Biological Control最新文献

{"title":"Control effect of Phlebia acerina MY51 on blueberry gray mold and its impact on interfoliar microorganisms","authors":"Qian Yan,&nbsp;Rui Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blueberry gray mold is caused mainly by <em>Botrytis cinerea.</em> We isolated a strain of <em>Phlebia acerina</em> MY51 from blueberry fungi, which showed a potent inhibitory effect on <em>B. cinerea</em>. Our study revealed that MY51 wrapped <em>B. cinerea</em> hyphae, causing deformation and exhibiting strong broad-spectrum antifungal effects. The mycelium of <em>B. cinerea</em> was significantly inhibited by volatiles, broth metabolites and the dual culture combined with the MY51 strain, with inhibitory rates of 47.67%, 39.33% and 46.10%, respectively. Twelve known antibacterial metabolites were detected in the methanol extract of its fermentation broth. In the pot experiment, MY51 significantly enhanced disease resistance, achieving an efficacy of 73.42%, against blueberry gray mold in addition to its capacity to stimulate growth. In the control experiment, different inoculation sequence treatments resulted in remarkable control effects of 76.96% and 70.89%, respectively. Upon MY51 inoculation, the activities of CAT, SOD, POD, PPO, and PAL significantly decreased in comparison with those in the CK. With the first and subsequent MY51 injection, the enzyme activity increased by 1.66%, 136.90%, 23.87%, 38.95%, and 96.61% and 15.69%, 32.50%, 20.00%, 196.25%, and 84.29%, respectively. Significant alterations in the blueberry interfoliar microbial community were caused by MY51 inoculation. Reference databases were used, and taxonomy annotation was conducted. The main microbial phyla identified were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Most of the bacteria and fungi present are considered beneficial, such as <em>Trichoderma</em>, <em>Aureobasidium</em>, <em>Vishniacozyma</em>, <em>Alcaligenaceae</em>, <em>Bacillu</em>s, and <em>Pseudomonas</em>. In conclusion, MY51 can considerably reduce blueberry gray mold outbreaks and offers fresh approaches for field management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105742"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143621335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selection, application, and pathogenicity of naturally occurring Beauveria bassiana strains against Ips duplicatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae)","authors":"Jozef Vakula ,&nbsp;Christo Nikolov ,&nbsp;Michal Lalík ,&nbsp;Miriam Kádasi Horáková ,&nbsp;Slavomír Rell ,&nbsp;Juraj Galko ,&nbsp;Andrej Gubka ,&nbsp;Milan Zúbrik ,&nbsp;Andrej Kunca ,&nbsp;Marek Barta","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105740","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105740","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Norway spruce (<em>Picea abies</em>) stands in Central Europe are increasingly threatened by the northern bark beetle, <em>Ips duplicatus</em>, which is a pest whose distribution and impact have expanded significantly in recent decades. The reduced efficacy of traditional pest control methods against this species underscores the need for innovation management strategies. This study investigates a novel approach that combines modified pheromone traps with the biological control agent <em>Beauveria bassiana</em>, an entomopathogenic fungus. A total of 48 <em>B. bassiana</em> strains were obtained from natural populations of <em>I. duplicatus</em>. Following laboratory testing, two strains (NRID11 and NRID43) were selected for field trials. Carriers of the living organism were inoculated with these strains and then placed in applicators as part of the pheromone traps. The study evaluated the effects of selected strains and different carrier exposure periods on beetle mortality rates. The NRID11 strain showed some percentages exceeding 90 % after 21 days of exposure. However, efficacy decreased to less than 60 % when the carriers remained in the traps for more than 30 days. These findings emphasize the importance of optimizing exposure duration and confirm the potential of carriers inoculated with <em>B. bassiana</em> in modified pheromone traps as a promising biological control strategy against <em>I. duplicatus</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105740"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host range, biology, and thermal tolerance of Lygomusotima stria, a potential biological control agent of Old World climbing fern (Lygodium microphyllum) in the USA","authors":"G.S. Wheeler ,&nbsp;E.C. Lake ,&nbsp;E.Mattison Frank ,&nbsp;P.D. Pratt ,&nbsp;G.F. Sutton","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Old World climbing fern, <em>Lygodium microphyllum</em> (Cav.) R. Br., is one of the worst environmental weeds of southern and central Florida. The weed climbs over other plants, forming thick mats that block sunlight to native shrubs and trees. In the introduced range, Old World climbing fern invades much of the southern peninsula of Florida where cost-effective, sustainable control methods are needed. A potential biological control agent, the defoliating moth <em>Lygomusotima stria</em> Solis &amp; Yen, was collected in Thailand and Singapore and examined to determine if it was safe for release. A series of no-choice tests was conducted on neonate and third instars. The results indicated that <em>L. stria</em> could only feed and complete development on three congeners: the target weed; <em>L. microphyllum</em>; another invasive exotic; <em>L. japonicum</em>; and the native <em>L. palmatum</em>. Oviposition tests indicated that adults laid eggs broadly across many taxa but primarily on members of the <em>Lygodium</em> genus. Multigeneration studies indicated that <em>L. stria</em> could sustain a population on <em>L. microphyllum, L. japonicum</em>, and <em>L. palmatum</em> for at least four generations. However, the results of lower lethal temperature studies indicated that the LLT50 for <em>L. stria</em> immatures ranged from −2.8 to 1.6 °C, indicating <em>L. stria</em> will not persist in areas where the more temperate <em>L. palmatum</em> grows. Thus, <em>L. stria</em> has a very narrow host range and we predict it will not pose a threat to <em>L. palmatum</em> as it has a low tolerance for the colder temperatures where this plant grows naturally. The release of <em>L. stria</em> is expected to safely assist in the effort to manage the invasive weed Old World climbing fern.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105741"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Larvicidal activity against Phenolia (Lasiodites) picta (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) on jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Miller var. inermis Rehder) and the improvement of high-quality fruit production using Bacillus licheniformis PR2","authors":"Jae-Hyun Moon ,&nbsp;Sang-Jae Won ,&nbsp;Vantha Choub ,&nbsp;Su-In Choi ,&nbsp;Ju-Yeol Yun ,&nbsp;Henry B. Ajuna ,&nbsp;Iksoo Kim ,&nbsp;Chul-Woo Kim ,&nbsp;Young Sang Ahn","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing consumption and demand of jujube fruits has accelerated production over the recent past. However, the aspects of eco-friendly strategies for pest control and high-quality fruit production are becoming more important to combat the impending dangers of repeated chemicals use in orchard management. This study identified for the first time, the sap beetle (<em>Phenolia</em> (<em>Lasiodites</em>) <em>picta</em>) larvae (based on mitochondrial DNA barcode sequencing), as the major insect pest causing damage in jujube fruits in Korea. The study investigated the insecticidal potential of cuticle-degrading enzymes from <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em> PR2 against <em>P. picta</em> larvae, and the enhancement of fruit quality and yield, through phytohormone production, ammonia production and phosphate solubilizing properties of the bacterium. <em>Bacillus licheniformis</em> PR2 produced chitinase and protease and caused larval mortalities of 55.56 % and 68.89 % when treated with the bacterial broth culture and crude enzyme fraction, respectively. The insecticidal activity in both treatments were characterized by deep cuticle fissures with swollen/depressed surfaces and loss of sensilla. Field application of <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 effectively controlled <em>P. picta</em> larvae in jujube orchard during active feeding period as they moved from fruit-to-fruit which reduced the damage and premature fruit-drop. Moreover, <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 produced indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) phytohormones, and increased the soil concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in the soil. The application of <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 in jujube orchard increased the chlorophyll content/photosynthetic activity, fruit yield, fruit characteristics (such as length, diameter and fruit weight) and the organoleptic properties (such as the Ca content, firmness and sugar concentration) of jujube fruits, compared to the control and conventional treatment. Thus, we demonstrate that <em>B. licheniformis</em> PR2 can be a viable alternative to chemical pesticides and fertilizers and could enhance the eco-friendly and sustainable production of high-quality jujube fruits to meet the increasing demands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 105739"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578221","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wolbachia-induced effects on the life history traits vary across generations of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor: Insights for mass rearing","authors":"Seyede Fatemeh Nasehi,&nbsp;Yaghoub Fathipour,&nbsp;Mohammad Mehrabadi","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Wolbachia</em> are the most widespread endosymbionts in Animalia, maternally inherited and capable of manipulating the reproductive system of their hosts. The <em>Wolbachia</em>-host interactions are often described as parasitic relationships, thought, <em>Wolbachia</em> are able to improve the fitness of some infected hosts. <em>Habrobracon hebetor</em> is an ectoparasitoid of lepidopteran larvae that are naturally infected with <em>Wolbachia</em>, which induces cytoplasmic incompatibility and enhances some fitness parameters after 8 generation as a short-term rearing. In this study, we evaluated the impact of <em>Wolbachia</em> on the life history traits of <em>H. hebetor</em> over successive generations using an age-stage, two-sex life table analysis. The results showed that generation had fitness costs on <em>H. hebetor</em>. <em>Wolbachia</em> infection affected developmental time and lifespan of <em>H. hebetor,</em> but showed no effect on the other life history traits. The developmental time was also affected by the interaction between <em>Wolbachia</em> infection and generation. Our results did not indicate a clear fitness cost or benefit of harboring <em>Wolbachia</em> in the host, however, generation considered as a negative factor on the productivity of insects under mass rearing conditions. This underscores the importance of considering the complex interactions between symbionts and their hosts when studying the ecological and evolutionary implications of these relationships.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"203 ","pages":"Article 105731"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143576833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combating aflatoxin contamination by combining biocontrol application and adapted maize germplasm in northeastern and southeastern Mexico","authors":"Carlos Muñoz-Zavala,&nbsp;Aide Molina-Macedo,&nbsp;Fernando H. Toledo,&nbsp;Eugenio Telles-Mejía,&nbsp;Luisa Cabrera-Soto,&nbsp;Natalia Palacios-Rojas","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maize is highly vulnerable to aflatoxin (AF) contamination caused by fungi from the <em>Aspergillus</em> section <em>Flavi</em>, with deficiencies in post-harvest management practices further exacerbating AF levels. Due to their carcinogenic properties, AFs pose significant health risks. Biological control using non-aflatoxigenic <em>A. flavus</em> isolates has been effective for over 25 years in the USA, with two formulations being commercially available. However, no such products have been developed yet for use in Mexico. This study evaluated the effectiveness of AF36-Prevail®, a non-aflatoxigenic strain from Arizona, for reducing aflatoxin contamination in Mexico. Over four years (2019–2022), we assessed its impact alongside regionally adapted maize germplasm in northeastern and southeastern Mexico. We analyzed a total of 1,479 grain samples, with 887 from biocontrol-treated fields, and 592 from untreated fields across 69 sites in Tamaulipas and Campeche. Treated fields showed 59.0 % to 89.9 % reductions in AF content compared to untreated fields, and higher ear rot was observed in untreated fields. Correlation coefficients between ear rot and AF content were <em>r</em> = 0.08 for Campeche and <em>r</em> = 0.36 for Tamaulipas. Significant differences (<em>p</em> ≤ 0.001) were noted between years and hybrids for both yields and AF levels. Three hybrids in Tamaulipas and four in Campeche demonstrated better adaptation, higher yields, and lower AF levels (&lt; 20 ppb). This research underscores the potential for safer maize production in Mexico, particularly when combining biocontrol strain application with adapted germplasm.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"204 ","pages":"Article 105727"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preemptive and proactive application of biological control for weeds: An argument for swifter action to aid conservation efforts","authors":"Melissa C. Smith ,&nbsp;Kim Canavan ,&nbsp;Carey R. Minteer ,&nbsp;Deah Lieurance","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are a frequent consequence of global connectivity and present significant threats to biodiversity, amplifying impacts from global climate change and habitat loss. Integrated management efforts for landscape-level plant invasions often include some combination of mechanical, cultural, chemical, and biological control. The former three have well established protocols and development pipelines for rapid responses to new invasions. Biological control of IAPs, however, is often employed only after the invaded region has reached some arbitrary but intolerable level of negative impact that triggers efforts to develop agents to provide control. Despite mounting evidence that investments in prevention and proactive approaches to IAPs are the most cost effective, most expenditures, including those for biological control development, continue to be in the post-invasion reactive phase. We build a rationale for earlier investigation and implementation of biological control for IAPs. A potential framework for this approach would pair prioritization methods (e.g., risk assessments and horizon scanning) to identify targets with extensive literature searches for known herbivores or foreign range surveys and early host range tests. In addition, resource sharing among regions and nations with similar climates and risks would alleviate the onus of investment from any one party. Finally, investments into conservation and training opportunities between nations further incentivizes maintaining natural resources for potential biological control. By developing and implementing biological control earlier in or before the invasion process, countless impacts and costs are lessened.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143474088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Volatiles produced by bacteria in the honeydew of cotton aphids mediate prey location by Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)","authors":"Panjing Liu ,&nbsp;Tao Zhang ,&nbsp;Yu Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaofang Zhang ,&nbsp;Hongyi Wei ,&nbsp;Yanhui Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Honeydew produced by insects is not only recognized as a nutrient-rich substance for natural enemies, influencing their survival, development, and reproduction but also a source of volatiles that regulate the foraging behavior of natural enemies. <em>Hippodamia variegata</em> (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an effective predatory natural enemy of <em>Aphis gossypii</em> (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Xinjiang, China. However, the functional significance of honeydew volatiles from <em>A. gossypii</em> for <em>H. variegata</em> remains largely unclear. Here we reported that <em>H. variegata</em> adults were attracted by the crude honeydew of <em>A. gossypii</em>, and we identified fifteen volatiles using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). Electroantennogram (EAG) results showed that <em>H. variegata</em> exhibits a significant dose-dependent response to nine volatiles from honeydew. Y-tube olfactometer and cage predation tests showed that 1-heptanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 2-phenylethanol, and 2-methyl-1-propanol attracted <em>H. variegata</em> adults. Furthermore, our study also elucidated the relationship between honeydew compounds and microorganisms. The findings demonstrated that the compounds 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, 2-phenylethanol, and 2-methyl-1-propanol originate from five distinct cultivable bacteria identified using the 16S rRNA markers. Our results provide potential eco-friendly strategies for enhancing biological control of aphids.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105728"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143455091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effector Cpe1 secreted by Trichoderma longibrachiatum induces plant disease resistance","authors":"Wang Xiaoting ,&nbsp;Wenya Chen ,&nbsp;Zhang Jialin,&nbsp;Hu Weishe,&nbsp;Li Ming,&nbsp;Zhao Peibao,&nbsp;Aizhi Ren","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Trichoderma longibrachiatum</em> SMF2 is an important biocontrol fungus that can control pathogen through a variety of mechanisms, such as competition, antibiosis, and induction of plant disease resistance. However, the effect of proteins secreted by this microorganism on plants is not well understood. Therefore, we investigated the function of the secreted protein TLCpe1(Cpe1), which is homologous to cerato-platanin-like effector, by constructing gene knockout mutants and analyzing their phenotypes. After transforming the knockout vector of gene <em>TLCPE1</em> (<em>CPE1</em>) into the protoplast of <em>T. longibrachiatum</em> SMF2, a mutant Δ<em>CPE1</em> was identified. The results of PCR and southern blotting confirmed that the vector was inserted into the genome by single exchange of the upstream recombination arm, resulting in the disruption of integrity gene. RT-PCR demonstrated that <em>CPE1</em> gene was not normally transcribed in the Δ<em>CPE1</em> mutant. Phenotypic analysis revealed that the growth rate and spore yield were reduced in Δ<em>CPE1</em>. However, Δ<em>CPE1</em> showed no significant difference in inhibitory activity against <em>B. cinerea</em> compared to the wild type of <em>T. longibrachiatum</em> SMF2 (WT). Root inoculation assays showed that when <em>T. repens</em> were treated with a spore suspension of the mutant Δ<em>CPE1</em>, the induced resistance of plant to <em>B. cinerea</em> was reduced compared to that treated with the WT. Further analysis indicated that <em>T</em>. <em>repens</em> treated with a WT spore suspension exhibited significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity than plants treated with Δ<em>CPE1</em>, while the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in <em>T. repens</em> treated with the WT was relatively low. These findings indicate that the secreted protein Cpe1 functions as an effector that enhances host resistance during the biocontrol process of <em>T. longibrachiatum</em> SMF2.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105726"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143455093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing strain-specific TaqMan assays for Trichoderma asperellum detection in commercial agricultural settings","authors":"Manfredini Andrea ,&nbsp;Pugliese Massimo ,&nbsp;Valfrè Paolo ,&nbsp;Canfora Loredana","doi":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global agricultural sector is facing significant challenges in achieving higher sustainability, which has increased interest in using biological control agents (BCAs) to manage plant diseases. However, it is essential to ensure that microbial-based products, such as BCAs, are utilised in a manner that does not harm soil quality and fertility while decreasing reliance on synthetic pesticides. To accomplish this, it is crucial to monitor the fate and persistence of bioinoculants in the soil, which is essential for optimising their application over time, as well as for regulatory and commercial purposes and environmental risk assessment. A qPCR detection method utilising TaqMan chemistry is proposed, which has demonstrated high specificity and sensitivity in detecting <em>Trichoderma asperellum,</em> a common BCA species, in soil. The primers and probe were designed based on the βtubulin2 gene. The TaqMan-based assay was applied and validated on soils where tomatoes and strawberries were grown after a previous application of <em>T. asperellum</em> FC80 strain over three years. The TaqMan-based assay was able to detect the target strain accurately, meeting the stringent requirements for commercial and regulatory applications.</div></div><div><h3>Significance and impact of the study</h3><div>The TaqMan assay developed here has the potential to impact the agricultural sector significantly. It can be used for regulatory, commercial, and scientific purposes to track, monitor, and determine the presence and fate of <em>T. asperellum</em> under field crop conditions, thereby contributing to adopting more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8880,"journal":{"name":"Biological Control","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 105723"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}