2025 South Africa

Avocado rhizosphere community profiling: white root rot and its impact on microbial composition

Authors: Magagula P, Swart V, Fourie A, Vermeulen A, Nelson JH, van Rooyen Z, van den Berg N

Introduction: The avocado rhizosphere supports diverse microbial communities essential for plant health and defence against pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Dematophora necatrix, the causal agent of white root rot (WRR), on the microbial composition and soil physicochemical properties of infected and non-infected avocado trees in two South African orchards.Methods: ITS and 16S metabarcoding was used to compare the composition and diversity of the rhizosphere microbiome. Soil

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2025 China

Bacterial community shifts in Fusarium-induced avocado root rot and the antagonistic potential of Bacillus siamensis NB92

Authors: Wang C, Song Z, Li X, Liu Q

Avocado root rot, driven by soil-borne fungi such as Fusarium spp., poses a major challenge to global avocado production. The rhizosphere microbiome is critical for plant health, yet the impact of root rot on bacterial community structure and its implications for disease management remain poorly understood. Here, we combined culture-independent 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing with culture-dependent isolation to characterize bacterial communities in healthy and Fusarium-infested avocado bulk and rhizosphere

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2025 Mexico

Phytophthora root rot induces compositional and functional changes in avocado rhizosphere bacterial communities

Authors: Rosaura G. Alfaro-García, Pablo Vargas-Mejía, Violeta Patiño-Conde, Eria A. Rebollar, José A. Guerrero-Analco, Julio Vega-Arreguín, Frédérique Reverchon, Alfonso Méndez-Bravo

Understanding how plant pathogens modulate the rhizosphere microbiota is essential to integrated disease management. Here, we assessed the compositional and functional shifts in the avocado rhizosphere bacteriome induced by Phytophthora cinnamomi to elucidate the microbial functions modulated by the infection and identify taxa potentially recruited by the plant as a defense response. Through metabarcoding with metatranscriptomics, we showed that Phytophthora root rot (PRR) induced compositional shifts

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2025 China

Fungal dynamics and biocontrol potential in Fusarium-induced avocado root rot soil

Authors: Wang, C., Song, Z., Li, X., Liu, Q.

PURPOSE: Fusarium-induced root rot poses a significant threat to avocado production, yet the mechanisms linking fungal community dynamics and biocontrol potential in affected soils remain unclear. This study aimed to compare fungal community composition, diversity, enzyme activities, and potential biocontrol agents in healthy and diseased avocado soils. METHODS: We employed high-throughput sequencing, quantitative PCR, soil physicochemical and enzymatic analyses—including β-glucosidase, urease,

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2025 Mexico

Diversity of Culturable Endophytic Fungi Associated with Avocado Orchards Under Organic and Conventional Management

Authors: Sánchez Hernández, D., Larsen, J., & Reverchon, F.

Endophytic fungi constitute a great resource for the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. However, their diversity may be altered by agrochemicals used in conventionally managed agrosystems. Here we explored the culturable diversity of endophytic fungi associated with avocado (Persea americana Mill.) in conventional and organic orchards from three counties of the world’s leading productive region. In total, 529 endophytic fungal isolates were obtained from branches and roots of

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2024 Mexico

Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach

Authors: Merlo-Reyes, Ana; Baduel, Christine; Duwig, Céline; Ramírez, M. Isabel

Pesticides use raises concerns regarding environmental sustainability, as pesticides are closely linked to the decline of biodiversity and adverse human health outcomes. This study proposed a holistic approach for assessing the potential risks posed by pesticides for human health and the environment in the eastern region of Michoacan, where extensive agricultural lands, especially corn and avocado fields, surround the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. We used a combination of qualitative (semi-structured

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