Electrolyzed Salt Solutions Used against Major Postharvest Diseases of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.

Alternative means of control are becoming increasingly relevant to the improvement of safety and the reduction of postharvest losses and waste of fruit and vegetables, especially in view of the application of the EU Greed Deal. A previous study from our research group that focused on the electrolysis process of water and was conducted using NaCl and NaHCO as electrolytes proved to efficiently reduce pathogen inoculum in packinghouse washing water. In the present study, we examined the effect of the electrolyzed salt solutions (eNaCl and eNaHCO) produced in the same experimental conditions previously reported to be used as postharvest treatments during handling and commercialization, and/or at the consumer's site.

Deciphering the Interaction between and Pomegranate Fruit Employing Transcriptomics.

Pomegranate fruit dry rot is caused by , also referred as . In order to decipher the induced responses of mature pomegranates inoculated with the pathogen, an RNA-seq analysis was employed. A high number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed through a three-time series inoculation period.

Are Basic Substances a Key to Sustainable Pest and Disease Management in Agriculture? An Open Field Perspective.

Pathogens and pests constantly challenge food security and safety worldwide. The use of plant protection products to manage them raises concerns related to human health, the environment, and economic costs. Basic substances are active, non-toxic compounds that are not predominantly used as plant protection products but hold potential in crop protection.

Postharvest Diseases of Pomegranate: Alternative Control Means and a Spiderweb Effect.

The pomegranate is a fruit known since ancient times for its beneficial properties. It has recently aroused great interest in the industry and among consumers, leading to a significant increase in demand. Consequently, its cultivation has been boosted all over the world.

"Ectomosphere": Insects and Microorganism Interactions.

This study focuses on interacting with insects and their ectosymbiont () microorganisms for environmentally safe plant production and protection. Some cases help compare ectosymbiont microorganisms that are insect-borne, -driven, or -spread relevant to endosymbionts' behaviour. Ectosymbiotic bacteria can interact with insects by allowing them to improve the value of their In addition, some bacteria are essential for creating ecological niches that can host the development of pests.

Biostimulant Formulations and Extracts to Improve Yield, Quality, and Storability of Hydroponic Lettuce.

The urgent need to increase the sustainability of crop production has pushed the agricultural sector towards the use of biostimulants based on natural products. The current work aimed to determine whether the preharvest application of two commercial formulations, based on a Fabaceae enzymatic hydrolysate or a blend of nitrogen sources including fulvic acids, and two lab-made aqueous extracts from leaves (MLEs), could improve yield, quality, and storability of lettuce grown in a hydroponic system, as compared to an untreated control. Lettuce plants treated with the MLEs showed significantly improved quality parameters (leaf number, area, and color), total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and resistance against the fungal pathogen , comparable to that obtained with commercial formulates, particularly those based on the protein hydrolysate.

Adherence to Gluten-Free Diet Restores Alpha Diversity in Celiac People but the Microbiome Composition Is Different to Healthy People.

Unlabelled: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease with the destruction of small intestinal villi, which occurs in genetically predisposed individuals. At the present moment, a gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only way to restore the functionality of gut mucosa. However, there is an open debate on the effects of long-term supplementation through a GFD, because some authors report an unbalance in microbial taxa composition.

Postharvest Rot of Pomegranate Fruit in Southern Italy: Characterization of the Main Pathogens.

Pomegranate ( L.) is an emerging crop in Italy and particularly in southern regions, such as Apulia, Basilicata, and Sicily, due to favorable climatic conditions. The crop is affected by several pathogenic fungi, primarily in the field, but also during postharvest phases.

Antifungal Activity and DNA Topoisomerase Inhibition of Hydrolysable Tannins from L.

L. (pomegranate) fruit is known to be an important source of bioactive phenolic compounds belonging to hydrolysable tannins. Pomegranate extracts have shown antifungal activity, but the compounds responsible for this activity and their mechanism/s of action have not been completely elucidated up to now.

Characterization of Species Associated with Heart Rot of Pomegranate Fruit.

This study was aimed at identifying species associated with heart rot disease of pomegranate fruit in southern Italy and characterizing their mycotoxigenic profile. A total of 42 isolates were characterized. They were obtained from pomegranate fruits with symptoms of heart rot sampled in Apulia and Sicily and grouped into six distinct morphotypes based on macro- and microscopic features.

Interobserver agreement of the Paris and simplified classifications of superficial colonic lesions: a Western study.

The Paris classification of superficial colonic lesions has been widely adopted, but a simplified description that subgroups the shape into pedunculated, sessile/flat and depressed lesions has been proposed recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and inter-rater agreement among 13 Western endoscopists for the two classification systems. Seventy video clips of superficial colonic lesions were classified according to the two classifications, and their size estimated.

Accuracy and inter-observer agreement of the nice and kudo classifications of superficial colonic lesions: a comparative study.

Purpose: For superficial colonic lesions, the NICE and Kudo classifications are used in the in vivo prediction of histology and as guide to therapy. The NICE system derives information from unmagnified NBI endoscopic images. The Kudo one necessitates a magnification, but, as this tool is not commonly available, it is applied also to characterize unmagnified pictures to compare their diagnostic performances.

Transabdominal ultrasound-guided pancreatic biopsy: a neglected but safe, effective and inexpensive procedure that needs to be re-juvinalized.

Background: For solid pancreatic masses, ultrasound endoscopic fine-needle biopsy is suggested as the front-line investigation for tissue achievement, notwithstanding the optimal performance of transabdominal ultrasound (TUS)-guided biopsy.

Purpose: To reassess the efficacy and effectiveness of TUS-guided sampling and to determine the factors predictive of accurate histology.

Methods: In total, 142 patients with an indication for a TUS-guided biopsy of a pancreatic mass were analyzed.

Targeting GMC Oxidoreductase with High Affinity Small Molecules for Reducing Patulin Production.

Flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD) dependent glucose methanol choline oxidoreductase (GMC oxidoreductase) is the terminal key enzyme of the patulin biosynthetic pathway. GMC oxidoreductase catalyzes the oxidative ring closure of ()-ascladiol to patulin. Currently, no protein involved in the patulin biosynthesis in has been experimentally characterized or solved by X-ray diffraction.

Targeting mitochondrial metabolite transporters in Penicillium expansum for reducing patulin production.

There is an increasing need of alternative treatments to control fungal infection and consequent mycotoxin accumulation in harvested fruits and vegetables. Indeed, only few biological targets of antifungal agents have been characterized and can be used for limiting fungal spread from decayed fruits/vegetables to surrounding healthy ones during storage. On this concern, a promising target of new antifungal treatments may be represented by mitochondrial proteins due to some species-specific functions played by mitochondria in fungal morphogenesis, drug resistance and virulence.

The Effect of Polyphenols on Pomegranate Fruit Susceptibility to Provides Insights into Disease Tolerance Mechanisms.

, also known as , is the etiological agent of pomegranate fruit dry rot. This fungal pathogen is also well-known as responsible for both plant collar rot and leaf spot. Because of its aggressiveness and the worldwide diffusion of pomegranate crops, the selection of cultivars less susceptible to this pathogen might represent an interesting preventive control measure.

Nanomaterials as Alternative Control Means Against Postharvest Diseases in Fruit Crops.

Post-harvest diseases of fruit and vegetables have to be controlled because of the high added value of commodities and the great economic loss related to spoilage. Synthetic fungicides are the first choice worldwide to control post-harvest diseases of fruit and vegetables. However, several problems and constraints related to their use have forced scientists to develop alternatives control means to prevent post-harvest diseases.

Characterization of Penicillium s.s. and Aspergillus sect. nigri causing postharvest rots of pomegranate fruit in Southern Italy.

Most of diseases of pomegranate fruit are caused by fungal pathogens, which provoke postharvest yield and economical losses. Aspergillus and Penicillium sensu lato (s.l.

High Efficacy and Safety of Flat-Dose Ribavirin Plus Sofosbuvir/Daclatasvir in Genotype 3 Cirrhotic Patients.

Background/aims: Patients with genotype 3 hepatitis C virus (G3-HCV) cirrhosis are very difficult to treat compared to patients with other HCV genotypes. The optimal treatment duration and drug regimen associated with ribavirin (RBV) remain unclear. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of daclatasvir (DCV)/sofosbuvir (SOF) plus a flat dose of 800 mg RBV (flat dose) compared to DCV/SOF without RBV or DCV/SOF plus an RBV dose based on body weight (weight-based) in G3-HCV patients with compensated or decompensated cirrhosis.

Alternariol as virulence and colonization factor of Alternaria alternata during plant infection.

The filamentous fungus Alternaria alternata is a potent producer of many toxic secondary metabolites, which contaminate food and feed. The most prominent one is the polyketide-derived alternariol (AOH) and its derivative alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). Here, we identified the gene cluster for the biosynthesis of AOH and AME by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene inactivation of several biosynthesis genes in A.

Contamination of fresh and dried tomato by Alternaria toxins in southern Italy.

In the present investigation, fresh and dried tomato samples from markets and packinghouses located in Apulia region (southern Italy) were analysed for Alternaria toxins. All samples proved to be contaminated by tenuazonic acid (TeA); in particular, dried tomatoes were contaminated in the range 425-81,592 µg/kg, while fresh tomatoes were in the range 11-4560 µg/kg. The second most abundant toxin was alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), followed by tentoxin (TEN) and alternariol (AOH).