Field evaluation of mutant and hybrid lines of mint for resistance to Verticillium wilt and yield

Mint lines that were previously identified with low wilt-severity values in the greenhouse were evaluated for resistance to Verticillium wilt and yield in the field in the presence of naturally occurring inoculum and in plots artificially infested with the soilborne fungus. Severity of Verticillium wilt varied significantly among mint lines and cultivars in the inoculated and non-inoculated sub-plots in two field trials. Verticillium wilt was significantly less severe for mutant lines 87M0109-1, 84M0107-7, and M90-11 than for Black Mitcham in 2002 and 2003. Verticillium wilt was significantly less severe for mutant line M83-14 and for Murray Mitcham than for Black Mitcham in 2003 and 2004. At the completion of the first trial, fresh hay yields of both peppermint hybrids 87M0109-1 and 84M0107-7 and peppermint mutant M90-11 were significantly higher than the standards Black Mitcham and Redefined Murray Mitcham. Oil yield in the first trial of standard Black Mitcham declined in years 3 and 4, while the decline in oil yield was less dramatic with the other four peppermint lines. In the second trial, hay yields of both B90-9 and M83-14 were comparable to, but not significantly different from Black Mitcham and Redefined Murray Mitcham. Line 92(B-37 × M0110)-1 yielded significantly less oil than all peppermint lines including both standards Black Mitcham and Redefined Murray Mitcham in six of the seven cuttings in the second trial. Verticillium rating of the lines and cultivars inoculated in trials from a previous greenhouse study were highly correlated with the Verticillium wilt rating of the lines and cultivars the second and third years when inoculated in both field nurseries in this study. Verticillium wilt resistance and yield can be improved in commercial mint cultivars and form a basis for managing the disease.     

Evaluation of potato clones for severity of Verticillium wilt, yield and specific gravity in Maine

In 1994 and 1995, the effect of Verticillium wilt, caused byVerticillium dahliae andV. albo-atrum, on tuber yields, number and weight of U.S. No. 1 and B size tubers, and specific gravity was studied in northern Maine, an area with a short growing season. Seven clones (four resistant and three susceptible) were evaluated in a split-plot design with three replications. Clones were the whole-plot factor, and seed pieces in sub-plots were either uninoculated or inoculated with 50 ml of 4 × 10⁴ cfu/mlVerticillium spp. at planting. Individual plants were scored for Verticillium wilt symptoms before harvest on a 1= <3% wilt to 10= >97% wilt. Differences among clones for wilting and specific gravity were significant. The inoculation treatment had no effect on any of the tuber traits measured. However, there were significant clone x inoculation interactions for most tuber traits. Reductions in yield, weight and number of U.S. No. 1 potatoes, and specific gravity were greater in the Verticillium wilt susceptible clones than in the resistant clones. These results suggest that breeding clones with resistance toVerticillium spp. will reduce yield losses, while maintaining tuber size and specific gravity under disease pressure.     

An assay to quantify vascular colonization of potato byVerticillium dahliae

A procedure was developed and tested to evaluate potato germ plasm for relative rates of vascular colonization byVerticillium dahliae. The number of colony forming units (CFU) per ml of plant sap, extracted from stems and plated on a medium, was used to assess vascular colonization from plants grown for 100 days in a field plot infested withV. dahliae. Sap extracted from main stem tissue at the ground line gave more CFU ofV. dahliae than tissue at the mid and apical region of the main stem. Aliquots of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 ml of plant sap were equally efficient in measuring vascular colonization. Thirty-three clones were evaluated for amount of vascular colonization in field and greenhouse tests with the former giving the best results. Cultivars and clones resistant to Verticillium wilt in Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota and New York each had a low index of wilt and a low number of CFU/ml ofV. dahliae in plant sap in these tests. Clones intermediate in both wilt index and vascular colonization as well as selections with a high wilt index and extensive vascular colonization were found using the fresh sap assay method. Correlation values of, r = 0.92, r = 0.91 and r = 0.86 were observed between CFU/ml and percentage of foliar wilt for 11 clones/cultivars in 1986, 1987 and 1988, respectively. The correlation between CFU/ml and both moisture and temperature for the cultivars Kennebec and Russet Burbank, during a 6-yr period was r = 0.83.     

Quantification of Field Resistance to Verticillium dahliae in Eight Russet-Skinned Potato Cultivars Using Real-Time PCR

Changes in potato production over the past 10 to 20 years, have resulted in increased emphasis being placed on breeding for resistance to Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb. While many russet-skinned cultivars recently have been released with reported resistance to Verticillium wilt, information is lacking on the level of pathogen colonization, and therefore, the level of true genetic resistance is not known. Eight russet-skinned cultivars were grown in field trials with low and high levels of V. dahliae in the soil, and evaluated for wilt, stem colonization, yield, and tuber vascular discoloration. A recently developed QPCR assay was validated, with strong relationships to culture plating assays over three stem sampling dates. Additionally, stem colonization levels, as determined by QPCR, were related to wilt and tuber vascular discoloration. However, total yield did not exhibit a strong relationship to any other parameter evaluated in this study. Results from these studies indicate that varying levels of true resistance are present in the russet-skinned cultivars evaluated, and that the QPCR assay can be reliable in rapidly evaluating resistance to V. dahliae under field conditions. Based on pathogen quantification using stem colonization derived from traditional plating assays and QPCR, the resistance level of several cultivars is more clearly defined and discussed.     

Study of gene effects for cotton yield and Verticillium wilt tolerance in cotton plant (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Verticillium wilt (VW), caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a destructive disease of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The use of resistant cultivars has long been considered the most practical and effective mean of control. The aim of this work was to study the quantitative genetic basis of Verticillium wilt resistance in Upland cotton by using five genotypes and their possible crosses without reciprocals selecting simultaneously for resistance and desirable agronomic characteristics. Five cotton cultivars and 10 F1s from half-diallel crosses were analyzed for VW resistance. The seed cotton yield, the number of bolls/ plant, and boll weight were measured and Verticillium wilt index (VWI) was estimated during two crop seasons in two different sites each year always on plots with naturally infested soil. Genetic components of variance were analyzed using the Hayman model. Analysis of variance for all characters showed significant differences between genotypes, without genotype-site interaction in most cases. Both, additive genetic variance component (D) and dominance genetic variance components (H1 and H2) were presented in all characters, except for VWI. D was the most important component for boll weight and VWI. Boll weight was the most correlated character with seed cotton yield and VWI. Broad sense heritability was high for boll weight and VWI, moderate for seed cotton yield and low for bolls per plant. Narrow sense heritability was moderate for boll weight, and high for VWI.     

Verticillium wilt of potato: a model of key factors related to disease severity and tuber yield in Southeastern Idaho

In three years (1994, 1995, and 1996), a total of 100 commercial potato fields in southeastern Idaho were surveyed for soil variables, severity of Verticillium wilt, soil inoculum density ofVerticillium dahliae andColletotrichum coccodes, colonization of stems, root, and tubers byV. dahliae andC. coccodes, and tuber yield, size, and quality. As a generalization, factors related to soil integrity (organic matter, organic nitrogen, and increased nutrient availability) were most closely related to wilt suppression and higher tuber yields, whereas factors related to loss of soil integrity (sodium and reduced nutrient availability) were related to increased wilt and lower tuber yields. In a multiple regression analysis, three independent variables, feeder-root infections byV. dahliae, sodium content in soil, and soil organic content, were significant predictors of tuber yield. With these three factors, this model accounted for 49%, 53%, and 62% of the field variability related to total yield in 1994, 1995, and 1996, respectively. Throughout this investigation,V. dahliae root infections had the most direct effect on tuber yield, which emphasizes the importance of quantifying root infections in epidemiological studies of Verticillium wilt. Based on these results, organic matter may be one factor that can be manipulated for suppression of Verticillium wilt without reducing soil populations of the pathogen.     

Verticillium wilt resistant germplasm-release of clone LRC18-21 and derivatives

Verticillium wilt is an important disease affecting potato tuber yield and quality. In North America the major commercial cultivars are susceptible, and management strategies for control rely mainly on soil fumigation and crop rotation. We describe aSolanum chacoense clone (LRC18-21) with single gene (V_c) resistance to Verticillium wilt as well as germplasm derived from the original clone. LRC18-21 (diploidS. cha-coense), LRC418-21 (tetraploidS. chacoense) and LRC373-5 (diploidS. tuberosum/chacoense hybrid) and LRC4373-5 (tetraploidS. tuberosum/chacoense hybrid) have been released to Potato Introduction Station (NRSP-6, Sturgeon Bay, WI) for distribution to interested parties. Transfer of the V_c gene to commercial cultivars could provide effective and economical control of verticillium wilt.     

Agronomic performance of potato germplasm selected for high resistance to verticillium wilt

A three-year study was conducted from 1991 through 1993 to evaluate the field performance of potato clones that had been selected for resistance to wilt symptom development and stem colonization byVerticillium dahliae. The total yield, size distribution, and specific-gravity of these highly resistant clones were compared with standard cultivars and two parent clones with high Verticillium resistance and high yield, A66107-51 and A68113-4. Two groups of Verticillium resistant germplasm were selected in 1991. One group was the highly resistant progeny from a cross between A66107-51 and A68113-4. The second group consisted of hybrids between wild species accessions with high Verticillium resistance and cultivated diploid and tetraploid germplasm. Twenty-one out of 125 progeny clones from the A66107-51 × A68113-4 cross were highly resistant to Verticillium infection and were tested in yield trials for two years. Another eight selections had high Verticillium resistance but such low yield of seed tubers that they were tested only one year for yield. Eleven of the original 29 highly resistant selections were significantly lower in total yield than Russet Burbank. Only one clone was significantly higher in yield than RB, and none outyielded either of the resistant parents. Reddale and Century Russet had moderate to high Verticillium resistance, respectively. Both outyielded Russet Burbank and were comparable with the high yielding resistant parents. Of 15 interspecific hybrids tested in 1991, only four had sufficient yield to produce seed for yield trials and good wilt resistance after three successive seasons of evaluation. We concluded from this study that selecting at early stages of variety development strictly for Verticillium resistance is likely to be inefficient. Rather, selection should be for yield and other agronomic criteria in Verticillium infested fields.     

Interactive effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on verticillium wilt of Russet Burbank potato

A three-year field study was conducted during 1984–1986 to determine the interactive effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on Verticillium wilt, and yield and quality of continuously-cropped Russet Burbank potato. The experiment was conducted on a calcareous, silt loam soil with low initial levels of NO₃-N (0.9 mg/kg), P (3.5 mg/kg), andVerticillium dahliae (9 cfu/g of soil). The experimental design consisted of a factorial combination of three N treatments (unfertilized check, preplant N or split N) and three P treatments (0,120, or 240 kg P/ha) applied to the same plots during the three-year study. Nitrogen was applied at 0 or 300 kg N/ha in 1984 and 0 or 240 kg N/ha in 1985 and 1986. By the spring of 1986, soil P concentrations for the 0,120, and 240 kg P/ha treatments had increased to 7, 25, and 50 mg/kg and no additional P was applied. In addition to suppressing Verticillium wilt by as much as 95%, N & P treatments also reduced the rate of increase of soilborne inoculum ofV. dahliae. After one season of cropping, the N treatment providing the most efficient N fertilization (300 kg N/ha, split-application) resulted in significantly (p=0.01) lowerV. dahliae counts in soil than the other N treatments. After two seasons of continuous cropping, applying 120 to 240 kg P/ha produced lower populations ofV. dahliae in soil compared to the treatment with no added P. Generally, as N and P treatments approached the highest levels, both wilt incidence andV. dahliae colonization values were reduced. There was a progressive reduction in total yield in nearly all treatments during each year of continuous cropping. Reduction of yield and increased Verticillium wilt incidence was generally greater with N or P deficient plants than with optimally fertilized plants. The highest total and U.S. No. 1 yields and least Verticillium wilt were obtained each year by applying split N and 240 kg P/ha. Results show that optimal N and P can minimize both Verticillium wilt and yield losses that normally occur with intensive potato cropping.     

Population dynamics of Verticillium species in cauliflower fields: Influence of crop rotation,debris removal and ryegrass incorporation

Verticillium wilt, caused by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium longisporum, leads to economic losses in cauliflower production in Belgium. Development of sustainable control measures of the disease is necessary. Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that incorporation of ryegrass can reduce the viability of V. longisporum microsclerotia in soil. However, field experiments are lacking in Belgian conditions. To gain knowledge about the population dynamics of V. longisporum and its relationship with Verticillium wilt, experiments were conducted from 2006 to 2010 in two cauliflower fields (Oppuurs and Ardooie) with history of Verticillium wilt. Three main crop systems (fallow, cauliflower and cauliflower followed by removal of debris) and two cover crop systems (no cover crop and ryegrass) were tested. The results of this study showed that (i) crop rotation intensity of cauliflower cultivation does not affect the inoculum density of microsclerotia forming Verticillium species in soil, (ii) amendment of lignin-rich ryegrass may reduce the soil inoculum, and (iii) seasonal fluctuations of inoculum densities occur but any soil inoculum variation above a level of one microsclerotium per gram of soil does not affect disease levels. Furthermore, we found that Verticillium wilt of cauliflower in Ardooie was reduced in soil containing Verticillium tricorpus-like organisms. The Verticillium isolate Vt305 obtained from the cauliflower field in Ardooie was morphologically similar to V. tricorpus, but its rDNA ITS region showed 100% identity with the non-pathogenic species Verticillium isaacii, recently described in literature.     

Effect of Soil Temperature,Injection Depth,and Metam Sodium Rate on the Management of Verticillium Wilt of Potato

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is a primary component of the early dying complex of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in the United States. Although genetic resistance to V. dahliae exists and has been incorporated into several potato cultivars, the commercial potato industry is still dominated by cultivars susceptible to the pathogen. As a result, soil fumigation with metam sodium remains an important means by which Verticillium wilt is controlled, despite its expense and potentially negative environmental impact. Recent restrictions on metam sodium use by the Environmental Protection Agency directed at reducing exposure to vapor emissions have increased the need to improve shank injection of the soil fumigant. In studies reported here, the application of metam sodium reduced the severity of Verticillium wilt, however, soil temperature at the time of injection, metam sodium injection depth, and application rate had little overall effect. In 2011, temperature at the time of metam sodium injection did not result in significant differences in any parameter evaluated. However, in 2012, soil populations of V. dahliae, wilt severity and host colonization were significantly reduced when metam sodium was applied at 4 °C compared to 13 or 15 °C. No significant differences were observed between a single or two metam sodium injection depths in any parameter evaluated across the 2 years the study was conducted. While all rates of metam sodium significantly reduced soil populations of V. dahliae compared to the non-treated control, significant differences across rates were rarely observed. Improved control of Verticillium wilt and increased yield can be achieved as a result of these studies. The effective control of Verticillium wilt can be obtained by using metam sodium at a comparatively low rate of 373 l/ha, particularly when applied at a relatively cold soil temperature of 4 °C using a single injection depth of 25 cm. The potential impact of these application modifications of metam sodium in reducing emissions and non-target exposure is discussed.     

Irrigated cotton in the tropical dry season. I: Yield,its components and crop development

Growing cotton during the dry (winter) season avoids many insect pests endemic in the wet season (summer) and could permit the reintroduction of cotton to the semi-arid tropics in Australia. This research addressed the questions: (1) what yield is possible given the lower mid-season radiation and temperature of the dry season, (2) the prediction and management of crop development using a range of sowing months to assess whether cotton can be grown and picked within the dry season. Over three seasons two Gossypium hirsutum L. (upland) cultivars and one Gossypium barbadense L. cultivar were sown from March, to June at the Ord River (15.5°S) in Western Australia. For the upland cultivars, lint yields of 1900–2300 kg/ha for March and April sowings were at the high end of Australian and International benchmarks. High lint yields were linearly correlated with a greater proportion of bolls that were located on outer sites on fruiting branches than for high yielding crops in temperate climates (∼30°lat.). The change in boll position increased the length of the growing season which was also linearly correlated with yield. Future research needs to confirm if low minimum temperatures early in flowering caused the change in boll position and to measure the impact of extreme temperature seasons on yield and time to maturity. The lint yield of the G. barbadense cultivar was highest at a March sowing, at least 87% of the upland cultivars, which is comparable with temperate climates. The frequency of temperatures >35 °C and <11 °C affected time to squaring, requiring modification of existing development models derived in temperate climates. It was concluded sowing during March to April should achieve the dual objectives of high yields and avoidance of rain at maturity. The wide temperature range observed in these experiments improved the prediction of boll period from mean temperature; this function should be applicable outside the semi-arid tropics.     

Efficacy of chloropicrin application by drip irrigation in controlling the soil-borne diseases of greenhouse pepper on commercial farms in Poland

Three demonstration experiments were conducted on commercial greenhouse farms to assess the efficacy of chloropicrin (CP), applied by drip irrigation, in controlling Verticillium wilt and root rot disease complex of bell pepper, in comparison with dazomet at 40 g m⁻². Chloropicrin was applied through drip irrigation system at 20, 30 and 40 g m⁻² of emulsified commercial formulation. The concentration of CP in water was constant, and the required doses were obtained by delivering different amounts of the irrigation water per area unit (from 12.5 to 33 mm). The highest mean efficacy in reducing the inoculum density of Verticillium dahliae in the soil at all locations was obtained after CP application at 30 and 40 g m⁻², about 85 and 86%, respectively. The number of viable microsclerotia recovered from the soil on the day of pepper planting was significantly correlated with the final incidence of Verticillium wilt disease (r = 0.962). The highest mean efficacy in controlling Verticillium wilt of pepper (86.4%) was obtained after soil treatment with CP at 40 g m⁻², and ranged from 80.2 to 95.6%. The yield was stronger correlated with root rot severity (r = −0.849**) than with progression of Verticillium wilt, expressed by AUDPC (r = −0.651**). The dominant soil-borne pathogen responsible for pepper root rot was Colletotrichum coccodes. All chemical treatments provided a significant reduction in root rot severity compared to the untreated control. On-thefarm evaluation revealed that soil fumigation with drip-applied chloropicrin presents a feasible option for pepper growers.     

Verticillium wilt resistant potato germplasm: A66107-51 and A68113-4

Potato breeding selections A66107-51 and A68113-4 (Solanum tuberosum gptuberosum) are being released as germplasm that is highly resistant to Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae Kleb.) These selections have been extensively evaluated for resistance to Verticillium as measured by symptom severity and degree of colonization byV. dahliae. They combine outstanding wilt resistance with good tuber maturity characteristics, high yield, and french fry processing tuber type. A66107-51 has long-oblong, russeted tubers, with high yield and variable processing quality. A68113-4 has long-oblong, partially russeted tubers with high yield and good processing quality. Both selections are fertile as female parents, and A66107-51 is occasionally pollen fertile. The Verticillium resistance of these two clones has been transmitted to progeny. These selections were developed by USDA-ARS in cooperation with the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. Seed is available from USDA-ARS, Aberdeen, Idaho.     

Cotton water-deficit stress,age, and cultivars as moderating factors of cotton fleahopper abundance and yield loss

Field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 during drought conditions in South Texas and the Texas High Plains to test whether cotton water-deficit stress, age, and cultivars are moderating and interacting factors that affect cotton fleahopper, Pseudatomoscelis seriatus (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae), abundance and yield loss. Irrigation and sequential plantings of several cultivars were used to simulate a range of water stress, plant ages, and cultivar variability. Cotton grown under these experimental conditions were exposed to cotton fleahopper using natural and artificial infestation. Cotton cultivars had a strong influence on cotton fleahopper abundance, with higher densities on Stoneville cultivar 5458 B2RF, which is relatively pubescent, than on the Phytogen cultivar 367 WRF, which is relatively glabrous, in South Texas (p < 0.04). But the strong cultivar effects on cotton fleahopper abundance did not correspond to yield reduction. No water stress effects on cotton fleahopper densities were observed in 2012 (p > 0.05), whereas cotton fleahopper densities increased on older cotton grown under no water stress in 2013 in South Texas (p < 0.05). In contrast, yield response was primarily sensitive to soil moisture conditions (up to 50% yield reduction when grown in dryland mimic conditions below 75% crop ET replacement, p < 0.0009). Water and cotton fleahopper stress synergies were detected but variable, with greatest lint yield loss attributable to cotton fleahopper seen in cotton grown in high water stress conditions in the High Plains (p < 0.05). Yield trends were consistent across cultivars (no interaction with cultivar), even though cotton fleahopper populations varied significantly across cultivars and exceeded regional economic thresholds beginning the second week of squaring (p < 0.05).     

Fertility and management practices to control verticillium wilt of the russet burbank potato

Management practices for the suppression of Verticillium wilt of Russet Burbank potato include sanitation, use of optimum sprinkler-irrigation practices, soil solarization, and an adequate soil fertility program. Among all cultural factors considered, nitrogen (N) deficiency in potato tissue was most commonly associated with the severity of Verticiilium wilt in Russet Burbank potato. Field studies have shown that increased N availability suppresses Verticiilium incidence on cv Russet Burbank while having no effect on cv Norgold Russet. Studies from both greenhouse and field show that the colonization ofV dahliae in potato stem tissue is suppressed in cv Russet Burbank when the availability of Phosphorous (P) is increased to the optimum. Following one season of cropping with Russet Burbank potato, the treatment providing the optimal N availability also suppressed the increases ofV dahliae populations in the soil during the following year of consecutive cropping. Similarly, after two seasons of continuous potato cropping, treatments with optimal P had lower soil populations ofV. dahliae in soil. Results show the suppression of Verticiilium wilt with optimal fertility. Verticiilium wilt [caused by eitherVerticiilium dahliae Kleb, (microsclerotial form) orVerticiilium albo- atrum Reinke and Berthold (dark mycelial form)] is one of the most severe diseases of potato in the United States. Potato yields, tuber size, and specific gravity may be substantially reduced by this disease, depending on severity, time of occurrence, and growing season. In Idaho and other arid growing regions of the United States, Verticiilium wilt is caused byVerticillium dahliae Kleb. Idaho field studies involving cropping practices, soil fumigation treatments, solarization, and Verticillium-resistant potato clones all support the importance ofV dahliae upon potato yield. Data from these studies show that yield losses due toV. dahliae commonly approximate 5 to 12 metric T/ha (5, 6). Table 1 illustrates the effect of several cropping practices upon relativeV dahliae populations in soil with the effects upon both disease severity and potato yield. With continuous cropping of Russet Burbank,V dahliae populations in soil increased, and yields were reduced by 18 to 19 metric Tlha when compared to locations that had been allowed to remain either weed-free and fallow or where corn had been previously cropped. It was estimated thatV dahliae was influencing yield by about 10 to 12 metric Tlha based on a regression analysis of yield as a function ofV dahliae populations in soil. Similarly, whenV dahliae was suppressed by fumigation treatments involving mixtures of dichloropropene and picfume, yields more significantly increased by 6.5 to 12 metric T/ha (5). Although many factors may influence yields, clones with higher Verticillium resistance than Russet Burbank generally out-yield Russet Burbank. Figure 1 demonstrates the effect of solarization (a technique involving the laying of clear plastic on soil for the purpose of elevating soil temperatures to killV dahliae). When Verticillium was controlled in this manner (lo), there was no significant yield difference between the Russet Burbank potato and the highly resistant A68113-4 clone. The A68113-4 clone grown in non-solarized soil out-yielded the Russet Burbank in non-solarized soil by 31 percent while the solarization treatment significantly increased yield for the Russet Burbank and A68113-4 clones by 46 and 18 percent, respectively. These yield responses were observed in a field where inoculum levels ofV dahliae were relatively low (2.10 cfulgrn of soil). With these losses, the need to develop control procedures is great and to achieve this control the need also exists to accurately evaluate the effect of treatments uponV dahliae. Our Idaho studies have routinely utilized such a procedure (9) in combination with comparisons of both disease severity and yield.     

ND2858-1: A useful source of resistance to the Colorado potato beetle

This paper describes a new source of host-plant resistance to the Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB;Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)) in a tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) selection, ND2858-1. This hybrid was recorded as a cross betweenS. fendleri ssp.fendleri (A. Gray) and NDSU selection ND1215-1. Field defoliation of this and progeny clones from a subsequent cross to an cultivar was reduced by 50% to 90% in open-choice field screening plots. Progeny of ND2858-1 are vigorous, with high yield potential, and some clones have tuber glycoalkaloid content equivalent to commercial cultivars. These clones are male and female fertile and may be useful to other potato breeding programs. Further characterization of this resistance source is in progress.     

Fungicidal effect of hydroxytyrosol-rich preparations from olive mill wastewater against Verticillium dahliae

Verticillium dahliae cannot be reached by many fungicides during its parasitic phase inside the plants and few fungicides are available to cure plants once they are infected by this pathogen. A hydroxytyrosol-rich (29.27% weight/dry weight) olive mill wastewater (HROMW) and a hydroxytyrosol-rich (52.67% weight/dry weight) extract (HRE) were prepared from fresh olive mill wastewater (FOMW) using hydrolysis and post-hydrolysis purification processes, and were tested as bio-fungicides. The HROMW and HRE showed strong fungicidal activity in vitro against V. dahliae with minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) of 28–56 mg L⁻¹ (dry weight). The HROMW and HRE at 15 g L⁻¹ (dry weight) resulted in a reduction in the viability of V. dahliae by >4 log units after 30 min of contact time according to European Standard EN 1275 (1997) standard method. In tomato pot growth experiments incorporation of HROMW and HRE into the soil reduced significantly Verticillium wilt disease incidence by 86 and 83% and wilt severity by 86 and 84.5%, respectively, compared to untreated plants.     

A comparison between cutting and animal grazing for dry‐matter yield,quality and tiller density of perennial ryegrass cultivars

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) evaluation trials are often conducted under simulated grazing to identify the most productive cultivars. It is unclear whether simulated grazing identifies the most productive cultivar for animal‐grazed swards. Ten cultivars were established as plots and managed concurrently under simulated grazing (SG), animal grazing (AG) and conservation (CON). The experiment lasted 3 years with dry‐matter (DM) off‐take, digestibility, tiller density and ground‐cover score recorded in all years. A good relationship existed between DM off‐take under SG and CON (R² = 0·73). The relationship between SG and AG was strongest in year 2 and 3 (R² = 0·53 and 0·55 respectively). High DM production was observed in SG swards in year 1; this was weakly related to the DM production of the AG sward. Across the 3 years, the CON treatment had higher yields than either of the other two treatments and was poorly correlated to DM yield under AG, confirming that cultivars should be evaluated under a similar defoliation frequency to their intended use. Tiller density declined quickest under CON and slowest under AG. Some reranking of cultivars occurred between defoliation managements. The results show that simulated grazing is a useful indicator of DM yield performance of animal‐grazed swards.     

Integrated management of Fusarium and Verticillum wilts of cotton in China

Fusarium and Verticillium wilts of cotton, which are widely distributed, generally occur concurrently and cause serious losses in cotton production in China. A general survey in 1982 showed that about 16% of Chinese cotton-growing regions were infested and could be demarcated into heavily, moderately and lightly infested regions. The estimated annual loss was about 100 000 tons of lint cotton. The tactics used for integrated management have been developed. Three biotypes of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum have been identified. Different virulent strains have been found in both F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum and Verticillium dahliae in different regions. Since 1951, 47 Fusarium-wilt-resistant and Verticillium-tolerant cultivars have been developed and grown in heavily infested regions. About 50% of the potential loss from cotton wilt diseases is saved annually. By using an organic solvent infusion (OSI) technique, fungicides such as carbendazim or ethylethene thiosulphonate can easily penetrate into dormant seeds; thus, a better disinfection of internal seed-borne pathogens is obtained. Seed coating treatment with a combined formulation of the systemic fungicides carbendazim and quintozene and the insecticide carbofuran provides a good integrated control of seed- and soil-borne diseases as well as of cotton aphids, thrips and soil insects at the seedling stage. More plant growth and yield of lint cotton have been obtained in comparison with the untreated control in field tests.