Fusarium diseases, including corn root rot, sheath rot, stalk rot, and ear rot are frequently occurring in maize producing areas of China. Fusarium stalk rot and ear rot are the most serious diseases and often occur at the same time, but it is unclear whether there is a correlation between Fusarium composition and disease occurrence. This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between the two diseases. A total of 49 corn stalk rot samples were collected from 15 regions of eight provinces in China from 2016 to 2018. The pathogens were isolated and identified separately from stalks, ear stems, and kernels. The contents of the fumonisins (FB₁ and FB₂) were detected in kernels. The results showed that the main Fusarium species were found in corn kernels, ear stems and stalks at the same time. The results showed that 1201 strains of Fusarium verticillioides, 668 strains of Fusarium oxysporum, 574 strains of Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC), 318 strains of Fusarium equiseti, 95 strains of Fusarium proliferatum, and 40 strains of Fusarium subglutinans were isolated from 1470 corn kernels, 245 ear stems, and 1225 stalks randomly selected from 49 samples. The contamination rate of fumonisins in the 49 samples was 57.1% with an average content of 1.9 μg/g, of which four samples exhibited higher levels as set by the European Commission (4.0 μg/g). These results provide a certain association between stalk rot and ear rot and lay a foundation to study the relationships among Fusarium maize diseases.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs approximately 20–24 nucleotides in length, which play a crucial role during gene regulation in plant–pathogen interaction. They negatively regulate the expression of target genes, primarily at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level, through complementary base pairing with target gene sequences. Recent studies reveal that during pathogen infection, miRNAs produced by plants and miRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) produced by fungi can regulate the expression of endogenous genes in their respective organisms and undergo trans-kingdom transfer. They can thereby negatively regulate the expression of target genes in recipient cells. These findings provide novel perspectives for deepening our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying plant–pathogen interactions. Here, we summarize and discuss the roles of miRNAs and milRNAs in mediating plant–pathogen interactions via multiple pathways, providing new insights into the functions of these RNAs and their modes of action. Collectively, these insights lay a theoretical foundation for the targeted management of crop diseases.

Echeveria desmetiana De Smet is an indoor ornamental succulent plant that belongs to the Crassulaceae. Cultivation of succulent plants is popular in China and has considerable market value. In June...

Portulaca molokiniensis, known also as Ihi, is a succulent plant endemic to Hawaii. This plant is federally listed as an endangered species in Hawaii. In China, it is planted as a landscape plant. In 2017, 3 samples of P. molokiniensis were collected from a flower production field in Hebei, China which displayed dead branches, and root and stem rot. The roots and stems of the sampled plants were sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s and 0.1% HgCl2 for 1 min, after which the samples were washed three times in sterile distilled water and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA). After three or four days, four isolates were purified by single-spore technique and re-cultured on PDA in dark at 25oC. The initial color of the colony was white, and turned pale violet after being cultured on PDA 5-7 days. Macroconidia were formed in CLA, which were almost straight, thin-walled and usually 3-septate. Microconidia were typically 0-septate, oval, elliptical or reniform (kidney-shaped), and formed abundantly in false heads...