Targeting mitochondrial quality control to disarm phytopathogenic fungi

Fungal diseases cause substantial crop losses worldwide, while increasing fungicide resistance highlights the need for new disease-control strategies. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC), comprising mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis, proteostasis, and mitophagy, maintains mitochondrial integrity and functional capacity during infection. Evidence from phytopathogenic fungi links disruption of individual MQC mechanisms to defects in growth, stress adaptation, and pathogenicity. Here, we synthesize evidence across hemibiotrophic, vascular, and necrotrophic pathogens and across distinct stages of the infection cycle. Because mechanistic evidence is strongest in Magnaporthe oryzae, we use it as a principal reference system while highlighting conserved and lifestyle-specific requirements emerging from other fungi. This review proposes three complementary strategies for exploiting MQC vulnerabilities: targeting pathogen-specific regulatory features within conserved mitochondrial systems, exploiting interdependencies among MQC processes and mitochondrial stress responses, and targeting stage-specific mitochondrial requirements as potential intervention points. We also highlight some limitations that need resolution while considering MQC mechanisms as antifungal targets.