publications

2026

1. bioRxiv

   A Streamlined Protocol for Small-scale Protoplast Generation and CRISPR/Cpf1-mediated Genome Editing in Fusarium oxysporum

   Jun-Ze Zheng, Szu-Chieh Huang, Wen-Ting Zeng, Ying-Hong Lin, and Tao-Ho Chang

   bioRxiv, 2026 — Preprint

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2. bioRxiv

   S-nitrosylation of the CLIP-protease, Persephone, Regulates Drosophila innate immunity

   Rafael A. Homem, Krieng Kanchanawatee, Yuan Li, Tao-Ho Chang, Jiayue Zheng, David J. Finnegan, and Gary J. Loake

   bioRxiv, 2026 — Preprint

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2025

1. JAFR

   Identification of the causal agents of guava scab disease (GSD) and evaluation of the control efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens to GSD

   Ya-Zhen Xu, Tao-Ho Chang, Siang-Shan Huang, Tsai-De Chang, Yi-Jia Lin, Shang-Han Tsai, Yuh Tzean, and Ying-Hong Lin

   Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. More Information can be found here , Dec 2025

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   Guava scab disease (GSD), which significantly impacts fruit yield during growth and post-harvest storage, was historically attributed to Pestalotiopsis psidii; however, recent taxonomic revisions have reclassified Pestalotiopsis species into the genera Neopestalotiopsis and Pseudopestalotiopsis. In this study, symptomatic guava tissues were collected from infected orchards in southern Taiwan for pathogen isolation and identification. Samples comprised diseased leaves, fruits, and branches of guava cv. Jen Ju Pa. Based on morphological observations and multilocus phylogenetic analyses, the causal agents of GSD in these fields were identified as Neopestalotiopsis spp., closely allied with N. cubana and N. protearum. Due to increasing concerns over fungicide resistance and environmental sustainability, we also explored biological control as an alternative strategy. Three endospores-forming bacteria strains (PM-SSH-B009, PM-SSH-B018 and PM-SSH-B060) were isolated from rhizosphere soil of local orchids in southern Taiwan and identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by 16S rDNA sequencing. For PM-SSH-B009 and PM-SSH-B018, the gyraseA (gyrA) sequencing provided additional resolution consistent with B. amyloliquefaciens; however, gyrA could not be resolved for PM-SSH-B060. In vitro assays demonstrated that these strains significantly inhibited the mycelial growth and spore germination of Neopestalotiopsis spp., causing abnormal swelling of germination tubes and hyphae. On detached fruit, three application timings were compared to assess practical efficacy. Co-inoculation and pre-inoculation with PM-SSH-B018 or PM-SSH-B060 reduced GSD severity, whereas post-inoculation was less effective. These findings support B. amyloliquefaciens as a promising component of integrated GSD management, and provide a foundation for subsequent studies to resolve the underlying antifungal mechanisms and optimize field deployment.

2024

1. JTICE

   Integrated application of grafted ZnO and fungicide to control the fungicide-resistant Colletotrichum spp

   Tao-Ho Chang, Yi-Chi Chen, Yu-Fang Lai, Tzu-Chien Wu, Chian-Hui Lai, Han-Yu Hsueh, and Pi-Fang Linda Chang

   Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. More Information can be found here , Feb 2024

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   Background
   The Food and Agriculture Organization has reported approximately 40 % of food loss due to damage from plant pests and diseases, including fungal infections. Continuous application of agrichemicals for controlling fungal infection cause the occurrence of fungicide resistance. Colletotrichum spp., major causal agents for strawberry anthracnose, have gained concern for fungicide resistance issues.
   Methods
   We developed novel antifungal strategies in the present study by integrating multibranched flower-like ZnO (fZnO) and agrochemicals (trifloxystrobin). fZnO compounds were synthesised using an eco-friendly and efficient hydrothermal method. Charged polymers with steric structures, such as hydrophilic polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), were grafted onto fZnO surfaces to improve the suspension ability of the compounds. We used the grafted fZnO compounds in combination with the fungicide trifloxystrobin to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo activities.
   Significant findings
   Grafted fZnO (80 ppm) and trifloxystrobin (100 ppm) effectively inhibited the growth of fungicide-resistant Colletotrichum spp. and limited strawberry anthracnose on leaves. PEI-grafted fZnO shows promise as an eco-friendly additive in sustainable agriculture due to its photocatalytic activity and ability to withstand environmental factors.

2022

1. Molecule

   Fumigant Activity of Bacterial Volatile Organic Compounds against the Nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans and Meloidogyne incognita

   Ali Diyapoglu, Tao-Ho Chang, Pi-Fang Linda Chang, Jyh-Herng Yen, Hsin-I Chiang, and Menghsiao Meng

   Molecule. More Information can be found here , Jul 2022

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   Plant-parasitic nematodes infect a diversity of crops, resulting in severe economic losses in agriculture. Microbial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are potential agents to control plant-parasitic nematodes and other pests. In this study, VOCs emitted by a dozen bacterial strains were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Fumigant toxicity of selected VOCs, including dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), 2-butanone, 2-pentanone, 2-nonanone, 2-undecanone, anisole, 2,5-dimethylfuran, glyoxylic acid, and S-methyl thioacetate (MTA) was then tested against Caenorhabditis elegans. DMDS and MTA exhibited much stronger fumigant toxicity than the others. Probit analysis suggested that the values of LC50 were 8.57 and 1.43 μg/cm3 air for DMDS and MTA, respectively. MTA also showed stronger fumigant toxicity than DMDS against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, suggesting the application potential of MTA.

2020

1. JoF

   Degenerated Virulence and Irregular Development of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum Induced by Successive Subculture

   Tao-Ho Chang, Ying-Hong Lin, Yu-Ling Wan, Kan-Shu Chen, Jenn-Wen Huang, and Pi-Fang Linda Chang

   Journal of Fungi. More Information can be found here , Dec 2020

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   Successive cultivation of fungi on artificial media has been reported to cause the sectorization, which leads to degeneration of developmental phenotype, and virulence. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon), the causal agent of watermelon Fusarium wilt, forms degenerated sectors after successive cultivation. In the present research, we demonstrated that subculture with aged mycelia increased the incidence of degenerations. To further investigate the differences between the Fon wild type (sporodochial type, ST) and variants (MT: mycelial type and PT: pionnotal type), developmental phenotypes and pathogenicity to watermelon were examined. Results in variants (PT2, PT3, PT11, and MT6) were different from ST with mycelia growth, conidia production and chlamydospore formation. Virulence of degenerated variants on susceptible watermelon Grand Baby (GB) cultivar was determined after inoculation with Fon variants and Fon ST. In root dipping methods, Fon variants showed no significant differences in disease progress compared with ST. Fon variants showed a significant decrease in disease progression compared with ST through infested soil inoculation. The contrasting results of two inoculation methods suggest that the degenerative changes due to repeated successive cultivation may lead to the loss of pathogen virulence-related factors of the early stage of Fon infection process. Therefore, cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs; cellulase, pectinase, and xylanase) activities of different variants were analyzed. All Fon degenerated variants demonstrated significant decreases of CWDEs activities compared with ST. Additionally, transcript levels of 9 virulence-related genes (fmk1, fgb1, pacC, xlnR, pl1, rho1, gas1, wc1, and fow1) were assessed in normal state. The degenerated variants demonstrated a significantly low level of tested virulence-related gene transcripts except for fmk1, xlnR, and fow1. In summary, the degeneration of Fon is triggered with successive subculture through aged mycelia. The degeneration showed significant impacts on virulence to watermelon, which was correlated with the reduction of CWDEs activities and declining expression of a set of virulence-related genes.

2. JCP

   Multibranched flower-like ZnO particles from eco-friendly hydrothermal synthesis as green antimicrobials in agriculture

   Tao-Ho Chang, Ying-Chun Lu, Min-Jung Yang, Jenn-Wen Huang, Pi-Fang Linda Chang, and Han-Yu Hsueh

   JCP. More Information can be found here , Jul 2020

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   Owing to the exponential growth of the human population and the rising food demand, identifying sustainable antimicrobials for higher agricultural productivity becomes essential. In this study, hydrothermal precipitation for synthesizing versatile nanostructured zinc oxide particles (nZnOs), including nanorods (1D), nanoplatelets (2D), and multibranched flower-like particles (3D), was achieved by controlling pH values of source precursors and growth time. Hydrothermal synthesis is an eco-friendly process without the requirement of hazardous organic solvents. The antimicrobial properties of these nZnO particles were evaluated on different soil-borne plant pathogens. These pathogens are serious limiting factors in agriculture. Results indicate that multibranched flower-like ZnO (3D nZnO) showed more remarkable, reliable, and stable antifungal activity compared with other nZnOs. The scanning electron microscopy …

2019

1. ACSABM

   Silver Nanoparticles on Nanoscale Silica Platelets (AgNP/NSP) and Nanoscale Silica Platelets (NSP) Inhibit the Development of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum

   Tao-Ho Chang, Yung-Wen Liu, Ying-Hong Lin, Jiang-Jen Lin, Jenn-Wen Huang, Adil Hussain, and Pi-Fang Linda Chang

   ACSABM. More Information can be found here , Oct 2019

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   Nanotechnology has attracted much attention recently because of its agricultural applications. In this study, we analyzed the ability of two potential nanomaterials (NMs), nanoscale silica platelets (NSP) and silver nanoparticles on nanoscale silica platelets (AgNP/NSP), to control Fusarium wilt [caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon)] disease in watermelon. Both AgNP/NSP and NSP significantly reduced Fon mycelial growth and spore viability. In addition, AgNP/NSP decreased the mycelium viability at concentrations of 150 and 200 ppm. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed significant morphological effects on Fon cells, such as increased roughness and interior hollowing after AgNP/NSP and NSP treatments. Further, fluorescence staining experiments showed that a concomitant increase in membrane permeability occurred after treatment with NMs. The biochemical effects of NM …

2. ISMPMI

   Involvement of jasmonates signaling pathway in watermelon-Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum interactions

   Pi-Fang Linda Chang, Hui-Ting Lin, Tao-Ho Chang, Ying-Hong Lin, Kan-Shu Chen, and Jenn-Wen Huang

   In , Oct 2019
3. ISMPMI

   Successive subculture induced the degeneration of virulence and development on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum

   Tao-Ho Chang, Yu-Ling Wan, Ying-Hong Lin, Kan-Shu Chen, Jenn-Wen Huang, and Pi-Fang Linda Chang

   In , Oct 2019

2015

1. JAS

   Cell wall reinforcement in watermelon shoot base related to its resistance to Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum

   Tao-Ho Chang, Ying-Hong Lin, Kan-Shu Chen, Jenn-Wen Huang, Shu-Chuan Hsiao, and Pi-Fang Linda Chang

   JAS. More Information can be found here , Mar 2015

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   Fusarium wilt of watermelon, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum, is one of the limiting factors for watermelon production in Taiwan. In recent research, the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) gene expressed in the shoot base of the Fusarium wilt resistant line JSB was related to Fusarium wilt resistance. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase is the key regulatory enzyme in the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway. The downstream products of phenolic compounds are considered to be involved in the complicated plant defence mechanisms. They could act as signal molecules, antimicrobial substances and/or structural barriers. To study the resistant mechanisms of Fusarium wilt, the resistant JSB line was examined for comparison of F. oxysporum-watermelon interactions with the susceptible Grand Baby (GB) cultivar. Unlike infected GB, which was seriously colonized by F. oxysporum in the whole plant, the …