Multiple fungicide resistance to benzimidazoles, dicarboximides and diethofencarb in field isolates of Botrytis cinerea in Israel

During the period January-March 1989, 15 greenhouses at 12 sites in Israel were surveyed for the presence of fungicide-resistant strains of Botrytis cinerea , using a fungicide-amended Botrytis -selective medium. Resistance to benzimidazoles (Ben^R) and to dicarboximides (Dic^R) was frequent in most sites. Resistance to carbendazim + diethofencarb (Ben^R NPC^R) was found in all eight sites in which a mixture of these fungicides had been used against grey mould, but not in other sites. A new phenotype of multiple fungicide resistance was found among these isolates. The new phenotype, designated Ben^R Dic^R NPC^R, combines the three previously described characteristics of resistance to benzimidazole, dicarboximide and N -phenylcarbamate fungicides. It was found only in cucumber greenhouses that had been sprayed with the fungicide mixture carbendazim + diethofencarb against grey mould. Isolates of this phenotype were pathogenic in artificial inoculation of cucumber cotyledons treated with carbendazim, iprodione or carbendazim + diethofencarb.     

Characterization and genetic analysis of field isolates ofBotryotinia fuckeliana (Botrytis cinerea) resistant to dichlofluanid

Field isolates ofBotryotinia fuckeliana were collected from naturally infected plants. Their responses to the multisite fungicide dichlofluanid in mycelium growth test fell into three phenotypic classes, characterized by the following EC₅₀ (and MIC) values ing ml^–1: sensitivity, 1–3 (6–10); low resistance, 3–10 (> 100); high resistance, 10–30 (> 100). The corresponding values obtained for these classes in a spore germination test were respectively: 0.05 (0.2), 0.05–0.1 (0.5), 0.5–1 (0.9–1.5). Resistant isolates were crossed with two sensitive and two resistant strains of appropriate mating type to determine the genetic basis of resistance. Distribution of resistance phenotypes in ascospore progeny indicated that a gene, namedDic1, was probably responsible for the low or high resistance of 14 mutants selectively collected from experimental plots of greenhouse-grown gerbera sprayed several times with dichlofluanid or tolyfluanid. A second gene, namedDic2, was probably responsible for the low resistance displayed by two isolates (from grapevine and from carnation) maintained in the laboratory collection. As a result of the investigation, the use of dichlofluanid in integrated management programmes against grey mould is discussed.     

Variations among field isolates of Botrytis cinerea in their sensitivity to antifungal compounds

Seventeen field isolates of Botrytis cinerea were compared by determining their radial growth on synthetic media containing various amounts of 21 antifungal compounds. Twelve of these compounds were fungicides that are recommended for the control of Botrytis infections. There were marked differences between the isolates in their sensitivity to the compounds. Individual isolates displayed high levels of resistance to some of the fungicides, including benomyl, carbendazim, iprodione, thiabendazole, thiophanate-methyl, vinclozolin and zineb. The most potent growth inhibitors were benomyl and carbendazim (ED₉₅ values for most isolates <0.1 μg fungicide ml^?1 media), dichlofluanid, iprodione, nystatin, thiabendazole, thiophanatemethyl and vinclozolin (ED₉₅ values for most isolates < 1.0 μg ml^?1), and captan, chlorothalonil, dicloran and thiram (ED₉₅ values for most isolates < 6.0 μg ml^?1). Zineb was much less potent than the other recommended anti-Botrytis fungicides; it was no more effective than carboxin, dinocap and mancozeb (ED₉₅ values for most isolates > 25 μg ml^?1).     

Some characteristics of Botrytis cinerea isolates tolerant to procymidone

Of 104 isolates of Botrytis cinerea collected from greenhouses in south-east Spain, 70 (67%) were tolerant to procymidone. The tolerant isolates appeared as often in greenhouses treated with dicarboximides for only 1 year as in those treated for several years, indicating a rapid development of tolerance under greenhouse conditions. Although the tolerant isolates grew more slowly on PDA than the sensitive ones, their sporulation per unit area was similar. The sporulation and the viability of conidia of tolerant isolates collected in greenhouses where dicarboximides were used for 3 years were enhanced by the presence of procymidone in the growth medium, features that may have important epidemiological implications.     

Molecular characterization of boscalid resistance in field isolates of Botrytis cinerea from apple

Botrytis cinerea isolates obtained from apple orchards were screened for resistance to boscalid. Boscalid-resistant (BosR) isolates were classified into four phenotypes based on the levels of the concentration that inhibited fungal growth by 50% relative to control. Of the 220 isolates tested, 42 were resistant to boscalid, with resistant phenotypes ranging from low to very high resistance. There was cross resistance between boscalid and carboxin. Analysis of partial sequences of the iron-sulfur subunit of succinate dehydrogenase gene in B. cinerea (BcSdhB) from 13 BosR and 9 boscalid-sensitive (BosS) isolates showed that point mutations in BcSdhB leading to amino acid substitutions at the codon position 272 from histidine to either tyrosine (H272Y) or arginine (H272R) were correlated with boscalid resistance. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of 66 BosR isolates (including 24 additional isolates obtained from decayed apple fruit) showed that 19 carried the point mutation H272Y and 46 had the point mutation H272R, but 1 BosR isolate gave no amplification product. Analysis of the BcSdhB sequence of this isolate revealed a different point mutation at codon 225, resulting in a substitution of proline (P) by phenylalanine (F) (P225F). The results indicated that H272R/Y in BcSdhB were the dominant genotypes of mutants in field BosR isolates from apple. A multiplex allele-specific PCR assay was developed to detect point mutations H272R/Y in a single PCR amplification. Levels of boscalid resistance ranged from low to very high within isolates carrying either the H272R or H272Y mutation, indicating that, among BosR isolates, different BosR phenotypes (levels of resistance) were not associated with particular types of point mutations (H272R versus H272Y) in BcSdhB. Analysis of genetic relationships between 39 BosR and 56 BosS isolates based on three microsatellite markers showed that 39 BosR isolates and 30 BosS isolates were clustered into two groups, and the third group consisted of only BosS isolates, suggesting that the development of resistance to boscalid in B. cinerea likely is not totally random, and resistant populations may come from specific genetic groups.     

山西省蔬菜灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性检测

为明确山西省蔬菜灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性,2010-2011年用单孢分离法从山西省数十个县、市蔬菜主产区采集、分离到171株灰霉病病原菌(Botrytis cinerea),并采用最低浓度抑制法测定各菌株对嘧霉胺的敏感性。结果表明,山西省灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的平均抗性频率为50.29%,平均抗性倍数为1 423.4。在山西省不同地区灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗性存在差异,其中嘧霉胺使用较多的朔州地区抗药性频率达到100%。     

Studies on the Inherent Resistance Risk to Fenhexamid in Botrytis cinerea

After chemical mutagenesis with N-methyl-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) two phenotypes that were highly or moderately resistant to fenhexamid, were isolated from a wild-type strain of Botrytis cinerea, at a mutation frequency of 0.9 × 10^–5. Resistance factors, based on EC⁵⁰ values, were 460–570 and 10–15, respectively. The mutation(s) for resistance to fenhexamid did not affect the sensitivity of mutant strains to the benzimidazole benomyl, the phenylpyridinamine fluazinam, the anilinopyrimidine cyprodinil, the guanidine iminoctadine or to the sterol-biosynthesis-inhibiting fungicides fenarimol, fenpropimorph and tridemorph. On the contrary, an increased sensitivity (EC⁵⁰ ratios of 0.2–0.6) of fenhexamid-resistant strains to the phenylpyrrole fludioxonil and the dicarboximide iprodione was observed. Study of fitness parameters of fenhexamid-resistant isolates of both phenotypic classes showed that these mutation(s) had no effect on mycelial growth and sensitivity to high osmolarity, but they did affect one or more of some other characteristics, such as sporulation, conidial germination and sclerotia production. In tests on cucumber seedlings under greenhouse conditions, all highly fenhexamid-resistant isolates tested presented decreased infection ability compared with the wild-type. Preventive applications of a commercial formulation of fenhexamid, Teldor 50 WP, were effective against lesion development on cotyledons by the wild-type, but ineffective, even in high concentrations, against disease caused by the fenhexamid-resistant isolates. The risk of resistance problems arising during commercial use of fenhexamid is discussed.     

Characterisation of QoI‐resistant field isolates of Botrytis cinerea from citrus and strawberry

BACKGROUND: In 2004, field isolates of Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., resistant to strobilurin fungicides (QoIs), were first found in commercial citrus orchards in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Subsequently, QoI‐resistant isolates of this fungus were also detected in plastic strawberry greenhouses in Saga, Ibaraki and Chiba prefectures, Japan. Biological and molecular characterisation of resistant isolates was conducted in this study. RESULTS: QoI‐resistant isolates of B. cinerea grew well on PDA plates containing kresoxim‐methyl or azoxystrobin at 1 mg L^?1, supplemented with 1 mM of n‐propyl gallate, an inhibitor of alternative oxidase, whereas the growth of sensitive isolates was strongly suppressed. Results from this in vitro test were in good agreement with those of fungus inoculation tests in vivo. In resistant isolates, the mutation at amino acid position 143 of the cytochrome b gene, known to be the cause of high QoI resistance in various fungal pathogens, was found, but only occasionally. The heteroplasmy of cytochrome b gene was confirmed, and the wild‐type sequence often present in the majority of resistant isolates, indicating that the proportion of mutated cytochrome b gene was very low. CONCLUSION: The conventional RFLP and sequence analyses of PCR‐amplified cytochrome b gene are insufficient for molecular identification of QoI resistance in B. cinerea. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mechanisms of resistance to fungicides in field strains of Botrytis cinerea

Field strains of Botrytis cinerea Pers ex Fr, the causal agent of grey mould diseases, were collected from French vineyards between 1993 and 2000. Several phenotypes have been characterized according to the inhibitory effects of fungicides towards germ-tube elongation and mycelial growth. Two types of benzimidazole-resistant strains (Ben R1 and Ben R2) could be detected; negative cross-resistance to phenylcarbamates (e.g. diethofencarb) was only found in Ben R1. Benzimidazole resistance was related to point mutations at codon 198 (Ben R1) or 200 (Ben R2) of the beta-tubulin gene. Most dicarboximide-resistant strains were also weakly resistant to aromatic hydrocarbon fungicides (e.g. dicloran) but remained sensitive to phenylpyrroles (e.g. fludioxonil). These resistant field strains (Imi R1) contained a single base pair mutation at position 365 in a two-component histidine kinase gene, probably involved in the fungal osmoregulation. Three anilinopyrimidine-resistant phenotypes have been identified. In the most resistant one (Ani R1), resistance was restricted to anilinopyrimidines, but no differences were observed in the amino-acid sequences of cystathionine beta-lyase (the potential target site of these fungicides) from Ani R1 or wild-type strains. In the two other phenotypes (Ani R2 and Ani R3), resistance extended to various other groups of fungicide, including dicarboximides, phenylpyrroles and sterol biosynthesis inhibitors. This multi-drug resistance was probably determined by over-production of ATP-binding cassette transporters. The hydroxyanilide fenhexamid is a novel botryticide whose primary target site is the 3-keto reductase involved in sterol C-4 demethylations. Apart from the multi-drug-resistant strain Ani R3, three other fenhexamid-resistant phenotypes have been recognized. For two of them (Hyd R1 and Hyd R2) fenhexamid-resistance seemed to result from P450-mediated detoxification. Reduced sensitivity of the target site could be the putative resistance mechanism operating in the third resistant phenotype (Hyd R3). Increased sensitivity to inhibitors of sterol 14 alpha-demethylase recorded in Hyd R1 strains was related to two amino-acid changes at positions 15 and 105 of this enzyme.     

Cross-resistance relationships between benzimidazole fungicides and diethofencarb in Botrytis cinerea and their genetical basis in Ustilago maydis

After nitrosoguanidine- or UV-mutagenesis, three different benzimidazole-resistant phenotypes were isolated on media containing benomyl or a mixture of carbendazim and diethofencarb from wild-type strains of Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr. and Ustilago maydis (D.C.) Corda. Mutants of B. cinerea with moderate (MBr) or low (LBr) resistance to benzimidazoles and high resistance to diethofencarb (Dr) were isolated from the fungicide-mixture-containing medium in low frequency (7–1 × 10^?8). Only benzimidazole-resistant strains highly sensitive to diethofencarb (HBrDs) were identified on benomyl-containing medium at a frequency of 6.6 × 10^?6. Fitness-determining characteristics such as sporulation, germination and germ-tube elongation, were found to be reduced significantly in the mutants of B. cinerea that were resistant to both benzimidazoles and diethofencarb. However, pathogenicity of a MBrDr mutant strain on cucumber seedlings was equal to that of the wild type and a carbendazim + diethofencarb mixture was found to control grey mould caused by the wild type, but was not effective when the plant cotyledons were infected by the mutant strain. Three benzimidazole-resistant phenotypes (HBrDs, HBrDr, MBrDr) were isolated easily in U. maydis from a benomyl-containing medium. In contrast with B. cinerea, only one-tenth of the benzimidazole-resistant strains were sensitive to diethofencarb. Genetic analysis of benzimidazole resistance in U. maydis showed that the three benzimidazole-resistant phenotypes were due to three allelic mutations in a single gene and one of them was responsible for the negative cross-resistance between benzimidazoles and diethofencarb.     

Fitness of Botrytis cinerea Associated with Dicarboximide Resistance

ABSTRACT Fitness costs in Botrytis cinerea associated with dicarboximide resistance were studied. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated between resistance to iprodione and survival ability both outside and inside the greenhouse, measured on isolates randomly chosen from a collection done in a survey of commercial greenhouses in Southeastern Spain in 1992. Survival was measured at 47, 83, and 110 days as percentage of surviving mycelia in a sample of artificially inoculated tomato stem pieces and as percentage of viable sclerotia from a sample of sclerotia produced on potato dextrose agar. Resistance to iprodione was measured by the fungicide concentration that reduces fungal growth by 50% (EC(50) values). Significant (P < 0.05) negative correlation coefficients between survival of sclerotia and resistance to iprodione were found for some samplings dates, which indicates that sclerotia of resistant isolates survive less well than sclerotia from sensitive isolates. For mycelia, no relationship between survival and resistance was found.     

Stability and fitness of pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant phenotypes in field isolates of Botrytis cinerea from apple

Phenotype stability, fitness, and competitive ability of pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea from apple were investigated. Stability of resistance was determined after consecutive transfers on potato dextrose agar (PDA) or being cycled on apple fruit. In vitro fitness components mycelial growth, osmotic sensitivity, conidial germination, and sporulation were evaluated on agar media. Pathogenicity, virulence and sporulation on apple fruit were evaluated at both 20 and 0°C. Competition between fungicide-resistant and -sensitive isolates on apple fruit also was evaluated. Resistance to the two fungicides was retained at levels similar to that of the initial generation after 20 and 10 transfers on PDA and five and three disease cycles on apple fruit at 20 and 0°C, respectively. Great variability in individual fitness components tested was observed among isolates within the same phenotype groups either sensitive or resistant to the fungicides but, when compared as phenotype groups, there were no significant differences in the mean values of these fitness components between resistant and sensitive phenotypes except that the phenotype resistant only to boscalid produced fewer conidia in vitro than sensitive isolates. Resistant isolates were as pathogenic and virulent on apple fruit as sensitive isolates. There was no significant correlation between the values of individual fitness components tested and the level of resistance to pyraclostrobin or boscalid, except that virulence at 20°C positively correlated with the level of resistance to the two fungicides. The final frequency of pyraclostrobin-resistant individuals in the populations was significantly decreased compared with the initial generation and no boscalid-resistant individuals were detected after four disease cycles on apple fruit inoculated with a pair mixture of a dual-sensitive isolate and one isolate each of the three phenotypes resistant to pyraclostrobin, boscalid, or both. The results suggest that resistance of B. cinerea to pyraclostrobin and boscalid was stable in the absence of the fungicides and that resistance to the two fungicides did not significantly impair individual fitness components tested. However, both pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant isolates exhibited competitive disadvantage over the dual-sensitive isolate on apple fruit.     

Survey of mutations of a histidine kinase gene BcOS1 in dicarboximide-resistant field isolates of Botrytis cinerea

Previously, we cloned a putative osmosensing histidine kinase gene (BcOS1) and revealed that a single amino acid substitution, isoleucine to serine at codon 365, conferred dicarboximide resistance in field isolates of Botrytis cinerea. This point mutation (type I) occurred within the restriction enzyme TaqI site of the wild-type BcOS1 gene. Thus, a procedure was developed for detecting the type I mutation of the BcOS1 gene using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in combination with restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP). Diagnosis by PCR-RFLP was conducted on the 105 isolates isolated from 26 fields in Japan. All dicarboximide-sensitive isolates (49 isolates) had the wild-type BcOS1 gene, and the 43 isolates with the type I mutation were resistant to dicarboximides without exception. These data indicate that dicarboximide-resistant isolates with type I mutation are widespread throughout Japan. However, other types of dicarboximide resistance were detected among isolates from Osaka; among the 24 resistant isolates from Osaka, 12 had the BcOS1 gene without the type I mutation. BcOS1 gene sequencing of these resistant isolates classified them into two groups, type II and type III. The type II isolates have three amino acid substitutions within BcOS1p (³⁶⁸Val to Phe, ³⁶⁹Gln to His, and ⁴⁴⁷Thr to Ser). The type III isolates have two amino acid substitutions within BcOS1p (³⁶⁹Gln to Pro and ³⁷³Asn to Ser). These amino acid changes are located on the amino acid repeat domain in BcOS1p. The three types of resistant isolates were all moderately resistant to dicarboximides without significant osmotic sensitivity, and their pathogenicity on cucumber leaves was also very similar to that of the wild-type isolate.     

樱桃采后灰霉病菌对甲基硫菌灵、乙霉威和腐霉利的抗性

本文采用单孢分离法对四川汉源和山东烟台等地采集的樱桃果实进行了采后灰霉病的病原菌分离和鉴定;采用区分剂量法分别测定了菌株对苯并咪唑类杀菌剂甲基硫菌灵、乙霉威和二甲酰亚胺类杀菌剂腐霉利的敏感性,并进一步分析了抗药性菌株的分子机制。结果表明,分离得到的54株樱桃采后灰霉病菌均为灰葡萄孢Botrytis cinerea,对甲基硫菌灵的总抗性频率高达79.6%,其中甲基硫菌灵抗性-乙霉威敏感(BEN R1)菌株频率为25.9%;甲基硫菌灵-乙霉威双重抗性菌株(BEN R2)频率为53.7%;检测到腐霉利抗性菌株(DCF R) 9株,频率为16.7%。甲基硫菌灵抗性菌株在β-tubulin基因上的突变共有2种类型：BEN R1抗性菌株中,第198位密码子发生点突变(GAG→GCG),编码氨基酸由Glu (E)突变成缬氨酸Ala (A);在BEN R2抗性菌株中,第198位密码子发生点突变(GAG→GTG),编码氨基酸由Glu (E)突变成缬氨酸Val (V)。DCF R菌株在BcOS1的第365位密码子由ATC突变成AAC或AGC,导致编码的氨基酸由异亮氨酸Ile (I)突变成天冬酰胺Asn (...     

Resistance of Malus domestica fruit to Botrytis cinerea depends on endogenous ethylene biosynthesis

The plant hormone ethylene regulates fruit ripening, other developmental processes, and a subset of defense responses. Here, we show that 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS)-silenced apple (Malus domestica) fruit that express a sense construct of ACS were more susceptible to Botrytis cinerea than untransformed apple, demonstrating that ethylene strengthens fruit resistance to B. cinerea infection. Because ethylene response factors (ERFs) are known to contribute to resistance against B. cinerea via the ethylene-signaling pathway, we cloned four ERF cDNAs from fruit of M. domestica: MdERF3, -4, -5, and -6. Expression of all four MdERF mRNAs was ethylene dependent and induced by wounding or by B. cinerea infection. B. cinerea infection suppressed rapid induction of wound-related MdERF expression. MdERF3 was the only mRNA induced by wounding and B. cinerea infection in ACS-suppressed apple fruit, although its induction was reduced compared with wild-type apple. Promoter regions of all four MdERF genes were cloned and putative cis-elements were identified in each promoter. Transient expression of MdERF3 in tobacco increased expression of the GCC-box containing gene chitinase 48.     

草莓灰霉病菌对嘧菌酯的抗性检测及抗性菌株的生物学特性研究

由灰葡萄孢(Botrytis cinerea Pers.)引起的草莓灰霉病是严重危害草莓的病害之一。为了解草莓灰霉病菌对杀菌剂嘧菌酯的抗性情况,本研究针对2012年从国内10省市采集和分离的134株草莓灰霉病菌菌株,利用特异性引物BcAR-F/BcAR-R扩增其cytb基因的部分序列,进行了嘧菌酯抗性的分子检测;对检测出的抗性菌株在嘧菌酯浓度分别为22.4、112和224μg·mL~(-1)的含药培养基上进行抗性验证;此外,还比较了抗性菌株与敏感菌株主要生物学性状的差异。结果表明,有54个菌株对嘧菌酯表现抗性,均属于中等抗性水平,占检测总数的40.3%,分布于北京市、湖北、江苏、河北、辽宁和四川各省;对15个抗性菌株cytb基因的序列分析表明,其第143位发生突变,由甘氨酸变为丙氨酸;对随机选取的4株抗性菌株和2株敏感菌株的适合度测定结果发现,抗性菌株和敏感菌株在最适生长温度、菌落生长速度、孢子萌发率方面没有表现出规律性差异,但抗性菌株的产孢量和致病力均显著低于敏感菌株。     

Sensitivity to,and metabolism of,phaseollin in relation to the pathogenicity of different isolates of Botrytis cinerea to bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

The pathogenicity of five isolates ofBotrytis cinerea to bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) was compared with their sensitivity to the phytoalexin phaseollin and their ability to metabolize phaseollin. Three of the five isolates were pathogenic to bean, as they formed spreading lesions on bean leaves; the other two isolates were considered nonpathogenic to bean, since they produced lesions limited in size or no lesions at all. The isolates were about equally sensitive to phaseollin, except for one nonpathogenic strain which was more sensitive than the other ones to higher concentrations of phaseollin. The three pathogenic isolates metabolized phaseollin to 6a-hydroxyphaseollin readily in shake cultures containing 9 μg phaseollin/ml, while nonpathogenic isolates were not able, or less able, to do so.     

北京地区草莓灰霉病菌对异菌脲的抗性及抗性分子机制

由灰葡萄孢(Botrytis cinerea Pers.)引起的草莓灰霉病是草莓上危害严重的病害之一。为了解北京地区草莓灰霉病菌对二甲酰亚胺类常用杀菌剂异菌脲的抗性,本研究采用最低抑制浓度法分别检测了2013年和2014年从北京地区15个草莓园采集的共计121株草莓灰霉病菌对异菌脲的抗性。结果表明,北京地区草莓灰霉病菌对异菌脲存在较高的抗性频率,2014年较2013年的抗性频率略有上升,由40.4%上升为45.3%。不同草莓园菌株的抗性频率差异很大,可能与用药水平有关。2014年的低抗、中抗和高抗菌株数分别占检测菌株总数的9.4%、28.1%和7.8%。利用PCR技术扩增编码组氨酸激酶基因BcOS1中与二甲酰亚胺抗性相关的区段,对抗性菌株的分子机制进行了初步研究,结果表明BcOS1基因第1 214位核苷酸发生了2类突变:以第Ⅰ类为主,菌株的抗性水平为中抗和高抗,由ATC突变为AGC,导致第365位氨基酸由异亮氨酸变为丝氨酸;第Ⅱ类菌株为低抗,由ATC突变AAC,导致第365位氨基酸由异亮氨酸变为天冬酰胺。     

Control of grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) with film-forming polymers

Several film-forming polymers reduced the amount of grey mould on various crops in a dew chamber and in a plastic house under natural conditions. The polymers Wilt Pruf, Biofilm and Colfix reduced germination of conidia and germ tube length of Botrytis cinerea . The most effective inhibition of linear growth of the pathogen on potato dextrose agar was obtained by Safe Pack and Biofilm. All polymers significantly reduced grey mould on detached leaves of Capsicum, Phaseolus , tomato, cucumber, rose and pelargonium. Grey mould on rose flowers was not controlled, apparently due to latent infection. The substances Biofilm and Vapor Gard were applied either alone or with chlorothalonil fungicide on cucumber plants in a commercial greenhouse. The polymers had no harmful effect to the host. Disease on senescing female fruits of cucumber was reduced by 46–67% with no additive effect to the mixture with fungicides. Stem infection also was reduced.     

Morphological and physiological characteristics of dicarboximide-sensitive and resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea1

Various morphological and physiological characteristics, such as mycelial colour and appearance, mycelial growth rates, sporulation, pathogenicity on different hosts, activity of cell-wall degrading enzymes, competitive ability and osmotic sensitivity of five dicarboximide-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea were compared to those of their sensitive parent strains. There were only small reductions in mycelial growth rates of resistant strains as compared to the sensitive ones, whereas all of them showed greatly reduced rates of sporulation. With only one exception, the pathogenicity of the resistant isolates was reduced by varying extents compared with the sensitive parent strains. While the proteolytic activity of resistant strains tended to be higher, the activities of peclolytic enzymes were often lower than those of the sensitive isolates. In competition tests, resistant conidia often completely disappeared after a few passages on untreated plants. In only one of the resistant isolates tested so far was dicarboximide resistance related to a high osmotic sensitivity.