Phytophthora diseases pose a devastating threat to global agricultural systems, characterized by rapid outbreaks and severe crop damage, making effective disease management extremely challenging. During host infection, Phytophthora pathogens secrete effector proteins, which act as key virulence determinants that suppress plant immunity and facilitate pathogen colonization. These effectors also serve as critical molecular probes for deciphering the intricate mechanisms of Phytophthora-host interactions. Recent advances in effector biology have significantly deepened our understanding of Phytophthora pathogenesis. This review systematically synthesizes current advances in the molecular mechanisms of Phytophthora pathogenicity, focusing on effector classification, spatiotemporal expression patterns, secretion/translocation pathways, structural characteristics, and virulence strategies. We further evaluate innovative molecular breeding strategies developed through effector-targeting approaches, including disease-resistant genome editing and engineered immune receptor design. Building upon this foundation, we outline future research directions for deeper mechanistic understanding of Phytophthora pathogenicity and the development of sustainable plant disease control strategies.
Rice viruses pose a significant threat to global rice production, and their pathogenic mechanisms involve intricate interactions between the viruses and host plants. During pathogenesis, rice viruses employ diverse strategies to manipulate host cellular processes and promote viral infection and replication. Emerging research has uncovered common mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of different rice viruses, suggesting the existence of potentially conserved targets for antiviral interference. This review summarizes recent global advances in rice virus research, systematically elucidating the distinct pathogenic mechanisms among various rice viruses while highlighting conserved molecular strategies shared by viral pathogenicity factors. The insights presented aim to facilitate the development of broad-spectrum antiviral rice breeding and effective disease management strategies. In addition, future research directions for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of rice virus pathogenesis are outlined.
Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV)-caused sugar beet rhizomania is the most important viral disease in sugar beet, severely affecting beet yield and sugar content. BNYVV is persistently transmitted by Polymyxa betae, a root-specific parasitic plasmodiophorid. The resting spores of Polymyxa betae can survive in soil for long periods of time. Thus, the viral disease is difficult to be eradicated once it occurs. Currently, plan-ting resistant varieties is the only way to reduce losses caused by the disease. In recent years, the large-scale planting of single resistant varieties leads to emergence of resistance-breaking BNYVV isolates in sugar beet producing areas worldwide, including Xinjiang and Heilongjiang in China. These virus strains have broken the antiviral activity of the resistance varieties, leading to more severe rhizomania. This paper reviews the research overview of sugar beet rhizomania, focuses on recent research progress on BNYVV-plant-vector interactions, and prospects future research directions for urgent breakthroughs.
Plants and pathogens have developed a highly complex interactive relationship through long-term co-evolution, fundamentally driven by a molecular arms race between pathogen effectors and the plant immune system. Plants activate multilayered defense responses through their innate immune system to combat pathogen infection, while pathogens in turn have evolved diverse effectors that precisely target critical immune signaling nodes. These effectors not only interfere with fundamental immune pathways including PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) but also modulate defense networks like plant hormone signaling and reactive oxygen species metabolism. More critically, pathogen effectors achieve systemic reprogramming of the host transcriptional network through strategies such as directly regulating host gene expression, targeting key transcriptional regulatory elements, manipulating epigenetic modifications, and post-transcriptional modifications, thereby facilitating immune evasion and pathogenic infection. Recently, there have been significant advances in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of pathogen-mediated manipulation of plant immune responses. This review systematically examines the molecular mechanisms by which pathogen effectors regulate host immune responses through interfering with defense signaling pathways and reprogramming the host transcriptome. We also explore the application of these findings in developing disease-resistant materials, providing a theoretical foundation for elucidating plant-pathogen interactions and advancing disease-resistant crop breeding.
The growth, development, environmental adaptation, and infection processes of plant pathogenic fungi are dynamically orchestrated through multi-layered molecular networks, with post-translational modifications (PTMs) functioning as critical "molecular hubs" coordinating these biological and pathogenic programs. This paper reviews several important types of PTMs in plant pathogenic fungi, including phosphorylation, glycosylation, ubiquitination, lipidation, novel acylation, redox modifications, and ADP-ribosylation. It explores their regulatory mechanisms in the biological and pathogenic processes of plant pathogenic fungi, summarizes the main strategies and methods for studying PTMs, analyzes the relationship between PTMs and plant disease control, and proposes future perspectives in the study of PTMs governing the pathogenesis of plant pathogenic fungi. The aim is to provide a theoretical foundation for deciphering the pathogenic mechanisms of plant pathogenic fungi and innovating sustainable disease management approaches.
Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by the Fusarium graminearum species complex, is a major crop disease that occurs annually in the main wheat-producing regions of China, severely affecting wheat productivity and yield stability. During infection, F. graminearum produces deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin that promotes the expansion of invasive hyphae within wheat spikes. The mycotoxin can persist as residues in wheat and wheat-based products, endangering the health of humans and livestock and compromising food safety. The biosynthesis of DON is mediated by the TRI gene cluster, and the coordinated expression of TRI genes, along with the efficient assembly of the toxisome, is crucial for toxin production. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the regulatory mechanisms of DON biosynthesis and toxisome formation, with a specific focus on the molecular regulation of TRI gene expression and DON production through signaling pathways, epigenetic modifications, and transcription factors. In addition, this review also discusses future research directions for elucidating DON biosynthesis mechanisms in F. graminearum and developing effective strategies to control FHB and mitigate mycotoxin contamination.
The bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas delivers type III effector proteins (T3Es) into plant cells via its type III secretion system (T3SS), subverting host immunity, metabolism, and phytohormone signaling networks, ultimately causing devastating diseases such as bacterial wilt and leaf blight. This review systematically summarizes the functional diversity of Xanthomonas T3Es and their molecular mechanisms: Transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors activate host gene expression by binding to specific promoter elements, while non-TAL effectors suppress plant immune responses via post-translational modifications (e.g., ubiquitination, phosphorylation) or protein-protein interactions. To counter pathogen infection, plants have evolved multiple defense strategies, including NLR (nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat) receptor-mediated effector-triggered immunity (ETI), "executor" genes that hijack TAL effectors via EBE (effector-binding element) traps to induce hypersensitive responses, and mutations in susceptible gene promoters conferring resistance. By deciphering these molecular interactions between Xanthomonas T3Es and host plants, this review provides critical insights and technical strategies for developing eco-friendly plant disease management strategies.
Fusarium wilt of banana,caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), is a devastating soil-borne disease threatening global banana production. The conidia and chlamydospores in the soil are the primary inoculum for this disease. The C2H2-type zinc-finger transcription factor FlbC in Aspergillus nidulans is a key regulator of conidial development. In this study, the FlbC homolog gene FocFlbC was identified in Foc TR4, and its knockout mutant (ΔFocFlbC) and complemented strain were constructed using protoplast-mediated genetic transformation technology. The subcellular localization and biological functions of this protein were analyzed. The results showed that the FocFlbC protein was localized to the nucleus in both hyphae and conidia. Compared to the wild-type (WT) strain, the ΔFocFlbC mutant exhibited significantly reduced mycelial growth rate on maltose medium, while growth on other carbon sources showed no significant difference; conidiation of the ΔFocFlbC mutant was significantly reduced on all tested carbon sources. Furthermore, the ratio of conidiation between the WT and mutant was highest on maltose medium, differing significantly from other carbon sources. Although the FocFlbC deletion mutation showed no significant effect on biomass accumulation or conidial germination, the mutant exhibited the following phenotypic defects compared to the wild-type strain: reduced tolerance to cell wall and salt stresses; decreased enzymatic activities of α-amylase, filter paper cellulase, and β-1,4-D-glucanase, accompanied by downregulated expression of corresponding hydrolase genes; significantly reduced virulence. These phenotypic defects were restored in the complemented strain. In conclusion, FocFlbC not only regulates hyphal growth on maltose and conidial development of Foc TR4, but also participates in regulating cell wall integrity, salt stress response, hydrolase synthesis, and virulence. The results provide a theoretical basis for further elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying the growth, development, and pathogenicity of Foc TR4.
PLANT IMMUNITY AND GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF CROP DISEASE RESISTANCE
Utilizing disease resistance genes, particularly those encoding NLR (Nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat receptor) proteins, offers the most cost-effective strategy for crop disease management. These genes have become a major research focus in plant pathology due to their frequent identification and broad application potential in breeding disease-resistant crops. Key advances in NLR research include: 1) the efficient cloning of NLR genes and their corresponding pathogen avirulence (Avr) genes; 2) mechanistic insights into NLR activation pathways, such as resistosome-mediated calcium signaling and TNL (TIR-NB-LRR)-dependent production of NAD+-derived signaling molecules; and 3) innovative applications in molecular engineering, including chimeric protein engineering, cross-species resistance transfer, and co-transfer of helper NLRs. This review summarizes these advances and highlights future research directions by integrating high-throughput sequencing, artificial intelligence-based structural prediction, and gene editing to decode calcium signaling mechanisms and immune homeostasis regulation in NLR networks, thereby facilitating the development of durable and broad-spectrum disease-resistant crop varieties.
In the long-term co-evolution between plants and pathogens, plants have developed a sophisticated immune system to restrict pathogen invasion and damage. Among these, plasma membrane-tethered receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) are key components of the plant innate immune system. As pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), they activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) by sensing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) or host-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Although the core signaling pathways of PTI are highly conserved in plants, genetic variation in PRRs within and across species significantly influences their ligand recognition capability, signal transduction efficiency, and immune response intensity. This review summarizes the strategies for identifying PRRs, the biological significance of genetic variation, and their application potential in disease resistance breeding. It also discusses factors affecting the disease resistance spectrum conferred by PRRs and the future directions for high-throughput identification of PRR resistance genotypes.
Heterotrimeric G proteins, conserved signaling components in eukaryotes, consist of three subunits (Gα, Gβ, and Gγ) and serve as core elements in transmembrane signal transduction. In animals, G protein signaling is mediated through a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-dependent pathway involving guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). In contrast, plants possess a significantly reduced number of heterotrimeric G protein subunits compared to animals, yet these proteins participate in a remarkably broad range of biological processes and play a central role, particularly in plant immune defense. This review systematically summarizes the molecular characteristics and structure-function relationships of plant heterotrimeric G protein subunits. It focuses on elucidating their regulatory networks and mechanistic roles in plant immune signaling and proposes future research directions for key scientific questions in this field, aiming to provide valuable references for related research.
Plant diseases, caused by diverse pathogenic agents, are key constraints limiting crop yield and quality improvement. Among these, diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are characterized by rapid spread, challenging control, and severe damage. Through sustained co-evolution with pathogens, plants have evolved multi-layered defense systems. Pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) constitutes plants′ primary defense layer, mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). This surveillance mechanism effectively restricts infection by non-adapted pathogens. However, pathogens continuously evolve evasion strategies to subvert host recognition. Consequently, the uncovering of new PAMPs is critical for countering pathogen virulence adaptation and enhancing plant immunity. This paper comprehensively reviews the typical characteristics and identification methods of PAMPs from phytopathogenic bacteria, collates the reported bacterial PAMPs along with their recognition mechanisms and research progress on downstream signaling pathways. It aims to provide theoretical frameworks for discovering and functionally characterizing new PAMPs while establishing scientific groundwork for developing sustainable crop protection strategies.
Gene editing enables precise modification of specific genomic loci and has been widely used in plant disease resistance engineering. This technology is built upon programmable nucleases that have evolved through successive generations: zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) systems. The latter now dominates as the mainstream platform owing to its high efficiency and ease of programming. In addition to conventional targeted knockout mutagenesis, precision tools such as base editing, prime editing, and targeted integration have been progressively optimized and implemented in plant systems. In plant disease research, these technologies not only facilitate functional genomics studies but also accelerate the discovery of novel disease resistance genes through high-throughput functional gene screening and saturation mutagenesis libraries construction. Furthermore, they provide multidimensional strategies for creating disease-resistant germplasms. This review synthesizes the evolution of gene editing technologies and highlights their applications in crop disease resistance research, including the development of edited materials for wheat powdery mildew resistance, rice blast and bacterial blight resistance, as well as other critical pathosystems. This establishes actionable frameworks for mechanistically dissecting plant immunity and advancing precision breeding for sustainable crop protection.
Plant secondary metabolites are a class of small-molecule compounds non-essential for fundamental plant growth and development, including phenolic, terpenoids, and nitrogen-containing compounds. As integral components of the plant defense system, these metabolites play a core regulatory role in plant-microbe interactions. Microorganisms can modulate the accumulation of plant secondary metabolites through various strategies, such as activating the plant immune system or secreting plant hormones. Meanwhile, secondary metabolites can inhibit pathogen infection through diverse mechanisms: on the one hand, they can promote the synthesis of compounds like methyl salicylate to activate systemic acquired resistance against pathogens; on the other hand, secondary metabolites act as phytoalexins to directly inhibit microbial pathogens by disrupting pathogen membrane integrity, interfering with microbial metabolism, or inducing oxidative stress. Some metabolites additionally inhibit the synthesis and secretion of pathogen virulence factors. Furthermore, developing novel green pesticides based on plant secondary metabolites has become a highly promising research direction in the field of plant protection. This review systematically summarizes the multifunctional roles of plant secondary metabolites in plant-microbe interactions, detailing their involvement in activating plant immunity and outlining the molecular regulatory networks underpinning pathogen defense.
Plants emit a large variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during infection by the pathogenic microbes. These compounds can be classified into different types based on their chemical structures and biosynthetic pathways, primarily including volatile terpenoids (VTPs), volatile fatty acid derivatives (VAAs), volatile phenylpropanoids/benzenoids (VPBs) and nitrogen-containing volatiles. Given the general antimicrobial activity of plant VOCs and the large amount of emission following infection, these compounds have often been assumed to function in defence against pathogens. This review summarizes the recent advances in the field of plant VOCs and pathogens, focusing on the main components of plant VOCs, their direct antimicrobial effects, and their regulatory roles in plant self-resistance, while also provides an outlook on further investigations of plant VOCs in botanical pathogen resistance.
Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, is one of the three major diseases of rice, posing a serious threat to rice production. Currently, the sustainable management of rice sheath blight remains constrained by both the limited availability of resistant germplasm and the incomplete understanding of molecular defense mechanisms, representing critical barriers to effective disease control. Although sugar transport proteins (STPs) have been implicated in plant immunity, their functions in rice resistance against R. solani remain unclear. This study demonstrated that R. solani inoculation significantly induced the expression of rice STP genes. Through integrated bioinformatics analysis, protein structure prediction, subcellular localization, and functional validation, we revealed that: OsSTP4 and OsSTP14, as stably expressed alkaline transmembrane proteins, exhibited broad substrate specificity for hexose transport (including glucose, fructose, and galactose), while OsSTP26 specifically transported glucose due to its structural instability; three-dimensional structure modeling identified a unique acidic amino acid cluster in the extracellular domain of STP4, suggesting its potential role in substrate recognition via electrostatic interactions; functional validation showed that OsSTP4-silenced plants exhibited enhanced susceptibility to sheath blight, while OsSTP26 knockout mutants displayed less susceptible to sheath blight compared to wild-type control. These findings unveil the functional antagonism between OsSTP4 and OsSTP26 in sheath blight resistance, elucidating their molecular basis in this regulatory process and providing theoretical insights into the functional heterogeneity of the STP family members.
Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most devastating diseases affecting global potato production. Identifying disease-resistant genes and developing resistant potato varieties are key strategies for its management. Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs), as pivotal cell wall-modifying enzymes, play crucial roles in regulating plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, the specific role of XTHs in plant defense against pathogens remains unclear. In this study, we identified a xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase, StXTH9, in potato. Transcriptome analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) validation revealed that P. infestans infection significantly upregulated StXTH9 expression. Subcellular localization showed that StXTH9 targets multiple compartments including the cell wall, plasma membrane, and nucleus. Through Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation, we successfully generated StXTH9 gene-edited mutants and overexpression lines in potato (Solanum tuberosum), as well as StXTH9-overexpressing Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Disease resistance phenotyping demonstrated that StXTH9 mutants exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to P. infestans, whereas StXTH9-overexpressing plants showed increased susceptibility. Additionally, StXTH9 negatively regulated pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) immune responses by inhibiting flg22-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and MAPK activation, as well as INF1-induced cell necrosis. In conclusion, StXTH9 functions as a negative immune regulator in potato resistance to P. infestans, providing new theoretical insights and a promising candidate gene for molecular breeding of disease-resistant potato varieties.
Rice blast, caused by Pyricularia oryzae, is a major biological constraint to rice production in China. It frequently causes outbreaks and epidemics across all rice-growing regions, posing a serious threat to high and stable yields. This study reviews the following aspects concerning rice blast: its occurrence and damage, the biology of P. oryzae and sources of infection, chemical agents for blast control, pathogenesis of P. oryzae and development of targets for green fungicides, avirulence genes of P. oryzae and major blast resistance genes in rice, mechanisms underlying rice blast resistance, and challenges in evaluating blast resistance in rice varieties. Furthermore, it outlines future research priorities for the green prevention and control of rice blast, aimed at enhancing sustainable management strategies for this disease in China.
Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating global wheat disease, severely threatens grain yield and quality while producing mycotoxins that endanger human and animal health. Currently, breeding of FHB-resistant wheat varieties is constrained by the limited resistant germplasm and deficient key resistance genes, while chemical control—as the primary management approach—faces increasing risks of fungicide resistance development and environmental pollution. Existing control strategies inadequately address critical phases in the pathogen′s life cycle that drive epidemic dynamics. This review systematically examines the impacts of climate and cropping systems on the ecological adaptation of Fusarium graminearum species complex and their mycotoxin chemotypes, and investigates the disease susceptibility window and late-season infection risks. Methodological limitations of single-strain versus mixed-strain inoculation approaches in FHB resistance screening are analyzed, along with optimization strategies. The study highlights the pivotal role of sexual spores (ascospores) in FHB epidemics, dissecting the specific contributions of crop residues, straw incorporation, and weed hosts. Furthermore, ecological adaptation mechanisms in fungal sexual reproduction are elucidated, particularly the critical function of A-to-I mRNA editing in ensuring reproductive resilience under environmental fluctuations. These findings provide a scientific basis for developing integrated FHB management systems and advancing innovative green control technologies.
Soil-borne wheat virus diseases, transmitted by the obligate parasite Polymyxa graminis, are caused by wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV) and Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV) in China. The complete genomic sequences, molecular evolution, virus characteristics, and infection mechanisms of these two viruses have been intensively characterized. This article systematically reviews the pathogen biology, epidemiological distribution, transmission mechanisms, and molecular pathogenesis mediated by viral proteins, along with host resistance mechanisms involving functionally validated quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and cloned resistance genes. Meanwhile, disease-suppressive mechanisms mediated by the rhizosphere microbiota and current eco-friendly management strategies were examined. Finally, we propose that future efforts should be focused on identifying and utilizing key resistance genes in breeding resistant varieties and developing soil microecology-based disease control technologies, thereby establishing technical support systems for sustainable management of soil-borne wheat virus disease.
Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC), is a globally significant fungal disease that poses a severe threat to wheat yield and quality. Due to the lack of resis-tant cultivars, chemical control has long been the primary strategy for managing FHB. However, with the growing demand for green and sustainable agriculture, biological control has become an increasingly important component of integrated disease management systems. In recent years, numerous biocontrol microorganisms have been identified and applied for FHB control, demonstrating considerable practical potential. This review summarizes microbial resources available for managing wheat FHB, outlines the underlying biocontrol mechanisms, evaluates the current status of biocontrol formulations development, and discusses the challenges associated with their application. Finally, we propose strategies to improve the development and utilization of biocontrol agents, aiming to provide theoretical and technological support for the sustainable management of FHB in wheat.
Wheat, as a vital staple crop in China, plays a strategic role in ensuring national food security. Cereal cyst nematode disease, caused by soil-borne pathogens such as Heterodera avenae and H. filipjevi, is a major agricultural threat pest currently reported in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. In China, H. avenae was first detected in Hubei Province in 1989 and has since spread to 16 provinces (including municipalities), affecting more than 4 million hechares of wheat fields. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in epidemiology and distribution patterns of cereal cyst nematode disease in China, biological characteristics and infection mechanisms of the two major pathogenic nematodes (H. avenae and H. filipjevi) , and integrated management strategies against this disease. The synthesis aims to provide theoretical foundations and technological support for developing green, sustainable control approaches against cereal cyst nematode disease in China.
Wheat Fusarium crown rot (FCR) is mainly caused by Fusarium pseudograminearum. Influenced by straw returning to the field and conservation tillage practices, this disease has been exacerbated annually in the Huang-Huai-Hai wheat-maize double cropping region of China. The disease causes browning and rot at the base of the stem, leading to "white heads," withered stems, and shriveled grains, which seriously affects yield. The pathogen primarily infects through subterranean stems or the crown-root junction. After wheat harvest, the pathogen continues to reproduce on wheat stubble and spreads in fields via chopped straw, accumulating throughout the year. Infected seeds or harvesters are suspected to contribute to long-distance dissemination of the pathogen. Seedling resistance identification utilizes seed soaking or grain inoculation methods, while adult plant resistance identification prioritizes rapid investigation of white head incidence, combined with precise assessment of stem base rot severity. Comprehensive disease management adopts a tiered strategy emphasizing ecological regulation, supplemented by biological and chemical controls. Selecting crown rot-resistant wheat varieties such as ‘Hengguan 35’, and implementing integrated measures in severely affected fields - including deep soil plowing, chemical seed dressing, optimized fertilizer/water management, jointing-stage prevention, and delayed sowing - can effectively curb disease occurrence and mitigate yield losses, ensuring wheat yield stability and food security.
Phenylpyrrole(PPs)fungicides have emerged as a critical class of agrochemicals for plant disease management in modern agriculture due to their unique mode of action. However, the emergence and spread of field-resistant fungal strains pose a significant threat to their long-term efficacy. This review comprehensively summarizes the development history, representative compounds, modes of action, and resistance evolution of phenylpyrrole fungicides. It elaborates on the molecular resistance mechanisms in plant pathogenic fungi, focusing on mutations in key components of the Hog1-MAPK signaling pathway, including the histidine kinase gene Os1 (HHK3) and its downstream genes OS2, OS4, and OS5, as well as mutations in the transcription factor Mrr1 that lead to overexpression of the efflux pump AtrB. The review aims to provide a scientific basis for optimizing the application strategies and resistance management of phenylpyrrole fungicides.
Purpureocillium lilacinum exhibits excellent biocontrol potential against various plant pathogenic nematodes. However, its field application is currently limited to conventional methods, such as root irrigation, broadcasting, and hole application, highlighting an urgent need to develop more efficient delivery systems. This study evaluated the compatibility of P. lilacinum strain 36-1 with 10 commercial water-soluble fertilizers (WSFs) through in vitro plate assays, pot experiments, and field trials, by examining fungal growth rate, conidiation capacity, spore viability, root colonization efficiency, and biocontrol efficacy against tomato root-knot nematode disease in an integrated water-fertilizer-biocontrol agent system. The results demonstrated that the four WSFs (Stanley, Lai Lv Shi, Alfam, and Miracle-Gro) exhibited relatively good compatibility with strain 36-1 within their commercially recommended concentration ranges. When these four WSFs were individually mixed with the fermentation filtrate of strain 36-1, they all enhanced the conidial survival rate and egg parasitism rate on Meloidogyne incognita of strain 36-1, without compromising its nematicidal activity. In tomato fields where root-knot nematode disease was severe (induced by artificial inoculation of M. incognita), the combined application of P. lilacinum strain 36-1 with Miracle-Gro (2.5 g·L-1) or Lai Lv Shi (0.5 g·L-1) under the integrated water-fertilizer-biocontrol agent system achieved control efficacies of 39.41% and 37.47% against root-knot nematodes, respectively. Although these values showed no significant difference (P<0.05) compared with the control efficacy of strain 36-1 applied alone, the tomato yield was increased by 34.64% and 28.44%, respectively. Therefore, integrating P. lilacinum into water-fertilizer systems can establish a simplified, eco-friendly water-fertilizer-biocontrol agent system to control crop nematode diseases.
As a major biological disaster threatening China′s food security, Rice viral diseases have shown an increasing prevalence in recent years. Among them the compound epidemic of Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus and rice stripe mosaic virus in South China′s Rice-growing Regions is particularly serious. Addressing issues in traditional control technologies such as delayed monitoring, excessive pesticide application, and low prevention efficiency, this study innovatively integrates a three-pronged green, simplified, and lightweight prevention and control technology system encompassing ‘monitoring and early warning-source interception-precision pesticide application’. Through systematic verification in epidemic areas of Yunfu City, Guangdong Province, the technical system comprises three core measures: 1) Establishment of an early warning system based on virus-carrying rate monitoring; 2) Seedling-stage control combining insect-proof net-covered nursery with pesticide-treated transplanting; 3) Development of precision pesticide application protocols based on pest dynamics in paddy fields. Application results demonstrate over 96.7% control efficacy against viral diseases, with 30.0% reduction in pesticide usage compared to conventional control areas, achieving dual objectives of enhanced disease control efficiency and reduced chemical input with improved efficacy. This technical system has developed into a replicable standardized operational protocol, not only providing key technical support for viral disease control in South China′s rice regions but also offering significant reference value for integrated disease management in China′s major rice-growing areas through its ‘prevention-first, green control’ philosophy.
Tobacco black shank, caused by Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae, is a devastating soil-borne disease that severely impacts tobacco production. In this study, over 16 000 microbial strains were isolated from tobacco rhizosphere soils collected across eight counties (districts) in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province using the dilution plate method. Through the plate confrontation assay, seven strains exhibiting significant antagonistic activity against P. parasitica var. nicotianae were selected. Pot experiments demonstrated that all seven antagonistic strains could effectively control tobacco black shank, with strain CJ-S-5292 showing the highest control efficacy of 75.79% and exhibiting excellent root colonization capability. Based on morphological characteristics, Physiological and biochemical properties, and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences, CJ-S-5292 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Further investigations revealed that CJ-S-5292 not only significantly inhibited mycelial growth of P. parasitica var. nicotianae but also induced morphological abnormalities including increased branching and fragmentation of hyphae. The cell-free fermentation supernatant of CJ-S-5292 also showed remarkable inhibitory effects on pathogen growth. Comparative studies of application methods indicated that root irrigation (72.22% control efficiency) and combined treatment (75.91%) were significantly more effective than foliar spraying (42.59%). Field trials further confirmed that root irrigation with CJ-S-5292 achieved 66.62% disease control efficiency, comparable to conventional chemical fungicides. This study demonstrates that B. amyloliquefaciens CJ-S-5292 possesses outstanding biocontrol potential, providing a high-quality microbial resource for the green control of tobacco black shank disease.
Wheat stripe rust, caused by Pucciniastriiformis f. sp. tritici, is a typical airborne disease that poses a serious threat to wheat production. Understanding the inoculum sources and migration pathways of stripe rust is of great significance for formulating effective disease management strategies. This review systematically summarizes the progress made over the past 70 years by 4 generations of rust researchers in identifying the sources and migration pathways through field surveys, population genetic analyses, and air trajectory simulations. An integrated research framework is proposed, emphasizing field investigation as the foundation, population genetics as the core, and air trajectory simulations as a means of validation. The review also discusses the potential to refine and adjust these routes through the integration of emerging technologies, and proposes a shift from qualitative to quantitative research, thereby contributing to the development of sustainable disease management strategies.
The development of plant diseases is not solely driven by plant-pathogen interactions but also arises from complex networks involving plants, pathogens, and microbiota, with microbe-microbe interactions playing a critical role. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing and microbe-microbe interaction studies have highlighted the capacity of pathogens to reshape plant microbiome composition, influencing microbial diversity and revealing the function of the core microbiota under diseased conditions. During disease progression, microbial interactions, such as resource competition, contact-dependent interaction, and chemical signal interference, can either facilitate or suppress pathogen colonization and virulence. This review synthesizes current knowledge on microbiome structural dynamics during plant disease, examines the competitive and cooperative interactions between microbiota members and pathogens, and outlines promising future directions such as the strategic use of biocontrol agents and the exploration of biocontrol agent-pathogen and biocontrol agent-microbiome interactions. These insights provide a conceptual framework for improving plant disease management and designing microbiomes that promote plant health.
A wide variety of microorganisms inhabit the surfaces and interiors of the plants. These microorganisms and their functional substances are collectively referred to as the plant microbiome, which has an impact on a series of basic life activities of plants, such as nutrient acquisition, immune regulation, and stress tolerance. This article focuses on the latest research progress of the plant microbiome, elaborating on the formation rules of the plant microbiota and its regulatory mechanisms on host phenotypes, and deeply exploring the applications of the plant microbiome in disease control. Moreover, in view of the controversial points regarding the role of the plant microbiota in triggering or exacerbating diseases, this article further discusses the emerging research paradigm of the pathobiome, as well as its action mechanisms and driving factors. In the future, through the cross integration of artificial intelligence, multi-omics technologies, and classical plant pathology research techniques, the formation mechanisms of the symbiotic state and pathogenic state of the plant microbiome will be deeply revealed. This will lay an important theoretical foundation for accurately exploring and utilizing the beneficial traits of the plant microbiome, establishing an efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly plant disease control system, and promoting sustainable agricultural development.
Soil-borne pathogens are responsible for a variety of crop diseases, leading to substantial economic losses and posing a significant threat to global agricultural productivity. Due to the distinct infection cycle characteristics of soil-borne diseases, accurate quantification of pathogen load in pre-sowing soil is crucial for effective disease management. This review systematically evaluates the development of quantitative detection methods for soil-borne plant pathogens, with a focus on qPCR technology, which is distinguished by its high sensitivity, specificity, and absolute quantification capabilities. We outline standardized protocols and key factors for large-volume soil processing and qPCR-based detection systems. Furthermore, we analyze the correlation between soil pathogen abundance and disease occurrence, as well as its implications in disease risk warning systems. We assess recent advancements in pathogen detection technologies both domestically and internationally, along with emerging trends. This comprehensive review aims to provide researchers, agronomic service providers, and policymakers with a scientific foundation and technical guidance for improving soil-borne disease surveillance and control strategies.
Plant diseases can cause severe damages to agricultural production. Timely and accurate identification of plant diseases is the basis and prerequisite for effective disease management. With the rapid development of information technology, the research and applications of plant disease identification by using image processing technology are increasing, which improves the levels of the monitoring and management of plant diseases and provides powerful supports for ensuring agricultural safety production. In this comprehensive review, the problems and challenges in the research and applications of plant disease image recognition were systematically discussed from the aspects of plant disease image recognition, disease image acquisition, disease image preprocessing, disease image segmentation, disease image feature extraction, disease image feature selection, disease image recognition models, and their practical applications. Simultaneously, the relevant solutions were proposed. Furthermore, the research and applications of plant disease image recognition in the future were prospected from the aspects including acquisition and management of plant disease images, key techniques for plant disease image recognition, and multi-platform plant disease image recognition. The aim of this review is to provide references for the research and applications of plant disease image recognition and to promote the development of plant protection informatization and smart phytoprotection.
Banana Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is a devastating soil-borne disease that poses a severe threat to global banana production. Biological control constitutes an essential component in the integrated management system of the disease. This study characterized the diversity of root endophytic bacterial communities in two diploid (Musa acuminata ‘Siam Ruby’, Musa balbisiana) and two triploid (Musa acuminata ‘Tianbao’, Musa × paradisiaca ‘Dwarf Plantain’) banana cultivars cultivated under the same ecological conditions through 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing (V5-V7 regions). The results demonstrated higher diversity in diploid root bacterial endophytes compared to triploid plants; distinct differences in bacterial community structure were observed between ploidy types, with diploid roots showing notably greater relative abundance of biocontrol-associated genera, such as Bacillus and Bradyrhizobium. Fourteen endophytic bacterial strains with antagonistic activity against Foc were isolated from diploid cultivars Musa ornata and Musa acuminata ‘Siam Ruby’. Among these, two Bacillus velezensis strains (ZB-1 and Z-7) significantly reduced the severity of banana Fusarium wilt caused by Foc in pot experiments. The lipopeptide extracts from both strains disrupted the morphology of Foc conidia and hyphae, resulting in a 99.02% and 98.67% reduction in sporulation capacity, respectively. Meanwhile, the lipopeptide extracts caused damage to the hyphal biomembrane system and inhibited lipid metabolism. This study demonstrates that diploid banana plants harbor abundant beneficial and antagonistic bacterial communities, providing both a crucial theoretical foundation and a microbial repository for developing microbiota-driven sustainable biocontrol strategies against Fusarium wilt.
Rice dwarf disease, caused by rice dwarf virus (RDV), poses a significant threat to rice production. Establishing a RDV monitoring system is critical for early field surveillance and disease control. In this study, a 1 056 bp fragment of the P9 gene of RDV was amplified via reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) from RDV-infected rice plant and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Purified P9 protein was used to immunize New Zealand white rabbits, generating P9 polyclonal antiserum. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed an antiserum titer of 1∶32 000. Western blot analysis confirmed that the antigen-affinity-purified polyclonal antibody specifically recognized RDV P9 protein in both infected rice plants and viruliferous insect vectors. The antibody was further applied in indirect ELISA and dot-ELISA assays, combined with RT-PCR, to analyze 223 field samples (rice, barnyard grass, and three insect vectors: Nephotettix cincticeps, Recilia dorsalis, and Nilaparvata lugens) collected from Xianyou County, Putian City, Fujian Province. The results showed RDV infection rates of 29.03% in rice and 19.05% in barnyard grass, with viral carrier rates of 12.28% in N. cincticeps, 2.56% in R. dorsalis, and 0 in N. lugens. The RDV P9 polyclonal antibody exhibited high titer and specificity. This study successfully developed high-titer, high-specificity polyclonal antibodies against RDV P9. The established serological methods not only enhance diagnostic reliability for rice dwarf disease but also provide critical technical support for future investigations into P9 protein function and field-based RDV detection.
Journal Information
Superintendent： China Association for Science and Technology
Sponsored by： Chinese Society for Plant Pathology
China Agricultural University
Editor in Chief: FAN Jun
Started in 1955
ISSN 0412-0914
CN 11-2184/Q
