Suppression of Verticillium Wilt in Eggplant by Some Fungal Root Endophytes

One hundred and twenty-three fungal isolates were obtained from 225 root segments of eggplants, melon, tomato, strawberry and Chinese cabbage, grown as bait plants in a mixed soil made up of samples from different fields in Shizuoka, Japan. Isolates belonging to Mycelium radicis atrovirens (MRA), including Phialocephala fortinii, were the most prevalent in all the five bait plants. Eleven of the 123 isolates, after being inoculated onto axenically reared eggplant seedlings, almost completely suppressed the pathogenic effects of a post-inoculated, virulent strain of Verticillium dahliae. Seven of these 11 isolates had come from the roots of eggplant and included Heteroconium chaetospira, P. fortinii, and unidentified species of Fusarium, Penicillium, Trichoderma and MRA. P. fortinii, H. chaetospira, a non-sporulating isolate with white mycelium (SWM) and MRA were easily reisolated from root segments. Hyphae of H. chaetospira, P. fortinii and SWM colonized the root tissues of eggplant without causing apparent pathogenic symptoms. The mechanisms by which these endophytes confer resistance to infection by V. dahliae are unknown but the effectiveness of these fungi in a laboratory setting indicates that they have potential as biocontrol agents and merit further investigation.     

Pathogenicity and Virulence of the Two Dutch VCGs of Verticillium dahliae to Woody Ornamentals

Two experiments were performed in two consecutive years to test whether isolates of different vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) differ in their ability to cause disease in woody ornamentals, to study the host specificity of the isolates and to get an insight into disease development in woody hosts. A range of woody ornamental plant species, including Acer campestre, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Catalpa bignonioides, Cotinus coggygria, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rosa canina, Syringa vulgaris and Tilia cordata, were root-dip inoculated with six isolates of Verticillium dahliae, belonging to the two VCGs that occur in the Netherlands (VCG NL-1 and VCG NL-2). Isolates belonging to each VCG caused severe symptoms of verticillium wilt in most plant species tested. Disease progress differed between plant species, but was generally the same for the two VCGs. No overall differences in virulence were observed between the two VCGs for external wilt symptoms, number of dead plants, or shoot length. No significant VCG × plant species interactions were present for these characteristics. However, isolates of VCG NL-1 caused more vascular discolouration than did isolates of VCG NL-2. Isolates within VCGs often differed considerably in their virulence to certain hosts, as shown by highly significant isolate × plant species interactions. Isolates were more virulent on their original host. These findings imply that VCG identification does not contribute to disease prediction for a range of woody hosts.     

Genetic diversity in populations of the fungi Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium aleophilum on grapevine in France

Isolates of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora ( Phc ) and Phaeoacremonium aleophilum ( Pha ), two haploid, deuteromycetous fungi, were obtained from vines showing symptoms of esca disease in different localities in two French regions, and within a single vineyard in one of these regions. The population genetic structure was determined in both fungi using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Populations of Phc showed similar levels of diversity at local and regional levels. The most frequent Phc haplotypes were found in every population, and the frequencies of positive alleles of markers were similar across populations. The hypothesis that recombination had occurred was rejected for the full set of samples, but not for the samples reduced to haplotypes, indicating that Phc may be a recombining species. Different features were identified in Pha populations. First, the southern population of Pha appeared more diverse than the south-western populations. Second, genetic differentiation was identified between Pha populations from southern and south-western regions for several RAPDs. Finally, in the southern population of Pha no evidence for recombination was obtained, even by reducing the sample to haplotypes. Within the single vineyard surveyed, several haplotypes of both fungi were recovered and randomly distributed. Thus different infection events appeared to have occurred on a low spatial scale. Data from this study showed that haplotypes of both fungi were distributed over long distances geographically, and that most of the vineyards surveyed were infested by more than one haplotype of Phc and Pha .     

Gene genealogies support Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris as a monophyletic group

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Foc), the causal agent of fusarium wilt of chickpea, consists of two pathotypes (yellowing and wilting) and eight races (races 0, 1B/C, 1A and 2–6) of diverse geographical distribution. Six Foc isolates, one each of races 0, 1B/C, 1A, 4, 5 and 6, representing the two pathotypes and the geographical range of the pathogen, showed identical sequences in introns of the genes for translation elongation factor 1α ( EF1 α), β-tubulin, histone 3, actin and calmodulin. Eleven additional Foc isolates representative of all races, pathotypes and geographical range, and three isolates of F. oxysporum (Fo) nonpathogenic to chickpea were further analysed for sequence variation in the EF1 α gene. All isolates pathogenic to chickpeas shared an identical EF1 α gene sequence, which differed from that shared by the three Fo isolates nonpathogenic to chickpea. EF1 α gene sequences from the 17 Foc isolates and the three Fo isolates were compared with 24 EF1 α gene sequences in GenBank from isolates of 11 formae speciales of F. oxysporum by parsimony analysis. Foc isolates formed a grouping distinct from other formae speciales and nonpathogenic isolates. These results indicate that F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is monophyletic.     

Prepenetration stages in infection of clematis by Phoma clematidina

A detailed study of conidial germination, germ-tube growth and the formation of infection structures in Phoma clematidina , the causal agent of clematis wilt, is described for two clematis varieties differing in disease resistance. On both the resistant and susceptible varieties, the fungus entered leaves and stems by direct penetration of the cuticle, often, but not always, following the formation of infection structures. More germ tubes per conidium were formed on the susceptible host, but these germ tubes were on average shorter than on the resistant host. Although germ tubes regularly entered the plant via trichomes, stomata were not found to be sites of entry. Following penetration of the cuticle of resistant plants, germ-tube growth was sometimes restricted to the subcuticular region, and halo formation occurred at the sites where penetration was attempted. Subcuticular growth and halo formation were not observed on susceptible plants. These observations may partly explain the resistance of small-flowered clematis varieties to P. clematidina .     

Evaluation of resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi in seed-grown trees and clonal lines of Eucalyptus marginata inoculated in lateral branches and roots

Seed-grown trees and six clonal lines of 3·5–4·5-year-old Eucalyptus marginata (jarrah) growing in a rehabilitated bauxite mine site in the jarrah forest were underbark-inoculated on lateral branches (1995) or simultaneously on lateral branches and lateral roots (1996) with isolates of Phytophthora cinnamomi in late autumn. Individual seedlings from which the clonal lines were derived had previously been assessed as either resistant (RR) or susceptible (SS) to P. cinnamomi . At harvest, the acropetal lesion and colonization lengths were measured. Overall, the length of colonization in roots and branches was more consistent as a measure of resistance than lesion length, because colonization length recorded the recovery of P. cinnamomi from macroscopically symptomless tissue ahead of the lesion which, on some occasions, was up to 6 cm. In both trials, one RR clonal line was able to contain the P. cinnamomi isolates consistently, as determined by small lesion and colonization lengths in branches and roots. In contrast, the remaining two RR clonal lines used in both trials were no different from the SS line in their ability to contain lesions or colonization. These latter two RR lines may therefore not be suitable for use in rehabilitation of P. cinnamomi -infested areas. Differences in lesion and colonization lengths among P. cinnamomi isolates occurred only in the 1995 trial. Colonization and lesion lengths in branches were up to eight times greater in 1996 than in 1995, but the relative rankings of clonal lines were consistent between trials. Although colonization was always greater in branches than roots, the relative rankings of the lines were similar between branch and root inoculations. Branch inoculations are a valid option for testing the resistance and susceptibility of young jarrah trees to P. cinnamomi .     

Systemic spread of Plum pox virus (PPV) in Mariana plum GF 8-1 in relation to shoot growth

Infection of Prunus spp. by Plum pox virus (PPV) is characterized by an uneven distribution of the virus within the tree and branches. In order to gain a better understanding of this distribution, a method for modelling tree growth was used. PPV spread was followed within susceptible Mariana plum clone GF 8-1 shoots for 4 months after inoculation. Shoot growth was unaffected by the presence of the virus. Symptoms appeared on leaves produced in the most actively growing parts of the shoots, i.e. at the beginning of the season. PPV was detected in leaves other than those showing symptoms. The proportion of leaves with detectable virus decreased from the zone showing symptoms, with 100% ELISA-positive responses, to the shoot tip with no detectable virus in leaves produced between 111 and 127 days after inoculation. Furthermore, a higher proportion of positive ELISA results was obtained below the zone showing symptoms (77%) compared with 50% above. PPV was detected in 95% of the most vigorous shoots 71 days after inoculation compared with 37% of slower-growing, later-produced shoots.     

Differential effects of -mannose and 2-deoxy- -glucose on attempted powdery mildew fungal infection of inappropriate and appropriate ramineae

Barley, oat and wheat were used as both inappropriate hosts (IH) and appropriate hosts (AH) for three formae speciales of the fungus Blumeria graminis, the causal agent of powdery mildew disease. Treatment with either the glucose analog 2-deoxy- -glucose (DDG) or with -mannose dramatically suppressed penetration resistance in IH and to a much lesser extent in AH combinations. Other effects of DDG and -mannose were strikingly dissimilar. DDG greatly reduced localized autofluorescence at fungal attack sites on epidermal cells, and prevented hypersensitive epidermal cell death (HR). -mannose had little effect on autofluorescence or HR. DDG arrested the development of fungal haustoria and apparently prohibited biotrophy leading to secondary hyphae. -mannose allowed haustorial development and functional biotrophy leading to the production of elongating secondary hyphae. This suggests that B. graminis is in some way capable of utilizing -mannose as a carbon substrate. Results with IH combinations paralleled those of known mlo -barley responses to DDG and -mannose. Results are discussed in relation to specific physiological processes known to be influenced by either DDG or by -mannose, or by both compounds.     

2%氨基寡糖防治苹果花叶病

2001年8月应用2%氨基寡糖对苹果花叶病进行了田间防治试验 ,结果表明:2%氨基寡糖水剂稀释300、500倍液,对苹果花叶病防效达93.85%、89.42%。其防效比对照药剂20%病毒A 81.11%的防效高 ,比对照区增产21%、23% ,是防治苹果花叶病较理想的药剂     

25％啶菌噁唑乳油防治番茄灰霉病药效试验

田间试验表明25%啶菌唑乳油对番茄灰霉病有良好的防治效果,53.3～106.7mL/667m23次药后防效79%以上。