Benaki Phytopathological Institute

Mosquito-borne diseases are an emerging public health challenge in Europe, driven by the spread of invasive mosquito species capable of sustaining outbreaks of tropical arboviral diseases. Rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, human-driven habitat changes, and prolonged transmission seasons have increased the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile virus outbreaks, among other vector-borne diseases. Effective control requires a multifaceted approach, combining traditional and novel methods with advanced surveillance technologies and community involvement. However, growing insecticide resistance and concerns about insecticide use highlight the need for more prudent management of current tools and the development of innovative alternatives. Genetic control strategies, including the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), Wolbachia-based approaches, and genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes, offer promising solutions but still face scientific, regulatory, and societal challenges. This review explores the current landscape of mosquito-borne disease control in Mediterranean Europe, emphasizing key challenges and emerging solutions. An integrated approach that strengthens surveillance, promotes sustainable control methods, and incorporates novel biotechnological tools supported by smart technologies will be essential to reduce the future burden of mosquito-borne diseases in the region.

Floods are among the most frequent and complex climate-related hazards, affecting health and health systems through infectious disease risks, water and chemical contamination, and disruption of essential services. Examining how international guidance reflects the operational realities offlood response, and how it supports countries in practice, is essential. While each event is unique, sharing experiences can strengthen preparedness and resilience.This paper draws lessons from an assessment of the response measures used during the 2023 floods in Greece.The coordination team rapidly adapted existing structuresfor infectious disease surveillance, vaccination and water quality monitoring to an emergency response of exceptional scale. To track flood-related diseases, the coordination team reconfigured syndromic surveillance tools initially designed for refugee camps, and compared proportional morbidity with baseline data to provide early warnings. The team also implemented multiplex polymerase chain reaction diagnostics and mobile vaccination campaigns targeting high-risk groups. Risk communication and community outreach combined repurposed materials with new flood-specific guidance. While there were no outbreaks of gastroenteritis, respiratory infections or mosquito-borne diseases, 45 leptospirosis cases and one fatal non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae infection highlighted the need for sustained vigilance. The lessons learnt indicate that preparedness relies on flexible adaptation of existing systems, cross-governmental coordination and active community engagement. Gaps in global and regional guidance, especially regarding laboratory diagnosis, safe water restoration and chemical safety monitoring, complicate field decision-making. Strengthening international frameworks, embedding flood preparedness within climate adaptation strategies and applying One Health approaches are therefore critical to ensure health system resilience as flood events become increasingly frequent and severe.

Viruses pose a major threat to global agriculture, leading to substantial economic losses, whereas effective control measures remain limited. Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs) are used as an environmentally friendly approach against bacterial and fungal diseases. Although accumulating evidence show their antiviral potential their use remains limited mainly due to their variable efficacy against distinct viruses. In a previous study, we reported the differential antiviral effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI600 (Serifel®, BASF) in tomato plants against tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV, Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae) and potato virus Y (PVY, Potyvirus yituberosi). In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular basis of the differential response recorded in the antiviral efficacy of MBI600 against genetically distinct virus species. To this end, the antiviral potential of MBI600 was examined against two more important viruses of tomato cultivation, tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV, Begomovirus coheni), and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV, Cucumovirus CMV). MBI600 exhibited strong antiviral activity against TYLCV but not against CMV. The transcriptomic analysis of plants treated with MBI600 in the absence and presence of TSWV, TYLCV and CMV, revealed systemic host responses associated with the effectiveness level of the PGPM’s antiviral ability. Our results provide a better understanding of the selective nature of PGPM-mediated antiviral resistance and support PGPMs usage as an effective strategy against viral diseases.

Halophytic microbiomes represent an untapped reservoir of stress-adapted microbial functions, yet whether these functions can be transferred across ecological boundaries to enhance crop immune resilience remains unknown. Here we show that Kushneria, a halophyte associated genus with broad environmental resilience, confers robust disease protection in tomato and cucumber plants against fungal and oomycete pathogens despite lacking direct antagonistic activity. Comparative genomics across 26 genomes revealed extensive biosynthetic novelty and conserved catabolic clusters associated with rhizosphere competence, providing a genomic framework for persistence of Kushneria in saline environments. Multiomics profiling associated protection with a distinct host immune regulatory response, characterized by strong induction of core NLR receptors, including a ZAR1 paralogue. This response was further linked to a previously uncharacterized long noncoding RNA, Solyc10r048010.1, connected to the induced NLR network. Our findings establish halophytic endophytes as field-validated and transferable modulators of crop immunity and identify a candidate regulatory RNA/NLR axis associated with Kushneria-induced disease resistance.

Powdery mildew (PM), predominantly caused by Podosphaera xanthii, poses a major constraint to global cucumber production. This study investigated the biocontrol potential of two endophytic Bacillus strains isolated from Calendula officinalis: Cal.l.30 (Bacillus halotolerans) and Cal.r.29 (Bacillus velezensis). Greenhouse trials involving foliar applications of Cal.l.30 and Cal.r.29 bacterial suspensions reduced PM severity by 98% and 54%, respectively, after three weekly applications, demonstrating substantial disease control potential. Microscopic observations, RT-qPCR of both host and the pathogen and molecular docking analyses were performed to study the underlying mechanisms. In vivo assays revealed a significant delay in conidial germination and hyphal growth, especially after Cal.l.30 application. The expression patterns of the cucumber defense-related genes PR1, PR4, MASS1 and WRKY51 differed highly between Cal.l.30 and Cal.r.29 treatments, indicating the association of each strain with different resistance mechanisms. Expression profiling of RPS27A, a P. xanthii gene coding for a key effector protein, showed extreme downregulation by both Bacillus strains, demonstrating the potential association of these stains with a robust regulation of pathogen virulence. Molecular docking analysis revealed strong binding affinity of two Cal.l.30 metabolites, bacillibactin and mojavensin A, with RPS27A protein corroborating the modulation of P. xanthii virulence by Cal.l.30 and supporting a dual mode of action against P. xanthii, involving both direct antifungal effect and enhancement of host defense responses. These findings suggest that B. halotolerans strain Cal.l.30 could be explored as a promising biological control agent against this obligate biotrophic pathogen in cucumber cultivation.