderma, allowing it to persist and do its job. Both organisms independently reduce the harmful fungus, suggesting they could be used together as an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides.

Identification and growth-promoting effect of Paecilomyces lilacinus a biocontrol fungi for walnut rot disease

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Scientists identified a beneficial fungus called Paecilomyces lilacinus from walnut soil that can fight walnut rot disease more safely than chemical fungicides. Testing showed this fungus not only kills the disease-causing pathogen but also boosts walnut seed germination and seedling growth by up to 98%. This natural solution could help walnut farmers protect their crops while avoiding harmful chemical pesticides.

Endophytic Diversity in Sicilian Olive Trees: Identifying Optimal Conditions for a Functional Microbial Collection

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Researchers studied beneficial bacteria and fungi living inside olive trees from Sicily to create a collection of microorganisms that could improve olive farming. They found that wild olive trees and samples collected in winter had the most diverse and beneficial microbes, and that organic farming practices supported greater microbial diversity. Some of these microbes, especially Bacillus bacteria, showed promise in fighting fungal diseases and promoting plant growth, offering potential for developing natural fertilizers and disease control methods.

Differential responses of Cacao pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Pestalotiopsis sp. to UVB 305 nm and UVC 275 nm

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Scientists studied how UV light can be used to fight fungal diseases that harm cacao plants. They found that UVC light (a type of ultraviolet radiation) is much more effective at killing these fungi than UVB light. Some fungi were very resistant to UV treatment, but the researchers discovered that combining UV light with sound waves (sonication) could overcome this resistance, offering a chemical-free way to protect crops.

The Biocontrol and Growth-Promoting Potential of Penicillium spp. and Trichoderma spp. in Sustainable Agriculture

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This review examines how two types of beneficial fungi, Penicillium and Trichoderma, can improve crop growth and protect plants from diseases without using chemical pesticides. These fungi work by colonizing plant roots, producing natural compounds that boost plant health, and fighting harmful pathogens. They are affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly alternatives for sustainable farming that can increase yields while reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers and fungicides.

Antifungal mechanism of nanosilver biosynthesized with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and its potential to control muskmelon Fusarium wilt

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Researchers created tiny silver particles using a beneficial fungus to fight a serious disease that damages muskmelon plants. At low doses, these silver nanoparticles killed the disease-causing fungus while actually helping the melon plants grow better and germinate faster. The silver particles work by damaging the fungus’s cell structure and triggering harmful reactive oxygen species inside fungal cells, ultimately destroying them.

Research Keyword: sustainable agriculture