Gene-Based Molecular Tools to Improve Quantitative Detection of the Mycotoxigenic Fungus .

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin, a common contaminant of grapes and their derivatives, such as wine, and classified as possible human carcinogen (group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). is the main producer of OTA in grapes. The stability of the molecule and the poor availability of detoxification systems makes the control of in vineyards the main strategy used to reduce OTA contamination risk.

Fungicide-Loaded Liposomes for the Treatment of Fungal Diseases in Agriculture: An Assessment of .

In this work, liposomes loaded with the fungicide, Fludioxonil (FLUD), for the containment of fungal diseases in agriculture were developed. Three types of vesicles with different compositions were compared: (I) plain vesicles, composed of soy phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol; (II) PEG-coated vesicles, with an additional polyethylene glycol coating; and (III) cationic vesicles, containing didodecyldimethylammonium bromide. Nanometric-sized vesicles were obtained both by the micelle-to-vesicle transition method and by the extrusion technique, and encapsulation efficiency, drug loading content, and Zeta potential were determined for all the samples.

A Large-Scale Validation of an Improved Embryo-Rescue Protocol for the Obtainment of New Table-Grape Seedless Genotypes.

The new trends in the consumption of table grapes and the growing interest in the environmental impact of this crop have pushed breeders toward the development of seedless cultivars endowed with resistance, through crossbreeding programs. To obtain seedless grapes, the use of embryo-rescue techniques is fundamental. In this research, a grape embryo-culture protocol was optimized and validated by using 39 cultivars and 41 cross-combinations carried out in the framework of a large private table grape program of the private network Italian Variety Club in the period 2017-2021 evaluating several factors, such as the improvement in embryo formation, germination and growth, and plantlet development.

Characterization of Isolates Causing Pomegranate Decline in Italy.

, the causal agent of pomegranate crown rot, twig blight, and fruit decay, is an emerging worldwide pathogen with a heavy impact on pomegranate cultivation. In this study, we report the rapid spread of the fungus in Italian pomegranate orchards associated with crown rot symptoms and provide new results on fungal development, baseline sensitivity to different fungicides, and intraspecific variability by analyzing 11 isolates, representative of populations of the pathogen from comparable pomegranate orchards in different regions of Italy. In vitro assays showed that 25 to 30°C was the optimal range for both colony growth and conidial germination, corroborating the results previously obtained for Californian and Greek isolates.

The Mycovirome in a Worldwide Collection of the Brown Rot Fungus .

The fungus is responsible for brown rot on stone and pome fruit and causes heavy yield losses both pre- and post-harvest. Several mycoviruses are known to infect fungal plant pathogens. In this study, a metagenomic approach was applied to obtain a comprehensive characterization of the mycovirome in a worldwide collection of 58 strains.

A Duplex-Droplet Digital PCR Assay for Simultaneous Quantitative Detection of and on Stone Fruits.

Brown rot, caused by different species, is a most economically important disease of pome and stone fruits worldwide. In Europe and in Italy, the quarantine pathogen was recently introduced and rapidly spread and, by competing with the main indigenous species and , caused relevant changes in populations. As a result, in most areas, the pathogen almost replaced and now coexists with .

Functional Role of Gene, a bZIP Transcription Factor within the OTA Gene Cluster.

is the principal fungal species responsible for ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination of grapes and derived products in the main viticultural regions worldwide. In recent years, co-expressed genes representing a putative-OTA gene cluster were identified, and the deletion of a few of them allowed the partial elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway in the fungus. In the putative OTA-gene cluster is additionally present a bZIP transcription factor (), and with this work, Δ strains were generated to study its functional role.

Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge plasma: a suitable measure against fungal plant pathogens.

Fungal diseases seriously affect agricultural production and the food industry. Crop protection is usually achieved by synthetic fungicides, therefore more sustainable and innovative technologies are increasingly required. The atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma is a novel suitable measure.

Identification of as Causal Agent of Olive Tree Dieback in Apulia (Southern Italy).

Olive ( L. var. ) is one of the most economically important tree crops grown in the Mediterranean basin.

Global transcriptome analysis and differentially expressed genes in grapevine after application of the yeast-derived defense inducer cerevisane.

Background: Cerevisane, made up of cell wall derivatives from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain LAS117, is proposed as a resistance inducer in plants. The mode of action of cerevisane was investigated through transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) carried out on leaves of potted vines cv. Italia grown in the greenhouse and sprayed at 1-week intervals with cerevisane.

A Ready-to-Use Single- and Duplex-TaqMan-qPCR Assay to Detect and Quantify the Biocontrol Agents and .

strain icc012 and strain icc080, the microbial active ingredients of Remedier (ISAGRO, Novara, Italy), are biocontrol agents (BCAs) employable for crop protection against a wide range of fungal pathogens, including soil-borne pathogens and fungi involved in grapevine trunk disease. In this study, single and duplex real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) methods to detect and quantify and were developed. Primers/probe sets were designed on the and genes and tested for specificity on a panel of microorganisms commonly associated with grape wood and soil.

De novo assembly and comparative transcriptome analysis of Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia laxa and Monilinia fructigena, the causal agents of brown rot on stone fruits.

Background: Brown rots are important fungal diseases of stone and pome fruits. They are caused by several Monilinia species but M. fructicola, M.

Functional Characterization of the alb1 Orthologue Gene in the Ochratoxigenic Fungus Aspergillus carbonarius (AC49 strain).

belonging to the group , is the main species responsible for contamination by ochratoxin A (OTA) in grapes and derivative products. OTA can accumulate in the mycelium and in black conidia of the fungus and released into the matrix. Here, we have deleted in the orthologue gene of , involved in melanin biosynthesis.

RNA-Seq Reveals OTA-Related Gene Transcriptional Changes in Aspergillus carbonarius.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin harmful for animals and humans. Aspergillus carbonarius is the main responsible for OTA contamination of grapes and derived products. Gene transcriptional profiling of 4 A.

Occurrence of fungicide resistance in populations of Botryotinia fuckeliana (Botrytis cinerea) on table grape and strawberry in southern Italy.

Background: Botryotinia fuckeliana (Botrytis cinerea) is a pathogen with a high risk of development of resistance to fungicides. Fungicide resistance was monitored during 2008-2011 in B. fuckeliana populations from both table-grape vineyards and greenhouse-grown strawberries in southern Italy.