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Botrytized wines are dessert wines made from overripe grapes infected by Botrytis cinerea known as \"botrytized grapes\" or \"noble rot\". They are favored by human for their health promoting antioxidants and pleasant flavor. However, their production is low as natural botrytized grapes are rare in most vineyards worldwide. That is, not all B. cinerea infected grapes become botrytized grapes. The formation of botrytized grapes is determined by the interactions between grapes and the microbiota, including B. cinerea, under specific environmental conditions. Similarly, the interactions among the microorganisms in the grape must during the fermentation processes are also crucial for the quality of botrytized wines. Therefore, unraveling the roles of microbiota in the formation of botrytized grapes and wines can contribute to a better understanding of the determinants in this process, and provide a theoretical basis for improving the quality of botrytized wines.

Introduction Theobroma cacao L. is economically speaking the most important species of the genus Theobroma. Cacao is cultured in tropical regions and its yield is affected by several diseases, such as black pod. Black pod rot in cacao. Cacao black pod, particularly, is an economically serious problem in all areas of the world where cacao is grown, causing significant pod losses of up to 30% and killing up to 10% of the trees annually. The disease is caused by different species of the stramenopile genus Phytophthora and, once it has infected a cacao field, its control is fairly difficult. Black pod rot control strategies. Several approaches are used to manage black pod: chemical control, phytosanitary and cultural methods, genetic resistance, and biological control. Losses in yield due to black pod could be reduced through integrated management practices, although the results may vary for each cacao-growing region. Main challenges and new approaches Black pod control could be achieved if an integrated management strategy is established, with the combination of biological and chemical methods, genetic control, and adequate cultural methods in an integrated program. Introduction. Theobroma cacao L. est économiquement parlant l’espèce la plus importante du genre Theobroma. Le cacao est cultivé dans les régions tropicales et son rendement est affecté par plusieurs maladies, dont la pourriture brune des cabosses. La pourriture brune des cabosses du cacao. La pourriture brune des cabosses est un problème économique sérieux dans toutes les régions du monde où le cacaoyer est cultivé; elle cause des pertes significatives allant jusqu’à 30 % de cabosses et tue jusqu’à 10 % des arbres par an. La maladie est causée par différentes espèces du genre straménopile Phytophthora et, une fois qu’elles ont infecté un champ de cacao, son contrôle est assez difficile. Stratégies de contrôle de la pourriture brune de la cabosse. Plusieurs approches sont utilisées pour contrôler la pourriture brune de la cabosse : la lutte chimique, les méthodes phytosanitaires et de culture, la résistance génétique et la lutte biologique. Les pertes de rendement dues à la pourriture brune pourraient être réduites par l’utilisation de pratiques de gestion intégrée, bien que les résultats puissent varier en fonction de la zone de croissance du cacaoyer. Principaux défis et nouvelles approches. Le contrôle de la pourriture brune de la cabosse ne pourrait être obtenu qu’en adoptant une stratégie de gestion intégrée, combinant des méthodes de luttes chimiques et biologiques, le contrôle génétique, des méthodes culturales adéquates inclus dans un programme intégré. Introducción. Theobroma cacao L. es, desde el punto de vista económico, la especie más importante del género Theobroma. El cacao se cultiva en regiones tropicales y su rendimiento es afectado por varias enfermedades, tales como la pudrición negra del fruto. La pudrición negra en cacao. La pudrición negra es un problema económico serio en todas las regiones del mundo donde se cultiva el cacao, causando pérdidas significativas de bellotas de hasta 30% y la muerte de hasta el 10% de los árboles anualmente. La enfermedad es causada por diferentes especies del género Phytophthora (Stramenopile) y, una vez que ha infectado a un campo de cacao, su control es bastante difícil. Estrategias de control de la pudrición negra. Se utilizan varios enfoques para el manejo de la pudrición negra: control químico, métodos fitosanitarios y culturales, resistencia genética y control biológico. Las pérdidas de rendimiento debidas a la pudrición negra pueden reducirse cuando se usan prácticas de manejo integrado, aunque los resultados pueden variar para cada región de cultivo de cacao. Principales retos y nuevos enfoques El control de la pudrición negra podría lograrse si se establece una estrategia de manejo integrado, con la combinación de métodos químicos y biológicos, control genético y métodos culturales adecuados dentro de un programa integral.

Textile industry effluents-a complex mix of chemicals, among which colorants are of particular concern-impose great environmental challenges. In this study, a full 2³ factorial design was used for determining the best conditions for the degradation of textile dye Basic Red 46 under solid state fermentation (SSF). Three white rot fungi Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Pleurotus pulmonarius were used in the fermentation process. A maximum degradation percentage of 63.0% was achieved at 17 days of incubation with T. versicolor under a moisture content of 90%, carbon to nitrogen ratio of 12: 1, and at 20°C. P. ostreatus and P. pulmonarius reached a maximum degradation percentage of 69.3% and 63.1%, respectively, after 25 days of fermentation. The scale-up of the fermentation process using T. versicolor led to a degradation percentage of 45.7% after 30 days of incubation. Additionally, the enzyme activity of laccase, manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase was measured. The results indicate that SSF offers a satisfactory degradation, whose efficiency depends on the optimization of process conditions.

Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L. 1753) is a plant of great cultural, economic and ecological importance globally. By its structure and function maintains a wide variety of animal species. In Latin America, their crops are being affected by the disease called ‘frosty pod rot of cocoa’ caused by the fungus Moniliophthora roreri (Cif & Par) Evans. 2007, considered as the most destructive disease that attacks cocoa and kills it. The increase of temperature or precipitation because of warming global climate change could favor the fungus expansion to areas previously unaffected. We modeled the potential distribution for M. roreri and T. cocoa using MaxEnt and circulation model general HADCM3, A2a scenario with climatic variables for the present and the future (5, 35 and 65 years), in order to find sites suitable for monitoring to prevent the fungus spread, and to identify which variables determine the presence of M. roreri. The suitable areas for both species overlap from present to 2050, while they are different in 2080. M. roreri could extend from southern Ecuador to Venezuela, spread to westernmost Amazon, southwest Peruvian Amazon, and to the Peruvian-Bolivian border and the adjacent areas of Brazil. In both taxa the most influential variable seems to be precipitation of the wettest month. The Brazilian Amazon is the areas of South America with the largest plantations of T. cocoa, and therefore the most sensitive to the presence and proliferation of the fungus. For this reason we recommend to set up a monitoring system allowing early warning and control of incipient outbreaks that could eventually destroy Bolivian and Brazilian cocoa plantations.

To investigate the role of jasmonate in the defense of plants against fungal pathogens, we have studied a mutant of Arabidopsis, fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8, that cannot accumulate jasmonate. Mutant plants were extremely susceptible to root rot caused by the fungal root pathogen Pythium mastophorum (Drechs.), even though neighboring wild-type plants were largely unaffected by this fungus. Application of exogenous methyl jasmonate substantially protected mutant plants, reducing the incidence of disease to a level close to that of wild-type controls. A similar treatment with methyl jasmonate did not protect the jasmonate-insensitive mutant coil1 from infection, showing that protective action of applied jasmonate against P. mastophorum was mediated by the induction of plant defense mechanisms rather than by a direct antifungal action. Transcripts of three jasmonate-responsive defense genes are induced by Pythium challenge in the wild-type but not in the jasmonate-deficient mutant. Pythium species are ubiquitous in soil and root habitats world-wide, but most (including P. mastophorum) are considered to be minor pathogens. Our results indicate that jasmonate is essential for plant defense against Pythium and, because of the high exposure of plant roots to Pythium inoculum in soil, may well be fundamental to survival of plants in nature. Our results further indicate that the fad3-2 fad7-2 fad8 mutant is an appropriate genetic model for studying the role of this important signaling molecule in pathogen defense

Maize is becoming more and more important crop for dairy farming as forage and as substrate for biogas production. The mycotoxin producing fungi can spoil feed, reduce cattle productivity and cause health problems. The aim of this research was to study the mycoflora of maize grains in order to clarify the fungal composition and verify the presence of potential mycotoxin producing fungi. The grain samples were collected from different maize hybrid performance trial in Research and Study farm “Vecauce” of Latvia University of Agriculture in 2014. The fungi from 14 genera were isolated from surface sterilized grains. The most abundant were Alternaria, Fusarium and Penicillium spp. Mycotoxin producing fungi are present in maize grain mycoflora, and there is a risk that maize production can contain mycotoxins.

The activity of Rhizobium japonicum against the soilborne pathogens Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina as causative agents of soybean root rot disease in both culture medium and soil was evaluated. Rhizobial culture filtrate caused an inhibition of the radial growth of Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina on potato dextrose agar medium amended with the filtrate compared with control. The addition of rhizobial culture suspension to the soil contaminated by the two pathogens, Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina and their interaction, in pots improved seed germination percentages and reduced the root rot disease index significantly. The sowing of rhizobial coated seeds in soil contaminated by Fusarium solani and Macrophomina phaseolina (separately and in combination) in the field increased seed germination significantly and induced a high reduction in disease severity. These results indicate that rhizobia could be an important element in root rot disease management.

The defensive reaction of apple cultivar Idared was studied after inoculation with three different pathogens (Penicillium expansum, Monilinia fructigena, Gloeosporium spp.). Changes in phenolic concentrations and activity of phenylalanine-ammonia lyase were determined after 7, 14, and 21 days after the inoculation. Significant differences were discovered in the progress of rotting after the inoculation. The increase in phenols concentrations and in phenylalanine-ammonia lyase activity varied in the place of fungal attack, in the tissues around rotten zone and in the healthy part. The response to the infection was different in the fruit peel and flesh. Very good correlation was found between the activity of phenylalanine-ammonia lyase and total phenol concentration (r = 0.76-0.98).

One-year-old wood of grapevine cv Thompson Seedless, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon were pruned and the pruning wound immediately inoculated with a spore suspension (approximately 1 x 10E6 spores mlE-1 of water) of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora or Phaeoacremonium aleophilum. Based on the incidence of esca three years after inoculation, Thompson Seedless was rated as the most susceptible of the three cultivars. The results are consistent with the observed incidence of naturally-occurring esca in California vineyards on these three cultivars [Il legno di un anno di piante di vite delle cv Thompson Seedless, Grenache e Cabernet Sauvignon è stato potato e sulle ferite di potatura è stata immediatamente inoculata una sospensione di spore (circa 1 x 10E6 spore mlE-1 di acqua) di Phaeomoniella chlamydospora o Phaeoacremonium aleophilum. In base all´incidenza del mal dell´esca tre anni dopo l´inoculazione, Thompson Seedless è stata valutata la più suscettibile delle tre cultivar. I risultati sono in accordo con l´incidenza naturale del mal dell´esca nei vigneti californiani relativamente alle tre cultivar considerate.]

Communities of xylotrophic fungi were studied in wood of Pinus mugo of different qualities: (i) living stems, (ii) cut stumps, (iii) burned snags, (iv) cut burned stumps, (v) stems recently killed by root rot, and (vi) old snags of root rot-killed trees. A total of 277 isolates representing 58 fungal taxa were obtained from 300 wood samples (50 samples per each substrate category). Results of the present study suggested that following different disturbances (tree felling, forest fire or root rot), fungal communities likely evolve in different directions: depending on its origin (cut, burned or killed by the disease), dead wood might be inhabited by principally different microbial assemblages, and that fire has less effect on community structures than tree felling or root rot.