Natural Actives Molecules: A Sustainable Solution to Fight against Diseases and Pests of Vegetable and Fruit Crops Ⅱ

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Physiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2022) | Viewed by 7804
Related Special Issue: Natural Actives Molecules: A Sustainable Solution to Fight against Diseases and Pests of Vegetable and Fruit Crops

Special Issue Editor

1. Laboratoire de Chimie Agro-Industrielle (LCA), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université de Toulouse, CEDEX 4, 31030 Toulouse, France
2. Département Génie Biologique, IUT Paul Sabatier, Université Paul Sabatier, 32000 Auch, France
Interests: plant physiology; plant breeding; abiotic stress; bioactive accumulation; essential oils; biofertilizers; cereals; oilseed crop; legumes; vegetables
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The diseases and pests of vegetable and fruit crops generate a huge annual loss of production worldwide. Policy choices and the awareness of farmers and consumers in many parts of the world have led to significant changes in the use of chemicals in agricultural production. Thus, the number of pesticides used for the fight against fungal diseases and insects has been reduced considerably. It therefore appears necessary to research, test, and validate new solutions that will enable farmers to fight, regulate, and protect their crops against diseases and pests.

Plants have means of protection and/or ways to fight off microorganisms or insect attacks. Many of these means are secondary metabolites (essential oils, glucosinolates, alkaloids, etc.). In recent years, new strategies based on the use of these molecules have been proposed as natural means to protect crop production. By considering the expression “from the plant to products for the plant”, this Special Issue is open to all studies on molecules, resulting from primary and/or secondary metabolisms, to fight against diseases and pests of vegetables and fruit crops. This Issue aims to cover a wide array of research, ranging from the prospection of natural active molecules, and their actions against pests and diseases; modes of action; experiments in agricultural conditions (greenhouse, in the field, or during storage); and formulation tests and performances in agronomic situations; to the effect on the environment (life in the soil, crop auxiliaries, etc.), plants, and humans (health and residues in food).

This Special Issue is open to contributions on the following topics: 

- Active molecules (sources, compositions, productions, etc.)

- Secondary metabolites

- Lipids

- Vermicompost

- Biostimulants

- Effects on pests and crop diseases

- Effects on crops

- Contributions of adjuvants and formulations on the activity

- Economic studies of the use of these molecules

- Environmental impact (soil, plants, auxiliaries, persistence, etc.)

Prof. Dr. Othmane Merah
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1135 KiB  
Article
In Vitro and In Vivo Antifungal Activities of Nine Commercial Essential Oils against Brown Rot in Apples
by Assia El Khetabi, Said Ezrari, Lahsen El Ghadraoui, Abdessalem Tahiri, Lhoussain Ait Haddou, Zineb Belabess, Othmane Merah and Rachid Lahlali
Horticulturae 2021, 7(12), 545; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7120545 - 03 Dec 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2906
Abstract
After harvest, numerous plant pathogenic fungi can infect fresh fruits during transit and storage. Although synthetic fungicides are often used to manage postharvest fruit diseases, their application may lead to problems such as the development of fungicide resistance and residues on fruits. In [...] Read more.
After harvest, numerous plant pathogenic fungi can infect fresh fruits during transit and storage. Although synthetic fungicides are often used to manage postharvest fruit diseases, their application may lead to problems such as the development of fungicide resistance and residues on fruits. In the present study, the antifungal potential of nine commercial essential oils (EOs) extracted from Eucalyptus radiata ssp. radiata, Mentha pulegium, Rosmarinus officinalis, Origanum compactum, Lavandula angustifolia, Syzygium aromaticum, Thymus vulgaris, Citrus aurantium, and Citrus sinensis were tested against the apple brown rot fungi Monilinia laxa and Monilinia fructigena at different concentrations in vitro (against mycelial growth and spore germination) and in vivo (on detached apple fruit and in semi-commercial postharvest conditions). In addition, fruit quality parameters were evaluated and the composition of the EOs was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In vitro results showed significant antifungal activity of all tested EOs on both fungal species. EOs from S. aromaticum were the most effective, whereby inhibition percentages ranged from 64.0 to 94.7% against M. laxa and from 63.9 to 94.4% against M. fructigena for the concentrations 12.5 and 100 µL/mL, respectively, with an EC50 of 6.74 µL/mL for M. laxa and 10.1 µL/mL for M. fructigena. The higher concentrations tested of S. aromaticum, T. vulgaris, C. aurantium, and C. sinensis EOs significantly reduced spore germination, brown rot incidence, and lesion diameter. Evaluation of the treatments during storage for 20 days at 4 °C on apple fruit quality parameters demonstrated the preservation of the fruit quality characteristics studied (weight loss, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, firmness, and maturity index). FT-IR spectra obtained from all tested EO samples presented characteristic peaks and a high diversity of functional groups such as O–H groups, C–H bonds, and C–C stretching. The EOs examined here may have the potential for controlling postharvest fungal diseases of fruit such as brown rot. Full article
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11 pages, 1085 KiB  
Article
Chitosan Can Induce Rosa roxburghii Tratt. against Sphaerotheca sp. and Enhance Its Resistance, Photosynthesis, Yield, and Quality
by Jiaohong Li, Zhenxiang Guo, Yue Luo, Xiaomao Wu and Huaming An
Horticulturae 2021, 7(9), 289; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7090289 - 06 Sep 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 1877
Abstract
Powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca sp. is the most serious disease of Rosa roxburghii cultivation. In this study, the foliar application of chitosan induced Rosa roxburghii Tratt. against Sphaerotheca sp. and its effects on the disease resistance, growth, yield, and quality of R [...] Read more.
Powdery mildew caused by Sphaerotheca sp. is the most serious disease of Rosa roxburghii cultivation. In this study, the foliar application of chitosan induced Rosa roxburghii Tratt. against Sphaerotheca sp. and its effects on the disease resistance, growth, yield, and quality of R. roxburghii were investigated. The results show that the foliar application of 1.0%~1.5% chitosan could effectively control Sphaerotheca sp. of R. roxburghii with the inducing control efficacy of 69.30%~72.87%. The foliar application of 1.0%~1.5% chitosan significantly (p < 0.01) increased proline, soluble sugar, flavonoids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and polyphenoloxidase (POD) activities of the R. roxburghii leaf and decreased its malonaldehyde (MDA), as well as reliably enhanced its photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll. Moreover, the foliar application of 1.0%~1.5% chitosan notably improved single fruit weight, yield, vitamin C, soluble solid, soluble sugar, total acidity, soluble protein, flavonoids, and SOD activity of R. roxburghii fruits. This study highlights that chitosan can be used as an ideal, efficient, safe, and economical inductor for controlling powdery mildew of R. Roxburgh and enhancing its resistance, growth, yield, and quality. Full article
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14 pages, 4565 KiB  
Article
A Transcriptomic Analysis of Gene Expression in Chieh-Qua in Response to Fusaric Acid Stress
by Min Wang, Wenrui Liu, Jinqiang Yan, Piaoyun Sun, Feng Chen, Biao Jiang, Dasen Xie, Yu’e Lin, Qingwu Peng and Xiaoming He
Horticulturae 2021, 7(4), 88; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7040088 - 19 Apr 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2278
Abstract
Fusarium wilt results in undesirable effects on the quality and production of chieh-qua (Benincasa hispida Cogn. var. Chieh-qua How). Fusaric acid (FA), a secondary metabolite of biotin produced by pathogens of genus Fusarium, induced resistant responses in chieh-qua; however, the physiological and [...] Read more.
Fusarium wilt results in undesirable effects on the quality and production of chieh-qua (Benincasa hispida Cogn. var. Chieh-qua How). Fusaric acid (FA), a secondary metabolite of biotin produced by pathogens of genus Fusarium, induced resistant responses in chieh-qua; however, the physiological and molecular mechanism(s) of FA resistance remains largely unknown. In our study, ‘A39’ (FA-resistant cultivar) exhibited decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity when exposed to FA compared with ‘H5’ (FA-susceptible cultivar). More apoptosis cells existed in ‘H5’ than ‘A39’ after 2 days of FA treatment. RNA-seq results revealed that a total of 2968 and 3931 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected under normal conditions (1562 up-regulated and 1406 down-regulated) and FA treatment (2243 up-regulated and 1688 down-regulated), respectively. Interestingly, DEGs associated with pathogen-related protein and ethylene (ET) biosynthesis and signal pathways were most significantly changed during FA stress. Notably, several crucial genes encoding pathogenesis-related protein (CL4451.Contig2, CL2175.Contig4), peroxidase (Unigene49615 and CL11695.Contig2), and ET-responsive transcription factors (TFs) (CL9320.Contig1, CL9849.Contig3, CL6826.Contig2, CL919. Contig6, and CL518.Contig7) were specifically induced after FA treatment. Collectively, the study provides molecular data for isolating candidate genes involved in FA resistance, especially ET related genes in chieh-qua. Full article
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