Beauveria caledonica offers great potential as a biocontrol agent for certain pests and diseases. However, its ability to colonize plants as an endophyte and its interactions with pathogenic microorganisms within the plant are still not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the potential of B. caledonica isolated from banana weevils to colonize banana cultivar "Baxijiao" (Musa spp. AAA) and control the Tropical Race 4 (TR4) strain of Fusarium Wilt of Banana (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). A four-point dual-culture confrontation test revealed that B. caledonica effectively inhibited the in vitro growth of Foc TR4, with an inhibition rate of 70.14%. Colonization experiments showed that B. caledonica could colonize the roots, corms, and pseudostems of banana plantlets. Finally, greenhouse experiments, arranged in a randomized complete block design, confirmed that B. caledonica could act as an endophyte, surviving inside the banana plant, and demonstrated that it significantly reduced Foc TR4 in the host plant, with an efficacy of 34.73%, without adversely affecting plant growth. This groundbreaking study confirms that an insect-pathogenic fungus, B. caledonica, isolated from banana weevils, can colonize banana plants and establish itself as an endophyte within host plants. Its demonstrated potential to antagonize Foc TR4 highlights its effectiveness as a biocontrol agent in banana production, which opens a new possibility for B. caledonica's dual roles in disease and pest management to be validated in large-scale field trials.
Banana, a globally important staple fruit, is naturally deficient in anthocyanins; however, successful engineering of anthocyanin-enriched banana has not been reported to date. Herein, a regulatory network of five R2R3-MYBs (MusaUP1, MusaUP2, MbaMA2, MusaMA4, and MusaMA8) differentially synchronizing anthocyanin biosynthesis in banana bract is reported. RNA-seq data of red bract revealed a web of regulatory and structural genes fine-tuning anthocyanin accumulation through amalgamation of MYBs and bHLHs activities. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) demonstrated differential affinities of these MusaMYBs to banana TT8, CHS, ANR, UFGT, FLS, ANS, and LAR, revealing an intricate pattern of layered regulation in bract pigmentation. Functional competence of this MYB network resulted in intense anthocyanin accumulation in whitish onion and restoration of pigmentation in myb90/tt8 Arabidopsis seedlings. Hierarchical regulation in this MYB network stemmed from contrasting control over early and late flavonoid structural genes as revealed by disparate orange fluorescence of myb90/tt8 Arabidopsis seedlings after DPBA staining. In banana, a distinctive requirement of TT8 for pigmentation was observed for MbaMA2 and MusaMA8, while MusaUP1, MusaUP2, and MusaMA4 were self-competent, although co-expression of MusaTT8 augmented the ectopic pigmentation effect. Transcript abundance of flavonoid structural genes in transgenic banana is in coherence with Y1H data, thus catalysing pigmentation up to 500-fold over control. This regulatory MYBs hierarchical framework manifested flux in a spectrum of distinct pigment metabolites, viz peonidin-3,5-diglucoside in MusaUP1 and MusaUP2, dalbergiodin in MbaMA2/TT8 lines (FLS-mediated pathway), leucodelphinidin and leucopelargonidin in MusaMA4 lines (DFR to ANS flux), and prodelphinidin B4 in MusaMA8 lines. This study will be a step forward towards metabolic engineering for bio-fortification of banana and development of functional foods, as evident by strong antioxidant activities of these MYB lines.
Synthetic dyes like methylene blue (MB) persist in aquatic environment and threaten human and animal health. Agricultural by-products like banana flower (BF) wastes can be converted into low-cost adsorbent for sustainable dye uptake. This study reveals the conversion of discarded banana flower (Musa paradisiaca) waste into an efficient and sustainable biosorbent for MB elimination from aqueous media. Acid modification was utilized to enhance the adsorption performance of raw banana flower (RBF), producing modified banana flower (MBF) with enhanced surface functionality and adsorption affinity. Surface and structural validation using XRD, SEM, FT-IR, and BET analyses confirmed the predominantly amorphous mesoporous structure and the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups such as -OH, C = O, and C-O responsible for dye binding. BET study revealed a surface area of 106.3 m2/g with a mesoporous structure (average pore diameter ≈ 6.1 nm), favorable for dye uptake. Batch adsorption experiments showed that MB uptake was strongly influenced by temperature, pH, contact time, and adsorbent dosage, with optimum adsorption occurring under alkaline conditions. Langmuir isotherm analysis showed maximum adsorption capacities of 29.9 mg/g for RBF and 48.6 mg/g for MBF, confirming the significant enhancement achieved through acid modification. The Pseudo-first-order model best described MB uptake by RBF (R2 = 0.977), while pseudo-second-order model fits perfectly the kinetic data of MBF (R2 = 0.988), while thermodynamic parameters confirmed a spontaneous (ΔG: -3.23 to -39.72 kJ/mol) and endothermic process (ΔH: + 23.38 and + 97.88 kJ/mol). The findings highlight the potential of acid-modified banana flower waste as a low-cost, eco-friendly, and high-performance adsorbent for sustainable wastewater treatment applications.
Yield in Sweet fig banana is an economic trait for enhancing the production in the perspective of improving nutrition and income for smallholder farmers. Consequently, understanding its genetic basis is a major focus in breeding new varieties. To reveal loci linked to yield related traits in sweet fig banana, 238 accessions from Benin were characterized in field trials at two locations over 3.5 years. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using 1,473 high-quality SNPs and five statistical models-GLM, MLM, BLINK, FarmCPU, and MLMM. Findings revealed significant variation in all phenotypic traits among accessions. LD decay of 5.392 Mb physical distance was noted in sweet fig banana chromosomes. GWAS identified 29 significant SNPs associated with growth traits and 16 with yield-related traits. Two SNPs were identified only in single-locus models, 36 exclusively in multi-locus models, and seven were shared by both. Moreover, 16 putative candidate genes associated with traits were identified. Plant height and yield-related traits exhibit a polygenic architecture, governed by the cumulative minor effects of multiple SNPs. Four multi-locus traits were detected. Given the extensive LD decay, marker-traits associations (MTA) for polygenic traits likely indicate haplotypic effects, and the multi-trait loci may be pleiotropic or tightly linked genes. This study provides an initial understanding of the genetic control of growth and yield traits in sweet fig banana and offers a foundation for genomics-assisted breeding in dessert banana.
Endophytic entomopathogenic fungi Akanthomyces lecanii, were found to establish a covert symbiotic association within banana Musa spp. and conferring enhanced resistance against herbivorous pests. This endophytic relationship is a promising, and sustainable approach for integrated pest management in banana cultivation. The banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa, plays a critical role in insect-microbe interactions and serves as a target for aphid control to reduce virus transmission. In this study, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed to identify volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by P. nigronervosa and to characterize the metabolic repertoire of A. lecanii. Endophytic fungi were isolated from pseudostem tissues, which yielded multiple fungal isolates, were taxonomically characterized through sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Subsequently, bioassays were conducted to assess their effect on aphid survival and behavior. GC-MS metabolomic profiling revealed that both Akanthomyces lecanii and Pentalonia nigronervosa produces a range of volatile organic compounds including Triphenyl phosphate, p-Cymen-7-ol (4-Isopropylbenzyl alcohol), Valeric acid, 4-Ethylbenzaldehyde (Caproic Acid), Pyridoxal phosphate, Palmitic Acid, 2-Methyloctan-3-ol and Ethanone (Acetaldehyde) several of the bioactive compounds exhibit aphicidal properties with potential insect-repellent effects. Notably, 2-methyloctan 3ol, ethanone, palmitic acid, and pyridoxal phosphate emerged as the most potent aphicidal candidates and were formulated into eco-friendly insecticidal blends. Overall, our results highlight the chemical ecology of aphid-microbes interaction and provide a metabolomic-guided foundation for novel phytochemical strategies to protect banana crops from aphid-borne diseases.
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is crucial in obstructive jaundice (OJ) to determine the cause, level, and extent of the obstruction. We are aimed at comparing MRCP image qualities among patients who received different preparations. In this nonrandomized observational cross-sectional study, 86 cases of OJ were examined at the imaging center, Sulaimani Teaching Hospital, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, from November 2023 to April 2024. The patients were prepared before MRCP imaging by giving a solid banana, plain dark tea, or nothing (fasting for 4-6 h). Then, images were captured and compared across patients to assess their effectiveness in suppressing signals from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and to visualize and assess the pancreaticobiliary system. Bananas had the greatest efficacy in suppressing GIT signals, followed by fasting alone and then plain dark tea (p ≤ 0.05). Banana consumption significantly improved main pancreatic duct (MPD) visualization (OR = 7.00, p = 0.021). MPD visualization improved after consuming plain dark tea compared with fasting alone. MPD was not dilated in most cases (84.9%) after all preparations were used. Age and gender are not significantly related to the appearance quality of the pancreaticobiliary system. Bananas are associated with GIT signal suppression, MPD visualization, and pancreaticobiliary tree dilation more than plain dark tea and fasting.
High-fidelity 3D reconstruction and precise phenotypic parameter extraction of banana plants are critical for crop growth monitoring and yield estimation in precision agriculture. However, traditional methods encounter significant bottlenecks: LiDAR systems are cost-prohibitive for widespread adoption, while traditional photogrammetry often fails to handle the complex canopy structures, severe occlusions, and weak texture features characteristic of banana leaves. To address these limitations, this article proposes a novel framework for 3D reconstruction and automatic phenotyping based on multi-view images captured by mobile phones. We introduce BN-NeRF, an enhanced Neural Radiance Field method built upon Instant-NGP. Specifically, we integrate three key technical improvements: (1) frame-level geometric calibration to correct camera pose drift caused by handheld motion; (2) sparse geometric anchoring to explicitly constrain depth and scale using sparse point clouds; and (3) thin-leaf prior regularization to suppress artifacts and improve the geometric accuracy of leaf surfaces. Building on this reconstruction, we establish a complete pipeline to recover explicit metric geometry from implicit radiance fields. By combining mesh topological analysis with geodesic algorithms, we achieve automated and precise extraction of key morphological parameters. Extensive experiments were conducted on a dataset of 90 banana plants in a real-world orchard. The results demonstrate that BN-NeRF achieves superior rendering quality (PSNR of 32.4 dB, SSIM of 0.951, and LPIPS of 0.152) while maintaining inference speeds comparable to Instant-NGP. Furthermore, the extracted phenotypic parameters showed strong agreement with manual ground truth across both leaf-level and structural traits. In addition to trait-specific regression performance, the evaluation also includes normalized completeness analysis, calibration-cube-based scale validation, and Bland-Altman agreement analysis, supporting the measurement reliability of BN-NeRF for field phenotyping. This study demonstrates that low-cost smartphone-based acquisition, combined with BN-NeRF, can support accurate field phenotyping of banana plants. In addition, an implemented mobile-cloud system was functionally validated through repeated end-to-end runs on an iPhone 13 client and a cloud workstation.
Six active packaging films were prepared by melt-compounding Ti/boehmite, Zn/zeolite, and tourmaline into low-density polyethylene via masterbatch (15 wt% loading). Postharvest quality of Ecuador-, Jeju-, and Mexico-origin bananas was evaluated under sealed and perforated conditions using browning index, pulp-to-peel (P/P) ratio, and Δ°Brix. Despite high filler content, films retained adequate mechanical integrity (tensile strength 27.7 MPa; elongation 244%). Under sealed storage, zeolite-blended formulations consistently showed the lowest browning: Tour+ZL recorded 3.48% (Ecuador, day 13) and 2.99% (Jeju, day 15); T/BM+ZL recorded 5.12% and 5.22%, respectively. The single-component T/BM film showed browning comparable to or exceeding the control. Tour+ZL also maintained the lowest terminal P/P ratio for Jeju bananas (28.99%) with no decrease throughout storage, indicating superior peel moisture retention. For Mexico-origin bananas, all films failed to retard browning after day 8 regardless of composition, demonstrating that packaging efficacy is strongly origin-dependent and must be matched to commodity postharvest history rather than applied universally. Perforated packaging extended the monitorable shelf life by 6-8 days but diminished inter-film differences. Tour+ZL was identified as the lead candidate for controlled validation trials, and a cross-validated framework combining browning index with P/P ratio is proposed to detect overripening.
Every year, approximately 40% of post-harvest fruits and vegetables are spoiled as a consequence of inadequate storage facilities and poor logistics, including substandard packaging, handling, and transportation. Application of organic coating on the surface of fruits and vegetables extends the shelf-life of them. The spoilage of fruits and vegetables not only results in monetary losses but also poses a waste management challenge. This study demonstrated the use of extracted cellulose from waste biomass (banana stem) for the preparation of coating formulation. Extraction yield of cellulose from banana stem was found to be 28.52% with > 90% purity. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of distinctive cellulose bands in the transmittance spectrum, and XRD analysis had shown the crystallinity index 78.32% in the extracted cellulose. Extracted cellulose was converted into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with a degree of substitution of 1.89. Coating formulations were prepared with the synthesized CMC and applied to the locally grown tomatoes. Different physicochemical characteristics of the tomatoes were evaluated to estimate the efficiency of the applied coating. Application of coating formulation on the tomatoes had shown increase in the shelf-life of 12 days at room temperature and 18 days at 4°C. This technique is helpful to reduce health hazards, lessen environmental pollution, and increase agricultural sector profitability.
Banana (Musa spp.) production in Malawi is constrained by limited access to high-quality planting materials, restricting farm productivity. This study evaluated the effects of macro-propagation structures and substrates on growth and sucker production of banana cv. Williams, and examined the relationship between decapitated primary suckers and secondary sucker production. Field experiments tested three macro-propagation structures (standard chamber, standard chamber with black net, and mulched open bed) and three substrates (loam soil, rice husks, and sawdust). Growth parameters, including leaf number, plant height, root number, root length, and number of suckers harvested, were recorded, while regression, correlation, and principal component analyses were conducted. The standard chamber produced the tallest plants (20.50 ± 0.83 cm) and highest sucker number (102.22 ± 14.09), whereas sawdust and loam soil supported the highest sucker yields (85.33 ± 13.81 and 79.00 ± 11.95, respectively). Rice husks promoted the longest roots (11.49 ± 0.69 cm). The combination of standard chamber with sawdust maximized plant height (22.33 cm) and sucker yield (135.33). Regression analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between decapitated primary suckers and secondary sucker production (R² = 0.741, p < 0.001), confirming that decapitation enhances sucker proliferation. Principal component analysis showed that shoot and sucker traits were the main contributors to variation among treatments, while root traits varied inversely with aboveground growth. These results demonstrate that optimizing macro-propagation structures and substrates, together with sucker decapitation, can significantly improve banana sucker production, thereby increasing the availability of quality planting materials in Malawi.
Recycled polypropylene (rPP) biocomposites represent a convergent strategy for plastic waste valorization and agro-industrial residue reutilization. This study quantifies tensile, flexural, and compressive performance (ASTM D638, D790, D695) of rPP biocomposites incorporating raw corn stover (Zea mays), banana pseudostem (Musa spp.), and barley residue (Hordeum vulgare) fibers at 10, 20, and 30 wt%, processed by single-screw extrusion and compression molding without compatibilizer. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey HSD post hoc analysis (α = 0.05) evaluated effects of fiber type and concentration. Tensile strength declined monotonically across all systems, from 24.9 MPa (neat rPP) to 7.9 MPa at 30 wt% banana fiber. Corn fiber exhibited exceptional tensile concentration stability (only -11% across the full range) and the best flexural retention at 10 wt% (36.6 MPa, 79% of neat rPP). A performance plateau was identified at 20 wt% under both tensile and flexural loading, beyond which further addition produced no significant reduction. Under compression, fiber type exerted its largest statistical effect (F = 81.231), all three systems were mutually distinguishable, and no plateau was observed. These results establish a loading-mode-resolved mechanical baseline for uncompatibilized rPP biocomposites, with corn fiber at 10-20 wt% as the most versatile formulation across all loading modes.
In this study, a novel dual-terminal phenylboronic acid-functionalized quaternary ammonium crosslinker (DTDP-PBA) containing a disulfide linkage was synthesized to construct a konjac glucomannan (KGM)-based hydrogel. The hydrogel network formed through dynamic boronic ester crosslinking, offering rapid self-healing (within 5 min) and multi-stimuli responsiveness to pH, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and redox potential. As a banana preservation coating, the hydrogel exhibited low permeability to water vapor, CO2, and O2, good UV-shielding, and excellent biocompatibility, outperforming polyethylene film and pure KGM. Over 8 days of ambient storage, it reduced weight loss to 3.9%, kept decay rate below 13.9%, maintained firmness at 20.1 N, and delayed ethylene peak to day 7, thus retarding fruit softening and deterioration. This work provides a versatile dynamic covalent strategy for responsive polysaccharide materials and a high-performance smart coating for bananas and other perishable fruits.
In this work, the development of sustainable banana fiber-epoxy composites reinforced with bio-waste derived calcium carbonate (CaCO3) from marine shells of Turbinella pyrum has been investigated. The purpose was to evaluate the combined effect of natural fibre reinforcement and inorganic filler loading on mechanical, thermal and environmental performance. NaOH treated banana fibres (30 wt%) were embedded in a bisphenol-A epoxy matrix with varying content of CaCO3 (0-20 wt%) and composites were prepared by hand lay-up followed by compression moulding. Mechanical results show that a moderate filler addition significantly improves the performance, with the composite with 10 wt% of CaCO3 (S10) showing the highest tensile strength (55 MPa) besides better flexural strength and impact resistance. These improvements are due to the better bonding at the fibre-matrix interface and uniform filler dispersion. The hardness increased with filler content due to matrix stiffening effect. FTIR results revealed improved stability and higher char residue for filled composites. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated an increase in glass transition temperature at optimal filler loading. Water absorption test confirmed lower moisture absorption and biodegradation of S10 in comparison to control. SEM and SEM-EDX analysis showed a homogeneous filler distribution and strong interfacial interaction. The results were highly significant (p < 0.001) as revealed by ANOVA statistical analysis and S10 was the best formulation as revealed by Tukey post-hoc grouping. Overall, the best combination of mechanical strength, thermal stability and environmental durability was obtained for 10 wt% CaCO3, which makes these composites suitable for lightweight sustainable applications.
Banana peel (BP) has gained attention as a sustainable, low-cost biosorbent for removing pharmaceuticals from aquatic environments. In this study, BP was modified using a choline chloride/methanesulfonic acid (ChCl/MSA) deep eutectic solvent to produce a chemically and structurally enhanced material (BP-ChCl/MSA) for pharmaceutical adsorption from water. The modified biosorbent was comprehensively characterized by FTIR, TGA, and SEM analyses, and its performance was systematically compared with BP treated solely with methanesulfonic acid (BP-MSA). MSA induced holocellulose hydrolysis and ChCl/MSA increased the lignin content in the biosorbent. Propranolol (PRO), metformin, and tinidazole were used as model drugs. BP-ChCl/MSA showed selective adsorption for PRO, with almost 90% of removal efficiency achieved from an initial concentration of 20.0 mg L-1, without requiring pH adjustment at 25 °C. The PRO adsorption kinetics for both BP-MSA and BP-ChCl/MSA were best described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model, with adsorption occurring in less than 500 min. Isotherms were well described by the Sips model, indicating adsorption on a heterogeneous surface, with BP-ChCl/MSA exhibiting higher maximum adsorption capacity value (284.6 mg g-1) than BP-MSA (238.1 mg g-1). Thermodynamic analysis using the partition model provided more consistent results, with Δads G ◦ ranging from -24.1 to -21.9 kJ mol-1 as the temperature increased from 25 to 40 °C, showing an endothermic process (ΔadsH◦ = 23.5 kJ mol-1) that is entropy-driven (ΔadsS◦ around 0.15 kJ mol-1 K-1). Overall, ChCl/MSA treatment enhanced the interactions between the remaining lignin functional groups and PRO, mainly through electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding. Moreover, the material showed good reusability, maintaining more than 75% of removal efficiency after 3 adsorption cycles. These results demonstrate that treatment with the ChCl/MSA DES significantly improved the adsorption capacity of BP through an efficient and eco-friendly approach, yielding a sustainable and promising material for drug adsorption in aqueous media.
Fungal decay is a major limitation to the shelf-life and marketability of fresh mango. However, limited information is available regarding the development of multifunctional bioactive biomaterials capable of modulating fruit physiological and biochemical responses during storage. In this study, a sodium alginate edible coating enriched with plant-derived bioactives, including freeze-dried banana rachis leachate (Musa spp.) and an ethanolic leaf extract of Eugenia uniflora L., was evalueted as a biofunctional polymeric matrix designed to act as a bioactive interface between the fruit surface and the storage environment, to suppress postharvest decay and maintain quality in "Manila" mango during shelf-life storage. SEM and FTIR analyses confirmed the formation of a cross-linked coating matrix with heterogeneous structural features and suggested molecular interactions between alginate and phenolic constituents of the extracts. Fruits were stored for 16 days at 25°C and 50%-70% RH under four treatments: an uncoated control (T4) and three coating formulations (T1: extract + CaCl2, T2: extract only, T3: base coating). The best formulation (T1) reduced the rot severity by 62% relative to the control (p < 0.01), maintained higher firmness (+42%, p < 0.05), and delayed ripening as indicated by lower reducing sugars. T1 also enhanced retention of vitamin C (+32%), total phenolics (+27%), and antioxidant activity (+39%) compared to the control (p < 0.05), suggesting improved oxidative stability and delayed senescence processes. Importantly, T1 exhibited higher cumulative weight loss than the uncoated control, indicating that its performance was primarily associated with bioactive modulation rather than effective water-vapor barrier performance under in vivo conditions. These results demonstrate the potential of bioactive edible coatings derived from agro-industrial residues as sustainable biomaterial systems for postharvest biological preservation and functional quality retention in fresh produce. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Natural edible coating made from alginate and plant-derived extracts may help reduce postharvest decay and maintain mango quality during storage. The formulation uses agro-industrial residues, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicides. This approach could support fruit producers and exporters seeking eco-friendly strategies to extend shelf-life and reduce postharvest losses in mango fruits.
Starch nanoparticles, as a type of nanomaterial, have been increasingly applied in food and biomedical fields due to their excellent biocompatibility, safety, non-toxicity, and resource sustainability. In this study, banana resistant starch nanoparticles (RSNPs) were prepared by ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic hydrolysis self-assembly method. Compared with RSNPs prepared by traditional enzymatic hydrolysis, the particle size was significantly reduced to 58.48 ± 0.53 nm under low-high-frequency alternating treatment (MG), and the crystallinity was increased simultaneously. The ultrasonic-treated RSNPs were loaded with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG-RSNPs), and the highest loading efficiency reached 92.07 ± 0.69%. The stability under varying pH values, ionic concentrations, and storage durations was significantly enhanced, while the release rates of EGCG in simulated gastrointestinal environments was markedly reduced. The antiglycation results showed that the MG group exhibited superior inhibitory effects on advanced glycation end products (AGEs), with the highest inhibition rates of 56.97% and 65.92% against fluorescent and non-fluorescent AGEs, respectively. Moreover, the capture efficiency of dicarbonyl compounds was significantly improved at 160 °C. Regarding the inhibitory mechanism, it demonstrated a dual-pathway synergistic effect that integrated the sustained release of EGCG and the capture of AGEs precursors. The research findings provide a novel strategy for polyphenol delivery as well as antiglycation applications under high-temperature and long-term conditions.
This study aimed to prepare ε-polylysine (ε-PL)-loaded gelatin/sanxan gum (SG) composite aerogel pads via freeze-drying. Here, ε-PL functioned as both a crosslinking agent and an antibacterial component. Three formulations (G1S2, G1S1, G2S1) with different gelatin/SG mass ratios were fabricated. These aerogel pads were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that G2S1 had a high-water absorption rate and achieved the highest encapsulation efficiency for ε-PL (75%). Additionally, it exhibited the strongest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. When applied to banana packaging, G2S1 greatly retarded fruit browning. It also preserved higher levels of total soluble solids and titratable acid, while inhibiting the activities of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase as well as microbial proliferation. The aerogel pad showed efficient preservation through the antibacterial activity of ε-PL and its inherent ability to regulate the humidity of the storage environment. Our findings demonstrate that the G2S1 aerogel demonstrated favorable potential in enhancing the postharvest preservation effect of fruits, thereby providing a novel insight for the development of green preservation technologies.
The global banana supply has long been severely threatened by Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), a devastating disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4). However, effective strategies for managing this destructive pathogen still remain in their infancy. The newly isolated endophytic bacterium Bacillus velezensis strain EB7 in this study has shown considerable potential for management of FWB, yet the cellular mechanisms underlying its biocontrol activity remain largely unclear. Comprehensive morphological, phylogenetic, and genomic characterization confirmed EB7's taxonomic status and identified abundant biocontrol-related secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). In vitro antagonism assays showed that EB7 exhibited strong inhibitory activity against Foc TR4 with an inhibition rate of 83.60%, by targeting fungal cell wall integrity. This was evidenced by hyphal deformation, cell wall disruption, and abnormal Calcofluor White (CFW) staining in Foc TR4. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR validation demonstrated that EB7 downregulated the chitin synthase gene FOIG_07229 and disrupted the expression of genes involved in Foc TR4 cell wall synthesis and metabolism. Colonization dynamics analysis indicated that EB7 could successfully colonize banana roots and pseudostems endophytically, forming stable populations and migrating systemically without inducing any pathological symptoms in the host. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed that EB7 attached to Foc TR4 hyphae in banana pseudostems, inducing hyphal shrinkage and reducing pathogen invasion of vascular bundles. Pot experiments verified that EB7 significantly alleviated FWB severity, with the average disease index decreasing from 2.6 to 0.9. Our findings demonstrate that strain EB7 is a promising biocontrol agent for FWB, exerting its antifungal effects through targeting Foc TR4 cell wall integrity and establishing stable endophytic colonization in banana plants. This work thus provides novel insights into the biocontrol mechanism of endophytic bacteria against Foc TR4, as well as high-potential microbial resources to support the sustainable management of FWB.
Banana Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4), ranks among the most devastating soil-borne fungal diseases. Prolonged use of single-target fungicides can lead to environmental contamination, resistance evolution, and limited efficacy due to the narrow range of target sites. Therefore, discovering an environmentally friendly fungicide with a novel mechanism of action and multiple targets is crucial for achieving sustainable disease management of banana Fusarium wilt. In this study, six plant-derived compounds were screened for antifungal activity, identifying magnolol (MAG) as the most effective inhibitor, with an EC50 value of 18.17 μg·mL-1. MAG significantly suppressed mycelial growth and conidial germination in vitro and markedly reduced disease incidence and severity in banana seedlings. Integrated transcriptomic and physiological analyses revealed that MAG disrupts membrane integrity, redox homeostasis, and energy metabolism, accompanied by suppression of RNA processing and ribosome biogenesis. Ultrastructural damage, membrane depolarization, and the study of antioxidant enzyme activity further confirmed the severe membrane disruption and the induction of ROS accumulation. Moreover, MAG exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against multiple Fusarium oxysporum formae speciales and Foc races. Collectively, these findings highlight the multi-target antifungal mechanism of MAG, positioning it as a promising and eco-friendly candidate for controlling banana Fusarium wilt, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical treatments. The broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity of MAG make it a potentially key component in future disease management strategies, particularly in reducing pesticide dependence and environmental pollution.
Fusarium wilt by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, especially the tropical race 4 (Foc-TR4), caused severe losses of worldwide banana. A critical toxin produced by Foc-TR4 is the fusaric acid (FA), yet few studies have investigated the source of potential resistance. We identified the FA-resistant wild banana Musa itinerans var. formosana and assembled the chromosome-level genome. Our fully factorial transcriptome analyses showed that genes upregulated in the susceptible M. acuminata AAA Cavendish "Pei-Chiao" are associated with the downstream response after FA impact, while those upregulated in the resistant M. itinerans are involved in the membrane system and endocytosis, potentially reflecting the upstream reaction to repair FA damage to the membrane. Through a novel analysis taking the gene expression plasticity response into account, we identified a strong candidate gene, eEF1A, the only gene with consistent expression upregulation in the resistant species M. itinerans upon FA treatment at all time points. While generally regarded as a housekeeping gene, eEF1A shows FA resistance effects when overexpressed in tobacco leaves. The results unveil novel candidate genes of FA resistance that have not been reported in banana species and propose a unique direction for future engineering of banana varieties.