Tag: Biocontrol
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Pangenome-Informed Long-Read Amplicons Enable High-Resolution Wheat Microbiome Profiling
Introduction: A new era of microbiome profiling in crops Understanding the microbial communities living on wheat leaves is crucial for crop health and yield. Traditional short-read ribosomal barcodes often miss fine-scale diversity within dominant phyllosphere taxa. A recent approach leverages pangenome-informed, taxon-specific long-read amplicons to achieve species- and strand-level resolution in real agricultural settings. Here,…
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Molecular characterization of four novel mycoviruses in entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungi
Overview The world of mycoviruses—viruses that infect fungi—has long been dominated by studies on plant-associated fungi. Recent work, however, has begun to illuminate viruses that inhabit fungi with ecological roles in animal health and pest control. A new study reports the molecular characterization of four novel mycoviruses isolated from entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungi, shedding light…
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Combatting Watercrassula: Introducing the Gall Mite
Introduction to Watercrassula and Its Impact In recent years, the invasion of watercrassula in the Netherlands has posed significant challenges to local ecosystems. This water plant, known for its rapid growth and resilience, has disrupted aquatic habitats and harmed biodiversity. The government estimates that tackling this invasive species has already cost about 20 million euros,…