Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology最新文献

{"title":"Morpho-genetic and pathogenic characterization of Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid isolates causing dry root rot of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Ethiopia","authors":"Solomon Tamiru ,&nbsp;Berhanu Bekele ,&nbsp;Thangavel Selvaraj ,&nbsp;Thelma Caine ,&nbsp;Negussie Efa Gurmessa ,&nbsp;Alan Buddie","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change has resulted in the emergence of several plant pathogens, which have caused a huge yield loss to crops globally. Among them, a soil-borne necrotrophic fungus <em>Macrophomina phaseolina</em> (Tassi) Goid is an economically important pathogen because of its wide host range and geographic distribution. The pathogen causes dry root rot of chickpeas, a serious disease threatening chickpea production in Ethiopia. Isolates of <em>M. phaseolina</em> were obtained from symptomatic chickpea roots from ten districts across three zones in Central Ethiopia. The isolates were examined for variability in their morpho-genetic and pathogenic characteristics. A significant variation in colony growth and sclerotia traits was observed among the isolates. At 72 h after incubation, 21 isolates were rated as fast-growing, six as medium-growing, and two isolates as slow-growing. The isolates had a colony growth rate ranging from 9.4 to 17.1 mm day⁻¹. The isolates had four colony pigmentations: pale-grey, grey, black, and greenish-grey. Four isolates were classified as having small-sized sclerotia, whereas five were medium, and 20 isolates were large-sized. The sclerotia of the isolates exhibited four morpho-types: round, oblong, ovoid, and irregular. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that morphological characters accounted for the greatest variation among the isolates. The pathogenicity of the isolates varied from strongly to highly virulent on chickpeas. Using morphological and pathogenicity traits, principal coordinate analysis clustered the isolates into four groups, whereas hierarchical cluster analysis into ten groups. The isolates revealed 99.7–100 % ITS and LSU rDNA sequence identity to several reference isolates deposited in GenBank. This study documented basic information for designing management strategies for this emerging pathogen in Ethiopia.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103090"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization and transmission of “huanglongbing” (‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’) with emphasis on mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata)","authors":"Sameer Konda,&nbsp;Vaikuntavasan Paranidharan","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>“Huanglongbing”(HLB), or citrus greening, is one of the most destructive citrus diseases globally, with particularly severe effects on mandarin. The disease is associated with the phloem-limited bacterium ‘<em>Candidatus</em> Liberibacter asiaticus’, which reduces fruit yield, juice quality, and tree longevity, causing major economic losses in mandarin-producing regions of Asia. Transmission occurs predominantly by Asian citrus psyllid (<em>Diaphorina citri</em>), while grafting also provides an efficient pathway for orchard-level spread. Experimental transmission through dodder and occasional seed detection have been reported, though their epidemiological relevance is limited or uncertain. Once established, ‘<em>Ca</em>. <em>L. asiaticus</em>’ disrupts phloem transport, leading to characteristic symptoms including blotchy leaf mottle, lopsided fruit with aborted seeds, canopy thinning and progressive decline. Yield reductions of 40–60 % have been documented in mandarins in India, Nepal, and Southeast Asia, underscoring their high susceptibility compared with sweet orange and grapefruit. This review synthesizes current evidence on the epidemiology, symptom expression and transmission biology of HLB with a dedicated focus on mandarins, and outlines integrated management strategies such as the use of certified nursery stock, suppression of psyllid vectors, removal of infected trees, and orchard sanitation that are essential to sustaining mandarin cultivation in HLB-endemic regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103091"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic role of biopriming in boosting legume crop performance: A review","authors":"Rashmi Jha ,&nbsp;V. Manonmani ,&nbsp;K. Sundaralingam ,&nbsp;S. Vanitha ,&nbsp;M. Gnanachitra ,&nbsp;T. Kalaiselvi","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chemical use in agriculture has boosted crop yields to meet global food demands, but excessive or improper application disrupts the physical, chemical, and biological balance of soil, ultimately threatening soil health, human well-being, and long-term global food security. Biopriming has emerged as a sustainable and eco-efficient seed treatment that activates physiological and molecular defence responses in plants, offering an alternative to chemical priming methods. Inoculating seeds with beneficial microorganisms not only enhances seed vigour and stimulation of early germination but also triggers various plant defence mechanisms against pathogens. At the molecular level, biopriming modulates signalling pathways involving salicylic acid and jasmonic acid, reinforcing induced systemic resistance (ISR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) mechanisms. Beneficial microbes involved in biopriming mediate vital biochemical transformations such as biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, potassium mobilisation, and siderophore-mediated micronutrient uptake, contributing to a nutritionally enriched and biologically active rhizosphere. In legumes, biopriming strengthens the symbiotic relationship with <em>Rhizobium</em> spp., improving nitrogen assimilation and soil fertility, particularly within organic and low-input farming systems. Thus, biopriming aligns perfectly with the goals of organic and sustainable agriculture, offering an advanced bio-intensification strategy for climate-resilient and resource-efficient crop production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103038"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temperature-responsive miRNAs identified during in vitro growth of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici correlate with altered virulence potential in planta","authors":"Varsha A. Mahadik ,&nbsp;S.M. Shivaraj ,&nbsp;Narendra Kadoo","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fusarium oxysporum</em> f.sp. <em>lycopersici</em> (Fol), a soil-borne fungal pathogen, causes Fusarium wilt in tomato, leading to substantial crop losses worldwide. While microRNAs (miRNAs) are well-characterized in plants and animals, their functional roles in fungi, especially under environmental stress, remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to identify temperature-responsive Fol miRNAs during its <em>in vitro</em> growth and to examine their potential correlation with pathogen virulence. The Fol cultures incubated at 20 °C and 28 °C exhibited differential mycelial growth, sporulation, and pathogenicity, with higher aggressiveness observed at 28 °C. Small RNA sequencing revealed 15 novel miRNAs, among which five and six miRNAs were exclusively expressed at 20 °C and 28 °C, respectively, while four were common to both conditions. Stem-loop RT-PCR confirmed the temperature-dependent expression of the selected miRNAs. The miRNA secondary structure analysis revealed that the 21-bp mature miRNA sequences were located in either the stem or loop regions of the precursor molecules. Predicted target genes of the identified miRNAs with strong miRNA-binding affinity were tested for transcript cleavage using modified 5’ RNA Ligase-Mediated-Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RLM-RACE), which validated Fol-miR-S13-mediated cleavage of two Fol transcripts, KNA98265 and KNB04665. Other predicted targets showed no cleavage, suggesting translational repression mechanisms. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the miRNAs modulated pathways related to fungal growth, virulence, metabolism, and transcriptional regulation. The findings of this study provide insights that may contribute to the development of miRNA-based approaches for managing fungal diseases, including potential biomarkers of environmental responsiveness and prospective targets for RNAi-mediated crop protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103049"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chitosan–Cyproconazole nano-formulation enhances stem rust resistance in wheat cultivar Morocco","authors":"Jafar Fathi Qarachal ,&nbsp;Seyyed Ali Moosawi Jorf ,&nbsp;Mansoor Karimi Jashni ,&nbsp;Maryam Nikkhah","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103066","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103066","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stem rust, caused by <em>Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici</em>, is among the most devastating diseases affecting global wheat production. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a novel chitosan–cyproconazole nanoformulation (C–CYP) in enhancing the resistance of the susceptible wheat cultivar Morocco against stem rust infection. Chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) and C–CYP nanoformulation were synthesized via ionic gelation and characterized using FE-SEM and DLS, revealing uniform, spherical particles of approximately 80–90 nm with positive surface charge stability. Greenhouse experiments demonstrated that C–CYP treatments, particularly at 10 ppm, drastically reduced disease severity and fungal biomass (&lt;1 % of total DNA) compared with conventional cyproconazole or chitosan alone. Antioxidant enzyme assays indicated that catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities were significantly elevated following nanoparticle application, peaking between 72 and 96 h post-treatment. Gene expression analysis revealed strong upregulation of defense-related genes including <em>WAK2</em>, <em>NPR1</em>, <em>CHI</em>, and <em>GLU</em>, which are associated with cell wall reinforcement, systemic acquired resistance, and hydrolytic enzyme activity. The <em>WAK2</em> and <em>NPR1</em> transcripts exhibited early induction (day 5), while <em>CHI</em> and <em>GLU</em> showed sustained activation up to day 12 post-treatment. These findings indicate that chitosan-based nanocarriers not only enhance the antifungal efficacy of cyproconazole but also prime innate plant defense mechanisms. Therefore, the C–CYP nanoformulation represents a promising eco-friendly alternative to conventional fungicides for sustainable wheat protection against stem rust.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103066"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bio-fertilization suppresses the population dynamics structure of the cereal cyst nematodes","authors":"Niloufar Abbasi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Moosavi ,&nbsp;Mehdi Nasr Esfahani ,&nbsp;Tahereh Basirnia ,&nbsp;Davood Amin Azarm","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cereal cyst nematodes (CCNs) are among the most destructive pathogens of wheat (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> L.), with <em>Heterodera filipjevi</em> recognized as the predominant species in many wheat-growing regions worldwide. Despite the use of diverse management approaches, effective biological alternatives to chemical nematicides remain limited. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of selected bio-fertilizers in suppressing <em>H. filipjevi</em> population dynamics under field conditions. The bio-fertilizers tested comprised Nitroxin (Rhizobacteria), Tricuran-P (<em>Trichoderma harzianum</em> T-22), Effective Microorganisms (EM), humic acid (HA; liquid, 30 %), Phosphozist (phosphate-solubilizing bacteria), Formycine Gold PX (20 %), and Pars Basil (PB). Treatments were administered three times in total; initially at the tillering stage (Week 1), followed by two additional applications at three-week intervals (Weeks 4 and 7). Bio-fertilizer application significantly reduced nematode population parameters compared with the untreated control. The control plots exhibited the highest number of mature cysts (42.0), whereas Nitroxin produced the lowest count (11.2), followed by PB (15.5), Phosphozist (18.0), and T-22 (18.0). The reproduction factor (Rf) of mature cysts was highest in the control (100 %) but markedly reduced by Nitroxin (27 %), PB (36 %), T-22 (42 %), and Phosphozist (44 %). Likewise, egg and second-stage juvenile (J2) numbers were greatest in the control (18.8) but substantially lower following treatments with T-22 (3.8), Nitroxin (4.0), EM (4.0), and PB (4.0). The lowest Rf values for eggs and J2 were observed in T-22, Nitroxin, EM, and PB treatments. Correlation analysis indicated that the number of mature cysts was significantly and positively correlated with the Rf of mature cysts (r = 0.995), egg and J2 numbers (r = 0.539), and the Rf of eggs and J2 (r = 0.553). These results demonstrate that bio-fertilizers, particularly Nitroxin and Pars Basil, effectively suppress <em>H. filipjevi</em> development and reproduction under field conditions. These findings highlight the strong potential and practical value of microbial biofertilizers as sustainable components of integrated management strategies for <em>H. filipjevi</em> and other cereal cyst nematodes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103086"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796969","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphological and multi-locus phylogeny-based molecular characterization of Neopestalotiopsis vitis causing leaf blight disease of globe amaranth – a new record from India","authors":"G.S. Tejaswini ,&nbsp;S. Mahadevakumar ,&nbsp;P.V.S.R.N. Sarma ,&nbsp;C. Danteswari ,&nbsp;M. Mahesh ,&nbsp;S.D. Yogesh ,&nbsp;S.S.N. Maharachchikumbura ,&nbsp;S. Chandranayaka ,&nbsp;K.R. Sridhar ,&nbsp;R. Sowmya","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103068","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103068","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Gomphrena globosa</em> (globe amaranth) is an important ornamental flower crop widely cultivated in southern districts of Karnataka, India. During July–September 2023, a distinctive leaf blight infection was observed with disease incidence ranging from 18 % to 24 % across 5 ha of surveyed fields of globe amaranth. The symptoms initially appeared as small reddish-brown necrotic lesions on young leaves, which gradually enlarged, coalesced, and led to extensive blight as the disease progressed. Fungal isolates were obtained by culturing infected leaf tissues on potato dextrose agar (PDA). In total, eight fungal isolates were obtained, exhibiting grey, fluffy, cottony mycelial growth with irregular margins and dark brown coloration on the reverse side of the colony. Three representative isolates were selected for molecular identification. Sequencing of the ITS-rDNA region, TEF-1α and TUB2 genes revealed &gt;99 % similarity with reference sequences of <em>Neopestalotiopsis vitis</em>. A concatenated phylogenetic analysis based on combined ITS-TUB2-TEF-1α sequence data further confirmed the identity of the isolates as <em>N. vitis</em>. Based on morphological, cultural, and multi-locus molecular phylogeny, the pathogen associated with leaf blight of <em>G. globosa</em> was identified as <em>N</em>. <em>vitis</em>. Pathogenicity was confirmed through inoculation of healthy plants, which developed typical leaf blight symptoms within 10–12 days of post-inoculation. The pathogen was successfully re-isolated and its identity was confirmed. <em>Neopestalotiopsis vitis</em> is known to cause diseases in several economically important crops. However, its association with globe amaranth has not been previously reported. This study represents the first report of <em>N. vitis</em> causing leaf blight on <em>Gomphrena globosa</em> in India, thereby expanding the known host range and geographic distribution of this pathogen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103068"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vermicompost-mediated shifts in soil microbiome and functional potential suppress root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in tomato","authors":"Ashish Kumar Singh ,&nbsp;Ramesh Singh Pal ,&nbsp;Amit Kumar ,&nbsp;Shbana Begam ,&nbsp;Amit U. Paschapur ,&nbsp;Sunaullah Bhat ,&nbsp;Vinita Gouri ,&nbsp;Gaurav Verma ,&nbsp;K.K. Mishra ,&nbsp;Lakshmi Kant","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The root-knot nematode (<em>Meloidogyne incognita</em>) poses a major constraint to global crop productivity, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable and eco-friendly management strategies. This study assessed the efficacy of vermicompost in suppressing <em>M. incognita</em> using a combination of <em>in vitro</em> bioassays, greenhouse pot experiments, and polyhouse validation trials. <em>In vitro</em> assays showed that vermicompost extract significantly increased juvenile mortality by 63.6 % (p &lt; 0.001), a performance comparable to the synthetic nematicide carbofuran (98.8 %). Under polyhouse conditions, the combined application of fluopyram and vermicompost (T3) yielded the lowest gall density (29 galls per plant), while vermicompost alone (37.2 galls) and fluopyram alone (45 galls) also showed significant reduction (p &lt; 0.001). Microbial community profiling based on 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that vermicompost selectively enriched beneficial bacterial taxa. Complementary GC–MS analysis of the acetone extract identified 20 bioactive compounds, including Glycidyl palmitate (10.37 %), Hexatriacontane (5.47 %), and Dodecane, 4,6-dimethyl (4.99 %), all recognized for their antimicrobial and nematicidal properties. Functional prediction (PICRUSt2) indicated enrichment of pathways associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis, signal transduction, and nutrient cycling, reflecting a functionally active and disease-suppressive microbiome. Our study highlights that vermicompost-mediated nematode suppression results from a synergistic interaction between its bioactive metabolites and enriched microbial communities. This positions vermicompost as a promising sustainable alternative for integrated nematode management in agricultural system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103052"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An exploration of the continuous cropping obstacle in Gastrodia elata Bl.: Insights from the soil micro-ecology","authors":"Ting Li,&nbsp;Dingmao Yang,&nbsp;Bo Li,&nbsp;Honghong Jiao","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103105","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103105","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Continuous cropping of <em>Gastrodia elata</em> Bl. leads to a decline in the yield and quality. To elucidate the microbiological causes of this phenomenon, we analyzed the effects of different cultivation durations (unplanted, ZNT; half a year of cropping, ZST; one year of continuous cropping, ZT1; two years of continuous cropping, ZT2; and three years of continuous cropping, ZT3) on the nutrient content, enzyme activity, and microbial community structure of the <em>G. elata</em> rhizosphere soil while also examining the correlations among these factors. The results revealed that compared with ZNT, continuous cropping significantly acidified the soil, with the pH of ZT3 decreasing by 9.40 %. Catalase and sucrase activities initially increased but then decreased, whereas urease activity remained persistently inhibited (decreased of 52.36 % in ZT3). The activities of glutaminase and uricase significantly increased under long-term continuous cropping (ZT3). Continuous cropping also altered the community structure and diversity of the rhizosphere microbial community. The relative abundance of the dominant fungal phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, as well as the bacterial phylum Proteobacteria, increased after six months of <em>G. elata</em> cultivation but sharply decreased after long-term cultivation. Correlation analysis revealed that many fungi (<em>Rozellomycota_gen_Incertae_sedis</em>, <em>Staphylotrichum</em>, and <em>Trapelia</em>) and bacteria (<em>Sphingomonas</em>, <em>Burkholderia</em>, <em>Caballeronia</em>, and <em>Paraburkholderia</em>) were strongly associated with soil properties and enzyme activity, indicating different responses among various genera. These findings suggest that continuous <em>G. elata</em> cultivation drives the succession of the rhizosphere microbial community by altering soil physicochemical properties, which could lead to microbial imbalances. These findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the obstacles to continuous cropping of <em>G. elata</em> and lay the groundwork for developing strategies to alleviate these challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103105"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883425","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Variation in genome size of Moniliophthora perniciosa strains: karyotype, nuclear DNA content, and repetitive DNA","authors":"Rayanne França Pereira ,&nbsp;Clausio Antônio Ferreira de Melo ,&nbsp;Ceslaine Santos Barbosa ,&nbsp;Jéssica Coutinho Silva ,&nbsp;Guilherme Silva Nascimento ,&nbsp;Wellington Ronildo Clarindo ,&nbsp;Karina Peres Gramacho","doi":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103107","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pmpp.2025.103107","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Moniliophthora perniciosa</em>, the causal agent of witches’ broom disease of <em>Theobroma, Herrania spp.,</em> and other host species<em>,</em> shows genomic plasticity that may underlie its adaptability to diverse hosts. This study analyzed karyotype, genome size, and repetitive DNA content across 22 reference strains isolated from the Malvaceae and Solanaceae families. Karyotypic analyses revealed diploid chromosome numbers ranging from 5 to 7, with strain-specific chromosomal size and structure differences. The first ideograms of <em>M. perniciosa</em> were constructed, revealing pericentromeric and terminal CMA+/DAPI– bands suggestive of satellite DNA. Flow cytometry revealed inter and intraspecific variation in nuclear DNA content, with genome sizes ranging from 66.2 to 115.5 Mb. Malvaceous strains exhibited larger genome sizes than those from Solanaceae. Repetitive DNA analysis indicated that LTR retrotransposons, LINEs, and unclassified elements primarily drive genome expansion. However, no significant evidence was observed between repetitive DNA content and genome size, indicating that genomic expansion in <em>M. perniciosa</em> may be driven by multiple structural mechanisms, in addition to transposon amplification. Our findings support the hypothesis that transposable element abundance contributes to genome size expansion and may enhance the adaptive potential of <em>M. perniciosa</em> under environmental and host-imposed constraints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20046,"journal":{"name":"Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology","volume":"142 ","pages":"Article 103107"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}