Long-distance gene flow and recombination shape the evolutionary history of a maize pathogen.

The evolutionary history of crop pathogens is shaped by a complex interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors. The fungus causes maize anthracnose which results in significant yield losses worldwide. We conducted a comprehensive investigation into the evolutionary genomics of using a collection of 212 isolates from 17 countries across five continents.

Selective and non-selective evolutionary signatures found in the simplest replicative biological entities.

Mitoviruses, which are considered evolutionary relics of extinct alpha-proteobacteria RNA phages, represent one of the simplest self-replicating biological systems. This study aims to quantitatively describe genomes and identify potential genomic signatures that support the protein phylogenetic-based classification criterion. Genomic variables, such as mononucleotide and dinucleotide composition, codon usage bias, and minimal free energy derived from optimized predicted RNA secondary structure, were analyzed.

Ecological interactions affect the bioactivity of medicinal plants.

Essential oils produced by medicinal plants possess important bioactive properties (antibacterial, antioxidant) of high value for human society. Pollination and herbivory can modify the chemical defences of plants and therefore they may influence the bioactivity of essential oils. However, the effect of ecological interactions on plant bioactivity has not yet been evaluated.

Putative Mitoviruses without In-Frame UGA(W) Codons: Evolutionary Implications.

Mitoviruses are small vertically transmitted RNA viruses found in fungi, plants and animals. Taxonomically, a total of 105 species and 4 genera have been formally recognized by ICTV, and recently, 18 new putative species have been included in a new proposed genus. Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic studies are a major source of countless new virus-like sequences that are continually being added to open databases and these may be good sources for identifying new putative mitoviruses.

Can Essential Oils Be a Natural Alternative for the Control of Spodoptera frugiperda? A Review of Toxicity Methods and Their Modes of Action.

is a major pest of maize crops. The application of synthetic insecticides and the use of Bt maize varieties are the principal strategies used for its control. However, due to the development of pesticide resistance and the negative impact of insecticides on the environment, natural alternatives are constantly being searched for.

Population Genomics Provide Insights into the Global Genetic Structure of , the Causal Agent of Maize Anthracnose.

Understanding the genetic diversity and mechanisms underlying genetic variation in pathogen populations is crucial to the development of effective control strategies. We investigated the genetic diversity and reproductive biology of Colletotrichum graminicola isolates which infect maize by sequencing the genomes of 108 isolates collected from 14 countries using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Clustering analyses based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms revealed three genetic groups delimited by continental origin, compatible with short-dispersal of the pathogen and geographic subdivision.

An in silico analysis revealed a novel evolutionary lineage of putative mitoviruses.

Mitoviruses (family Mitoviridae) are small capsid-less RNA viruses that replicate in the mitochondria of fungi and plants. However, to date, the only authentic animal mitovirus infecting an insect was identified as Lutzomyia longipalpis mitovirus 1 (LulMV1). Public databases of transcriptomic studies from several animals may be a good source for identifying the often missed mitoviruses.

A Survey of Mycoviral Infection in spp. Isolated from Maize and Sorghum in Argentina Identifies the First Mycovirus from .

Mycoviruses appear to be widespread in species worldwide. The aim of this work was to identify mycoviral infections in spp., isolated from maize and sorghum grown in Argentina, and to estimate their potential effects on the pathogenicity and toxigenesis of the host fungus towards maize.

Biotransformation of 1,8-cineole by solid-state fermentation of Eucalyptus waste from the essential oil industry using Pleurotus ostreatus and Favolus tenuiculus.

Biotechnological conversion of low-cost agro-industrial by-products, such as industrial waste or terpenes from the distillation of essential oils from plants into more valuable oxygenated derivatives, can be achieved by using microbial cells or enzymes. In Argentina, the essential oil industry produces several tons of waste each year that could be used as raw materials in the production of industrially relevant and value-added compounds. In this study, 1,8-cineole, one of the components remaining in the spent leaves of the Eucalyptus cinerea waste, was transformed by solid-state fermentation (SSF) using the two edible mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus and Favolus tenuiculus.

Effect of Selected Volatiles on Two Stored Pests: The Fungus Fusarium verticillioides and the Maize Weevil Sithophilus zeamais.

New agronomic practices and technology enabled Argentina a larger production of cereal grains, reaching a harvest yield of 26.5 million metric tons of maize, of which, about 40% was exported. However, much of the maize production is lost annually by the attack of fungi and insects (2.

Bioactivities of Ketones Terpenes: Antifungal Effect on F. verticillioides and Repellents to Control Insect Fungal Vector, S. zeamais.

Maize is one the most important staple foods in the world. However, numerous pests, such as fungal pathogens, e.g.

Antifumonisin activity of natural phenolic compounds A structure-property-activity relationship study.

Fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) is a Fusarium mycotoxin that has received considerable attention from food regulatory agencies, since it shows immunotoxic, neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic and carcinogenic properties in animals. Although several publications have reported that some natural phenolic compounds can cause a reduction in mycotoxin production, little is known about the molecular properties related to their antitoxigenic activities. The objective of this work was to evaluate which of these molecular properties are important in antifumonisin activity, with this being the first structure-activity relationship study concerning the antimyctoxigenic activity of natural phenolic compounds.

Total phenolic content, radical scavenging properties, and essential oil composition of Origanum species from different populations.

The aim of this work was to compare the antiradical activity, total phenol content (TPC), and essential oil composition of Origanum vulgare spp. virens, Origanum x applii, Origanum x majoricum, and O. vulgare spp.