{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T06:30:25Z","timestamp":1786516225396,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786492800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"One CGIAR Breeding 4 Tomorrow Science Program"},{"name":"ICAR-ICRISAT"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Microbiol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Phytophthora blight (PB), caused by\n                    <jats:italic>Phytophthora cajani<\/jats:italic>\n                    , is a key constraint limiting pigeonpea productivity across the tropics and subtropics. Frequent PB outbreaks under erratic rainfall and warm temperatures intensifies the need for a holistic understanding of pathogen variability and stable host resistance. This study evaluated the morpho-cultural, physiological, and molecular diversity of\n                    <jats:italic>P. cajani<\/jats:italic>\n                    and investigated pigeonpea genotypes for resistance against representative isolates. Twenty-two isolates collected from diverse agro-ecological zones of India were purified, and six representative isolates (Pc-04, Pc-06, Pc-07, Pc-08, Pc-16 and Pc-20) were selected for detailed characterization. Significant morpho-cultural variability was observed across nine solid media, with TEA, V8J and OMA supporting maximum mycelial growth. Colony morphology, sporangial papillation, size and abundance varied among isolates. Physiologically, isolates differed markedly in pH and temperature responses, with optimum growth recorded between pH 5.5\u20138.0 and at 25\u201330\u202f\u00b0C. Growth declined sharply below pH 4.5 and above pH 9.0, and no growth occurred at extreme temperatures (5\u201310\u202f\u00b0C and 40\u202f\u00b0C), although viability was retained upon shifting from cooler to permissive conditions. ITS-based phylogenetic analysis confirmed all isolates as\n                    <jats:italic>P. cajani<\/jats:italic>\n                    with high sequence similarity and discernible phylogenetic clustering with other\n                    <jats:italic>Phytophthora<\/jats:italic>\n                    spp. were also established. Fourteen pigeonpea genotypes found promising in previous studies, were screened against the six isolates under greenhouse conditions. Distinct differential reactions were recorded, with ICPL 99008 and ICPL 99009 showing consistent broad-spectrum resistance to all the isolates of\n                    <jats:italic>P. cajani<\/jats:italic>\n                    . Isolates Pc-04 and Pc-07 exhibited high aggressiveness, whereas Pc-16 and Pc-20 were comparatively less aggressive. This integrated analysis elucidates substantial diversity within\n                    <jats:italic>P. cajani<\/jats:italic>\n                    populations and identifies promising pigeonpea genotypes with stable resistance.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2026.1910854","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]],"date-time":"2026-08-12T05:54:41Z","timestamp":1786514081000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Pigeonpea\u2014Phytophthora cajani isolates characterization and assessment of resistance in elite pigeonpea germplasm and breeding lines"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"B.","family":"Nandhini","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences","place":["Dharwad, Karnataka, India"]},{"name":"Legumes Pathology, Accelerated Crop Improvement, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics","place":["Patancheru, Telangana, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shamarao","family":"Jahagirdar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences","place":["Shimoga, Karnataka, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ramanagouda","family":"Gaviyappanavar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Legumes Pathology, Accelerated Crop Improvement, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics","place":["Patancheru, Telangana, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mamta","family":"Sharma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Legumes Pathology, Accelerated Crop Improvement, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics","place":["Patancheru, Telangana, India"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"259","DOI":"10.3114\/sim.2023.106.05","article-title":"Phytophthora: taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the genus","volume":"106","author":"Abad","year":"2023","journal-title":"Stud. 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Plant Biol."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4307","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.00119-09","article-title":"Zoosporic tolerance to pH stress and its implications for Phytophthora species in aquatic ecosystems","volume":"75","author":"Kong","year":"2009","journal-title":"Appl. Environ. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"694136","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2021.694136","article-title":"Comparative genomic analysis reveals genetic variation and adaptive evolution in the pathogenicity-related genes of Phytophthora capsici","volume":"12","author":"Lee","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"372","DOI":"10.1016\/j.envpol.2017.12.100","article-title":"Changes in mycelia growth, sporulation, and virulence of Phytophthora capsici when challenged by heavy metals (Cu2+, Cr2+ and Hg2+) under acid pH stress","volume":"235","author":"Liu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Environ. 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