1,720,963 research outputs found
Il cancro del fusto minaccia il melograno italiano
No full textDiversi impianti di melograno stanno morendo a causa del fungo Coniella granati, patogeno per il quale è lecito attendersi una rapida diffusione
Two Endopolygalacturonase Genes in Trichoderma virens: In Silico Characterization and Expression during Interaction with Plants
No full textThe ability of Trichoderma spp. to antagonize most phytopathogenic fungi and to interact with plants by inducing their resistance and promoting their growth has been widely described. Endopolygalacturonases (endoPGs) produced by Trichoderma spp. can assist root penetration and play a pre-eliciting role in induced systemic resistance (ISR), a beneficial effect detected in plants colonized by Trichoderma. In this study, two endoPG genes (Tvpg1 and Tvpg2) have been identified and partially characterized in a T. virens isolate, previously investigated for its antagonistic ability in several biological systems. An extensive in silico analysis showed relatively low sequence similarities (53%) between TvPG1 and TvPG2 proteins and underscored interesting phylogenetic relationships in the comparison of endoPG genes among fungal genomes. The phylogeny of endoPGs suggests a differentiation in action mechanisms associated with biological functions as one cluster shows only genes from plant-interacting organisms. A gene expression analysis demonstrated a different regulation pattern for those genes. The Tvpg1 gene was induced both when the fungus was grown in liquid cultures supplemented with pectin or plant cell walls and when it was applied to tomato roots in a growth chamber. Expression times were comparable in both systems. On the contrary, the Tvpg2 gene displayed a constitutive expression in all conditions tested, including controls. The molecular communication between tomato roots and T. virens was investigated by checking the expression of a tomato PGIP (Lepgip1) in roots colonized by fungal mycelium. The Lepgip1 transcript was induced at times coincident with Tvpg1 expression, suggesting a correlation between the two gene products. This paper reports the results of first investigations of T. virens endoPG genes performed on a structural, phylogenetic and functional level
Sustainable Strategies to Counteract Mycotoxins Contamination and Cowpea Weevil in Chickpea Seeds during Post-Harvest
No full textMycotoxins contamination and pest infestation of foods and feeds represent a pivotal threat for food safety and security worldwide, with crucial implications for human and animal health. Controlled atmosphere could be a sustainable strategy to reduce mycotoxins content and counteract the vitality of deleterious organisms in foodstuff. Ozone treatment (O-3, 500 ppb for 30, 60 or 90 min) and high nitrogen concentration (N-2, 99% for 21 consecutive days) were tested in the post-harvest management of four batches of Cicer arietinum grains to control the presence of mycotoxigenic fungi and their secondary metabolites, as well as pest (i.e., Callosobruchus maculatus) infestation. At the end of the treatment, O-3 significantly decreased the incidence of Penicillium spp. (by an average of -50%, independently to the time of exposure) and reduced the patulin and aflatoxins content after 30 min (-85 and -100%, respectively). High N-2 concentrations remarkably reduced mycotoxins contamination (by an average of -94%) and induced pest mortality (at 100% after 5 days of exposure). These results confirm the promising potential of O-3 and N-2 in post-harvest conservation strategies, leading to further investigations to evaluate the effects on the qualitative characteristics of grains
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