Efficacy of Ipflufenoquin against Strawberry Gray Mold: Insights from AlphaFold- Based Structural Modeling and Genome-Wide Transcriptomic Analysis

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea significantly threatens strawberry production. This study evaluated the efficacy of ipflufenoquin, a novel dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor, against fungal pathogens isolated from Korean strawberry fields in 2023. Ipflufenoquin demonstrated a high in vitro sensitivity to B. cinerea and broad activity against other pathogens. Fruit and greenhouse trials confirmed its robust control of gray mold, including strains resistant to multiple fungicide classes. However, treatment shifted the fungal community, promoting less sensitive genera, such as Cladosporium and Rhizopus . Structural modeling with AlphaFold2 and molecular docking confirmed that ipflufenoquin binds to the quinone binding tunnel of DHODH, correlating binding affinity with susceptibility. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis revealed that ipflufenoquin suppresses primary metabolic pathways while triggering a robust stress response, up-regulating detoxification and efflux transporter genes. This integrated study confirms the efficacy of ipflufenoquin against gray mold and elucidates its molecular impacts, offering essential data for sustainable management strategies.