The increasing incidence of canker and dieback symptoms in commercially important fruit orchards and adjacent ornamental trees in Fars Province, Iran, prompted an investigation into associated fungal pathogens. Surveys in 2023 and 2024 yielded several isolates from symptomatic pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.) trees, which were identified as Stilbocrea gracilipes based on morphological, physiological, and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses (ITS, tef1-α, and rpb2 loci). Pathogenicity tests showed that all recovered S. gracilipes isolates (n = 23) cause dark brown lesions and wood discoloration in detached shoots of their respective hosts, with significant variation in aggressiveness. Cross-pathogenicity assessments using the most aggressive isolates on pomegranate and eucalyptus saplings revealed that isolates from original hosts were pathogenic to both plant species, inducing characteristic lesions and internal wood discoloration. Based on an assessment of eight pathogenicity traits, the pomegranate-obtained isolate (PM7-68) demonstrated more aggressiveness compared to the eucalyptus-obtained isolate (EU1-031). Furthermore, inoculated pomegranate saplings exhibited greater susceptibility than inoculated eucalyptus saplings, highlighting the potential threat of S. gracilipes to economically significant pomegranate orchards. Evaluation of pomegranate cultivar susceptibility to S. gracilipes isolates, using principal component analysis (PCA) and heatmap visualization, revealed clustering of disease severity into four distinct groups. The pomegranate cultivar 'Malas-e-Danesiyah-e-Esfahani' consistently exhibited high disease severity (level 4), identifying it as highly susceptible, while the cultivar 'Kadro' displayed reduced lesion development and slower disease progression (level 1), suggesting relative resistance.IMPORTANCEThis study represents the first report of Stilbocrea gracilipes associated with canker and dieback on pomegranate and eucalyptus, and the first confirmation of its pathogenicity as a canker-causing fungus on woody hosts in Iran and globally. The ability of S. gracilipes to infect both fruit and ornamental trees, coupled with its cross-host infectivity, poses a potential risk to mixed cropping systems and natural ecosystems.

Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis is a rare fungal infection caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, increasingly recognized as an intestinal pathogen in children. Its clinical features closely mimic malignancy or inflammatory bowel disease, leading to frequent diagnostic delays. Although endemic in regions such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Oman, sporadic cases occur worldwide. Amphotericin B-liposomal remains a cornerstone therapy for invasive fungal disease, but no standardized treatment protocol for pediatric gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis has been established. We report a 6-year-old Asian girl, born preterm with very low birth weight, who presented with persistent abdominal pain without organomegaly, alternating diarrhea and constipation, fever, and anorexia. Initial ultrasonography revealed colonic wall thickening with aneurysmal dilation at the splenic flexure. Colon biopsy confirmed Basidiobolus ranarum. The patient received intravenous liposomal amphotericin B (90 mg daily), with partial radiologic improvement but persistent symptoms, prompting exploratory laparotomy. Adhesiolysis, left hemicolectomy, and resection of jejunal and colonic masses were performed. Histopathology demonstrated dense eosinophil-rich granulomatous inflammation with multinucleated giant cells and a solitary fungal hypha, without classic Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon, likely due to prior antifungal therapy. Postoperatively, the patient was discharged on oral itraconazole for 28 days with adjunctive cotrimoxazole. At 1-year follow-up, she remained asymptomatic with no evidence of recurrence. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of pediatric gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis and demonstrates successful management with liposomal amphotericin B followed by itraconazole. It underscores the ongoing gap in establishing standardized treatment and supports further prospective studies to define optimal antifungal and surgical strategies for this rare entity.

Pyrisoxazole (SYP) is widely used in the control of fungal diseases in crops, but its photochemical transformation mechanisms in the environment and the ecological risks of its degradation products remain unclear. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) were employed to systematically investigate the photochemical transformation mechanism of SYP. The study compares direct photolysis with the indirect photolysis pathway mediated by hydroxyl radicals (·OH), and found that indirect photodegradation is the main mechanism. The dominant reaction is the abstraction reaction, followed by a series of transformations such as hydroxylation, demethylation, and ring cleavage to complete the transformation. The simulation half-life, calculated using rate constants, was 18.34h, which is in good agreement with experimental data. Toxicity assessment shows that SYP is very toxic or toxic to aquatic organisms, accompanied by developmental toxicity and mutagenicity. After photodegradation, the acute toxicity of most products decreased to a not harmful level, the chronic toxicity of all products was reduced, and the mutagenicity turned negative, with only some retaining developmental toxicity. This suggests that the photodegradation process of SYP can effectively reduce its long-term ecological hazards. The results provide a theoretical basis for scientifically assessing the environmental behavior and ecological risks of SYP.

This study presents a microemulsion-based biopesticide formulation incorporating Garcinia mangostana L. (mangosteen) peel extract for the control of fruit rot diseases caused by fungal pathogens. Mangosteen peel is rich in bioactive compounds such as xanthones and flavonoids, which exhibit potent antifungal properties. The microemulsion is prepared using a phase inversion composition (PIC) method, incorporating virgin coconut oil (VCO) as the oil phase and Tween 80 as the surfactant, resulting in a stable and homogenous oil-in-water system. The optimized formulation consisted of 0.20% (w/w) mangosteen peel crude extract, 4.80% VCO, 5.00% Tween 80, 1% α-tocopherol, and distilled water to complete 100% (w/w) of the composition. The formulation exhibited significant antifungal activity both in vitro and in vivo against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium proliferatum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, pathogens responsible for fruit rot in crops such as banana, tomato, and mango. The microemulsion, ME80% effectively inhibited fungal growth, spore germination, and significantly reduced disease severity in treated fruits. The enhanced antifungal efficacy is attributed to the synergistic action of phytochemicals present in the extract, highlighting the potential of this formulation as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative for fruit rot disease management.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat emerging through microbe adaptation, driven by genetic variation, genome plasticity or epigenetic processes. In this study, we investigated how the Mucor circinelloides species complex adapts to the antifungal natural product FK506, which binds to FKBP12 and inhibits calcineurin-dependent hyphal growth. In Mucor bainieri, most FK506-resistant isolates (90%) were found to be unstable and transient, readily reverting to being drug sensitive when passaged without drug, and with no associated DNA mutations. In half of the isolates (50%), FK506-resistance was conferred by RNAi-dependent epimutation in which small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) silenced the fkbA encoding FKBP12 post-transcriptionally. In contrast, most of the remaining FK506-resistant isolates (40%) were found to have undergone heterochromatin-mediated silencing via H3K9 dimethylation, transcriptionally repressing fkbA and neighboring genes. In these heterochromatic epimutants, only minimal enrichment of siRNA to the fkbA locus was observed, but in three of the four examples, siRNA was significantly enriched at a locus distant from fkbA. A similar mechanism operates in Mucor atramentarius, where FK506 resistance was mediated by ectopic heterochromatin silencing of fkbA and associated genes with siRNA spreading across the region. Heterochromatin-mediated fkbA epimutants exhibited stability during in vivo infection, suggesting epimutation could impact pathogenesis. These findings reveal that antifungal resistance arising through distinct, transient epimutation pathways involving RNAi or heterochromatin, highlighting adaptive AMR strategies employed by ubiquitous eukaryotic microbes.

This study investigates the spatiotemporal distribution, diversity, and biocontrol potential of culturable endophytic fungi in the healthy roots of cultivated and wild Astragalus mongholicus (CA and WA), aiming to develop a microbiome-driven strategy for sustainable root rot management. A total of 304 endophytic fungal strains were isolated from roots of CA and WA, with 61 morphologically distinct representative strains identified via ITS sequencing. These strains belonged predominantly to Ascomycota (98.36%) and included 21 genera, with Fusarium (43.28%), Paraphoma (25.25%), and Alternaria (12.46%) as dominant genera. WA exhibited higher fungal diversity and evenness than CA, with community composition varying significantly by host age and cultivation status. Among the isolates, 177 strains (53 genera) showed antagonistic activity (≥ 30% inhibition rate) against root rot pathogens (F. acuminatum, F. solani, and F. oxysporum). Notably, Penicillium chrysogenum CA4-3 exhibited 78.96% inhibition against F. solani, while Paraphoma radicina CA3-15 displayed 70.23% inhibition against F. oxysporum. Bioactive strains were concentrated in 2 to 4-year-old CA roots, with Fusarium, Paraphoma, and Alternaria being the primary contributors. Mechanistic studies revealed that these fungi inhibited pathogens via secreted metabolites (causing mycelial deformation) or niche competition. The composition of endophytic fungi in A. mongholicus roots is dynamic and influenced by host development and cultivation practices. The antifungal active strain P. chrysogenum CA4-3 and P. radicina CA3-15 may possess potential value in controlling pathogenic fungi.

Microbial heterogeneity-mediated treatment evasion and the potential for engineered live biotherapeutic products.

Piper tuberculatum Jacq. essential oil and its impact on the control of Candida spp. and Pichia kudriavzevii: increased efficacy of fluconazole and inhibition of virulence.

Observations on morphological, physiological, and behavioural changes induced by protozoan infections in certain storage insect pests.

Endofungal bacteria: Emerging paradigms and future directions.

The insect pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana excretes a novel effector essential for fungal colonization within the hosts.

Pocket-based lead optimization strategy for the design of laccase inhibitors as potential antifungal agents.

Corrigendum to "Antifungal activity and mechanisms of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus as potential biocontrol agents against pathogenic fungi in peanuts and corn" [Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 216 (2025) 106760

Pipeline sediments and secondary water supply tanks as dominant reservoirs of microbiological risk in drinking water distribution systems.

Accurate detection of rice blast using UAV hyperspectral red-edge bands and deep learning method based on cross-attention.

Harnessing rhizosphere bacteria for fungal disease management inPaeonia lactiflora.

Antagonistic microbiota drive soil suppressiveness against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a widespread soil-borne fungal plant pathogen

Fengycin-producing Bacillus subtilis alleviate strawberry fusarium wilt disease by activating microbial community structure.

Prevalent fungal pathogens and antifungal resistance in Lebanon: A scoping review.

Oxidative stress and antioxidant responses in Galleria mellonella following Candida albicans infection.