Identification of locally isolated entomopathogenic Fusarium species from the soil of Changa Manga Forest, Pakistan and evaluation of their larvicidal efficacy against Aedes aegypti

Dengue fever vectored by the mosquito Aedes aegypti is one of the most rapidly spreading insect-borne diseases. Current reliance of dengue vector control is mostly on chemical insecticides. Growing insecticide resistance in the primary mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti, limits the effectiveness of vector control through chemical insecticides. These chemical insecticides also have negative environmental impacts on animals, plants and human health. Myco-biocontrol agents are naturally occurring organisms and are found to be less damaging to the environment as compared to chemical insecticides. In the present study, entomopathogenic potential of local strains of fungi isolated from soil was assessed for the control of dengue vector. Local fungal isolates presents better alternative to introducing a foreign biocontrol strain, as they may be better adapted to environmental conditions of the area to survive and may have more entomopathogenic efficacy against target organism. Larvicidal efficacy of Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium proliferatum was evaluated against Aedes aegypti. Local strains of F. equiseti (MK371718) and F. proliferatum (MK371715) were isolated from the soil of Changa Manga Forest, Pakistan by using insect bait method. Larvicidal activity of two Fusarium spp. was tested against forth instar larvae of A. aegypti in the laboratory, using concentrations 105, 106, 107 and 108 conidia /ml. LC50 values for F. equiseti after 24h, 48h, 72h and 96h of exposure were recorded as 3.8x 108, 2.9x107, 2.0x107, and 7.1x106 conidia /ml respectively while LC50 values for F. proliferatum were recorded as 1.21x108, 9.6x107, 4.2x107, 2.6x107 conidia /ml respectively after 24h, 48h, 72h and 96h of exposure. The results indicate that among two fungal strains F. equiseti was found to be more effective in terms of its larvicidal activity than F. proliferatum against larvae of A. aegypti.

Pengaruh Pemberian Ekstrak Fusarium equiseti terhadap Hewan Mus musculus dengan Pendedahan Akut Melalui Subkutan

Fungi dari genus Fusarium menghasilkan termasuk tricothecene yang merupakan jenis mycotoxin berbahaya karena sifatnya yang mampu menembus kulit hewan dan masuk ke dalam sistem tubuh (Miller, 2003). Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian ekstrak Fusarium equiseti yang diberikan secara akut melalui subkutan pada hewan mencit selama 48 jam pertama. Dalam percobaan ini digunakan dua puluh ekor mencit jantan strain SW sebagai hewan model dari toksisitas suatu senyawa pada manusia. Ekstrak Fusarium didedahkan kepada mencit secara subkutan. Setiap mencit diamati pada 1 jam, 2 jam, 4 jam, 8 jam, 12 jam, 24 jam, dan 48 jam setelah perlakuan. Pada setiap jam tersebut, diamati parameter dan kematian yang terjadi. Parameter yang diamati antara lain adalah diam, kejang-kejang, kehilangan koordinasi, menjulurkan lidah, dan feses yang cair. Setiap mencit yang mati selanjutnya ditimbang berat badannya dan dibedah dengan menggunakan alat bedah untuk ditimbang berat organ hati dan limfanya. Pemberian ekstrak Fusarium pada mencit yang diberikan secara akut melalui subkutan menyebabkan munculnya ketidakaktifan, kejang-kejang, kehilangan koordinasi, menjulurkan lidah, dan feses cair yang frekuensi terjadinya meningkat sesuai dengan konsentrasi perlakuan yang diberikan, hingga kematian. Selain itu, massa organ hati dan limfa relatif terhadap berat badan meningkat sesuai dengan konsentrasi perlakuan yang diberikan.

Isolation and Identification of Dermatophytes from Collegiate Runners

Competitive runners experience various risk factors that render them more susceptible to superficial cutaneous fungal infections, including the use of occlusive footwear, shared locker rooms, submission of feet to constant maceration, trauma, sweating, and having depressed immune function. The goal of this work was to assess the prevalence of athlete’s foot fungi in cross country runners at St. John Fisher College. Toe webs of 16 collegiate runners were sampled and volunteers surveyed about their shoe habits, foot hygiene, and average miles run per week. Lack of tinea pedis-causing fungi in asymptomatic cross- country runners shifted the study to investigate the identities of fungi morphologically similar to athlete’s foot and look for correlations with volunteers’ running habits and hygiene. Thirty-five distinct fungal cultures were isolated and compared to a known Trichophyton rubrum strain both microscopically and macroscopically. Four samples were preliminarily identified as tinea pedis-causing fungi and sequenced to confirm molecular identification. Fungal DNA was isolated, purified, and PCR amplified using primers for the internal transcribed spacer region, D1/D2 region of the 28S subunit, and β-Tubulin gene. Three of the four isolates were identified as Fusarium equiseti, a soil-borne plant pathogen with rare human pathogenicity reported. The fourth isolate was Beauveria bassiana, a common soil-borne pathogen that can infect immunocompromised individuals. Correct dermatophytic identification and understanding of the interplay between species is important to provide correct treatment, prevent spread among athletes and within facilities, and determine how opportunistic pathogens might play a role in people with immune suppressed function, which includes runners.

Draft Genome Sequence of Fusarium equiseti K3, a Fungal Species Isolated from Hexachlorocyclohexane-Contaminated Soil

We present the draft genome sequence of Fusarium equiseti strain K3, a fungus isolated from a hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-contaminated soil (Kitengela, Kenya). The 37.88-Mb draft genome sequence consists of 206 contigs, 12,311 predicted protein-coding sequences, and 261 tRNA sequences.

Disease Severity, Resistance Analysis, and Expression Profiling of Pathogenesis-Related Protein Genes after the Inoculation of Fusarium equiseti in Wheat

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is an important cereal crop, grown throughout the temperate and in some tropical and sub-tropical zones, at higher elevations. Several biotic and abiotic factors influence the production of wheat. In the present study, two wheat varieties have been subjected to disease severity and resistance analysis against Fusarium equiseti. Disease severity analysis revealed Shafaq-2006 to be more resistant than Sahar-2006. Both varieties were further subjected to the expression analysis of six important defense-related genes by RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. This analysis revealed that PR-1, TLP, Chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase genes were highly expressed in Shafaq-2006 and possibly play a significant role in its defense mechanism. In addition, biochemical and physiochemical parameters were also studied to further explore the difference between resistant and susceptible varieties. With total proline and protein contents, sugar and chlorophyll contents also increased significantly in resistant variety. Likewise, higher relative water content, total plant length, and the high root–shoot ratio was observed in resistant plants, compared to susceptible wheat plants. These increases in chemical and physiological parameters might be related to the activation of the defense mechanism due to the higher expression of PR genes in the resistant wheat variety. These genes can further be employed for cloning into wheat and other transgenic crops to develop resistance against F. equiseti.

Suppression Application of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles for Wilt-Inducing Fusarium Equiseti in Wheat

The full text of this preprint has been withdrawn by the authors due to author disagreement with the posting of the preprint. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as a reference. Questions should be directed to the corresponding author.

Effect of fungal endophytes on plant growth and nutrient uptake in Trifolium subterraneum and Poa pratensis as affected by plant host specificity

The introduction of well-adapted species, such as Trifolium subterraneum (subclover) and Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass), might enhance the forage yield and quality of dehesa pastures for feeding livestock. However, the climatic hardness and poor soils in these agrosystems may limit plant establishment and development. Since fungal endophytes have been found to alleviate the environmental stresses of their host, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of five isolates on forage yield, nutritive value, and plant mineral uptake after their inoculation in the two abovementioned plant species. Two experiments were established (under greenhouse and field conditions) using plants inoculated with two isolates in 2012/2013 (Epicoccum nigrum, Sporormiella intermedia) and three isolates in 2013/2014 (Mucor hiemalis, Fusarium equiseti, Byssochlamys spectabilis). Fusarium equiseti (E346) increased the herbage yield of T. subterraneum under greenhouse conditions, and B. spectabilis improved the forage quality of T. subterraneum by reducing fiber content and of P. pratensis by increasing crude protein. S. intermedia increased the mineral uptake of Ca, Cu, Mn, Pb, Tl, and Zn in subclover, and M. hiemalis increased the uptake of K and Sr in Kentucky bluegrass. These results evidence the potential of the studied fungal endophytes to enhance herbage yield and nutritional value of forage, although further studies should include all of the target forage species as certain host specificity in the effect was observed.

Capacidad de infección de hongos asociados a la pudrición seca de los tubérculos de ñame

Dry rot of tubers is one of the most devastating diseases in yam production (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The disease attacks tubers, causing production losses during cultivation. In previous experiments, 11 fungal morphotypes were isolated and associated with this disease in yam crops in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The present investigation was carried out under greenhouse conditions to determine the infection capacity of these 11 possible causative agents, in 150-day-old plants of two yam genetic materials (0307-49SB y 0307-50CB). The results indicated that morphotypes DH2 (Lasiodiplodia theobromae), DH11 (Curvularia aeria), DH20 (Aspergillus niger), and DH17 (Fusarium equiseti), showed the highest infection capacity to yam tubers, regardless of the genetic material. Therefore, they were considered as the main causal agents of the disease in the Caribbean region of Colombia. The remaining seven (7) morphotypes, despite having been inoculated in the roots of the plants, showed minor effects on tubers and affected other organs of the plant, especially stems and aerial part of yam plant. This study allows concentrating the research on these four morphotypes to develop crop management strategies that might allow reducing the incidence of this disease in the Caribbean region of Colombia.

STUDY ON EFFECT OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS ON GROWTH OF FUSARIUM EQUISETI (MTCC9658)

The microorganisms like fungi proliferate in different environmental and ecological conditions depending upon the availability of nutrients and the form of nutrient that they absorb. In addition to this the physical conditions like temperature, pH, salinity and light etc. also effect the growth and biomass production of fungal species. The present study was carried out to determine the effect of variation in physical and chemical parameters on growth and biomass production of the fungal strain Fusarium equiseti (MTCC9658). A maximum biomass yield of 12.24 g/L at pH 5 and temperature of 30ºC was recorded; and minimum of 5.21 g/L at pH 9 and temperature of 25ºC.The observations clearly indicate that pH 9 and above did not support higher biomass production at any of the temperatures,while pH 5 to pH 6 supports higher dry biomass production in all temperature ranges applied.The different carbon and nitrogen sources used in the medium corresponded to variation in growth of the strain. Dextrose in combination with Yeast extract as nitrogen source was best for biomass production.