https://japp.uk.ac.ir/ Journal of Advances in Plant Protection en daily 1 Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0330 https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5239.html Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), a member of the Anacardiaceae family, is one of the most worthwhile crops worldwide. Iran has the most favorable climate for cultivating pistachio trees. Charcoal canker disease has spread in Iran due to environmental climate changes such as drought and abnormally high temperatures. During the summer of 2023, infected pistachio trees in Fars Province died and displayed charcoal canker symptoms with carbonaceous stromata. In total, five isolates of a fungal species were obtained from necrotic wood tissues of declining pistachio trees in Sarvestan County, Fars Province. Morphological studies showed that none of the fungal isolates being examined were able to produce conidia or ascospores on different media, even after changing conditions such as pH, temperature, or light, making it impossible to perform morphological analysis of pycnidial and perithecial structures. Therefore, molecular identification was performed by phylogenetic analysis of the ITS-rDNA region and the β-tubulin (tub2) gene. The results revealed that the isolates formed a monophyletic group with Biscogniauxia rosacearum in a well-supported clade (posterior probability = 100). Pathogenicity tests showed that the isolates were pathogenic on detached pistachio branches, causing necrotic wood lesions on the bark that extended into the wood 30 days after inoculation. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of B. rosacearum associated with pistachio trees. https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5128.html Ear rot, caused by Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.), is one of the most destructive diseases affecting maize worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of chitosan and Paenibacillus strains as potential biocontrol agents against F. verticillioides under in vitro conditions. The pathogen was initially isolated from infected maize seeds and identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. To assess the antifungal effects, three concentrations of chitosan (1, 3, and 5 mg/mL) and six Paenibacillus polymyxa strains (P1, P2, P4, P6, P7, and P8) were tested against the mycelial growth of F. verticillioides. The experiments were conducted using a completely randomized design, and the collected data were analyzed using an analysis of variance. Chitosan exhibited vigorous antifungal activity, achieving complete (100%) inhibition of mycelial growth at concentrations of 3 and 5 mg/ml and a 93.40% inhibition at 1 mg/ml. All Paenibacillus strains demonstrated inhibitory effects, with inhibition rates of 28.7%, 17.8%, 47.5%, 18.4%, 2.3%, and 42.6% for the strains P1, P2, P4, P6, P7, and P8, respectively. These findings suggest that chitosan, in particular, has strong antifungal properties and holds promise as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fungicides for managing F. verticillioides in maize. https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5136.html Our innovative research addresses critical challenges in mango disease detection by developing an advanced ensemble neural network that combines EfficientNet, MobileNet, and ResNet architectures. This integrated approach overcomes the limitations of single-model systems, achieving 98.8% accuracy in identifying four mango leaf diseases: powdery mildew, anthracnose, red rust, and bacterial canker. This significantly outperforms both individual models and conventional ensemble methods. The system’s computational efficiency enables real-time disease detection on mobile devices and through IoT infrastructure, enabling farmers to implement timely interventions and optimize agrochemical applications. This technological advancement is a significant step towards sustainable mango cultivation, reducing environmental impact while improving crop yields and economic outcomes for producers. https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5169.html Phaeoacremonium (Togniniaceae) species are known to inhabit a wide range of substrates, including soil, woody hosts, arthropods, and humans.  Recently, Phaeoacremonium fraxinopennsylvanicum has been isolated from the caps of Flammulina velutipes sensu lato in Iran; however, the pathologic relevance of the isolates on cap fungi remains unknown. The present study aimed to evaluate the pathogenicity of P. fraxinopennsylvanicum originating from wild-grown F. velutipes in the Arasbaran forest, as well as P. minimum originating from grapevine (Vitis vinifera) on Agaricus bisporus caps and excised grapevine shoots. The results of pathogenicity trials revealed that P. fraxinopennsylvanicum was pathogenic on detached A. bisporus, while no disease symptoms developed on grapevine shoots. Phaeoacremonium minimum was incapable of causing disease on A. bisporus. The data presented in the study reveal cap fungi as a possible new reservoir host for Phaeoacremonium spp.; therefore, extensive sampling of cap fungi is required to explore the fungicolous habit of Phaeoacremonium species further.    https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5203.html Cucumber is a significant crop in Iran, where Alternaria leaf spot can be a serious disease if not effectively controlled. This study evaluated the efficacy of four sprayer types in applying Rovral-TS fungicide (Iprodione 35% + Carbendazim 17.5%) against cucumber Alternaria leaf spot disease under commercial greenhouse conditions. The field assay was arranged as a factorial experiment using a randomized complete block design in four replications. Sprayer efficiency was assessed by physical evaluation, measuring solution consumption, and analyzing droplet deposition on sensitive cards placed on cucumber plants. Disease severity was rated before spraying and then at 3, 5, and 7 days after application; the resulting data were statistically analyzed. The results indicated that the 100-liter trolley sprayer used the highest volume of solution (603 L/ha), while the electrostatic atomizer used the least (195 L/ha). Physical assessment revealed that both the standard back atomizer and the electrostatic atomizer achieved better droplet deposition on plants with reduced drift compared to other sprayers. Although there was no significant difference in the disease severity index, the electrostatic atomizer achieved the lowest disease severity at 33.83%. Followed by the trolley sprayer (34.99%), the atomizer with a microner head (36.39%), and the atomizer with a standard head (37.50%). These results indicate that the electrostatic sprayer improves deposition of spray particles on the target plant through controlled droplet application, enhances spraying efficiency, and minimizes drift. https://japp.uk.ac.ir/article_5231.html Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are among the most influential soil microorganisms in dry rangelands, where water scarcity and nutrient limitations strongly shape plant–soil interactions. To investigate the effect of vegetation and soil characteristics on the distribution and dispersion of mycorrhizal fungi, 20 samples were collected from the rhizosphere soil of 11 rangeland plant species in 5 counties of Kerman province. Spore abundance showed notable variation among hosts, with higher densities beneath Artemisia sieberi, Peganum harmala, Cardaria draba, and Zoegea sp. Soil analyses revealed that pH and CaCO₃ content were the strongest constraints on AMF sporulation, while sandy-loam textures supported greater spore numbers and diversity. Diversity indices indicated a moderate but stable AMF community, particularly around perennial species whose persistent root systems appear to act as reservoirs for fungal populations. The findings reveal how host identity and long-term soil chemistry jointly influence AMF community structure in arid rangelands, providing essential information to support vegetation restoration efforts in calcareous dry regions.