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Horticulturae
Special Issues
The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases
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The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Pathology and Disease Management (PPDM)".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2024 | Viewed by 6379

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rafael José Carvalho Mendes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
Interests: plant pathology; sustainable control; plant diseases epidemiology; host-microorganism interaction
Dr. Leandro Pereira Dias

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
COMAV, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Interests: plant pathology; plant biotic stress; plant genetics; plant resistance; horticulture; plant breeding; plant-microbe interaction
Dr. Renato Lopes Gil

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, 4715-330 Braga, Portugal
Interests: electrochemical sensors; potentiometry; flow analysis; liquid chromatography; agrifood and environmental analysis
Dr. Fernando Tavares

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CIBIO-InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Monte-Crasto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
Interests: environmental microbiology; genomics; plant pathology; metagenomics; genotyping of genes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Agrifood systems are constantly challenged by a plethora of pests and invasive plant pathogens such as viruses, fungi, nematodes, mycoplasma, and bacteria. According to the last FAO report, plant pests and diseases are responsible for up to 40% of food losses and cost approximately USD 220 billion each year in direct and indirect expenses. The rapid evolution of phytopathogens, climate change, and international trade are the main drivers of the emergence of new plant diseases worldwide, which researchers estimate will become more frequent in future decades. The fast and accurate identification of plant diseases is of paramount importance for efficient disease management and has been a common goal across the entire agrifood sector, from producers to phytosanitary agencies, to academic research. Plant pathogens are known to interact with a wide range of hosts, vectors, and reservoir organisms, making management and diagnostic efforts hard to implement. Therefore, more research should focus on the development of efficient diagnosis, monitoring, and management tools.

We are pleased to invite you to submit your most recent works to our Special Issue entitled “The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases” which we intend to be an outlet for authors to share their most recent findings on the epidemiology, diagnostics, and management of plant diseases.

This Special Issue aims to present state-of-the-art research on the development of diagnostic tools for plant diseases with laboratory and or field application, monitoring tools, sustainable control measures (e.g., essential oils, antagonistic organisms, antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages, etc.), and the ecology and epidemiology of plant diseases of any etiology.

In this Special Issue, recent original research articles, mini-reviews, and reviews are welcome. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Rafael José Carvalho Mendes
Dr. Leandro Pereira Dias
Dr. Renato Lopes Gil
Dr. Fernando Tavares
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant diseases
  • sustainable management
  • effective diagnosis
  • phytophatogen dissemination
  • epidemiology
  • green compounds

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 11490 KiB  
Article
Olive Anthracnose in Portugal Is Still Mostly Caused by Colletotrichum nymphaeae, but C. acutatum Is Spreading and C. alienum and C. cigarro Are Reported for the First Time
by Ana Cabral, Teresa Nascimento, Helena G. Azinheira, Andreia Loureiro, Pedro Talhinhas and Helena Oliveira
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 434; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050434 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 290
Abstract
Olive anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum fungi, is responsible for major fruit yield losses and poor olive oil quality worldwide. In the Mediterranean basin, some Colletotrichum spp. appear to be replacing others, possibly due to climate change and modification in cultural systems. To update [...] Read more.
Olive anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum fungi, is responsible for major fruit yield losses and poor olive oil quality worldwide. In the Mediterranean basin, some Colletotrichum spp. appear to be replacing others, possibly due to climate change and modification in cultural systems. To update the situation in Portugal, 525 olive groves were surveyed throughout the country over two years, revealing a decrease in disease incidence, associated with scarcer rainfall and new cropping systems using less susceptible cultivars. A collection of 212 isolates was obtained, and phylogenetic analyses using a multi-locus sequencing approach (five and six loci in the acutatum and gloeosporioides species complex, respectively) revealed the presence of seven Colletotrichum species within the collection. Compared to surveys conducted in the first decade of the 21st century, the species composition of olive anthracnose pathogens in Portugal remains mostly unchanged, with C. nymphaeae as the prevalent species, followed by C. godetiae, but with C. acutatum geographically expanding and with C. alienum and C. cigarro being reported for the first time as causal agents of olive anthracnose in Portugal. A close attention to pathogen population shifts, in the context of climate change and modification of cultivation systems, is fundamental for anticipating plant protection measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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15 pages, 4429 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Biotic Stress in Plant Species Induced by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’—An Artificial Neural Network Approach
by Ivica Djalovic, Petar Mitrovic, Goran Trivan, Aleksandra Jelušić, Lato Pezo, Elizabet Janić Hajnal and Tatjana Popović Milovanović
Horticulturae 2024, 10(5), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050426 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 304
Abstract
Infections with phytoplasma present one of the most significant biotic stresses influencing plant health, growth, and production. The phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ infects a variety of plant species. This pathogen impacts the physiological and morphological characteristics of plants causing stunting, yellowing, leaf [...] Read more.
Infections with phytoplasma present one of the most significant biotic stresses influencing plant health, growth, and production. The phytoplasma ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ infects a variety of plant species. This pathogen impacts the physiological and morphological characteristics of plants causing stunting, yellowing, leaf curling, and other symptoms that can lead to significant economic losses. The aim of this study was to determine biochemical changes in peony (Paeonia tenuifolia L.), mint (Mentha × piperita L.), and dill (Anethum graveolens L.) induced by ‘Ca. Phytoplasma solani’ in Serbia as well as to predict the impact of the biotic stress using artificial neural network (ANN) modeling. The phylogenetic position of the Serbian ‘Ca. Phytoplasma solani’ strains originated from the tested hosts using 16S rRNA (peony and carrot strains) and plsC (mint and dill strains) sequences indicated by their genetic homogeneity despite the host of origin. Biochemical parameters significantly differed in asymptomatic and symptomatic plants, except for total anthocyanidins contents in dill and the capacity of peony and mint extracts to neutralize superoxide anions and hydroxyl radicals, respectively. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed a correlation between different chemical parameters and revealed a clear separation among the samples. Based on the ANN performance, the optimal number of hidden neurons for the calculation of TS, RG, PAL, LP, NBT, •OH, TP, TT, Tflav, Tpro, Tant, DPPH, and Car was nine (using MLP 8-9-13), as it produced high r2 values (1.000 during the training period) and low SOS values. Developing an effective early warning system for the detection of plant diseases in different plant species is critical for improving crop yield and quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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11 pages, 2418 KiB  
Article
Genomic Insight into a Potential Biological Control Agent for Fusarium-Related Diseases in Potatoes: Bacillus cabrialesii Subsp. cabrialesii Strain PE1
by Brenda Valenzuela-Aragon, Amelia C. Montoya-Martínez, Fannie Isela Parra-Cota and Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040357 - 04 Apr 2024
Viewed by 494
Abstract
Bacillus strain PE1, which was isolated from potatoes harvested in the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, was evaluated as a potential biological control agent against Fusarium languescens. The draft genome sequence was obtained through Illumina NovaSeq sequencing, revealing a genomic size of 4,071,293 bp, [...] Read more.
Bacillus strain PE1, which was isolated from potatoes harvested in the Yaqui Valley, Mexico, was evaluated as a potential biological control agent against Fusarium languescens. The draft genome sequence was obtained through Illumina NovaSeq sequencing, revealing a genomic size of 4,071,293 bp, with a G + C content of 44.13%, an N50 value of 357,305 bp, and 27 contigs. The taxonomic affiliation was confirmed by analyzing the 16S rRNA gene and overall genome relatedness indices (OGRIs) and constructing a phylogenomic tree based on the whole genome, which showed a close relationship to Bacillus cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii. Genomic annotation using RAST and Prokka identified 4261 coding DNA sequences (CDSs) distributed across 331 subsystems, highlighting genes associated with biocontrol, stress response, and iron acquisition. AntiSMASH 7.1 was used for genome mining, revealing seven biosynthetic gene clusters that potentially produce biocontrol-related metabolites. In vitro assays confirmed the antagonistic activity of strain PE1 against Fusarium languescens CE2, demonstrating its potential to inhibit mycelial growth. The study provides a genomic basis for investigating B. cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii PE1 as a potential biological control agent in potato production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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12 pages, 3060 KiB  
Article
Deciphering the Virome of the Pimple-Shaped ‘Yali’ Pear Fruit through High-Throughput Sequencing
by Yang Zhang, Congcong Gao, Yeqing Guan, Yudou Cheng, Chuangqi Wei and Junfeng Guan
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040311 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 481
Abstract
Viral diseases pose a threat to fruit tree growth. In this study, we observed some pimple-shaped ‘Yali’ pears (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) and investigated their viral components. We used virome analysis to elucidate the viral composition within the pimple-shaped fruit. RT-PCR was applied [...] Read more.
Viral diseases pose a threat to fruit tree growth. In this study, we observed some pimple-shaped ‘Yali’ pears (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) and investigated their viral components. We used virome analysis to elucidate the viral composition within the pimple-shaped fruit. RT-PCR was applied to detect the plant viruses of fruits, leaves, and branches in ‘Yali’ pear. We also constructed a phylogenetic tree based on the amino acid sequences of the movement proteins of 6 apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) isolates and 44 ASGVs from the NCBI database. We detected ASGV and apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) in the pimple-shaped pear fruits, which is the first report of these viruses existing in ‘Yali’ pear fruits. ASGV was present in all pimple-shaped fruit samples from six ‘Yali’ pear-producing regions. The phylogenetic tree showed that ASGVs from pears, apples, and citrus plants were separated into different branches, suggesting that hosts influence the genetic diversity of ASGV. Our study revealed the viral components and genetic variation of ASGV in pimple-shaped pear fruit, providing new insights into the epidemiology of this virus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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10 pages, 3724 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) Genotypes for Resistance to Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus
by Saritha Raman Kavalappara, Sudeep Bag, Alexander Luckew, Cecilia E. McGregor, Albert K. Culbreath and Alvin M. Simmons
Horticulturae 2024, 10(3), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10030264 - 10 Mar 2024
Viewed by 883
Abstract
Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV), a Crinivirus transmitted by whiteflies, poses a significant threat to cucurbit crops globally. Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), an important vegetable crop in the Southeastern United States, is particularly affected. The absence of commercially available resistant summer [...] Read more.
Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV), a Crinivirus transmitted by whiteflies, poses a significant threat to cucurbit crops globally. Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), an important vegetable crop in the Southeastern United States, is particularly affected. The absence of commercially available resistant summer squash cultivars necessitates the exploration of resistant sources. Cucurbita germplasms with potential resistance to CCYV were previously identified through field screening. In this study, we describe the controlled greenhouse screening of these germplasm lines aimed at validating resistance to CCYV infection. The susceptible cultivar Gentry used as control exhibited early and severe symptoms in response to CCYV infection. In contrast, all the PI accessions tested, including PI 512749, PI 615141, PI 136448, PI 442312, PI 458731, and PI 420328, displayed delayed and less severe symptoms. Nevertheless, CCYV RNA accumulated in all the PI accessions. Lower symptom severity while harboring a considerable amount of CCYV indicates their inherent tolerance to the yellowing disease induced by CCYV. When comparing CCYV RNA accumulation in PI accessions with the commercial cultivar ‘Gentry’, lower virus titers were observed across all tested accessions. Specifically, PI 420328 and PI 458731 exhibited significantly reduced CCYV titers compared to the susceptible cultivar in both mass exposure and clip cage experiments. These accessions, displaying reduced symptoms and lower virus titers, hold promise as sources of resistance to CCYV in breeding programs. This study also highlights the importance of utilizing a reliable method to assay the resistance or tolerance of selected germplasm to infection by CCYV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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19 pages, 5723 KiB  
Article
Biological Control Mechanisms of Bacillus cabrialesii subsp. tritici TSO2T against Fusarium languescens, the Causal Agent of Wilt in Jalapeño Peppers
by Amelia C. Montoya-Martínez, Karem M. Figueroa-Brambila, Alina Escalante-Beltrán, Naomi D. López-Montoya, Valeria Valenzuela-Ruíz, Fannie I. Parra-Cota, María Isabel Estrada Alvarado and Sergio de los Santos-Villalobos
Horticulturae 2023, 9(9), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9090964 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1215
Abstract
Jalapeño peppers (Capsicum annuum var. Jalapeño) represent one of the most important crops in Mexico. However, many plant diseases, such as wilt caused by strains of the genus Fusarium, reduce its yield. A sustainable alternative to control diseases is the use [...] Read more.
Jalapeño peppers (Capsicum annuum var. Jalapeño) represent one of the most important crops in Mexico. However, many plant diseases, such as wilt caused by strains of the genus Fusarium, reduce its yield. A sustainable alternative to control diseases is the use of biological control agents (BCAs), for example, beneficial microorganisms such as strains of the genus Bacillus. This study aims to analyze the potential use of B. cabrialesii subsp. tritici TSO2T as a BCA and elucidate its potential modes of action against Fusarium strains causing wilt in Jalapeño peppers. For this, symptomatic samples were collected in a commercial field in the Yaqui Valley, Mexico. Six Fusarium isolates were morphologically and molecularly characterized. After pathogenicity tests, F. languescens CE2 was found to be pathogenic. In screening assays for biocontrol bacteria, strain TSO2T, which was isolated from soil in a wheat commercial field under an organic production system and preserved in the Culture Collection of Native Soil and Endophytic Microorganisms (COLMENA), had the best biocontrol effect against CE2, and its cell-free filtrate reduced mycelial growth by 30.95%. Genome mining (antiSMASH) of strain TSO2T allows us to identify gene clusters associated with biocontrol, such as fengycin, surfactin, bacillibactin, bacilysin, bacillaene, subtilosin A, and sporulation killing factor, which codify to antimicrobial metabolites and are associated with swarming motility of the studied beneficial strain. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of B. cabrialesii subsp. tritici TSO2T as a potential BCA for the control of Fusarium wilt, through competition and a complex of antifungal metabolites, which still need to be validated through metabolomic analysis. This study highlights the importance of the use of integrative genomic and bioactivity-guided methodologies in understanding biocontrol pathosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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11 pages, 1655 KiB  
Communication
Association of Tomato Chlorosis Virus Complicates the Management of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus in Cultivated Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in the Southern United States
by Manish Kumar, Saritha Raman Kavalappara, Theodore McAvoy, Samuel Hutton, Alvin M. Simmons and Sudeep Bag
Horticulturae 2023, 9(8), 948; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9080948 - 21 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1573
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in the USA has been severely impacted by the tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Furthermore, a complex association of whitefly-transmitted TYLCV (genus, begomovirus) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV, genus, crinivirus) were recently identified in tomato. Several tomato [...] Read more.
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in the USA has been severely impacted by the tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Furthermore, a complex association of whitefly-transmitted TYLCV (genus, begomovirus) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV, genus, crinivirus) were recently identified in tomato. Several tomato cultivars were developed and commercialized with intermediate resistance (IR) against TYLCV-IL (Israel), the predominant strain of TYLCV found in Georgia, USA. TYLCV-resistant cultivars were tested in open field conditions against multiple whitefly-transmitted viruses in Georgia under natural disease pressure during the fall of 2022. The area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) over time showed a steady increase in disease severity among all cultivars. Further analysis of infected samples using high throughput sequencing (HTS) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed the presence of TYLCV and ToCV in symptomatic upper and lower leaves, respectively. Moreover, the presence of both viruses in upper and lower leaves was determined. A mixed infection of both viruses, TYLCV and ToCV, resulted in severe disease development which may enhance the commercial tomato plants to break resistance and lead to decreased fruit quality and marketable yields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Plant Diseases)
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