Mycoviruses are an emerging constraint in commercial oyster mushroom cultivation, causing malformation, reduced fruit body size, watery stipes, browning, and suppressed mycelial growth. A survey of ten farms cultivating Pleurotus ostreatus (blue oyster) and P. ostreatus var. florida (white oyster) revealed frequent virus-like symptoms, including elongated stipes and funnel-shaped fruit bodies. Mean disease incidence and yield loss were 25.35
Dragon fruit (Hylocereus sp.) is a tropical cactus fruit belongs to the Cactaceae family and grown worldwide, dragon fruit production remarkably impacted by soft rot disease, resulting in an annual yield loss and quality of fruits. During the field survey, symptoms of soft rot were observed on stem with smelly and yellowish to brownish softened lesion tissues. Soft rot disease causing pathogen was isolated and cultured on nutrient agar medium. Culture grown samples were morphologically analysed by light microscopy as well as scanning electron microscope. A Gram’s reaction followed by microscopic observation revealed that bacterial cells appeared dark red in colour, indicating gram negative nature with colony colour (cream to yellowish) and size (1.9–6.3 × 0.5–2.8 μm). Based on the molecular identification of 16s rRNA and whole genome sequencing (Accession number: PRJNA1147470), the associated pathogen was identified as Enterobacter cloacae. Koch’s postulates were proved confirming E. cloacae as the causal organism of soft rot disease in dragon fruit.
At present, the increasing prevalence of oxidative stress-induced ailments has intensified global interest in natural antioxidants. In this context, Pleurotus citrinopileatus Singer (yellow oyster mushroom) has emerged as a promising candidate due to its rich nutraceutical profile. The present study thus aimed to evaluate mycochemical composition and antioxidant activity of hydromethanolic and methanolic extracts of the cultivable macrofungi. Qualitative screening revealed the presence of diverse bioactive constituents, including flavonoids, phenolics, alkaloids, saponins, cardiac glycosides, polysterols, terpenoids, and tannins in both fractions. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the hydromethanolic extract possessed higher total phenolic content (16.94 µg GAE/mg of dry extract); while flavonoid, β-carotene, lycopene, ascorbic acid and carbohydrate contents remained nearly comparable between the two extracts. Consequently, the hydromethanolic extract exhibited strong radical scavenging and metal chelating activities where EC50 values ranged from 88.3 to 321 µg/ml. In addition, it demonstrated higher reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities. The findings thus reinforce the significance of P. citrinopileatus as a potent natural reservoir of antioxidants with promising nutraceutical, therapeutic, and pharmaceutical applications.
Curvularia leaf spot (CLS) of maize caused by Curvularia lunata (Wakker) Boedijn is a re-emerging disease of increasing concern in maize-growing regions and may cause substantial yield losses under conducive environmental conditions. The disease is commonly noticed in the regions with warm and humid conditions, particularly when temperatures remain between 28 and 32 °C during the flowering to grain-filling stages of the crop. The pathogen produces phytotoxic metabolites, including furanoid-type toxins, which have been implicated in the development of characteristic leaf lesions and disease symptoms. The pathogen is capable of both seed- and airborne transmission, facilitating its survival, dissemination, and establishment in maize-growing areas. This review summarizes current knowledge on the distribution, symptomatology, pathogen biology and life cycle, epidemiology, yield losses, and techniques for developing artificial epiphytotic of CLS. Available disease-management approaches, with particular emphasis on host plant resistance and integrated disease management are discussed. The review also identifies key research priorities, particularly the development and evaluation of biological control agents and environmentally sustainable management strategies. A better understanding of pathogen biology, disease epidemiology, host–pathogen interactions, and host resistance mechanisms will be essential for developing effective and sustainable approaches to minimize yield losses caused by CLS of maize.
Studies on application of plant growth hormones on lignocellulosic substrates used for cultivation of Hericium erinaceusrevealed that the hormones significantly improved growth and productivity of H. erinaceus across all the substrates. Five strains of the mushroom (He-01 to He-05) were initially screened and two high-performing strains (He-04 and He-05) were selected for detailed evaluation. Either of the Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA₃), and kinetin, was applied at 10 ppm to the sawdust, wheat straw, and paddy straw substrates at the time of inoculation and the bump initiation stage. IAA-treated substrates recorded the best performance wherein, strain He-04 recorded the shortest spawn run period of 22.67 ± 0.33 days and the earliest fruit initiation (34.33 ± 0.33 days) on paddy straw. The largest clump diameter, maximum number of fruit bodies, and the highest average fruit body weight were recorded with IAA and GA₃ treatments. Sawdust was the most productive substrate, yielding the highest total fresh weight (425.18 ± 2.07 g/kg dry substrate) and biological efficiency (BE; 42.51 ± 0.20
