First report of hop stunt viroid infecting luffa and cantaloupe in Taiwan.

Luffa (Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roem.

Bithiophene Imide-Based Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) on NiOx for High-Performance Tin Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated Using a Two-Step Approach.

Three new bithiophene imide (BTI)-based organic small molecules, (), (), and (), with varied alkyl side chains, were developed and employed as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) applied to NiOx films in tin perovskite solar cells (TPSCs). The NiOx layer has the effect of modifying the hydrophilicity and the surface roughness of ITO for SAM to uniformly deposit on it. The side chains of the SAM molecules play a vital role in the formation of a high-quality perovskite layer in TPSCs.

Identification and molecular detection of the pathogen of leaf yellowing through genome analysis.

Moth orchids ( spp.) are globally popular ornamental flowers. However, effective management strategies for leaf yellowing remain elusive, making the disease a challenging obstacle affecting moth orchids at various growth stages.

A Rapid Method for Screening Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern-Triggered Immunity-Intensifying Microbes.

PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) is the first layer of plant defense response that occurs on the plant plasma membrane. Recently, the application of a rhizobacterium, strain PMB05, has been demonstrated to enhance flg22- or harpin-triggered PTI response such as callose deposition. This PTI intensification by PMB05 further contributes to plant disease resistance to different bacterial diseases.

Sensitivity of species complex (CGSC) isolated from strawberry in Taiwan to benzimidazole and strobilurin.

species complex (CGSC) is the major pathogen causing strawberry anthracnose in Taiwan. Benzimidazoles and strobilurins are common fungicides used to control strawberry anthracnose. A total of 108 CGSC isolates were collected from five major strawberry-producing areas in Taiwan.

Genome-wide association mapping of gene loci affecting disease resistance in the rice-Fusarium fujikuroi pathosystem.

Background: Rice bakanae disease has emerged as a new threat to rice production. In recent years, an increase in the occurrence and severity of bakanae disease has been reported in several areas in Asia. Although bakanae disease affects rice yield and quality, little is known about the genetics of bakanae resistance in rice.

The Genetic Structure, Virulence, and Fungicide Sensitivity of Fusarium fujikuroi in Taiwan.

The rice disease bakanae, caused by Fusarium fujikuroi Nirenberg, has been present in Taiwan for over a century. To better understand the genetic diversity and structure of F. fujikuroi, a set of 16 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were newly developed and used to analyze 637 F.

Identification of the Solanum nigrum extract component involved in controlling cabbage black leaf spot disease.

In this study, we discovered that an ethanol (EtOH) extract of Solanum nigrum inhibited spore germination of Alternaria brassicicola, the causative agent of cabbage black leaf spot disease. At a concentration of 500 mg/L, this ethanol extract also caused the germ tubes to become completely swollen. Detached cabbage leaves were then used to evaluate the effects of the extract in controlling the disease.

Bioactive saponin from tea seed pomace with inhibitory effects against Rhizoctonia solani.

The present study was aimed to characterize the antifungal principles in methanol extract of tea ( Camellia oleifera ) seed pomace. Totally, two flavonoids, camelliasides A (1) and B (2), and one saponin mixture composed of camelliasaponin B(1) (3) were identified from the methanol extract. These constituents were tested for their ability to reduce the infection of cabbage seedlings by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn AG-4 and to inhibit growth of the pathogen on potato dextrose agar plates.

Comparing methods for identifying Bacillus strains capable of producing the antifungal lipopeptide iturin A.

Lipopeptides represent a unique class of bioactive microbial secondary metabolites, and iturin A shows attractive antibiotic properties among them. This study compares three methods, such as yeast/fungal growth inhibition assay, quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for identifying a number of Bacillus species that produce iturin A. We examined the feasibility of screening iturin A-producing Bacillus strains by PCR using specific primers for ituD and lpa-14 amplification.

Rapid detection and characterization of surfactin-producing Bacillus subtilis and closely related species based on PCR.

The surfactin production genetic locus ( sfp) is responsible for the ability of Bacillus subtilis to produce the lipopeptide biosurfactant, surfactin. This report demonstrates the utility of using PCR of the sfp gene as a means of identifying Bacillus species that produce surfactin. We carried out a hemolysis zone assay, quantitative HPLC and NMR in parallel to ensure that the PCR provided correct results.