This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Prof. Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis
Agricultural University of Athens, Greece

Basic Info


Research Keywords & Expertise

0 plant
0 Plant disease
0 plant pathogenic fungi
0 Plant Pathogen Interactions
0 plant genetic resources

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

The user biography is not available.
Following
Followers
Co Authors
The list of users this user is following is empty.
Following: 0 users

Feed

Journal article
Published: 03 June 2021 in Toxins
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Drying optimization, to mitigate fungal growth and Ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination is a key topic for raisin and currant production. Specific indicators of environmental conditions and drying properties were analyzed using two seedless grape varieties (Crimson—red and Thompson—white), artificially inoculated with Aspergillus carbonarius under open air and tunnel drying. The air temperature (T), relative humidity, grape surface temperature (Ts) and water activity throughout the drying experiment, the grapes’ moisture content and the fungal colonization and OTA contamination during the drying process and their interactions were recorded and critically analyzed. Drying properties such as the water diffusivity (Deff) and peel resistance to water transfer were estimated. The grapes Ts was 5–7 °C higher in tunnel vs. open air–drying; the infected grapes had higher maximum Ts vs. the control (around 4–6 °C). OTA contamination was higher in tunnel vs. open air–dried grapes, but fungal colonies showed the opposite trend. The Deff was higher in tunnel than in the open air–drying by 54%; the infected grapes had more than 70% higher Deff than the control, differences explained by factors affecting the water transport. This study highlighted CFU and OTA indicators that affect the water availability between red and white grapes during open air and tunnel drying, estimated by the Deff and peel resistance. This raises new issues for future research.

ACS Style

Charalampos Templalexis; Paola Giorni; Diamanto Lentzou; Sabrina Mesisca; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis; Paola Battilani; Georgios Xanthopoulos. Environmental Conditions Affecting Ochratoxin A during Solar Drying of Grapes: The Case of Tunnel and Open Air-Drying. Toxins 2021, 13, 400 .

AMA Style

Charalampos Templalexis, Paola Giorni, Diamanto Lentzou, Sabrina Mesisca, Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis, Paola Battilani, Georgios Xanthopoulos. Environmental Conditions Affecting Ochratoxin A during Solar Drying of Grapes: The Case of Tunnel and Open Air-Drying. Toxins. 2021; 13 (6):400.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Charalampos Templalexis; Paola Giorni; Diamanto Lentzou; Sabrina Mesisca; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis; Paola Battilani; Georgios Xanthopoulos. 2021. "Environmental Conditions Affecting Ochratoxin A during Solar Drying of Grapes: The Case of Tunnel and Open Air-Drying." Toxins 13, no. 6: 400.

Research article
Published: 01 February 2021 in Plant Disease
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Olive trees (Olea europaea L.) are among the most important fruit tree crops grown in Albania, covering an estimated 8% of the arable land of this country. The highest amount of olive production in Albania is concentrated in the coastal districts of Fier, Berat, Elbasan, Lezha, Tirana, Kruja and Vlora, all with Mediterranean climate conditions. Anthracnose is the main disease of olive fruit caused by different Colletotrichum spp. primarily belonging to two complexes, C. acutatum sensu lato (s.l.) and C. gloeosporioides s.l. (Cacciola et al. 2012; Schena et al. 2014.). On July 2018, field observations of about 50 olive trees in the Ishull Shengjin Lezhe Region (54% prevalence), 1 km away from the coast showed severe symptoms of mummified olive fruits in about 20 to 40% disease incidence and 30% disease severity of the Italian table olive cv. Frantoio trees resulting in premature fruit drop or mummification. The causal agent was isolated directly from infected fruits on potato dextrose agar and Rose Bengal nutrient media. Microscopic examinations of five single spore isolated fungal colonies showed acervuli with typical conidia of the genus Colletotrichum that were aseptate, straight, hyaline, subcylindrical with rounded ends and 12.3 to 22.1 µm long (mean = 17.4 µm) and 2.5 to 7.3 µm wide (mean = 5.9 µm) (n= 50 conidia) (Damm et al. 2012). To identify the fungal species, DNA from two single-spore isolates (Col-3-ALB and Col-9-ALB) isolated from fruits was extracted, and six genes were amplified (ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, HIS3, ACT, and TUB2) using the primers reviewed in Damm et al. (2012). PCR products were sequenced, and BLAST analysis showed 100% identity to C. acutatum for both isolates (GenBank accession nos. for Col-9-ALB MT218337 [ITS1-5.8-ITS2], MT274748 [CHS-1], MT274749 [HIS3], MT274750 [GAPDH], MT274751 [TUB2], and MT274752 [ACT]). Phylogenetic analysis using the concatenated sequences of Col-9-ALB, the type species of C. acutatum (112996), a previously identified published Greek C. acutatum isolate (O9) and three C. godetiae strains confirmed the identification of Col-9-ALB as C. acutatum. Pathogenicity tests were performed in the laboratory to confirm the ability of C. acutatum isolates to cause disease on olive drupes. Fruits were surface disinfected with 0.1% NaClO for 3 min and rinsed with ddH2O. Artificial inoculations with the two above isolates were performed by spraying 24 olive fruits per isolate cv. Kalamon (eight olive fruits per replication) with a spore suspension (106 conidia/ml). Olive fruits sprayed with sterilized water served as untreated control. After inoculation, olive fruits were placed in closed sterile plastic boxes and kept at 26°C with a 12-h photoperiod. First rot symptoms and formation of acervuli by the pathogen were initiated 3 days after inoculation. Eight days post-inoculation, all treatments exhibited typical anthracnose symptoms similar to those observed in olive orchards (extensive fruit rot). To fulfil Koch’s postulates, C. acutatum was re-isolated from 10 random symptomatic olive fruits/isolate and their identity was confirmed from all samples. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. acutatum causing fruit rot on olive trees in Albania. It is important to further study the epidemiology for the disease under local climate conditions and on different olive cultivars in order to develop effective management strategies for this very destructive disease of olive.

ACS Style

Magdalena Cara; Ms. Maria K. Iliadi; Ms. Christina S. Lagogianni; Epapeimondas Paplomatas; Jordan Merkuri; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Albania. Plant Disease 2021, 105, 495 .

AMA Style

Magdalena Cara, Ms. Maria K. Iliadi, Ms. Christina S. Lagogianni, Epapeimondas Paplomatas, Jordan Merkuri, Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Albania. Plant Disease. 2021; 105 (2):495.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Magdalena Cara; Ms. Maria K. Iliadi; Ms. Christina S. Lagogianni; Epapeimondas Paplomatas; Jordan Merkuri; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. 2021. "First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Albania." Plant Disease 105, no. 2: 495.

Journal article
Published: 30 November 2020 in Chemosensors
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Aflatoxins are highly toxic fungal secondary metabolites that often contaminate food and feed commodities. An electrochemical immunosensor for the determination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was fabricated by immobilizing monoclonal AFB1 antibodies onto a screen-printed gold electrode that was modified with carbo-methyldextran by N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide cross-linking. An electrochemical interfacial modelling of biomolecular recognition was suggested and reasonably interpreted. Impedance technology was employed for the quantitative determination of AFB1. The limit of detection concentration of AFB1 for standard solutions and spiked pistachio samples was 0.5 ng/mL and 1 ng/mL, respectively. The immunosensor was able to successfully determine AFB1 concentrations in the range of 4.56–50.86 ng/mL in unknown pistachio samples. Comparative chromatographic analysis revealed that AFB1 concentrations that were higher than 345 ng/mL were not within the immunosensor’s upper limits of detection. Selectivity studies against Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin M1 demonstrated that the proposed AFB1 immunosensor was able to differentiate between these other fungal mycotoxins. The novel electrochemical immunosensor approach has the potential for rapid sample screening in a portable, disposable format, thus contributing to the requirement for effective prevention and the control of aflatoxin B1 in pistachios.

ACS Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris; Sophie Mavrikou; Maria Georgiadou; Georgia Paivana; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis; Spyridon Kintzios. An Impedance Based Electrochemical Immunosensor For Aflatoxin B1 Monitoring in Pistachio Matrices. Chemosensors 2020, 8, 121 .

AMA Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris, Sophie Mavrikou, Maria Georgiadou, Georgia Paivana, Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis, Spyridon Kintzios. An Impedance Based Electrochemical Immunosensor For Aflatoxin B1 Monitoring in Pistachio Matrices. Chemosensors. 2020; 8 (4):121.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris; Sophie Mavrikou; Maria Georgiadou; Georgia Paivana; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis; Spyridon Kintzios. 2020. "An Impedance Based Electrochemical Immunosensor For Aflatoxin B1 Monitoring in Pistachio Matrices." Chemosensors 8, no. 4: 121.

Journal article
Published: 18 November 2020 in Agriculture
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Malt barley is one of the promising crops in Greece, mainly due to high yields and contract farming, which have led to an increase in malt barley acreage. Net form net blotch (NFNB), caused by Pyrenophora teres f. teres, and barley leaf scald, caused by Rhynchosporium secalis, are among the most important barley diseases worldwide and particularly in Greece. Their occurrence in malt barley can exert a significant negative effect on malt barley grain yield and quality. An experimental trial across two growing seasons was implemented in Greece in order (i) to estimate the epidemiology of NFNB and leaf scald in a barley disease-free area when the initial inoculation of the field occurs through infected seeds, (ii) to explore the spatial dynamics of disease spread under the interaction of the nitrogen rate and genotype when there are limited sources of infected host residues in the soil and (iii) to assess the relationship among the nitrogen rate, grain yield, quality variables (i.e., grain protein content and grain size) and disease severity. It was confirmed that both NFNB and leaf scald can be carried over from one season to the next on infected seed under Mediterranean conditions. However, the disease severity was more pronounced after the barley tillering phase when the soil had been successfully inoculated, which supports the hypothesis that the most important source of primary inoculum for NFNB comes from infected host residue. Increasing the rate of nitrogen application, when malt barley was cultivated in the same field for a second year in a row, caused a non-significant increase in disease severity for both pathogens from anthesis onwards. However, hotspot and commonality analyses revealed that spatial and genotypic effects were mainly responsible for hiding this effect. In addition, it was found that the effect of disease infections on yield, grain size and grain protein content varied in relation to the genotype, pathogen and stage of crop development. The importance of crop residues in the evolution of both diseases was also highlighted.

ACS Style

Petros Vahamidis; Angeliki Stefopoulou; Christina Lagogianni; Garyfalia Economou; Nicholas Dercas; Vassilis Kotoulas; Dionissios Kalivas; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis. Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis Establishment in a Mediterranean Malt Barley Field: Assessing Spatial, Temporal and Management Effects. Agriculture 2020, 10, 553 .

AMA Style

Petros Vahamidis, Angeliki Stefopoulou, Christina Lagogianni, Garyfalia Economou, Nicholas Dercas, Vassilis Kotoulas, Dionissios Kalivas, Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis. Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis Establishment in a Mediterranean Malt Barley Field: Assessing Spatial, Temporal and Management Effects. Agriculture. 2020; 10 (11):553.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Petros Vahamidis; Angeliki Stefopoulou; Christina Lagogianni; Garyfalia Economou; Nicholas Dercas; Vassilis Kotoulas; Dionissios Kalivas; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis. 2020. "Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis Establishment in a Mediterranean Malt Barley Field: Assessing Spatial, Temporal and Management Effects." Agriculture 10, no. 11: 553.

Journal article
Published: 10 July 2020 in Toxins
Reads 0
Downloads 0

In recent years, very many incidences of contamination with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in pistachio nuts have been reported as a major global problem for the crop. In Europe, legislation is in force and 12 μg/kg of AFB1 is the maximum limit set for pistachios to be subjected to physical treatment before human consumption. The goal of the current study was to develop a mechanistic, weather-driven model to predict Aspergillus flavus growth and the AFB1 contamination of pistachios on a daily basis from nut setting until harvest. The planned steps were to: (i) build a phenology model to predict the pistachio growth stages, (ii) develop a prototype model named AFLA-pistachio (model transfer from AFLA-maize), (iii) collect the meteorological and AFB1 contamination data from pistachio orchards, (iv) run the model and elaborate a probability function to estimate the likelihood of overcoming the legal limit, and (v) manage a preliminary validation. The internal validation of AFLA-pistachio indicated that 75% of the predictions were correct. In the external validation with an independent three-year dataset, 95.6% of the samples were correctly predicted. According to the results, AFLA-pistachio seems to be a reliable tool to follow the dynamic of AFB1 contamination risk throughout the pistachio growing season.

ACS Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris; Marco Camardo Leggieri; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis; Paola Battilani. AFLA-PISTACHIO: Development of a Mechanistic Model to Predict the Aflatoxin Contamination of Pistachio Nuts. Toxins 2020, 12, 445 .

AMA Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris, Marco Camardo Leggieri, Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis, Paola Battilani. AFLA-PISTACHIO: Development of a Mechanistic Model to Predict the Aflatoxin Contamination of Pistachio Nuts. Toxins. 2020; 12 (7):445.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michail D. Kaminiaris; Marco Camardo Leggieri; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis; Paola Battilani. 2020. "AFLA-PISTACHIO: Development of a Mechanistic Model to Predict the Aflatoxin Contamination of Pistachio Nuts." Toxins 12, no. 7: 445.

Review
Published: 07 May 2020 in Toxins
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the most toxic member of ochratoxins, a group of toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. The most relevant species involved in OTA production in grapes is Aspergillus carbonarius. Berry infection by A. carbonarius is enhanced by damage to the skin caused by abiotic and biotic factors. Insect pests play a major role in European vineyards, and Lepidopteran species such as the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana are undoubtedly crucial. New scenarios are also emerging due to the introduction and spread of allochthonous pests as well as climate change. Such pests may be involved in the dissemination of OTA producing fungi even if confirmation is still lacking and further studies are needed. An OTA predicting model is available, but it should be integrated with models aimed at forecasting L. botrana phenology and demography in order to improve model reliability.

ACS Style

Letizia Mondani; Roberta Palumbo; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis; Dionysios Perdikis; Emanuele Mazzoni; Paola Battilani. Pest Management and Ochratoxin A Contamination in Grapes: A Review. Toxins 2020, 12, 303 .

AMA Style

Letizia Mondani, Roberta Palumbo, Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis, Dionysios Perdikis, Emanuele Mazzoni, Paola Battilani. Pest Management and Ochratoxin A Contamination in Grapes: A Review. Toxins. 2020; 12 (5):303.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Letizia Mondani; Roberta Palumbo; Dimitrios Tsitsigiannis; Dionysios Perdikis; Emanuele Mazzoni; Paola Battilani. 2020. "Pest Management and Ochratoxin A Contamination in Grapes: A Review." Toxins 12, no. 5: 303.

Preprint
Published: 26 May 2019
Reads 0
Downloads 0

SummaryNet form net blotch (NFNB) and barley leaf scald are among the most important barley diseases worldwide and particularly in Greece. Their occurrence in malt barley can exert a significant negative effect on malt barley grain yield and quality. An experimental trial across two growing seasons was implemented in Greece in order i) to assess the epidemiology of NFNB and leaf scald in a barley disease free area when the initial inoculation of field occurs through infected seeds, and ii) to further explore the relationship among nitrogen rate, grain yield, quality variables (i.e. grain protein content and grain size) and disease severity and epidemiology. It was demonstrated that both NFNB and leaf scald can be carried over from one season to the next on infected seed under Mediterranean conditions. However, disease severity was more pronounced after barley tillering phase when soil had been successfully inoculated first. When nitrogen rate and genotype were the main sources of variation the epidemiology assessment was implemented with hotspot and Anselin Local Moran’s I analysis. It was found that the location of hotspots was modified during growing season. Soil and plant variables were assessed for the explanation of this variability. According to commonality analysis the effect of distance from the locations with the highest disease infections was a better predictor of disease severity (for both diseases) compared to nitrogen rate during pre-anthesis period. However, disease severity after anthesis was best explained by nitrogen rate only for the most susceptible cultivars to NFNB. The effect of disease infections on yield, grain size and grain protein content varied in relation to genotype, pathogen and stage of crop development. The importance of crop residues on the evolution of both diseases was also highlighted.

ACS Style

Petros Vahamidis; Angeliki Stefopoulou; Christina S. Lagogianni; Garyfalia Economou; Nicholas Dercas; Vassilis Kotoulas; Dionissios Kalivas; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis infections in malt barley as influenced by genotype, spatial and temporal effects and nitrogen fertilization. 2019, 649475 .

AMA Style

Petros Vahamidis, Angeliki Stefopoulou, Christina S. Lagogianni, Garyfalia Economou, Nicholas Dercas, Vassilis Kotoulas, Dionissios Kalivas, Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis infections in malt barley as influenced by genotype, spatial and temporal effects and nitrogen fertilization. . 2019; ():649475.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Petros Vahamidis; Angeliki Stefopoulou; Christina S. Lagogianni; Garyfalia Economou; Nicholas Dercas; Vassilis Kotoulas; Dionissios Kalivas; Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis. 2019. "Pyrenophora teres and Rhynchosporium secalis infections in malt barley as influenced by genotype, spatial and temporal effects and nitrogen fertilization." , no. : 649475.

Research article
Published: 01 April 2018 in Plant Disease
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Anthracnose is the main disease of olive fruit (Olea europaea L.) that is caused by different species of Colletotrichum spp. primarily belonging to two complexes, C. acutatum sensu lato (s.l.) and C. gloeosporioides s.l. (Cacciola et al. 2012; Damm et al. 2012; Schena et al. 2014). Observations in January 2015 in >20 olive groves in Aitoloakarnania region (West-Central Greece) showed severe symptoms of mummified olive fruits in about 50% of trees, in table olive cv. Kalamon. In March 2015, severe brown discoloration of inflorescences with 40-50% disease severity was observed in >15 orchards of cv. Koroneiki in the island of Zakynthos (West Greece). In autumn 2015, mature olive fruits showed typical anthracnose symptoms with dark necrotic lesions and rots with abundant orange conidial masses that resulted in premature fruit drop or mummification. Symptoms appeared also on tree twigs and leaves, leading to necroses, severe defoliation and branchlet death. The disease also affected the oil quality by increasing the acidity and the peroxide number in oil producing varieties. Since then, autumn and winter extensive rainfalls resulted in extensive spread of anthracnose in West Greece and Peloponnese in 2016, causing severe losses in several olives cultivars. Stereoscopic and microscopic observations showed acervuli on fruits, anthers, pistils, petals and sepals of flowers after 2-3 days incubation time under high humidity. The causal agent was isolated directly from infected pistils and fruits in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and microscopic examinations showed acervuli with typical conidia of the genus Colletotrichum that were subcylindrical with rounded ends, straight, hyaline and aseptate, 10.8 to 18.1 µm long (mean = 14.5) and 3.4 to 4.7 µm wide (mean = 4.1) (n = 60 conidia). To identify the fungal species, DNA from two single spore isolates from fruits and flowers was extracted and six genes were amplified (ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, HIS3, ACT and TUB2 using the primers reviewed in Damm et al. 2012). PCR products were sequenced and BLAST analysis showed 100% identity to C. acutatum for both isolates [GenBank Accession no KY305483 (ITS1-5.8-ITS2), MF979822 (CHS-1), MF979823 (HIS3), MF979824 (GAPDH), MF979825 (TUB2), MF979826 (ACT)]. Then, pathogenicity tests were carried out to confirm the ability of C. acutatum isolates to cause disease. Fruits and leaves were surface disinfected with 0.1% NaClO for 3 min and rinsed with ddH2O. Artificial inoculation of three different isolates from fruits and flowers was performed by spraying with a conidia suspension (106 conidia/ml) in five olive fruits and five tree leaves per isolate in cv. Kalamon and Koroneiki (Gomes et al. 2012; Talhinhas, et al. 2009). Control fruits and leaves were treated with sterilized water. After inoculation, olive fruits and leaves were enclosed in plastic boxes and kept at 26°C with a 12h photoperiod. First rot symptoms and formation of acervuli of the pathogen were initiated three days after inoculation. Eight days post inoculation, all treatments exhibited symptoms similar to those observed in olive orchards (extensive fruit rots and leaves with necrotic lesions), whereas C. acutatum was re-isolated from the symptomatic olive tissues confirming their identity and Koch’s postulates. Neither symptoms were observed in control plants nor positive fungal isolations were obtained. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. acutatum causing fruit rots and flower and leaf necroses on olive trees in Greece.

ACS Style

M. K. Iliadi; E. C. Tjamos; P. P. Antoniou; D. I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Greece. Plant Disease 2018, 102, 820 .

AMA Style

M. K. Iliadi, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, D. I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Greece. Plant Disease. 2018; 102 (4):820.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. K. Iliadi; E. C. Tjamos; P. P. Antoniou; D. I. Tsitsigiannis. 2018. "First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Greece." Plant Disease 102, no. 4: 820.

Note
Published: 01 December 2017 in Plant Disease
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

C. S. Lagogianni; E. C. Tjamos; P. P. Antoniou; D. I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Alternaria Bud and Blossom Blight of Olives. Plant Disease 2017, 101, 2151 .

AMA Style

C. S. Lagogianni, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, D. I. Tsitsigiannis. First Report of Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Alternaria Bud and Blossom Blight of Olives. Plant Disease. 2017; 101 (12):2151.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C. S. Lagogianni; E. C. Tjamos; P. P. Antoniou; D. I. Tsitsigiannis. 2017. "First Report of Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Alternaria Bud and Blossom Blight of Olives." Plant Disease 101, no. 12: 2151.