An insight into the biodiversity and biotechnology of Fusarium species

Abstract

Fusarium species is one of the major fungi that poses challenges for food and nutritional security, as this fungus can able to cause up to 100% crop loss in many crop plants. Fusarium spp. have a wide host range and can produce a variety of symptoms in their hosts, including rot, canker, blights, and wilt. Because of the great biodiversity of the fungal species and its being soil-borne in nature, it can be linked to a variety of soil types and disseminated worldwide. Managing the fungus can be extremely challenging, leading to significant crop losses and financial losses. The fungus can survive for several years with the formation of chlamydospores or perennating structures in the soil and seeds. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the distribution and diversity of this fungus in order to comprehend its nature and mechanism. Fusarium spp. are ubiquitous, have different ecological niches, and are soil-borne, which makes it difficult to study and manage the fungus. In light of these difficulties, Fusarium poses problems; hence, biotechnology interventions are vital for precise and timely identification and diagnosis of the fungus as well as for pathogen management. Plant pathologists have used a variety of biotechnological tools, including RNA interference (RNAi), HIGS, VIGS, genome analysis, and sequencing techniques, to better comprehend nature and biodiversity. The fungus Fusarium is worth studying in detail and gathering as much information as possible for the scientific community to better manage the diseases produced by these species due to their expanding host range and geographical presence. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.