Research Articles (Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI))

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    Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023) : fom basic to advanced approaches
    (Elsevier, 2024-02) Welsh, Joshua A.; Goberdhan, Deborah C.I.; O’Driscoll, Lorraine; Buzas, Edit I.; Blenkiron, Cherie; Bussolati, Benedetta; Cai, Houjian; Di Vizio, Dolores; Driedonks, Tom A.P.; Erdbrügger, Uta; Falcon-Perez, Juan M.; Fu, Qing-Ling; Hill, Andrew F.; Lenassi, Metka; Lim, Sai Kiang; Mahoney, My G.; Mohanty, Sujata; Möller, Andreas; Nieuwland, Rienk; Ochiya, Takahiro; Sahoo, Susmita; Torrecilhas, Ana C.; Zheng, Lei; Zijlstra, Andries; Abuelreich, Sarah; Bagabas, Reem; Bergese, Paolo; Bridges, Esther M.; Brucale, Marco; Burger, Dylan; Carney, Randy P.; Cocucci, Emanuele; Colombo, Federico; Crescitelli, Rossella; Hanser, Edveena; Harris, Adrian L.; Haughey, Norman J.; Hendrix, An; Ivanov, Alexander R.; Jovanovic-Talisman, Tijana; Kruh-Garcia, Nicole A.; Faustino, Vroniqa Ku’ulei-Lyn; Kyburz, Diego; Lässer, Cecilia; Lennon, Kathleen M.; Lötvall, Jan; Maddox, Adam L.; Martens-Uzunova, Elena S.; Mizenko, Rachel R.; Newman, Lauren A.; Ridolfi, Andrea; Rohde, Eva; Rojalin, Tatu; Rowland, Andrew; Saftics, Andras; Sandau, Ursula S.; Saugstad, Julie A.; Shekari, Faezeh; Swift, Simon; Ter-Ovanesyan, Dmitry; Tosar, Juan P.; Useckaite, Zivile; Valle, Francesco; Varga, Zoltan; Van der Pol, Edwin; Van Herwijnen, Martijn J.C.; Wehman, Ann M.; Williams, Sarah; Zendrini, Andrea; Zimmerman, Alan J.; MISEV Consortium Clotilde Théry; Witwer, Kenneth W.; Abuelreich, Sarah; Ahmad, Samar; Ahmed, Dina Ak.; Ahmed, Sarah H.; Aikawa, Elena; Akbar, Naveed; Akiyoshi, Kazunari; Al-Adra, David P.; Al-Masawa, Maimonah E; Albanese, Manuel; Alberro, Ainhoa; Alcaraz, María José; Alexander-Brett, Jen; Alexander, Kimberley L.; Ali, Nilufar; Alibhai, Faisal J.; Allelein, Susann; Allenby, Mark C.; Almeida, Fausto; Almousa, Sameh W.; Altan-Bonnet, Nihal; Altei, Wanessa F.; Alvarez-Llamas, Gloria; Alvarez, Cora L.; An, Hyo Jung; Anand, Krishnan; Anderson, Johnathon D.; Andriantsitohaina, Ramaroson; Ansari, Khairul I.; Anselmo, Achille; Antoniou, Anna; Aqil, Farrukh; Arab, Tanina; Archer, Fabienne; Arif, Syrine; Armstrong, David A.; Arntz, Onno J.; Arsène, Pierre; Arteaga-Blanco, Luis; Asokan, Nandini; Aspelin, Trude; Atkin-Smith, Georgia K.; Aubert, Dimitri; Ayyar, Kanchana K.; Azlan, Maryam; Azoidis, Ioannis; Bécot, Anaïs; Bach, Jean-Marie; Bachurski, Daniel; Bae, Seoyoon; Bagabas, Reem; Baj-Krzyworzeka, Monika; Balaj, Leonora; Van Balkom, Bas Wm .; ABallal, bhijna R.; Bano, Afsareen; Banzet, Sébastien; Bare, Yonis; Barile, Lucio; Barman, Bahnisikha; Barranco, Isabel; Barreca, Valeria; Bart, Geneviève; Barteneva, Natasha S.; Basso, Manuela; Batish, Mona; Bauer, Natalie R.; Baxter, Amy A.; Bazié, Wilfried W.; Bazzan, Erica; Beaumont, Joel Ej.; Bebawy, Mary; Bebelman, Maarten P.; Bedina-Zavec, Apolonija; Beetler, Danielle J.; Beke-Somfai, Tamás; Belleannée, Clémence; Benedikter, Birke J.; Benediktsdóttir, Berglind E.; Berardi, Anna C.; Bergamelli, Mathilde; Bergese, Paolo; Bertolini, Irene; Bhattacharyya, Asima; Bhattacharyya, Suvendra N.; Biller, Steven J.; Billottet, Clotilde; Bissler, John J.; Blanc-Brude, Olivier; Blenkiron, Cherie; Blijdorp, Charles J.; Bobis-Wozowicz, Sylwia; Bodart-Santos, Victor; Bodnár, Bernadett R.; Boilard, Eric; Boireau, Wilfrid; Bokun, Vladimir; Bollard, Stephanie M.; Bollini, Sveva; Bongiovanni, Antonella; Bongiovanni, Laura; Bonifay, Amandine; Boppart, Marni D.; Borràs, Francesc E.; Bosch, Steffi; Boselli, Daniela; Bottini, Massimo; Bouffard, Jeff; Boulanger, Chantal M.; Boutros, Paul C.; Boyadjian, Oscar; Boysen, Anders T.; Bozkurt, Batuhan T.; Bramich, Kyle P.; Braun, Fabian; Bravo-Miana, Rocío Del Carmen; Breakefield, Xandra O.; Brenna, Santra; Brennan, Kieran; Brennan, Meadhbh Á.; Breyne, Koen; Bridges, Esther M.; Brigstock, David R.; Brisson, Alain R.; Brodie, Chaya; Brucale, Marco; Bruno, Katelyn A.; Bucci, Cecilia; Buch, Shilpa; Buck, Amy H.; Bukva, Mátyás; Bulte, Jeff Wm.; Buratta, Sandra; Burger, Dylan; Burgy, Olivier; Burnier, Julia V.; Burrows, Kaiping; Busatto, Sara; Bussolati, Benedetta; Buzas, Edit I.; Buzas, Krisztina; Byrd, J. Brian; Cáceres-Verschae, Albano; Cai, Houjian; Caires, Hugo R.; Campos-Silva, Carmen; Camussi, Giovanni; de Candia, Paola; Carceller, Carmen; Fernandez-Becerra, Carmen; Carney, Randy P.; Carrasco, Alexis G. Murillo; Carter, David Rf.; Cavallaro, Sara; Cavallero, Serena; Cavallero, Sophie; Cerda-Troncoso, Cristóbal; Chahwan, Richard; Chalupská, Renata; Chamley, Lawrence W.; Chandra, Partha K.; Chang, Wen-Wei; Charest, A.l.; Chen, Chihchen; Chen, Hao; Chen, Qiang; Chen, Shuai; Chen; Chen, Yunxi; Cheng, Lesley; Chernyshev, Vasiliy S.; Chetty, Venkatesh Kumar; Chitti, Sai V.; Cho, Ssang-Goo; Cho, Yoon-Kyoung; Choi, Byeong Hyeon; Chutipongtanate, Somchai; Cicardi, Maria Elena; Cifuentes-Rius, Anna; Ciullo, Alessandra; Clayton, Aled; Cleary, Jacob A.; Cocozza, Federico; Cocucci, Emanuele; Coffey, Robert J.; Collino, Federica; Colombo, Federico; Colosetti, Pascal; Compañ-Bertomeu, Alvaro; Constanzo, Julie; Corbeil, Denis; Cordeiro-da-Silva, Anabela; Costa, Júlia; Couch, Yvonne; Courageux, Yvan; Coutant, Kelly; Coyle, Beth; Crescitelli, Rossella; Cretich, Marina; Cronemberger-Andrade, André; Crossland, Rachel E.; Cucher, Marcela A.; Czystowska-Kuzmicz, Malgorzata; D'Acunzo, Pasquale; D'Agnano, Igea; D'Agostino, Vito G.; D'Angelo, Gisela; D'Arrigo, Daniele; D'Souza-Schorey, Crislyn; Dagur, Raghubendra S.; Danielson, Kirsty M.; Das, Saumya; Dauphin, Thibaud; Davidson, Sean M.; Davies, Owen G.; Davis, Chelsea N.; Deep, Gagan; Degosserie, Jonathan; Van Delen, Mats; Deliwala, Vatsal; Dellar, Elizabeth R.; Van Deun, Jan; Dev, Apurba; Deville, Sarah; Devitt, Andrew; Dhondt, Bert; Dieterich, Lothar C.; Dittmer, Dirk P.; Dobosh, Brian; Dobra, Gabriella; Dogra, Navneet; Dohi, Eisuke; Dolo, Vincenza; Domashevich, Timothy V.; Dominici, Massimo; Dong, Liang; Doré, Etienne; Dragovic, Rebecca A.; Driedonks, Tom Ap.; Drittanti, Lila; Droste, Marvin; Duan, Wei; Durmaz, Esmahan; Dutta, Suman; Eguchi, Takanori; Eichenberger, Ramon M.; Eitan, Erez; Ekström, Karin; El Andaloussi, Samir; Eldh, Maria; Elie-Caille, Celine; Enciso-Martinez, Agustin; Erdbrügger, Uta; Esmaeili, Rezvan; Ettelaie, Camille; Försönits, András I.; Fabbri, Muller; Falasca, Marco; Falcon-Perez, Juan M.; Fan, Hongkuan; Fatima, Farah; Faustino, Vroniqa Ku'ulei-Lyn; Fazeli, Alireza; Fernández-Rhodes, María; Fernandez-Prada, Christopher; Ferraro, Mariola J.; Ferreira, Joao N.; Ferreira, Rafaela F.; Figueroa-Hall, Leandra K.; Figueroa-Valdés, Aliosha I.; Fioretti, Paolo V.; Flenady, Sabine; Flores-Bellver, Miguel; Fok, Ellis K.; Fonseka, Pamali; Ford, Verity J.; Fornaguera, Cristina; Forte, Dorian; Forte, Stefano; Fortunato, Orazio; Franklin, Jeffrey L; Freitas, Daniela; Frelet-Barrand, Annie; Fu, Qing-Ling; Fujita, Yu; Gärtner, Kathrin; Görgens, André; Gabriel, Áurea M.; Gabrielli, Martina; Gabrielsson, Susanne; Galinsoga, Alicia; Galisova, Andrea; Gamage, Teena Kjb; Gao, Yingtang; Garcia-Contreras, Marta; Garcia Garcia, M. Madhy; Garcia, Maria Noé; Gargiulo, Ernesto; Mc Gee, Margaret M.; Genard, Géraldine C.; Geraci, Fabiana; Ghanam, Jamal; Ghatak, Subhadip; Ghavami, Mahlegha; Ghebosu, Raluca E.; Gho, Yong Song; Ghosal, Sayam; Giamas, Georgios; Giebel, Bernd; Gilbert, Caroline; Gimona, Mario; Girão, Henrique; Giusti, Ilaria; Gizzie, Evan A.; Glamočlija, Sofija; Glass, Sarah E.; Gobbo, Jessica; Goberdhan, Deborah Ci; Godbole, Nihar; Goetz, Jacky G.; Gomez-Florit, Manuel; Goncalves, Jenifer Pendiuk; González-King Garibotti, Hernán; Gorgun, Cansu; Gori, Alessandro; Gorska, Sabina; Graner, Michael W.; Grau, Georges E.; Grech, Laura; Greening, David W.; Groß, Rüdiger M.; Gross, Julia C.; Gruber, Jens; Gualerzi, Alice; Guanzon, Dominic; Gudbergsson, Johann M.; Guerin, Coralie L.; Guerra, Flora; Guillén, Maria I.; Gujar, Vikramsingh; Guo, Wei; Gupta, Veer Bala; Gupta, Vivek Kumar; Gustafson, Dakota; Gyukity-Sebestyén, Edina; Hölker, Patrick; Hade, Mangesh D.; Hagey, Daniel W.; Han, Chungmin; Han, Pingping; Hanayama, Rikinari; Handberg, Aase; Hanser, Edveena; Harada, Masako; Harmati, Maria; Harris, Adrian L.; Harrison, Paul; Harrison, Rane A.; Haughey, Norman J.; Haynes, Paul A; He, Mei; Hegyesi, Hargita; Hendrix, An; Van Herwijnen, Martijn J.; Hill, Andrew F.; Hisey, Colin L.; Hochberg, Fred H.; Hoen, Esther Nm Nolte-'t; Holcar, Marija; Holder, Beth; Holnthoner, Wolfgang; Holthofer, Harry; Hooper, D. Craig; Hosseini-Behesht, Elham; Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Howard, Jane; Howe, Kathryn L.; Hoyle, Nicholas R.; Hrdy, Jiri; Hu, Guoku; Huang, Yiyao; Huber, Veronica; Hudoklin, Samo; Hufnagel, Antonia; Hulett, Mark D.; Hunt, Stuart; Hyenne, Vincent; Ianni, Emilio Di; Iannotta, Dalila; Ibrahim, Ahmed Ge; Ibrahim, Sherif A.; Ikezu, Seiko; Ikezu, Tsuneya; Im, Hyungsoon; Inal, Jameel M; Inic-Kanada, Aleksandra; Inngjerdingen, Marit; Inoshima, Yasuo; Ivanov, Alexander R.; Ivanova, Alena; Izquierdo, Elena; Jørgensen, Malene Møller; Jackson, Hannah K.; Jacobsen, Soren; Jadue, Fernanda; Javeed, Naureen; Jay, Steven M.; Jayachandran, Muthuvel; Jayasinghe, Migara K.; Jenster, Guido; Jeppesen, Dennis K.; Jerónimo, Carmen; Jiang, Linglei; Jin, Jing; Jingushi, Kentaro; Jo, Dong-Gyu; Joerger-Messerli, Marianne S.; Jones, Jennifer C.; de Jong, Olivier G.; Jovanovic-Talisman, Tijana; Ferrante Jr, Anthony W.; Coleman Jr, Leon G.; Juncker, David; Jung, Stephanie; Jurek, Benjamin; Jurga, Marcin; Justilien, Verline; Kabani, Mehdi; Kalluri, Raghu; Kamali-Moghaddam, Masood; Kanada, Masamitsu; Kang, Taeyoung; Kano, Shin-Ichi; Kaparakis-Liaskos, Maria; Karnas, Elżbieta; Karoichan, Antoine; Kashanchi, Fatah; Kashani, Sara Assar; Kashyap, Namita N.; Katsur, Miroslava; Kau-Strebinger, Silvio; Kauffman, Amy C.; Kaur, Sukhbir; Kehoe, Oksana; Kelwick, Richard Jr; Kenari, Amirmohammad Nasiri; Kestecher, Brachyahu M.; Keulers, Tom G.; Van Keuren-Jensen, Kendall R.; Khalajx, Kasra; Khamari, Delaram; Khanabdali, Ramin; Khomyakova, Elena; Khoo, Amanda; Kim, Daniel H.; Kim, Dongin; Kim, Han Sang; Kim, In-San; Kim, Soo; Kim, Yohan; Kima, Peter E.; Kislinger, Thomas; Klingeborn, Mikael; Komuro, Hiroaki; Koncz, Anna; Konstantinou, Timothea; Van der Koog, Luke; Kooijmans, Sander Aa; Kornek, Miroslaw T.; Kosanović, Maja; Kostallari, Enis; Koukoulis, Tiana F.; Kourembanas, Stella; Krämer-Albers, Eva-Maria; Kralj-Iglic, Veronika; Krasemann, Susanne; Krasnodembskaya, Anna D.; Krawczynska, Natalia J.; Kreft, Mateja E.; Kruh-Garcia, Nicole A.; Kuehn, Meta J.; Kuipers, Marije E.; Kulaj, Konxhe; Kuligowski, Julia; Kumagai, Yumi; Kumar, Ashish; Kumar, Saroj; Kumar, Sharad; Kumari, Meena; Kundrotas, Gabrielis; Kurochkin, Igor V.; Kuroda, Masahiko; Kurzawa-Akanbi, Marzena; Kweskin, Sasha J.; Kyburz, Diego; Lázaro-Ibáñez, Elisa; Lässer, Cecilia; Lötvall, Jan; Lőrincz, Ákos M.; Lai, Andrew; Lai, Charles P.; Laitinen, Saara; Landreville, Solange; Lange, Sigrun; Langevin, Scott M.; Langlois, Marc-André; Languino, Lucia R.; Lannigan, Joanne; Lark, Daniel S.; Larregina, Adriana T.; Laurent, Louise C.; Laurin, David; Lavieu, Gregory; Lawson, Charlotte; Lay, Soazig Le; Leandrox, Kevin; Ledreux, Aurélie; Lee, Changjin; Lee, Dong-Sup; Lee, Hakho; Lee, Heon-Jin; Lee, Sun Young; Lee, Tae Ryong; Lee, Wai-Leng; Lefterov, Iliya; Lei, Xinhua; Leivo, Janne; Lemaire, Quentin; Leme, Adriana F Paes; Lemon, Stanley M.; Lenassi, Metka; Lennon, Kathleen M.; Lenzini, Stephen; Leor, Jonathan; Levy, Efrat; Li, Guoping; Li, Jiao Jiao; Li, Qiubai; Li, Xinlei; Liang, Xiuming; Lim, Rebecca; Lim, Sai Kiang; Limongi, Tania; Linē, Aija; Lins, Paula Pincela; Lippens, Lien; Liu, Guanshu; Llorente, Alicia; Longjohn, Modeline N.; de Loo, Fons Aj van; Lorenowicz, Magdalena J.; Lorico, Aurelio; Loudig, Olivier; Loyer, Xavier; Lozano-Andrés, Estefanía; Lu, Biao; Lu, Quan; Lubart, Quentin; Lucien, Fabrice; Lunavat, Taral R.; Lundberg, Ludwig Ermann; Lundy, David J.; Luoto, Jens C.; Lyden, David C.; Möller, Andreas; Müller, Janis A.; MacPhee, Daniel J.; Maddox, Adam L.; Madec, Elise; Magaña, Setty M.; Mahairaki, Vasiliki; Mahoney, Mỹ G.; Malhi, Harmeet; Malnou, Cécile E.; Mamand, Doste R.; Man, Kenny; Manno, Mauro; Mantel, Pierre-Yves; Marangon, Tecla; Marbán, Eduardo; Marcilla, Antonio; Maremanda, Krishna P.; Margolis, Leonid; Mariñas-Pardo, Luis; Marić, Ivica; Martín, Silvia Sánchez; Martínez-Martínez, Eduardo; Martel, Catherine; Martens-Uzunova, Elena S; Martin-Duque, Pilar; Martin-Jaular, Lorena; Martinez-Murillo, Paola A.; Martinez-Pacheco, Sarai; Martins-Marques, Tania; Mary, Benjamin; Marzan, Akbar L.; Matamoros-Angles, Andreu; Mathivanan, Suresh; Matsuzaki, Juntaro; Mayan, Maria D.; Mazzeo, Carla; Mbengue, Mariama; McCann, Mark J.; McIlvenna, Luke C.; McVey, Mark J.; Meisner-Kober, Nicole; Mellergaard, Maiken; Melli, Giorgia; Menck, Kerstin; Menjivar, Nico G.; Menon, Ramkumar; Mentkowski, Kyle I.; Miklavcic, John J.; Miklosi, Andras G.; Milutinovic, Bojana; Minciacchi, Valentina R.; Mirzaei, Mehdi; Mishra, Shalini; Mitchell, Megan I.; Mizenko, Rachel R.; Mladenović, Danilo; Mohamadi, Eqbal; Mohanty, Sujata; Momen-Heravi, Fatemeh; Mondal, Sujan K.; Monguió-Tortajada, Marta; Moon, Jisook; Morandi, Mattia I.; Moreau, Violaine; Morelli, Adrian E.; Mori, Marcelo A.; Morimoto, Masahiro; Mosser, Mathilde; Motaung, Thabiso Eric; Moussay, Etienne; Mugoni, Vera; Mullier, Francois; Muraca, Maurizio; Mullier, Francois
    Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EVnomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its ‘Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles’, which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly.
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    Managing African armyworm outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa : current strategies and future directions
    (MDPI, 2025-06) Kinyanjui, Grace; Mawcha, Kahsay Tadesse; Malinga, Lawrence Nkosikhona; Soobramoney, Kaitlyn; Nethononda, Phophi; Assefa, Yoseph; Okonkwo, Chibuzor Onyinye; Ndolo, Dennis; phophi.nethononda@fabi.up.ac.za
    The African armyworm Spodoptera exempta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a significant pest that affects cereal crops and pasture grasses in sub-Saharan Africa. This migratory pest causes extensive defoliation, which can result in significant yield losses, particularly in maize. This review focuses on the recent outbreaks of the African armyworm and identifies key factors contributing to its success across sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding these factors is essential for developing effective and sustainable pest management strategies. This review emphasizes the importance of innovative technologies and data-driven approaches in managing pest outbreaks and underscores the need to implement technology-enabled integrated pest management (IPM) strategies to control the African armyworm effectively. SIMPLE SUMMARY The African armyworm is a destructive, migratory pest that threatens cereal crops and pasture grasses in sub-Saharan Africa, with recent outbreaks resulting in significant agricultural and economic losses. This review addresses the urgent need for improved management strategies by examining the drivers of frequent outbreaks, including climate change, the pest’s biological traits, and gaps in current control practices. This paper aims to evaluate existing surveillance and control methods—such as chemical, biological, and cultural approaches—and to explore innovative technologies, including predictive modeling, artificial intelligence, Bt maize technology, molecular biology, and nanotechnology. This study finds that, while traditional methods offer some control, their limitations necessitate integrated, technology-enabled pest management solutions. It concludes that adopting holistic, regionally coordinated strategies that incorporate farmer education, advanced tools, and updated policy frameworks will significantly improve outbreak response and mitigation. These findings are valuable to society as they provide a roadmap for sustainable pest control, helping to safeguard food security, support farmer livelihoods, and enhance agricultural resilience in the face of escalating climate and pest pressures.
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    Understanding the genetics of sex determination in insects and its relevance to genetic pest management
    (Wiley, 2025-06) Ashmore, Jade Sabrina; Slippers, Bernard; Duong, Tuan A.; Dittrich-Schroder, Gudrun; gudrun.dittrich@fabi.up.ac.za
    Sex determination pathways regulate male and female-specific development and differentiation and offer potential targets for genetic pest management methods. Insect sex determination pathways are comprised of primary signals, relay genes and terminal genes. Primary signals of coleopteran, dipteran, hymenopteran and lepidopteran species are highly diverse and regulate the sex-specific splicing of relay genes based on the primary signal dosage, amino acid composition or the interaction with paternally inherited genes. In coleopterans, hymenopterans and some dipterans, relay genes are Transformer orthologs from the serine-arginine protein family that regulate sex-specific splicing of the terminal genes. Alternative genes regulate the splicing of the terminal genes in dipterans that lack Transformer orthologs and lepidopterans. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are the terminal genes. Doublesex and Fruitless orthologs are highly conserved zinc-finger proteins that regulate the expression of downstream proteins influencing physical traits and courtship behaviours in a sex-specific manner. Genetic pest management methods can use different mechanisms to exploit or disrupt female-specific regions of different sex determination genes. Female-specific regions of sex determination genes can be exploited to produce a lethal gene only in females or disrupted to impede female development or fertility. Reducing the number of fertile females in pest populations creates a male-biased sex ratio and eventually leads to the local elimination of the pest population. Knowledge on the genetic basis of sex determination is important to enable these sex determination pathways to be exploited for genetic pest management.
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    A checklist of South African bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae, Platypodinae)
    (Magnolia Press, 2025-06) Nel, Wilma Janine; Duong, Tuan A.; Fell, Shaw; Herron, Darryl A.; Paap, Trudy; Wingfield, Michael J; De Beer, Z. Wilhelm; Hulcr, Jiri; Johnson, Andrew J.; janine.nel@fabi.up.ac.za
    No abstract available.
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    Host-pathogen interactions in the pine-Fusarium circinatum pathosystem and the potential for resistance deployment in the field
    (Wiley, 2025-04) Woodward, S.; Amin, H.; Martín-García, J.; Solla, A.; Diaz-Vazquez, R.; Romeralo, C.; Alves, A.; Pinto, G.; Herron, D.; Fraser, S.; Zas, R.; Doğmuş-Lehtijärvi, H.T.; Bonello, P.; Wingfield, Michael J.; Witzell, J.; Diez, J.J.
    Pine pitch canker (PPC) emerged as a significant problem in 1945 in Southeastern USA. The causal agent, Fusarium circinatum, has spread widely and now occurs in pine forests and plantations worldwide. Fusarium circinatum causes damping off, shoot and tip die-back, and the death of seedlings in nurseries. Infection of mature trees leads to excessive resin bleeding on branches and main stems, sunken cankers with bark remaining attached, and finally, tree death. Arguably, F. circinatum is the most important pathogen of pine seedlings in many areas of the world. At least 67 species of Pinus, 18 Pinus hybrids, and 6 other non-pine tree species are susceptible to PPC. The selection and development of tree germplasm resistant to pathogens is considered the most robust approach to reduce losses to diseases. Genetic variation in resistance to F. circinatum certainly exists, even in generally very susceptible hosts, such as P. radiata. Exploiting genetic resistance as a tool to manage PPC requires screening large numbers of tree genotypes and fine-tuning efficient phenotyping protocols. The greater the number of genetic lines and replications, the higher the selection differentials and accuracy of the genetic parameter estimates. Recent advances in physiological and molecular techniques exploring the plant-pathogen interaction have expanded our understanding of genetic resistance mechanisms in pines to PPC and represent an added-value tool to support phenotypic selection. This review provides an overview of current knowledge on the molecular, physiological, and genetic basis of resistance to F. circinatum in pines and considers possibilities to improve the resistance of pines against the pathogen through breeding and selection.
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    Fungal Planet description sheets : 1697–1780
    (Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, 2024-12-06) Crous, Pedro W.; Wingfield, Michael J.; Jurjević, Ž.; Balashov, S.; Osieck, E.R.; Marin-Felix, Y.; Luangsa-ard, J.J.; Mejía, L.C.; Cappelli, A.; Parra, L.A.; Lucchini, G.; Chen, J.; Moreno, G.; Faraoni, M.; Zhao, R.L.; Weholt, Ø.; Borovička, J.; Jansen, G.M.; Shivas, R.G.; Tan, Y.P.; Akulov, A.; Alfenas, A.C.; Alfenas, R.F.; Altés, A.; Avchar, R.; Barreto, R.W.; Catcheside, D.E.A.; Chi, T.Y.; Esteve-Raventós, F.; Fryar, S.C.; Hanh, L.T.M.; Larsbrink, J.; Oberlies, N.H.; Olsson, L.; Pancorbo, F.; Raja, H.A.; Thanh, V.N.; Thuy, N.T.; Ajithkumar, K.; Akram, W.; Alvarado, P.; Angeletti, B.; Arumugam, E.; Atashi Khalilabad, A.; Bandini, D.; Baroni, T.J.; Barreto, G.G.; Boertmann, D.; Akram, W.; Alvarado, P.; Angeletti, B.; Arumugam, E.; Atashi Khalilabad, A.; Bandini, D.; Baroni, T.J.; Barreto, G.G.; Boertmann, D.; Bose, Tanay; Castañeda Ruiz, R.F.; Couceiro, A.; Cykowska-Marzencka, B.; Dai, Y.C.; Darmostuk, V.; Da Silva, S.B.G.; Dearnaley, J.D.W.; De Azevedo Santiago, A.L.C.M.; Declercq, B.; De Freitas G. , L.W.S.; De la Peña-Lastra, S.; Delgado, G.; De Lima, C.L.F.; Dhotre, D.; Dirks, A.C.; Eisvand, P.; Erhard, A.; Ferro, L.O.; García, D.; García-Martín, A.; Garrido-Benavent, I.; Gené, J.; Ghobad-Nejhad, M.; Gore, G.; Gunaseelan, S.; Gusmão, L.F.P.; Hammerbacher, Almuth; Hernández-Perez, A.T.; Hernández-Restrepo, M.; Hofmann, T.A.; Hubka, V.; Jiya, N.; Kaliyaperumal, M.; Keerthana, K.S.; Ketabchi, M.; Kezo , K.; Knoppersen, Rosa; Kolarczyková, D.; Kumar, T.K.A.; Læssøe, T.; Langer, E.; Larsson, E.; Lodge, D.J.; Lynch, M.J.; Maciá-Vicente, J.G.; Mahadevakumar, S.; Mateos, A.; Mehrabi-Koushki, M.; Miglio, B.V.; Noor, A.; Oliveira, J.A.; Pereira, O.L.; Piątek, M.; Pinto, A.; Ramírez, G.H.; Raphael, B.; Rawat, G.; Renuka, M.; Reschke, K.; Ruiz Mateo, A.; Saar, I.; Saba, M.; Safi, A.; Sánchez, R.M.; Sandoval-Denis, M.; Savitha, A.S.; Sharma, A.; Shelke, D.; Sonawane, H.; Souza, M.G.A.P.; Stryjak-Bogacka, M.; Thines, M.; Thomas, A.; Torres-Garcia, D.; Traba, J.M.; Vauras, J.; Vermaas, M.; Villarreal, M.; Vu, D.; Whiteside, E.J.; Zafari, D.; Starink-Willemse, M.; Groenewald, J.Z.; Akram
    Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica, Leuconeurospora bharatiensis from accumulated snow sediment sample. Argentina, Pseudocercospora quetri on leaf spots of Luma apiculata. Australia, Polychaetomyces verrucosus on submerged decaying wood in sea water, Ustilaginoidea cookiorum on Scleria levis, Xylaria guardiae as endophyte from healthy leaves of Macaranga tanarius. Belgium, Iodophanus taxi on leaf of Taxus baccata. Belize, Hygrocybe mirabilis on soil. Brazil, Gongronella irregularis from soil, Linodochium splendidum on decaying sheath of Euterpe oleracea, Nothophysalospora agapanthi (incl. Nothophysalospora gen. nov.) on flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Phaeosphaeria tabebuiae on leaf of Tabebuia sp., Verrucohypha endophytica (incl. Verrucohypha gen. nov.) from healthy roots of Acrocomia aculeata. Estonia, Inosperma apricum on soil under Quercus robur. Greece, Monosporascus solitarius isolated from surface-sterilised, asymptomatic roots of Microthlaspi perfoliatum. India, Diaporthe neocapsici on young seedling stems of Capsicum annuum, Fuscoporia naditirana on dead wood, Sebacina spongicarpa on soil, Torula kanvae from the gut of a Copris signatus beetle. Iran, Sarcinomyces pruni from twig and petiole tissues of Prunus persica and Prunus armeniaca, Xenodidymella quercicola from leaf spots of Quercus brantii. Italy, Agaricus aereiceps on grass, Agaricus bellui in meadows, Agaricus fabrianensis in urban grasslands, Beaucarneamyces muscorum on moss growing in forest, Xenoanthostomella quercus on leaf litter of Quercus ilex. Netherlands, Alfaria neerlandica on stem lesions of Cortaderia selloana, Neodictyosporium juncicola on culms of Juncus maritimus, Penicillium geertdesnooi from soil under Papaver rhoeas, Russula abscondita on rich calcareous soil with Quercus, Russula multiseptata on rich clay soil with Quercus, Russula purpureopallescens on soil with Populus, Sarocladium caricicola on leaves of Carex riparia. Pakistan, Circinaria shimlaensis on limestone rocks. Panama, Acrocalymma philodendri on leaf spots of Philodendron sp., Caligospora panamaensis on leaf litter, Chlamydocillium simulans associated with a Xylaria sp., Corynesporina panamaensis on leaf litter, Cylindromonium panamaense on twig litter of angiosperm, Cyphellophora panamaensis on twig litter of angiosperm, Microcera panamensis on leaf litter of fern, Pseudotricholoma pusillum in tropical montane forest dominated by Quercus spp., Striaticonidium panamaense on leaf litter, Yunnanomyces panamaensis on leaf litter. Poland, Albocremella abscondita (incl. Albocremella gen. nov.) from rhizoids of liverwort Conocephalum salebrosum. Portugal, Agaricus occidualis in meadows. South Africa, Alternaria elsarustiae on culms of unidentified Poaceae, Capronia capensis on dead twig of unidentified angiosperm, Codinaeella bulbinicola on dead leaves of Bulbine frutescens, Cytospora carpobroticola on leaf of Carpobrotus quadrifidus, Neophaeomoniella watsoniae on leaf of Watsonia sp., Neoplatysporoides aloigena on leaf of Aloe khamiesensis, Nothodactylaria comitabilis on living leaf of Itea rhamnoides, Nothopenidiella beaucarneae (incl. Nothopenidiella gen. nov.) on dead leaves of Beaucarnea stricta, Orbilia kirstenboschensis on dead flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Phragmocephala agapanthi on dead flower stalks of Agapanthus praecox, Podocarpigena hagahagaensis (incl. Podocarpigena gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Podocarpus falcatus, Sporisorium enterogonipteri from the gut of Gonipterus sp., Synnemapestaloides searsiae on leaf of Searsia populifolia, Xenophragmocapnias diospyri (incl. Xenophragmocapnias gen. nov.) on leaf spots of Diospyros sp., Yunnanomyces hagahagaensis on leaf spots of Sideroxylon inerme. Spain, Agaricus basicinctus in meadows, Agaricus quercetorum among leaf litter in oak forests, Coprinopsis palaciosii on degraded woody debris, Inocybe complutensis in calcareous loamy soil, Inocybe tanitiae in calcareous sandy soil, Mycena subfragosa on dead leaves of Salix atrocinerea, Pseudobaeospora cortegadensis in laurel forests, Trichoderma sedimenticola from fluvial sediments. Sweden, Inocybe badjelanndana on calcareous soil. Ukraine, Beaucarneamyces lupini on overwintered stems of Lupinus polyphyllus, Protocreopsis globulosa on thallus and apothecia of Lecania cyrtella on bark of Populus sp., Thyridium tiliae on dead twigs of Tilia sp. USA, Cladosporium louisianense, Cyphellophora americana from a bedroom vent, Extremus massachusettsianus from lyse buffer, Myxotrichum tapetae on carpet in basement, Neospissiomyces floridanus (incl. Neospissiomyces gen. nov.) on swab from hospital, Polychaetomyces marinus (incl. Polychaetomyces gen. nov.) on submerged driftwood in sea water, Steccherinum fragrans on hardwood fallen on the beach, Steinbeckomyces carnegieae (incl. Steinbeckomyces gen. nov.) on Carnegiea gigantea, Tolypocladium pennsylvanicum from air sampled in basement. Vietnam, Acidomyces ducanhii from Aglaia flowers, Acidomyces paludis from dead bark of Acacia sp., Phakopsora sageretiae on Sageretia theezans, Puccinia stixis on Stixis scandens. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes
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    Bacterial fruit tree quarantine pathogens – a threat to biosecurity in South Africa
    (Academy of Science of South Africa, 2025-09) Coutinho, Teresa A.; teresa.coutinho@up.ac.za
    Quarantine bacterial plant pathogens present a serious threat to the biosecurity of South Africa’s fruit tree industry, posing significant risks to agricultural productivity, trade and biodiversity. Pathogens such as Candidatus Liberobacter asiaticus, Xanthomonas citri pv. citri, Erwinia amylovora and Xylella fastidiosa can cause widespread economic losses in fruit crops, including citrus, apples, pears, grapes and olives. Managing these pathogens is challenging due to their ability to spread rapidly, often by the movement of infected plant material and/or by insect vectors. Limited diagnostic capabilities, few chemical control options, and the emergence of pathogen resistance also hamper effective management. This review highlights the importance of an integrated approach should an incursion occur, which would initially involve eradication, improved surveillance and public awareness. Strengthening these biosecurity practices is essential in safeguarding the agricultural sector and ensuring continued fruit trade viability. SIGNIFICANCE : • This review highlights the significant threat posed by quarantine bacterial fruit tree pathogens to South Africa’s agricultural biosecurity. These pathogens endanger essential fruit crops, and an outbreak could lead to severe losses, trade restrictions, and socio-economic impacts. • The review also highlights the challenges that would likely be faced if an incursion should occur. It advocates for an integrated management approach including eradication, surveillance, public awareness, and robust phytosanitary measures, legislative support and inter-agency collaboration. This approach could ensure that we safeguard the agricultural sector and mitigate potential crises.
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    Pathogenicity of Pythium myriotylum on Acacia crassicarpa and Acacia mangium x Acacia auriculiformis clones in Indonesia
    (Taylor and Francis, 2025) Tarigan, Marthin; Wingfield, Michael J.; Jami, Fahimeh; Oliveira, Leonardo S.S.; Saha, Muhammad A.; Duran, Alvaro; Pham, Nam Q.; nam.pham@fabi.up.ac.za
    The oomycete Pythium myriotylum is an important pathogen of several crops, causing wilt and damping-off during nursery propagation. The pathogen was recently reported as the causal agent of wilt and damping-off on Acacia crassicarpa plants in nurseries located in Riau, Indonesia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative pathogenicity of P. myriotylum on different clones of A. crassicarpa and Acacia mangium × Acacia auriculiformis hybrids. Based on the results, greater tolerance was found on the A. mangium × A. auriculiformis hybrid clones than on those of pure A. crassicarpa. The different Acacia clones also displayed different levels of tolerance of infection. Overall the results showed that screening for tolerance to infection by P. myriotylum will be important in the Acacia breeding programme and make it possible to produce sufficient nursery stock for plantation establishment.
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    The re-identification of Penicillium and Talaromyces (Eurotiales) catalogued in South African culture collections
    (National Herbarium of the Netherlands, 2024-12) Visagie, Cobus M.; Houbraken, J.; Yilmaz, Neriman; cobus.visagie@fabi.up.ac.za
    The taxonomy of Penicillium and Talaromyces has been modernized in the past decade, resulting in more robust and accurate identifications, while hundreds of new species were described from around the world. South Africa has emerged as somewhat of a biodiversity hotspot for these genera, with 48 new species being described in recent years. The aim of this current project was to re-identify Penicillium and Talaromyces strains held in South African culture collections, including the National Collections of Fungi (PPRI) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). A total of 295 PPRI and 56 MRC strains were revived and identified using β-tubulin (BenA) gene sequences. For new or rarely found species, we also sequenced the rDNA internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), calmodulin (CaM), and RNA polymerase second largest subunit (RPB2) genes. The strains were identified to 99 Penicillium and 25 Talaromyces species, among them eight new Penicillium and three new Talaromyces species. Morphological comparisons with close relatives confirmed the novelty of these species, and they are formally described here as P. drakensteinense, P. kirstenboschense, P. limpopoense, P. lydenburgense, P. mbombelaense, P. potchefstroomense, P. roodeplaatense, P. silvertonense, T. gautengensis, T. macrodendroideus, and T. mzansiensis. This study provides a much-needed update on species diversity captured in South African culture collections and makes an important contribution to international knowledge on these important genera.
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    Bio-control efficacy of selected indigenous nematophagous fungi against Meloidogyne enterolobii in vitro and on dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)
    (Springer, 2025-05) Ramatsitsi, Ndivhuwo; Dube, Zakheleni Palane; Ramachela, Khosi; Motloba, Tuelo
    Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important commercialized field crop in South Africa for aiding in food security as a cheap protein source. However, it is highly susceptible to root-knot nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne species. Use of indigenous nematophagous fungi as bio-control agents (BCA) of Meloidogyne nematodes is a promising research focus area. This is because indigenous fungal species are naturally part of the ecosystem and therefore compatible with other biological processes unlike most synthetic chemicals. The objective of the study was to identify indigenous nematophagous fungal BCA and establish their potential efficacy in reducing M. enterolobii population densities on dry bean with and without incorporation of compost. Screened indigenous fungal species included Aspergillus terreus, Talaromyces minioluteus, T. sayulitensis, Trichoderma ghanense, and T. viride. There were observed significant parasitism differences (P ≤ 0.05) among the BCA, with T. ghanense showing the highest egg parasitism (86%), followed by T. minioluteus (72%) and T. sayulitensis (70%). On the other hand, the highest J2 parasitism was observed on T. minioluteus (95%), followed by A. terreus and T. viride (63%). A similar trend was observed under in vivo conditions, with higher efficacy with compost incorporation. This provides a highly encouraging alternative and ecologically complementary Meloidogyne management in dry bean production.
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    Biofilm characterisation of the maize rot-causing pathogen, Fusarium verticillioides
    (Taylor and Francis, 2025) Peremore, Chizne; Van't Hof, Cairin; Nkosi, Cebo-LeNkosi; Tshiyoyo, Kadima Samuel; Ratsoma, Francinah M.; Kola, Wisely; Malgas, Samkelo; Santana, Quentin C.; Wingfield, Brenda D.; Steenkamp, Emma Theodora; Motaung, Thabiso Eric; thabiso.motaung@up.ac.za
    Biofilm formation was investigated in a maize rot-causing pathogen, Fusarium verticillioides. This work revealed that in vitro cultures produce structured, adherent communities with a dense extracellular matrix (ECM) surrounding hyphae that makes up the biomass of a matured biofilm. Pellicle containing exopolysaccharide had a hydrodynamic diameter of 4.19 nm and a low viscosity (0.022 dl/g). The exopolysaccharide was composed of amino sugars and unordered, facilitating stability through complexation with the anionic eDNA. Biofilm formation varied over different pH and temperature values, emphasising its role in promoting adaption, survival, and persistence in F. verticillioides, potentially contributing to its pathogenicity in maize. Collectively, the results provide valuable insights into biofilm structure and stress resistance in this fungus, and will serve as a foundation for future studies incorporating in planta infection systems.
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    Small RNAs derived from avocado sunblotch viroid and their association with bleaching symptoms : implications for pathogenesis in avocado sunblotch disease
    (Springer, 2025-09) Joubert, Melissa; Van den Berg, Noelani; Theron, Jacques; Swart, Velushka; velushka.swart@fabi.up.ac.za
    Avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBVd) is a structured RNA molecule responsible for sunblotch disease of avocado, characterised by distinct chloroses of fruit, leaves, and stems. Despite its impact on avocado, the mechanism by which ASBVd elicits sunblotch symptoms remains unknown. Previous studies on other avsunviroids have shown that viroid-derived small RNAs (vd-sRNAs) with specific sequence mutations can trigger leaf chlorosis via RNA silencing of host genes. Building on this knowledge, we aimed to shed light on the molecular basis of ASBVd pathogenesis by analysing ASBVd sequence variants and ASBVd-sRNAs from bleached and asymptomatic leaf tissues of sunblotch-affected avocado trees. Sequencing of ASBVd clones revealed that variants carrying the pathogenic determinant for bleaching were present in both green and yellow leaf tissues. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) identified ASBVd-sRNAs that varied in abundance between symptomatic and asymptomatic leaf tissues, correlating with viroid titre. We discovered 64 vd-sRNAs spanning the pathogenic region of the ASBVd genome, which were almost exclusively found in yellow tissues. The ASBVd-sRNAs containing the bleaching-associated mutation were predicted to target numerous avocado transcripts for degradation, with 25 of these transcripts significantly downregulated in bleached tissues. Notably, one of these genes, encoding a chloroplastic protein, demonstrated strong evidence of ASBVd-sRNA-guided RNA silencing, presenting a promising candidate for future research into the molecular trigger for ASBVd-induced bleaching symptoms. This study is the first to investigate ASBVd-sRNAs in bleached leaves using NGS. Our findings support the role of RNA silencing in sunblotch symptom development and reveal a unique silencing trigger compared to other avsunviroids.
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    Factors influencing the capture of Japanese beetles : wind speed and direction, trap deployment protocol, lure type, and trap efficiency
    (Oxford University Press, 2025-07) Guignard, Quentin; Goodwin, Joel; Kimoto, Troy; Haynes, Kenneth F.; Allison, Jeremy D.
    In this study, factors affecting Japanese beetle (JB) trap captures (eg wind direction and speed, lure type, trap deployment and efficiency) were investigated in the field using semiochemical baited traps. Fifty-two percent of 667 JB observed flew directly upwind toward a trap with a dual lure (sex pheromone + floral kairomone), especially when wind speed exceeded 1.5 m/s. Within thirty seconds after approaching 2 m of a trap baited with a dual lure, 43%, 35%, and 22% of 138 observed beetles were captured, flew away, or landed on the trap, respectively. Of 265,884 beetles captured, 48% were captured by a cluster of 3 traps each with a single dual lure, 30% by a single trap baited with 3 dual lures, and 22% by a single trap baited with one dual lure. Traps baited with the floral lure (ie kairomone) and the floral lure and the sex pheromone (ie dual lure) captured similar numbers (39% and 41%, respectively) of JB and both captured more beetles than traps baited with the pheromone alone (12% and 8% for the sex-pheromone from the dual lure and sex-pheromone standard, respectively). Traps baited with the floral kairomone alone or with sex pheromone captured a 1:1 sex ratio (M:F) while pheromone-only traps captured a 3:1 (M:F) ratio of JB. No additive or synergistic effects of the pheromone and floral kairomone were observed. To our knowledge, this study is the first to quantify in real time the flight behavior of a beetle toward traps in the field.
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    Ewingella allii sp. nov. isolated from a diseased onion plant in the Columbia Basin of Washington State, USA
    (Springer, 2025-07) Mnguni, Fanele Cabangile; Shin, Gi Yoon; Du Toit, Lindsey J.; Derie, Michael L.; Coutinho, Teresa A.; teresa.coutinho@up.ac.za
    Please read abstract in the article.
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    Design of genus-specific semi-nested primers for simple and accurate identification of Enterobacter strains
    (BioMed Central, 2025-07) Jordan, Sara; Pothier, Joel F.; De Maayer, Pieter; Broders, Kirk; Kvitko, Brian H.; Coutinho, Teresa A.; Smits, Theo H. .
    BACKGROUND : The genus Enterobacter, in the family Enterobacteriaceae, is of both clinical and environmental importance. This genus has undergone frequent taxonomic changes, making it challenging to identify taxa even at genus level. This study aimed to design Enterobacter genus-specific primers that can be used for simple PCR identification of large sets of putative Enterobacter isolates. RESULTS : Comparative genomic approaches were employed to identify genes that were universally present on Enterobacter genomes but absent from the genomes of other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, based on an initial set of 89 genomes. The presence of these genes was further confirmed in 4,276 Enterobacter RefSeq genomes. While no strictly genus-specific genes were identified, the hpaB gene demonstrated a restricted distribution outside of the genus Enterobacter. Semi-nested primers were designed for hpaB and its flanking gene hpaC (hpaBC) and evaluated on 123 strains in single-tube PCR reactions. All taxa showing positive reactions belonged to the genus Enterobacter. For Enterobacter strains the PCR yielded two amplicons at 110 bp and at 370 bp, while strains only displaying the 110 bp amplicon were classified as Leclercia pneumoniae. A blind-test on 120 strains accessioned as Enterobacter sp. from the USDA-ARS culture collection (NRRL), revealed that one third of the strains had an incorrect genus assignment. Comparison of gene trees of the hpaBC fragment sequences with marker genes frequently used for single-gene barcoding or multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA) further demonstrated its potential for preliminary species identification. CONCLUSIONS : The nested PCR assay represents a rapid and cost-effective approach for preliminary identification of Enterobacter species. As the primer design was based on large-scale genomic comparison, including currently undescribed species clades, it will remain valid even after taxonomic changes within the genus.
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    A novel Arthrobotrys species : taxonomic characterization, nematicidal activity, and multi-omics insights into nematode predation
    (Elsevier, 2025-09) Gao, Mengting; Yan, Zhaoqi; Liu, Zexin; Jiang, Yunxia; Liu, Tengteng; Miao, Xingjun; Dai, Meixue; Bose, Tanay; tanay.bose@fabi.up.ac.za
    ursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pinewood nematode (PWN), is a devastating invasive pest responsible for widespread mortality in global conifer forests. During a survey of bark beetle-associated fungi, a nematode-trapping fungus was isolated from an empty beetle gallery in Pinus thunbergii. ITS sequence analysis suggested it represented a novel species. This study aimed to characterize the fungus taxonomically and evaluate its biocontrol potential against PWN. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, TEF1-α, RPB2) confirmed the isolate as a new species, Arthrobotrys byssisimilis sp. nov. Morphological examination revealed adhesive trapping networks and distinctive ellipsoidal conidia. Enzymatic assays demonstrated chitinase and protease activity, with optimal conditions defined for pH and temperature. Culture filtrates, protein extracts, and secondary metabolites showed rapid, dose-dependent nematicidal effects, achieving 100 % PWN mortality within 10–30 min. The fungus exhibited strong tolerance to pine-derived volatiles (α-pinene, β-pinene, turpentine, and ethanol), indicating high adaptability to the host environment. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 36.97 Mb genome with 8,354 predicted genes, including 104 proteases, 8 chitinases, and diverse secondary metabolite biosynthesis clusters. Transcriptomic profiling after nematode exposure identified 638 differentially expressed genes, including virulence-related enzymes (proteases, CAZymes), cytochrome P450s, and PHI factors, with evidence of stage-specific regulation. Arthrobotrys byssisimilis is the first Arthrobotrys species reported from a bark beetle gallery, expanding the ecological scope of the genus. The integrated in vitro nematicidal activity, physiological adaptability, and multi-omics data suggest A. byssisimilis warrants further evaluation as a potential biocontrol agent against PWN, while its unique genomic features provide new molecular targets for investigating fungal-nematode interactions. HIGHLIGHTS • Discovered novel nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys byssisimilis. • Achieved 100% pinewood nematode kill in 10–30 mins using culture filtrates and extracts. • Shows strong tolerance to pine volatiles, ensuring better field adaptability. • Genome shows 104 proteases, 8 chitinases as major virulence factors. • Found 638 genes differentially expressed under nematode stress, stage-specific virulence.
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    Exploring the diversity of leafrollers (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) associated with eucalypts in South African forestry nurseries and plantations, with a new report of Strepsicrates sp.
    (Taylor and Francis, 2024-11-08) Makunde, Privilege Tungamirai; Slippers, Bernard; Hurley, Brett P.; privilege.makunde@fabi.up.ac.za
    A number of insect pests cause damage to eucalypts in South Africa. Their accurate identification is a key part of managing and controlling these pests. The aims of this study were to identify leafroller insect species in South African eucalypt nurseries and plantations, and to determine whether the species were native insects that had developed new host associations with eucalypts or introduced non-native species. A section of the mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) gene of multiple specimens from nurseries and plantations was sequenced. The sequence data were compared and validated using sequences available in BOLD systems and GenBank databases. Results revealed the presence of an introduced non-native Strepsicrates sp. in both nurseries and plantations. In addition, the native species Choristoneura occidentalis and Eccopsis incultana were confirmed as present in plantations only and the native species Lozotaenia capensana was confirmed as present in one of the nurseries. Eucalypts are reported as host plants of C. occidentalis, E. incultana and Lozotaenia capensana for the first time. The findings contribute valuable insights into the identification and diversity of leaf rollers in eucalypt plantations in South Africa, with potential implications for pest management.
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    DNA sequence data confirms the presence of two closely related cypress-feeding aphid species on African cypress (Widdringtonia spp.) in South Africa
    (Taylor and Francis, 2024-12) Wondafrash, Mesfin; Wingfield, Michael J.; Hurley, Brett Phillip; Slippers, Bernard; Mutitu, Eston K.; Jenya, Herbert; Paap, Trudy
    Aphids in the genus Cinara (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests of coniferous trees globally. Some of these aphids have become invasive in various parts of the world and have led to significant economic and environmental damage. During surveys conducted as part of a sentinel plant project, severe aphid infestations were observed on Widdringtonia trees in the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa. In addition, planted Widdringtonia wallichii Endl. ex Carrière trees within their natural range of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape, South Africa were found infested with aphids. In this study, we investigated the species identity of the aphids using DNA sequence data for the mitochondrial cytochrome coxidase (COI) gene. The results revealed the presence of two closely related aphid species, the cypress aphid, Cinara cupressi (Buckton) and the cypress pine aphid, Cinara tujafilina (Del Guercio) infesting Widdringtonia spp. in South Africa. Both aphid species are alien to South Africa. While this is not the first report for either species in the country, the current study provides evidence of impact, with severe infestations leading to branch dieback and tree death. This finding supports the regulation of Cinara spp. in South Africa and highlights that management is urgently needed.
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    High genetic diversity and limited regional population differentiation in populations of Calonectria pseudoreteaudii from Eucalyptus plantations
    (American Phytopathological Society, 2025-01) Li, WenWen; Liu, Feifei; Chen, ShuaiFei; Wingfield, Michael J.; Duong, Tuan A.
    Calonectria pseudoreteaudii causes a serious and widespread disease known as Calonectria leaf blight in Eucalyptus plantations of southern China. Little is known regarding the population biology or reproductive biology of this pathogen in the affected areas. The aims of this study were to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and reproductive mode of C. pseudoreteaudii from affected Eucalyptus plantations of southern China. Ten polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers were developed for the species and were used to genotype 311 isolates from eight populations. The mating types of all isolates were identified using the MAT gene primers. The results revealed a high level of genetic diversity of the pathogen in all investigated populations. Of the 90 multilocus genotypes detected, 10 were shared between at least two populations. With the exception of one population from HuiZhou, GuangDong (7HZ), the most dominant genotype was shared in the seven remaining populations. Discriminant analysis of principal components and population differentiation analyses showed that the 7HZ population was well differentiated from the others and that there was no significant differentiation between the remaining populations. Analysis of molecular variance suggested that most molecular variation was within populations (86%). Index of association analysis was consistent with a predominantly asexual life cycle for C. pseudoreteaudii in the studied regions. Although both mating types were detected in seven of the eight populations, the MAT1-1/MAT1-2 ratios in these populations deviated significantly from the 1:1 ratio expected in a randomly mating population.
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    Advancing forest pathology : the need for community-driven molecular experimental model systems
    (Wiley, 2025-08) Oostlander, Anne G.; Fleissner, Andre; Slippers, Bernard; bernard.slippers@fabi.up.ac.za
    Forests world-wide are under escalating threat from emerging and invasive fungal and oomycete pathogens, driven by globalization and shifting climate dynamics. Effective strategies to manage the current scale and rate of changes in forest health remain hindered by our limited ability to study the underlying mechanisms of pathogen–host and pathogen–microbiome interactions, especially at a molecular and cellular level, compared to general plant pathology, where experimental and model systems exist. Such models facilitate the integration of diverse methodologies from a broader base of the research community, allowing for a more holistic and deeper examination of complex research questions. Here, we propose a framework for the development of such model systems also for forest pathology. This goal is more feasible than ever, thanks to rapid technological advancements, increasing open data availability and a globally interconnected research community. These factors create a unique opportunity to integrate ecosystem-focused research in forest pathology with a unified model organism strategy. Achieving this goal will require a dedicated community effort in the coming years, as such model systems are not discovered but built.