High light intensity induces host redox remodeling associated with directional Fusarium succession in the strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) phyllosphere mycobiome.

High light intensity (HL) in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) phyllosphere drives directional succession toward pathogen enrichment, linked to leaf catalase activity and oxidative stress.

• Why it matters: Light can reshape phyllosphere fungi, but how host redox defenses feed back to select for particular fungal lineages is unclear.
• What they did: In a controlled plant factory, LL, ML, and HL treatments were combined with physiological measurements, ITS sequencing, and in vitro oxidative stress assays using FFSC and F. equiseti strains.
• The result: HL upregulated catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), reduced fruit total titratable acidity and soluble sugars (ML > LL > HL), and increased Fusarium susceptibility; an FFSC ASV correlated with leaf CAT (P < 0.0038), while F. fujikuroi S12 tolerated 50 mM H2O2.

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