Ariana Silva Santos

1 Introduction Phytopathogenic fungi are responsible for a wide range of plant diseases, directly affecting plant physiological functions, in severe cases leading to host death (Fones et al. 2020). Important crops such as wheat, rice and maize face increasing threats from these pathogens, which pose a major risk to global food security and result in substantial economic losses (Gutiérrez-Sánchez et al. 2025; Patpour et al. 2024).

1 INTRODUCTION Witches' broom is one of the diseases that most affect cacao trees (Theobroma cacao L.), significantly impacting their production. The causal agent is the basidiospore Moniliophthora perniciosa, currently found in American countries.

In assessing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) persistence under potent antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, in vivo sampling of different cell types permissive for HIV infection is necessary but challenging. Cell maturation and activation states (phenotypes) vary in their permissiveness to infection and amount of HIV production. Cell phenotype, together with where in anatomical sites susceptible cells reside, also affects intracellular concentrations of ARVs [1].