Aromatic Substances Inhibiting Wheat Powdery Mildew Produced by a Fungus Detected with a New Screening Method for Phylloplane Fungi

Microorganisms isolated from wheat leaf surfaces were screened for inhibition of wheat powdery mildew. A new screening method, in which wheat leaves were inoculated with Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici and incubated with the cultured microorganisms under non-contact conditions, was developed in the present study. Using this method, 10 phylloplane fungi that inhibited wheat powdery mildew were selected from 408 microorganisms isolated from wheat leaf surfaces. Among these 10 strains, a fungus designated as Kyu-W63 had an especially strong inhibitory effect. Kyu-W63 produced white colonies without spores when cultivated on PDA. Kyu-W63 had a strong aromatic odor when being cultured. Wheat powdery mildew was suppressed even though a membrane filter with a pore size of 0.45 μm was placed between the mycelial colony and wheat leaf segment. However, when activated charcoal was introduced, Kyu-W63 did not inhibit growth of B. graminis. It was presumed that volatile substances were involved in the inhibitory effect of Kyu-W63. GC-MS analysis was used to identify two substances produced by Kyu-W63 with molecular weights of 164 and 166. Kyu-W63 also inhibited the in vitro growth of four plant pathogenic fungi other than B. graminis. Received 19 September 2001/ Accepted in revised form 7 February 2002     

Modelling and forecasting epidemics of apple powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha)

A model developed to simulate epidemics of powdery mildew on vegetative shoots of apple generates two types of output. Firstly, it forecasts disease severity (percentage of host tissue infected) by incorporating effects on disease development of the amount of healthy susceptible tissue and current infectious (sporulating) disease, the level of initial inoculum (overwintered 'primary' mildew) and weather conditions. The effects of weather variables are considered on only two aspects of the fungal life cycle: initial spore germination and the subsequent development during the incubation period. Secondly, the model generates indices of the relative favourability of weather conditions on disease development by incorporating effects of weather on conidial production/dispersal and germination. On each day, forecasts of the (relative) severity of new infection and total current infectious disease are given for both types of output. The model was evaluated by comparing its predictions with the mildew epidemics observed in two unsprayed orchards over four years. In all the years, the temporal patterns of the predicted and the observed disease were generally similar. The pattern of the disease severity forecasts was marginally closer to the observed than that derived from two weather indices. Potential roles of the model in practical management of apple powdery mildew are discussed.     

Problems in Modelling Powdery Mildew Epidemics1

We present some subsystems of a model describing epidemics of barley powdery mildew. In these phases of the pathogen's life cycle, both the weather and the host affect disease development. The reaction of the host changes dependent on the leaf position due to adult plant resistance. Some consequences and problems due to this fact are discussed. Disease must be simulated separately on each leaf. Functions used to describe a certain process may not be valid for all leaf positions. It may be necessary to take into account the variation in temperature of different leaves. According to weather conditions, adult-plant resistance can change and its development must be also modelled.     

Real-time PCR quantification of latent infection of wheat powdery mildew in the field

Wheat powdery mildew, caused by the fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a destructive wheat disease worldwide. The key issue for the disease forecast is to timely and accurately estimate and quantify the latent infection levels in volunteer seedlings where the pathogen over-winters or over-summers to serve as sources of initial inoculum of epidemics. To improve the conventional method, a real-time PCR assay had been established in this study to quantify latent infection level of wheat leaves. Artificially and naturally infected leaves in wheat fields at different geographical locations in China were collected and processed to determine the latent infection levels. Linear relationships between the molecular disease index (MDX) and the observed disease index (DX) were obtained from artificial inoculation experiments. Field experiments showed that the spatial distribution patterns of MDX matched well with those of DX in the most cases. This study demonstrated that the real-time PCR assay was a useful tool to rapidly and accurately quantify the latent infection levels of wheat powdery mildew and to efficiently estimate the initial inoculum potentials of epidemics in the fields.     

The effect of film-forming anti-transpirants on leaf rust and powdery mildew incidence on wheat

Various film-forming anti-transpirants effectively controlled leaf rust and powdery mildew on wheat in the field. Two applications of anti-transpirant emulsions applied after flag leaf emergence were sufficient to suppress leaf rust and powdery mildew on wheat leaves. When applied before, but not after, inoculation anti-transpirant polymers also reduced leaf rust on seedling plants in a growth room experiment.     

Effect of potassium silicate on epidemic components of powdery mildew on melon

The effects of silicon (Si) supplied in the form of potassium silicate (PS) were evaluated on epidemic components of powdery mildew of melon under greenhouse conditions. The PS was applied to the roots or to leaves. In the first experiment, epidemic components were evaluated after inoculation with Podosphaera xanthii. In the second experiment, the disease progress rate was evaluated on plants subjected to natural infection. The area under the disease progress curve was reduced by 65% and 73% in the foliar and root treatments, respectively, compared to control plants, as a consequence of reductions in infection efficiency, colony expansion rate, colony area, conidial production and disease progress rate. However, root application of PS was more effective than foliar application in reducing most of the epidemic components, except for infection efficiency. This can be explained by the high Si concentration in leaf tissues with root application, in contrast to the foliar treatment where Si was only deposited on the external leaf surfaces. The effects of PS reported in this study demonstrated that powdery mildew of melon can be controlled, and that the best results can be achieved when PS is supplied to the roots.     

A host-pathogen simulation model: powdery mildew of grapevine

An epidemiological model simulating the growth of a single grapevine stock coupled to the dispersal and disease dynamics of the airborne conidia of the powdery mildew pathogen Erysiphe necator was developed. The model input variables were either climatic (temperature, wind speed and direction) or related to the pathogen (location and onset of primary infection). The environmental input variables dictated plant growth and pathogen spread (latent period, infection, lesion growth, conidial spore production and release). Input parameters characterized the crop production system, the growth conditions and the epidemiological characteristics of the pathogen. Output described, at each time step, number, age and pattern of healthy and infected organs, infected and infectious leaf area and aerial density of spores released. Validation of the model was achieved by comparing model output with experimental data for epidemics initiated at different times of host growth. Epidemic behaviour for two contrasting years of crop development and 7 phenological stages at the time of primary infection (PI) was examined. For PI occurring at day 115 a vine with late budbreak (1998) showed 58% of primary leaves diseased at flowering compared with only 19% for a vine with early budbreak (2003). Depending on the phenological stage at PI (1–4 leaves), the proportion of diseased primary leaves decreased from 42% to 6% at flowering. Simulations suggested that differences resulted from the interplay between the timing of the first sporulation event, the phenological stage at the time of initial infection, and the age structure and spatial distribution of the leaf population.     

Prior Inoculation with Non-pathogenic Fungi Induces Systemic Resistance to Powdery Mildew On Cucumber Plants

A spray inoculation of the first leaf of 2-leaf stage cucumber plants with a non-pathogenic isolate of Alternaria cucumarina or Cladosporium fulvum before a challenge inoculation with the pathogen Sphaerotheca fuliginea induced systemic resistance to powdery mildew on leaves 2–5. Systemic resistance was expressed by a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on each leaf of the induced plants, as compared with water-sprayed plants. Systemic resistance was evident when a prior inoculation with each of the inducing fungi was administered 1, 3 or 6 days before the challenge inoculation with S. fuliginea. Increasing the inoculum concentration of A. cucumarina or C. fulvum enhanced the systemic protection and provided up to 71.6% or 80.0% reduction, respectively, in the number of colonies produced on upper leaves, relative to controls. Increasing the inoculum concentration of S. fuliginea used for challenge inoculation, increased the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on both induced and non-induced plants. Pre-treated plants, however, were still better protected than controls, indicating that the level of systemic protection was related to the S. fuliginea inoculum concentration. The induction of systemic resistance against powdery mildew by biotic agents, facilitates the development of a wide range of disease management tools.     

Isolation of genes expressed during compatible interactions between powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) and wheat

Powdery mildew of wheat is an important disease caused by the obligately biotrophic fungus Blumeria graminis. In compatible interactions, the powdery mildew fungus undergoes a series of developmental stages to form haustoria within host cells through which nutrients are obtained. In this study, we utilized the cDNA-AFLP technique to isolate wheat genes expressed at 5 days' post-inoculation. The expression patterns of several sequences identified in the cDNA-AFLP profiling were further investigated by Northern hybridization and RT-PCR analyses. Genes with sequence similarity to GenBank accessions AAR91119, P20076, BT009372, ABA99697, BAD81963 or AAO72574 showed greater expression in susceptible rather than resistant or mock-inoculated leaves. In addition, several sequences with similarity to CAD27894, XM_466672, AAT79487 or AAM64566 were expressed only in the compatible interactions. Possible involvement of these genes in susceptibility of host wheat upon powdery mildew infection is further discussed.     

Disease-weather relationships for powdery mildew and yellow rust on winter wheat

Key weather factors determining the occurrence and severity of powdery mildew and yellow rust epidemics on winter wheat were identified. Empirical models were formulated to qualitatively predict a damaging epidemic (>5% severity) and quantitatively predict the disease severity given a damaging epidemic occurred. The disease data used was from field experiments at 12 locations in the UK covering the period from 1994 to 2002 with matching data from weather stations within a 5 km range. Wind in December to February was the most influential factor for a damaging epidemic of powdery mildew. Disease severity was best identified by a model with temperature, humidity, and rain in April to June. For yellow rust, the temperature in February to June was the most influential factor for a damaging epidemic as well as for disease severity. The qualitative models identified favorable circumstances for damaging epidemics, but damaging epidemics did not always occur in such circumstances, probably due to other factors such as the availability of initial inoculum and cultivar resistance.     

Paecilomyces farinosus destroys powdery mildew colonies in detached leaf cultures but not on whole plants

Since 2001, several isolates of Blumeria graminis, the causal agent of cereal powdery mildew, maintained on detached leaves at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK, have spontaneously become infected with an unknown filamentous fungus whose mycelia have quickly overgrown the powdery mildew colonies and destroyed them completely. A total of five isolates of the contaminant were obtained and identified as Paecilomyces farinosus based on morphological characteristics and rDNA ITS sequence data. To determine whether these P. farinosus isolates can be considered as biocontrol agents (BCAs) of powdery mildews, we studied the interactions between P. farinosus and the following four powdery mildew species: B. graminis f.sp. hordei infecting barley, Oidium neolycopersici infecting tomato, Golovinomyces orontii infecting tobacco and Podosphaera fusca infecting cucumber. The powdery mildew colonies of all these four powdery mildew species were quickly destroyed by P. farinosus in leaf cultures but neither conidial suspensions nor cell-free culture filtrates of P. farinosus isolates could suppress the spread of powdery mildew infections on diseased barley, tomato, tobacco or cucumber plants in the greenhouse. It is concluded that P. farinosus cannot be considered as a promising BCA of powdery mildew infections although it can destroy powdery mildew colonies in detached leaf cultures and can be a menace during the maintenance of such cultures of cereal, apple, cucurbit and tomato powdery mildew isolates.     

Coincidence of maximum severity of powdery mildew on grape leaves and the carbohydrate sink‐to‐source transition

Grapevine leaves infected with powdery mildew are a source of inoculum for fruit infection. Leaves emerging on a single primary shoot of Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon were exposed to average glasshouse temperatures of 18°C (0·23 leaves emerging/day) or 25°C (0·54 leaves emerging/day). All leaves on 8–10 shoots with approximately 20 leaves each were inoculated with Erysiphe necator conidia to assess disease severity after 14 days in the 25°C glasshouse. Two photosynthetic ‘source’ leaves per shoot on the remaining 8–10 shoots were treated with ¹⁴CO₂ to identify, by autoradiography, the leaf position completing the carbohydrate sink‐to‐source transition. There was a clear association between the mean modal leaf position for maximum severity of powdery mildew (position 3·7 for 18°C; position 4·4 for 25°C) and the mean position of the leaf completing the sink‐to‐source transition (position 3·8 for 18°C; position 4·7 for 25°C). The mean modal leaf position for the maximum percentage of conidia germinating to form secondary hyphae was 4·2 for additional plants grown in the 25°C glasshouse. A higher rate of leaf emergence resulted in a greater proportion of diseased leaves per shoot. A Bayesian model, consisting of component models for disease severity and leaf ontogenic resistance, had parameters representing the rate and magnitude of pathogen colonization that differed for shoots developing in different preinoculation environments. The results support the hypothesis that the population of leaves in a vineyard capable of supporting substantial pathogen colonization will vary according to conditions for shoot development.     

新疆泽普县小麦白粉病流行的时间动态及预测模型

2012年-2019年对泽普县春季小麦白粉病田间发生情况进行了系统调查, 并对数据进行了分析和模型拟合, 明确了当地白粉病春季发生和流行的特点?其病害春季流行曲线为典型的单峰S形曲线, 符合Logistic或Gompertz模型?在此基础上, 通过Pearson相关系数法分析了多年来该地小麦不同生育期白粉病病情指数与66个主要气象因子之间的相关关系, 筛选出影响小麦白粉病发生流行的关键气象因子为1月下旬平均日照时间?2月下旬平均气温?1月上旬-3月上旬平均气温和10月下旬-4月中旬平均日照时间, 并采用多元回归分析法建立了基于关键气象因子的小麦扬花期?灌浆初期和灌浆中期的病害预测模型?此研究结果可为当地小麦白粉病的防控提供技术支撑?     

烯丙异噻唑对水稻叶片中NAA、ABA含量的影响与稻瘟病抗性的关系

经过１０余年小麦白粉病综合治理系统研究,摸清了东北春麦区小麦白粉病初菌源来源及侵染循环规律,建立了准确度达８６％以上的预测小麦白粉病发生与流行的预测式,明确了东北春麦区小麦白粉病菌的小种种群构成及毒力频率。     

Quantitative trait Loci mapping for adult-plant resistance to powdery mildew in bread wheat

ABSTRACT Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, is a major disease to wheat (Triticum aestivum) worldwide. Use of adult-plant resistance (APR) is an effective method to develop wheat cultivars with durable resistance to powdery mildew. In the present study, 432 molecular markers were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for APR to powdery mildew in a doubled haploid (DH) population with 107 lines derived from the cross Fukuho-komugi x Oligoculm. Field trials were conducted in Beijing and Anyang, China during 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 cropping seasons, respectively. The DH lines were planted in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Artificial inoculation was carried out in Beijing with highly virulent isolate E20 of B. graminis f. sp. tritici and the powdery mildew severity on penultimate leaf was evaluated four times, and the maximum disease severity (MDS) on penultimate leaf was investigated in Anyang under natural inoculation in May 2004 and 2005. The heritability of resistance to powdery mildew for MDS in 2 years and two locations ranged from 0.82 to 0.93, while the heritability for area under the disease progress curve was between 0.84 and 0.91. With the method of composite interval mapping, four QTL for APR to powdery mildew were detected on chromosomes 1AS, 2BL, 4BL, and 7DS, explaining 5.7 to 26.6% of the phenotypic variance. Three QTL on chromosomes 1AS, 2BL, and 7DS were derived from the female, Fukuho-komugi, while the one on chromosome 4BL was from the male, Oligoculm. The QTL on chromosome 1AS showed high genetic effect on powdery mildew resistance, accounting for 19.5 to 26.6% of phenotypic variance across two environments. The QTL on 7DS associated with the locus Lr34/Yr18, flanked by microsatellite Xgwm295.1 and Ltn (leaf tip necrosis). These results will benefit for improving powdery mildew resistance in wheat breeding programs.     

叶绿素荧光成像技术监测苗期小麦白粉病初探

为探究叶绿素荧光成像技术在小麦白粉病监测应用中的可行性, 本研究对接种6个不同浓度小麦白粉菌分生孢子的小麦幼苗离体叶段?一叶一心期幼苗和二叶一心期幼苗以及接种后不同时期进行叶绿素荧光成像测定, 并对导出的叶绿素荧光参数与病情严重度的关系进行分析?结果发现, 接种不同浓度白粉菌分生孢子的小麦离体叶段或幼苗的Fv/Fm图像可以在一定程度上反映出小麦白粉病菌的侵染程度?接种小麦白粉菌后第3天, Fv/Fm值随接种浓度的变化规律不明显, 但从接种后第5天开始, Fv/Fm值随接种浓度的增加而下降, 且未接种的小麦幼苗或离体叶段的Fv/Fm值显著高于接种处理, 接种浓度最高(5 mg/mL)的处理其Fv/Fm值显著低于同时期其他接菌处理?小麦白粉病严重度与叶绿素荧光参数之间的相关性分析表明, Fv/Fm和Chlidx与病害严重度均极显著负相关, 在此基础上, 分别建立了小麦离体叶段?一叶一心幼苗及二叶一心幼苗的基于参数Fv/Fm或Chlidx的病害严重度估计模型?对模型的拟合效果进行比较发现, 基于Fv/Fm或Chlidx的病害估计模型其RMSE或R2比较接近, 因此叶绿素荧光参数Fv/Fm或Chlidx用来估计苗期小麦白粉病发生程度是可行的?本研究为叶绿素荧光成像技术在小麦白粉病监测预警中的应用奠定了理论基础, 具有一定的应用前景?     

Threshold values for chemical control of powdery mildew (Erysiphe cruciferarum) on Brussels sprouts

To establish control thresholds for chemical control of powdery mildew (Erysiphe cruciferarum) on Brussels sprouts, mildew intensity on leaves and buds was observed on the cultivars Lunet, Tardis and Asgard during three years in unsprayed plots. Mildew infection on the leaves was observed from late August onwards, increasing to moderate or high levels. In one year light infestation of the buds was observed, but no reduction in quality occurred. These preliminary results indicate, that from late August onwards the following levels of leaf injury by powdery mildew can be tolerated: T=5+0.42^*(Julian date — 235), in which T is the tolerable leaf injury in percentage leaf area covered. When sampling the crop to assess powdery mildew infection, care must be taken that leaves are sampled from all stem positions, as top leaves tend to be much less infected.     

Effect of root and foliar applications of soluble silicon on powdery mildew control and growth of wheat plants

Foliar and root applications of different silicon (Si)-based formulations were evaluated for their effects in reducing powdery mildew and promoting growth of wheat plants. X-ray microanalyses of treated plants revealed that root applications resulted in consistent deposition of Si in the leaves. In terms of powdery mildew control, root applications at 1.7 mM Si gave consistently the best results, reducing disease severity by as much as 80%, regardless of the product used. Although less effective than root applications, foliar treatments with both Si and nutrient salt solutions led to a significant reduction of powdery mildew on wheat plants. This suggests a direct effect of the products on powdery mildew rather than one mediated by the plant as in the case of root amendments. In our experiments, Si amendment, either through the roots or the leaves, did not increase plant growth. These results lead to the conclusion that Si is primarily, if not exclusively, absorbed by the root system and that such absorption by the roots is necessary for an optimal prophylactic effect.     

Epidemics of apple powdery mildew (Podosphaera leucotricha) in a mixed cultivar orchard

Epidemics of apple powdery mildew were monitored on leaves of vegetative extension shoots in a mixed-cultivar orchard in 1979. 1980 and 1981. Cultivars Cox's Orange Pippin. Golden Delicious. Ida Red and Suntan were very susceptible but little mildew developed on cv. Discovery in any year. Results with cvs Crispin and Spartan were less consistent due, in part, to differing patterns of vegetative growth. The rankings of cultivars for disease incidence (proportion of leaves with mildew), number of colonies and mildewed area were similar, and were also consistent on fungicide-sprayed and unsprayed trees in 1981. Less disease occurred on fungicide-treated Golden Delicious than on Cox's Orange Pippin. Most infections occurred on the rolled leaves at the shoot tip. Spore production was greatest on leaves at positions -1 to -4 where leaf 0 was the youngest and leaf - 1 the adjacent and older unrolled leaf.