Cassava witches’ broom disease (CWBD) is one of the most devastating diseases of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), and it threatens global production of the crop. In 2017, a phytoplasma, Candidatus Phytoplasma luffae (Ca. P. luffae), was reported in the Philippines, and it has been considered as the causal agent, despite unknown etiology and transmission of CWBD. In this study, the nationwide occurrence of CWBD was assessed, and detection of CWBD’s pathogen was attempted using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. The results showed that CWBD has spread and become severe, exhibiting symptoms such as small leaf proliferation, shortened internodes, and vascular necrosis. PCR analysis revealed a low phytoplasma detection rate, possibly due to low titer, uneven distribution, or absence in the CWBD-symptomatic cassava. In addition, NGS techniques confirm the PCR results, revealing the absence or extremely low phytoplasma read counts, but a surprisingly high abundance of fastidious and xylem-limited fungus, Ceratobasidium sp. in CWBD-symptomatic plants. These findings cast doubt over the involvement of phytoplasma in CWBD and instead highlight the potential association of Ceratobasidium sp., strongly supporting the recent findings in mainland Southeast Asia. Further investigations are needed to verify the etiology of CWBD and identify infection mechanisms of Ceratobasidium sp. to develop effective diagnostic and control methods for disease management.

The Silway River has historically failed to meet safe fecal coliform levels due to improper waste disposal. The river mouth is located in General Santos City, the tuna capital of the Philippines and a leading producer of hogs, cattle, and poultry. The buildup of contaminants due to direct discharge of waste from chicken farms and existing water quality conditions has led to higher fecal matter in the Silway River. While there were technical reports in the early 2000s about poultry farming, this is the first study where fecal coliform from poultry farming was detected in the Silway River using highly sensitive protocols like qPCR. This study characterized the effect of flow velocity and physicochemical water quality parameters on chicken fecal contamination. Gene markers such as Ckmito and ND5-CD were used to detect and quantify poultry manure contamination through microbial source tracking (MST) and environmental DNA (eDNA) profiling. The results of this study showed the presence of chicken fecal bacteria in all stations along the Silway River. The results revealed that normal levels of water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, and high TSS concentrations create favorable conditions for chicken fecal coliforms to thrive. Multiple regression analysis showed that flow velocity and DO significantly affect chicken fecal contamination. A lower cycle threshold (Ct) value indicated higher concentration of the marker ND5-CD, which means higher fecal contamination. It was found that there was an inverse relationship between the Ct value and both velocity (R² = 0.55, p = 0.01) and DO (R² = 0.98, p = 0.2), suggesting that low flow velocity and low DO can lead to higher fecal contamination. Findings of fecal contamination could negatively impact water resources, the health of nearby residents, and surrounding farms and industries, as well as the health and growth of fish.

Botrytis cinerea , a generalist fungal pathogen of economically important crop species, has been shown to exhibit reduced sensitivity to fungicides and plant toxins. Specifically, previous reports indicate B. cinerea ’s efficacy in tolerating a wide array of phytoalexins, toxic plant metabolites that play key role in plant immune defense strategies. Previously, we have shown that a distinct set of genes was induced in B. cinerea when treated with phytoalexins derived from different plant species such as rishitin (tomato and potato), capsidiol (tobacco and bell pepper) or resveratrol (grape and blueberry). In this study, we focused on the functional analyses of B. cinerea genes induced by rishitin treatment. B. cinerea can metabolize rishitin to at least 4 oxidized forms. Heterologous expression of rishitin-induced B. cinerea genes in the plant symbiotic fungus, Epichloë festucae , revealed that oxidoreductase (Bcin08g04910) and cytochrome P450 (Bcin16g01490) genes are involved in the oxidation of rishitin. BcatrB is an exporter of structurally unrelated anti-microbial compounds such as resveratrol, camalexin and fungicide fenpicionil. Expression of BcatrB is upregulated by rishitin, but not by structurally resembling capsidiol. BcatrB knock out transformants ( ΔbcatrB ) showed enhanced sensitivity to rishitin, but not to capsidiol. Likewise, ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on tomato fruits (which produce rishitin), but showed full virulence on Nicotiana benthamiana (which mainly produces capsidiol), suggesting that B. cinerea distinguishes phytoalexins and activates expression of appropriate transporter genes during the infection. Activation of BcatrB promoter was detected using P_ BcatrB : GFP transformant during the B. cinerea infection in plant tissues. Surveying of 26 plant species across 13 families revealed that the BcatrB promoter is mainly activated during the infection of plants belonging to the Solanaceae, Fabaceae and Brassicaceae families. The BcatrB promoter is activated by the treatment with Fabaceae phytoalexins medicarpin and glyceollin, and ΔbcatrB showed reduced virulence on red clover, which produces medicarpin. These results suggest that BcatrB plays a critical role in the strategy employed by B. cinerea to bypass the plant innate immune responses in a wide variety of important crops belonging to the Solanaceae, Brassicaceae and Fabaceae families.

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic pathogen that infects across a broad range of plant hosts, including high-impact crop species. Its generalist necrotrophic behavior stems from its ability to detoxify structurally diverse phytoalexins. The current study aims to provide evidence of the ability of B. cinerea to tolerate the sesquiterpenoid phytoalexin rishitin, which is produced by potato and tomato. While the growth of potato pathogens Phytophthora infestans (late blight) and Alternaria solani (early blight) was severely inhibited by rishitin, B. cinerea was tolerant to rishitin. After incubation of rishitin with the mycelia of B. cinerea , it was metabolized to at least six oxidized forms. Structural analysis of these purified rishitin metabolites revealed a variety of oxidative metabolism including hydroxylation at C7 or C12, ketone formation at C5, and dihydroxylation at the 10,11-olefin. Six rishitin metabolites showed reduced toxicity to P. infestans and A. solani , indicating that B. cinerea has at least 5 distinct enzymatic reactions to detoxify rishitin. Four host-specialized phytopathogenic Botrytis species, namely B. elliptica, B. allii, B. squamosa, and B. tulipae also had at least a partial ability to metabolize rishitin as B. cinerea , but their metabolic capacity was significantly weaker than that of B. cinerea . These results suggest that the ability of B. cinerea to rapidly metabolize rishitin through multiple detoxification mechanisms could be critical for its pathogenicity in potato and tomato.

Purpose: This study investigates how the perceived quality of parent-adolescent communication influences academic motivation and achievement among students in a high-stakes academic setting. Methodology: A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, involving 278 students from Grades 7 to 10 at a competitive public secondary school in the Philippines. Data were collected using the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and the Deo-Mohan Academic Achievement Motivation Scale. The study assessed academic achievement using students' general weighted averages. Stratified random sampling ensured proportional representation across year levels, and multi-category logistic regression was used to examine the effects of communication quality on academic outcomes. Findings: High-quality parent-adolescent communication had a statistically significant positive effect on academic motivation and achievement. Conversely, low-quality communication had a more negative impact on motivation than on achievement. The findings support the Self-Determination Theory, suggesting that supportive communication satisfies adolescents' psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, thereby enhancing intrinsic motivation and performance. Implications: The study highlights the importance of parenting programs that promote open, empathetic, and autonomy-supportive communication. Educators and policymakers should consider integrating family communication initiatives into academic support systems to enhance student outcomes, particularly in high-pressure school environments. Originality: This study contributes to the literature by isolating communication quality as a specific dimension of parental involvement and examining its role within a highly competitive academic context. Limitations and directions for future research: The findings are limited to a single school and do not distinguish between maternal and paternal communication. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and explore the effects of specific communication styles.

The Hallyu phenomenon, or Korean Wave, has significantly shaped cultural consumption and social behavior worldwide, particularly among young adults. While numerous studies have examined its economic and entertainment impact, limited research explores how Hallyu influences social interactions and identity formation among Filipino young adults. This study investigates the motivations behind Hallyu consumption, the ways it shapes social behavior, and its potential long-term implications. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with young adults aged 18–25 from a state university in Los Baños, Laguna. The study examines the role of K-dramas, K-pop, and K-products (fashion, beauty, food) in shaping identity, communication styles, and interpersonal relationships. Findings highlight how media exposure fosters new social norms, transcends entertainment to become deeply embedded in personal and collective identity formation, and shared cultural experiences among Filipino youth. This also highlights the future directions of Filipino young adults in their consumption of Hallyu content. This study contributes to understanding transnational cultural exchanges and the evolving social behaviors of young adults in the digital age.