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.     

Effects of fungicide movement between plots in field experiments

Interactions between plots of spring barley which were either unsprayed, or sprayed with triadi mefon or tridemorph to control powdery mildew ( Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordei ) were measured in experiments of balanced design in 1978 and 1979. The average amounts of mildew in untreated plots with triadimefon-reated neighbours on the predominaotly up-wind side were usually less than half those in untreated plots with tridemorph-treated neighbours on the up-wind side. Triadiniefon-treated plots had most effect on the adjacent sides of their untreated neighbours but there was evidence that their influence extended across the whole widths of these neighbouring plots. Amounts of mildew in tridemorph-treated plots were increased by untreated neighbours.
Differences in amounts of disease between these plots of spring barley with differently treated neighbours had no significant effects on grain yield. However, in a rando'mized block experiment with spring wheat in 1975 there was evidence that similar inter-plot interactions caused consider able bias in the yield data. Possible causes of the observed effects are discussed.     

Some studies on the systemic activity of the thiophanate fungicides in plants

Three closely related fungicides, thiophanate (NF 35), thiophanate methyl (NF 44) and NF 48 have been found to be active against a wide range of diseases including the powdery mildews of apple, cucumber and barley; apple and pear scab and grey mould of soft fruit. This paper deals with the preliminary experiments to compare their relative mobilities and biological persistence in crop plants, using the powdery mildews as indicator infections. NF 44 and NF 48 in particular showed a high degree of systemic activity by root uptake and persistence of action against barley and cucumber mildew but very little systemic activity against apple mildew on potted rootstocks. They have also displayed trans-laminar and localised movement towards the leaf apex in sprayed cucumber and barley leaves but movement was not so marked in sprayed apple leaves. NF 48 was also active as a seed dressing against loose smut of barley.     

Concepts and methods in biological control of diseases in apple orchards1

The project ‘Promotion of Biological Methods in Apple Growing’ which started in Switzerland in 1985 concentrates on the control of Venturia inaequalis (scab) and Podosphaera leucotricha (powdery mildew). The project considers the selection of suitable cultivars resistant or only slightly susceptible to fungal diseases and the assessment of tolerable economic loss. It also includes curative treatments with sterol-synthesis-inhibiting fungicides, according to scab infection periods, as well as applications of plant extracts (proposed by the Institute of Biological Husbandry) and suspensions of antagonists or their culture filtrates as plant-protecting agents. Screening experiments on apple seedlings showed that root extracts of Rumex obtusifolium significantly reduced powdery mildew infections under greenhouse conditions. In field experiments treatments with R. obtusifolium extracts at intervals of 7–10 days were less effective. Saponin-containing extracts of different plants gave satisfying control of scab on seedlings in the growth chamber but were not very effective in the field. Applications of spore suspensions and culture filtrates of the phyllosphere fungi Chaetomium spp. reduced scab and mildew infections on apple seedlings to some extent. It was found that in the last 2 years even primary infections of P. leucotricha were severely parasitized by Ampelomyces quisqualis. Preliminary studies showed that the lack of efficacy of this biocontrol system is due to the delayed spread of the hyperparasite.     

Simulation of Epidemics Caused by Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Aderh.1

We discuss simulation of apple scab epidemics based on analog computer models, multivariate regression analyses, and systems analyses. Details of underlying models and their scope for applications are emphasized. Monomolecular growth functions by Bertalanffy and Gompertz in analog computers permit fast simulation of disease progress curves. The models derived from multivariate analyses of field experiments on apple scab epidemics simulate closely the changes in infection rates. EPIVEN, our comprehensive and self–generating simulator of apple scab epidemics is reviewed and compared to a reduced model, also based on elements of the system “apple scab epidemic”.     

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.     

甘肃平凉苹果病虫害调查初报

采用大面积普查的方法对甘肃省平凉市苹果病虫害的发生种类?发生程度?分布特点?危害程度等进行了系统调查?调查发现全市苹果病虫害至少54种, 其中害虫37种, 病害17种, 优势病虫害9种?苹果树腐烂病?斑点落叶病?花叶病毒病和金纹细蛾是普遍发生的优势病虫害, 以苹果树腐烂病和斑点落叶病发生最重, 前者病株率为19.72%~30.54%, 后者病园率?病叶率和病情指数分别达到95.83%~100.00%?11.11%~95.56%和2.22~34.56; 苹果黑星病?褐斑病?锈病?白粉病和绣线菊蚜是局部发生的优势病虫害, 其中苹果黑星病仅分布于静宁?庄浪和灵台县, 且呈严重发生和迅速扩散态势, 病园率?病叶率?病情指数分别达到66.67%~100.00%?7.26%~35.71%和1.74~10.78, 苹果褐斑病在崆峒?崇信?泾川县(区)重或较重发生, 苹果锈病在泾川?庄浪县较重发生, 苹果白粉病在崇信县中度发生, 苹果绣线菊蚜除在个别果园发生较重外, 整体呈轻度以下发生?由病害引起的苹果叶片提早脱落现象在六盘山以东普遍和严重发生, 落叶率达到11.89%~58.67%, 是影响苹果产量和质量的关键因素之一?     

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.     

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.     

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。     

The epidemiology of powdery mildew on concord grapes

ABSTRACT Vitis labruscana 'Concord' is a grape cultivar widely grown in the United States for processing into juice and other grape products. Concord grapes are sporadically but sometimes severely damaged by the grape powdery mildew pathogen, Uncinula necator. Although the foliage is often reported to be moderately resistant to powdery mildew, severe fruit infection occurs in some years. We observed the seasonal development of powdery mildew on leaves, rachises, and berries of unsprayed Concord grapevines. Inoculations of flower and fruit clusters revealed a brief period of berry susceptibility and a protracted period of rachis susceptibility. The rachis remained highly susceptible to infection, and the severity of rachis infection increased throughout the growing season until the rachis formed a periderm shortly before harvest. In contrast, berries were nearly immune to infection within 2 weeks after fruit set. Rachis and berry infections were detected before the disease was observed on foliage, and the incidence of rachis and berry infection often exceeded disease incidence observed on foliage until after fruit acquired substantial ontogenic resistance. Excellent control of fruit infection, and adequate control of leaf infection, was achieved by two fungicide applications targeted at the peak period of fruit susceptibility. Although Concord is thought to be moderately resistant to powdery mildew, the rachis is highly susceptible, and may be the avenue by which prebloom infections make their way onto the developing fruit. Late-season infection of the rachis neither spread to the fruit, nor did it cause fruit to drop prematurely, and may be of little economic consequence on fruit destined for processing. Although fruit of V. vinifera cultivars have been reported to remain susceptible to infection until berry sugar levels reach 8 to 15%, Concord fruit become nearly immune to infection nearly 6 weeks before this stage of development. Because powdery mildew does not become conspicuous on foliage until late summer, it is generally regarded as a late-season problem on Concord grapes, and previous management programs have reflected this belief. However, the greatest contribution to control of fruit infection is due to fungicides applied during the peak period of fruit susceptibility, from bloom until shortly after fruit set, long before the disease is observed on foliage.     

我国小麦产区间病害发生与损失差异比较研究

为系统全面地掌握我国各产区小麦病害的发生情况,本文重点分析了我国小麦五大产区(华东麦区、华中麦区、华北麦区、西北麦区和西南麦区)小麦锈病、赤霉病、白粉病、纹枯病、黑穗病、根腐病和全蚀病的发生及防控情况。结果表明：我国小麦病害发生危害具有区域性特点,华东和华中麦区小麦纹枯病和赤霉病发病面积较大,且造成产量损失占比远超其余三大产区;华北麦区以白粉病发生最重;西北和西南麦区锈病和白粉病发生最重。我国小麦病害防治效果显著,华东和华中麦区赤霉病、纹枯病的年均挽回损失率均在80%以上;华北麦区年均挽回损失率最高的病害是白粉病(84.43%);西北和西南麦区对锈病年均挽回损失率分别为78.20%和85.26%;黑穗病、根腐病和全蚀病挽回损失率较低。     

Experiments with some of the newer systemic fungicides on apple and marrow

In field trials against apple scab (caused by Venturia inaequalis) and powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera leucotricha), improved control of one or other disease has been given by the newer systemic fungicides benomyl, triarimol and the thiophanates. However, in tests on apple seedlings in the greenhouse, biological evidence of translocation from individual deposits was generally limited to movement within the treated leaf. In greenhouse tests with cucumbers and marrows, using Oidium sp., there was again little evidence for movement of toxicant from a treated leaf, although effective disease control was readily obtained by root application of several compounds at low dosage. These results suggest that the systemic properties of the compounds evident when used as soil or seed treatments are of little account when they are applied as foliar sprays.     

PC-based disease warning systems for use by apple growers1

To protect apple orchards from diseases efficiently, growers need farm-based rather than regional disease warning systems. This paper describes three PC-based systems from Horticulture Research International (GB). These systems, VENTEM, PODEM and NECTEM, provide warnings in the form of infection alerts and disease forecasts of Venturia inaequalis (scab), Podosphaera leucotricha (powdery mildew) and Nectria galligenu (European canker and fruit rot), respectively. The modular structure, operation and practical implementation of these systems are described and compared. A major input is weather data recorded automatically by Metos weather stations sited on farms. Each system has a weather-driven dynamic model simulating inoculum production and the infection process. The systems use information on quantity of inoculum, cultivar susceptibility and other host factors to produce disease forecasts which are specific to individual orchard blocks and cultivars.     

Evaluation of systemic fungicides for use in the glasshouse industry

The primary evaluation of ten fungicides for the control of cucumber powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea), tomato leaf mould (Cladosporium fulvum) and tomato grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) indicated that nine of them were systemically active against one or more of the pathogens when applied as soil drenches. Benomyl, thiophanate, thiophanate-methyl, thiabendazole and Cela W52A showed activity against all three diseases, but dimethirimol, triarimol and dodemorph were more specific and mainly active against cucumber powdery mildew. An in vitro bioassay generally indicated that fungitoxicity was not translocated from sprayed to unsprayed leaves, and though toxicity to B. cinerea, following soil drenches of benomyl, thiophanate and thiophanate-methyl, was detected by bioassay in leaf sap and calyces it was not detected in fruit. Furthermore, extended evaluation of benomyl for the control of grey mould on cropping tomotoes showed that in the presence of abundant B. cinerea inoculum, benomyl soil drench treatment effectively controlled flower and leaf infection but not fruit ghost-spotting.     

Moisture Sources in Relation to Conidial Dissemination and Infection by Cladosporium carpophilum Within Peach Canopies

ABSTRACT Cladosporium carpophilum, the causal agent of peach scab, overwinters in lesions on 1-year-old twigs, from which conidia infect the developing fruit during spring and early summer. Twig lesions constitute the sole source of initial inoculum; therefore, the mode of dissemination of conidia from such lesions to the fruit is of considerable interest. In a 4-year study, we determined the relative importance of air- versus water-borne conidia and their interaction with different fruit wetness sources (splash, twig runoff, and dew) in a peach orchard with areas that had been treated or not treated with fungicide the previous year. The rareness of scab twig lesions in the previously sprayed trees implied that fruit infection in these trees would occur primarily by airborne conidia from unsprayed trees nearby (located within the same tree row or the adjacent row). In the unsprayed areas, additional infections could occur by short-distance waterborne dissemination of conidia from locally abundant twig lesions via splashing or runoff. Beginning at calyx fall, individual fruit were protected from splash by rain shields, protected from runoff by cotton wicks placed proximal to the peduncle, or left untreated. Rain shields were adjustable, allowing rain or dew to be excluded selectively. Various combinations of the shield and wick treatments were implemented in the previously sprayed and unsprayed areas, and statistical comparison of fruit scab severity between individual treatments by linear contrasts allowed us to untangle the relative contributions of the various sources of inoculum and fruit wetness. Results showed that aerial dissemination of conidia contributed little to fruit scab development, even in the presence of fruit surface wetness caused by splashing, runoff, or dew. In contrast, waterborne conidia contributed considerably and significantly (P < 0.0001) to disease development. This was due primarily to the importance of splash in disseminating conidia from twig lesions to the fruit, given that exclusion of splashing via rain shields decreased disease severity by >90%. Runoff water from the twig to the fruit via the peduncle also contributed to scab development, as evidenced by the fact that exclusion of runoff by cotton wicks reduced disease severity by 31.6 to 44.9%; however, this effect was not always statistically significant. The exclusion of dew did not reduce scab severity (P > 0.4), suggesting that it played a limited role in infection in the presence of other fruit wetness sources.     

A dynamic simulation model for powdery mildew epidemics on winter wheat*

A system dynamic model for epidemics of Blumeria graminis (powdery mildew) on wheat was elaborated, based on the interaction between stages of the disease cycle, weather conditions and host characteristics. The model simulates the progress of disease severity, expressed as a percentage of powdered leaf area, on individual leaves, with a time step of one day, as a result of two processes: the growth of fungal colonies already present on the leaves and the appearance of new colonies. By means of mathematical equations, air temperature, vapour pressure deficit, rainfall and wind are used to calculate incubation, latency and sporulation periods, the growth of pathogen colonies, infection and spore survival. Effects of host susceptibility to infection, and of leaf position within the plant canopy, are also included. Model validation was carried out by comparing model outputs with the dynamics of epidemics observed on winter wheat grown at several locations in northern Italy (1991–98). Simulations were performed using meteorological data measured in standard meteorological stations. As there was good agreement between model outputs and actual disease severity, the model can be considered a satisfactory simulator of the effect of environmental conditions on the progress of powdery mildew epidemics.     

Effect of 6-azauracil against apple powdery mildew and apple scab

In 1964 and 1965 trials were made with 6-azauracil (AzU) against powdery mildew and scab in an apple orchard at Kloetinge (Zeeland) and at Wageningen. The activity against scab was moderate, but against powdery mildew the results were better than those obtained with Karathane. The activity against mildew is ascribed to the systemic action of AzU, which protected shoots not hit by the spray, as well as those developing after the treatment. Sprays with AzU also reduced the overwintering of powdery mildew in the terminal buds. When concentrations of 100 and 50 ppm were used, the young shoots developing were often malformed, but even with lower concentrations, still active against mildew, the trees were not completely free of slight abnormalities.Samenvatting In 1964 en 1965 zijn in een boomgaard te Kloetinge (Zeeland) en te Wageningen enige proeven genomen met 6-azauracil (AzU) ter bestrijding van meeldauw en schurft op appel. De activitieit tegen schurft was matig (Tabel 3 en 5), maar die tegen meeldauw was beter dan de werking van Karathane (Tabel 1, 2 en 4). Dit laatste wordt toegeschreven aan de systemische werking van AzU, waardoor ook niet geraakte en op het moment van bespuiting nog niet uitgegroeide scheuten beschermd worden. Bespuitingen met 6-azauracil reduceerden ook de overwintering van meeldauw in de eindknoppen (Tabel 6). Bij concentraties AzU van 100 en 50 ppm ontwikkelden zich scheuten met misvormingen (Fig. 1), maar ook de bomen die met lagere concentraties behandeld waren, bleven niet geheel vrij van lichte afwijkingen.     

Red leaf blotch (Dactuliochaeta glycines) of soybeans (Glycine max) and its relationship to yield

Red leaf blotch of soybeans, caused by Dactuliochaeta glycines, was evaluated on soybean plants in field plots located in Zambia. Two experiments were conducted in each of two seasons. Experiment 1 had four cultivars that were either fungicide-sprayed or not sprayed. Disease severity was greatest on leaves at the lowest nodes from early vegetative through the reproductive growth stages. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values and percentage of nodes defoliated at growth stage R5 were significantly ( P  = 0.05) greater in unsprayed plots for all cultivars in both seasons. Yield losses ranged from 8 to 37% while reduced seed size ranged from 21 to 29% for the four cultivars. Number of pods per plant in fungicide-sprayed plots did not differ from those in unsprayed plots. However, the number of seeds per plant and seeds per pod were significantly ( P  = 0.05) greater in sprayed than unsprayed plots for some cultivars. In experiment 2, cultivar Tunia was either fungicide-sprayed at different times or not sprayed. The lowest attached leaf had the most variation in the amount of disease while ratings of the most median leaf in the canopy were generally less variable. The AUDPC values calculated from the lowest attached leaf, the mean of all attached leaves, and the median attached leaf differed significantly ( P  = 0.05) the number of times plants were sprayed with fungicide. Defoliation and vertical incidence of red leaf blotch from lower to higher nodes were significantly ( P  = 0.05) reduced in fungicide-sprayed plots in one season, but not the other. One thousand-seed weight and yield differed significantly ( P  = 0.05) with treatment as one application of triphenyltin acetate increased yields by 18% over unsprayed plots in season 1. One thousand-seed weight and yield, regressed on the AUDPC for the median leaf in the canopy, explained 92 and 72% of the variation, respectively.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spongospora subterranea</Emphasis> soil contamination and its relationship to severity of powdery scab on potatoes

We investigated soil contamination by Spongospora subterranea f. sp. subterranea (Sss) and disease severity of powdery scab in 29 potato fields in Hokkaido, Japan, using a hydroponic culture method with tomato seedlings as bait plants. The quantity of Sss infection on the roots of bait plants was evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and expressed in terms of the infection potential in the soil. The infection potential was positively correlated with the disease severity of harvested tubers, whereas the spore ball density determined using PCR had an indistinct relationship with disease severity. The infection potential can be useful in evaluating soil contamination and in applying countermeasures against powdery scab.