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phytofrontiers.bsky.social
PhytoFrontiers™
@phytofrontiers.bsky.social
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An interdisciplinary open-access journal publishing high-quality research covering basic to applied aspects of plant health. Published by The American Phytopathological Society.
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phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Eric Branch et al. evaluated bacteria and fungi in the #rhizosphere and #phyllosphere microbiomes and identify the core taxa of table beet. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-03-25-0022-R
FIGURE 4 Bacteria in the A, rhizosphere and B, leaf epiphyte microbiomes of table beet from samples collected in New York in 2021 and 2022. The heat trees depict community composition of taxa detected in at least 90% of samples for each sample type. Node size and color indicate the percentage of total reads and the total number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) assigned to each node. Stars indicate taxa with higher abundance compared with bulk soil communities.
February 11, 2026 at 7:13 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Wilson C. Clark et al. report the first infectious clones of a U.S. isolate of #cotton leafroll dwarf virus and provide new knowledge about the biology of #poleroviruses. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-11-24-0122-R
FIGURE 3 Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence microscopy. Comparison of Free GFP, P3-GFP, P3-5-GFP, and CLRDV-M-GFP under fluorescence microscopy in infiltrated cotton cotyledons. The first column in each panel shows the GFP fluorescence, and the second column is the brightfield-GFP overlay.
February 5, 2026 at 9:29 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
“Fungal Community Profiling and Pathogen Detection in Conifer Seed Lots: Benchmarking Oxford Nanopore DNA Metabarcoding Against Conventional Methods,” by Nicolas Feau et al. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-02-25-0017-R
FIGURE 4 Number of Pseudotsuga menziesii and Picea engelmannii × glauca seed lots tested positive for Fusarium spp. based on three subsamples of 100 seeds per lot analyzed with the Fusarium genus real-time PCR assay. The names of the seed lots identified as positive for Fusarium spp. with this assay are indicated above or within the bars.
February 3, 2026 at 4:48 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Introducing a new article type in PhytoFrontiers: Protocol papers detail in-depth, reproducible methods relevant to plant health. Learn more about submitting a protocol paper (scroll to the bottom for more information): https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/page/phytofr/about
PhytoFrontiers Protocols
February 2, 2026 at 4:52 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Vishwesh Dayal, Caleb Paslay, and Akhtar Ali present the first report, detection, and phylogenetic analysis of bell pepper #endornavirus isolates infecting pepper in Oklahoma: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-03-25-0026-R 🫑
FIGURE 1 Analysis of the reverse transcription PCR products (expected size 606 bp) using 1% agarose gel electrophoresis. Lane 1 contains the DNA ladder, Lane 2 the positive control (F330 isolate), Lane 3 water only, Lane 5 sample F161, Lane 6 sample F163, and Lane 7 sample F165. The remaining samples in Lanes 4, 7, and 9–12 did not produce the expected bands and were virus negative.
January 27, 2026 at 4:48 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Wide adoption of HTS-based diagnostics faces several hurdles. Peter Abrahamian et al. validated a library preparation protocol for plant virus and viroid detection in three woody plant groups across three U.S.-based laboratories: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-03-25-0025-R
FIGURE 1 High-throughput sequencing of apple petiole, grape cane, and grape petiole panels. Each data point represents the number of reads generated from each sample for each virus from each laboratory. Each sample has three points. The y axis is log-transformed.
January 20, 2026 at 4:53 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Research from Matthew Brown et al. found that plipastatins have potential as a preventive product to protect crop species against diverse genotypes of pathogenic #agrobacteria. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-05-25-0047-R
FIGURE 2 Three Z strains inhibit growth in cultures of agrobacteria.
January 14, 2026 at 7:12 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Emily M. Roggenkamp et al. provide an initial survey of maize responses to #Phyllachora maydis and identifies candidate genes that may be important in host–pathogen interactions. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-12-24-0136-R
FIGURE 1 RNA sampling schematic. B73 maize plants were grown for 30 days in the greenhouse courtyard. Treated plants were exposed in a Phyllachora maydis-infested field for 10 days and brought back to develop tar spot. Nontreated plants remained in the greenhouse courtyard to serve as the non-exposed treatment. Exposed plants were sampled at 10 days post-exposure (dpe) and 24 dpe. Non-exposed plants were similarly sampled at 10 and 24 days. Images showing symptoms sampled on leaves at 10 and 24 dpe. nonexp, non-exposed. Illustration created using BioRender.
January 8, 2026 at 9:32 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Meeting Review: “Highlights from the II Agricultural Science Symposium, Honduras, 2024,” by Cesar Escalante et al.: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-05-25-0048-MRVW
FIGURE 1 C and D, the facilities of Campo Limpio–Revap and E and F, field research plots of the National University of Agriculture–Camayagua Campus.
January 6, 2026 at 5:12 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
“In Planta Transposon Sequencing for Virulence Gene Identification in Xylella fastidiosa,” by Lindsey Burbank et al. Read the article in Volume 5, Number 3 of PhytoFrontiers: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-10-24-0111-R
FIGURE 1 Predicted essential genes under different growth conditions. Number of predicted essential genes after bacterial propagation in grapevine, almond, or culture medium (PD3). Genes listed are predicted as “essential” in all replicates of the specified treatment but not under the other conditions. Genes were categorized based on functional predictions from the reference genome annotation.
December 31, 2025 at 6:54 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Previously, cacao mild mosaic virus (CaMMV) was reported only on cacao. Alina S. Puig et al. found CaMMV strains on non-cacao hosts that shared a high identity with cacao-infecting strains, suggesting recent movement between cacao and other species. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-10-24-0108-R
FIGURE 2 A, Samples from cacao (Theobroma cacao) with an abnormally small pod, as is sometimes seen in plants infected with Cacao mild mosaic virus. B, Leaves of mallow (Pavonia sp.) with mosaic symptoms characteristic of virus infection. C, Virus-like symptoms on durian (Durio sp.).
December 29, 2025 at 6:11 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Fluopyram is a seed treatment used for sudden death syndrome management in soybean. Nabin K. Dangal et al. found that that nanofertilizers and nitrogen fertilizers may enhance the performance of fluopyram. 🫛 Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-25-0005-R
Addition of Nanofertilizers and Nitrogen Fertilizer in Combination with Fluopyram Helps in SDS Management and Protecting Yield in Soybean | PhytoFrontiers™
Sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused primarily by Fusarium virguliforme, can result in significant yield losses in soybean in the United States. Fluopyram is a seed treatment used for SDS management; however, its efficacy is not consistent. Little is kno...
doi.org
December 26, 2025 at 7:13 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
“Effect of Fungicide Application Timing on Gray Leaf Spot and Tar Spot Disease Severity, Standability, and Yield of Corn in Iowa,” by Cody J. Schneider, Rashelle L. Matthiesen, and Alison E. Robertson. 🌽 Read the article in Volume 5, Number 3 of PhytoFrontiers: https://bit.ly/4myfSXW
Effect of Fungicide Application Timing on Gray Leaf Spot and Tar Spot Disease Severity, Standability, and Yield of Corn in Iowa | PhytoFrontiers™
Foliar diseases such as gray leaf spot (GLS) and tar spot negatively affect corn yields when improperly managed. Field trials done in Iowa from 2021 to 2023 compared the effect of one fungicide application at each of four corn growth stages (V6, V12, R1...
doi.org
December 22, 2025 at 4:45 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
The relationship between scion physiology and leaf microbiome is largely unexplored. Glodia Kgobe et al. explored the influence of rootstock genotype on the scion berry and leaf mycobiome, nutrient content, and physiological activities: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-09-24-0098-R
FIGURE 1 Average monthly temperature and rainfall observed during the 2020 growing season. Data gathered from an automatic weather station.
December 18, 2025 at 9:07 PM
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Warren E. Copes, Quentin D. Read, and Barbara J. Smith evaluated the effectiveness of disinfectants against Colletotrichum siamense on 6 common surfaces found in ornamental plant production systems. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-12-24-0131-R
FIGURE 1 Estimated posterior mean number of germinated Colletotrichum siamense conidia (solid black points) and the 66 and 95% credible intervals (CI; blue shaded bars) out of a mean of 150,000 treated conidia sprayed with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid at a surface coverage density of 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60% on a black plastic sheet surface (Study 7). Observed data are plotted as semi-transparent points. CFU, colony forming unit.
December 16, 2025 at 5:12 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Results from Odile Carisse and Hervé Van Der Heyden showed that by using integrated Botrytis bunch rot management, it is possible to maintain the disease below 5% without synthetic fungicides or with a reduced number of applications: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-12-24-0139-R
FIGURE 1 Severity of Botrytis bunch rot (BBR) at harvest in plots where BBR has been managed using biofungicides and synthetic fungicides. BBR management products were Reynoutria sachalinensis extract (Regalia Maxx), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (strain D747; Double Nickel 55), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (strain MBI 600; Serifel), Aureobasidium pullulans (strains DSM 14940 and DSM 14941; Botector), synthetic fungicides (positive control), and no BBR control product applied (negative control). Values of bars are the mean of 192 observations (two years × three sites × eight plants per replicate × two shoots per plant × two clusters per shoot). Bars with the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level based on a Tukey test.
December 10, 2025 at 8:07 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
“Development of a Greenhouse Screen for the Identification of Potato Mop-Top Virus and Spongospora subterranea Resistance in Solanum tuberosum,” by Kylie D. Swisher Grimm et al. Read the article in Volume 5, Number 3 of PhytoFrontiers: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-11-24-0127-R
FIGURE 1 Galling (red arrows) and necrotic lesions (yellow arrows) were seen on roots of all cultivars screened in this trial, including A, Alturas; B, Russet Norkotah; and C, Clearwater Russet. D, The use of conetainers for screening a high number of plants simultaneously in the greenhouse was validated in this study.
December 4, 2025 at 9:30 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Mark S. Rea et al. conducted field studies at a research orchard in central New York and a commercial orchard in eastern New York to investigate the effectiveness of TiO2 nanoparticle application for treating fire blight in apples. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-12-24-0135-R
FIGURE 4 Appearance of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs; 2,500 ppm) on leaves A, immediately after application; B, 3 days after application; and C, 6 days after application. Images were captured following periods of light rain and morning dew.
December 2, 2025 at 4:53 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Douglas-fir is one of the most economically important softwood trees grown worldwide. Hailey R. Graham et al. studied Douglas-fir endophyte extracts to direct future investigations profiling their biologically active natural products: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-07-24-0085-R 🌲
FIGURE 1 Swiss needle cast in British Columbia, Canada. Top three photos of Douglas-fir trees showing classical symptoms of Swiss needle cast: low needle retention and chlorosis. Middle photo shows 11 needles showing varying chlorosis and stomata occluded by pseudothecia. Bottom photo shows close-up of stomata occluded by pseudothecia.
November 26, 2025 at 8:09 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
“Establishment of Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars and Suppression of Phytophthora Root Rot Using Cover Crop and Soil Amendment Treatments,” by Barbara J. Smith, Eric T. Stafne, and Quentin D. Read: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-09-24-0096-R
FIGURE 1 Time trends of A, pH and B, electrical conductivity (EC, mS/cm) values of soil collected from six soil amendment treatments at seven dates.
November 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Adrian I. Zuniga et al. found that thermotherapy reduced the Neopestalotiopsis sp. inoculum and could be integrated into disease management programs to reduce cryptic infections in strawberry transplants for commercial production: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-08-24-0090-R
FIGURE 2 Standard area diagram set to assess severity of Pestalotia leaf spot of strawberry caused by Neopestalotiopsis sp. The numbers below each picture represent the actual percentage of leaflet area showing symptoms.
November 18, 2025 at 5:09 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
The infection process of Macrophomina phaseolina has not been studied on strawberry. Lindsey Pedroncelli, Peter M. Henry, and Alexander I. Putman explored if and where M. phaseolina can colonize strawberry plant tissues within 1 month of inoculation: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-02-25-0016-R
FIGURE 1 Colonization of strawberry roots by Macrophomina phaseolina as influenced by inoculation location across four experimental greenhouse trials. Data points represent the total number of colonies observed for each of five replicate plant samples across seven Petri dishes per plant. Means are presented as horizontal red bars. Within each trial and treatment, time points associated with the same letter are not significantly different according to Tukey's honestly significant difference test at P ≤ 0.05. Lack of letters indicates that the effect of time point was not significant for that treatment slice. To display all data points on the log10 scale, 0.1 was added to all values.
November 12, 2025 at 7:46 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Sara Pereira Menezes Reis et al. developed species-specific primers for biomonitoring frosty pod rot of #cacao. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-03-24-0032-R
FIGURE 1 Pipeline for obtaining species-specific sequences to Moniliophthora roreri (Mr). 1Genome MrNCBI of 57 Mb (Ecuador Mr-NCBI, ID 10809). 2 Other M. perniciosa (Mp) genomes: MpTc1441, MpSl178 (from CEPLAC/CEPEC-Bahia, Brazil), MpTc4145, and MpTcE404, INIAP/Ecuador. Cc, Ceratocystis cacaofunesta; Cr, Clonostachys rosea; Fs, Fusarium spp.; La, Lasiodiplodia spp.; Phyto, Phytophthora spp.; and Tc, Trichoderma spp.
November 6, 2025 at 9:29 PM
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“In Vitro Assays Suggest Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death Fungi Can Colonize Metrosideros polymorpha Fine Roots,” by Dylan Hyun et al. Read the article in Volume 5, Number 3 of PhytoFrontiers: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-25-0008-SC
FIGURE 1 Growth of Ceratocystis fungal fruiting bodies (perithecia) on fine roots of Metrosideros polymorpha after artificial inoculation. Fine roots supporting the growth of mycelia and perithecia
November 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM
phytofrontiers.bsky.social
Using tomato as a model, Salomé Lengrand et al. designed a novel culture system to study the seed-borne endophytic bacterial community from seed to seedling, investigating its colonization and impact on plant health. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTOFR-01-25-0004-R
FIGURE 8 Confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis showing Pseudomonas protegens
October 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM