{"type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [{"id": "10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:14:43Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-03-25", "title": "Genomic prediction models trained with historical records enable populating the German ex situ genebank bio-digital resource center of barley (Hordeum\u00a0sp.) with information on resistances to soilborne barley mosaic viruses", "description": "Abstract Key message

Genomic prediction with special weight of major genes is a valuable tool to populate bio-digital resource centers.

Abstract

Phenotypic information of crop genetic resources is a prerequisite for an informed selection that aims to broaden the genetic base of the elite breeding pools. We investigated the potential of genomic prediction based on historical screening data of plant responses against the Barley yellow mosaic viruses for populating the bio-digital resource center of barley. Our study includes dense marker data for 3838 accessions of winter barley, and historical screening data of 1751 accessions for Barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) and of 1771 accessions for Barley mild mosaic virus (BaMMV). Linear mixed models were fitted by considering combinations for the effects of genotypes, years, and locations. The best linear unbiased estimations displayed a broad spectrum of plant responses against BaYMV and BaMMV. Prediction abilities, computed as correlations between predictions and observed phenotypes of accessions, were low for the marker-assisted selection approach amounting to 0.42. In contrast, prediction abilities of genomic best linear unbiased predictions were high, with values of 0.62 for BaYMV and 0.64 for BaMMV. Prediction abilities of genomic prediction were improved by up to\uffe2\uff80\uff89~\uffe2\uff80\uff895% using W-BLUP, in which more weight is given to markers with significant major effects found by association mapping. Our results outline the utility of historical screening data and W-BLUP model to predict the performance of the non-phenotyped individuals in genebank collections. The presented strategy can be considered as part of the different approaches used in genebank genomics to valorize genetic resources for their usage in disease resistance breeding and research.

", "keywords": ["Genetic Markers", "0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "Genotype", "Chromosome Mapping", "Genetic Variation", "Hordeum", "Genomics", "Potyviridae", "Linkage Disequilibrium", "Plant Breeding", "03 medical and health sciences", "Phenotype", "Databases", " Genetic", "Original Article", "Genetic Association Studies", "Disease Resistance", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Theoretical%20and%20Applied%20Genetics", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s00122-021-03815-0"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-03-25T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1007/s00442-006-0458-4", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:14:53Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2006-05-30", "title": "Elevated [Co2] And Increased N Supply Reduce Leaf Disease And Related Photosynthetic Impacts On Solidago Rigida", "description": "To evaluate whether leaf spot disease and related effects on photosynthesis are influenced by increased nitrogen (N) input and elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration ([CO(2)]), we examined disease incidence and photosynthetic rate of Solidago rigida grown in monoculture under ambient or elevated (560 micromol mol(-1)) [CO(2)] and ambient or elevated (+4 g N m(-2) year(-1)) N conditions in a field experiment in Minnesota, USA. Disease incidence was lower in plots with either elevated [CO(2)] or enriched N (-57 and -37%, respectively) than in plots with ambient conditions. Elevated [CO(2)] had no significant effect on total plant biomass, or on photosynthetic rate, but reduced tissue%N by 13%. In contrast, N fertilization increased both biomass and total plant N by 70%, and as a consequence tissue%N was unaffected and photosynthetic rate was lower on N fertilized plants than on unfertilized plants. Regardless of treatment, photosynthetic rate was reduced on leaves with disease symptoms. On average across all treatments, asymptomatic leaf tissue on diseased leaves had 53% lower photosynthetic rate than non-diseased leaves, indicating that the negative effect from the disease extended beyond the visual lesion area. Our results show that, in this instance, indirect effects from elevated [CO(2)], i.e., lower disease incidence, had a stronger effect on realized photosynthetic rate than the direct effect of higher [CO(2)].", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "03 medical and health sciences", "Ascomycota", "Nitrogen", "13. Climate action", "Biomass", "Carbon Dioxide", "Photosynthesis", "Plant Diseases", "Solidago"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-006-0458-4"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Oecologia", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s00442-006-0458-4", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s00442-006-0458-4", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s00442-006-0458-4"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2006-05-31T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.fm.2020.103583", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:16:26Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-06-27", "title": "Combined application of antagonistic Wickerhamomyces anomalus BS91 strain and Cynara cardunculus L. leaf extracts for the control of postharvest decay of citrus fruit", "description": "Combined use of biocontrol agents and plant extracts can be considered a viable and promising strategy for protecting plant tissues with different synergistic mechanisms of action that improve the antimicrobial activity of the mixtures. Treatments of citrus fruits with Wickerhamomyces anomalus BS91 have been previously reported as effective measures to reduce the incidence of green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum. On the opposite, the knowledge of the antifungal activity of cultivated cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L. var. altilis DC.) leaf extract, vegetable widespread in some Mediterranean areas, is still very limited. In this study, experimental trials were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness in vitro of leaf aqueous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts of C. cardunculus against seven fungal pathogens responsible for considerable food losses in the postharvest stage. In addition, biocontrol yeast W. anomalus BS91 and the three C. cardunculus extracts were tested in vivo both as a single treatment and in mixture, against Penicillium digitatum on 'Tarocco' oranges and 'Femminello' lemons. The combination of W. anomalus BS91 and leaf ethanolic extract reduced with the highest efficacy the incidence and severity of green mold on orange and lemon fruits with respect to the control, and was more effective than treatment with antagonistic yeast or leaf extracts applied alone. Incidence and severity of citrus decay were more consistently reduced when mixtures were applied 24\u00a0h before the inoculation of the pathogen, thus suggesting the relevance of preventive treatments. The mixtures of antagonistic W. anomalus BS91 and ethanolic leaf extract were more effective in controlling green mold decay on oranges than on lemons. These results indicate that biocontrol agents and leaf extracts, used in appropriate combination, can provide a stronger protection than when used singularly. However, compatibility between microbial antagonist and antimicrobial extract should be preliminary verified.", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "Citrus", "0303 health sciences", "Plant Extracts", "Penicillium", "Biocontrol; Yeasts; Cynara cardunculus; Citrus; Green mold; Postharvest", "Cynara", "Biocontrol", " Citrus", " Cynara cardunculus", " Green mold", " Postharvest", " Yeasts", "03 medical and health sciences", "Biological Control Agents", "Food Preservation", "Fruit", "Antibiosis", "Saccharomycetales", "Biocontrol; Citrus; Cynara cardunculus; Green mold; Postharvest; Yeasts", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.iris.unict.it/bitstream/20.500.11769/494574/1/Food%20Microbiology%202020.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2020.103583"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Food%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.fm.2020.103583", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.fm.2020.103583", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.fm.2020.103583"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-12-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111737", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:16:52Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-01-25", "title": "A mathematical model of biofilm growth and spread within plant xylem: Case study of Xylella fastidiosa in olive trees", "description": "Xylem-limited bacterial pathogens cause some of the most destructive plant diseases. Though imposed measures to control these pathogens are generally ineffective, even among susceptible taxa, some hosts can limit bacterial loads and symptom expression. Mechanisms by which this resistance is achieved are poorly understood. In particular, it is still unknown how differences in vascular structure may influence biofilm growth and spread within a host. To address this, we developed a novel theoretical framework to describe biofilm behaviour within xylem vessels, adopting a polymer-based modelling approach. We then parameterised the model to investigate the relevance of xylem vessel diameters on Xylella fastidiosa resistance among olive cultivars. The functionality of all vessels was severely reduced under infection, with hydraulic flow reductions of 2-3 orders of magnitude. However, results suggest wider vessels act as biofilm incubators; allowing biofilms to develop over a long time while still transporting them through the vasculature. By contrast, thinner vessels become blocked much earlier, limiting biofilm spread. Using experimental data on vessel diameter distributions, we were able to determine that a mechanism of resistance in the olive cultivar Leccino is a relatively low abundance of the widest vessels, limiting X. fastidiosa spread.", "keywords": ["Xylella fastidiosa", "0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "Xylem-limited bacterial pathogen", "Olive", "Models", " Theoretical", "Xylella", "630", "olive", "03 medical and health sciences", "Xylem", "Olea", "Biofilms", "multiphase model", "biofilm formation", "Biofilm formation", "Multiphase model", "xylem-limited bacterial pathogen", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://iris.cnr.it/bitstream/20.500.14243/516500/1/Walker%20et%20al.%2c%202024.pdf"}, {"href": "https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/490090/1/1-s2.0-S0022519324000183-main.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111737"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Theoretical%20Biology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111737", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111737", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.jtbi.2024.111737"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1038/ismej.2016.169", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:17:54Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-01-03", "title": "The Pseudomonas putida T6SS is a plant warden against phytopathogens", "description": "Abstract

Bacterial type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are molecular weapons designed to deliver toxic effectors into prey cells. These nanomachines have an important role in inter-bacterial competition and provide advantages to T6SS active strains in polymicrobial environments. Here we analyze the genome of the biocontrol agent Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and identify three T6SS gene clusters (K1-, K2- and K3-T6SS). Besides, 10 T6SS effector\uffe2\uff80\uff93immunity pairs were found, including putative nucleases and pore-forming colicins. We show that the K1-T6SS is a potent antibacterial device, which secretes a toxic Rhs-type effector Tke2. Remarkably, P. putida eradicates a broad range of bacteria in a K1-T6SS-dependent manner, including resilient phytopathogens, which demonstrates that the T6SS is instrumental to empower P. putida to fight against competitors. Furthermore, we observed a drastically reduced necrosis on the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana during co-infection with P. putida and Xanthomonas campestris. Such protection is dependent on the activity of the P. putida T6SS. Many routes have been explored to develop biocontrol agents capable of manipulating the microbial composition of the rhizosphere and phyllosphere. Here we unveil a novel mechanism for plant biocontrol, which needs to be considered for the selection of plant wardens whose mission is to prevent phytopathogen infections.

", "keywords": ["PROTEIN SECRETION", "Nicotiana", "0301 basic medicine", "570", "INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION", "05 Environmental Sciences", "VIBRIO-CHOLERAE", "Environmental Sciences & Ecology", "VI SECRETION SYSTEM", "Xanthomonas campestris", "Microbiology", "03 medical and health sciences", "Bacterial Proteins", "10 Technology", "Plant Diseases", "0303 health sciences", "Science & Technology", "Ecology", "Pseudomonas putida", "ROOT MICROBIOME", "Gene Expression Regulation", " Bacterial", "06 Biological Sciences", "Type VI Secretion Systems", "GENOMIC ANALYSIS", "Biological Control Agents", "ESCHERICHIA-COLI", "EFFECTORS", "IMMUNITY PROTEINS", "Original Article", "HOST-RANGE", "Life Sciences & Biomedicine"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.nature.com/articles/ismej2016169.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2016.169"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/The%20ISME%20Journal", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1038/ismej.2016.169", "name": "item", "description": "10.1038/ismej.2016.169", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1038/ismej.2016.169"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-01-03T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1038/s41467-024-51515-2", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:17:57Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2024-08-23", "title": "A NAC triad modulates plant immunity by negatively regulating N-hydroxy pipecolic acid biosynthesis", "description": "N-hydroxy\u00a0pipecolic acid (NHP) plays an important role in plant immunity. In contrast to its biosynthesis, our current knowledge with respect to the transcriptional regulation of the NHP pathway is limited. This study commences with the engineering of Arabidopsis plants that constitutively produce high NHP levels and display enhanced immunity. Label-free proteomics reveals a NAC-type transcription factor (NAC90) that is strongly induced in these plants. We find that NAC90 is a target gene of SAR DEFICIENT 1 (SARD1) and induced by pathogen, salicylic acid (SA), and NHP. NAC90 knockout mutants exhibit constitutive immune activation, earlier senescence, higher levels of NHP and SA, as well as increased expression of NHP and SA biosynthetic genes. In contrast, NAC90 overexpression lines are compromised in disease resistance and accumulated reduced levels of NHP and SA. NAC90 could interact with NAC61 and NAC36 which are also induced by pathogen, SA, and NHP. We next discover that this protein triad directly represses expression of the NHP and SA biosynthetic genes AGD2-LIKE DEFENSE RESPONSE PROTEIN 1 (ALD1), FLAVIN MONOOXYGENASE 1 (FMO1), and ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1 (ICS1). Constitutive immune response in nac90 is abolished once blocking NHP biosynthesis in the fmo1 background, signifying that NAC90 negative regulation of immunity is mediated via NHP biosynthesis. Our findings expand the currently documented NHP regulatory network suggesting a model that together with NHP glycosylation, NAC repressors take part in a 'gas-and-brake' transcriptional mechanism to control NHP production and the plant growth and defense trade-off.", "keywords": ["Proteomics", "0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "Arabidopsis Proteins", "Science", "Q", "Arabidopsis", "Plants", " Genetically Modified", "Article", "03 medical and health sciences", "Gene Expression Regulation", " Plant", "Pipecolic Acids", "Plant Immunity", "Salicylic Acid", "Transcription Factors", "Plant Diseases", "Disease Resistance"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51515-2"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Nature%20Communications", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1038/s41467-024-51515-2", "name": "item", "description": "10.1038/s41467-024-51515-2", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1038/s41467-024-51515-2"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2024-08-22T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1038/s41598-021-02302-2", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:18:01Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-11-30", "title": "Predicting sensitivity of recently harvested tomatoes and tomato sepals to future fungal infections", "description": "Abstract

Tomato is an important commercial product which is perishable by nature and highly susceptible to fungal incidence once it is harvested. Not all tomatoes are equally vulnerable to pathogenic fungi, and an early detection of the vulnerable ones can help in taking timely preventive actions, ranging from isolating tomato batches to adjusting storage conditions, but also in making right business decisions like dynamic pricing based on quality or better shelf life estimate. More importantly, early detection of vulnerable produce can help in taking timely actions to minimize potential post-harvest losses. This paper investigates Near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (1000\uffe2\uff80\uff931700\uffc2\uffa0nm) and machine learning to build models to automatically predict the susceptibility of sepals of recently harvested tomatoes to future fungal infections. Hyperspectral images of newly harvested tomatoes (cultivar Brioso) from 5 different growers were acquired before the onset of any visible fungal infection. After imaging, the tomatoes were placed under controlled conditions suited for fungal germination and growth for a 4-day period, and then imaged using normal color cameras. All sepals in the color images were ranked for fungal severity using crowdsourcing, and the final severity of each sepal was fused using principal component analysis. A novel hyperspectral data processing pipeline is presented which was used to automatically segment the tomato sepals from spectral images with multiple tomatoes connected via a truss. The key modelling question addressed in this research is whether there is a correlation between the hyperspectral data captured at harvest and the fungal infection observed 4 days later. Using 10-fold and group k-fold cross-validation, XG-Boost and Random Forest based regression models were trained on the features derived from the hyperspectral data corresponding to each sepal in the training set and tested on hold out test set. The best model found a Pearson correlation of 0.837, showing that there is strong linear correlation between the NIR spectra and the future fungal severity of the sepal. The sepal specific predictions were aggregated to predict the susceptibility of individual tomatoes, and a correlation of 0.92 was found. Besides modelling, focus is also on model interpretation, particularly to understand which spectral features are most relevant to model prediction. Two approaches to model interpretation were explored, feature importance and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations), resulting in similar conclusions that the NIR range between 1390\uffe2\uff80\uff931420\uffc2\uffa0nm contributes most to the model\uffe2\uff80\uff99s final decision.Identifying the molecular basis of resistance to pathogens is critical to promote a chemical-free cropping system. In plants, nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat constitute the largest family of disease resistance (R) genes, but this resistance can be rapidly overcome by the pathogen, prompting research into alternative sources of resistance. Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, is one of the most important diseases of common bean. This study aimed to identify the molecular basis of Co-x, an anthracnose R gene conferring total resistance to the extremely virulent C. lindemuthianum strain 100. To that end, we sequenced the Co-x 58 kb target region in the resistant JaloEEP558 (Co-x) common bean and identified KTR2/3, an additional gene encoding a truncated and chimeric CRINKLY4 kinase, located within a CRINKLY4 kinase cluster. The presence of KTR2/3 is strictly correlated with resistance to strain 100 in a diversity panel of common beans. Furthermore, KTR2/3 expression is up-regulated 24 hours post-inoculation and its transient expression in a susceptible genotype increases resistance to strain 100. Our results provide evidence that Co-x encodes a truncated and chimeric CRINKLY4 kinase probably resulting from an unequal recombination event that occurred recently in the Andean domesticated gene pool. This atypical R gene may act as a decoy involved in indirect recognition of a fungal effector.

", "keywords": ["Phaseolus", "2. Zero hunger", "0301 basic medicine", "anthracnose", "0303 health sciences", "[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]", "610", "Chromosome Mapping", "Genes", " Plant", "Phaseolus vulgaris", "630", "NLR", "[SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]", "03 medical and health sciences", "disease resistance gene", "Colletotrichum", "[SDV.BV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology", "CRINKLY4 kinase", "[SDV.BV] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology", "Common bean", "Common bean", " Phaseolus vulgaris", " NLR", " disease resistance gene", " CRINKLY4 kinase", " anthracnose", " unequal crossing-over", "unequal crossing-over", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://academic.oup.com/jxb/article-pdf/72/10/3569/37799399/erab082.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erab082"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Experimental%20Botany", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1093/jxb/erab082", "name": "item", "description": "10.1093/jxb/erab082", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1093/jxb/erab082"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-03-06T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1093/plcell/koac174", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:18:36Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-06-11", "title": "Conserved secreted effectors contribute to endophytic growth and multihost plant compatibility in a vascular wilt fungus", "description": "Abstract

Fungal interactions with plant roots, either beneficial or detrimental, have a crucial impact on agriculture and ecosystems. The cosmopolitan plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) provokes vascular wilts in more than a hundred different crops. Isolates of this fungus exhibit host-specific pathogenicity, which is conferred by lineage-specific Secreted In Xylem (SIX) effectors encoded on accessory genomic regions. However, such isolates also can colonize the roots of other plants asymptomatically as endophytes or even protect them against pathogenic strains. The molecular determinants of endophytic multihost compatibility are largely unknown. Here, we characterized a set of Fo candidate effectors from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) root apoplastic fluid; these early root colonization (ERC) effectors are secreted during early biotrophic growth on main and alternative plant hosts. In contrast to SIX effectors, ERCs have homologs across the entire Fo species complex as well as in other plant-interacting fungi, suggesting a conserved role in fungus\uffe2\uff80\uff93plant associations. Targeted deletion of ERC genes in a pathogenic Fo isolate resulted in reduced virulence and rapid activation of plant immune responses, while ERC deletion in a nonpathogenic isolate led to impaired root colonization and biocontrol ability. Strikingly, some ERCs contribute to Fo infection on the nonvascular land plant Marchantia polymorpha, revealing an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for multihost colonization by root infecting fungi.Maize (Zea mays L.) is a highly valuable crop in Argentina, frequently contaminated with the mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus. Biocontrol products formulated with atoxigenic (nontoxic) strains of this fungal species are well known as an effective method to reduce this contamination. In the present study, 83 A. flavus isolates from two maize regions of Argentina were characterized and evaluated for their ability to produce or lack of producing mycotoxins in order to select atoxigenic strains to be used as potential biocontrol agents (BCA). All of the isolates were tested for aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) production in maize kernels and a liquid culture medium. Genetic diversity of the nonaflatoxigenic isolates was evaluated by analysis of vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) and confirmation of deletions in the aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster. Eight atoxigenic isolates were compared for their ability to reduce aflatoxin and CPA contamination in maize kernels in coinoculation tests. The A. flavus population was composed of 32% aflatoxin and CPA producers and 52% CPA producers, and 16% was determined as atoxigenic. All of the aflatoxin producer isolates also produced CPA. Aflatoxin and CPA production was significantly higher in maize kernels than in liquid medium. The 57 nonaflatoxigenic strains formed six VCG, with AM1 and AM5 being the dominant groups, with a frequency of 58 and 35%, respectively. In coinoculation experiments, all of the atoxigenic strains reduced aflatoxin from 54 to 83% and CPA from 60 to 97%. Members of group AM1 showed a greater aflatoxin reduction than members of AM5 (72 versus 66%) but no differences were detected in CPA production. Here, we described for the first time atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus that show promise to be used as BCA in maize crops in Argentina. This innovating biological control approach should be considered, developed further, and used by the maize industry to preserve the quality properties and food safety of maize kernels in Argentina.

", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "Micotoxinas", "0303 health sciences", "Argentina", "Biocontrol", "Genetic Variation", "Mycotoxins", "maize", "Zea mays", "Maize", "03 medical and health sciences", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4.5", "Biological Control Agents", "13. Climate action", "Aflatoxinas", "Antibiosis", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4", "Aspergillus Flavus", "Zea Mays", "Ma\u00edz", "Aspergillus flavus", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Phytopathology%C2%AE", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R", "name": "item", "description": "10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1094/phyto-07-17-0255-r", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:18:39Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-01-31", "title": "Characterization of Argentinian EndemicAspergillus flavusIsolates and Their Potential Use as Biocontrol Agents for Mycotoxins in Maize", "description": "

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a highly valuable crop in Argentina, frequently contaminated with the mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus. Biocontrol products formulated with atoxigenic (nontoxic) strains of this fungal species are well known as an effective method to reduce this contamination. In the present study, 83 A. flavus isolates from two maize regions of Argentina were characterized and evaluated for their ability to produce or lack of producing mycotoxins in order to select atoxigenic strains to be used as potential biocontrol agents (BCA). All of the isolates were tested for aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) production in maize kernels and a liquid culture medium. Genetic diversity of the nonaflatoxigenic isolates was evaluated by analysis of vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) and confirmation of deletions in the aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster. Eight atoxigenic isolates were compared for their ability to reduce aflatoxin and CPA contamination in maize kernels in coinoculation tests. The A. flavus population was composed of 32% aflatoxin and CPA producers and 52% CPA producers, and 16% was determined as atoxigenic. All of the aflatoxin producer isolates also produced CPA. Aflatoxin and CPA production was significantly higher in maize kernels than in liquid medium. The 57 nonaflatoxigenic strains formed six VCG, with AM1 and AM5 being the dominant groups, with a frequency of 58 and 35%, respectively. In coinoculation experiments, all of the atoxigenic strains reduced aflatoxin from 54 to 83% and CPA from 60 to 97%. Members of group AM1 showed a greater aflatoxin reduction than members of AM5 (72 versus 66%) but no differences were detected in CPA production. Here, we described for the first time atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus that show promise to be used as BCA in maize crops in Argentina. This innovating biological control approach should be considered, developed further, and used by the maize industry to preserve the quality properties and food safety of maize kernels in Argentina.

", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "Micotoxinas", "0303 health sciences", "Argentina", "Biocontrol", "Genetic Variation", "Mycotoxins", "maize", "Zea mays", "Maize", "03 medical and health sciences", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4.5", "Biological Control Agents", "13. Climate action", "Aflatoxinas", "Antibiosis", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4", "Aspergillus Flavus", "Zea Mays", "Ma\u00edz", "Aspergillus flavus", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1094/phyto-07-17-0255-r"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Phytopathology%C2%AE", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1094/phyto-07-17-0255-r", "name": "item", "description": "10.1094/phyto-07-17-0255-r", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1094/phyto-07-17-0255-r"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/1462-2920.13956", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:18:48Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-10-13", "title": "Type VI secretion systems in plant-associated bacteria", "description": "Summary

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a bacterial nanomachine used to inject effectors into prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells and is thus involved in both host manipulation and interbacterial competition. The T6SS is widespread among Gram\uffe2\uff80\uff90negative bacteria, mostly within the Proteobacterium Phylum. This secretion system is commonly found in commensal and pathogenic plant\uffe2\uff80\uff90associated bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of phytobacterial T6SS clusters shows that they are distributed in the five main clades previously described (group 1\uffe2\uff80\uff935). The even distribution of the system among commensal and pathogenic phytobacteria suggests that the T6SS provides fitness and colonization advantages in planta and that the role of the T6SS is not restricted to virulence. This manuscript reviews the phylogeny and biological roles of the T6SS in plant\uffe2\uff80\uff90associated bacteria, highlighting a remarkable diversity both in terms of mechanism and function.

", "keywords": ["PROTEIN SECRETION", "0301 basic medicine", "570", "VIBRIO-CHOLERAE", "PATHOGENIC BACTERIA", "Microbiology", "03 medical and health sciences", "Bacterial Proteins", "Proteobacteria", "Phylogeny", "Plant Diseases", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "Science & Technology", "Virulence", "PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA", "Minireviews", "Plants", "Type VI Secretion Systems", "IN-SILICO ANALYSIS", "AGROBACTERIUM-TUMEFACIENS", "INTERBACTERIAL COMPETITION", "GENOMIC ANALYSIS", "EFFECTORS", "VIRULENCE", "Life Sciences & Biomedicine", "0605 Microbiology"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1462-2920.13956"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13956"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Environmental%20Microbiology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/1462-2920.13956", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/1462-2920.13956", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/1462-2920.13956"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-11-10T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00582.x", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:19:08Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2012-04-18", "title": "Lower Incidence And Severity Of Tomato Virus In Elevated Co2 Is Accompanied By Modulated Plant Induced Defence In Tomato", "description": "Abstract

Elevation in atmospheric CO2 concentration broadly affects plant phenology and physiology, and these effects may alter the performance of plant viruses. The effects of elevated CO2 on the susceptibility of tomato plants to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) were examined for two successive years in open top chambers (OTC) in the field. We experimentally tested the hypothesis that elevated CO2 would reduce the incidence and severity of TYLCV on tomato by altering plant defence strategies. Our results showed that elevated CO2 decreased TYLCV disease incidence (by 14.6% in 2009 and 11.8% in 2010) and decreased disease severity (by 20.0% in 2009 and 10.4% in 2010). Elevated CO2 also decreased the level of TYLCV coat protein in tomato leaves. Regardless of virus infection, elevated CO2 increased plant height and aboveground biomass. Additionally, elevated CO2 increased the leaf C:N ratio of tomato, but decreased soluble protein content in leaves. Notably, elevated CO2 increased the salicylic acid (SA) level in uninfected and infected plants. In contrast, elevated CO2 reduced jasmonic acid (JA) in uninfected plants while it increased JA and abscisic acid (ABA) in virus\uffe2\uff80\uff90infected plants. Furthermore, combined exogenous SA and JA application enhanced resistance to TYLCV more than application of either SA or JA alone. Our results suggest that the modulated antagonistic relationship between SA and JA under elevated CO2 makes a great contribution to increased tomato resistance to TYLCV, and the predicted increases in tomato productivity may be enhanced by reduced plant virus susceptibility under projected rising CO2 conditions.

", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "Plant Stems", "Cyclopentanes", "Carbon Dioxide", "3. Good health", "Plant Viruses", "Plant Leaves", "03 medical and health sciences", "Solanum lycopersicum", "Capsid Proteins", "Oxylipins", "Salicylic Acid", "Abscisic Acid", "Disease Resistance", "Plant Diseases"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Yuhan Sun, H. Cao, Feng Ge, L. Huang, L. Ye, Q. Ren,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00582.x"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plant%20Biology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00582.x", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00582.x", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/j.1438-8677.2012.00582.x"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2012-04-18T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/nph.15429", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:19:17Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2018-09-21", "title": "Adapt your shuttling proteins for virulence: a lesson from the corn smut fungus Ustilago maydis", "description": "

This article is a Commentary on Krombach et\uffc2\uffa0al., 220: 553\uffe2\uff80\uff93566.

Smut fungi are a large group of biotrophic plant pathogens that infect mostly monocot species, including economically relevant cereal crops. For years, Ustilago maydis has stood out as the model system to study the genetics and cell biology of smut fungi as well as the pathogenic development of biotrophic plant pathogens. The identification and functional characterization of secreted effectors and their role in virulence have particularly been driven forward using the U. maydis\u2013maize pathosystem. Today, advancing tools for additional smut fungi such as Ustilago hordei and Sporisorium reilianum, as well as an increasing number of available genome sequences, provide excellent opportunities to investigate in parallel the effector function and evolution associated with different lifestyles and host specificities. In addition, genome analyses revealed similarities in the genomic signature between pathogenic smuts and epiphytic Pseudozyma species. This review elaborates on how knowledge about fungal lifestyles, genome biology, and functional effector biology has helped in understanding the biology of this important group of fungal pathogens. We highlight the contribution of the U. maydis model system but also discuss the differences from other smut fungi, which raises the importance of comparative genomic and genetic analyses in future research.

", "keywords": ["Fungal Proteins", "0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "03 medical and health sciences", "Fungi", "Ustilago", "Ustilaginales", "Zea mays", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Annual%20Review%20of%20Phytopathology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139", "name": "item", "description": "10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-25T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0213273", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:19:44Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-03-26", "title": "Epicoccum layuense a potential biological control agent of esca-associated fungi in grapevine", "description": "Epicoccum is a genus of ascomycetes often associated with the mycobiome of grapevines (Vitis vinifera). Epicoccum spp. are found in the soil, phyllosphere, as well as in the wood, where they interact both with the plant and with other endophytes and pathogens. Wood pathogens involved in the esca disease complex, a grapevine trunk disease, are particularly concerning in viticulture, as current control strategies have proven unsatisfactory. This study investigated the interaction among Epicoccum spp. and three esca-associated fungi, with the aim of establishing whether they are suitable candidates for biological control.A screening conducted in vitro, by means of dual culture, revealed that all tested Epicoccum spp. inhibited the growth of pathogens Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Fomitiporia mediterranea, while only some of them inhibited Phaeoacremonium minimum. Epicoccum layuense E24, identified as the most efficient antagonist, was tested in rooted grapevine cuttings of cultivars Cabernet Sauvignon and Touriga Nacional, under greenhouse conditions, against P. chlamydospora and P. minimum. This study revealed that the inoculation of E. layuense E24 produced a successful colonization of the wood of grapevines; in addition it did not impair the growth of the plants or induce the appearance of symptoms in leaves or in wood. Moreover, grapevines colonized by E. layuense E24 showed a considerable decrease in the wood symptomatology caused by the inoculated pathogens (by 31-82%, depending on the pathogen/grapevine cultivar), as well as a reduction in their frequency of re-isolation (60-74%).Our findings suggest that E. layuense E24 is a promising candidate for its application in biological control, due to its antagonistic interaction with some esca-associated fungal pathogens.", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "control agent", "Science", "Q", "R", "Wood", "01 natural sciences", "grapevine", "Epicoccum layuense", "Ascomycota", "Biological Control Agents", "esca-associated fungi", "Medicine", "Vitis", "Research Article", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213273"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/PLOS%20ONE", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1371/journal.pone.0213273", "name": "item", "description": "10.1371/journal.pone.0213273", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1371/journal.pone.0213273"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-03-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.11", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:20:10Z", "type": "Report", "created": "2021-09-21", "title": "Advances in mechanical weed control technologies", "description": "

Mechanical weed control can be grouped into three categories: full-width cultivators, inter-row cultivators and intra-row cultivators. This chapter will highlight the most recent and relevant advances within each category. The focus will be on novel inventions and developments of mechanical devices, designs, and the weed problems they are meant to solve. Moreover, automation technologies that assist weeding operations are becoming increasingly important and will be given special attention.

", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "vision technology", "automatic steering", "thema EDItEUR::T Technology", " Engineering", " Agriculture", " Industrial processes::TV Agriculture and farming::TVP Pest control / plant diseases", "perennial weeds", "intra-row cultivation", "annual weeds", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "thema EDItEUR::T Technology", " Engineering", " Agriculture", " Industrial processes::TV Agriculture and farming::TVK Agronomy and crop production", "01 natural sciences", "GNSS technology", "thema EDItEUR::T Technology", " Engineering", " Agriculture", " Industrial processes::TV Agriculture and farming::TVF Sustainable agriculture", "Inter-row cultivation", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "automatic intra-row weeding", "full-width cultivation"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.19103/as.2021.0098.11"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.11", "name": "item", "description": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.11", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.19103/as.2021.0098.11"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-04-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.15", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:20:10Z", "type": "Report", "created": "2022-05-09", "title": "Integrated weed management in grasslands", "description": "

This chapter describes the current status of IWM for grasslands. Its focus is on management practices available to influence transitions in a weed\uffe2\uff80\uff99s life cycle: from the soil seed bank to seedling establishment, from the seedling stage to the mature plant, and from the mature plant to the soil seed bank. We provide a conceptual approach to illustrate how management practices available in IWM affect different transitions and then discuss case studies to illustrate how weed management practices have been integrated. The chapter ends with an outlook for further improving IWM in grasslands, especially also under climate change, and for promoting its application.

", "keywords": ["seed bank", "thema EDItEUR::K Economics", " Finance", " Business and Management::KN Industry and industrial studies::KNA Agribusiness and primary industries::KNAL Forestry industry", "herbicides", "invasive non-native plant species (INNPs)", "thema EDItEUR::T Technology", " Engineering", " Agriculture", " Industrial processes::TV Agriculture and farming::TVP Pest control / plant diseases", "thema EDItEUR::T Technology", " Engineering", " Agriculture", " Industrial processes::TV Agriculture and farming::TVF Sustainable agriculture", "biological control", "sward", "thema EDItEUR::R Earth Sciences", " Geography", " Environment", " Planning::RG Geography::RGB Physical geography and topography::RGBC Plains and grasslands"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Schaffner, Urs, M\u00fcller-Sch\u00e4rer, Heinz, L\u00fcscher, Andreas,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.19103/as.2021.0098.15"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.15", "name": "item", "description": "10.19103/as.2021.0098.15", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.19103/as.2021.0098.15"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-04-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.3390/v12060675", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:21:21Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-06-23", "title": "Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis Primes Tolerance to Cucumber Mosaic Virus in Tomato", "description": "

Tomato plants can establish symbiotic interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) able to promote plant nutrition and prime systemic plant defenses against pathogens attack; the mechanism involved is known as mycorrhiza-induced resistance (MIR). However, studies on the effect of AMF on viral infection, still limited and not conclusive, indicate that AMF colonization may have a detrimental effect on plant defenses against viruses, so that the term \uffe2\uff80\uff9cmycorrhiza-induced susceptibility\uffe2\uff80\uff9d (MIS) has been proposed for these cases. To expand the case studies to a not yet tested viral family, that is, Bromoviridae, we investigated the effect of the colonization by the AMF Funneliformis mosseae on cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infection in tomato by phenotypic, physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional analyses. Our results showed that the establishment of a functional AM symbiosis is able to limit symptoms development. Physiological and transcriptomic data highlighted that AMF mitigates the drastic downregulation of photosynthesis-related genes and the reduction of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation rate caused by CMV infection. In parallel, an increase of salicylic acid level and a modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes, toward a limitation of ROS accumulation, was specifically observed in CMV-infected mycorrhizal plants. Overall, our data indicate that the AM symbiosis influences the development of CMV infection in tomato plants and exerts a priming effect able to enhance tolerance to viral infection.

", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "plant\u2013virus interaction", "arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis", "Microbiology", "Cucumovirus", "Plant Roots", "Article", "03 medical and health sciences", "Solanum lycopersicum", "Gene Expression Regulation", " Plant", "Mycorrhizae", "arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis", " cucumber mosaic virus", " Funneliformis mosseae", " gene expression", " priming tolerance", " plant-virus interaction", " RNA sequencing", " Solanum lycopersicum L.", "Photosynthesis", "Symbiosis", "Funneliformis mosseae", "Plant Diseases", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "cucumber mosaic virus", "Fungi", "RNA sequencing", "Carbon Dioxide", "QR1-502", "3. Good health", "Solanum lycopersicum L.", "gene expression", "arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; cucumber mosaic virus; Funneliformis mosseae; gene expression; priming tolerance; plant-virus interaction; RNA sequencing; Solanum lycopersicum L.", "priming tolerance", "Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis; Cucumber mosaic virus; Funneliformis mosseae; Gene expression; Plant-virus interaction; Priming tolerance; RNA sequencing; Solanum lycopersicum L", "Reactive Oxygen Species"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/6/675/pdf"}, {"href": "https://iris.cnr.it/bitstream/20.500.14243/410166/1/prod_424799-doc_151509.pdf"}, {"href": "https://iris.unito.it/bitstream/2318/1765477/1/Miozzi%20et%20al%20Viruses%202020.pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/12/6/675/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/v12060675"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Viruses", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/v12060675", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/v12060675", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/v12060675"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-06-22T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "31337276", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:26:17Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-07-24", "title": "Molecular Interactions Between Smut Fungi and Their Host Plants", "description": "

Smut fungi are a large group of biotrophic plant pathogens that infect mostly monocot species, including economically relevant cereal crops. For years, Ustilago maydis has stood out as the model system to study the genetics and cell biology of smut fungi as well as the pathogenic development of biotrophic plant pathogens. The identification and functional characterization of secreted effectors and their role in virulence have particularly been driven forward using the U. maydis\u2013maize pathosystem. Today, advancing tools for additional smut fungi such as Ustilago hordei and Sporisorium reilianum, as well as an increasing number of available genome sequences, provide excellent opportunities to investigate in parallel the effector function and evolution associated with different lifestyles and host specificities. In addition, genome analyses revealed similarities in the genomic signature between pathogenic smuts and epiphytic Pseudozyma species. This review elaborates on how knowledge about fungal lifestyles, genome biology, and functional effector biology has helped in understanding the biology of this important group of fungal pathogens. We highlight the contribution of the U. maydis model system but also discuss the differences from other smut fungi, which raises the importance of comparative genomic and genetic analyses in future research.

", "keywords": ["Fungal Proteins", "2. Zero hunger", "0301 basic medicine", "0303 health sciences", "03 medical and health sciences", "Fungi", "Ustilago", "Ustilaginales", "Zea mays", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/31337276"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Annual%20Review%20of%20Phytopathology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "31337276", "name": "item", "description": "31337276", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/31337276"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-25T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10261/346836", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:24:48Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-12-08", "title": "Marchantia polymorpha model reveals conserved infection mechanisms in the vascular wilt fungal pathogen Fusarium\u2009oxysporum", "description": "Summary

Root\uffe2\uff80\uff90infecting vascular fungi cause wilt diseases and provoke devastating losses in hundreds of crops. It is currently unknown how these pathogens evolved and whether they can also infect nonvascular plants, which diverged from vascular plants over 450 million years ago.

We established a pathosystem between the nonvascular plant Marchantia polymorpha (Mp) and the root\uffe2\uff80\uff90infecting vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum (Fo). On angiosperms, Fo exhibits exquisite adaptation to the plant xylem niche as well as host\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific pathogenicity, both of which are conferred by effectors encoded on lineage\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific chromosomes.

Fo isolates displaying contrasting lifestyles on angiosperms \uffe2\uff80\uff93 pathogenic vs endophytic \uffe2\uff80\uff93 are able to infect Mp and cause tissue maceration and host cell killing. Using isogenic fungal mutants we define a set of conserved fungal pathogenicity factors, including mitogen activated protein kinases, transcriptional regulators and cell wall remodelling enzymes, that are required for infection of both vascular and nonvascular plants. Markedly, two host\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific effectors and a morphogenetic regulator, which contribute to vascular colonisation and virulence on tomato plants are dispensable on Mp.

Collectively, these findings suggest that vascular wilt fungi employ conserved infection strategies on nonvascular and vascular plant lineages but also have specific mechanisms to access the vascular niche of angiosperms.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a highly valuable crop in Argentina, frequently contaminated with the mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus. Biocontrol products formulated with atoxigenic (nontoxic) strains of this fungal species are well known as an effective method to reduce this contamination. In the present study, 83 A. flavus isolates from two maize regions of Argentina were characterized and evaluated for their ability to produce or lack of producing mycotoxins in order to select atoxigenic strains to be used as potential biocontrol agents (BCA). All of the isolates were tested for aflatoxin and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) production in maize kernels and a liquid culture medium. Genetic diversity of the nonaflatoxigenic isolates was evaluated by analysis of vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) and confirmation of deletions in the aflatoxin biosynthesis cluster. Eight atoxigenic isolates were compared for their ability to reduce aflatoxin and CPA contamination in maize kernels in coinoculation tests. The A. flavus population was composed of 32% aflatoxin and CPA producers and 52% CPA producers, and 16% was determined as atoxigenic. All of the aflatoxin producer isolates also produced CPA. Aflatoxin and CPA production was significantly higher in maize kernels than in liquid medium. The 57 nonaflatoxigenic strains formed six VCG, with AM1 and AM5 being the dominant groups, with a frequency of 58 and 35%, respectively. In coinoculation experiments, all of the atoxigenic strains reduced aflatoxin from 54 to 83% and CPA from 60 to 97%. Members of group AM1 showed a greater aflatoxin reduction than members of AM5 (72 versus 66%) but no differences were detected in CPA production. Here, we described for the first time atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus that show promise to be used as BCA in maize crops in Argentina. This innovating biological control approach should be considered, developed further, and used by the maize industry to preserve the quality properties and food safety of maize kernels in Argentina.

", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "0301 basic medicine", "Micotoxinas", "0303 health sciences", "Argentina", "Biocontrol", "Genetic Variation", "Mycotoxins", "maize", "Zea mays", "Maize", "03 medical and health sciences", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4.5", "Biological Control Agents", "13. Climate action", "Aflatoxinas", "Antibiosis", "https://purl.org/becyt/ford/4", "Aspergillus Flavus", "Zea Mays", "Ma\u00edz", "Aspergillus flavus", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/pdf/10.1094/PHYTO-07-17-0255-R"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/11336/255698"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Phytopathology%C2%AE", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "11336/255698", "name": "item", "description": "11336/255698", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/11336/255698"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2018-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11588/878308", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:25:10Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-06-11", "title": "Conserved secreted effectors contribute to endophytic growth and multihost plant compatibility in a vascular wilt fungus", "description": "Abstract

Fungal interactions with plant roots, either beneficial or detrimental, have a crucial impact on agriculture and ecosystems. The cosmopolitan plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) provokes vascular wilts in more than a hundred different crops. Isolates of this fungus exhibit host-specific pathogenicity, which is conferred by lineage-specific Secreted In Xylem (SIX) effectors encoded on accessory genomic regions. However, such isolates also can colonize the roots of other plants asymptomatically as endophytes or even protect them against pathogenic strains. The molecular determinants of endophytic multihost compatibility are largely unknown. Here, we characterized a set of Fo candidate effectors from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) root apoplastic fluid; these early root colonization (ERC) effectors are secreted during early biotrophic growth on main and alternative plant hosts. In contrast to SIX effectors, ERCs have homologs across the entire Fo species complex as well as in other plant-interacting fungi, suggesting a conserved role in fungus\uffe2\uff80\uff93plant associations. Targeted deletion of ERC genes in a pathogenic Fo isolate resulted in reduced virulence and rapid activation of plant immune responses, while ERC deletion in a nonpathogenic isolate led to impaired root colonization and biocontrol ability. Strikingly, some ERCs contribute to Fo infection on the nonvascular land plant Marchantia polymorpha, revealing an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for multihost colonization by root infecting fungi.This article is a Commentary on Krombach et\uffc2\uffa0al., 220: 553\uffe2\uff80\uff93566.

Smut fungi are a large group of biotrophic plant pathogens that infect mostly monocot species, including economically relevant cereal crops. For years, Ustilago maydis has stood out as the model system to study the genetics and cell biology of smut fungi as well as the pathogenic development of biotrophic plant pathogens. The identification and functional characterization of secreted effectors and their role in virulence have particularly been driven forward using the U. maydis\u2013maize pathosystem. Today, advancing tools for additional smut fungi such as Ustilago hordei and Sporisorium reilianum, as well as an increasing number of available genome sequences, provide excellent opportunities to investigate in parallel the effector function and evolution associated with different lifestyles and host specificities. In addition, genome analyses revealed similarities in the genomic signature between pathogenic smuts and epiphytic Pseudozyma species. This review elaborates on how knowledge about fungal lifestyles, genome biology, and functional effector biology has helped in understanding the biology of this important group of fungal pathogens. We highlight the contribution of the U. maydis model system but also discuss the differences from other smut fungi, which raises the importance of comparative genomic and genetic analyses in future research.

", "keywords": ["Fungal Proteins", "0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "0303 health sciences", "03 medical and health sciences", "Fungi", "Ustilago", "Ustilaginales", "Zea mays", "Plant Diseases"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082718-100139"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/2963519718"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Annual%20Review%20of%20Phytopathology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "2963519718", "name": "item", "description": "2963519718", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/2963519718"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-25T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "3215851315", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-02T16:26:25Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-11-30", "title": "Predicting sensitivity of recently harvested tomatoes and tomato sepals to future fungal infections", "description": "Abstract

Tomato is an important commercial product which is perishable by nature and highly susceptible to fungal incidence once it is harvested. Not all tomatoes are equally vulnerable to pathogenic fungi, and an early detection of the vulnerable ones can help in taking timely preventive actions, ranging from isolating tomato batches to adjusting storage conditions, but also in making right business decisions like dynamic pricing based on quality or better shelf life estimate. More importantly, early detection of vulnerable produce can help in taking timely actions to minimize potential post-harvest losses. This paper investigates Near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (1000\uffe2\uff80\uff931700\uffc2\uffa0nm) and machine learning to build models to automatically predict the susceptibility of sepals of recently harvested tomatoes to future fungal infections. Hyperspectral images of newly harvested tomatoes (cultivar Brioso) from 5 different growers were acquired before the onset of any visible fungal infection. After imaging, the tomatoes were placed under controlled conditions suited for fungal germination and growth for a 4-day period, and then imaged using normal color cameras. All sepals in the color images were ranked for fungal severity using crowdsourcing, and the final severity of each sepal was fused using principal component analysis. A novel hyperspectral data processing pipeline is presented which was used to automatically segment the tomato sepals from spectral images with multiple tomatoes connected via a truss. The key modelling question addressed in this research is whether there is a correlation between the hyperspectral data captured at harvest and the fungal infection observed 4 days later. Using 10-fold and group k-fold cross-validation, XG-Boost and Random Forest based regression models were trained on the features derived from the hyperspectral data corresponding to each sepal in the training set and tested on hold out test set. The best model found a Pearson correlation of 0.837, showing that there is strong linear correlation between the NIR spectra and the future fungal severity of the sepal. The sepal specific predictions were aggregated to predict the susceptibility of individual tomatoes, and a correlation of 0.92 was found. Besides modelling, focus is also on model interpretation, particularly to understand which spectral features are most relevant to model prediction. Two approaches to model interpretation were explored, feature importance and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations), resulting in similar conclusions that the NIR range between 1390\uffe2\uff80\uff931420\uffc2\uffa0nm contributes most to the model\uffe2\uff80\uff99s final decision.This article is a Commentary on Krombach et\uffc2\uffa0al., 220: 553\uffe2\uff80\uff93566.The non-vascular plantMarchantia polymorphahas emerged as a valuable model for studying evolutionarily conserved microbial infection strategies and plant immune responses. However, only a handful of fungal pathogens ofMarchantiahave been described so far. Here we establish a new pathosystem using the root-infecting vascular wilt fungusFusarium oxysporum. On angiosperms, this fungus exhibits exquisite adaptation to the plant vascular niche and host-specific pathogenicity, both of which are conferred by lineage-specific effectors secreted during growth in the xylem. We show thatF. oxysporumisolates with different lifestyles - pathogenic or endophytic - are able to infect this non-vascular liverwort causing tissue maceration and plant cell killing. Similar to bacterial pathogens,F. oxysporuminduces a PAMP-triggered immune response inM. polymorpha. Analysis of isogenic fungal mutants established that infection ofMarchantiarequires conserved fungal pathogenicity mechanisms such as mitogen activated protein kinases, transcriptional regulators and cell wall remodeling enzymes. Remarkably, lineage-specific virulence effectors are dispensable for infection, most likely due to the absence of xylem tissue in this non-vascular plant. TheF. oxysporum-M. polymorphasystem provides new insights into the mechanism and evolution of pathogenic and endophytic fungus-plant interactions.

Significance statement

Root-infecting vascular fungi cause wilt diseases and provoke devastating losses in hundreds of crops. It is currently unknown how these pathogens evolved and whether they infect non-vascular plants, which diverged from vascular plants over 450 million years ago. Here we show that two strains of the fungusFusarium oxysporumwith opposed lifestyles, causing either wilting and death or beneficial protection on tomato, produce similar disease symptoms on the non-vascular plantMarchantia polymorpha.We define a set of core fungal pathogenicity factors required on both vascular and non-vascular plants and show that host-specific effectors contributing to disease on tomato are dispensable onMarchantia. These findings suggest that systemic wilt disease evolved in fungal pathogens after the emergence of vascular land plants.Tomato is an important commercial product which is perishable by nature and highly susceptible to fungal incidence once it is harvested. Not all tomatoes are equally vulnerable to pathogenic fungi, and an early detection of the vulnerable ones can help in taking timely preventive actions, ranging from isolating tomato batches to adjusting storage conditions, but also in making right business decisions like dynamic pricing based on quality or better shelf life estimate. More importantly, early detection of vulnerable produce can help in taking timely actions to minimize potential post-harvest losses. This paper investigates Near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (1000\uffe2\uff80\uff931700\uffc2\uffa0nm) and machine learning to build models to automatically predict the susceptibility of sepals of recently harvested tomatoes to future fungal infections. Hyperspectral images of newly harvested tomatoes (cultivar Brioso) from 5 different growers were acquired before the onset of any visible fungal infection. After imaging, the tomatoes were placed under controlled conditions suited for fungal germination and growth for a 4-day period, and then imaged using normal color cameras. All sepals in the color images were ranked for fungal severity using crowdsourcing, and the final severity of each sepal was fused using principal component analysis. A novel hyperspectral data processing pipeline is presented which was used to automatically segment the tomato sepals from spectral images with multiple tomatoes connected via a truss. The key modelling question addressed in this research is whether there is a correlation between the hyperspectral data captured at harvest and the fungal infection observed 4 days later. Using 10-fold and group k-fold cross-validation, XG-Boost and Random Forest based regression models were trained on the features derived from the hyperspectral data corresponding to each sepal in the training set and tested on hold out test set. The best model found a Pearson correlation of 0.837, showing that there is strong linear correlation between the NIR spectra and the future fungal severity of the sepal. The sepal specific predictions were aggregated to predict the susceptibility of individual tomatoes, and a correlation of 0.92 was found. Besides modelling, focus is also on model interpretation, particularly to understand which spectral features are most relevant to model prediction. Two approaches to model interpretation were explored, feature importance and SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations), resulting in similar conclusions that the NIR range between 1390\uffe2\uff80\uff931420\uffc2\uffa0nm contributes most to the model\uffe2\uff80\uff99s final decision.