The Near-Gapless Genome Enables the Discovery of Lifestyle Features as an Emerging Post-Harvest Phytopathogen.

spp. occupy many diverse biological niches that include plant pathogens, opportunistic human pathogens, saprophytes, indoor air contaminants, and those selected specifically for industrial applications to produce secondary metabolites and lifesaving antibiotics. Recent phylogenetic studies have established as a synonym for which is an indoor air contaminant and toxin producer and can infect apple fruit during storage.

Avirulent Isolates of to Control the Blue Mold of Apple Caused by .

Blue mold is an economically significant postharvest disease of pome fruit that is primarily caused by . To manage this disease and sustain product quality, novel decay intervention strategies are needed that also maintain long-term efficacy. Biocontrol organisms and natural products are promising tools for managing postharvest diseases.

Comparative spp. Transcriptomics: Conserved Pathways and Processes Revealed in Ungerminated Conidia and during Postharvest Apple Fruit Decay.

Blue mold, caused by spp., is an impactful postharvest disease resulting in significant economic losses due to reduced pome fruit quality and mycotoxin contamination. Using two species with different levels of aggressiveness, transcriptomics were implemented in order to identify genes expressed during apple fruit decay and loci expressed in ungerminated conidia.

Genetic time traveling: sequencing old herbarium specimens, including the oldest herbarium specimen sequenced from kingdom Fungi, reveals the population structure of an agriculturally significant rust.

Sequencing herbarium specimens can be instrumental in answering ecological, evolutionary, and taxonomic inquiries. We developed a protocol for sequencing herbarium specimens of rust fungi (Pucciniales) and proceeded to sequence specimens ranging from 4 to 211 yr old from five different genera. We then obtained sequences from an economically important biological control agent, Puccinia suaveolens, to highlight the potential of sequencing herbarium specimens in an ecological sense and to evaluate the following hypotheses: (1) The population structure of a plant pathogen changes over time, and (2) introduced pathogens are more diverse in their native range.

Would You Like Wood or Plastic? Bin Material, Sanitation Treatments, and Bin Inoculum Levels Impact Blue Mold Decay of Stored Apple Fruit.

Blue mold, caused primarily by , is a significant postharvest disease of apples. It not only causes economic losses but also produces mycotoxins that contaminate processed fruit products, which contributes to food waste and loss. Previous research has shown that packing and storage bins harbor spores and that steam and hot water efficiently reduce spore inoculum levels.

More than a Virulence Factor: Patulin Is a Non-Host-Specific Toxin that Inhibits Postharvest Phytopathogens and Requires Efflux for Tolerance.

Mycotoxin contamination is a leading cause of food spoilage and waste on a global scale. Patulin, a mycotoxin produced by spp. during postharvest pome fruit decay, causes acute and chronic effects in humans, withstands pasteurization, and is not eliminated by fermentation.

Incidence, Speciation, and Morpho-Genetic Diversity of spp. Causing Blue Mold of Stored Pome Fruits in Serbia.

Blue mold, caused by spp., is one of the most economically important postharvest diseases of pome fruits, globally. Pome fruits, in particular apple, is the most widely grown pome fruit in Serbia, and the distribution of spp.

Genomic Analyses of Species Have Revealed Patulin and Citrinin Gene Clusters and Novel Loci Involved in Oxylipin Production.

Blue mold of apple is caused by several different species, among which and are the most frequently isolated. is the most aggressive species, and is very weak when infecting apple fruit during storage. In this study, we report complete genomic analyses of three different species: R21 and NJ1, isolated from stored apple fruit; and .

An Analysis of Postharvest Fungal Pathogens Reveals Temporal-Spatial and Host-Pathogen Associations with Fungicide Resistance-Related Mutations.

Fungicides are the primary tools to control a wide range of postharvest fungal pathogens. Fungicide resistance is a widespread problem that has reduced the efficacy of fungicides. Resistance to FRAC-1 (Fungicide Resistance Action Committee-1) chemistries is associated with mutations in amino acid position 198 in the β-tubulin gene.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Mycotoxin Production During Postharvest Decay and Their Influence on Tritrophic Host-Pathogen-Microbe Interactions.

Mycotoxins are a prevalent problem for stored fruits, grains, and vegetables. Alternariol, aflatoxin, and patulin, produced by spp., spp.

spp.: A Contemporary Perspective and Synthesis of Recent Scientific Developments of a Widespread Genus that Threatens Global Food Security.

This perspective presents a synopsis of the topics contained in the Pathogen Spotlight on spp. causing gray mold, including pathogen biology and systematics, genomic characterization of new species, perspectives on genome editing, and fungicide resistance. A timely breakthrough to engineer host plant resistance against the gray mold fungus has been demonstrated in planta and may augment chemical controls in the near future.

Penicillium expansum: biology, omics, and management tools for a global postharvest pathogen causing blue mould of pome fruit.

Unlabelled: Blue mould, caused primarily by Penicillium expansum, is a major threat to the global pome fruit industry, causing multimillion-dollar losses annually. The blue mould fungus negatively affects fruit quality, thereby reducing fresh fruit consumption, and significantly contributes to food loss. P.

Global transcriptomic responses orchestrate difenoconazole resistance in Penicillium spp. causing blue mold of stored apple fruit.

Background: Blue mold is a globally important and economically impactful postharvest disease of apples caused by multiple Penicillium spp. There are currently four postharvest fungicides registered for blue mold control, and some isolates have developed resistance manifesting in decay on fungicide-treated fruit during storage. To date, mechanisms of fungicide resistance have not been explored in this fungus using a transcriptomic approach.

Blistering1 Modulates Virulence Via Vesicle-mediated Protein Secretion.

The blue mold fungus, is a postharvest apple pathogen that contributes to food waste by rotting fruit and by producing harmful mycotoxins ( patulin). To identify genes controlling pathogen virulence, a random T-DNA insertional library was created from wild-type strain R19. One transformant, T625, had reduced virulence in apples, blistered mycelial hyphae, and a T-DNA insertion that abolished transcription of the single copy locus in which it was inserted.

A Genome Resource for Several North American Isolates with Multiple Fungicide Resistance Phenotypes.

The apple scab pathogen, , is among the most economically important fungal pathogens that affects apples. Fungicide applications are an essential part of disease management. Implementation of cultural practices and genetic sources of resistance in the host are vital components of scab management.

A novel hydroxycinnamoyl transferase for synthesis of hydroxycinnamoyl spermine conjugates in plants.

Background: Hydroxycinnamoyl-spermine conjugates (HCSpm) are a class of hydroxycinnamic acid amides (HCAAs), which not only are instrumental in plant development and stress response, but also benefit human health. However, HCSpm are not commonly produced in plants, and the mechanism of their biosynthesis remains unclear. In previous investigations of phenolics in Solanum fruits related to eggplant (Solanum melongena L.

Influence of R and S enantiomers of 1-octen-3-ol on gene expression of Penicillium chrysogenum.

Inhibition of spore germination offers an attractive and effective target for controlling fungal species involved in food spoilage. Mushroom alcohol (1-octen-3-ol) functions as a natural self-inhibitor of spore germination for many fungi and, therefore, provides a useful tool for probing the molecular events controlling the early stages of fungal growth. In Penicillium spp.

Exposure to an Environmentally Isolated Strain TC09 of Triggers Plant Growth Promotion, Early Flowering, and Fruit Yield Increase.

A growing number of bacteria and fungi have been found to promote plant growth through mutualistic interactions involving elements such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here, we report the identification of an environmentally isolated strain of (herein named TC09), that substantially enhances plant growth after exposure beyond what has previously been reported. When cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium under conditions, tobacco seedlings () exposed to TC09 cultures for 20 days increased stem height and whole plant biomass up to 25- and 15-fold, respectively, over controls without exposure.

Distribution and Characterization of Monilinia spp. Causing Apple Fruit Decay in Serbia.

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia spp., is an economically important pre- and postharvest disease of pome and stone fruits worldwide. In Serbia, apple is the most widely grown pome fruit, and the distribution of economically important Monilinia spp.

Baseline Sensitivity of Penicillium spp. to Difenoconazole.

Penicillium spp. cause blue mold of stored pome fruit. These fungi reduce fruit quality and produce mycotoxins that are regulated for processed fruit products.