Resistance to diseases caused by turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) in crop species of the family Brassicaceae has been studied extensively, especially in members of the genus Brassica. The variation in response observed on resistant and susceptible plants inoculated with different isolates of TuMV is due to a combination of the variation in the plant resistome and the variation in the virus genome. Here, we review the breadth of this variation, both at the level of variation in TuMV sequences, with one eye towards the phylogeny and evolution of the virus, and another eye towards the nature of the various responses observed in susceptible vs. different types of resistance responses. The analyses of the viral genomes allowed comparisons of pathotyped viruses on particular indicator hosts to produce clusters of host types, while the inclusion of phylogeny data and geographic location allowed the formation of the host/geographic cluster groups, the derivation of both of which are presented here. Various studies on resistance determination in particular brassica crops sometimes led to further genetic studies, in many cases to include the mapping of genes, and in some cases to the actual identification of the genes. In addition to summarizing the results from such studies done in brassica crops, as well as in radish and Arabidopsis (the latter as a potential source of candidate genes for brassica and radish), we also summarize work done using nonconventional approaches to obtaining resistance to TuMV.

Blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum is one of the most significant postharvest diseases of apples. Some microorganisms associated with the surface of ripening apples possess the ability to inhibit the growth of P. expansum. However, the existing literature about their colonization in the stages before ripening is not explored in depth. This study aims to characterize the antagonistic capacity of bacterial populations from five fruit development stages of 'Royal Gala' apples. The results have shown that the density of the bacterial populations decreases throughout the ripening stages of fruit (from 1.0 × 105 to 1.1 × 101 cfu/㎠). A total of 25 bacterial morphotypes (corresponding to five genera identified by 16S RNA) were differentiated in which Bacillus stood out as a predominant genus. In the in vitro antagonism tests, 10 Bacillus strains (40%) inhibited the mycelial growth of P. expansum from 30.1% to 60.1%, while in fruit bioassays, the same strains reduced the fruit rot ranging from 12% to 66%. Moreover, the bacterial strains with antagonistic activity increased in the ripening fruit stage. B. subtilis subsp. spiziennii M24 obtained the highest antagonistic activity (66.9% of rot reduction). The matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry analysis revealed that bacteria with antagonistic activity produce anti-fungal lipopeptides from iturin and fengycin families.

Acidovorax citrulli (Ac) is the causal agent of bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) in watermelon, a disease that poses a serious threat to watermelon production. Because of the lack of resistant cultivars against BFB, virulence factors or mechanisms need to be elucidated to control the disease. Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is the enzyme involved in glycerol production from glucose during glycolysis. In this study, we report the functions of a putative glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Ac (GlpdAc) using comparative proteomic analysis and phenotypic observation. A glpdAc knockout mutant, AcΔglpdAc(EV), lost virulence against watermelon in two pathogenicity tests. The putative 3D structure and amino acid sequence of GlpdAc showed high similarity with glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases from other bacteria. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed that many proteins related to various metabolic pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, were affected by GlpdAc. Although AcΔglpdAc(EV) could not use glucose as a sole carbon source, it showed growth in the presence of glycerol, indicating that GlpdAc is involved in glycolysis. AcΔglpdAc(EV) also displayed higher cell-to-cell aggregation than the wild-type bacteria, and tolerance to osmotic stress and ciprofloxacin was reduced and enhanced in the mutant, respectively. These results indicate that GlpdAc is involved in glycerol metabolism and other mechanisms, including virulence, demonstrating that the protein has pleiotropic effects. Our study expands the understanding of the functions of proteins associated with virulence in Ac.

Plants protect against viruses through passive and active resistance mechanisms, and in most cases characterized thus far, natural recessive resistance to potyviruses has been mapped to mutations in the eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E or eIF(iso)4E genes. Five eIF4E copies and three eIF(iso)4E copies were detected in Brassica rapa. The eIF4E and eIF(iso)4E genes could interact with turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) viral protein linked to the genome (VPg) to initiate virus translation. From the yeast two-hybrid system (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays, the TuMV-CHN2/CHN3 VPgs could not interact with BraA.eIF4E.a/c or BraA.eIF(iso)4E.c, but they could interact with BraA.eIF(iso)4E.a in B. rapa. Further analysis indicated that the amino acid substitution L186F (nt T556C) in TuMV-UK1 VPg was important for the interaction networks between the TuMV VPg and eIF(iso)4E proteins. An interaction model of the BraA. eIF(iso)4E protein with TuMV VPg was constructed to infer the effect of the significant amino acids on the interaction of TuMV VPgs-eIF(iso)4Es, particularly whether the L186F in TuMV-UK1 VPg could change the structure of the TuMV-UK1 VPg protein, which may terminate the interaction of the BraA.eIF(iso)4E and TuMV VPg protein. This study provides new insights into the interactions between plant viruses and translation initiation factors to reveal the working of key amino acids.

Rice sheath blight (ShB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG1-IA, is one of the destructive rice diseases worldwide. The aims of this study were to develop biocontrol strategies focusing on field sanitation and foliar application with a biocontrol agent for ShB management. Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 showed a great antagonistic activity against R. solani. Fungichromin produced by S. padanus PMS-702, at 3.07 mg/l inhibited 50% mycelial growth, caused leakage of cytoplasm, and inhibited the formation of infection structures of R. solani. Fungichromin could reach to 802 mg/l when S. padanus PMS-702 was cultured in MACC broth for 6 days. Addition of 0.5% S. padanus PMS-702 broth into soil decreased the survival rate of the pathogen compared to the control. Soil amended with 0.5% S. padanus broth and 0.5% tea seed pomace resulted in the death of R. solani mycelia in the infested rice straws, and the germination of sclerotia was inhibited 21 days after treatment. Greenhouse trials revealed that S. padanus cultured in soybean meal-glucose (SMGC-2) medium after mixing with different surfactants could enhance its efficacy for inhibiting the pathogen. Of six surfactants tested, the addition of 2% tea saponin was the most effective in suppressing the pathogen. S. padanus broth after being fermented in SMGC-2, mixed with 2% tea saponin, diluted 100 fold, and sprayed onto rice plants significantly reduced ShB disease severity. Thus, S. padanus PMS-702 is an effective biocontrol agent. The efficacy of S. padanus PMS-702 for disease control could be improved through formulation.

Various management systems are being broadly employed to minimize crop yield loss resulting from abiotic and biotic stresses. Here we introduce a Bacillus zanthoxyli HS1 strain as a potent candidate for managing manifold stresses on vegetable plants. Considering 16S rDNA sequence and biochemical characteristics, the strain is closely related to B. zanthoxyli. The B. zanthoxyli HS1's soil-drench confers disease resistance on tomato and paprika plants against infection with Ralstonia solanacearum and Phytophthora capsici, respectively. Root and shoot growths are also increased in B. zanthoxyli HS1-treated cabbage, cucumber, and tomato plants, compared with those in mock-treated plants, after application of high salinity solution. Moreover, the pretreatment of B. zanthoxyli HS1 on cabbage plants inhibits the degradation of chloroplast pigments caused by high salinity stresses, whereas the inhibitory effect is not observed in cucumber plants. These findings suggest that B. zanthoxyli HS1 stain inhibits disease development and confers tolerance to salinity stress on vegetable plants.

Chemical and biological agents were evaluated to inhibit Colletotrichum fructicola, Phytophthora cactorum, and Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing strawberry diseases. Mycelial growths of C. fructicola were gradually arrested by increasing concentrations of fungicides pyraclostrobin and iminoctadine tris (albesilate). P. cactorum and L. theobromae were more sensitive to pyraclostrobin compared to C. fructicola, but iminoctadine tris (albesilate) was not or less effective to limit P. cactorum or L. theobromae, respectively. Bacillus siamensis H30-3 was antagonistic against the three pathogens by diffusible as well as volatile molecules, and evidently reduced aerial mycelial formation of P. cactorum. B. siamensis H30-3 growth was declined by at least 0.025 mg/ml of pyraclostrobin. The two fungicides additively inhibited mycelial growths of C. fructicola, but not of P. cactorum and L. theobromae. B. siamensis H30-3 volatiles led to less growth of C. fructicola than one reduced by the fungicides. Taken together, in vitro antimicrobial activities of the two fungicides together with or without B. siamensis H30-3 volatiles may be cautiously incorporated into integrated management of strawberry diseases dependent on causal pathogens.