Effect of high temperatures on survival and longevity of the predator Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant

The effect of high temperature on survival and longevity of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) female adults was studied in the laboratory by daily exposure of the beetles to 35°C (mean r.h. 52%) combined with 1-, 2- and 3-h intervals of thermal treatment at 38, 40, 42 and 44°C (r.h. 46–48%). Fifty percent of females survived until the 12th–13th day of the thermal treatment at 38°C (depending on the exposure time), the 2nd–10th day at 40°C for 1–2 h exposure and the 4th–5th day at 42°C for 1 h exposure. Survival was 25–38% on the 1st–2nd day of the thermal treatment at 40, 42 and 44°C for 3, 2 and 1 h of exposure, respectively. Three hours of exposure of female C. montrouzieri at 42°C and 2 h exposure at 44°C were lethal for the beetles. Mean longevity of the predator was 33.13?±?1.22 days at 35°C and was significantly shorter as the temperature of the thermal treatments increased from 38^o to 44°C. These results suggest that daily temperature regimes of 35°C combined with 38–40°C for 1–3 h are marginal for the survival and longevity of the C. montrouzieri, whereas temperatures above 42°C are lethal even at short exposure. These results can partly justify the inability of C. montrouzieri to be permanently established in Pakistan environments and could contribute to a pre-evaluation assay of its potential adaptability in such environmental systems.     

Inactivation of Phytophthora and bacterial species in water by a potential energy-saving heat treatment

Plant pathogens, especially Phytophthora and bacterial species, in re-circulated irrigation water present a significant health risk to nursery and greenhouse crops. Heat treatment at 95°C for 30?s is one of the most reliable technologies for irrigation water decontamination. The primary objective here was to examine whether the water temperature required to inactivate major pathogens in re-circulated irrigation water can be lowered from 95°C to conserve energy and improve horticultural profitability while reducing environmental footprint. Specifically, we investigated the effect of water temperature on Phytophthora nicotianae zoospore survival in the laboratory and on annual vinca under greenhouse conditions. We also assessed the effect of water temperature on survival of chlamydospores of P. nicotianae, oospores of P. pini, six plant pathogenic bacterial species and Escherichia coli. The zoospores of P. nicotianae did not survive and cause any disease on annual vinca when exposed to 42°C for 12?h or 48°C for 6?h. No chlamydospores of P. nicotianae survived 42°C for 24?h or 48°C for 6?h, nor did the oospores of P. pini at 42°C for 12?h or 48°C for 6?h. In addition, none of the seven bacterial species survived 48°C for 24?h. These results indicate that the required water temperature to eliminate Phytophthora and bacterial species may be lowered substantially from 95°C by longer exposure time, improving the economics and environmental footprint, without sacrificing efficacy of heat treatment.     

Effects of temperature, light and certain growth regulating substances on sprouting, rooting and growth of single-node rhizome and shoot segments of Paspalum distichum L.

The rate of sprouting, rooting and early growth of both single-node stem and rhizome segments of Paspalum distichum L. increased as incubation temperatures increase to about 30°C and then declined at 40°C. There was little growth at 10°C. Single-node shoots remained viable at cooler temperatures after 1 days’incubation at 45°C, and 35% remained viable after 2 days’incubation at 45°C. Both shoot and rhizome segments sprouted and rooted at alternating temperatures of 45°C/28°C and 45°C/22°C. Generally sprouting and rooting of shoot segments were faster than in rhizome segments, but the response to temperature was similar for both sprouting and rooting of single-node shoot and rhizome segments. Single-node shoot segments sprouted faster in 16-h day lengths than in the dark. Rooting was better in the dark at 10°C, unaffected by light at 22 and 28°C, and faster in the light at 35 and 40°C. Sprouting, rooting and early growth were enhanced by gibberellin A₃, kinetin and indole-3-acetic acid. Shoots collected at different seasons differed in their sprouting and rooting responses at various incubation temperatures. These patterns varying in response to seasonal temperature fluctuations may provide a survival mechanism for P. distichum.     

Wilt and root rot of poinsettia caused by three high-temperature-tolerant Pythium species in ebb-and-flow irrigation systems

Poinsettia plants growing in ebb-and-flow irrigation systems developed wilting and root rot during the summer growing seasons of 2010 in Gifu Prefecture and 2011 in Aichi Prefecture. Pythium species were isolated from roots with rot symptoms. The isolates were identified as P. helicoides and P. myriotylum on the basis of morphological characteristics and sequence homologies in the rDNA internal transcribed spacer regions. In pathogenicity tests, these isolates caused severe wilting and root rot. This is the first report of poinsettia root rot disease caused by P. helicoides and P. myriotylum, although P. aphanidermatum was reported as a pathogen of poinsettia root rot. To better understand these diseases, we performed an epidemiological study of three high-temperature-tolerant Pythium species, P. aphanidermatum, P. helicoides and P. myriotylum. Disease incidence as a percentage of diseased plants was greatest at 35 °C for all three species. Disease severity using the rating scale of root rot was also highest at 35 °C, particularly with high zoospore inoculum densities (100.0 zoospores/mL). Although the disease incidence and severity were reduced at lower temperatures, the three Pythium species were able to cause disease at temperatures as low as 20 °C.     

Monitoring of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora</Emphasis> species on fruit trees in Bulgaria

Disease on fruit trees in Bulgaria caused by Phytopthora cactorum and P. citrophthora was found in the period 1998–1999. Leaves of some trees become reddish during July, and later in the season fall off. Infected trees die during the same season, or the next season. Observations on symptom development and spread of Phytophthora root and crown rot of fruit trees was undertaken from 1999 to 2009. Disease incidence is between 2% and 14% in some gardens and nurseries. The disease was registered in the regions of Plovdiv, Kjustendil, Sliven, Yambol, Karnobat, Bourgas and Svishtov. Samples from infected plant tissues were taken and isolations were done on selective PARP media, or by applying a baiting bioassay. Based on morphological and cultural characteristics and temperature requirements the following Phytophthora species have been identified: Phytophthora cactorum, P. citrophthora, P. drechsleri, P. cryptogea, hybrid and Pythium. Pathogenicity of the isolates was tested on green apple fruits or one-year-old apple rootstocks. Laboratory studies of the effect of temperature on mycelia growth showed that most isolates can grow from 5° up to 30°C, with an optimum from 18° to 25°C. Only three strains grew at 35–36°C, two developed slowly, one grew well. The optimal pH for mycelia development was tested. Aiming at control of disease, in vivo pot trials have been carried out for studying resistance of rootstocks to P. cactorum. At the end of the growing season a good level of resistance has been shown in the rootstocks M29C, Gizela 6, and MAXMA 14.     

The solar chamber: an innovative technique for controlling verticillium wilt of olive1

Control of olive tree wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is not easy. A simple solar-chamber technique has been developed to achieve effective control. The treated tree is irrigated, the soil is covered by a plastic sheet, and a chamber made of a metal framework covered with plastic sheets is placed over the tree. Trees were exposed for 10, 15 and 20 days. Using this approach the temperature in the chamber reached 55°, and soil temperatures at 5 and 15 cm depth reached 55 and 45°, respectively. It was no longer possible to isolate V. dahliae from infected trees after 15–20 days. Growth of treated trees was improved as compared with the untreated ones. Laboratory studies on the efficacy of dry heat on the survival of V. dahliae in diseased branches showed that 50–55°C was lethal after 1 h. On PDA medium, the fungus was killed in 1 h at 50°C and in 45 min at 55°C.     

Effects of plant essential oils and components from Oriental sweetgum (Liquidambar orientalis) on growth and morphogenesis of three phytopathogenic fungi

Commercial plant essential oils obtained from 40 plant species were tested for their antifungal activity against Phytophthora cactorum, Cryphonectria parasitica, and Fusarium circinatum. Strong antifungal activity against Phytophthora cactorum was achieved with the essential oil derived from Oriental sweetgum, Liquidambar orientalis at 28 × 10⁻³ mg/mL air concentration. In a test with C. parasitica, inhibition rate of patchouli was 51.0%, whereas the other essential oils showed weak activity. Essential oils of manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) and patchouli (Pagostemon patchouli) showed moderate activity against F. circinatum. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry led to identification of 11 compounds in the oil of L. orientalis. The antifungal activity of identified compounds was tested singularly by using standard or synthesized compounds. Inhibition rates of cinnamyl aldehyde and benzaldehyde were 100% against P. cactorum at 28 × 10⁻³ mg/mL air concentration. There was a significant morphological alternation in three phytopathogenic fungi after oil or compound treatment.     

Investigation on the storage possibilities of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhyzobius lophantae</Emphasis> Blaisdell (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) at different temperatures and periods

Storage of natural enemies at low temperatures has an important role in biological control programs. It is an very critical factor that the stored individuals is used without losing their characters such as longevity, survival, fecundity, etc. In this study, the storage possibilities of Rhyzobius lophantae Blaisdell (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) adults under low temperatures (4 °C and 12 °C) for four different periods (10, 20, 30 and 40 days) were investigated. The survival rates and life span of adults (male and female), daily and total egg numbers laid by females stored at 4 °C and 12 °C for 10, 20, 30 and 40 days were determined. The survival rates of adults stored at 4 °C for 10 and 20 days were found to be 94.54% and 58.02% respectively. However, no adults stored at 4 °C for 30 and 40 days were observed to survive. The highest survival rate was 88% for the adults stored at 12 °C for 10 days. The average daily laid egg numbers were 12.51 and 9.37, and total egg numbers were 850.30 and 738.30 of adults stored at 4 °C for 10 and 20 days, respectively. The decrease in daily and total egg numbers of females stored at 12 °C was observed with increasing storage period. There was no significant difference in longevities of male and female stored at 4 °C and 12 °C. These results show that short-term storage at low temperatures does not affect certain properties of the predator when compared to 12 °C and storage periods.     

Low Temperature–Short Duration Steaming of Soil Kills Soil-Borne Pathogens, Nematode Pests and Weeds

Agricultural soil samples containing survival structures of the fungal crop pathogens Verticillium dahliae, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Sclerotium cepivorum, Pythium ultimum, potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida and weeds Chenopodium album and Agropyron repens [Elymus repens] were treated in the laboratory with aerated steam at temperatures ranging from 40 to 80°C in a specially constructed apparatus. Steaming at 50 or 60°C for 3min, followed by an 8-min resting period in the steamed soil and immediate removal from the soil thereafter, resulted in 100% kill of all weeds, diseases and nematodes. When steamed at 45°C, there was a small but significant reduction in the survival of V. dahliae microsclerotia but no reduction in survival of S. cepivorum.     

Effect of controlled fluctuating low temperatures on survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia striiformis</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">tritici</Emphasis>

Wheat stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is an important disease of wheat worldwide. Understanding the survival of Pst during the winter is critical for predicting Pst epidemics in the spring. We used a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) method to quantify Pst CYR32 biomass in infected wheat seedlings under several fluctuating temperature regimes (three average temperatures 0, ?5 and ?10 °C, each with two daily fluctuating amplitudes 8 and 13 °C). The survival of Pst CYR32 increased with increasing average temperature but also varied greatly with the amplitude – larger amplitude led to lower survival, particularly at 0 and ?5 °C. Nevertheless the survival at both amplitudes was still significantly greater than under the corresponding constant temperatures. There were small, albeit statistically significant, differences between the two cultivars (Xiaoyan 22, low winter-hardiness; Lantian 15, high winter-hardiness) in Pst CYR32 survival. This study indicated potential errors that could result from using daily average temperatures to predict Pst survival during the winter.     

Limited survival of Ralstonia solanacearum Race 3 in bulk soils and composts from Egypt

Survival of Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 (phylotype II sequevar 1) in Egyptian soils and compost was studied under laboratory and field conditions. Survival of the pathogen under laboratory conditions varied with temperature, water potential and soil type, with temperature being the major determinant of survival of the pathogen. The effects of temperature and moisture content were variable between different experiments, but survival was generally longer at 15°C than at 4, 28 and 35°C respectively. Survival was also longer when moisture levels were constant compared with varying moisture levels at all temperatures. In experiments to compare the effects of progressive drying in sandy and clay soils there was a difference in survival times between the two soil types. In sandy soils, the pathogen died out more rapidly when soil was allowed to dry out than in controls where the soil was kept at constant water potential. In clay soils there was little difference between the two treatments, possibly due to the formation of a hard impermeable outer layer during the drying process, which retarded water loss from within. Survival in mature composts at 15°C was of the same order of magnitude as in soils but shorter at 28°C, possibly owing to increased biological activity at this temperature, or a resumption of the composting process, with concomitant higher temperatures within the compost itself. The maximum survival time recorded over all soil types and conditions during in vitro studies was around 200 days. In field studies, the maximum survival time in both bare sand and clay was around 85 days at depths up to 50 cm. The survival time was reduced in field experiments carried out in summer to less than 40 days and in one study when the ground was flooded for rice cultivation, the bacterium could not be detected 14 days after flooding. The maximum survival time of R. solanacearum in infected plant material or in infested soil samples incorporated into compost heaps was less than 2 weeks. At the culmination of field soil and compost experiments, no infection was detected in tomato seedlings up to 10 weeks after transplanting into the same soils or composts under glasshouse conditions at a temperature of 25°C.     

Sodium bicarbonate enhances efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum DGA01 in controlling crown rot of banana

The efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum strain DGA01, sodium carbonate (SC), sodium bicarbonate (SBC) and sodium hypochlorite (SH) applied alone or in various combinations was evaluated in vitro against the most important postharvest pathogens of banana such as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Colletotrichum musae, and Fusarium verticillioides. Trichoderma harzianum DGA01 was compatible with salts at a concentration of 1 % (w/v) as manifested by normal mycelial growth. The efficacy of the fungal antagonist in vitro was enhanced by 10.16–13.06 % in controlling mycelial growth of crown rot pathogens with the addition of salts. After a postharvest dip of fruit for 30 min in 10⁶ conidia of DGA01/mL of 1 % SBC, the incidence of crown rot was reduced by 92 %, but DGA01 combined with SC or SH had no additive effect in controlling crown rot. Thus, DGA01 and SBC was the best combination for crown rot control, with an efficacy similar to synthetic fungicides, and maintained the overall quality of banana even at conditions favourable for the pathogens (22–25 °C, 90–95 % relative humidity).     

Effect of temperature on conidial germination, mycelial growth and aggressiveness of the defoliating and nondefoliating pathotypes of Verticillium dahliae from cotton in China

Three defoliating (D) pathotype isolates and five nondefoliating (ND) pathotype isolates of Verticillium dahliae from cotton in central China were tested for adaptation to various temperatures in conidial germination on water agar (10?C33°C), mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar (10?C33°C) and infection of cotton seedlings (Gossypium hirsutum cvs. ??E Mian 24?? and ??Yin Rui 361??) (25?C33°C). Results showed that the D-pathotype isolates adapted better than the ND-pathotype isolates to 30°C for conidial germination and mycelial growth, although the isolates of the two pathotypes had the same optimum temperature of 25°C. Under day/night temperatures of 25/25, 27/27 and 30/25°C for 20 and 25?days, the D-pathotype isolates induced the defoliation syndrome on seedlings of the two upland cotton cultivars, whereas the ND-pathotype isolates did not induce defoliation syndrome. The values for the areas under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and the vascular discoloration index (VDI) were higher for the D-pathotype isolates than those for the ND-pathotype isolates in each temperature treatment. Under 30/30 or 33/27°C, at least two of the three D-pathotype isolates still had higher AUDPC values and/or VDI values than all the ND-pathotype isolates on E Mian 24. Therefore, the D-pathotype isolates appear more aggressive than the ND-pathotype isolates in infection of cotton. Results also showed that the cotton cultivar Yin Rui 361 was more tolerant than the cotton cultivar E Mian 24 to infection by both pathotypes of V. dahliae. This study suggests that the D-pathotype isolates can well adapt to high temperature and heavily infect cotton under 25?C30°C, and these features might be responsible for the rapid spread of this pathotype in central China.     

An improved selective medium for the isolation ofVerticillium dahliae

A selective medium was developed for the isolation and enumeration ofVerticillium dahliae in senescent infected tomato tissues heavily colonized with various fungi, from which the pathogen could not be isolated by the common ethanolstreptomycin selective medium. Suppression of the accompanying saprophytes, especiallyFusarium, was achieved by the combined effects of relatively low incubation temperature (18°C) and supplementation of the medium with ethanol (0.5%), pentachloronitrobenzene (50 ppm) and antibiotics. Addition of sucrose (0.75%) and Czapek’s salts improved visualization ofV. dahliae colonies which appeared black.V. dahliae populations were estimated in senescent infected tissues from various sources by use of this medium.     

Potential distribution of citrus black spot in the United States based on climatic conditions

Citrus black spot (CBS), caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa McAlp Van der Aa, was recently detected in southern Florida in the US. In addition to infected plant propagation materials, movement of infected citrus fruit poses a concern for potential spread of the disease out of the current quarantine zone, because lesions with pycnidia and conidia could develop after harvest. The conditions conducive for mycelial growth and development of pycnidia and conidia are not well known. Therefore, effects of temperature and relative humidity on growth and conidial production of P. citricarpa were determined and used as parameter inputs in CLIMEX to predict potential establishment of CBS in North America. Colony growth and conidial production in vitro were optimal at 27 °C, whereas there was no growth below 4 °C and above 37 °C. On fruit, lesion development and conidial production were observed at 4 °C, though at a low rate, indicating a greater versatility of the fungus on fruit. More full pycnidia were produced on the CBS lesions at 91 % RH compared to 84 %. Input parameters for CBS risk in CLIMEX obtained from literature, which reflected conditions for infection in spring/summer in Florida, predicted potential establishment in Florida but not in California. However, altering the parameter values to account for survival of the pathogen in leaf litter in winter predicted potential establishment in California as well as Florida. Thus, P. citricarpa could possibly establish beyond Florida if this organism is transported outside of the current quarantine zone to other citrus production areas.     

Temperature and plant age drive downy mildew disease epidemics on oilseed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">B. juncea</Emphasis>

Studies were undertaken on the effects of temperature (14/10 °C and 22/17 °C day/night) and plant age (15, 23, 31 and 40 day-old-plants) on the severity of downy mildew (Hyaloperonospora parasitica) on oilseed Brassica cultivars (temperature: Brassica juncea Montara, B. napus Atomic, ATR-Hyden, Hyola 432, Hyola 450 TT, Thunder TT; plant age: B. juncea Dune, B. napus Surpass 402 and Hyola 450 TT). For temperature studies, there were significant (P?<?0.001) effects of temperature, cultivar, and cultivar x temperature interaction. On cotyledons of susceptible cultivars (B. napus Hyola 450 TT and Thunder TT), plants were symptomatic at 22/17 °C by 48 h post inoculation (hpi) and with abundant sporulation evident by 72 hpi, and with all cotyledons of B. napus Thunder TT collapsed by 7 days post inoculation (dpi). However, at 14/10 °C, there were no symptoms on the same cultivars until 5 dpi, and sporulation only observed at 7 dpi. Percent disease index values (DI%) at 22/17 °C of B. juncea Montara and B. napus ATR-Hyden, Hyola 432, Atomic, Hyola 450 TT and Thunder TT were 4.5, 49.0, 51.4, 65.8, 86.3 and 96.0, respectively, with all except B. juncea Montara having significantly lower (P?<?0.001) disease at 14/10 °C with DI% values of 2.8, 30.4, 27.9, 31.1, 44.4 and 76.4, respectively. For plant age studies, there were significant (P?<?0.001) effects of plant age, cultivar, and cultivar x plant age interaction. DI% was significantly higher at 15 compared to 40 day-old-plants (dop) across all cultivars. B. juncea Dune showed greatest resistance, particularly on 40 dop, with DI% values of 25.8, 24.6, 22.9 and 7.5, for 15, 23, 31 and 40 dop, respectively. B. napus Surpass 402 showed high susceptibility on cotyledons of 15 dop but moderate resistance on leaves of other ages, with DI% values of 59.0, 31.2, 27.1 and 26.2 for 15, 23, 31 and 40 dop, respectively. B. napus Hyola 450 TT showed very high susceptibility at the cotyledon stage on 15 dop, but some resistance on 23 dop and more so on 31 and 40 dop, with DI% values of 84.0, 41.2, 35.4 and 32.9 for 15, 23, 31 and 40 dop, respectively. Together, these findings explain for the first time why development of downy mildew epidemics on susceptible cultivars occurs early in the growing season when warmer seasonal temperatures in autumn coincide with presence of seedlings; in contrast to later in the growing season on less susceptible older plants coinciding with cooler and less favourable winter temperatures. Increasing maximum and minimum temperatures associated with climate change have likely fostered the increased severity of downy mildew over the past 15 years.     

Preventive and curative activity of postharvest potassium silicate treatments to control green and blue molds on orange fruit

Preventive and curative antifungal activities of postharvest treatments with potassium silicate (PSi) against green (GM) and blue (BM) molds were evaluated on oranges (cvs. ‘Valencia’ or ‘Lanelate’) artificially inoculated in rind wounds with Penicillium digitatum and P. italicum, respectively. The most effective PSi concentration, the effect of fungal inoculum concentration, and the influence of temporal and spatial factors on antifungal activity were assessed in in vivo primary screenings. After 6 days of incubation at 20 °C, significant preventive (treatment before fungal inoculation) and curative (treatment after inoculation) activities against GM and BM were observed with PSi at 90 mM (GM and BM incidence reductions of 23 and 52 %, and 23 and 40 %, respectively). In preventive tests, the effectiveness of PSi was influenced by inoculum concentration (10³, 10⁴, 10⁵, or 10⁶ spores ml^-1), but not by the distance between treatment and inoculation sites (10, 20 or 30 mm). PSi applied about 2 h before inoculation showed higher preventive activity than applied before 24, 48 or 96 h. In order to determine the best dip treatment conditions, PSi at 90 mM was tested at 20 or 50 °C for 60 or 150 s in small-scale trials with ‘Lanelate’ oranges artificially inoculated before or after the treatment and incubated for 7 days at 20 °C. Dips at 20 °C for 60 s were selected and subsequently applied on inoculated ‘Valencia’ oranges stored at 5 °C and 90 % RH for up to 6 weeks. Curative postharvest dips effectively reduced the incidence and severity of both GM and BM during cold storage, while preventive dips significantly reduced the severity but not the incidence. Overall, postharvest PSi treatments showed potential as a new tool to be part of non-polluting strategies to control penicillium decay of citrus fruit.     

Incidence and etiology of postharvest fungal diseases of loquat fruit (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Eriobotrya japonica</Emphasis> (Thunb.) Lindl. cv. ‘Algerie’) in Alacant province (Spain)

‘Algerie’ is currently the most important loquat cultivar in Spain. The incidence and etiology of postharvest diseases affecting this cultivar were determined under local conditions. Latent and wound pathogens were evaluated for two consecutive seasons on commercially grown loquats from two orchards. Healthy loquats were either surface-disinfected or artificially wounded in the rind and placed in humid chambers at 20 °C for up to 5 weeks. Additionally, decay was assessed on commercially-handled loquats stored at 5 °C for up to 20 weeks. The most frequent disease was caused by Alternaria alternata, followed by Penicillium expansum. These two pathogens were present on fruit assessed for all types of infection. Moreover, decay caused by Botrytis cinerea was abundantly observed on both wounded and cold-stored fruit, while Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was frequently found on surface-disinfected fruit. Other pathogens that were observed causing latent infection to a lesser extent included Pestalotiopsis clavispora and Diplodia seriata. Common isolates were identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphology and/or DNA amplification and sequencing. Pathogenicity of selected isolates was demonstrated by fulfilling Koch’s postulates and disease development was assessed on artificially inoculated loquats stored at either 20 or 5 °C.     

Thermal effects on the development of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bactrocera dorsalis</Emphasis> (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and model validation in Taiwan

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), is a major polyphagous insect pest with a worldwide distribution. The effects of temperature on stage-specific development in B. dorsalis were investigated at eight constant temperatures (13.0 °C, 14.4 °C, 16.2 °C, 19.5 °C, 23.8 °C, 27.7 °C, 31.8 °C and 34.8 °C). B. dorsalis developed successfully from the egg stage to the adult stage at all the tested temperatures, except at the lowest temperatures (13.0 °C and 14.4 °C). Stage-specific lower developmental thresholds and thermal constants were determined using linear regression. The lower and higher temperature threshold (TL and TH, respectively) were estimated using the Sharpe-Schoolfield-Ikemoto model. The lower developmental threshold and thermal constant from egg to adult emergence were 9.8 °C and 325.5 degree-days, respectively. The intrinsic optimum temperatures of the egg, larval, pupal and egg to pupal stage were 20.7 °C, 21.8 °C, 21.1 °C, and 22.4 °C, respectively. The temperature range of the B. dorsalis total immature stage from TL to TH was 20.4 °C (13.8 °C - 34.2 °C). The stage-specific developmental completion of B. dorsalis was determined using a two-parameter Weibull function. The daily adult emergence frequency of B. dorsalis was estimated in relation to adult age and temperature using non-linear developmental rate functions and the Weibull function. The date of cumulative 50% adult emergence estimated using non-linear functions was approximately one day earlier than the experimentally observed date. Thermal performance was compared among B. dorsalis populations from different locations.     

Rph20: adult plant resistance gene to barley leaf rust can be detected at early growth stages

Rph20 is the only designated gene conferring adult plant resistance to leaf rust in barley, and to date, it has not displayed race specificity. It is not known at what particular growth stage the onset of Rph20 resistance occurs, or if the expression of the gene could be observed in controlled greenhouse assays. The present studies demonstrated that Rph20 can be identified reliably under greenhouse conditions in 5-week-old seedlings under normal temperature conditions (22?±?2 °C), although the resistance becomes effective at 4 weeks in certain genetic backgrounds. The resistance conferred by Rph20 was strongest and best expressed at cooler temperatures (18?±?2 °C). The effectiveness of Rph20 at cooler temperatures may have important implications in the epidemiology of barley leaf rust under field conditions, by preventing the carryover of inoculum through winter and early spring, leading to a delayed onset of rusting and subsequently lower, if any, yield losses. The detection of Rph20 in early growth stages could help simplifying the selection of the gene in breeding programs and in monitoring Puccinia hordei populations for pathogenicity.