Article
Agronomy
Elliot Tembo, Adre Minnaar-Ontong, Abebe Menkir, Gert Marais, Cosmos Magorokosho, Maryke T. Labuschagne
Summary: This study evaluated the inheritance of resistance to Fusarium verticillioides in maize and identified potential lines for breeding programs. The results showed that both additive and nonadditive effects were involved in resistance to ear rot caused by F. verticillioides.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Cao, Noemi Gesteiro, Rogelio Santiago, Rosa Ana Malvar, Ana Butron
Summary: Fusarium verticillioides is a threat to maize production due to its ability to infect maize kernel and produce fumonisins. Metabolic studies were conducted to uncover pathways involved in maize resistance to Fusarium ear rot and fumonisin contamination. Differences in membrane lipid homeostasis, methionine metabolism, and indolacetic acid conjugation were found to be relevant in distinguishing between resistant and susceptible inbreds. Specific metabolites such as spermidine and isoquinoline showed potential as indirect selection traits for improving resistance to Fusarium ear rot and reducing fumonisin accumulation.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Jesse Spencer Smith, William Paul Williams
Summary: In this study, resistant germplasm lines and ex-PVP lines were evaluated for their impact on aflatoxin contamination and yield in maize grain. The results indicate that resistant germplasm lines have the potential to reduce aflatoxin accumulation, while the Stiff-Stalk line F118 may be the most promising line for breeding purposes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jing Wen, Yanqi Shen, Yuexian Xing, Ziyu Wang, Siping Han, Shijie Li, Chunming Yang, Dongyun Hao, Yan Zhang
Summary: In this study, maize ear rot caused by Fusarium verticillioides was genetically mapped in three F-2 populations using F-2:3 families derived from resistant and susceptible parental lines. High heritability estimates indicated the significant role of genetic factors in phenotypic variation, with a total of 20 resistance QTLs identified in the populations. QTLs with large effects from resistant parents were found, indicating potential hotspots for resistance. These identified QTLs can be utilized for marker-assisted selection to improve ear rot resistance in maize.
Article
Plant Sciences
Wanyi Jiang, Wenbo Han, Ruiting Wang, Yonggang Li, Guanghui Hu, Jianfen Yang, Dan Jiang, Wenhao Han, Mingquan Wang, Guoliang Li
Summary: This study developed a rapid continuous injection inoculation technique to evaluate maize inbred lines for resistance to Fusarium spp., identifying 6 inbred lines with high resistance, 20 with resistance, 32 susceptible, and 39 very susceptible out of 97 lines tested. Analysis of molecular variance showed a significant correlation between population of the inbred maize line and resistance to Fusarium stalk rot.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yusheng Xia, Baobao Wang, Lihong Zhu, Wenqi Wu, Suli Sun, Zhendong Zhu, Xinhai Li, Jianfeng Weng, Canxing Duan
Summary: This study comprehensively characterized and mapped the genetic basis of FER resistance in maize using RIL and CSSL populations. A total of 17 QTL were identified, with qFER1.03 having the strongest effect on FER resistance. Further analysis revealed that qFER1.03 differed from other resistance QTL on chromosome 1 and identified a candidate gene, GRMZM2G017792 (MPK3), in this region.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Tijana Barosevic, Ferenc Bagi, Zagorka Savic, Natasa Ljubicic, Ivana Ivanovic
Summary: Aflatoxin, a harmful mycotoxin, can be effectively controlled by growing genetically resistant maize hybrids. This research evaluated the sensitivity of different maize hybrids to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation, and found significant differences in their susceptibility. Infection intensity did not always correspond to aflatoxin levels.
Article
Plant Sciences
Faith A. Bankole, Baffour Badu-Apraku, Abiodun O. Salami, Titilayo D. O. Falade, Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, Alejandro Ortega-Beltran
Summary: Maize, a staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, is affected by various diseases and toxin contamination. This study identified maize inbred lines with resistance to multiple diseases and evaluated their resistance to different pathogens and aflatoxin contamination. The results showed that some inbred lines exhibited strong resistance to multiple diseases and accumulated significantly less aflatoxin. These disease-resistant inbred lines should be further tested and commercialized to increase maize production and reduce losses.
Article
Microbiology
Trang Minh Tran, Maarten Ameye, Sofie Landschoot, Frank Devlieghere, Sarah De Saeger, Mia Eeckhout, Kris Audenaert
Summary: This study investigated the virulence variability of Fusarium verticillioides in maize, exploring the involvement of defense pathways in the pathogen-maize interaction using local isolates and germplasm. Results showed that certain genotypes were more susceptible to the pathogen, while others exhibited higher resistance.
Review
Food Science & Technology
Marcin Bryla, Adam Pierzgalski, Agnieszka Zapasnik, Pascaline Aimee Uwineza, Edyta Ksieniewicz-Wozniak, Marta Modrzewska, Agnieszka Waskiewicz
Summary: This review summarizes the latest research on the toxic secondary metabolites of Fusarium in maize, including modified forms of mycotoxins, the research progress on the health effects, and the development of biological methods to eliminate the presence of mycotoxins.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jinxin Liu, Yujun Han, Wenqi Li, Tiancong Qi, Jiuming Zhang, Yonggang Li
Summary: This study collected 138 fungal isolates from maize-producing areas in Heilongjiang Province, China, and identified multiple pathogens causing maize stalk rot. The resistance of 67 maize inbred lines to the disease was assessed, indicating that approximately 65% of them were susceptible. Genetic diversity analysis of the maize inbred lines provided useful information for breeding disease-resistant hybrids.
Article
Agronomy
Zifeng Guo, Shanhong Wang, Wen-Xue Li, Jiacheng Liu, Wei Guo, Mingliang Xu, Yunbi Xu
Summary: In this study, QTL mapping and genomic selection were used to identify seven and eight QTL associated with resistance to Fusarium ear rot (FER) in two F-2:3 populations of maize. Two candidate genes involved in pathogen defense were also identified. Additionally, a genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) method based on SNP markers showed promising results for predicting FER resistance in the F-2:3 populations.
Article
Agronomy
Piotr Ochodzki, Adriana Twardawska, Halina Wisniewska, Tomasz Goral
Summary: The study identified winter wheat lines with low levels of head infection and kernel damage as well as low levels of grain contamination with mycotoxins.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xinyang Liao, Juan Sun, Quanquan Li, Wenyan Ding, Binbin Zhao, Baobao Wang, Shaoqun Zhou, Haiyang Wang
Summary: In this study, it was found that ZmSIZ1a and ZmSIZ1b play a crucial role in resisting FER, and they have a redundant but indispensable function in the resistance process. Integrating transcriptome and metabolome data, it was discovered that the synthesis pathway of flavonoids was induced by F. verticillioides infection and significantly reduced in the Zmsiz1a/1b double mutant. These findings provide potential new gene resources for molecular breeding of FER-resistant maize cultivars.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Yubo Liu, Guanghui Hu, Ao Zhang, Alexander Loladze, Yingxiong Hu, Hui Wang, Jingtao Qu, Xuecai Zhang, Michael Olsen, Felix San Vicente, Jose Crossa, Feng Lin, Boddupalli M. Prasanna
Summary: The study identified multiple SNPs associated with FER resistance in maize, with moderate prediction accuracies observed. Genomic background and minor QTL were found to play a significant role in controlling FER resistance. Incorporating SNP associations from GWAS into genomic selection shows promise for improving FER resistance in maize.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
J. Aguayo, I. Cerf-Wendling, A. B. Folscher, C. Fourrier-Jeandel, R. Ioos, M. C. Mathews, D. Mostert, C. Renault, V. Wilson, A. Viljoen
Article
Plant Sciences
Janet N. Kimunye, Norman Muzhinji, Diane Mostert, Altus Viljoen, Aletta E. Bester-van der Merwe, George Mahuku
Summary: Genetic diversity of black Sigatoka pathogen in East Africa was analyzed using molecular markers, revealing moderate genetic diversity within subpopulations and evidence of both clonal and sexual reproduction. Breeding efforts for resistance to P. fijiensis in East Africa need to account for intrapopulation variation to select durable resistant banana cultivars.
Article
Plant Sciences
David M. Geiser, Abdullah M. S. Al-Hatmi, Takayuki Aoki, Tsutomu Arie, Virgilio Balmas, Irene Barnes, Gary C. Bergstrom, Madan K. Bhattacharyya, Cheryl L. Blomquist, Robert L. Bowden, Balazs Brankovics, Daren W. Brown, Lester W. Burgess, Kathryn Bushley, Mark Busman, Jose F. Cano-Lira, Joseph D. Carrillo, Hao-Xun Chang, Chi-Yu Chen, Wanquan Chen, Martin Chilvers, Sofia Chulze, Jeffrey J. Coleman, Christina A. Cuomo, Z. Wilhelm de Beer, G. Sybren de Hoog, Johanna Del Castillo-Munera, Emerson M. Del Ponte, Javier Dieguez-Uribeondo, Antonio Di Pietro, Veronique Edel-Hermann, Wade H. Elmer, Lynn Epstein, Akif Eskalen, Maria Carmela Esposto, Kathryne L. Everts, Sylvia P. Fernandez-Pavia, Gilvan Ferreira da Silva, Nora A. Foroud, Gerda Fourie, Rasmus J. N. Frandsen, Stanley Freeman, Michael Freitag, Omer Frenkel, Kevin K. Fuller, Tatiana Gagkaeva, Donald M. Gardiner, Anthony E. Glenn, Scott E. Gold, Thomas R. Gordon, Nancy F. Gregory, Marieka Gryzenhout, Josep Guarro, Beth K. Gugino, Santiago Gutierrez, Kim E. Hammond-Kosack, Linda J. Harris, Monika Homa, Cheng-Fang Hong, Laszlo Hornok, Jenn-Wen Huang, Macit Ilkit, Adriaana Jacobs, Karin Jacobs, Cong Jiang, Maria Del Mar Jimenez-Gasco, Seogchan Kang, Matthew T. Kasson, Kemal Kazan, John C. Kennell, Hye-Seon Kim, H. Corby Kistler, Gretchen A. Kuldau, Tomasz Kulik, Oliver Kurzai, Imane Laraba, Matthew H. Laurence, Theresa Lee, Yin-Won Lee, Yong-Hwan Lee, John F. Leslie, Edward C. Y. Liew, Lily W. Lofton, Antonio F. Logrieco, Manuel S. Lopez-Berges, Alicia G. Luque, Erik Lysoe, Li-Jun Ma, Robert E. Marra, Frank N. Martin, Sara R. May, Susan P. McCormick, Chyanna McGee, Jacques F. Meis, Quirico Migheli, N. M. I. Mohamed Nor, Michel Monod, Antonio Moretti, Diane Mostert, Giuseppina Mule, Francoise Munaut, Gary P. Munkvold, Paul Nicholson, Marcio Nucci, Kerry O'Donnell, Matias Pasquali, Ludwig H. Pfenning, Anna Prigitano, Robert H. Proctor, Stephane Ranque, Stephen A. Rehner, Martijn Rep, Gerardo Rodriguez-Alvarado, Lindy Joy Rose, Mitchell G. Roth, Carmen Ruiz-Roldan, Amgad A. Saleh, Baharuddin Salleh, Hyunkyu Sang, Maria Mercedes Scandiani, Jonathan Scauflaire, David G. Schmale, Dylan P. G. Short, Adnan Sisic, Jason A. Smith, Christopher W. Smyth, Hokyoung Son, Ellie Spahr, Jason E. Stajich, Emma Steenkamp, Christian Steinberg, Rajagopal Subramaniam, Haruhisa Suga, Brett A. Summerell, Antonella Susca, Cassandra L. Swett, Christopher Toomajian, Terry J. Torres-Cruz, Anna M. Tortorano, Martin Urban, Lisa J. Vaillancourt, Gary E. Vallad, Theo A. J. van der Lee, Dan Vanderpool, Anne D. van Diepeningen, Martha M. Vaughan, Eduard Venter, Marcele Vermeulen, Paul E. Verweij, Altus Viljoen, Cees Waalwijk, Emma C. Wallace, Grit Walther, Jie Wang, Todd J. Ward, Brian L. Wickes, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Michael J. Wingfield, Ana K. M. Wood, Jin-Rong Xu, Xiao-Bing Yang, Tapani Yli-Mattila, Sung-Hwan Yun, Latiffah Zakaria, Hao Zhang, Ning Zhang, Sean X. Zhang, Xue Zhang
Summary: The debate over the classification of the Fusarium genus in recent years has focused on whether the FSSC should be included in Fusarium, but molecular phylogenetic research has shown strong support for the monophyly of Fusarium including the FSSC, which is considered the best taxonomic option available.
Article
Agronomy
Meagan van Dyk, Altus Viljoen, Lindy Joy Rose
Summary: The study evaluated the stylar canal architecture of nine maize inbred lines and found that while stylar canal architecture may facilitate fungal ingress, it does not play a pivotal role in resistance to Fusarium ear rot caused by F. verticillioides.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Janet Kimunye, Evans Were, Rony Swennen, Altus Viljoen, George Mahuku
Summary: Black Sigatoka, caused by Pseudocercospora fijiensis, is one of the most devastating diseases of banana and is primarily managed by fungicides in commercial banana-growing systems. Bananas resistant to P. fijiensis provide a practical solution for resource-limited smallholder farmers, with 11 potential resistant accessions identified in Uganda. These resistant accessions could be used to broaden the genetic base for resistance to P. fijiensis in banana breeding programs.
Article
Agronomy
Janet Kimunye, Kennedy Jomanga, Anthony Fredrick Tazuba, Evans Were, Altus Viljoen, Rony Swennen, George Mahuku
Summary: The study evaluated the response of East African Matooke hybrids to Pseudocercospora fijiensis, identifying NARITA 2, 7, 14, 21, and 23 as resistant and stable hybrids. Significant differences were observed in the impact of genotype, environment, and their interaction on black Sigatoka severity, with environment being the highest contributor.
Article
Microbiology
Xiaoxia Zhang, Huoqing Huang, Bangting Wu, Jianghui Xie, Altus Viljoen, Wei Wang, Diane Mostert, Yanling Xie, Gang Fu, Dandan Xiang, Shuxia Lyu, Siwen Liu, Chunyu Li
Summary: The metalloprotease effector FocM35 of Foc TR4 was found to be essential for the pathogen's virulence by inhibiting host immunity. It interacts with banana chitinase MaChiA to decrease its activity, promoting disease progression in bananas. Additionally, FocM35 induces cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana and suppresses INF1-induced hypersensitive response, further enhancing its pathogenicity.
Article
Microbiology
Sahabne Ullah, Diane Mostert, Kobus Serfontein, Altus Viljoen
Summary: This study found that Fusarium oxysporum f. sp cubense (Foc) spores can survive in water for more than 120 days, with reduced viability in stagnant water. It was recommended to extract and treat surface water before irrigation, as all water treatments were less effective in the presence of soil. Using peracetic acid to treat Foc-contaminated water is safe and cost-effective, while ozone and chlorine may have drawbacks. UV treatment would require high doses and is impractical for field application.
Article
Microbiology
Khonesavanh Chittarath, Chung Huy Nguyen, Wendy C. Bailey, Si-Jun Zheng, Diane Mostert, Altus Viljoen, Anthony Fredrick Tazuba, Walter Ocimati, Elizabeth Kearsley, Tran Yen Chi, Nguyen Thi Tho, Nguyen Tien Hung, Miguel Dita, Trushar Shah, Margaret Karanja, George Mahuku, Guy Blomme
Summary: Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is a significant threat to global banana production. The tropical race 4 (TR4) variant of Foc is highly virulent and mainly affects Cavendish bananas. Recent surveys in Laos and Vietnam show that Foc TR4 is mainly restricted to the northern regions of these countries and is limited to Cavendish cultivation settings. The disease may have been introduced through infected planting material brought by Chinese companies. Clear communication efforts on disease epidemiology and management with emphasis on biosecurity practices need to be improved to prevent further spread.
Article
Mycology
Huoqing Huang, Xiaoxia Zhang, Yong Zhang, Ganjun Yi, Jianghui Xie, Altus Viljoen, Wei Wang, Diane Mostert, Gang Fu, Changcao Peng, Dandan Xiang, Chunyu Li, Siwen Liu
Summary: This study identified a GPI-anchored protein FocECM33 that plays a crucial role in the growth and pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4). FocECM33 was highly upregulated during the early infection process in banana roots and its disruption led to decreased hyphal growth, increased sensitivity to cell wall stresses, and reduced virulence. Transcription analysis revealed that FocECM33 influences the production of secondary metabolites and regulates biosynthetic processes in Foc TR4.
Article
Mycology
Evans Were, Jochen Schone, Altus Viljoen, Frank Rasche
Summary: This study reveals the potential mechanism of manipulating iron bioavailability in the banana rhizosphere to suppress Fusarium wilt. The results suggest that iron starvation induces the production of iron-scavenging secondary metabolites, called siderophores, by Foc TR4 as a counteractive mechanism to evade iron starvation.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
N. Zhan, M. Y. Kuang, C. Y. Li, S. W. Liu, G. M. Deng, A. Viljoen, G. J. Yi, O. Sheng
Article
Agronomy
Evans Were, Jochen Schone, Altus Viljoen, Frank Rasche
Summary: This study found that phenolic acids excreted by the roots of Desmodium uncinatum and Mucuna pruriens can inhibit the development and toxin synthesis of the banana wilt pathogen Foc TR4, thereby suppressing the disease.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Gerhardus J. van Coller, Frederik J. Kloppers, Vicky M. Coetzee, Toinette van Rooyen, Lindy J. Rose, Sandra C. Lamprecht, Altus Viljoen
Summary: Chemical control of Fusarium head blight (FHB), a yield-limiting and quality-reducing wheat disease, is effective in managing the disease in South Africa. The study evaluated the efficacy of foliar fungicides and seed treatments in reducing FHB incidence and increasing yield. Significant interactions were found between the seed treatments and fungicides, with certain combinations leading to decreased FHB incidence and increased yield. Future research should focus on integrating chemical control with host resistance for optimal results.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF PLANT AND SOIL
(2022)
Review
Agronomy
Evans Were, Altus Viljoen, Frank Rasche
Summary: Fusarium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is a devastating disease affecting global banana production. Understanding the below-ground interactions in the banana rhizosphere is crucial for managing Fusarium wilt effectively.