During the infection process, plant pathogenic fungi encounter plant-derived oxidative stress, and an appropriate response to this stress is crucial to their survival and establishment of the disease. Plant pathogenic fungi have evolved several mechanisms to eliminate oxidants from the external environment and maintain cellular redox homeostasis. When oxidative stress is perceived, various signaling transduction pathways are triggered and activate the downstream genes responsible for the oxidative stress response. Despite extensive research on antioxidant systems and their regulatory mechanisms in plant pathogenic fungi, the specific functions of individual antioxidants and their impacts on pathogenicity have not recently been systematically summarized. Therefore, our objective is to consolidate previous research on the antioxidant systems of plant pathogenic fungi. In this review, we explore the plant immune responses during fungal infection, with a focus on the generation and function of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we delve into the three antioxidant systems, summarizing their functions and regulatory mechanisms involved in oxidative stress response. This comprehensive review provides an integrated overview of the antioxidant mechanisms within plant pathogenic fungi, revealing how the oxidative stress response contributes to their pathogenicity.

Flavobacterium is a genus within the phylum Bacteroidota that remains relatively unexplored. Recent analyses of plant microbiota have identified the phylum Bacteroidota as a major bacterial group in the plant rhizosphere. While Flavobacterium species within the phylum Bacteroidota have been recognized as pathogens in the aquatic habitats, microbiome analysis and the characterization of novel Flavobacterium species have indicated the great diversity and potential of their presence in various environments. Many Flavobacterium species have positively contribute to plant health and development, including growth promotion, disease control, and tolerance to abiotic stress. Despite the well-described beneficial interactions of the Flavobacterium species with plants, the molecular mechanisms and bacterial determinants underlying these interactions remain unclear. To broaden our understanding of the genus Flavobacterium's role in plant health, we review the recent studies focusing on their ecological niche, functional roles, and determinants in plant-beneficial interactions. Additionally, this review discusses putative mechanisms explaining the interactions between plants and Flavobacterium. We have also introduced the importance of future research on Flavobacterium spp. and its potential applications in agriculture.

Sulfur is one of the inorganic elements used by plants to develop and produce phytoalexin to resist certain diseases. This study reported a method for preparing a material for plant disease resistance. Sulfur nanoparticles (SNPs) stabilized in the chitosan-Cu²⁺ (CS-Cu²⁺) complex were synthesized by hydrolysis of Na₂S₂O₃ in an acidic medium. The obtained SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex consisting of 0.32% S, 4% CS, and 0.7% Cu (w/v), contained SNPs with an average size of ~28 nm as measured by transmission electron microscopy images. The X-ray diffraction pattern of the SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex showed that SNPs had orthorhombic crystal structures. Interaction between SNPs and the CS-Cu²⁺ complex was also investigated by ultraviolet-visible. Results in vitro nematicidal effect of materials against Meloidogyne incognita showed that SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex was more effective in killing second-stage juveniles (J2) nematodes and inhibiting egg hatching than that of CS and CS-Cu²⁺ complex. The values of LC₅₀ in killing J2 nematodes and EC₅₀ in inhibiting egg hatching of SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex were 75 and 51 mg/l, respectively. These values were lower than those of CS and the CS-Cu²⁺ complex. The test results on the nematicidal effect against M. incognita on coffee pots showed that the SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex was 100% effective at a concentration of 150 mg/l. Therefore, the SNPs/CS-Cu²⁺ complex could be considered as a biochemical material with potential for agricultural applications to control root-knot nematodes.

Field surveys were conducted to assess the occurrence and diversity of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in golf courses and athletic fields across Maryland, USA, during 2022 and 2023. A total of 28 golf courses and ten athletic fields were surveyed, revealing the prevalence and abundance of 13 PPNs taxa in the region. Criconemoides was identified as the most prevalent (94.9%) and Tylenchorhynchus as the most abundant (2.3) across all samples. Central golf courses (west side of the Chesapeake Bay) exhibited a high prevalence of Criconemoides and Tylenchorhynchus, while Eastern Shore golf courses and athletic fields displayed a higher prevalence of Helicotylenchus and Criconemoides. Further, Belonolaimus longicaudatus was reported for the first time from turfgrass in Maryland, raising concerns due to its potential to cause severe damage on both cool- and warm-season turfgrass. Biodiversity analysis indicated that richness (R²) was higher in athletic fields, while diversity (H') and evenness (J') were significantly greater in golf courses. This study provides baseline information for monitoring PPNs distribution in Maryland and also for the development of effective nematode management approaches in turfgrass ecosystems.

Fire blight is a bacterial disease caused by Erwinia amylovora. In Korea, fire blight was first reported in 2015 in an orchard. If the infection is confirmed, all trees in the orchard must be removed and the orchard must remain closed for 3 years. Since 2020, if the number of trees infected with fire blight is less than 5% of the total trees in the orchard, only the infected tree and adjacent trees are removed in Korea. Three years after removal, the trees can be replanted after confirming that the orchard soil is free from E. amylovora. In this study, a protocol was established for detecting E. amylovora in soil via selective enrichment, using tryptic soy broth with 0.05% bile salts and 50 ㎍/ml cycloheximide, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. This protocol resulted in a 1,000-times improved detection limit for E. amylovora in soil samples compared to that in unenriched samples. Soil monitoring was performed for orchards where fire blight-infected trees had been removed 3-27 months prior; the selected orchards were monitored every 3 months. Monitoring confirmed that E. amylovora was not present in the soil at any site in any of the orchards. A new detection protocol facilitates the monitoring of E. amylovora in soil and could help permit the replanting of trees in orchards. Also monitoring results provide evidence that trees can be planted earlier.

K-Maryblyt has been developed for the effective control of secondary fire blight infections on blossoms and the elimination of primary inoculum sources from cankers and newly emerged shoots early in the season for both apple and pear trees. This model facilitates the precise determination of the blossom infection timing and identification of primary inoculum sources, akin to Maryblyt, predicting flower infections and the appearance of symptoms on various plant parts, including cankers, blossoms, and shoots. Nevertheless, K-Maryblyt has undergone significant improvements: Integration of Phenology Models for both apple and pear trees, Adoption of observed or predicted hourly temperatures for Epiphytic Infection Potential (EIP) calculation, incorporation of adjusted equations resulting in reduced mean error with 10.08 degree-hours (DH) for apple and 9.28 DH for pear, introduction of a relative humidity variable for pear EIP calculation, and adaptation of modified degree-day calculation methods for expected symptoms. Since the transition to a model-based control policy in 2022, the system has disseminated 158,440 messages related to blossom control and symptom prediction to farmers and professional managers in its inaugural year. Furthermore, the system has been refined to include control messages that account for the mechanism of action of pesticides distributed to farmers in specific counties, considering flower opening conditions and weather suitability for spraying. Operating as a pivotal module within the Fire Blight Forecasting Information System (FBcastS), K-Maryblyt plays a crucial role in providing essential fire blight information to farmers, professional managers, and policymakers.

The rice blast disease, caused by the fungal pathogen, Magnaporthe oryzae (syn. Pyricularia oryzae), poses a significant threat to the global rice production. Understanding how this disease impacts the plant's microbial communities is crucial for gaining insights into host-pathogen interactions. In this study, we investigated the changes in communities of bacterial and fungal endophytes inhabiting different compartments in healthy and diseased plants. We found that both alpha and beta diversities of endophytic communities do not change significantly by the pathogen infection. Rather, the type of plant compartment appeared to be the main driver of endophytic community structures. Although the overall structure seemed to be consistent between healthy and diseased plants, our analysis of differentially abundant taxa revealed the specific bacterial and fungal operational taxonomic units that exhibited enrichment in the root and leaf compartments of infected plants. These findings suggest that endophyte communities are robust to the changes at the early stage of pathogen infection, and that some of endophytes enriched in infected plants might have roles in the defense against the pathogen.

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) are well-known examples of the begomovirus and orthotospovirus genera, respectively. These viruses cause significant economic damage to tomato crops worldwide. Weeds play an important role in the ongoing presence and spread of several plant viruses, such as TYLCV and TSWV, and are recognized as reservoirs for these infections. This work applies a comprehensive approach, encompassing field surveys and molecular techniques, to acquire an in-depth understanding of the interactions between viruses and their weed hosts. A total of 60 tomato samples exhibiting typical symptoms of TYLCV and TSWV were collected from a tomato greenhouse farm in Nonsan, South Korea. In addition, 130 samples of 16 different weed species in the immediate surroundings of the greenhouse were collected for viral detection. PCR and reverse transcription-PCR methodologies and specific primers for TYLCV and TSWV were used, which showed that 15 tomato samples were coinfected by both viruses. Interestingly, both viruses were also detected in perennial weeds, such as Rumex crispus, which highlights their function as viral reservoirs. Our study provides significant insights into the co-occurrence of TYLCV and TSWV in weed reservoirs, and their subsequent transmission under tomato greenhouse conditions. This project builds long-term strategies for integrated pest management to prevent and manage simultaneous virus outbreaks, known as twindemics, in agricultural systems.

Soybean (Glycine max), a crucial global crop, experiences yearly yield reduction due to diseases such as anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum) and root rot (Fusarium spp.). The use of fungicides, which have traditionally been employed to control these phytopathogens, is now facing challenges due to the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains. Streptomyces bacillaris S8 strain S8 is previously known to produce valinomycin t through a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) pathway. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of S. bacillaris S8 against C. truncatum and Fusarium sp., assessing its efficacy against soybean pathogens. The results indicate that strain S8 effectively controlled both above-ground and underground soybean diseases, using the NRPS and NRPS-related compound, suggesting its potential as a biological control in plant-microbe interactions. These findings underscore the pivotal role of the stain S8 in fostering healthy soybean microbial communities and emphasize the significance of microbiota structure studies in unveiling potent biocontrol agents.

Phytophthora root and stem rot (PRR), caused by Phytophthora sojae, can occur at any growth stage under poorly drained and humid conditions. The expansion of soybean cultivation in South Korean paddy fields has increased the frequency of PRR outbreaks. This study aimed to identify four P. sojae isolates newly collected from domestic fields and evaluate race-specific resistance using the hypocotyl inoculation technique. The four isolates exhibited various pathotypes, with GJ3053 exhibiting the highest virulence complexity. Two isolates, GJ3053 and AD3617, were screened from 205 soybeans, and 182 and 190 genotypes (88.8 and 92.7%, respectively) were susceptible to each isolate. Among these accessions, five genotypes resistant to both isolates were selected. These promising genotypes are candidates for the development of resistant soybean cultivars that can effectively control PRR through gene stacking.