Verticillium wilt (VW) is a destructive disease in cotton caused by Verticillium dahliae and has a significant impact on yield and quality. In the absence of safe and effective chemical control, VW is difficult to manage. Thus, at present, developing resistant varieties is the most economical and effective method of controlling Verticillium wilt of cotton. The CC-NBS-LRR (CNL) gene family is an important class of plant genes involved in disease resistance. This study identified 141 GbCNLs in Gossypium barbadense genome, with 37.5% (53 genes) GbCNLs enriched in 12 gene clusters (GC01–GC12) based on gene distribution in the chromosomes. Especially, seven GbCNLs from two largest clusters (GC11 and GC12) were significantly upregulated in the resistant cultivar (Hai No. 7124) and the susceptible (Giza No. 57). Virus-induced gene silencing of GbCNL130 in G. barbadense, one typical gene in the gene cluster 12 (GC12), significantly altered the response to VW, compromising plant resistance to V. dahliae. In contrast, GbCNL130 overexpression significantly increased the resistance to VW in the wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana. Based on our research findings presented here, we conclude that GbCNL130 promotes resistance to VW by activating the salicylic acid (SA)-dependent defense response pathway resulting in strong accumulation of reactive oxygen species and upregulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes. In conclusion, our study resulted in the discovery of a new CNL resistance gene in cotton, GbCNL130, that confers resistance to VW across different hosts.

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a globally significant economic crop. However, its widely cultivated varieties are highly susceptible to white rot disease. To elucidate the mechanisms of resistance in grapevine against this disease, we utilized time-ordered gene co-expression network (TO-GCN) analysis to investigate the molecular responses in the grapevine varieties ‘Guifeimeigui’ (GF) and ‘Red Globe’ (RG). An assessment of their resistance demonstrated that GF is highly resistant to white rot, whereas RG is highly susceptible. We conducted transcriptome sequencing and a TO-GCN analysis on leaf samples from GF and RG at seven time points post-infection. Although a significant portion of the differentially expressed genes related to disease resistance were shared between GF and RG, the GF variety rapidly activated its defense mechanisms through the regulation of transcription factors during the early stages of infection. Notably, the gene VvLOX3, which is a key enzyme in the jasmonic acid biosynthetic pathway, was significantly upregulated in GF. Its upstream regulator, Vitvi08g01752, encoding a HD-ZIP family transcription factor, was identified through TO-GCN and yeast one-hybrid analyses. This study provides new molecular insights into the mechanisms of grapevine disease resistance and offers a foundation for breeding strategies aimed at enhancing resistance.

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia [L.] Planch.) belongs to the genus of Parthenocissus and Vitaceae family, which is very common in vineyards and where wild grape occurs (Bergh et al., ...

Most previously studies had considered that plant fungal disease spread widely and quickly by airborne fungi spore. However, little is known about the release dynamics, aerodynamic diameter, and pathogenicity threshold of fungi spore in air of the greenhouse environment. Grape gray mold is caused by Botrytis cinerea; the disease spreads in greenhouses by spores in the air and the spore attaches to the leaf and infects plant through the orifice. In this study, 120 μmol/L propidium monoazide (PMA) were suitable for treatment and quantitation viable spore by quantitative real-time PCR, with a limit detection of 8 spores/mL in spore suspension. In total, 93 strains of B. cinerea with high pathogenicity were isolated and identified from the air samples of grapevines greenhouses by a portable sampler. The particle size of B. cinerea aerosol ranged predominately from 0.65–3.3 μm, accounting for 71.77% of the total amount. The B. cinerea spore aerosols were infective to healthy grape plants, with the lowest concentration that could cause disease being 42 spores/m³. Botrytis cinerea spores collected form six greenhouse in Shandong Province were quantified by PMA-qPCR, with a higher concentration (1182.89 spores/m³) in May and June and a lower concentration in July and August (6.30 spores/m³). This study suggested that spore dispersal in aerosol is an important route for the epidemiology of plant fungal disease, and these data will contribute to the development of new strategies for the effective alleviation and control of plant diseases.

White rot, caused by Coniella vitis, is a devastating disease in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) that seriously affects yield and quality. Breeding resistant grapevine varieties is a highly economical, environmentally friendly, and effective strategy to protect against the disease; however, this strategy requires a comprehensive understanding of the genes and pathways related to resistance. In this study, we sequenced the transcriptome of V. vinifera L. cv. GF, a highly resistant variety, at six time points after C. vitis inoculation. A transcriptome analysis showed that the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway was activated in response to C. vitis. Transient silencing of the VvTGA8 gene in the cv. GF greatly increased susceptibility to C. vitis. Subcellular localization studies showed that the VvTGA8 gene is localized in the nucleus. Heterologous expression of VvTGA8 in Solanum lycopersicum improved resistance to C. vitis and increased levels of the SA signaling pathway marker genes SlPR1 and SlPR2 significantly. To explore the mechanism by which VvTGA8 mediates disease resistance, we silenced SlICS1, a key gene in the SA synthesis pathway, through virus-induced gene silencing to inhibit SA synthesis in a VvTGA8 overexpression line, resulting in significantly weakened resistance to C. vitis and decreased expression levels of SlPR1 and SlPR2. We conclude that VvTGA8 is involved in SA signaling pathway, which activates the expression of pathogenesis-related genes in the nucleus, thereby mediating resistance to C. vitis in grapevine. This study provides an excellent target gene for disease-resistant breeding and gene editing in grapevine.