• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2022

The incidence of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) and biological and molecular characterization of the Palestinian isolates of ToBRFV are described in this study. Symptomatic leaf samples obtained from Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomatoes) and Nicotiana tabacum L. (cultivated tobacco) plants were tested for tobamoviruses infection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Tomato leaf samples collected from Tulkarm and Qalqilia are infected with ToBRFV-PAL with an infection rate of 76% and 72.5%, respectively. Leaf samples collected from Jenin and Nablus were found to be mixed infected with ToBRFV-PAL and Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) (100%). Sequence analysis of the ToBRFV-PAL genome showed that the net average nucleotide divergence between ToBRFV/F48-PAL strain and the Israeli and Turkish strains was 0.0026398±0.0006638 (±standard error of mean), while it was 0.0033066±0.0007433 between ToBRFV/F42-PAL and these two isolates. In the phylogenetic tree constructed with the complete genomic sequence, all the ToBRFV isolates were clustered together and formed a sister branch with the TMV. The sequenced Palestinian isolates of ToBRFV-PAL shared the highest nucleotide identity with the Israeli ToBRFV isolate suggesting that the virus was introduced to Palestine from Israel. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the biological and molecular characteristics of ToBRFV which would help in the management of the disease.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.600-613
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• 2023

Fusarium oxysporum is the main pathogen causing Fusarium basal rot in onion (Allium cepa L.), which incurs significant yield losses before and after harvest. Among management strategies, biological control is an environmentally safe and sustainable alternative to chemical control. In this study, we isolated and screened bacteria for antifungal activity against the basal rot pathogen F. oxysporum. Isolates 23-045, 23-046, 23-052, 23-055, and 23-056 significantly inhibited F. oxysporum mycelial growth and conidial germination. Isolates 23-045, 23-046, 23-052, and 23-056 suppressed the development of Fusarium basal rot in both onion seedlings and bulbs in pot and spray inoculation assays. Isolate 23-055 was effective in onion seedlings but exhibited weak inhibitory effect on onion bulbs. Based on analyses of the 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequences together with morphological analysis, isolates 23-045, 23-046, 23-052, and 23-055 were identified as Bacillus thuringiensis, and isolate 23-056 as Bacillus toyonensis. All five bacterial isolates exhibited cellulolytic, proteolytic, and phosphate-solubilizing activity, which may contribute to their antagonistic activity against onion basal rot disease. Taken together B. thuringiensis 23-045, 23-046, 23-052, and 23-055 and B. toyonensis 23-056 have potential for the biological control of Fusarium basal rot in onion.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

In 2020 and 2021, we surveyed diseases of three-leaf ladybell (Adenophora triphylla) plants grown in fields at two locations in Korea. During the disease surveys, severe leaf rot symptoms were observed on the young plants in Hongseong, and stem rot symptoms on the adult plants in Cheolwon. The incidence of leaf rot was 5-60%, and that of stem rot 1-10%. We obtained 6 fungal isolates each from the leaf rot lesions and the stem rot lesions. All the isolates were morphologically identified as Rhizoctonia solani. Anastomosis test and investigation of cultural features of the fungal isolates revealed that the isolates from the leaf rot lesions corresponded to R. solani AG-1(IB), and those from the stem rot lesions to R. solani AG-2-2(IIIB). Two isolates each of R. solani AG-1(IB) and AG-2-2(IIIB) were used for DNA sequence analysis and pathogenicity test to three-leaf ladybell plants through artificial inoculation. The anastomosis groups and cultural types of the R. solani isolates were confirmed by the sequence analysis. The pathogenicity tests revealed that the isolates of R. solani AG-1(IB) caused only leaf rot symptoms on the inoculated plants, and those of R. solani AG-2-2(IIIB) leaf rot and stem rot symptoms. The induced symptoms were similar to those observed in the fields investigated. Leaf and stem rot of three-leaf ladybell caused by the two anastomosis groups and cultural types of R. solani is first reported in this study.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.425-437
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• 2024

A large number of species in the genus Colletotrichum have been reported as causal agents of anthracnose on crops and wild plants in Korea. Many Colletotrichum isolates from the country preserved in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (KACC) were previously identified based on host plants and morphological characteristics, and it may lead to species misidentification. Thus, accurate fungal species identification using multilocus sequence analyses is essential for understanding disease epidemiology and disease management strategies. In this study, combined DNA sequence analyses of internal transcribed spacer, gapdh, chs-1, his3, act, tub2, and gs were applied to re-identify 27 Colletotrichum isolates in KACC. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the isolates resulted in 11 known species, they belong to the C. dematium species complex (C. hemerocallidis, C. jinshuiense, and C. spinaciae), the C. magnum complex (C. kaifengense and C. cf. ovatense), the C. orchidearum complex (C. cattleyicola, C. plurivorum, C. reniforme, and C. sojae) and the C. orbiculare complex (C. malvarum and C. orbiculare). Of them, C. cattleyicola, C. hemerocallidis, C. kaifengense, and C. reniforme were unrecorded species in Korea. In the view of host-fungus combinations, 10 combinations are newly reported in the world and 12 are new reports in Korea, although their pathogenicity on the host was not confirmed.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.236-242
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• 1995

Biological control of soilborne plant pathogens by the addition of antagonistic microorganisms to the soil may offer a practical supplement or alternative to existing disease management strategies that depend heavily on chemical pesticides. Soil amendment with antagonistic microbes was non-effective because of high cost, low efficacy, and inconvenient usage on the treatment course. Therefore, seed coating formulation for the application of biological seed treatments has been being to apply successful disease suppression for many important crops. The objectives of this study were to investigate the optimal condition for the spore production of biocontrol agent Bacillus subtilis YBL-7 and the liquid coating formulation that contained a suspension of a proper aqueous binder, as well as a ground fine solid particulate material. The maximum yield has been obtained from 60 hrs-old culture at 30$\circ$C in spore forming (SF) medium containing 0.8% nutrient broth, 0.05% yeast extract, 10$^{-1}$ M MgCl$^{2}$, 10$^{-4}$ M MnCl$^{2}$, 10$^{-5}$ M dipicolinic acid, and pH 6.5. The optimal condition of dried spore preparation was achieved when cells of B. subtilis YBL-7 was heat-dried with 50$\circ$C for 2 hrs.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.407-416
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• 2008

Studies were conducted to determine the effects of temperature, solute potential and carbon source on the mycelial growth, sclerotia development, and apothecium production of an isolate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Mycelial growth rate was greatest at $25^{\circ}C$ on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium amended with up to 2% NaCl (${\psi}s{\leq}1.91\;MPa$) and thereafter, growth rate declined. The least number of sclerotia were produced at $20^{\circ}C$on both PDA and malt extract agar (MEA) amended with 8% NaCl (${\psi}s=6.62\;MPa$). With increasing temperature and decreasing solute potential the number and size of sclerotia were significantly reduced. The combined effect of temperature, solute potential and carbon source on sclerotia production were highly significant and had an impact on the development of the rind layer cells of sclerotia. These cells lacked a transparent cell wall which was surrounded by a compact melanized layer, and some of these cells appeared to be devoid of cell contents or were totally vacuolated. The survival of the sclerotia with increase in salinity and temperature appeared to affect melanization and the nature of the rind cells. The observations of this study re-enforces the need for an integrated disease management to control S. sclerotiorum.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.376-380
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• 2009

Effects of silver nanoparticles on the phytopathogenic fungal growth were investigated. Fungal phytopathogens, especially for sclerotium-forming species Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor, were selected due to their important roles in survival and disease cycle. Tests for the fungal hyphal growth revealed that silver nanoparticles remarkably inhibit the hyphal growth in a dose-dependent manner. Different antimicrobial efficiency of the silver nanoparticle was observed among the fungi on their hyphal growth in the following order, R. solani > S. sclerotiorum > S. minor. Tests for the sclerotial germination growth revealed that the nanoparticles showed significant inhibition effectiveness. In particular, the sclerotial germination growth of S. sclerotiorum was most effectively inhibited at low concentrations of silver nanoparticles. A microscopic observation revealed that hyphae exposed to silver nanoparticles were severely damaged, resulting in the separation of layers of hyphal wall and collapse of hyphae. This study suggests the possibility to use silver nanoparticles as an alternative to pesticides for scleotium-forming phytopathogenic fungal controls.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.99-106
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• 2021

The fungal isolate Isaria javanica pf185 has potential as a mycopesticide because it demonstrates insecticidal activity against the green peach aphid and antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. For commercialization of this isolate, determination of the optimal and least expensive culture conditions is required; however, these data are not currently available. This study describes the conditions for optimal development of conidia and production of metabolites for the biocontrol of the fungal pathogen. The optimal culture conditions were examined using cultures on solid agar and liquid media. High growth temperature enhanced spore formation but reduced antifungal activity in both solid and liquid media. The highest spore yield was obtained in a medium containing glucose as a carbon source and yeast extract as a nitrogen source. Soybean powder and wheat bran were effective nitrogen sources that promoted spore production and antifungal activity of the isolate. These results revealed the basic, cost-effective growth media for commercial production of a biopesticide with insecticidal and antifungal properties for use in integrated pest management.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2022

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) has been a major viral pathogen causing significant losses of cereal crops including oats worldwide. It spreads naturally through aphids, and a rapid, specific, and reliable diagnostic method is imperative for disease monitoring and management. Here, we established a rapid and reliable method for isothermal reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) combined with a lateral flow strips (LFS) assay for the detection of BYDV-infected oat samples based on the conserved sequences of the BYDV coat protein gene. Specific primers and a probe for RT-RPA reacted and optimally incubated at 42℃ for 10 min, and the end-labeled amplification products were visualized on LFS within 10 min. The RT-RPA-LFS assay showed no cross-reactivity with other major cereal viruses, including barley mild mosaic virus, barley yellow mosaic virus, and rice black streaked dwarf virus, indicating high specificity of the assay. The sensitivity of the RT-RPA-LFS assay was similar to that of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and it was successfully validated to detect BYDV in oat samples from six different regions and in individual aphids. These results confirm the outstanding potential of the RT-RPA-LFS assay for rapid detection of BYDV.

• Journal of Digestive Cancer Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2022

Ulcerative colitis (UC) exhibits chronic intestinal inflammatory conditions with cycles of relapse and remission. The incidence is rapidly growing in Asian countries including South Korea possibly due to changes in lifestyles. Although the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease is inconclusive, gut microbiota composition is considered a critical factor involved in the pathogenesis of UC. The overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria evokes hyper-immune responses in gut epithelium causing tissue inflammation and damage. Also, failure to regulate gut epithelium integrity due to chronic inflammation and mucus depletion accelerates bacterial translocation aggravating immune dysregulation. Gut microbiota composition responds to the diet in a very rapid manner. Epidemiological studies have indicated that the risk of UC is associated with low plant foods/high animal foods consumption. Several bacterial strains consistently found depleted in UC patients use plant food-originated dietary fiber producing short chain fatty acids to maintain epithelial integrity. These bacteria also use mucus layer mucin to keep gut microbiota diversity. These studies partly explain the association between dietary modification of gut microbiota in UC development. Further human intervention trials are required to allow the use of specific bacterial strains in the management of UC.