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Let be the adjacency matrix of a graph and suppose ) = exp( ). We say that we have perfect state transfer in from the vertex to the vertex at time if there is a scalar of unit modulus such that = . It is known that perfect state transfer is rare. So C.Godsil gave a relaxation of this definition: we say that we have pretty good state transfer from to if there exists a complex number of unit modulus and, for each positive real there is a time such that ‖ ‖ < . In this paper, the quantum state transfer on 1-sum of star graphs is explored. We show that there is no perfect state transfer on , but there is pretty good state transfer on if and only if =

The ability of pathogenic fungi to switch between a multicellular hyphal and unicellular yeast growth form is a tightly regulated process known as dimorphic switching. Dimorphic switching requires the fungus to sense and respond to the host environment and is essential for pathogenicity. This review will focus on the role of dimorphism in fungi commonly called thermally dimorphic fungi, which switch to a yeast growth form during infection. This group of phylogenetically diverse ascomycetes includes Talaromyces marneffei (recently renamed from Penicillium marneffei), Blastomyces dermatitidis (teleomorph Ajellomyces dermatitidis), Coccidioides species (C. immitis and C. posadasii), Histoplasma capsulatum (teleomorph Ajellomyces capsulatum), Paracoccidioides species (P. brasiliensis and P. lutzii) and Sporothrix schenckii (teleomorph Ophiostoma schenckii). This review will explore both the signalling pathways regulating the morphological transition and the transcriptional responses necessary for intracellular growth. The physiological requirements of yeast cells during infection will also be discussed, highlighting recent advances in the understanding of the role of iron and calcium acquisition during infection. Fungi generate a variety of cellular morphologies to facilitate colonization of new environmental niches. Many pathogenic fungi switch from a multi-cellular to a unicellular growth form during infection and this permits adaptation to unique environmental niches within the host.

Wheat is among the ten top and most widely grown crops in the world. Several diseases cause losses in wheat production in different parts of the world. Bipolaris sorokiniana (teleomorph, Cochliobolus sativus ) is one of the wheat pathogens that can attack all wheat parts, including seeds, roots, shoots, and leaves. Black point, root rot, crown rot and spot blotch are the main diseases caused by B. sorokiniana in wheat. Seed infection by B. sorokiniana can result in black point disease, reducing seed quality and seed germination and is considered a main source of inoculum for diseases such as common root rot and spot blotch. Root rot and crown rot diseases, which result from soil-borne or seed-borne inoculum, can result in yield losses in wheat. Spot blotch disease affects wheat in different parts of the world and cause significant losses in grain yield. This review paper summarizes the latest findings on B. sorokiniana , with a specific emphasis on management using genetic, chemical, cultural, and biological control measures.

Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum species is a major constraint for the shelf-life and marketability of avocado fruits. To date, only C . gloeosporioides sensu lato and C . aenigma have been reported as pathogens affecting avocado in Israel. This study was conducted to identify and characterize Colletotrichum species associated with avocado anthracnose and to determine their survival on different host-structures in Israel. The pathogen survived and over-wintered mainly on fresh and dry leaves, as well as fresh twigs in the orchard. A collection of 538 Colletotrichum isolates used in this study was initially characterized based on morphology and banding patterns generated according to arbitrarily primed PCR to assess the genetic diversity of the fungal populations. Thereafter, based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses involving combinations of ITS, act , ApMat , cal , chs1 , gapdh , gs , his3 , tub 2 gene/markers; eight previously described species ( C . aenigma , C . alienum , C . fructicola , C . gloeosporioides sensu stricto , C . karstii , C . nupharicola , C . siamense , C . theobromicola ) and a novel species ( C . perseae ) were identified, as avocado anthracnose pathogens in Israel; and reconfirmed after pathogenicity assays. Colletotrichum perseae sp. nov. and teleomorph of C . aenigma are described along with comprehensive morphological descriptions and illustrations, for the first time in this study.

Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr. (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana) is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that attacks a wide range of plants. This updated pathogen profile explores the extensive genetic diversity of B. cinerea, highlights the progress in genome sequencing, and provides current knowledge of genetic and molecular mechanisms employed by the fungus to attack its hosts. In addition, we also discuss recent innovative strategies to combat B. cinerea. Taxonomy Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botrytis, species: cinerea. Host range B. cinerea infects almost all of the plant groups (angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes). To date, 1606 plant species have been identified as hosts of B. cinerea. Genetic diversity This polyphagous necrotroph has extensive genetic diversity at all population levels shaped by climate, geography, and plant host variation. Pathogenicity Genetic architecture of virulence and host specificity is polygenic using multiple weapons to target hosts, including secretory proteins, complex signal transduction pathways, metabolites, and mobile small RNA. Disease control strategies Efforts to control B. cinerea, being a high‐diversity generalist pathogen, are complicated. However, integrated disease management strategies that combine cultural practices, chemical and biological controls, and the use of appropriate crop varieties will lessen yield losses. Recently, studies conducted worldwide have explored the potential of small RNA as an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for combating grey mould. However, additional research is necessary, especially on risk assessment and regulatory frameworks, to fully harness the potential of this technology. Botrytis cinerea is a generalist fungal phytopathogen with high genetic diversity that utilizes diverse signalling cascades to infect a wide range of hosts.

Spot blotch (SB) caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana (teleomorph Cochliobolus sativus ) is one of the devastating diseases of wheat in the warm and humid growing areas around the world. B. sorokiniana can infect leaves, stem, roots, rachis and seeds, and is able to produce toxins like helminthosporol and sorokinianin. No wheat variety is immune to SB; hence, an integrated disease management strategy is indispensable in disease prone areas. A range of fungicides, especially the triazole group, have shown good effects in reducing the disease, and crop-rotation, tillage and early sowing are among the favorable cultural management methods. Resistance is mostly quantitative, being governed by QTLs with minor effects, mapped on all the wheat chromosomes. Only four QTLs with major effects have been designated as Sb1 through Sb4 . Despite, marker assisted breeding for SB resistance in wheat is scarce. Better understanding of wheat genome assemblies, functional genomics and cloning of resistance genes will further accelerate breeding for SB resistance in wheat.

Fungi belonging to the genus Neosartorya (teleomorph of Aspergillus spp.) are of great concern in the production and storage of berries and fruit-based products, mainly due to the production of thermoresistant ascospores that cause food spoilage and possible secretion of mycotoxins. We initially tested the antifungal effect of six natural extracts against 20 isolates of Neosartorya spp. using a traditional inhibition test on Petri dishes. Tested isolates did not respond uniformly, creating 5 groups of descending sensitivity. Ten isolates best representing of the established sensitivity clusters were chosen for further investigation using a Biolog™ MT2 microplate assay with the same 6 natural extracts. Additionally, to test for metabolic profile changes, we used a Biolog™ FF microplate assay after pre-incubation with marigold extract. All natural extracts had an inhibitory effect on Neosartorya spp. growth and impacted its metabolism. Lavender and tea tree oil extracts at a concentration of 1000 µg mL −1 presented the strongest antifungal effect during the inhibition test, however all extracts exhibited inhibitory properties at even the lowest dose (5 µg mL −1 ). The fungal stress response in the presence of marigold extract was characterized by a decrease of amino acids and carbohydrates consumption and an uptake of carboxylic acids on the FF microplates, where the 10 studied isolates also presented differences in their innate resilience, creating 3 distinctive sensitivity groups of high, average and low sensitivity. The results confirm that natural plant extracts and essential oils inhibit and alter the growth and metabolism of Neosartorya spp. suggesting a possible future use in sustainable agriculture as an alternative to chemical fungicides used in traditional crop protection.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), also known as head scab, is a devastating fungal disease that affects small grain cereal crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The predominant causal agent, Fusarium graminearum Schwabe (teleomorph: Gibberella zeae (Schwein.) Petch), is ranked the four th most impor tant fungal plant pathogen worldwide. Apar t from yield and quality losses, mycotoxin production can occur from FHB infection, resulting in harmful effects on human and animal health. Some level of disease control may be achieved by using cer tain fungicides and agronomic practices plus host resistance. In South Africa, there are currently no registered fungicides or bio-fungicides, no resistant wheat cultivars and only limited control is achieved by cultural practices. Because effective disease reduction cannot be achieved by using a single strategy, the integration of multiple management strategies can enhance disease control. We review possible strategies for reducing the risk for FHB infections that are relevant to the context of South Africa and other wheat growing areas in Africa.

Lachancea (kluyveromyces) thermotolerans is a ubiquitous yeast that can be naturally found in grapes but also in other habitats as soil, insects and plants, extensively distributed around the world. In a 3-day culture, it shows spherical to ellipsoidal morphology appearing in single, paired cells or short clusters. It is a teleomorph yeast with 1–4 spherical ascospores and it is characterized by a low production of volatile acidity that helps to control global acetic acid levels in mixed or sequential inoculations with either S. cerevisiae or other non-Saccharomyces species. It has a medium fermentative power, so it must be used in sequential or mixed inoculations with S. cerevisiae to get dry wines. It shows a high production of lactic acid able to affect strongly wine pH, sometimes decreasing wine pH by 0.5 units or more during fermentation. Most of the acidification is produced at the beginning of fermentation facilitating the effect in sequential fermentations because it is more competitive at low alcoholic degree. This application is especially useful in warm areas affected by climatic change. pH reduction is produced in a natural way during fermentation and prevents the addition of tartaric acid, that produces tartrate precipitations, or the use of cation exchangers resins highly efficient reducing pH but with undesirable effects on wine quality. Production of lactic acid is done from sugars thus reducing slightly the alcoholic degree, especially in strains with high production of lactic acid. Also, an improvement in the production of 2-phenylethanol and glycerol has been described.

Okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Moench), a globally cultivated vegetable crop valued for its nutrient-rich pods, is facing emerging threats from seedling damping-off and blight in subtropical regions of South China. In 2022, fungal isolates representing five genera ( Trichoderma , Rhizoctonia , Rhizopus , Macrophomina , and Rhizomucor ) were obtained from symptomatic seedlings in Guangdong Province. The pathogenicity test revealed that three Rhizoctonia isolates (ACCC 35247, ACCC 35460 and ACCC 35461) could induce typical damping-off symptoms, inhibit seed germination and cause hypocotyl necrosis, consistent with symptoms observed under natural field conditions. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, along with phylogenetic analysis of the ITS region, the pathogen was identified as Rhizoctonia solani (teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (Frank) Donk). The mycelial and sclerotia lethal temperature of the pathogen was 45 °C and 48 °C respectively, and the optimal temperature (T opt ) for mycelial growth was 28.22 °C. Sensitivity of the pathogen to seven fungicides was evaluated in vitro using a mycelial radial growth assay, the EC 50 values for each fungicide were estimated. According to the EC 50 values of seven fungicides, there was significant difference in the inhibitory effect of each fungicide on the pathogen, and the pathogen was most sensitive to trifloxystrobin + tebuconazole (1:2), with the mean EC 50 value being 0.43 mg·L −1 . This study provides critical insights into the disease management of R. solani induced damping-off in okra.