Research Topic: Phytopathology

Circadian clock is critical for fungal pathogenesis by regulating zinc starvation response and secondary metabolism

mycolabadmin

Scientists discovered that Fusarium oxysporum, a fungus that causes plant diseases, uses an internal clock system to time its attacks on plants. The fungus is most dangerous at dawn, when it activates special genes to survive the plant’s defenses and produce toxins. By disrupting the fungus’s clock genes, researchers found they could make it harmless. This discovery could lead to new ways to protect crops by targeting the pathogen’s timing system rather than using traditional fungicides.

Read More »

Characterization of Fungal Pathogens Causing Blueberry Fruit Rot Disease in China

mycolabadmin

Researchers in China identified seven different fungi causing blueberry fruit rot disease from samples collected in Guizhou and Fujian provinces. Three of these fungi were found on blueberries for the first time. The study showed that blueberries can suffer from multiple fungal infections at once, both during growth and after harvest, causing significant crop losses. Understanding these different pathogens helps farmers develop better strategies to prevent and manage blueberry diseases.

Read More »

Draft genome sequence of Neofusicoccum caryigenum associated with pecan leaf dieback

mycolabadmin

Scientists have sequenced the complete genetic code of a fungus called Neofusicoccum caryigenum that causes pecan leaf dieback, a disease affecting pecan trees in the southeastern United States. The fungus was first identified in 2021 and causes leaves to fall off pecan trees, reducing crop yields. This genetic information will help researchers better understand the disease and develop ways to prevent or control it.

Read More »

Twenty-nine new host records of powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphaceae) in Taiwan with an updated checklist

mycolabadmin

Researchers updated Taiwan’s list of powdery mildew fungi, which are harmful plant pathogens affecting crops and trees worldwide. By collecting specimens from various locations and analyzing them using genetic sequencing and microscopy, they identified 29 new host-fungus combinations, with six Erysiphaceae species documented in Taiwan for the first time. The updated checklist now includes approximately 109 powdery mildew species known to affect 246 different host plant species across 75 plant families in Taiwan.

Read More »

Morpho-Molecular Identification and Pathogenic Characterization of Fusarium and Colletotrichum Species Associated with Intercropped Soybean Pod Decay

mycolabadmin

This research identified harmful fungi that cause soybean pod and seed decay in China’s Sichuan Province. Scientists found eight different Fusarium species and six different Colletotrichum species affecting soybean pods, with some species identified for the first time as soybean pathogens. Laboratory tests showed that certain fungal species, particularly Fusarium proliferatum and Colletotrichum fructicola, were the most damaging to soybean plants. These findings help farmers understand and better manage fungal diseases in soybean crops grown in intercropping systems.

Read More »
Scroll to Top