Experimental infection of Fusarium proliferatum in Oryza sativa plants; fumonisin B1 production and survival rate in grains

A diverse Fusarium community is responsible for contamination of rice with a variety of Fusarium toxins

Rice plays an important role in the daily diet in China and therefore its quality and safety have been of great concern. However, few systematic studies have investigated Fusarium community and toxins in rice grains. Here, we collected 1381 rice samples from Jiangsu Province in eastern China and found a higher frequency of zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FBs), and beauvericin (BEA). The positive samples were individually contaminated with a minimum of one and a maximum of ten toxins. Fusarium was isolated and identified as the major fungus, which exhibited temporal and geographical distribution. The most prevalent species complexes within this genus were Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC), Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC), and Fusarium sambucinum species complex (FSAMSC). Nevertheless, the amplicon sequence analysis revealed a low relative abundance of Fusarium in the rice panicles, and the fungal community exhibited an irregular change along with the symptom's emergence. In vitro toxigenic profiles of Fusarium strains showed significant complexity and specificity depending on the type and content. FIESC strains were non-pathogenic to wheat heads and weakly pathogenic to maize ears, respectively, accumulating lower amounts of toxins than F. asiaticum and F. fujikuroi. There was no significant variation in the ability to cause panicle blight in rice among the various species tested. Our study provides detailed information about the contamination of Fusarium toxins and community in rice after harvest. This information is valuable for understanding the relationship between Fusarium and rice and for developing effective control strategies.

Past and Future Epidemiological Perspectives and Integrated Management of Rice Bakanae in Korea

In the past, rice bakanae was considered an endemic disease that did not cause significant losses in Korea; however, the disease has recently become a serious threat due to climate change, changes in farming practices, and the emergence of fungicide-resistant strains. Since the bakanae outbreak in 2006, its incidence has gradually decreased due to the application of effective control measures such as hot water immersion methods and seed disinfectants. However, in 2013, a marked increase in bakanae incidence was observed, causing problems for rice farmers. Therefore, in this review, we present the potential risks from climate change based on an epidemiological understanding of the pathogen, host plant, and environment, which are the key elements influencing the incidence of bakanae. In addition, disease management options to reduce the disease pressure of bakanae below the economic threshold level are investigated, with a specific focus on resistant varieties, as well as chemical, biological, cultural, and physical control methods. Lastly, as more effective countermeasures to bakanae, we propose an integrated disease management option that combines different control methods, including advanced imaging technologies such as remote sensing. In this review, we revisit and examine bakanae, a traditional seed-borne fungal disease that has not gained considerable attention in the agricultural history of Korea. Based on the understanding of the present significance and anticipated risks of the disease, the findings of this study are expected to provide useful information for the establishment of an effective response strategy to bakanae in the era of climate change.

Auxin, Abscisic Acid and Jasmonate Are the Central Players in Rice Sheath Rot Caused by Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae

Sheath rot is an emerging rice disease that causes severe yield losses worldwide. The main causal agents are the toxin producers Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae. The fungus S. oryzae produces helvolic acid and cerulenin and the bacterium P. fuscovaginae produces cyclic lipopeptides. Helvolic acid and the lipopeptide, fuscopeptin, inhibit membrane-bound H⁺-ATPase pumps in the rice plant. To manage rice sheath rot, a better understanding of the host response and virulence strategies of the pathogens is required. This study investigated the interaction of the sheath rot pathogens with their host and the role of their toxins herein. Japonica rice was inoculated with high- and low-helvolic acid-producing S. oryzae isolates or with P. fuscovaginae wild type and fuscopeptin mutant strains. During infection, cerulenin, helvolic acid and the phytohormones abscisic acid, jasmonate, auxin and salicylic acid were quantified in the sheath. In addition, disease severity and grain yield parameters were assessed. Rice plants responded to high-toxin-producing S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae strains with an increase in abscisic acid, jasmonate and auxin levels. We conclude that, for both pathogens, toxins play a core role during sheath rot infection. S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae interact with their host in a similar way. This may explain why both sheath rot pathogens cause very similar symptoms despite their different nature.

Pathobiomes Revealed that Pseudomonas fuscovaginae and Sarocladium oryzae Are Independently Associated with Rice Sheath Rot

Rice sheath rot has been mainly associated with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas fuscovaginae and in some cases to the fungal pathogen Sarocladium oryzae; it is yet unclear if they are part of a complex disease. The bacterial and fungal community associated with rice sheath rot symptomatic and asymptomatic rice plants was determined/studied with the main aim to shed light on the pathogen(s) causing rice sheath rot. Plant samples were collected from different rice varieties in two locations (highland and lowland) in two rice-growing seasons (wet and dry season) in Burundi. Our results showed that the bacterial Pseudomonas genus was prevalent in highland in both rice-growing seasons and was not affected by rice plant varieties. Pseudomonas sequence reads displayed a significant high similarity to Pseudomonas fuscovaginae indicating that it is the causal agent of rice sheath rot as previously reported. The fungal Sarocladium genus was on the other hand prevalent in lowland only in the wet season; the sequence reads were most significantly similar to Sarocladium oryzae. These studies showed that plant microbiome analysis is very useful in determining the microorganisms involved in a plant disease. P. fuscovaginae and S. oryzae were prevalent in symptomatic samples in highland and lowland respectively being present independently and hence are not part of a complex disease. The significant presence of other bacterial and fungal taxa in symptomatic samples is also discussed possibly making this disease more complex. Finally, we also report the microbial communities that are associated with the plant sheath in symptomatic and asymptomatic plants from the same rice fields.

Antifungal efficacy of plant essential oils against stored grain fungi of Fusarium spp

The control potential of seven plant essential oils was evaluated against Fusarium proliferatum (Matsushima) Nirenberg and Fusarium verticillioides Sheldon. The fungicidal activity was assessed through microtiter plate assay to determine the minimum inhibitory and fungicidal concentration of essential oils. The essential oil of Mentha arvensis was adjudged as best for inhibiting the fungal growth, while oil of Thymus vulgaris and Anethum graveolens showed high efficacy in terms of fungicidal activity. The oil of M. arvensis and T. vulgaris also showed good inhibition activity in agar disc diffusion assay. M. arvensis essential oil was analysed for its composition using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealing menthol (63.18 %), menthone (15.08 %), isomenthyl acetate (5.50 %) and limonene (4.31 %) as major components. Significant activity of M. arvensis essential oil against F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides isolates obtained, pave the way for its use as antifungal control agents.

Rice Sheath Rot: An Emerging Ubiquitous Destructive Disease Complex

Around one century ago, a rice disease characterized mainly by rotting of sheaths was reported in Taiwan. The causal agent was identified as Acrocylindrium oryzae, later known as Sarocladium oryzae. Since then it has become clear that various other organisms can cause similar disease symptoms, including Fusarium sp. and fluorescent pseudomonads. These organisms have in common that they produce a range of phytotoxins that induce necrosis in plants. The same agents also cause grain discoloration, chaffiness, and sterility and are all seed-transmitted. Rice sheath rot disease symptoms are found in all rice-growing areas of the world. The disease is now getting momentum and is considered as an important emerging rice production threat. The disease can lead to variable yield losses, which can be as high as 85%. This review aims at improving our understanding of the disease etiology of rice sheath rot and mainly deals with the three most reported rice sheath rot pathogens: S. oryzae, the Fusarium fujikuroi complex, and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae. Causal agents, pathogenicity determinants, interactions among the various pathogens, epidemiology, geographical distribution, and control options will be discussed.

Genetic relationships, carbendazim sensitivity and mycotoxin production of the Fusarium graminearum populations from maize, wheat and rice in eastern China

Members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) are important pathogens on wheat, maize, barley, and rice in China. Harvested grains are often contaminated by mycotoxins, such as the trichothecene nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON) and the estrogenic mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN), which is a big threat to humans and animals. In this study, 97 isolates were collected from maize, wheat, and rice in Jiangsu and Anhui provinces in 2013 and characterized by species- and chemotype-specific PCR. F. graminearum sensu stricto (s. str.) was predominant on maize, while most of the isolates collected from rice and wheat were identified as F. asiaticum. Fusarium isolates from three hosts varied in trichothecene chemotypes. The 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3ADON) chemotype predominated on wheat and rice population, while 15ADON was prevailing in the remaining isolates. Sequence analysis of the translation elongation factor 1α and trichodiene synthase indicated the accuracy of the above conclusion. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis suggested four groups with strong correlation with species, chemotype, and host. These isolates were also evaluated for their sensitivity to carbendazim and mycotoxins production. The maize population was less sensitive than the other two. The DON levels were similar in three populations, while those isolates on maize produced more ZEN. More DON was produced in carbendazim resistant strains than sensitive ones, but it seemed that carbendazim resistance had no effect on ZEN production in wheat culture.