Fungal biology最新文献

{"title":"Characterization and biocontrol of oomycetes recovered from a phytoremediation plant for the treatment of farmhouse wastewaters","authors":"Rossana Parlascino ,&nbsp;Cristian Bua ,&nbsp;Sebastiano Conti Taguali ,&nbsp;Antonella Pane ,&nbsp;Francesco Aloi ,&nbsp;Nunzio Tuccitto ,&nbsp;Santa Olga Cacciola","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The reuse of wastewater for crop irrigation after treatment in constructed wetlands (CWs) represents an eco-friendly strategy to enhance agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to detect oomycete plant pathogens in wastewater from an agritouristic farm treated in CWs and reused for irrigation, and to evaluate antagonistic filamentous fungi as potential biocontrol agents (BCAs) of waterborne oomycetes. Three predominantly aquatic species, <em>Phytophthora gonapodyides</em>, <em>P. inundata</em>, and <em>Phytopythium litorale</em>, were isolated from CW water, whereas only terrestrial species, including <em>P. citrophthora</em>, <em>P. nicotianae</em> (the most frequent), and <em>Phytopythium</em> <em>vexans</em>, were recovered from soils of citrus orchards irrigated with reclaimed water. This difference suggests CW water is not a primary inoculum source for terrestrial pathogens under tested conditions. Among candidate BCAs, <em>Trichoderma asperellum</em>, <em>T. atroviride</em>, <em>T. harzianum</em>, and <em>Epicoccum nigrum</em> significantly inhibited <em>in vitro</em> mycelial growth of the isolated oomycetes, with <em>T. harzianum</em> showing the strongest inhibition (69.17% against <em>P. nicotianae</em>). However, these BCAs were ineffective in controlling <em>P. nicotianae</em>infections on tomato seedlings when applied individually. Conversely, treatments either with the mixture of the three <em>Trichoderma</em> species or with the chitosan- and nosodes-based bioproducts Ascoma® and Verde® significantly reduced disease severity, indicating a synergistic effect among <em>Trichoderma</em> species in the soil rhizosphere.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 8","pages":"Article 101686"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145463469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol of Leucoagaricus gongylophorus by Trichoderma asperelloides with implications to ant mini-colony survival","authors":"Tássia Tuane Moreira dos Santos ,&nbsp;Gabriel Moura Mascarin ,&nbsp;Christopher A. Dunlap ,&nbsp;Amanda Abdallah Chaibub ,&nbsp;Jaqueline Magalhães Pereira ,&nbsp;Leticia de Maria Oliveira Mendes ,&nbsp;Danielle Santos Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Leila Garcês de Araújo ,&nbsp;Paulo Marçal Fernandes","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101680","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101680","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) of the genera <em>Atta</em> and <em>Acromyrmex</em> are major agricultural pests in the Americas, relying on their mutualism with the fungus <em>Leucoagaricus gongylophorus</em> for colony survival. Mycoparasites such as <em>Trichoderma</em> spp. offer promising biocontrol tools by antagonizing this essential symbiont. This study aimed to identify the most antagonistic isolate of <em>Trichoderma asperelloides</em>, elucidate its mechanisms of action against the fungal garden-symbiont <em>L. gongylophorus</em>, and further evaluate its indirect biocontrol activity on the health and survival of <em>Atta sexdens</em> mini-colonies. Isolates of <em>T. asperelloides</em> namely Tricho 4, Tricho 5, Tricho 7, and Tricho 11 exhibited strong antagonism, reducing <em>L. gongylophorus</em> colony growth by more than 94 % in dual culture assays. Additionally, antibiosis mechanism and volatile compound release by <em>T. asperelloides</em> induced over an 80 % reduction in <em>L. gongylophorus</em> growth. Moreover, exposure to these isolates significantly disrupted ant mini-colonies, leading to mortality rates of up to 60 % and a concurrent reduction in waste production, likely linked to the antagonism effects of <em>T. asperelloides</em> on the garden-symbiont fungus. Overall, these <em>T. asperelloides</em> isolates demonstrate potent antifungal activities against <em>L. gongylophorus</em> and may serve as a sustainable biological strategy for managing LCA colonies.</div></div><div><h3>Impact statement</h3><div>This work demonstrates <em>T. asperelloides</em> may serve as a potential biological agent for implementation in the integrated management of leaf-cutting ants in the tropics and subtropics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 8","pages":"Article 101680"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145413743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol potential of Bacillus subtilis Sjb3 against Rosa chinensis and apple diseases","authors":"Xiyan Lou ,&nbsp;ManYu Chen ,&nbsp;Ping Li ,&nbsp;Yixue Cui ,&nbsp;Chunhua Zhu ,&nbsp;Dongdong Yu ,&nbsp;Muhammad Anwar ,&nbsp;Dongli Pei","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101684","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101684","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There are various diseases affecting <em>Rosa chinensis</em>, which significantly impact its ornamental value. This paper examines the inhibitory effect of the strain <em>Bacillus subtilis Sjb3</em> on different pathogenic fungi and its biocontrol effects on anthracnose and black spot diseases. The plate confrontation method was employed to assess the antifungal activity of <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em>. The results indicated that the strain exhibited inhibitory effects on the growth of seven pathogenic fungi, with an inhibitory rate ranging from 39.34 % to 47.50 %. By observing the mycelia of the seven types of pathogenic fungi that were inhibited by the fungus under an inverted fluorescence microscope, it was discovered that the fungus caused various distortions in the mycelia of these fungi, such as expansion, bending, and folding. With bubble-like structures, uneven thickness, and oval branch formations. In vitro inoculation experiments indicated that <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em> could effectively reduce anthracnose caused by <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em>, the black spot of <em>R. chinensis</em> caused by <em>Alternaria tenuissima,</em> and ring rot disease of apples caused by <em>Botryosphaeria dothidea</em>. The stability of the sterile filtrate from <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em> was determined using <em>C. gloeosporioides</em> as the test pathogen. The fermentation broth of <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em> exhibited strong thermal stability at 80 °C. It maintained good stability within a pH range of 6–9. UV irradiation time remained relatively stable for up to 60 min. It was not sensitive to protease K. Using BG medium as the base, the optimal culture conditions were identified. The results showed that the best inorganic salt was 0.1 % sodium chloride, the ideal nitrogen source was 1 % yeast extract, the preferred carbon source was 0.5 % glucose, and the optimal pH was 7. Thus, <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em> demonstrated broad-spectrum antagonism against various plant pathogenic fungi, effectively inhibiting the occurrence of anthracnose <em>in R. chinensis</em> and black spot diseases, along with high stability of antibacterial substances. This study provides a foundation for further applications of <em>B. subtilis Sjb3</em> as a biocontrol agent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 8","pages":"Article 101684"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145516914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effector molecules and pathogenicity-associated gene expression in Ascochyta rabiei","authors":"Mahmuda Binte Monsur,&nbsp;Ido Bar,&nbsp;Jonathan Wanderley Lawley,&nbsp;Rebecca Ford","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101668","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101668","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The necrotrophic fungus <em>Ascochyta rabiei</em> poses a significant threat to chickpea cultivation worldwide, leading to severe yield losses and quality reduction. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the pathogenicity of <em>A. rabiei</em> is essential for developing effective management strategies. This study employed transcriptomic analyses to compare the gene expression profiles among two <em>A. rabiei</em> isolates with differing pathogenicity levels (highly pathogenic AR0231 and low pathogenic AR0225) during interaction of PBA HatTrick chickpea genotype at the early podding stage. PBA HatTrick is classified as moderately susceptible to <em>A. rabiei</em> based on field trial ratings from the GRDC National Variety Trials. Like most cultivated chickpea varieties, its resistance to <em>A. rabiei</em> is generally considered polygenic and quantitative in nature, with no major resistance gene identified to date. A total of 105 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 57 upregulated and 48 downregulated in AR0231. Notably, effector-related genes were prominent among the upregulated DEGs, including EKO05_0002468, a homolog of the CoNIS1 effector gene that suppresses plant immunity, and EKO05_0010552, a homolog of PsGIP2/PsGIP1 encoding a glucanase inhibitor that protects fungal cell walls from host enzymes. Additionally, EKO05_0001368, homologous to PesCDA/VdPDA1, encodes a chitin-binding effector linked to immune evasion. Downregulated DEGs included EKO05_0006947, a LysM-domain effector homolog implicated in masking fungal chitin from host detection. These findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms employed by <em>A. rabiei</em> during infection of mature chickpea tissue and highlight candidate genes for future research on improving chickpea resistance to Ascochyta blight.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 8","pages":"Article 101668"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The wild-grown Boletus edulis (penny bun) mushroom from the granite-based substrate: Trace elements uptake and Mg, Cu, Zn, and Cd isotope fractionations","authors":"Alexandre V. Andronikov,&nbsp;Irina E. Andronikova,&nbsp;Eva Martinkova,&nbsp;Ondrej Sebek,&nbsp;Marketa Stepanova","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We studied trace element distributions (with the use of the Agilent Technologies 5110 ICP-OES) and Mg, Cu, Zn, and Cd isotope fractionations (with the use of the MC-ICP-MS Neptune, ThermoFisher) in a substrate (granite-based)-to-mushroom (<em>Boletus edulis</em>) system. <em>B. edulis</em> likely intakes elements only in amounts necessary for its healthy existence, almost regardless of the composition of the substrate. Significant isotope fractionations occur at the soil-to-mushroom interface (Δ values varied from −1.58 ‰ for Mg to +0.72 ‰ for Cd). <em>B. edulis</em> from the granite-based substrate preferentially took up a lighter Mg isotope, whereas heavier isotopes of Cu, Zn, and Cd are taken up preferentially. Within-mushroom isotope fractionations were not so strongly pronounced. The strongest extent of the within-mushroom isotope fractionation was observed for Mg (within-mushroom Δ²⁶Mg = −0.45 to +0.35 ‰) and Zn (within-mushroom Δ⁶⁶Zn = −0.33 to +0.40 ‰) whereas the weakest, for Cu (within-mushroom Δ⁶⁵Cu = −0.14 to −0.02 ‰) and Cd (within-mushroom Δ¹¹⁴Cd = −0.09 to +0.08 ‰). Mg and Zn isotope fractionations could be due to the physical properties of the mushroom. With no redox-related Cu isotope fractionation involved, kinetic processes and Cu⁺ complexation to S could lead to the observed subtle negative within-mushroom Cu isotope fractionation. Very insignificant Cd isotope fractionation can be due to still unidentified fungal-driven fractionation processes. Overall, the study conducted confirmed that <em>B. edulis</em> is able to uptake elements with different degrees of readiness and translocate them within the fruiting body with differing intensities subjecting the elements to isotope fractionation at different extent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101657"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Think globally, barcode locally: nine years of macrofungi sampling reveals extensive biodiversity at the ordway-swisher biological station, a subtropical site in Florida","authors":"Marcos V. Caiafa ,&nbsp;Laurel Kaminsky ,&nbsp;Rosanne Healy ,&nbsp;Leanne P. Sheffer ,&nbsp;C. Benton Willis ,&nbsp;Katy Deitz ,&nbsp;Brantlee S. Richter ,&nbsp;Benjamin R. Lemmond ,&nbsp;David Borland ,&nbsp;Bitty A. Roy ,&nbsp;Heather A. Dawson ,&nbsp;Carolyn A. Delevich ,&nbsp;John S. Conery ,&nbsp;Dylan Warner ,&nbsp;Miroslav Caboň ,&nbsp;Elena Karlsen-Ayala ,&nbsp;Arthur C. Grupe II ,&nbsp;Nattapol Kraisitudomsook ,&nbsp;Nicole K. Reynolds ,&nbsp;Elisandro Ricardo Drechsler-Santos ,&nbsp;Matthew E. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101643","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101643","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Ordway-Swisher Biological Station (OSBS) is a 38-km² reserve owned by the University of Florida and is part of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). The reserve contains several iconic Florida habitats, such as sandhill, mesic hammock, and scrubby flatwoods. While plants and animals have been extensively studied at OSBS, the fungi remain poorly known. Fungal inventories are critical to increase knowledge of both fungal diversity and species ranges, and thus to provide foundational data for a wide array of applications in ecology and resource management. Here, we present the results of a nine-year effort to collect, preserve, and DNA barcode the macrofungi at OSBS. This effort generated &gt;1200 vouchered specimens and 984 ITS rDNA sequences, representing more than 546 species. Our sampling was dominated by Basidiomycota and revealed a high diversity of symbiotic ectomycorrhizal fungi, particularly species of <em>Amanita, Cortinarius,</em> and <em>Russula</em>. Sampling curves and both Chao1 and Jacknife1 richness estimators suggest that our DNA barcoding efforts captured only about half of the macrofungi species and that a more complete inventory would detect 897–1177 macrofungi species at OSBS. Our sampling found more species of macrofungi at OSBS than the known number of vertebrate animal species at the reserve and our estimates also suggest that there are likely more macrofungi species than plant species at OSBS. This study is the first comprehensive macrofungi inventory within a NEON site and highlights the importance of long-term monitoring to provide novel data on fungal diversity, community structure, conservation, biogeography, and taxonomy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101643"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144909058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Real-time matric potential dynamics in peat casings amended with wood fibre and bark, and their relationship to Agaricus bisporus yield and quality","authors":"E. Corbett ,&nbsp;H. Grogan ,&nbsp;B. McGuinness ,&nbsp;A. Tumbure ,&nbsp;G. Young ,&nbsp;M.T. Gaffney","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wood fibre, uncomposted bark and windrow-composted bark were tested in two replicate experiments at amendment rates of 30, 50 and 70 % v/v with commercial peat-based mushroom casing. Their performance in terms of crop yield and mushroom quality was compared to an industry standard peat-based control. Hydro-physical behaviour (i.e. matric potential) between casing treatments was monitored during the crop by recording matric potential (Ψ_m) using solid-state tensiometers. Emerging and developing mushrooms utilised casing-contained water resulting in decreasing Ψ_m during a ‘flush’. Differences in the magnitude and duration of Ψ_m evolution between treatments were correlated to mushroom cropping performance and quality metrics.</div><div>Wood fibre treatments closely matched peat-based controls in water availability and crop timing, with Ψm values showing a similar rate of decrease over each flush (not exceeding −34.4 kPa). Class A mushrooms from these treatments were likewise indistinguishable from the controls in yield and quality.</div><div>Conversely, bark-based casings diverged from peat-based control treatments with their timing and water dynamics strongly influenced by management conditions such as case-run length. Increasing rates of bark addition in some instances was correlated with incrementally delayed cropping (by as much as 4 days relative to control treatments). Additionally, the comparatively open pore-structure of bark containing treatments resulted in poor water retention, overpinning (during 1st flush) and pore-structure degradation over time, requiring careful crop management. A lack of available water occurred within these casing treatments (particularly in Trial 1, flush 2), was evidenced not only by the slow development of water-stressed mushrooms (e.g. premature opening, split stipes), but was also correlated with a pattern of stalling or halted Ψ_m evolution, as cropping progressed. Water stress in these casing treatments ultimately led to a higher relative proportion of Class B graded mushrooms. Averaged over two trials, Class B mushrooms constituted 53 % and 47 % of the total yield for uncomposted and composted bark respectively. Comparatively peat averaged just 24 %.</div><div>In order to maintain yield, crop timing and stagger similar to that of commercial peat-based casing, peat-amended treatments must demonstrate similar expression of hydro-physical behaviour as well as an ability to retain structure over repeated flushing and watering cycles. Herein, it is demonstrated that sensor-monitored Ψ_m evolution coincides with substantial variation in the growth and progression of the crop and consequently in the yield of harvested mushrooms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101664"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145216743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying the Pleurotus ostreatus α-amylase gene family and analyzing its expression during growth and development","authors":"Xinran Li ,&nbsp;Lei Wang ,&nbsp;Miao Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>α-Amylase is a crucial enzyme modulating carbohydrate metabolism that holds a significant role in the growth and development of animals, plants, and microbes. However, its role in mushrooms remains unclear. This study identified eight <em>PoAmy</em> genes within the genome of <em>Pleurotus ostreatus</em> that were distributed across three chromosomes. These genes were categorized into two distinct subfamilies based on their phylogenetic relationships and corroborated by the identification of conserved motifs. Gene duplication and homology analyses highlighted that <em>PoAmys</em> have undergone potent purifying selection throughout their evolutionary history. Furthermore, the <em>cis-</em>acting elements within <em>PoAmys</em> indicated heightened sensitivity to light and hormonal regulation. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations suggested that <em>PoAmys</em> were involved in polysaccharide metabolism. Transcriptome data coupled with quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) results indicated that most members exhibited significant differential expression throughout growth and development, from the mycelial stage to the mature substrate. This study provides valuable insights into the role of α-amylase in <em>P. ostreatus</em>, providing a platform for future functional studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101644"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144919917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular, morphophysiological, and pathogenic characterization of Colletotrichum isolates from strawberry plants in Santa Catarina, Brazil","authors":"Vanessa F. Soares ,&nbsp;Aline C. Velho ,&nbsp;Isabela M. Doria ,&nbsp;Antonio J. Andrello ,&nbsp;Mateus Brusco de Freitas ,&nbsp;Marciel J. Stadnik","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101660","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101660","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strawberry (<em>Fragaria × ananassa</em>) holds significant importance within the small fruits group of temperate climates. However, its high susceptibility to diseases, particularly anthracnose caused by <em>Colletotrichum</em> isolates, can severely limit production. This study aimed to identify and characterize <em>Colletotrichum</em> species causing strawberry anthracnose in Santa Catarina state, Brazil. Isolates were collected from strawberry plants exhibiting typical anthracnose symptoms on different plant parts, in both organic and conventional fields. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted using six loci, including actin (ACT), β-tubulin (TUB2), calmodulin (CAL), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAPDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), to identify the <em>Colletotrichum</em> isolates. Morphological and cultural characteristics, including conidia size, shape, and sexual reproductive structures were assessed. Pathogenicity tests were performed on detached leaves, fruits, and whole plants of the cultivars (cvs.) Albion, Pircinque, and San Andreas. Additionally, lipolytic, lipase, and cutinase activities were evaluated. The multilocus phylogenetic analysis identified the isolates as <em>Colletotrichum nymphaeae</em>, <em>Colletotrichum siamense</em>, and <em>Colletotrichum karstii</em>. Six groups of colony color were observed. <em>Colletotrichum siamense</em> and <em>C. karstii</em> predominantly exhibited cylindrical conidia shapes, while most <em>C. nymphaeae</em> isolates were fusiform. Furthermore, the presence of sexual structures, such as asci and ascospores, was exclusively noted in <em>C. karstii</em>. Pathogenicity tests on leaves and fruits showed that all isolates caused leaf spots and fruit rot in the three tested cvs., except for two isolates of <em>C. nymphaeae</em> (M135 and M165), which did not cause leaf spots on the adaxial leaf surface of cultivar (cv.) San Andreas. Whole plant assays indicated that the isolates caused anthracnose symptoms on leaves, petioles, fruits, flowers, and crowns, with the most prominent symptoms on petioles and fruits. <em>Colletotrichum karstii</em> showed a three-fold higher halo diameter (10.2 mm), indicating increased lipolytic activity, while <em>C. nymphaeae</em> (M133) exhibited a twelve-fold higher lipase activity, and <em>C. siamense</em> had a twenty-eight-fold higher cutinase activity compared to controls. These findings provide new insights into the distribution and pathogenicity of <em>Colletotrichum</em> species causing strawberry anthracnose in Santa Catarina. The molecular, morphological, and enzymatic characterizations enhance our understanding of species-specific virulence factors, which can support the development of targeted disease management strategies for strawberry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101660"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145216742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fungal endophytes with anti-fungal metabolites reduce symptoms of ash dieback in Fraxinus excelsior in a greenhouse experiment","authors":"Maia Ridley ,&nbsp;Özge Demir ,&nbsp;Lina Scheithauer ,&nbsp;Michael Steinert ,&nbsp;Frank Surup ,&nbsp;Rasmus Enderle ,&nbsp;Barbara Schulz","doi":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.funbio.2025.101646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>European ash trees (<em>Fraxinus excelsior</em>) are threatened by the non-native fungal pathogen <em>Hymenoscyphus fraxineus</em>, which causes crown dieback and root collar necroses. The exploitation of fungal endophytes, which naturally colonise trees asymptomatically and can produce bioactive metabolites, may provide opportunities as biocontrol agents to reduce symptom development in <em>F. excelsior</em>. We focused our investigations on isolates of four genera which fulfil these criteria and selected six promising candidates for greenhouse experiments: <em>Diaporthe oncostoma</em> (DSM 116298), <em>Pezicula abietina</em> (DSM 5141), <em>Pezicula</em> cf. <em>ericae</em> (DSM 110620), <em>Nemania diffusa</em> (DSM 116299), <em>Hypoxylon perforatum</em> (MUCL 54174) and <em>Hypoxylon rubiginosum</em> (DSM 106870). A detailed analysis of the secondary metabolomes by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and HRMS (high resolution mass spectrometry) data identified known metabolites from these endophytes: mycorrhizin A produced by <em>P. abietina</em>, CJ-17,572 from <em>P.</em> cf. <em>ericae</em>, phomopsidin from <em>Hyp. rubiginosum</em> and cytochalasin E from <em>N. diffusa</em> as key anti-fungal agents. Besides detecting multiple potential cytochalasins, the new compound 9-<em>epi</em>-xylaolide A was isolated from <em>D. oncostoma</em>.</div><div>A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine whether the endophytes could reduce symptoms of ash dieback <em>in planta.</em> When two-year old <em>F. excelsior</em> saplings were artificially-inoculated with each of the six endophytes alone, no significant symptoms of disease developed. For two of the six endophytes, we observed significantly reduced necrotic lesion development when saplings were subsequently inoculated with a <em>H. fraxineus</em> strain of low virulence, compared to saplings inoculated only with the pathogen. In combinations of the six biocontrol candidates and a <em>H. fraxineus</em> strain of higher virulence, lesion development was initially inhibited<em>,</em> however inhibition was not significant and decreased at different rates over the monitoring period. Mortality was delayed in dual-inoculated saplings compared to saplings inoculated with either of the <em>H. fraxineus</em> strains alone. These results indicate symptoms and mortality associated with <em>H. fraxineus</em> infection can be reduced by endophytes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12683,"journal":{"name":"Fungal biology","volume":"129 7","pages":"Article 101646"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}