The dormant spores of Aspergillus nidulans become competent for growth and nuclear division in a process called conidial germination. To analyze the molecular details of conidial germination, we developed a genetic screen in which we identified spore germination-deficient mutants that are blocked in this process at the restrictive temperature. These mutants defined eight genes, of which we iden...

Heterotrimeric G protein signaling is essential for normal hyphal growth in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. We have previously demonstrated that the non-receptor guanine nucleotide exchange factor RIC8 acts upstream of the Gα proteins GNA-1 and GNA-3 to regulate hyphal extension. Here we demonstrate that regulation of hyphal extension results at least in part, from an important role i...

To test the inferences of spotted microarray technology against a biochemically well-studied process, we performed transcriptional profiling of conidial germination in the filamentous fungus, Neurospora crassa. We first constructed a 70 base oligomer microarray that assays 3366 predicted genes. To estimate the relative gene expression levels and changes in gene expression during conidial germin...

Antifungal activity of water soluble exudates of pea leaves was assayed. Exudates of different nodal leaves were collected by dipping them in sterilized distilled water for different length of time and conidial germination of four non-pathogenic to pea fungi (Alternaria solani, Curvularia lunata, Helminthosporium penniseti and H. echinocloa) and one pea pathogenic to pea fungus (Erysiphe pisi) ...

The objective of this study was to determine inhibitory activities of four volatile plant essential oils (cinnamon oil, fennel oil, origanum oil and thyme oil) on in vitro growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae causing Fusarium wilt of strawberry plants. Results showed that these essential oils inhibited in vitro conidial germination and mycelial growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae i...

Antifungal activity of 2-hydroxy 4,4'6'trimethoxy chalcone individually was tested against spore germination of ten fungi of different genera. Efficacy of the chemical was also tested against conidial germination and other growth parameters of Erysiphe pisi on excised pea leaves. 2-Hydroxy 4,4'6'trimethoxy chalcone inhibited spore germination at all the concentrations. Maximum inhibition was ob...

Antifungal activities of twenty four plant extracts and secondary metabolites of five Trichoderma strains were tested against conidial germination and germ tube growth of Colletotrichum capsici. Hundred percent inhibition of conidial germination and shortest germ tube formation of Colletotrichum capsici were recorded in Azadiracta indica (leaf), Ocimum sanctum (leaf) and Curcuma longa (rhizome)...

We obtained 3,372 tentative unique transcripts (TUTs) from a cDNA library of Fusarium oxysporum. A cDNA array with 3,158 TUTs was produced to analyze gene expression profiles in conidial germination. It seems that ras and other signaling genes, e.g., ccg, cooperatively initiate conidial germination in Fusarium by increasing protein synthesis.

Conidial germination of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Dothiorella aromatica was affected by temperature. The optimal temperature for germination was between 25 and 30°C. No germination occurred at 5 and at 40°C respectively. C. gloeosporioides produced appressoria in vitro while D. aromatica produced long germ tubes without appressoria. Appresorium formation was more sensitive to temperatu...

Efforts have been made to assess some plant extracts namely, Lycopersicon esculentum, Tagetus patula, Achras sapota, Azadirachta indica, Datura metel, Cymbopogon citrates, Polyalthia longifolia, Allium sativum and Allium cepa in vitro for the management of leaf spot (tikka) disease of groundnut cultivar Dhaka-1 caused by Cercospora arachidicola and Cercosporidium personatum. Results indicated t...