Stimulatory Effects of Sublethal Doses of Carbendazim on the Virulence and Sclerotial Production of Botrytis cinerea

Identification, Characterization, and Control of Black Spot on Chinese Kale Caused by Sphaerobolus cuprophilus sp. nov

Chinese kale (Brassica alboglabra) is commonly grown and consumed throughout Asia and is often treated with chemicals to control pests and diseases. In Thailand, public standards, Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) programs were introduced for the cultivation of Chinese kale with minimum input of chemical treatments. Black spot caused by the fungus Sphaerobolus has been affecting the plants grown under IFOAM standards in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for several years. Strongly adhering glebal spore masses of the fungus on leaf and stem surfaces have adversely affected postharvest management, especially in the quality classification of the product. Both morphological and phylogenetic (combined ITS, mtSSU, and EF 1-α dataset) studies confirmed a novel species, S. cuprophilus. Pathogenicity tests involving inoculation of Chinese kale by non-wound and mulch inoculation bioassays resulted in the production of symptoms of black spot and the re-isolation of S. cuprophilus, indicating that the new fungal species is the causal agent of black spots. Inhibitory effects of antagonistic bacteria and chemical fungicides, both allowed for use in plant cultivation under either IFOAM or GAP standards, indicated that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strains (PBT2 and YMB7), chlorothalonil (20 and 500 ppm) and thiophanate-methyl (500 and 1500 ppm) were the most effective in controlling the growth of the causal fungus by 83 to 93%. However, copper oxychloride (5 to 20 ppm), a recommended chemical in control of downy mildew of Chinese kale, showed hormetic effects on S. cuprophilus by promoting the growth and sporulation of the fungus. The findings of this study provide vital information regarding the association of S. cuprophilus and Chinese kale and will support decisions to manage fungal diseases of this vegetable.

Plant-pest interactions under the microscope of chemical hormesis

Low doses of contaminants and toxins can stimulate pests feeding on contaminated tissues of host plants and enhance herbivore activity and plant damage. These effects are opposite to those of high toxic doses, have largely been missed so far, and could compromise crop production. Thus, they deserve further consideration and study.

Hormetic Effects of Carbendazim on Mycelial Growth and Aggressiveness of Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of rice worldwide. Stimulatory effects of low doses of fungicides on pathogens are closely relevant to disease management. In the present study, in potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with carbendazim at a dose range from 0.003 to 0.3 μg/mL, stimulatory effects on the mycelial growth of three isolates sensitive to carbendazim were tested. Carbendazim at concentrations from 0.003 to 0.1 µg/mL showed stimulatory effects on mycelial growth of isolates Guy11 and H08-1a, while carbendazim at concentrations from 0.003 to 0.03 µg/mL stimulated the growth of isolate P131. The maximum stimulation magnitudes were 11.84% for the three isolates tested. Mycelial colonies grown on PDA amended with different concentrations of carbendazim were incubated at 28 °C in darkness for 7 days as the pretreatment. Pretreatment mycelia were inoculated on fresh fungicide-free PDA and subsequent mycelia growth stimulations were still observed, and the maximum stimulation magnitudes were 9.15% for the three isolates tested. Pretreatment mycelia did not significantly change the tolerance to H2O2 and NaCl, except that the tolerance to H2O2 was increased significantly (p < 0.05) when the carbendazim was at 0.3 µg/mL. After five generations of mycelial transference on fungicide-free PDA, the transgenerational hormesis of mycelial were exhibited when transferred onto PDA supplemented with carbendazim at 0.3 µg/mL, and the maximum percent stimulation was 51.28%. The time course of infection indicated that the visible initial necrotic symptoms could be detected at 2 DPI on leaves treated with carbendazim at 0.03 µg/mL, whereas no necrotic symptom could be discerned for the control. Statistical results of lesion area and lesion type at 7 DPI showed that there was a significant stimulation (p < 0.05) on aggressiveness of M. oryzae isolate Guy11 on detached rice leaves at 0.03 µg/mL carbendazim. These results will advance our understanding of hormetic effects of fungicides and provide valuable information for judicious application of fungicides.

Hormesis induced by silver iodide, hydrocarbons, microplastics, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals: Implications for agroforestry ecosystems health

Increasing amounts of silver iodide (AgI) in the environment are expected because of the recent massive expansion of weather modification programs. Concurrently, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, hydrocarbons, and pesticides in terrestrial ecosystems continue contaminating forests and agroforests. Our review supports that AgI induces hormesis, a biphasic dose response characterized by often beneficial low-dose responses and toxic high-dose effects, which adds to the evidence for pharmaceuticals, microplastics, hydrocarbons, and pesticides induced hormesis in numerous species. Doses smaller than the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) positively affect defense physiology, growth, biomass, yields, survival, lifespan, and reproduction. They also lead to negative or undesirable outcomes, including stimulation of pathogenic microbes, pest insects, and weeds with enhanced resistance to drugs and potential negative multi- or trans-generational effects. Such sub-NOAEL effects perplex terrestrial ecosystems managements and may compromise combating outbreaks of disease vectors that can threaten not only forest and agroforestry health but also sensitive human subpopulations living in remote forested areas.

Biocontrol Effect and Possible Mechanism of Food-Borne Sulfide 3-Methylthio-1-Propanol Against Botrytis cinerea in Postharvest Tomato

Botrytis cinerea is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens causing tremendous losses in fresh fruit or vegetables. 3-Methylthio-1-propanol (3-MP) is a naturally occurring food-borne sulfide, which is mainly used to increase the flavor in food. However, the potential application of 3-MP in the postharvest phase to manage fruit fungal diseases has not been explored. In this study, the antifungal activity of 3-MP against B. cinerea was evaluated, and the possible mechanism involved was explored. In vitro 3-MP treatment could effectively inhibit the mycelial growth, spore germination, and germ tube elongation of B. cinerea. 3-MP also impaired the spore viability and membrane integrity of B. cinerea as well as increased the leakage of nucleic acids, proteins, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in B. cinerea. In vivo 3-MP fumigation treatment inhibited the infection of B. cinerea on tomato fruits. Also, the fruits with 3-MP fumigation treatment exhibited higher antioxidant enzyme activity, lower MDA content, and a significant delay of induction of the expression of most of the stress-related genes when compared to the control group. Moreover, a cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that 3-MP had no toxicity to normal cells in a certain concentration range. Collectively, our research results will provide evidence for the development of food-borne sulfide 3-MP as a fungicide in food and agriculture and will provide an important reference for the formulation of B. cinerea biocontrol strategies.

Hormetic Effects of Dimethachlone on Mycelial Growth and Virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Fungicide hormesis has implications for the application of fungicides to control plant diseases. We investigated the hormetic effects of the dicarboximide fungicide dimethachlone on mycelial growth and virulence of the necrotrophic plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Dimethachlone at sublethal doses in potato dextrose agar (PDA) increased the mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum. After the growth-stimulated mycelia were subcultured on fresh PDA and inoculated on rapeseed leaves, increased mycelial growth and virulence were observed, indicating that hormetic traits were passed down to the next generation. Dimethachlone applied to leaves at 0.002 to 500 μg/ml stimulated virulence, with a maximum stimulation amplitude (MSA) of 31.4% for the isolate HLJ4, which occurred at 2 μg/ml. Dimethachlone-resistant isolates and transformants had a mean virulence MSA of 30.4%, which was significantly higher (P = 0.008) than the MSA for sensitive isolates (16.2%). Negative correlations were detected between MSA and virulence in the absence of any fungicide (r = -0.872, P < 0.001) and between MSA and mycelial growth on PDA (r = -0.794, P = 0.002). Studies on hormetic mechanisms indicated that dimethachlone had no significant effects on expression levels of three virulence-associated genes, that is, a cutinase-encoding gene SsCut, a polygalacturonase gene SsPG1, or an oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase gene SsOah1. The results will contribute to understanding hormesis and have implications for the judicious application of fungicides to control plant diseases.

Stimulatory Effects of Boscalid on Virulence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Indicate Hormesis May Be Masked by Inhibitions

Hormetic effects of fungicides on phytopathogens are of great importance for proper application of fungicides. The aim of the present study was to investigate the stimulatory effects of the fungicide boscalid on mycelial growth and virulence of the devastating plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Boscalid in potato dextrose agar (PDA) at a dosage range from 0.0005 to 0.002 μg/ml exerted statistically significant (P ≤ 0.015) stimulations on mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum, and the maximum stimulation magnitudes were 5.55 ± 0.73% (mean ± SD) for the four isolates tested. Boscalid in PDA at 0.02 μg/ml inhibited mycelial growth of isolates HLJ3H and HLJ4H by 15.0 and 8.9%, respectively. However, after the growth-inhibited mycelia were inoculated on rapeseed leaves, isolates HLJ3H and HLJ4H exhibited virulence stimulations of 8.7 and 17.8%, respectively, indicating that hormesis may be masked by inhibitions. Boscalid sprayed at 0.0001 to 0.1 μg/ml on detached rapeseed leaves had significant (P ≤ 0.041) stimulations on virulence of S. sclerotiorum, and the maximum stimulation magnitudes were 17.90 ± 5.94% (mean ± SD) for the four isolates tested. Experiments on 12 isolates with different levels of virulence showed there was a negative correlation (R = -0.663, P = 0.019) between the maximum virulence stimulation magnitude and virulence of S. sclerotiorum in the absence of fungicide. Boscalid at stimulatory concentrations had no significant effect on the expression levels of three virulence-associated genes that encode cutinase (SsCut), polygalacturonase (SsPG1), and oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase (SsOah1). The molecular mechanisms for hormetic effects of boscalid on S. sclerotiorum remain to be studied in the future.