Phytochemical Characterization and Screening of the Anti-Pneumonia (Anti-COVID-19, Anti-Fungal, and Anti-Bacterial) Activities of Cuscuta Campestris Extract

Introduction: Although, several vaccines are being approved, no effective antiviral drug has been developed for COVID-19 infectious. The present investigation was aimed to increase the essential oils of Cuscuta campestris using far-red light treatment and examine the potential of crude extracts of C. campestris against selected pneumonia pathogens and COVID-19.Methods: Anti-COVID-19 activity was determined in human lung cell lines and COVID-19 positive patients.Results: Results demonstrated that the aqueous extract had the highest amount of anti-COVID-19, antibiotic and antioxidant activity. The far-red light treatment increased Scoparone, cineole, Benzofuran, 2, 3- dihydro, Cinnamic acid, and Benzo[h]quinoline, 2, 4-dimethyl, which are mainly effective components against COVID-19 inflammation and pneumonia microbes. CT scan and clinical laboratory tests in a clinical case study, a 30-year-old woman who presented with severe 2019-nCoV, demonstrated that inhalation of 30 mg extract nebulized/day for seven days resulted in significant improvement in consolidation and ground-glass opacity in lungs on the seventh day of treatment.Conclusion: It is hoped that this study leads to the introduction of some compounds that could be used to formulate new and more potent anti-COVID-19 antibiotics, or other drugs of natural origin in medicine.

A Comprehensive Review of Scab Disease Detection on Rosaceae Family Fruits via UAV Imagery

Disease detection in plants is essential for food security and economic stability. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) are valuable tools for it. The purpose of this review is to gather several methods used by our peers recently, hoping to provide some knowledge and assistance for researchers and farmers so that they can employ these technologies more advantageously. The studies reviewed in this paper focused on Scab detection in Rosaceae family fruits. Feature extraction, segmentation, and classification methods for processing the UAV-obtained images and detecting the diseases are discussed briefly. The advantages and limitations of diverse kinds of UAVs and imaging sensors are also explained. The widely applied methods for image analysis are machine learning (ML)-based models, and the extensively used UAV platforms are rotary-wing UAVs. Recent technologies that cope with challenges related to disease detection using UAV imagery are also detailed in this paper. Some challenging issues such as higher costs, limited batteries and flying time, huge and complex data, low resolution, and noisy images, etc., still require future consideration. The prime significance of this paper is to promote automation and user-friendly technologies in Scab detection.

Survivability and Benefit Evaluation of Streptomyces sp. and Trichoderma sp. as Active Ingredients of Biopesticides and Soil Fertility Enhancer in Shallot Fields at Wates Village Tulungagung

The purpose of research on the Farmer Empowerment Program in Wates Village is to increase knowledge in the field of sustainable agriculture and transfer of technology for the application of biopesticides containing the Biological Control Agent (APH) Streptomyces sp., Trichoderma sp. combined with shallot cultivation technology in the village of Wates Tulungagung. Innovative methods and Participatory Action Research (PAR) are used to encourage transformative action, by involving community members as PAR implementers in describing the types of plants being treated and applying them during the Covid-19 pandemic in the Wates village, Tulungagung District. The results of the evaluation and monitoring of the use of APH as a biopesticide and fungicide to control moler disease caused a decrease in the population of microorganisms, the population of Trichoderma sp. was absent (o) but Streptomyces sp. increase. Giving APH proved that microorganisms act as decomposers that increase the availability of N and P nutrients through their ability to accelerate the decomposition of organic matter given at the beginning of planting. The K nutrient content in the soil before and after treatment did not differ.

Synthesis, E-pharmacophore, Molecular Docking Studies with SARS-CoV-2 Protease, Their Biological Properties and DFT Calculation of Some New Indolo[3,2-c]Isoquinoiline Hybrids

A series of novel indolo[3,2-c]isoquinoline hybrids derivatives were synthesized. On the basis of spectroscopic and analytical data, the structures of newly synthesized compounds were determined. They were further evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant anticancer and anti-TB activities. Results reveal that compounds 4a and 5a displayed better potency against all bacterial strains and compound 3b showed significant antifungal action against all fungi tested. Compound 4b display excellent antioxidant capability. Compounds 3a, 4a, and 5a bearing chloro on indolo[3,2-c]isoquinoline ring were found have higher potency against all cancer cell lines. Compound 5b displayed potent antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain with MIC 0.12 μg/mL. Consequently, a five-point e-pharmacophore model (AADDR) was built. Docking studies displayed that compounds 2a, 2b, 3a, 4b, and 4c exhibited stronger interactions and higher binding affinity toward Glu166, Gln189, and His41, which are critical amino acid residues that play a significant role in PDB: 7D1M (SARS-CoV-2 Mpro) through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and π-π interactions. Further, frontier molecular orbitals studies were executed to understand their orbital energies and HOMO-LUMO lowest energy gap is 8.39 eV shown by compound 5a.

Integrated management approaches reduced yield loss, and increased productivity in faba bean, due to gall disease in northwestern Ethiopia

A field study was conducted to determine the effects of gall disease on yield and yield components of faba bean at Farta, Ethiopia, in 2019 and 2020. Bayleton spray and/or seed dressing, moderately resistant varieties, and intercropping as treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with three replications. Results revealed significant (P < 0.01) differences among treatments in disease severity, yield and yield components of faba bean. Highly significant and negative correlations between agronomic and disease parameters were established. Gall disease pressure caused yield losses of 60, 67.61 and 68.61% on Bulga 70-wheat, Bulga 70-mustard intercropping and sole Bulga 70 in untreated plots, respectively. Integration of varieties Degaga and Tumsa with fungicide treatments reduced yield losses and gall disease epidemics, and also increased efficiency of intercropping by 20% over respective sole cropping in both years;and thus, such treatments could be recommended in the study areas and other related agro-ecologies. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Archives of Phytopathology & Plant Protection is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Improve antibiotics access to beat ‘silent pandemic’

Speed read Increasing access to antimicrobials ‘can help stop resistance’ More effective treatment is key Antimicrobial resistance turning into ‘a silent pandemic’ [NEW DELHI] Better access to antibiotics and antifungal medicines could slow down the spread of drug resistance in the global South, according to a new study released Thursday (9 June).* Following decades of careless exposure to antibiotics, superbugs are now widespread and, according to the World Health Organization, represent a “global crisis that threatens a century of progress in health”. [...]shortages of essential medicines in low- and middle-income countries lead to patients receiving no treatment or less effective alternatives, giving bacteria and fungi opportunities to develop resistance.” Jayasree K. Iyer, chief executive officer Access to Medicine Foundation The Foundation’s paper uses case studies to illustrate how pharmaceutical companies can steer around such complex challenges and make antibiotics and antifungals more widely available.

Hospital superbug traced to remote island beach

Anuradha Chowdhary, professor of mycology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, and corresponding author of the study, says that while C. auris isolates found on the beach were multidrug-resistant, those found in the remoter salt marshes of the Andaman islands were not resistant to ordinary anti-fungal drugs. “Thorough screening of patients and their environment is required as also cohorting (putting together) of patients who are colonised by C. auris —since they continuously shed viable yeast cells from their skin and contaminate hospital environments.” The present study notes that a hypothesis published July 2019 in mBiosuggests that C. auris might be native to wetlands and that its emergence as a human pathogen may be linked to the effects of global warming effects on wetlands.

Use of the Genus Satureja as Food Supplement: Possible Modulation of the Immune System via Intestinal Microbiota During SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Satureja genus belongs to the Lamiaceae family, and they are used in food products and by pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The chemical composition of Satureja is responsible for its pharmacological and phytochemical properties. Among the various biological activities, notably antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal, Satureja also has a potential antiviral activity. The existence of a microbiota modulation potential by Satureja in farming animals has also been reported. Viral pathologies are one of the main causes of disease in the world. It is commonly known that gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the fight and progression of viral infection. Previous studies conducted on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have proved an imbalance in the intestinal and pulmonary microbiota via gut-lung axis. Knowing the properties of Satureja and its traditional use, one can suggest the possibility of using it as dietary supplement to modulate immune system in order to prevent and fight viral infections. The objective of this review is to reveal the potential impact of medicinal plants such as Satureja genus as a food supplement, on immune enhancing during SARS-CoV-2 infection and their relationships with the intestinal microbiota.

When Scent Becomes a Weapon—Plant Essential Oils as Potent Bioinsecticides

Crop protection still mostly relies on synthetic pesticides for crop pest control. However, the rationale for their continued use is shaded by the revealed adverse effects, such as relatively long environmental persistence that leads to water and soil contamination and retention of residues in food that brings high risks to human and animal health. As part of integrated pest management, biopesticides may provide crop protection, being eco-friendly and safe for humans and non-target organisms. Essential oils, complex mixtures of low-molecular-weight, highly volatile compounds, have been highlighted as major candidates for plant-derived bioinsecticides that are up to the sustainable biological standard. In this review, we screened the insecticidal activity of essential oils or their purified compounds, with focus given to their modes of action, along with the analyzed advantages and problems associated with their wider usage as plant-derived insecticides in agriculture.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antifungal Agents in Critically Ill Patients: Is There a Need for Dose Optimisation?

Invasive fungal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in critically ill patients. Increasing resistance rates and inadequate antifungal exposure have been documented in these patients, due to clinically relevant pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) alterations, leading to treatment failure. Physiological changes such as third spacing (movement of fluid from the intravascular compartment to the interstitial space), hypoalbuminemia, renal failure and hepatic failure, as well as common interventions in the intensive care unit, such as renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, can lead to these PK and PD alterations. Consequently, a therapeutic target concentration that may be useful for one patient may not be appropriate for another. Regular doses do not take into account the important PK variations in the critically ill, and the need to select an effective dose while minimising toxicity advocates for the use of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). This review aims to describe the current evidence regarding optimal PK/PD indices associated with the clinical efficacy of the most commonly used antifungal agents in critically ill patients (azoles, echinocandins, lipid complexes of amphotericin B, and flucytosine), provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting the PK of each agent, document the PK parameters of critically ill patients compared to healthy volunteers, and, finally, make recommendations for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antifungals in critically ill patients.

Status of Pesticide Usage on Golf Courses in Korea and Optimal Pesticide Usage Plan

Risks to human health and the environment owing to pesticide usage have arisen interest, increasing the demand for reducing pesticide consumption used on golf courses. However, standard guidelines or manuals for reducing pesticide usage on golf courses in Korea are lacking. Herein, the trends of pesticides on golf courses were investigated, and the optimal pesticide usage plan was proposed for continuous pesticide reduction. In 2019, there were 539 golf courses in Korea. With the increasing number of golf courses in 2010–2019, pesticide usage increased continuously. Fungicides accounted for more than half the pesticides used, followed by insecticides and herbicides. Except for golf courses that do not employ chemical pesticides, pesticide usage per unit area varied in the range of 0.02–65.81 kg ha−1 (average of 6.97 kg ha−1). In the US, best management practices and integrated pest management (IPM) have been stipulated and are operational in each state for pesticide management in golf courses, recognizing chemical pesticide usage to be the last approach for pest control and turf health maintenance. Considering that Korea globally ranks 10th in the number of golf facilities and courses, the establishment of IPM practices suitable for domestic conditions is essential.

Characterization of the host range and sensitivity to fungicides of Trichothecium spp. associated with fruit rot in the field and in storage

During 2017–2019, we observed Trichothecium spp. causing fruit rot in the field and in storage. This study was conducted to examine morphological differences of the species from different hosts, reveal the species' potential host range, and evaluate the efficacy of five fungicides. Six strains of Trichothecium spp. isolated from nectarine, peach and walnut were selected. Although the colony morphology, mycelial growth rate and spore size differed among hosts, phylogenetic analysis based on the internal transcribed spacer and part of the 5ʹ end of the β‐tubulin gene showed that all tested strains belonged to Trichothecium roseum. For its host range, 23 kinds of fruit were examined using T. roseum strain YT‐1 as an inoculum;10 kinds of fruit, including pear, apple, mango, Chinese chestnut, pepino melon, fig and durian, were susceptible to T. roseum, with minimum inoculation concentrations ranging from 104 to 105 spores/ml. The fungicides that most effectively inhibited the six isolates were fluazinam and fludioxonil, with EC50 values of 0.07–0.1 and 0.01–0.04 μg/ml, respectively, followed by difenoconazole (0.81–2.96 μg/ml), boscalid (5.43–13.51 μg/ml) and azoxystrobin (9.18–27.25 μg/ml). Improvement of the shelf life of nectarines held in plastic trays was explored using allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) against T. roseum YT‐1. The application of 10 μl/L AITC significantly suppressed disease symptoms. The findings provide useful information for future disease emergency management in the field and for food preservation. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Plant Pathology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

A Two-Year Field Experiment for the Integrated Management of Bread and Durum Wheat Fungal Diseases and of Deoxynivalenol Accumulation in the Grain in Central Italy

A two-year (2018/19 and 2019/20) field experiment was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of recently developed fungicide combinations (with different modes of action) towards fungal diseases on seven bread and eight durum wheat varieties. The trial was performed at the FIELDLAB experimental station of the University of Perugia (Italy). The diseases were assessed under natural pressure except for Fusarium head blight (FHB) for which artificial inoculation with a Fusarium culmorum deoxynivalenol (DON)-producing strain was performed at the full flowering stage (BBCH 65). Fungicides were sprayed at the fully extended flag leaf (BBCH 39) and full flowering (BBCH 65) stages. The incidence of different fungal diseases was visually evaluated and other parameters [grains production (t/ha), protein content (%), test weight (kg/hL), and DON accumulation in grain (μg/kg)] were also determined. In the two years, characterized by different climatic conditions, the fungicide treatments showed efficacy in controlling the observed diseases (Septoria tritici blotch and FHB) as well as in reducing DON contamination. No significant differences were found between treatments. The results highlight that, in the present scenario of commercially available durum and bread wheat varieties, the timely application of the most common fungicides plays a crucial role for FHB and DON management in the presence of climatic conditions that are favorable to the disease. The impact of these results in an integrated disease management perspective is discussed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Agronomy is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

'Mucormycosis': A Fungal Infection Threatening India During COVID-19' - A Review

During the second wave of Covid-19 in India, doctors recently reported a outbreak of cases involving a rare infection-called the “black fungus”-among recovering and recovered Covid-19 patients. The frequency of bacterial and fungal coinfections has been continuously rising. At the same time, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is increasingly being recognized in association with nCOVID-19. Currently, India is suffering from a newly maiming disease associated with nCOVID-19 infected patients;at the time of the treatment, it can be developed into rhino-orbital mucormycosis. There are some approved antifungal therapies for treating this fungal infection. The background, risk factors, and associated reports about the infection are described in this review.

Evaluation of fungicides and bacterial antagonists for management of Corynespora leaf spot on mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek)

To minimize losses likely to occur due to Corynespora leaf spot, systemic and contact fungicides and formulation of bacterial antagonists like Bacillus subtilis DTBS-5, B. amyloliquefaciens DSBA-11, and Pseudomonas fluorescens DTPF-3 talc-based formulations were evaluated to manage the disease. Though mancozeb has the lowest EC50 value of 1250.54 ppm it was not efficient in the field experiment. In addition, dual culture assay to determine the efficacy of bacterial antagonists against C. cassiicola, B. amyloliquefaciens DSBA-11 effectiovely reduced growth of C. cassiicola. In the field experiments conducted during Kharif 2019 and 2020, two sprays with Azoxystrobin 23 SC@ 0.5 ml lit−1 were found most effective in reducing disease severity by 57.7% and 67.7% respectively during Kharif 2019 and 2020. Azoxystrobin 23 SC treatment resulted in a maximum increase of 281.5 kg in grain yield followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens DTPF-3 264.7 kg and Bacillus subtilis DTBS-5 248.9 kg yield. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Archives of Phytopathology & Plant Protection is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Evaluating the contribution of synthetic fungicides to cereal plant health and CO2 reduction targets against the backdrop of the increasingly complex regulatory environment in Europe. (Special Issue: On the topic of plant health in a one health context.)

The global COVID pandemic has impacted the world in ways and at a scale that few could have predicted, with many industries severely disrupted. Despite this, crops were sown and harvested, food was produced and agriculture continued to function, albeit it with many logistical challenges. Plant health lies at the heart of preventing crop losses through a combination of varietal resistance and agronomic practices. In the case of foliar plant diseases in wheat, varietal resistance plays a key role, but the use of synthetic fungicides is essential to minimize crop losses. European arable production faces a dilemma: how to contribute and maintain global food supplies but at the same time decrease emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), reduce inputs potentially harmful to biodiversity, society and the environment while ensuring no more land is brought into production. Throughout history, major disruptions in society have led to big steps in agricultural innovation. Presently, the major disruptive forces in Europe are not just a result of the COVID pandemic but the increasingly urgent need to address climate change. Within the European Green Deal, the Farm-to-Fork strategy is in place to help achieve climate neutrality by 2050, aiming for a reduction of GHG emissions of 55% by 2030. To achieve this, there will need to be a major adjustment to how food is produced, a realignment in plant health strategies and accelerated innovation across the agricultural sector. This paper aims to evaluate how synthetic fungicides presently contribute to plant health (mainly wheat) and food production as well as the management of GHG emissions. In addition, it explores the future challenges and prospects for their positive contribution in achieving global food security alongside emerging innovative technologies.

Remediation of Pesticides by Microalgae as Feasible Approach in Agriculture: Bibliometric Strategies

Pesticide treatment dramatically reduces crop loss and enhances agricultural productivity, promoting global food security and economic growth. However, owing to high accrual and persistent tendency, pesticides could create significant ecological consequences when used often. Lately, the perspective has transitioned to implementing biological material, environmentally sustainable, and economical strategies via bioremediation approaches to eradicate pesticides contaminations. Microalgae were regarded as a prominent option for the detoxification of such hazardous contaminants. Sustainable application and remediation strategies of pesticides pollutants in the agriculture system by microalgae from the past studies, and recent advancements were integrated into this review. Bibliometric strategies to enhance the research advancements in pesticide bioremediation by microalgae between 2010 and 2020 were implemented through critical comparative analysis of documents from Scopus and PubMed databases. As a result, this study identified a growing annual research trend from 1994 to 2020 (nScopus > nPubMed). Global production of pesticide remediation by microalgae demonstrated significant contributions from India (23.8%) and China (16.7%). The author’s keyword clustering was visualized using bibliometric software (VOSviewer), which revealed the strongest network formed by “microalgae”, “bioremediation”, “biodegradation”, “cyanobacteria”, “wastewater”, and “pesticide” as significant to the research topic. Hence, this bibliometric review will facilitate the future roadmap for many scholars and authors who were drawing attention to the burgeoning research on bioremediation of pesticides to counteract environmental impacts while maintaining food sustainability.

Morphological variability in Verticillium fungicola isolates collected from different mushroom farm of Haryana state

In present investigation, the morphological variability were studied by collecting seventeen isolates of V. fungicola from different mushroom farms of Haryana state and out of these eight were isolated, purified on PDA medium and which coded as MHS (Hisar), BFT (Fatehabad), NJN (Jind), RHT (Rohtak), TPN (Panipat), BSN (Sonipat), FDB (Fridabad) and SKK (Kurukshetra) and pathogenicity was proved on host A. bisporus. Regarding morphological variability, the radial growth was fastest in isolate BSN (44.66 mm), followed by TPN (43.86 mm), FDB (43.33 mm), SKK (42.16 mm) and RHT (41.50 mm), while isolates MHS, BFT and NJN had slow growth i.e. 35.83, 34.50 and 38.00 mm, respectively after 12 days of incubation. Isolates MHS, BFT and NJN showed uneven and less feathery colony growth, while rest of isolates had even, profuse feathery and raised colony. Colony pigmentation of V. fungicola isolates was white and underside light yellow in MHS, BFT, NJN and RHT, whereas, isolates TPN, BSN, FDB and SKK having dark yellow colour. The size of conidia also varied among the isolates and it ranges from 2.4-5.1x1.2-2.1m (BFT) to 3.0-7.9x1.1-2.5m (BSN) whereas, isolates MHS (2.8- 4.1x1.0-2.1 m), BFT (2.4-5.1x1.2-2.1m) and NJN (2.6-3.1x1.0-2.4 m) having small size conidia and rest one i.e. RHT (2.9-5.5x1.0-2.1m), TPN (2.9-6.5x1.1-2.3 m), BSN (3.0-7.9x1.1-2.5 m), FDB (3.0-6.5x1.0-2.2 m) and SKK (2.8-4.1x1.0-2.1 m) had large sized conidia.