About

Dr. James F. White, Jr. is a Professor of Plant Pathology at Rutgers University. He obtained his M.S. in Mycology and Plant Pathology from Auburn University, Alabama, and his Ph.D. in Mycology from the University of Texas, Austin in 1987. His research specializes in symbiosis, particularly endophytic microbes. Dr. White has authored more than 180 articles and is the author and editor of several reference books on the biology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of fungal endophytes, including titles such as Biotechnology of Acremonium Endophytes of Grasses, Microbial Endophytes, The Clavicipitalean Fungi, The Fungal Community: Its Organization and Role in the Ecosystem, and Defensive Mutualism in Microbial Symbiosis. His lab explores the diversity of endophytic microbes and their impacts on host plants. He is affiliated with the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science and the American Phytopathological Society (APS), including its Northeast Division.

Research topics

• Biology
• Biochemistry
• Ecology
• Biotechnology
• Botany
• Computational biology
• Horticulture
• Agronomy

Selected publications

• Evaluating maize cultivars that were bred under nutrient-limited biodynamic-organic conditions. I. Microscopic observations

  Research Square · 2026-04-21

  preprintOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Green Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of <i>Sophora flavescens</i> ‐Mediated Silver Nanoparticles

  New Zealand Journal of Botany · 2026-02-09

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This study describes a green, simple, and low‐cost biological way tosynthesize silvernanoparticles (AgNPs)using the ethanolic root extract of Sophora flavescens . It investigates its antifungal activity against four strains of Candida albicans , Candida tropicalis , Candida utilis , and Aspergillus flavus . Atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet–visible, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), zeta potential, and atomic absorption spectroscopy were used to explore the particles' optical, structural, and morphological properties. The results of these tests showed that after green synthesis of nanoparticles, their size ranged between 4 and 13 nm without aggregates or precipitation. Particles were also found to have colloidal stability with a negative surface charge of −27 mV and were uniformly distributed. FTIR spectroscopy analysis further confirmed that bioactive compounds within the plant aided the reduction of silver nitrate to silver cation, thus increasing the stability of nanoparticles. The presence of an absorption peak associated with the surface plasmon resonance of the AgNPs was observed by spectroscopic analysis. In addition, the AgNPs showed the highest antifungal activity at the 9% green AgNPs, with activity against C. albicans and C. utilis at 13.00 mm and 15.67 mm, respectively. Whereas C. tropicalis and A. flavus, were most inhibited by the 9% plant extract, with inhibition zones of 11.00 mm and 13.67 mm, respectively. These experiments suggest that the effectiveness of green synthesis of AgNPs toward human pathogenic fungi may provide additional tools to help treat fungal infections, although more research needs to be done.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Evaluating maize cultivars that were bred under nutrient-limited biodynamic-organic conditions. II. Field trials with farmers

  Research Square · 2026-04-07

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• <i>Clostridioides difficile</i> Detection in a Human CRC Cohort

  medRxiv · 2026-02-28

  articleOpen access

  ABSTRACT Background The role of the gut microbiome and specific enteric bacteria in influencing the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains incompletely understood. Recently, it was shown that human CRC-derived strains of Clostridioides difficile were capable of inducing colonic tumorigenesis in a susceptible mouse model. We hypothesized that C. difficile contributes to the pathogenesis of human CRC and would be enriched in CRC tumors compared to paired normal tissues from the same individual. Methods We analyzed matched tumor/normal tissue samples from a cohort of 108 individuals presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for CRC resection between 2013-2014. We assessed the prevalence of C. difficile detection using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing with high-resolution taxonomic assignment as well as culture and PCR. Results We found that detection of C. difficile was prevalent (38% of individuals), but of low abundance (tumor median relative abundance 0.01%, paired normal 0.006% [p=0.4]). Detection of C. difficile was more prevalent in individuals with biofilm-positive tumor tissues than biofilm-negative (i.e., 81% of C. difficile -positive individuals were biofilm-positive vs. 63% of C. difficile -negative individuals [p=0.04]). Additionally, in exploratory analyses, we describe patterns of taxonomic and inferred functional pathway differences between C. difficile- positive and C. difficile -negative groups. Conclusion These findings suggest that C. difficile is frequently present in low abundance in the tumor microbiome with a potentially significant impact on community composition and function.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The seed microbiome of the weedy grass Poa annua provides stress protection for seedlings against several abiotic stresses

  2026-01-01

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Desert Plant Seed Endophytes: A Reservoir of Stress-Adapted Bacillus Strains for Enhancing Wheat Salinity Tolerance

  Microorganisms · 2026-02-04

  articleOpen access

  Land desertification poses a major ecological challenge and threatens agricultural productivity. This study investigated the seed endophytic microbiomes of desert plants as a potential resource for mitigating salt stress in crops. Using high-throughput sequencing, we characterized the bacterial and fungal communities within seeds of 12 desert plant species. Dominant taxa included Firmicutes (particularly Bacillus), Bacteroidota, Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota. Culturable bacteria were subsequently isolated from Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A.Mey.) Bunge (HB) and Hedysarum scoparium Fisch. &amp; C.A.Mey. (HSA) seeds. These isolates were screened for plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits and tolerance to salt (NaCl) and alkali (NaHCO3). Selected strains, including the high indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing Bacillus sp. HB-4, were used to inoculate wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under 150 mM NaCl or 150 mM NaHCO3 stress. Inoculation with strain HB-4 significantly improved wheat growth under stress. This improvement was associated with increased chlorophyll and proline content, enhanced activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and peroxidase, and reduced levels of malondialdehyde, a marker of oxidative damage. Our results demonstrate that desert plant seeds harbor taxonomically distinct and functionally resilient endophytes. The successful application of a desert-adapted Bacillus strain to alleviate salt stress in wheat highlights the potential of such microbiomes as a novel source of inoculants for sustainable agriculture in saline-affected regions.

  PublisherDOI

• Study on the diversity, structure, and function of endophytic bacteria in seeds of genuine medicinal plants in gansu province

  BMC Plant Biology · 2026-04-18

  articleOpen access

  Seeds harbor diverse endophytic bacterial communities that are critical for seed health and plant fitness, however, their functional potential in medicinal plants remains underexplored. This study employed integrated high-throughput sequencing and culturomics to characterize the endophytic bacterial communities in seeds of 10 endemic medicinal plants from Gansu, China, and evaluate their roles in germination enhancement. We identified 26,167 bacterial OTUs, with 19 core OTUs consistently present across all samples. The dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Actinomycetota, collectively comprising over 80% of relative abundance. Plant species identity was the primary factor shaping bacterial community structure. Among 89 isolated endophytic bacterial strains, 72% exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits in vitro, including indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis, siderophore production, phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. Preliminary validation experiments using wheat (Triticum aestivum ‘Jimai 22’) under controlled conditions indicated that seed-derived Bacillus and Pseudomonas strains significantly promote radicle elongation and improve vigor indices under saline-alkaline stress compared to axenic controls. These findings highlight medicinal plant seeds as reservoirs of culturable bacteria with multifunctional PGP capabilities. The host-specific community patterns and the in vitro PGP traits suggest these isolates warrant further investigation as potential candidates for bioinoculant development, pending validation on the host medicinal plants themselves.

  PublisherDOI

• Functional trait response to aridity based on leaf trait network analysis in the Hexi Corridor, China

  BMC Plant Biology · 2025-05-07 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Aridity acts as a strong environmental filter for plants and is predicted to intensify in the future, resulting in changes to leaf functional traits. However, few studies explore how interactions of multiple traits result in leaf trait tradeoff strategies along an aridity gradient, and whether trait separation occurs with increasing aridity intensity. This study examines the impact of long-term aridity on 14 plant leaf traits in two arid areas (arid and hyper-arid) in the Hexi Corridor, China. A leaf trait network (LTN) was constructed to study how leaf trait tradeoff strategies differ between the two areas. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to identify the direct and indirect effects of aridity and functional diversity (as measured by community weighted means and functional dispersion) on leaf nutrient concentration. RESULTS: LTN shows trait separation, poor synergy among traits, and low resource utilization. Correlation analyses showed that the mass ratio hypothesis is dominant, and aridity is positively correlated with leaf relative water content (RWC) and leaf phosphorus content, and negatively correlated with leaf nitrogen content (LNC). SEM results indicated that LNC is directly affected by aridity, RWC, leaf carbon content, and plant height. Aridity and functional dispersion directly affects leaf phosphorus content. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that increasing drought weakens plant coordination among specific traits, and the main change in plant trait tradeoff strategies is reflected in the separation of nutrient traits. Exploring the change of the tradeoff among traits along the aridity gradient can better understand the adaptation process of plants to aridity and the process of community function change.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mitigation of Solidago canadensis invasion using natural substances and selected endophytes

  Plant and Soil · 2025-12-11

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The uncontrolled spread of invasive plant species is a major driver of biodiversity loss in plant communities. We evaluated a recently proposed biological method for invasive plant control, based on the application of a bioherbicide containing L-arginine developed by White et al., Rutgers University, USA. This approach exploits the ability of microorganisms to synthesize ethylene from arginine supplied by plants, which, at high concentrations, induces excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to plant death while leaving no chemical residues in the treated soil. The bioherbicide was tested for its ability to control Solidago canadensis colonizing areas in Krakow, Poland. To enhance the effectiveness of the bioherbicide, endophytic microbes were isolated from S. canadensis, molecularly identified, and multiplied. The influence of the bioherbicide on both above- and below-ground plant organs in the presence of endophytes was examined under field conditions. Photosynthetic efficiency and mycorrhizal diversity were assessed before and after application of the bioherbicide. Molecular analysis revealed most of fungal endophytes isolated from S. canadensis as members of Ascomycota. The best-performing strains were used within the bioherbicide. One year after the bioherbicide use, S. canadensis exhibited reduced photosynthetic performance, rhizome degradation, and a significant decline in shoot number, including generative shoots. Mycorrhizal colonization of remaining plants from treated plots remained unaffected. These findings highlight the potential of L-arginine-based bioherbicides as an environmentally safe alternative to chemical herbicides for invasive plant management, particularly under conditions of climate change and ongoing species introductions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Potential application of endophytic bacteria for induction of abiotic stress tolerance in plants

  Symbiosis · 2025-02-03 · 6 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• RUI: Systematics and Biological Studies of Balansieae (Ascomycetes)

  NSF · $59k · 1995–1997

• RUI: Systematic and Biological Studies of Balansieae (Ascomycetes)

  NSF · $112k · 1990–1994

• PEET: Systematic Monography of the Gnomoniaceae (Ascomycetes)

  NSF · $733k · 2004–2010

Frequent coauthors

• Chunjie Li

  Lanzhou University

  151 shared

• Taixiang Chen

  Lanzhou University

  66 shared

• Xuekai Wei

  Institute of Grassland Research

  64 shared

• Kurt P. Kowalski

  United States Geological Survey

  36 shared

• Kamran Malik

  Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

  36 shared

• Jianjun Wang

  Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences

  35 shared

• Zhenjiang Chen

  Lanzhou University

  35 shared

• Mónica S. Torres

  34 shared

Labs

• Center for Turfgrass SciencePI

Education

• Ph.D., Botany

  University of Texas at Austin

  1987