Plant pathogenic fungi

Amphotericin B, is a polyene antibiotic, used in the therapy of systemic fungal infections. Its mode of action exploits differences in membrane composition between the pathogen and the human host. Ergosterol, the predominant sterol of fungi, plants, and some protozoan parasites, interacts with Amphotericin B, resulting in an increased ion permeability of the membrane. Humans contain cholesterol, which has a low affinity for amphotericin B. 

Group 2 includes some 80 sesquiterpene trichothecenes, which are particularly associated with fungi belonging to the group Fusarium. Fusarium species are widely known both as plant pathogens and contaminants of stored foods snch as maize. Trichothecenes are strong inhibitors of protein synthesis in mammalian cells. There have been many incidents of poisoning of farm animals cansed by contamination of their food by these componnds. 

M. A. L. Oedjijono and C. Dragar, Lsolation of bacteria antagonistic to a range of plant pathogenic fungi. Soil Biol. Biochem. 25 247 (1993). 

A number of plant pathogens, fungi, and bacteria are known to... 

Endo-D-galacturonanases and exo-D-galacturonanases are produced by most plant pathogens, such saprophytic fungi as As-... 

Dehne HW (1982) Interactions between vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plant pathogens. Phytopathology 72 1115-1119... 

Rice plant pathogenic fungi -Ustilaginoidea virens... 

Plant pathogenic fungi -Fusarium pallidoroseum Marine fungi - Microsporum cf. gypseum... 

Rice plant pathogenic fungi Ustilaginoidea Virens... 

Plant defensins have a range of biological activities and target a wide range of plant pests, including fungi, bacteria, and insects. Additionally, their modes of action are more diverse than those observed for thionins. Plant defensin expression is often induced upon infection with plant pathogens. ... 

Furanocoumarins from Ruta graveolens possess antifungal activity to several plant pathogenic fungi. 7-Hydroxycoumarin, 4-hydroxycoumarin, and 7-methoxycoumarin were active against Colletotrichum species that cause Anthracnose disease of strawberry. 

Several roles of endophytic fungi for the host plant have been postulated. These include acting to increase access to mineral nutrients (a mycorrhizal function), to increase access to organic soil N, P and C, to increase drought and stress tolerance, to improve water uptake, protection from herbivory (mammals, insects), and for protection from plant pathogenic fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and other parasites. We should not be surprised that endophytic fungi are such common plant symbioses. 

It is obvious that synthetic pesticides are important in controlling weeds and plant-pathogenic fungi, but in judging the efficacy of a method, it is essential to assess its nontarget toxicity, including health and environmental hazards. The literature abounds with reports that synthetic pesticides affect nontarget plants, their consumers and the environment (2). Thus, plant protection needs... 

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