Study of Amino Acid-Derived 3-Acyltetramic Acids as Herbicidal Agents.

The growing problem of herbicide resistance necessitates the development of novel herbicidal active ingredients, together with other integrated weed management approaches. Natural products are a major source of inspiration for novel actives. In previous research, we identified a 3-acyltetramic acid of microbial origin that inhibited algal growth in marine biofilms, at least in part through inhibition of photosystem II.

Overexpression of the ribosome-inactivating protein modulates the jasmonate signaling pathway in rice.

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are plant enzymes that target the rRNA. The cytoplasmic RIP, called OsRIP1, plays a crucial role in regulating jasmonate, a key plant hormone. Understanding the role of OsRIP1 can provide insights into enhancing stress tolerance and optimizing growth of rice.

Actinobacteria as Promising Biocontrol Agents for In Vitro and In Planta Degradation and Detoxification of Zearalenone.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a prevalent mycotoxin found in grains and grain-derived products, inducing adverse health effects in both animals and humans. The in-field application of microorganisms to degrade and detoxify ZEN is a promising strategy to enhance the safety of food and feed. In this study, we investigated the potential of three actinobacterial strains to degrade and detoxify ZEN in vitro and in planta on wheat ears.

Synthesis of Mixed Phosphonate Esters and Amino Acid-Based Phosphonamidates, and Their Screening as Herbicides.

While organophosphorus chemistry is gaining attention in a variety of fields, the synthesis of the phosphorus derivatives of amino acids remains a challenging task. Previously reported methods require the deprotonation of the nucleophile, complex reagents or hydrolysis of the phosphonate ester. In this paper, we demonstrate how to avoid these issues by employing phosphonylaminium salts for the synthesis of novel mixed -alkylphosphonate diesters or amino acid-derived -alkylphosphonamidates.

6-deoxy-6-amino chitosan: a preventative treatment in the tomato/ pathosystem.

6-deoxy-6-amino chitosan (aminochitosan) is a water-soluble chitosan derivative with an additional amine group at the C-6 position. This modification has improved aqueous solubility, antifungal activity and is hypothesized to have enhanced antifungal activity compared to native chitosan. Gray mold disease in tomatoes is caused by the fungus, , and poses a severe threat both pre- and post-harvest.

and and Their Main Mycotoxins: Global Distribution and Scenarios of Interactions in Maize.

Maize is frequently contaminated with multiple mycotoxins, especially those produced by and . As mycotoxin contamination is a critical factor that destabilizes global food safety, the current review provides an updated overview of the (co-)occurrence of and and (co-)contamination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) in maize. Furthermore, it summarizes their interactions in maize.

Molecular analysis of broad-spectrum induced resistance in rice by the green leaf volatile Z-3-hexenyl acetate.

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs), volatile organic compounds released by plants upon tissue damage, are key signaling molecules in plant immunity. The ability of exogenous GLV application to trigger an induced resistance (IR) phenotype against arthropod pests has been widely reported, but its effectiveness against plant pathogens is less well understood. In this study, we combined mRNA sequencing-based transcriptomics and phytohormone measurements with multispectral imaging-based precision phenotyping to gain insights into the molecular basis of Z-3-hexenyl acetate-induced resistance (Z-3-HAC-IR) in rice.

Uncovering Genomic Features and Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Endophytic Bacteria from Roots of the Medicinal Plant Alkanna tinctoria Tausch as a Strategy To Identify Novel Biocontrol Bacteria.

The world's population is increasing at a rate not seen in the past. Agriculture, providing food for this increasing population, is reaching its boundaries of space and natural resources. In addition, changing legislation and increased ecological awareness are forcing agriculture to reduce its environmental impact.

β-Aminobutyric acid induced phytotoxicity and effectiveness against nematode is stereomer-specific and dose-dependent in tomato.

β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) induces resistance to a/biotic stress but is associated with phytotoxicity in some plant species. There are two enantiomers of BABA, the R and S enantiomers. We evaluated the phytotoxicity caused by the RS BABA (racemic mixture of R and S BABA), evaluating the dose-response effect and different modes of application on tomato.

Lignocellulose-degrading fungi newly isolated from central Morocco are potent biocatalysts for olive pomace valorization.

The investigation of lignocellulolytic catalysts is an important feature to face the challenges of lignocellulosic biomass valorization. In central Morocco, fungi were isolated from decaying wood, soil, olive crushing by-products and their compost. One hundred fifty-five isolates were submitted to a selective screening, which served to distinguish 83% of lignocellulolytic isolates.

Deciphering Alternaria metabolic responses in microbial confrontation via an integrated mass spectrometric targeted and non-targeted strategy.

Microbial confrontation is ubiquitously present in nature, such as mycoparasitism, competition and antibiosis between biocontrol agents and microbial pathogens. However, the internal metabolic responses of fungal pathogens under microbial interaction scenario have been scarcely investigated. In this study, we set up an integrated mycotoxin analysis and non-targeted metabolomics workflow to decipher metabolic changes of Alternaria pathogens when confronted with selected Trichoderma strains, as well as mycotoxin metabolization in the Trichoderma spp.

Innovative Rhizosphere-Based Enrichment under P-Limitation Selects for Bacterial Isolates with High-Performance P-Solubilizing Traits.

The use of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) as inoculants for the rhizosphere is a well-known strategy to mitigate P-deficiency in plants. However, despite the multiple modes of action to render P available for plants, PSB often fail to deliver in the field as their selection is often based on a single P-solubilizing trait assessed Anticipating these shortcomings, we screened 250 isolates originating from rhizosphere-based enriched consortia for the main P-solubilizing traits, and subsequently grouped the isolates through trait-based HCPC (hierarchical clustering on principal components). Representative isolates of each cluster were tested in an experiment to compare their P-solubilizing traits with their performance under conditions of P-deprivation.

Exploring the genetic and phenotypic diversity within and between onion (Allium cepa L.) ecotypes in Morocco.

Background: Gaining insight into crop diversity, both at the genetic and phenotypic levels, is of prime importance for onion breeding with an enhanced yield and quality in combination with improved resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current study, 192 different onion plants, representing 16 ecotypes, were characterized using ISSR markers.

Results: Based on the ISSR marker profile, there was a clear grouping of the plants into 16 different ecotypes.

Characterization of Ugandan Endemic Species and Identification of Non-Aflatoxigenic Isolates for Potential Biocontrol of Aflatoxins.

Acute stunting in children, liver cancer, and death often occur due to human exposure to aflatoxins in food. The severity of aflatoxin contamination depends on the type of Aspergillus fungus infecting the crops. In this study, Aspergillus species were isolated from households’ staple foods and were characterized for different aflatoxin chemotypes.

Cytotoxic Effects of Alternariol, Alternariol Monomethyl-Ether, and Tenuazonic Acid and Their Relevant Combined Mixtures on Human Enterocytes and Hepatocytes.

Alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl-ether (AME), and tenuazonic acid (TeA) are major mycotoxins produced by fungi of the genus and are common contaminants of food products such as fruits, vegetables, cereals and grains. mycotoxins are known to cause relevant economic losses and to have a negative impact on human and animal health. EFSA stated in its scientific opinion that data on the toxicity of mycotoxins in humans and livestock are generally lacking, precluding proper hazard characterization.

A Novel In Planta Enrichment Method Employing -Infected Wheat Spikes to Select for Competitive Biocontrol Bacteria.

This work introduces an alternative workflow for the discovery of novel bacterial biocontrol agents in wheat against head blight (FHB). Unlike the mass testing of isolate collections, we started from a diverse inoculum by extracting microbiomes from ears of field-grown plants at grain filling stage. Four distinct microbial communities were generated which were exposed to 3 14-day culture-independent experimental enrichments on detached wheat spikes infected with PH1.

Uncovering New Insights and Misconceptions on the Effectiveness of Phosphate Solubilizing Rhizobacteria in Plants: A Meta-Analysis.

As the awareness on the ecological impact of chemical phosphate fertilizers grows, research turns to sustainable alternatives such as the implementation of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), which make largely immobile phosphorous reserves in soils available for uptake by plants. In this review, we introduce the mechanisms by which plants facilitate P-uptake and illustrate how PSB improve the bioavailability of this nutrient. Next, the effectiveness of PSB on increasing plant biomass and P-uptake is assessed using a meta-analysis approach.

Strains Promote Plant Growth and Induce Resistance Against via Transient Regulation of Auxin Signaling and Archetypal Defense Pathways in Maize Plants.

Driven by climate change, ear rot (FER) caused by occurs frequently in maize worldwide. In parallel, legislative regulations and increasing environmental awareness have spurred research on alternative FER biocontrol strategies. A promising group of bacterial control agents is species due to their metabolic versatility.

Key Global Actions for Mycotoxin Management in Wheat and Other Small Grains.

Mycotoxins in small grains are a significant and long-standing problem. These contaminants may be produced by members of several fungal genera, including , , , , and . Interventions that limit contamination can be made both pre-harvest and post-harvest.

Molecular Insights into Defense Responses of Vietnamese Maize Varieties to Isolates.

ear rot (FER) caused by is one of the main fungal diseases in maize worldwide. To develop a pathogen-tailored FER resistant maize line for local implementation, insights into the virulence variability of a residing population are crucial for developing customized maize varieties, but remain unexplored. Moreover, little information is currently available on the involvement of the archetypal defense pathways in the -maize interaction using local isolates and germplasm, respectively.

Contamination of and in the Rice Chain Linked to Crop Seasons, Cultivation Regions, and Traditional Agricultural Practices in Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

This study evaluates the influence of crop seasons, cultivation regions, and traditional agricultural practices on the occurrence of and in the rice chain in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A survey on pre- and post-harvest practices was performed from 2017 to 2019 in parallel with sampling. Results showed that (36.

Induced Resistance by Ascorbate Oxidation Involves Potentiating of the Phenylpropanoid Pathway and Improved Rice Tolerance to Parasitic Nematodes.

Anticipating an increased ecological awareness, scientists have been exploring new strategies to reduce the use of chemical pesticides to control pests and diseases. Triggering the intrinsic plant defense system is one of the promising strategies to reduce yield loss by pathogenic organisms, such as nematodes. Ascorbate oxidase (AO) enzyme plays an important role in plant defense by regulating the apoplastic ascorbate/dehydroascorbate (DHA) ratio the ascorbate oxidation process.

Bacterial Enrichment Cultures Biotransform the Mycotoxin Deoxynivalenol into a Novel Metabolite Toxic to Plant and Porcine Cells.

The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), produced in wheat, barley and maize by and , is threatening the health of humans and animals. With its worldwide high incidence in food and feed, mitigation strategies are needed to detoxify DON, maintaining the nutritional value and palatability of decontaminated commodities. A promising technique is biological degradation, where microorganisms are used to biotransform mycotoxins into less toxic metabolites.

Overexpression of F-Box Nictaba Promotes Defense and Anthocyanin Accumulation in After Infection.

pv. DC3000 ( DC3000) is a well-known pathogen and model organism used to study plant-pathogen interactions and subsequent plant immune responses. Numerous studies have demonstrated the effect of DC3000 on plants and how type III effectors are required to promote bacterial virulence and pathogenesis.

Identification of Novel Rotihibin Analogues in , Including Discovery of Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster.

Streptomyces scabies is a phytopathogen associated with common scab disease. This is mainly attributed to its ability to produce the phytotoxin thaxtomin A, the biosynthesis of which is triggered by cellobiose. During a survey of other metabolites released in the presence of cellobiose, we discovered additional compounds in the thaxtomin-containing extract from .