Browsing by Author "Manish Kumar Dubey"

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Activation of defense response in common bean against stem rot disease triggered by Trichoderma erinaceum and Trichoderma viride
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2021) Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Manish Kumar Dubey; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
White mold and stem rot is a common disease of Phaseolus vulgaris caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Biological control is a promising alternative for the control of this disease. In the present study, two Trichoderma spp., T. erinaceum and T. viride, and the consortium of both were evaluated as biocontrol agents against sclerotinia stem rot disease. The results revealed that T. erinaceum (NAIMCC-F-02171) and T. viride (NAIMCC-F-02500) when applied alone, significantly suppressed the infection rate of S. sclerotiorum and increased the rate of survival of plants by 74.5%. On the contrary, the combination of both the Trichoderma spp. was found to be more effective in reducing stem rot by 57.2% and increasing the survival of plants by 87.5% when compared to the individual Trichoderma applications. Further, the exogenous supplementation of Trichoderma activated antioxidative machineries, such as peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbic acid in the plant. Besides, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide-free radical accumulation were also found to be reduced when T. erinaceum and T. viride were used either individually or in combination under the pathogen-challenged condition. Additionally, the photopigments in the bioprimed plants were markedly increased. Moreover, the combined inoculation of the two isolates yielded the highest records of growth parameters (root weight, shoot length, and leaf weight) compared with individual inoculation. Therefore, based on the above results, it was concluded that the combination of T. erinaceum and T. viride can be effectively used as an alternative to control white mold and stem rot caused by S. sclerotiorum. © 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH
Activation of defense response in tomato against Fusarium wilt disease triggered by Trichoderma harzianum supplemented with exogenous chemical inducers (SA and MeJA)
(Springer International Publishing, 2017) Andleeb Zehra; Mukesh Meena; Manish Kumar Dubey; Mohd. Aamir; R.S. Upadhyay
The use of soil bioagent along with chemical inducers in controlling plant diseases is a unique strategy. The exogenous application of some chemical inducers such as salicylic acid (SA) or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) provides resistance to combat plant pathogens. The intrinsic mechanism that leads into the enhanced defense mechanism by using biological microorganisms, however, correlates with the signaling pathways involving these chemical inducers. In the present study, we have evaluated the biochemical changes relevant to defense activities when plants were pretreated with bioagent, Trichoderma harzianum (Th) and chemical inducers (SA and/or MeJA) and challenged by wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. We have also evaluated the combined effect of biological (Th) and chemical inducers (SA and/or MeJA) pretreatment followed by pathogen exposure on the biochemical defense-related parameters in tomato. We found that the combined application of Trichoderma along with SA and MeJA provided a better strategy for controlling wilt pathogen rather than using bioagent and chemical inducers alone. The defense-related proteins and phenolics were found to be increased several folds at different time intervals following the combined treatment of biological and chemical inducers compared to when treatment was given alone with bioagent and chemical inducers. The activation of the phenylpropanoid pathway and accumulation of total phenolics were found to be highest at 48 h, whereas the activities of defense-related enzymes and PR proteins along with proline, were found to be maximum at 72 h. The activities of phenolics were also maximum at 48 h, and the activities of PR proteins and proline were higher at 72 h in all single treatments. However, the defense-related activities were greater in combined treatment compared to all single pretreated samples. Therefore, the combined pretreatment with bioagent and chemical inducers triggered the more aggressive defense responses when compared to single treatments and provided better protection against Fusarium wilt. © 2017, Botanical Society of Sao Paulo.
Antagonistic assessment of Trichoderma spp. by producing volatile and non-volatile compounds against different fungal pathogens
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2017) Mukesh Meena; Prashant Swapnil; Andleeb Zehra; Manish Kumar Dubey; R.S. Upadhyay
Trichoderma spp. are well-known biological agents that have significant antagonistic activity against several plant pathogenic fungi. In the present study, Trichoderma spp. were tested in vitro for their antagonistic activity against different spp. of Fusarium and Alternaria viz. Alternaria alternata, A. brassicae, A. solani, Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani using dual plate assay and by the production of volatile and non-volatile compounds. The results obtained revealed that Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride effectively inhibited the growth and spore production of different spp. of Fusarium and Alternaria. The highest growth inhibition was found in A. alternata 62.50% and 60.00% by non-volatile compounds of T. harzianum and T. viride, respectively. Similarly, the volatile compounds inhibit the maximum growth of A. alternata 40.00% and 35.00% by T. harzianum and T. viride, respectively. Volatile and non-volatile compounds of Trichoderma spp. were analysed by GC-MS technique and the properties of distinguished compounds showed antifungal, antimicrobial and antibiotic activities. Volatile compounds of T. harzianum and T. viride showed highest percent abundance for glacial acetic acid (45.32%) and propyl-benzene (41.75%), respectively. In case of non-volatile compounds, T. harzianum and T. viride showed D-Glucose, 6-O-α-D-galactopyranosyl- (38.45%) and 17-Octadecynoic acid (36.23%), respectively. The results of present study confirmed that T. harzianum can be used as a promising biological control agent against Alternaria and Fusarium spp. that cause diseases in various vegetables and crops. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Beneficial microbes for disease suppression and plant growth promotion
(Springer Singapore, 2017) Mukesh Meena; Prashant Swapnil; Andleeb Zehra; Mohd Aamir; Manish Kumar Dubey; Jyoti Goutam; R.S. Upadhyay
Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) constitute the microbes that are intricately associated with the plant system and may consist of rhizospheric bacteria, fungi, mycorrhiza, endophytic fungi, actinomycetes, or those having the mutualistic relationship or nonsymbiotic relationship with plants. One of the most remarkable features of these microbes is the adoption of certain ecological niches or may be occupied with multiple niches at a time in the soil ecosystem that makes way for other species to establish the mutual interactions (physical or biochemical) with other microbes (bipartite) or with plants (tripartite). The plant growth promotion by these microbes involves common mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, phytohormone production, solubilization of mineral phosphates and secretion of novel secondary metabolites having positive effect on plant health. Some beneficial fungi have been found to promote plant growth through increased photosynthetic rate with improved mineral use efficiency and nutrient uptake, as inoculating these microbes with plants lead into increased chlorophyll content and biomass. These indigenous microbes have been also reported to counteract the different abiotic and biotic stress conditions. The mutual interaction observed between beneficial fungi and pathogenic microbes has been investigated at microscopic level which involves certain physical changes such as coiling of beneficial hyphae around the pathogenic hyphae and some cellular changes such as dissolution of host cytoplasm or secretion of antimicrobial compounds or lytic enzymes in the nearby localities that check the growth and reproduction of pathogenic species. The comprehensive knowledge of the functional mechanism of plant growth promotion by these microbes will help to develop strategies against damages covered by various abiotic and biotic stress conditions, and therefore will help in increasing the agricultural production at a global scale. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2017. All rights are reserved.
Bioremediation of Textile Dye Procion Red Yellow by Using Pseudomonas fluorescens
(Springer, 2020) Badri Vishal Pandey; Manish Kumar Dubey; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Dyes primarily present in effluents from textile industries are recalcitrant organic molecules with a complex aromatic structure, which are considered difficult to eliminate, degrade and detoxify biologically. In the current study, Pseudomonas fluorescens was used to degrade Procion Red Yellow. The bacterium P. fluorescens NCIM 2100 was procured from National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune, India, that was well adapted to grow and survive in broth supplemented with dyes. The dye was exposed to bacterium followed by the identification of its degradation products by a combination of UV, 1H NMR and IR spectrophotometry. After exposure, the dye was firstly broken down into an intermediate compound lacking azo benzene group. This compound further changed into another intermediate compound that may contain either OH or NH group. This intermediate finally changed into 3, 5-diamino-1, 4, 6, 8-tetrahydroxy-2,7-naphthyldisulfonic acid sodium salt or 1, 3, 4, 5, 6-hexa-hydroxy-2, 7-naphthyldisulfonic acid sodium salt in broth. These breakdown or transformation products were innoxious in nature. Thus P. fluorescens can be used as a promising candidate for the bioremediation of the textile effluents containing Procion Red Yellow to offer promise for environmental decontamination and even greater development for green chemistry in the near future. © 2019, The National Academy of Sciences, India.
Effect on lycopene, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and phenolic content in tomato fruits infected by Alternaria alternata and its toxins (TeA, AOH and AME)
(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2017) Mukesh Meena; Andleeb Zehra; Prashant Swapnil; Manish Kumar Dubey; Chandra Bali Patel; R.S. Upadhyay
Tomato is considered as one of the most important sources of nutrients such as lycopene, β-carotene, flavonoids, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and hydroxyl-cinnamic acid derivatives. The quality and quantity of nutrients in tomato fruits were decreased during the severe infection of Alternaria alternata. The present study deals with the estimation of lycopene, β-carotene, phenolic and ascorbic acid content in tomato fruits which were infected with A. alternata and its toxins such as tenuazonic acid (TeA), alternariol (AOH) and alternariol monomethyl ether (AME). The lycopene, β-carotene, ascorbic acid and phenolic content were found lowest in pathogen-infected fruits i.e. (0.66 ± 0.03 mg/g), (0.14 ± 0.01 mg/g), (1.89 ± 0.2 mg/g) and (0.58 ± 0.05 mg/g), respectively, followed by toxins-treated samples as compared to the control. The results concluded that A. alternata mostly affects the nutritional values of tomato fruits due to the combined effect of the toxins. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Endophytic actinomycetes in bioactive compounds production and plant defense system
(Elsevier, 2019) Mohd Aamir; Krishna Kumar Rai; Andleeb Zehra; Manish Kumar Dubey; Swarnmala Samal; Mukesh Yadav; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Endophytic actinomycetes colonizing inside plant tissue have received much attention due to their potential use in stimulation of plant growth as well as in the management of soil and plant survival by producing certain functional metabolites and simultaneously counteracting pathogenic microbes residing within same plant species. Advancement in the "omics" technology such as computational biology, metabolic engineering, and proteomics has provided an efficient way to unravel mechanisms behind revelation of biosynthesis of these bioactive compounds and also provided efficient ways for the identification of gene clusters form unexplored actinomycetes. Plethora of researches on endophytic microorganisms has evidenced the existence of new and untouched endophytic actinomycetes producing discrete bioactive compounds within distinct tissues of several medicinal plants. Howbeit, till date sporadic reports are available on their biodiversity, phylogenetic distribution, and their probable association with traditional plants along with their specific environments. This chapter mainly focuses on different protective and signaling mechanisms used by the endophytic actinomycetes to promote plant growth and soil health. The chapter also examines the current biochemical status of endophytic actinomycetes and intervention of "omics" approaches used in revealing their full potential and lastly, it also sharpens the knowledge about newly discovered potential bioactive compounds and their possible exploitation by agricultural and pharmaceutical industries. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
First report of Brachysporium britannicum (Trichosphaeriaceae) from India
(Springer, 2019) Manish Kumar Dubey; Zoya Shah; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay; Ramesh Chandra Gupta
Brachysporium britannicum (Trichosphaeriales) was discovered on leaf litter from the Ramgarh forest, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India. B. britannicum was found on decaying leaf litter of Quercus floribunda. Morphologically, it lines well with Brachysporium. The conidia are produced singly or in groups at the apex of the conidiophore, typically pendulous, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, predominantly two-septate (transverse), broadly rounded at ends; basal cell small, crucible-shaped, hyaline with short or small pedicel; gently expanded conspicuous central cell, disc-shaped, brown to very dark brown, occasionally subhyaline, and hyaline terminal cell are the hallmark feature of the fungus. This rare species is recorded for the first time from India. Detailed taxonomic information on this Brachysporium species includes descriptions, geographical distribution, comments and illustrations, and a comparison with closely allied taxa. © 2019, Indian Phytopathological Society.
First report of Newbya recurva (Saprolegniaceae) from India
(E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 2019) Manish Kumar Dubey; Timothy Yong James; Andleeb Zehra; Mohd. Aamir; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
In the present report, Newbya recurva (Cornu) Dick and Spencer is isolated, described, illustrated and identified based on morphological characters and phylogenetic analysis of the ITS-rDNA region. This formerly Achlya species is mainly recognized by the presence of achlyoid type of zoospore discharge, spherical oogonia with external ornamented wall provided with numerous, stout, symmetrically arranged conical truncate and thin-walled projections/ protrusions at the end (autapomorphic or hallmark feature); large centric or subcentric oospores, which occasionally failed to mature, generally ranging from 1–5 per oogonium, and predominantly androgynous an-theridial branches. Apart from these morphological features, the identity of the specimens was further confirmed by ITS-rDNA sequence comparison. The result of phylogenetic analysis supported the prevailing idea that Achlya recurva and N. recurva should be considered a single species in the genus Newbya. A short description, comments, and illustration, accompanied with its comparison with other allied taxa of the genus as well as a molecular phylogeny of the ITS region are provided in this paper. This study also confirms the first report of N. recurva based on morphological as well as analysis of ITS-rDNA from India. © 2019 J. Cramer in Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, Germany.
First report on Obelidium megarhizum (Chytridiaceae) from India
(Springer, 2019) Manish Kumar Dubey; Andleeb Zehra; Swarnmala Samal; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
In the present report, Obelidium megarhizum Willoughby was isolated, described and illustrated based on morphological traits. The species is mainly recognized by the presence of conspicuous sub-apical spine or barb bearing thin-walled sporangium and relatively coarse rhizoidal system. Short description, comments, color photo, and illustration, accompanied by its comparison with other allied taxa of the genus are provided in this paper for this relatively rare species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first generic record of O. megarhizum outside UK, USA, and Poland. © 2019, Society for Plant Research.
Fungal biomolecules and their implications
(wiley, 2015) Andleeb Zehra; Manish Kumar Dubey; Arti Tiwari; Mukesh Meena; Punam Kumari; Vivek Kumar Singh; Vijai Kumar Gupta; R.S. Upadhyay
Fungal pathogenesis requires molecular communication between the fungus and its host. Fungus-plant interactions involve complex developmental processes in which a variety of fungal and plant biomolecules are required to determine whether the outcome is a susceptible reaction (successful fungal colonisation of plant tissue) or a resistant reaction (plant mounting a defence that aborts fungal invasion). To understand the molecular basis of fungal diseases, it is necessary to identify the fungal biomolecules that are essential for pathogenic processes and to distinguish them from molecules that may be present during infection but not critical to its outcome. Some fungal biomolecules are clearly involved in the adhesion and penetration, that is, glycerol, hydrophobin, mucilage, and so on, whereas others are required for colonisation of plant tissue after penetration, that is, toxin that induce susceptibility and resistance and enzymes that inactivate plant defence mechanisms. Recent studies have shown the development of semiconductor nanoparticles, biofilms and biosensors from different fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium spp. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fungal toxins and their impact on living systems
(Springer India, 2014) Vivek Kumar Singh; Mukesh Meena; Andleeb Zehra; Arti Tiwari; Manish Kumar Dubey; R.S. Upadhyay
Some of the most potent toxins are synthesized by fungi. Fungal toxins are the chemicals produced by fungi under certain conditions. They may be classified under different chemical classes. They are not essential for fungal growth or reproduction, but are toxic to plants, animals or humans. Fungal toxin contamination in certain agricultural commodities has been a serious concern for animal and human health. The major toxin-producing fungi are the species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium and Alternaria. Aflatoxins, citrinin, fumonisins, fusaric acid, moniliformin, AALtoxins and alternariol are some of the important fungal toxins responsible for causing economic losses to agriculture, spoilage of food that are often fatal to living systems. This review focuses on toxigenic fungi, toxins and their characteristics with biological effects. © Springer India 2014 This work is subject. All rights reserved.
Impact of climate change on soil carbon exchange, ecosystem dynamics, and plant-microbe interactions
(Elsevier, 2019) Mohd Aamir; Krishna Kumar Rai; Manish Kumar Dubey; Andleeb Zehra; Yashoda Nandan Tripathi; Kumari Divyanshu; Swarnmala Samal; R.S. Upadhyay
In the present scenario, global climate change is a serious concern with respect to global food production. Adverse environmental conditions including high temperature, drought, salinity, and precipitation resulting from the changing climate in different regions increase the risk of dramatic losses in agricultural production. The altered species distribution resulting from the changed climatic scenario has affected the functional interactions and integrations existing between species. The differential origin, evolution, and dispersal abilities of organisms determine their susceptibility and response mechanisms under the changed environment and functions on multiple levels. Soil microbiota (including rhizospheric and endophytic microorganisms) play an indispensable role in the mitigation of climate change and induced abiotic stresses, and also promote plant growth and development through a plethora of mechanisms that work at multiple levels, including regulation of nutrient transformation, allowing for coexistence among neighboring and controlling plant populations. The functional aspects and ecological dynamics of natural ecosystems are highly dependent on plant functional traits and their interactions with organisms occupied at a multitrophic level. The changed climatic conditions influence the environmental variables and therefore alter the multifunctional responses or interaction mechanisms existing between the plants and microbes. Furthermore, the mutual interactions between plants and soil microbes have substantial consequences in regulating the community compositions and ecosystem functions. This chapter discusses the effect of climate change on ecosystem mechanics and dynamics, and how microorganisms play crucial roles in regulating the functional dynamics of ecosystem properties. In recent years, rapid industrialization and increased anthropogenic activities have resulted in rapid and continuous changes in climatic conditions, causing significant changes in agricultural productivity. In this context, there is an urgent need to understand, define, and interpret the plant-microbe interactions in terms of their efficient use and indigenous mechanisms against abiotic stresses without compromising the sustainability of the ecosystem. © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
In silico prediction, characterization, molecular docking, and dynamic studies on fungal SDRs as novel targets for searching potential fungicides against fusarium wilt in tomato
(Frontiers Media S.A., 2018) Mohd Aamir; Vinay Kumar Singh; Manish Kumar Dubey; Mukesh Meena; Sarvesh Pratap Kashyap; Sudheer Kumar Katari; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay; Amineni Umamaheswari; Surendra Singh
Vascular wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) is one of the most devastating diseases, that delimits the tomato production worldwide. Fungal short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs) are NADP(H) dependent oxidoreductases, having shared motifs and common functional mechanism, have been demonstrated as biochemical targets for commercial fungicides. The 1,3,6,8 tetra hydroxynaphthalene reductase (T4HNR) protein, a member of SDRs family, catalyzes the naphthol reduction reaction in fungal melanin biosynthesis. We retrieved an orthologous member of T4HNR, (complexed with NADP(H) and pyroquilon from Magnaporthe grisea) in the FOL (namely; FOXG_04696) based on homology search, percent identity and sequence similarity (93% query cover; 49% identity). The hypothetical protein FOXG_04696 (T4HNR like) had conserved T-G-X-X-X-G-X-G motif (cofactor binding site) at N-terminus, similar to M. grisea (1JA9) and Y-X-X-X-K motif, as a part of the active site, bearing homologies with two fungal keto reductases T4HNR (M. grisea) and 17-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Curvularia lunata (teleomorph: Cochliobolus lunatus PDB ID: 3IS3). The catalytic tetrad of T4HNR was replaced with ASN115, SER141, TYR154, and LYS158 in the FOXG_04696. The structural alignment and superposition of FOXG_04696 over the template proteins (3IS3 and 1JA9) revealed minimum RMSD deviations of the C alpha atomic coordinates, and therefore, had structural conservation. The best protein model (FOXG_04696) was docked with 37 fungicides, to evaluate their binding affinities. The Glide XP and YASARA docked complexes showed discrepancies in results, for scoring and ranking the binding affinities of fungicides. The docked complexes were further refined and rescored from their docked poses through 50 ns long MD simulations, and binding free energies (ΔGbind) calculations, using MM/GBSA analysis, revealed Oxathiapiprolin and Famoxadone as better fungicides among the selected one. However, Famoxadone had better interaction of the docked residues, with best protein ligand contacts, minimum RMSD (high accuracy of the docking pose) and RMSF (structural integrity and conformational flexibility of docking) at the specified docking site. The Famoxadone was found to be acceptable based on in silico toxicity and in vitro growth inhibition assessment. We conclude that the FOXG_04696, could be employed as a novel candidate protein, for structure-based design, and screening of target fungicides against the FOL pathogen. © 2018 Aamir, Singh, Dubey, Meena, Kashyap, Katari, Upadhyay, Umamaheswari and Singh.
In vivo immunomodulatory effects of the methanolic leaf extract of Gymnema sylvestre in Swiss albino mice
(Institut za Bioloska Istrazivanja, 2015) Laxmi Ahirwal; Siddhartha Singh; Manish Kumar Dubey; Vandana Bharti; Archana Mehta; Shruti Shukla
In the present study we performed a comparative phytochemical analysis of the immunomodulating activities of the methanol leaf extract of Gymnema sylvestre (MLEGS) in Swiss albino mice. The phytochemical screening conducted on MLEGS revealed the presence of several phytoconstituents, including saponins, alkaloids, glycosides, phenols, tannins, and flavonoids. Immunomodulatory activities were determined by hemagglutination antibody (HA) titer and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) tests for determining specific and non-specific immune responses. Flow cytometric techniques were performed for the estimation of B lymphocytes (CD3 and CD19) and Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-4). The response produced by oral administration of MLEGS elicited a significant reduction in a dose-related manner in the primary and secondary antibody response and DTH response. The response produced by oral administration of MLEGS caused a significant reduction in a dose-related manner in the primary and secondary antibody and DTH responses, with maximum reduction observed at 200 mg/kg-body wt. The maximal reductions in the production of CD3, CD19, IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-4 were 31.59, 32.12, 29.51, 32.45 and 33.53%, respectively, at 200 mg/kg body weight. This study demonstrates that G. sylvestre exerts immunosuppressive effects on the components of the immune system of mice, and points to its significant immunomodulatory potential.
Isolation, identification, carbon utilization profile and control of Pythium graminicola, the causal agent of chilli damping-off
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2020) Manish Kumar Dubey; Andleeb Zehra; Mohd. Aamir; Mukesh Yadav; Swarnmala Samal; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
Postemergence damping-off of chilli caused by Pythium spp. is a common and serious problem in large chilli growing areas of India under the moist conditions that generally prevails during the sowing period. Therefore, in order to better understand this disease, an isolate belonging to the genus Pythium (Pythiales) was isolated from the infected chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) plant root parts collected from the fields of Chandauli district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Based on the congruence of cultural, morphological, cardinal growth rate and the sequence data analysis, the isolate was identified as Pythium graminicola. The molecular phylogenetic analysis based on ITS-rDNA sequences clustered the isolate with representative sequences for P. graminicola from GenBank in the Pythium clade. The isolate carbon utilization profiles were characterized using Biolog FF MicroPlate method. The results revealed that the isolate used a wide range of carbon sources, mainly carbohydrates, but also amino acids, suggesting the use of metabolic routes that include glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. Moreover, an in vitro colony growth inhibition assay was performed to determine the influence of chemical (fungicides) and biological (bacteria and fungi) antagonists over the pathogen using the poison plate and dual culture method, respectively. Overall, the results revealed that the presence of aggressive broad range biocontrol agents can be used as an effective environmentally friendly approach for management and control of damping-off in production systems. The antagonist can serve as a bio-efficient and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fungicides for the development of an effective integrated pest management (IPM) system and obtaining higher yields. © 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH
Microbial bioformulation-based plant biostimulants: a plausible approach toward next generation of sustainable agriculture
(Elsevier, 2020) Mohd Aamir; Krishna Kumar Rai; Andleeb Zehra; Manish Kumar Dubey; Sunil Kumar; Vaishali Shukla; Ram S. Upadhyay
In context to sustainable agriculture practices, the agro-ecological system aims at optimizing the economic and environmental performances of beneficial ecosystem services to optimize the agricultural food production for future growing population, preserving the natural resources. The synthetic chemicals used in the agriculture to increase yields, kill pathogens, pests, and weeds have a big harmful impact on the ecosystem. Biostimulants can be used as a tool to complement the use of chemical inputs, by involving nonliving-based products, or living-based products, containing beneficial rhizosphere microbiome, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and beneficial fungi. Increase in soil fertility, plant growth promotion, and suppression of phytopathogens are the targets of the bioformulation industry that leads to the development of ecofriendly environment. Pest management research has also made major advances in the development of efficient biocontrol methods. Elicitors and semiochemicals are considered to be some of the most promising tools for inducing plant resistance to various diseases and enhancing natural predation, respectively. Bioformulations offer an environmentally sustainable approach to increase crop production and health, contributing substantially in making the 21st century the age of biotechnology. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Morpho-molecular identification, characterization and management of Pythium catenulatum, the causative agent of root rot disease in Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean)
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2023) Manish Kumar Dubey; Mohd Aamir; Andleeb Zehra; Mukesh Yadav; Punam Kumari; Milind H. Gajbhiye; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
In this study, we identified and characterize a plant pathogenic isolate, collected from naturally infested bean (Phaseolus vulgaris var. Anupama) seedlings presenting root rot symptoms from an agricultural land of the Prayagraj district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Based on morphological features, growth characteristics and the ITS sequencing-based molecular data, the isolate was assumed very closed to the species of the Pythium genera. However, ITS sequencing data and the BLAST results for gene annotation clustered the identified isolate more closely to the Pythium catenulatum (p-value e-value), and therefore, confirmed as P. catenulatum. The pathogenicity assay confirmed the role of the isolate as a root rot causing pathogen. Furthermore, the isolate was tested for its growth under in-vitro conditions against several environmental parameters including temperature, pH, salt, drought and metals. The Biolog FF MicroPlate method assessed the carbon utilization profile and reported the ability of the isolate in utilizing both carbohydrates and amino acids as a primary energy source. Moreover, in-vitro colony growth inhibition assay performed with different agrochemicals (fungicides and insecticides) and the dyes determined their efficacy in suppressing the growth and development of the isolated pathogen. The dual culture assay of the isolate along with several fungal and bacterial strains confirmed the antagonistic potential of some tested microbes in delimiting the growth of the pathogen. Overall, the study provides a new sustainable, effective and eco-friendly solution for controlling the root rot pathogen. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Morpho-taxonomical notes on some Rhizophydium species (Rhizophydiaceae, Rhizophydiales) of North India
(Horizon e-Publishing Group, 2025) Manish Kumar Dubey; Ram Sanmukh Upadhyay
In the present study, seven chytrid species from the genus Rhizophydium, specifically Rhizophydium annulatum, R. coronum, R. condylosum, R. elyense, R. keratinophilum, R. sphaerotheca and R. utriculare were collected from north India and are briefly described. The descriptions are accompanied by photographs illustrating their morphological and taxonomical characteristics. Notably, R. annulatum, R. elyense and R. utriculare represent the first records of these species in the Indian mycobiota. © The Author(s).
New records, rare and noteworthy species of the genus Nowakowskiella (Nowakowskiellaceae, Chytridiomycota) from India
(Indian Academy of Sciences, 2022) Manish Kumar Dubey; Milind H. Gajbhiye; Ram S. Upadhyay
Six species of the genus Nowakowskiella (Nowakowskiel-laceae, Chytridiomycota), specifically Nowakowskiella elegans, N. hemisphaerospora, N. profusa, N. multispora, N. ramosa and N. macrospora as well as one variety N. multispora var. longa are described herein from India. N. hemisphaerospora and N. macrospora are reported as new records for the country. This increases the num-ber of Nowakowskiella species known from India to seven. N. multispora var. longa is a rare species that has pre-viously only been found in Poland and India. All these species along, with the variety, are illustrated with the help of light photomicrographs and compared with other similar species. Morphological descriptions, illus-trations, distribution and comments of the species exa-mined are presented. Besides, we analysed nu-rRNA gene sequences (partial large subunit) of six Nowakowskiella isolates from Indian aquatic and soil samples. In addi-tion, a summary of unique traits based on the morpho-logical features of all these species are provided in this study to differentiate them. © 2022,Current Science.All Rights Reserved.