Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"Methyl 2-methylbutyrate produced by Streptomyces saccharicans strain ZBY1-20 inhibits Monilinia fructicola causing peach brown rot","authors":"Shan Chen ,&nbsp;Meijun Chen ,&nbsp;Yang Zheng ,&nbsp;Rong Mu ,&nbsp;Haorong Yang ,&nbsp;Mengfen Liu ,&nbsp;Jihong Jiang ,&nbsp;Guanhua Ma ,&nbsp;Xianchao Sun ,&nbsp;Kuo Huang ,&nbsp;Jiequn Ren ,&nbsp;Guoju Dong ,&nbsp;Guokang Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest peach brown rot disease, predominantly caused by <em>Monilinia fructicola</em>, leads to significant economic losses, with up to 50 % fruit rot. Current control strategies rely heavily on chemical fungicides, raising concerns about pathogen resistance, environmental impact, and pesticide residues. This study explored the potential of volatile metabolites produced by 27 Actinomycetes strains to inhibit <em>M. fructicola</em>. Among them, volatiles from <em>Streptomyces saccharicans</em> strain ZBY1-20 demonstrated limited direct inhibition of brown rot on peaches but effectively suppressed <em>M. fructicola</em> spore germination, suggesting the presence of germination-inhibiting compounds. Comprehensive characterization of ZBY1-20 included BIOLOG phenotypic profiling and physiological assessments. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified 20 volatile metabolites during a 14-day incubation period, dominated by alcohols, organic acid esters, and terpenes. Methyl 2-methylbutyrate, comprising 5.291 % of the total volatiles, exhibited potent antifungal activity, significantly inhibiting <em>M. fructicola</em> growth and spore production. Notably, 0.1200 ng L^-1 of methyl 2-methylbutyrate completely suppressed spore germination and reduced lesion expansion on peach fruit without causing adverse effects. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that methyl 2-methylbutyrate altered <em>M. fructicola</em> gene expression, disrupting ribosome-associated pathways and impairing protein translation. Overall, these findings highlight the efficacy of <em>S. saccharicans</em> strain ZBY1-20 in managing peach brown rot via the production of methyl 2-methylbutyrate, providing an environmentally friendly alternative for postharvest disease control and advancing strategies for fruit preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105861"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144858403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intraguild interactions among key predators in Mediterranean pear orchards","authors":"Luis Gabriel Perera-Fernández,&nbsp;Elena López-Gallego,&nbsp;Juan Antonio Sanchez","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intraguild interactions have a strong effect on the population dynamics and structure of the community of arthropods in ecosystems. Ants are key species in Mediterranean pear orchards due to the mutualistic relationship they establish with honeydew-producing hemipterans and its impact on other natural enemies, such as spiders and predatory mirids. The aim of this work was to assess intraguild interactions among the main predators in pear orchards, since such interactions may affect pest suppression. The interactions among the ant <em>Lasius grandis</em>, the myrmecomorphic mirid <em>Pilophorus gallicus</em> and two species of spiders (<em>Oxyopes lineatus</em> and <em>Philodromus lividus</em>) was assessed in the presence/absence of each species in a complete factorial design. The arena consisted of a 2-liter clear plastic jar with a pear seedling. Ant nests were connected to the arena by means of a plastic tube. The survival of <em>P. gallicus</em> was significantly reduced by ants and spiders<em>.</em> In addition, the survival of both spiders was significantly affected by <em>L. grandis</em>, with <em>O. lineatus</em> being more adversely affected than <em>P. lividus</em>. In arenas with ants, the addition of the spider <em>O. lineatus</em> further decreased <em>P. gallicus</em> survival, whereas when <em>P. lividus</em> was incorporated to the arena the survival of the mirid increased significantly. These findings corroborate that <em>L. grandis</em> is the top predator in Mediterranean pear orchards and that the role of other predators in pest regulation in this agroecosystem is expected to be conditioned by their interactions with ants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105863"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relationship between foraging behavior and predatory gain of Neoseiulus bicaudus under different prey densities","authors":"Chen Fang ,&nbsp;Xinjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Siqiong Tang ,&nbsp;Jiamin Gu ,&nbsp;Jie Su ,&nbsp;Huiying Liu ,&nbsp;Jianping Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105873","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105873","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Foraging behavior determines natural enemies’ predation capacity and biological control efficacy. Prey density significantly affects their foraging behavior. Studying predator foraging under different prey densities with movement process analysis reveals foraging mechanisms through energy investment and return. The predatory mite <em>Neoseiulus bicaudus</em> (Wainstein) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) preys on pests including <em>Tetranychus turkestani</em> Ugarov et Nikolskii (Acari: Tetranychidae). Using video-tracking, we evaluated how <em>T. turkestani</em> densities (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 per arena) affect <em>N. bicaudus</em> foraging behavior, movement, and energy gain. This research investigates behavioral mechanisms underlying prey density effects on predation capacity and evaluates biocontrol optimization from a behavioral perspective.</div><div>Prey density significantly impacted <em>N. bicaudus</em> foraging, with attack frequency peaking at 30 prey. Time allocation among behaviors remained constant across densities. Movement analysis using machine learning algorithms (based on speed and turning angle parameters) revealed two distinct movement states: active and inactive. Below 10 prey, inactive states dominated; higher densities favored active states. Inactive states significantly affected attack frequency and prey consumption; predation rates were further modulated by movement states interactions. Energy gain correlated significantly with inactive-state duration. High prey densities decreased per-prey feeding duration but increased total energy gain and extended patch residence time.</div><div><em>Neoseiulus bicaudus</em> dynamically regulates predation frequency and locomotor states in response to prey density. Movement states may be the key factor influencing predation efficiency, consistent with optimal foraging theory predictions. This mechanistic understanding of predator–prey interactions provides a framework for optimizing natural enemy-based biocontrol strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105873"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biological control of anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and high-quality walnut production in walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees by Bacillus licheniformis PR2","authors":"Jae-Hyun Moon,&nbsp;Sang-Jae Won,&nbsp;Vantha Choub,&nbsp;Su-In Choi,&nbsp;Ju-Yeol Yun,&nbsp;Henry B. Ajuna,&nbsp;Young Sang Ahn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105871","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Walnut (&lt;em&gt;Juglans regia&lt;/em&gt; L., Fam.: &lt;em&gt;Juglandaceae&lt;/em&gt;) is an economically important crop worldwide, but its production is hampered by notorious diseases such as walnut anthracnose caused by &lt;em&gt;Colletotrichum gloeosporioides&lt;/em&gt;. This study aims to demonstrate the potential of &lt;em&gt;Bacillus licheniformis&lt;/em&gt; PR2 as an alternative to chemical fungicides through the production of bioactive enzymes which degrade the phytopathogenic fungal cell walls to inhibit its mycelial growth and spore germination and consequently suppress anthracnose disease. The study further demonstrates the potential of PR2 to improve the yield and quality of walnut kernels through phytohormone production and improving nutrient availability in soil. During its growth in the bacterial culture, PR2 exhibited strong antifungal potential by producing cell wall degrading enzymes such as chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and protease which degraded the cell wall chitin, β-glucans and glycoproteins polymers of &lt;em&gt;C. gloeosporioides&lt;/em&gt;. The crude enzyme fraction of PR2 at 100 µL/mL inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of &lt;em&gt;C. gloeosporioides&lt;/em&gt; by 89.22 % and 33.31 %, respectively. Field application of PR2 culture resulted in 3.60-fold and 3.47-fold reduction of anthracnose disease incidence compared to the conventional treatment and control groups, respectively. For the growth-promoting properties, PR2 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), a phytohormone known to enhance root development up to 148.49 mg/mL during growth and demonstrated the potential for phosphate-solubilization and ammonium-nitrogen production, thereby increasing the availability of essential nutrients in the soil. Application of PR2 in the field elevated the concentration of nitrogen and available phosphorus by 1.70-fold and by 1.56-fold compared to the conventional treatment and control group, respectively. Inoculation of PR2 also elevated the concentration of available phosphate in the rhizosphere by 2.57-fold and 2.67-fold compared to the conventional treatment and control group, respectively. These growth-promoting properties improved the uptake of essential nutrients by walnut plants and resulted in higher chlorophyll content/photosynthetic capacity in walnut leaves, which in turn resulted in higher yield and improved physical characteristics of walnut kernels, such as the average kernel length, diameter, weight and firmness. Moreover, the inoculation of PR2 in walnut field increased calcium uptake and content in walnut kernel by promoting calcium solubilization from metal complexes through organic acid production (lowering soil pH) and the increased Ca content improved kernel firmness by reinforcing the pellicle cell walls. These findings demonstrate that &lt;em&gt;B. licheniformis&lt;/em&gt; PR2 has dual potential to directly inhibit phytopathogenic infections through enzymatic degradation of the fungal cell walls while simultaneously inducing beneficial physiological processes to improve","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105871"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the potential of native Blueberry-derived yeasts as biocontrol agents against Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria alternata","authors":"Florencia Isabel Chacón ,&nbsp;Pedro Eugenio Sineli ,&nbsp;Santiago Bernabé Guiñazú ,&nbsp;Fátima Micaela Alvarez ,&nbsp;Anja Poehlein ,&nbsp;Rolf Daniel ,&nbsp;Julián Rafael Dib","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blueberry production in Argentina faces economic losses caused mainly by fungal pathogens such as <em>Botrytis cinerea</em> and <em>Alternaria alternata.</em> Synthetic fungicides are expected to be discontinued in favor of a more sustainable agriculture, making indigenous yeast, which protects the plants, a promising alternative. This study explored the cultivable portion of blueberry fruits and flowers epiphytic yeast community to identify yeasts capable of protecting fruits against the major phytopathogens affecting this crop. Native yeasts were isolated and identified based on the PCR-amplified and sequenced D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene. Members of the genera: <em>Rhodotorula</em>, <em>Hanseniaspora</em>, <em>Naganishia</em>, <em>Moesziomyces</em>, <em>Rhizosphaera</em>, <em>Metschnikowia</em>, <em>Clavispora</em>, <em>Pallidophorina</em>, <em>Hannaella, Aureobasidium, Sporobolomyces, Filobasidium,</em> and <em>Cystobasidium</em> were identified<em>.</em> Subsequently, antagonism against <em>B. cinerea</em> and <em>A. alternata</em> was assessed <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo.</em> Finally, potential modes of action such as killer phenotype, siderophore production and formation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were also evaluated. Among 38 yeast strains identified, the strain <em>Aureobasidium leucospermi</em> LAF2 stood out <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> with respect to protect blueberry fruits against <em>B. cinerea</em> by 58.33 % and <em>A. alternata</em> by 67.78 % of biocontrol efficiency at 25 °C. It also proved the ability to produce hydroxamate-type siderophores and VOCs capable of inhibiting <em>B. cinerea</em> growth by 48.19 %. These results suggest that fruits and flowers epiphytic microbial communities are a reservoir of potential biological control agents. <em>A. leucospermi</em> LAF2 is a strong candidate for a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicides in blueberry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"PhyloControl: A phylogeny visualisation platform for risk analysis in weed biological control","authors":"Stephanie H. Chen ,&nbsp;Lauren Stevens ,&nbsp;Ben Gooden ,&nbsp;Michelle A. Rafter ,&nbsp;Nunzio Knerr ,&nbsp;Peter H. Thrall ,&nbsp;Louise Ord ,&nbsp;Alexander N. Schmidt-Lebuhn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phylogenetic distance is a key measure used to develop species lists for host specificity tests that delimit the fundamental and realised host range of candidate weed biocontrol agents to meet the assumptions of the centrifugal phylogenetic method. Plant pathogens and insects, even those with broad host ranges, exhibit some degree of phylogenetic conservatism in their host plant associations. Thorough host specificity testing is crucial to minimise the risk of off-target damage to native and economically important plant species. Host test lists need to be developed from an understanding of evolutionary relationships, usually visualised as a phylogenetic tree, together with plant functional traits, and geospatial information. Currently, the process of obtaining a host test list is not standardised, and the manual steps are time-consuming and challenging. We introduce a user-friendly, open-source visualisation tool called PhyloControl to aid researchers in biocontrol risk analysis. PhyloControl integrates taxonomic data, molecular data, spatial data, and plant traits in an intuitive interactive interface, empowering biocontrol practitioners to summarise, visualise and analyse data efficiently. Comprehensively sampled phylogenetic trees are often unavailable, and older published phylogenies often lack branch resolution and support, which increases uncertainty. PhyloControl includes a workflow implemented through Quarto notebooks in R that allows users to perform phylogenetic analyses on GenBank DNA sequences. The modular workflow also incorporates species distribution modelling to predict the current and potential extent of target weed species. PhyloControl will streamline the development of biocontrol host tests lists to support risk analysis and decision making in classical weed biological control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105859"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cambodian rice field soils infested by Meloidogyne spp. unveil a potential source of natural pest biocontrol agents","authors":"Michel Barbier ,&nbsp;Florine Degrune ,&nbsp;Cécile Perrollaz ,&nbsp;Kimsrong Uon ,&nbsp;Jamel Aribi ,&nbsp;Pierre Czernic ,&nbsp;Sreymom Sieng ,&nbsp;Florent Tivet ,&nbsp;Malyna Suong ,&nbsp;Lionel Moulin ,&nbsp;Stéphane Bellafiore","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rice is a key staple crop and economic resource in Cambodia. Yet national yields are below regional averages due to the prevalence of persistent biotic stressors, including the rice root-knot nematode <em>Meloidogyne graminicola</em>. This pathogen is highly prevalent in Cambodian rice cropping systems, where current control measures primarily rely on water management and chemical nematicide treatment approaches that are often environmentally detrimental and unsustainable. Microbial biocontrol agents could offer a promising alternative for long-term nematode suppression. This study focused on soils from 13 rice fields in three Cambodian provinces to assess their suppressiveness against <em>M. graminicola</em>. An <em>in vitro</em> bioassay assessing second-stage juvenile (J2) mobility responses to soil suspensions revealed 30–95 % antagonistic activity. Nematofaunal communities were characterized alongside microbial community profiled using 16S and 18S metabarcoding. Threshold Indicator Taxa ANalysis (TITAN) was conducted to identify taxa associated with suppressive activity. Suppressive soils were found to be enriched with 105 bacterial and fungal taxa overall, along with several site-specific indicator taxa associated with localized antagonistic activity. These included known nematode antagonist taxa such as <em>Saccharopolyspora</em>, <em>Kitasatospora</em>, <em>Lysinibacillus</em> and <em>Mortierella</em>, as well as potential keystone taxa like <em>Ohtaekwangia</em>. Several previously unreported taxa were also associated with nematode inhibition. These findings revealed diverse microbial candidates with potential biocontrol activity against <em>M. graminicola</em>, thereby offering a stepping stone for the development of sustainable microbe-based rice nematode management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105874"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coniothyrium minitans: A biocontrol agent for sustainable management of Sclerotinia-induced diseases","authors":"Amit Sharma ,&nbsp;Carol L. Groves ,&nbsp;Megan McCaghey ,&nbsp;Brian Mueller ,&nbsp;Richard W. Webster ,&nbsp;Damon L. Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Sclerotinia</em> spp. are globally distributed phytopathogens responsible for economically significant diseases in a wide range of host plants, including soybean, sunflower, canola, lettuce, cabbage, and carrot. The long-term survival of the overwintering structures, sclerotia, in soil coupled with the lack of completely resistant cultivars, threatens crop health and yield stability. Disease management generally relies on cultural and chemical practices that may not be consistently effective in all cropping systems and can raise environmental concerns. Microbe-microbe interactions, such as long-recognized between <em>Coniothyrium minitans</em> and <em>Sclerotinia</em> spp. are gaining renewed attention as a promising tool to manage <em>Sclerotinia</em>-induced diseases, offering environmentally friendly and often durable alternatives. Despite its importance, limited attention has been given to the topic in existing literature. This review focuses on <em>C. minitans,</em> from its biology to field-level deployment. Its antagonistic activity relies on mycoparasitism and antibiosis, both of which are influenced by environmental, biological, field, and chemical factors. Commercialization and deployment of <em>C. minitans</em>-based biocontrol products faced several hurdles before widespread adoption. Contans®, a commercial product, is recommended for soil application at harvest or approximately eight weeks prior to planting, or as a foliar spray during or shortly before conditions become conducive for disease development. Numerous greenhouse and field trials provide evidence of effective disease management in various crops using <em>C. minitans</em>, supporting its integration in disease management practices. This comprehensive review can be helpful for researchers, Extension agents, and farmers seeking information on effective and sustainable alternatives for managing <em>Sclerotinia</em>-induced diseases across diverse cropping systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105877"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144917684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Root rot of strawberry caused by Fusarium citri in China and use of Streptomyces rhizosphaericus as a biological control","authors":"Ai Liu ,&nbsp;Yan Jing ,&nbsp;Xiangyang Li ,&nbsp;Xiujuan Shi ,&nbsp;Wei Mu ,&nbsp;Beixing Li ,&nbsp;Feng Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105872","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105872","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Strawberry root rot is a worldwide challenge in plantations, inflicting significant economic losses. Among the causative agents, <em>Fusarium</em> spp. are major pathogens that trigger root rot and wilt in strawberry and other cash crops. In March 2023, an outbreak of root rot occurred in strawberry fields of Zibo city, Shandong province, China. Infected plants exhibited severe symptoms, including high mortality, root necrosis, lack of fresh root growth, crown discoloration, and leaf withering. To identify the pathogen, morphological observation and phylogenetic analysis of multiple gene regions (ITS, <em>CAM</em>, <em>EF</em>, <em>RPB2</em>, and <em>TEF</em>) were conducted. The results confirmed that <em>Fusarium citri</em> was the causal agent of the root rot. Pathogenicity tests and Koch’s postulates further demonstrated that <em>F. citri</em> isolates induced symptoms consistent with those observed in the field. Notably, this study represents the first report of <em>F. citri</em> inducing root rot on strawberry in China. Application of <em>Streptomyces rhizosphaericus</em> in both <em>in vitro</em> and in plant pathogen challenge experiments revealed a potential for this organism as biological control agent for the management of strawberry root rot caused by <em>F. citri</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144852206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A workflow for sourcing and characterizing wheat field microorganisms for the biocontrol of Fusarium head blight","authors":"Toan Bao Hung Nguyen,&nbsp;Flora Pensec,&nbsp;Jérôme Mounier,&nbsp;Monika Coton,&nbsp;Amandine Henri-Sanvoisin,&nbsp;Massilia Mouzaoui,&nbsp;Adeline Picot","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105856","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by numerous <em>Fusarium</em> species, is a major fungal disease affecting wheat and other food staples. Biological control agents (BCAs) are promising alternatives to synthetic fungicides for integrated disease management. In the present study, a workflow was developed to isolate and screen wheat field-associated microorganisms for their antagonistic activities against FHB causal agents, by taking into account both intra- and interspecific diversity of pathogen complexes. Non-selective and selective isolation methods were used to collect 1231 bacteria, 365 molds, and 39 yeasts from wheat grains, maize residues, and soil samples. From this collection, microbial antagonistic activities were first determined against a <em>Fusarium graminearum</em> strain, followed by taxonomic identification of positive isolates. Their activity spectrum was also determined against additional <em>Fusarium graminearum</em> strains, as well as <em>Fusarium avenaceum</em> and <em>Fusarium poae</em>. Then, screening of the ten most effective isolates (4 bacteria, 1 yeast-like, and 5 molds: <em>Rahnella aceris</em>, <em>Streptomyces</em> sp., 2 <em>Pantoea agglomerans</em> isolates, <em>Cistella</em> sp., <em>Trichoderma paraviridescens</em>, <em>Trichoderma gamsii</em>, <em>Epicoccum layuense</em>, <em>Podila minutissima</em>, and <em>Penicillium virgatum</em>) on surface-disinfected grains confirmed their ability to control or delay pathogen growth. Significant variations in BCA antagonistic activities were observed among isolates across different <em>Fusarium</em> species and/or strains, which reinforced the importance of including intra- and interspecific pathogen diversity during the screening steps. One <em>T. gamsii</em> isolate emerged as the most promising candidate, achieving complete inhibition of <em>Fusarium</em> growth (100%) and preventing or dramatically reducing mycotoxin production (up to 100% reduction of deoxynivalenol production). This study highlights that wheat fields serve as a valuable reservoir for potential BCAs against FHB control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"209 ","pages":"Article 105856"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}