The Ilyonectria radicicola species complex (A.A. Hildebr.) A. Cabral and Crous 2011 contains species of soilborne necrotrophic plant pathogens. The most aggressive to ginseng roots is I. mors-panacis, whereas I. robusta, I. crassa, I. panacis and I. radicicola are less aggressive. Infected ginseng roots show orange-red to black-brown lesions that can expand into a severe root rot, known as disappearing root rot, where only epidermal root tissue remains. Leaves become red-brown with wilting, and stems can have vascular discoloration with black-brown lesions at the base. Less aggressive Ilyonectria species trigger jasmonic acid (JA)-related defenses inducing host ginsenosides, pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, wound periderm, and cell wall thickening. In contrast, I. mors-panacis triggers reactive oxygen species (ROS) and salicylic acid (SA) production but suppresses JA-related defenses and ginsenoside accumulation. It is also able to suppress SA-related PR protein production. Virulence factors include potential effectors that may suppress PAMP (Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns) triggered immunity (PTI), polyphenoloxidases, Hsp90 inhibitors, siderophores and cell-wall-degrading enzymes, such as pectinases. Overall, I. mors-panacis appears to be more aggressive because it can suppress JA and SA-related PTI allowing for more extensive colonization of ginseng roots. While many possible mechanisms of host resistance and pathogen virulence mechanisms have been examined, there is a need for using genetic approaches, such as RNAi silencing of genes of Panax or Ilyonectria, to determine their importance in the interaction.

Nationally known in Brazil, the jabuticabeira or jabuticaba tree produces fruits of wide commercial acceptance. However, little use of jabuticaba in commercial orchards and large genetic erosion of jabuticaba caused by human activities in its habitats have been historically observed. Thus, the goal of this study was to characterize fruits of the jabuticaba tree (Plinia cauliflora) in a forest fragment maintained in southwestern Paraná State in an attempt to identify trees with superior fruits for future selection as cultivars or male genitors. To this end, 15 variables linked to sensory and biochemical characteristics of harvested fruits were analysed during two years of production. Twenty percent of the genotypes that showed the highest frequency of superiority in the evaluated characteristics were preselected for analysis. The quality of the analysed fruits indicated their potential for use. Thus, this work resulted in the preselection of jabuticaba genotypes 7, 42, 43, 47, 54, 91, 97, 104, 105, 118, 134, 153, 154, 157, 163, 169, 177, 186, 212, J7-01, and J7-02, with 16 and 194 the only genotypes that had already been selected for superior characteristics during both growing cycles.