中华弧丽金龟甲对十二种常见植物挥发物的触角电位和嗅觉反应

为筛选中华弧丽金龟甲Popillia quadriguttata的行为调控剂,利用触角电位仪测定中华弧丽金龟甲雌、雄成虫对12种挥发物的电生理反应,利用Y型嗅觉仪测试其对8种具有电生理活性的挥发物的行为反应。结果表明:寄主植物挥发物1-辛烯-3-醇引起的中华弧丽金龟甲雌成虫触角电位(EAG)相对反应值分别为己醛的3.08倍、反式-2-己烯醛的2.96倍、3-辛酮的2.33倍,显著高于这3种挥发物;5种非寄主植物挥发物引起的雌成虫EAG相对反应值之间不存在显著差异。在浓度为0.1 mol/L时,寄主植物挥发物2-乙基-1-己醇、1-辛烯-3-醇和β-石竹烯均对雌成虫具有显著引诱作用,非寄主挥发物(-)-β-蒎烯对雄成虫具有显著驱避作用;在浓度为0.001 mol/L时,寄主挥发物2-乙基-1-己醇、1-辛烯-3-醇、β-石竹烯和芳樟醇均对雌成虫具有显著引诱作用,非寄主挥发物(R)-(+)-柠檬烯、1,6-二甲基-2,4,6-辛三烯对雄成虫具有显著引诱作用;在浓度为0.00001 mol/L时,寄主挥发物β-石竹烯、芳樟醇均对雌成虫具有显著引诱作用,非寄主挥发物(R)-(+)-柠檬烯、1,6-二甲基-2,4,6-辛三烯对雄成虫具有显著引诱作用。说明一定浓度的β-石竹烯、芳樟醇、2-乙基-1-己醇对中华弧丽金龟甲雌成虫具有显著的引诱能力,可作为引诱剂成分加以开发利用。     

10种寄主植物挥发物对马铃薯块茎蛾产卵的引诱作用

为了筛选寄主植物挥发物中引诱马铃薯块茎蛾产卵的活性成分,在室内利用选择性产卵试验方法分别测定了寄主植物的10种挥发物：α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯、α-石竹烯、β-石竹烯、P-聚伞花素、柠檬烯、壬醛、月桂烯、α-松油烯和烟碱各自不同浓度（0.00075～0.012g.L-1）的溶液对马铃薯块茎蛾产卵选择的影响。结果表明：α-蒎烯、α-石竹烯、β-石竹烯、柠檬烯、月桂烯和烟碱均在浓度范围内（0.00075～0.012g.L-1）分别对马铃薯块茎蛾的产卵有极显著的引诱作用;β-蒎烯、α-松油烯在浓度范围（0.00075～0.012g.L-1）内分别对马铃薯块茎蛾的产卵有显著的引诱作用;P-聚伞花素、壬醛在浓度范围（0.0015～0.012 g.L-1）内对马铃薯块茎蛾的产卵有极显著的引诱作用。本文供试的10种挥发物均对马铃薯块茎蛾有产卵引诱效果。     

斑鞘豆叶甲成虫对非寄主植物挥发物的触角电位和行为反应

为筛选对斑鞘豆叶甲Colposcelis signata（Motschulsky）成虫有生物活性的行为调控剂,选取非寄主植物16种挥发物,采用触角电位技术（Electroantennogram,EAG）和Y型嗅觉仪测定了斑鞘豆叶甲成虫对挥发物的触角电位及行为反应。结果表明：10^-1mol/L浓度下斑鞘豆叶甲成虫对6种萜烯类挥发物EAG反应较强,驱避反应显著,雄虫反应强于雌虫。成虫对（1R）-（+）-α-蒎烯和（-）-β-蒎烯的EAG反应显著强于其他4种萜烯类挥发物,对雄虫的驱避率分别为86.7%和81.3%。斑鞘豆叶甲对5种醇、醛类挥发物EAG反应差异显著,除芳樟醇外均表现引诱反应。雌虫对反-2-己烯-1-醇、2-乙基-1-己醇和反-2-己烯醛3种绿叶气味挥发物的引诱反应强于雄虫,其中反-2-己烯-1-醇的引诱作用最强,引诱率达68.9%,推测雌虫产卵定位与绿叶气味挥发物有关。斑鞘豆叶甲对5种其他挥发物的EAG反应相对值较低,具有引诱作用,雄虫反应均强于雌虫,雌、雄虫对水杨酸甲酯的反应强于其他4种挥发物。浓度反应结果发现当浓度从10^-2 mol/L增加到10^-1mol/L时,成虫对（1R）-（+）-α-蒎烯和（-）-β-蒎烯的EAG反应相对值稍降低,对（-）-β-蒎烯和β-月桂烯的驱避反应降低,表现出浓度阈值。但在10^-5 mol/L浓度下（1R）-（+）-α-蒎烯、（-）-β-蒎烯、（R）-（+）-柠檬烯和β-月桂烯仍然表现为明显的驱避作用,这些挥发物可作为驱避剂组分加以开发利用。     

7种挥发性化合物对柑橘木虱引诱效果的评价

柑橘黄龙病对全球的柑橘产业造成了严重的经济损失,其传播媒介主要为柑橘木虱。在前期研究中利用柑橘木虱对4种芸香科植物的取食偏好结合代谢组学分析筛选出一批可能对柑橘木虱具有引诱效果的挥发性化合物,本研究鉴定了邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯、癸酸、正辛醇、左旋香芹酮、2-环己烯酮、反式-1,2-环己二醇、吡嗪等7种挥发性化合物在0、0.1%、1%、10%4个浓度和10、20、30、40、50、60 min 6个持续时间下对柑橘木虱的引诱效果,并比较了其中5种脂溶性挥发物在各自最优浓度下的引诱效果。试验结果表明,7种挥发物对柑橘木虱都有引诱效果,但是引诱效果与挥发物浓度及持续时间有关。吡嗪、左旋香芹酮、正辛醇、2-环己烯酮、癸酸、邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯和反式-1,2-环己二醇的最佳引诱浓度分别为0.1%、1%、1%、1%、10%、10%、10%。六臂嗅觉仪试验结果显示5种脂溶性挥发物中1%左旋香芹酮的引诱效果高于10%癸酸、10%邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯、1%2-环己烯酮、1%正辛醇及对照(矿物油),但与其他4种挥发物没有显著差异。研究结果可为柑橘木虱引诱剂的开发提供参考,促进柑橘黄龙病的绿色防控。     

华北大黑鳃金龟植物源引诱剂配方筛选及引诱效果

为研制华北大黑鳃金龟Holotrichia oblita的植物源引诱剂,选取7种植物挥发物单体,筛选各单体最佳引诱浓度并据此设计35个三元配方,通过华北大黑鳃金龟成虫触角电位反应试验及进一步的趋势行为反应试验筛选出对华北大黑鳃金龟雌、雄成虫引诱作用较强的配方,并通过笼罩引诱试验测试所筛选配方对成虫的引诱效果。结果表明,趋势行为反应试验中配方5(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯+芳樟醇+苯甲醇)、配方14(肉桂醛+苯甲醇+顺-3-己烯基乙酸酯)、配方27(1-己醇+肉桂醛+苯甲醇)和配方35(1-己醇+顺-3-己烯基乙酸酯+顺-3-己烯基异丁酸酯)对雌成虫引诱效果较好,选择反应率分别为62.09%、62.79%、60.22%和85.13%;配方3(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯+肉桂醛+顺-3-己烯基乙酸酯)、配方6(邻苯二甲酸二丁酯+芳樟醇+顺-3-己烯基乙酸酯)和配方35对雄成虫引诱效果较好,选择反应率分别为69.12%、64.22%和89.05%。笼罩引诱试验结果表明,成虫对配方3、配方6和配方35的选择反应率分别为68.16%、60.24%和70.59%,均高于其它配方;配方3、配方6和配方35引诱的成虫数量分别为61、61和72头,均显著高于其对照引诱的成虫数量(29、40和30头)。表明配方3、配方6和配方35对华北大黑鳃金龟成虫具有显著引诱效果,可作为其引诱剂备选配方应用于生态防控。     

植物挥发物对黏虫性诱剂引诱效果的影响

黏虫Mythimna separata(Walker)是一种重要的季节性、远距离迁飞害虫,近些年在我国的发生有明显加重的趋势。本试验运用电生理学技术和风洞技术,测定黏虫的触角对5种植物挥发物的反应,并进一步评价了植物挥发物与黏虫性诱剂在田间联合应用对成虫的诱捕效果,为黏虫性诱剂的高效利用和虫情监测提供依据。电生理学试验结果表明,黏虫雌、雄蛾对苯乙醛、芳樟醇、Z-3-己烯基乙酸酯的反应有显著差异(P0.05)。除α-法尼烯外,黏虫雌、雄蛾对植物气味化合物的触角电位值均随浓度的升高而升高;风洞行为试验结果表明,与对照相比,雄蛾对苯乙醛、Z-3-己烯基乙酸酯、β-石竹烯均表现出逆风飞行行为(比例分别为50.6%、50.3%和44.9%),芳樟醇则对雄蛾具有一定的驱避作用。田间试验结果表明,单一植物挥发物对黏虫的吸引力较小,且各挥发物之间无显著差异;苯乙醛、β-石竹烯、Z-3-己烯基乙酸酯和性诱剂组合配方的引诱效果最佳,诱捕量是单独使用性诱剂的1.8倍(P0.05)。     

吲哚诱导对茶树抗茶小绿叶蝉的影响

为明确吲哚处理对茶树抗茶小绿叶蝉Empoasca onukii的影响,以龙井43为材料,使用吲哚诱导茶树作为处理,以未处理茶树作为对照,于室内测定茶小绿叶蝉对不同茶树的选择趋向,利用昆虫刺探电位图谱分析茶小绿叶蝉的取食行为,通过气相色谱-质谱联用仪分析吲哚处理对茶树挥发物的影响,并利用实时荧光定量PCR技术测定茶树防御相关基因的表达量。结果表明,在所有时间段茶小绿叶蝉成虫更趋向于取食对照组茶树,至48 h时对照组茶树上的成虫数量是处理组的2.45倍;茶小绿叶蝉3龄幼虫在吲哚处理组茶树上的非取食波（NP波）持续时间占总取食时间的72.15%,在对照组茶树上的非取食波（NP波）持续时间占比则为33.07%,且在对照组茶树上的主要取食波E2波的持续时间是处理组茶树上的3.58倍。相较于对照组茶树,吲哚处理组茶树释放出的挥发物总量显著增加,其中α-法尼烯可以趋避害虫并对天敌有吸引力,且吲哚处理组茶树的防御基因表达量显著升高。表明吲哚处理茶树后,茶小绿叶蝉对其的取食量下降,茶树的挥发物释放量增加且抗性防御基因表达量提高,增强了茶树对茶小绿叶蝉的抗性。     

九里香挥发物对柑橘木虱的引诱效果及混配筛选试验

为明确九里香Murraya exotica挥发物对柑橘木虱Diaphorina citri的引诱效果,筛选田间诱杀柑橘木虱的高效混配物组合,采用Y-型嗅觉仪室内测试柑橘木虱对10种九里香挥发物的行为反应,并测定挥发物混剂对柑橘木虱引诱的增效作用以及九里香挥发物混剂对柑橘木虱的田间诱杀效果。试验结果表明,β-石竹烯、D-柠檬烯和芳樟醇对柑橘木虱均有显著的引诱效果,引诱率分别为80.00%、83.33%和73.33%,显著高于其它7种挥发物;混剂B(β-石竹烯∶D-柠檬烯∶芳樟醇=3∶3∶1)对柑橘木虱的引诱率达到88.89%,显著优于其它混剂,增效作用较好;田间悬挂黄色诱虫瓶15 d后,混剂B平均诱集到的柑橘木虱数量为23.3头/瓶,显著优于其它混剂,为矿物油对照的33倍。     

西花蓟马对12种植物挥发物的选择行为

为寻找对西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis有吸引或者驱避作用的植物挥发物用于其综合防治,使用四臂嗅觉仪测试其对12种植物挥发物（松油醇、芳樟醇、罗勒烯、α-蒎烯和月桂烯5种萜类化合物,1-辛烯-3-醇和叶醇2种醇类化合物,叶醛、壬醛和苯甲醛3种醛类化合物,乙酸叶醇酯和水杨酸甲酯2种酯类化合物）的选择行为。结果表明,对西花蓟马有显著引诱活性的植物挥发物是月桂烯,在10μL/mL和100μL/mL浓度处理下西花蓟马成虫对其的选择率分别为21.67%和26.67%。对西花蓟马有显著驱避作用的植物挥发物有4种,其中100μL/mL叶醛对西花蓟马成虫的驱避率为36.67%;1、10和100μL/mL叶醇对成虫的驱避率分别为48.75%、40.00%和45.00%;100μL/mL 1-辛烯-3-醇对成虫的驱避率为41.33%;1μL/mL和100μL/mL水杨酸甲酯对成虫的驱避率分别为25.00%和31.67%。表明植物挥发物中存在对西花蓟马具有较好引诱或驱避作用的化合物组分,可用于西花蓟马植物源引诱剂或驱避剂的开发。     

玉米雌穗挥发物对亚洲玉米螟幼虫取食选择的影响

为了探明玉米雌穗挥发物组成及其对亚洲玉米螟(Ostrinia furnacalis)幼虫取食行为的影响,本研究利用顶空吸附法及气相色谱/质谱联用技术(GC/MS)测定了离体玉米雌穗的挥发物组分,并通过幼虫取食选择试验测定了11种玉米雌穗挥发物在4个不同浓度下(5×10-6、5×10-5、5×10-4、5×10-3g/mL,正己烷为溶剂)对亚洲玉米螟取食行为的影响。结果表明:从离体玉米雌穗中共计收集并鉴定出32种挥发物组分,主要包括绿叶气味物质、萜类化合物和脂肪族化合物。其中,萜类化合物的含量最高,占玉米雌穗挥发物总释放量的84.40%。在所有测定的浓度范围内,β-石竹烯、十四烷表现为引诱活性,壬醛表现为驱避作用。除浓度为5×10-3 g/mL外,癸烷、反-罗勒烯、6-甲基-5-庚烯-2-酮对幼虫取食表现为引诱作用。     

Epidemiology and simulation of population development of Sitobion avenae in winter wheat

The epidemiology ofSitobion avenae and its natural enemies in winter wheat was studied in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Immigration was important until the end of flowering. The alate immigrants had apterous offspring. These became the driving force in population growth. Their offspring were mostly alatae which usually left the field. A model of the epidemic was developed. Quantitative relations between the aphids and their environment were obtained from literature or established in laboratory trials. The model simulated population development and population composition from the beginning of June till the population peak at the end of June or early in July. Because quantitative data on relations between aphids and their natural enemies and pathogens are scarce, and since the knowledge on wing formation is still limited, the population collapse could not be predicted. In the future, prognosis over a period of three weeks seems possible.Samenvatting De toenemende betekenis van graanbladluizen (vooralSitobion avenae) gepaard gaande met een sterke toename van het gebruik van insecticiden op granen maakte verbetering van de prognose over het schadelijk optreden wenselijk. Door gedetailleerde tellingen in het veld (Fig. 1–7) werden gegevens verkregen over het verloop van de epidemie en het optreden van natuurlijke vijanden in 1975, 1976 en 1977.Een immigratieperiode tot in de bloei kon worden vastgesteld. Daarna lijkt de aantrekkelijkheid van het gewas voor alate luizen te verminderen. De alate immigranten krijgen aptere nakomelingen. Deze vormen de stuwende kracht van de populatiegroei. De nakomelingen van apteren zijn merendeels alaat. Zij verlaten het gewas.Een model van de populatieontwikkeling gedurende de epidemie werd opgesteld. De relatiediagrammen Fig. 9 en 10 laten groei en ontwikkeling vanS. avenae en een predator (Syrphus corollae) zien. Kwantificering van de betrekkingen werd mogelijk door literatuurgegevens en laboratoriumexperimenten.Met het model kon de populatieontwikkeling vanS. avenae vanaf begin juni tot aan de populatiepiek in 1975, 1976 en 1977 vrij goed worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 12). Ook de populatieopbouw kon worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 14). De teruggang van de populatiedichtheid blijkt moeilijker te voorspellen door het ontbreken van gegevens over natuurlijke vijanden.Het lijkt waarschijnlijk dat in de toekomst met het model een prognose over de piek van de bladluispopulatie circa 3 weken tevoren mogelijk zal zijn.     

Tumours of Begonia and some other ornamentals,induced by Corynebacterium fascians

In 1975 many tumours were observed in plants ofBegonia Schwabenland grown in Aalsmeer. Submersion of the roots ofNicotiana megalosiphon seedlings in a homogenate of tumorous tissue, induced tumours after two weeks. Short periods of submergence yielded results similar to those obtained after longer periods. Tumour homogenates lost their infectivity after ten min at 50°C. Aphids transmitted the infectious agent.Treatment with propylene oxide did not inhibit infectivity completely. Filtration through a 450 nm filter removed the infectious agent.Tobacco tumor virus or a viroid could not be isolated. Cultures ofCorynebacterium fascians, isolated from tumours ofN. megalosiphon were highly infectious and induced tumours in healthyN. megalosiphon andBegonia. Tumorous tissue homogenates ofPelargonium zonale, Dahlia sp.,Gladiolus sp., andLilium sp. also caused tumours inN. megalosiphon, from whichC. fascians was isolated. It was not possible to produce tumours inN. megalosiphon with homogenates from roses with symptoms of bud proliferation.Samenvatting In 1975 werden vele tumoren waargenomen inBegonia Schwabenland op Aalsmeerse bedrijven (Fig. 1). De infectiositeit van tumorweefsel kon goed en snel worden vastgesteld door de wortels van zaailingen vanNicotiana megalosiphon in een homogenaat van tumorweefsel te dompelen. Tumoren ontstonden na twee weken, de eindbeoordeling geschiedde na een maand (Fig. 2). Ook verschillende andereNicotiana spp.,Melilotus officinalis (Fig. 3) enPisum odoratum (Fig. 4) werden aangetast.Bij de infectiositeitstoets gaven zeer korte dompeltijden even goede resultaten als langere (Tabel 1). Infectieus sap verloor zijn infectievermogen na 10 min verhitting bij 50°C. Bladluizen brachten de smetstof over. Propyleenoxide verminderde de infectiositeit wel, doch onderdrukte deze niet totaal. Bij filtratie door een 450 nm filter bleef het infectieuse agens op het filter achter. Het tumor-inducerende agens was ook aanwezig in die delen van planten met tumoren welke gezond leken en het ging voor een gering deel over met zaad (Tabel 2).Uit tumoren konden wij geen tabakstumorvirus of een viroïde isoleren. Culturen vanCorynebacterium fascians, geïsoleerd uit tumoren vanN. megalosiphon bleken zeer infectieus en veroorzaakten tumoren inN. megalosiphon enBegonia. Homogenaten van tumorweefsel vanPelargonium zonale, dahlia (Fig. 5), gladiool (Fig. 6) enLilium Mid Century Hybrid Enchantment (Fig. 7) veroorzaakten ook tumoren opN. megalosiphon, waaruitC. fascians werd geïsoleerd. Met sap van kroeskopzieke rozen konden wijN. megalosiphon niet besmetten.     

Nematicidal Activity of Chrysanthemum coronarium

Organic amendments and green manure are potential alternatives to the harmful chemical control means currently used against plant-parasitic nematodes. In this work, Chrysanthemum coronarium was applied to the soil as a green manure to control the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica. Chrysanthemum coronarium significantly reduced nematode infection of tomato roots and improved plant-top fresh weight, both in the greenhouse and in microplots. Other green manures, derived from Anthemis pseudocotula, wild chickpea (Cicer pinnatifidum), Geranium spp. and wheat, were not as effective as C. coronarium. Chrysanthemum coronarium, retained its nematicidal activity even when applied as a dried material. Only mature C. coronarium plants, in their flowering stage, exhibited nematode control activity, but the green plant parts were more effective than the flowers. An aqueous extract of C. coronarium exhibited in vitro, nematostatic activity towards M. incognita and M. javanica second-stage juveniles and inhibited their hatching from eggs and egg-masses; its nematostatic activity was expressed also against other phytonematode species such as Heterodera avenae and Pratylenchus mediterraneus, but did not affect the beneficial entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae.     

Inactivation of soil-borne plant pathogens during small-scale composting of crop residues

Samples of heavily infested crop residues were incorporated in static compost heaps (2.5–4.6 m³) of the Indore type. Temperature increased to 50–70°C within 6 days depending on the type of crop residues used and the location within the heap. The heat phase (>40 °C) lasted 2–3 weeks and was followed by a c. 5-months maturation phase (<40 °c).=" among=" the=" 17=" pathogens=" tested,=">Olpidium brassicae and one of the four formae speciales ofFusarium oxysporum that were tested survived composting, but also their inoculum was greatly reduced.Survival during specific phases of composting was studied by incorporation and retrieval of samples at various stages of the process.F. oxysporum f. sp.melonis was completely inactivated andO. brassicae andPlasmodiophora brassicae were almost completely inactivated during the short heat phase. The three pathogens survived the long-lasting maturation phase without loss of viability. Heat evolved during composting was found to be the most important factor involved with sanitation of crop residues. The possible involvement of fungitoxic conversion products and microbial antagonism is discussed.     

浅黄恩蚜小蜂和丽蚜小蜂对温室白粉虱的寄生潜能分析

浅黄恩蚜小蜂Encarsia sophia GiraultDodd和丽蚜小蜂Encarsia formosa Gahan是防治粉虱类害虫的优势寄生蜂,通过生命表技术方法分析了2种寄生蜂对温室白粉虱Trialeurodes vaporariorum(Westwood)的防治潜能。结果表明,丽蚜小蜂在羽化第3天和第10天出现2次寄生高峰,占其总寄生量的13.7%和8.0%,在2次高峰之间逐日寄生粉虱数量比较平稳,单雌逐日平均产雌数保持在10.6~13.4头,10 d后寄生量呈明显的下降趋势;而浅黄恩蚜小蜂羽化10 d内逐日寄生粉虱量变化不大,单雌逐日产雌数稳定在4.2~5.4头,羽化14 d后寄生量呈明显下降趋势。丽蚜小蜂和浅黄恩蚜小蜂的R0、T、rm、λ值分别为171.5、18.0、0.2854、1.3303和61.6、16.2、0.2544、1.2897;粉虱若虫充足时,丽蚜小蜂平均单雌寄生若虫数是浅黄恩蚜小蜂的2.7倍,而后者平均单雌取食若虫数为60.6头,明显高于前者42.7头,总的来看,丽蚜小蜂通过寄生和取食杀死粉虱总量220.8头,明显高于浅黄恩蚜小蜂的127.9头。表明在应用寄生蜂防治温室白粉虱时,单独释放丽蚜小蜂比浅黄恩蚜小蜂显示出更好的防治潜能。     

Effects of the saprophytic leaf mycoflora on growth and productivity of winter wheat

The effects of the saprophytic mycoflora and its interference with cereal aphids on growth and yield of winter and spring wheat was studied in field experiments in 1980, 1981 and 1982.Yields varied between 5000 and 8000 kg dry matter of kernels per ha. The effect of the saprophytic mycoflora on yield was determined in different treatments: A) no control measures against cereal aphids and saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, B) no control of cereal aphids, control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, C) control of cereal aphids and control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, D) control of cereal aphids and stimulation of saprophytic mycoflora and E) control of cereal aphids, no control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi nor stimulation of saprophytic mycoflora.Considerable differences in top densities of saprophytic mycoflora (10 times as large in A and D as in B and C) were determined. The consequences of these differences for the growth and productivity of wheat were minor. A negative effect of saprophytic mycoflora on the yield could not be detected in 1981 and 1982, whereas a small positive significant effect was found in 1980. This stimulation may have been due to competition between necrotrophic fungal pathogens and saprophytic mycoflora. As a result of favourable weather conditions necrotrophic fungal pathogens were very numerous in 1980 and could form an important yield reducing factor. Yield levels may effect the importance of the necrotrophic and saprophytic mycoflora as yield reducing factors. Additionally, in the presence of aphid honeydew captafol was found to be relatively ineffective against saprophytic fungi.     

Aetiology and causal agents of mango sudden decline disease in the Sultanate of Oman

Mango sudden decline is a recently introduced, economically serious disease in Oman. Affected mango trees have wilting symptoms that usually begin on one side and later spread to involve the entire tree. Trees exude amber-coloured gum from the bark of their trunks or branches and vascular tissues are discoloured. Having entered Oman in the recent past, survey data is presented that shows the disease to have spread throughout the northern part of the country. Evidence is presented that the vascular wilt pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata causes mango sudden decline disease in Oman, possibly in concert with Lasiodiplodia theobromae and the recently described Ceratocystis omanensis. Isolates of these fungi from affected trees, cause infection and can be recovered from inoculated seedlings. Bark beetles (Hypocryphalus mangiferae) are shown to carry C. fimbriata and L. theobromae and are presumably responsible for transmitting both pathogens to healthy mango trees. Acting as a wounding agent and vector, the bark beetle is likely to have assisted the rapid spread of the disease across Oman.     

Combined effect of generally regarded as safe (GRAS) compounds andTrichoderma harzianum on the control of postharvest diseases of rambutan

Botryodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides andGliocephalotrichum microchlamydosporum are the causal fungi of the rambutan postharvest diseases stem-end rot, anthracnose and brown spot, respectively. Two different treatments of rambutan fruits(Nephelium lappaceum) against the three pathogens were compared: potassium metabisulphite (250 ppm) or cinnamaldehyde (30 ppm), each combined withTrichoderma harzianum (TrH 40). The application of TrH 40 and potassium metabisulphite effectively controlled the incidence and severity of the three postharvest diseases and maintained the overall quality and color of the fruit under low temperature storage at 13.5°C and 95% r.h. for 18 days. The greatest effect of this treatment was shown onG. microchlamydosporum. Cinnamaldehyde affected the growth and germination of TrH 40, whereas potassium metabisulphite did not. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 4, 2001.     

Relationship Between Production of the Phytotoxin Prehelminthosporol and Virulence in Isolates of the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana

A gas chromatographic method was developed to quantify the phytotoxin prehelminthosporol, which is a sesquiterpene metabolite of the plant pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana. The toxin was extracted from mycelium or culture filtrates, pre-cleaned using solid phase extraction, and analyzed by gas chromatography as a trimethylsilyl-derivative. The detection limit of the method was 5ngl^–1 (signal to noise ratio 4:1) which corresponds to ca. 15ng prehelminthosporol per mg dry weight of mycelium or 15ng prehelminthosporol per ml culture filtrate. The total amount of prehelminthosporol (mycelium plus culture filtrate) increased with cultivation time when examined in six isolates of B. sorokiniana after 6, 9, 12 and 15 days of incubation. The screening experiment of 17 isolates for prehelminthosporol production after 8 days of incubation revealed significant differences in the toxin production between the isolates. The isolates with low toxin production had lower virulence towards barley roots compared to those with higher production of the toxin. However, the virulence did not increase with prehelminthosporol level among the high producing isolates. Prehelminthosporol was also analyzed in a number of related Bipolaris and Drechslera species. In addition to B. sorokiniana, three out of six Bipolaris species (B. setariae, B. zeicola, B. victoriae) produced prehelminthosporol, which indicates that ability to produce prehelminthosporol is conserved among closely-related Bipolaris species.     

Diagnostics,genetic diversity and pathogenic variation of ascochyta blight of cool season food and feed legumes

Molecular diagnostic techniques have been developed to differentiate the Ascochyta pathogens that infect cool season food and feed legumes, as well as to improve the sensitivity of detecting latent infection in plant tissues. A seed sampling technique was developed to detect a 1% level of infection by Ascochyta rabiei in commercial chickpea seed. The Ascochyta pathogens were shown to be genetically diverse in countries where the pathogen and host have coexisted for a long time. However, where the pathogen was recently introduced, such as A. rabiei to Australia, the level of diversity remained relatively low, even as the pathogen spread to all chickpea-growing areas. Pathogenic variability of A. rabiei and Ascochyta pinodes pathogens in chickpea and field pea respectively, appears to be quantitative, where measures of disease severity were based on aggressiveness (quantitative level of infection) rather than on true qualitative virulence. In contrast, qualitative differences in pathogenicity in lentil and faba bean genotypes indicated the existence of pathotypes of Ascochyta lentis and Ascochyta fabae. Therefore, reports of pathotype discrimination based on quantitative differences in pathogenicity in a set of specific genotypes is questionable for several of the ascochyta-legume pathosystems such as A. rabiei and A. pinodes. This is not surprising since host resistance to these pathogens has been reported to be mainly quantitative, making it difficult for the pathogen to overcome specific resistance genes and form pathotypes. For robust pathogenicity assessment, there needs to be consistency in selection of differential host genotypes, screening conditions and disease evaluation techniques for each of the Ascochyta sp. in legume-growing countries throughout the world. Nevertheless, knowledge of pathotype diversity and aggressiveness within populations is important in the selection of resistant genotypes.