迭球螋成虫对棉蚜的捕食作用

在室内测定迭球螋(Forficula vicaria Semenov)成虫对棉蚜(Aphis gossypii Glover)的捕食作用。结果表明, 迭球螋对棉蚜的捕食功能反应符合HollingⅡ(1959)型模型, 拟合的圆盘方程为 Na=0.993 6 Nt/(1+0.004 1 Nt); 根据汪世泽等(1988)提出的 HollingⅢ型功能反应新模型 Na=a ?exp(- bNt -1 )拟合, 求得日均最大捕食量176.9头, 最佳寻找密度92头; 利用Holling(1959)寻找效应与猎物密度关系公式 E=a/(1+aThNt ), 结果表明寻找效应随猎物密度的增加而降低; 利用Hassell (1969)模型 E=QP-m 和 Beddington(1975)模型 E=aT/［1+btw(P-1)］对寻找效应与迭球螋成虫密度之间的关系进行拟合, 拟合方程分别为: E=0.631 8 P -1.369 3 和E =0.738 4/(2.266 8 P -1.266 8), Beddington模型更好地反映了寻找效应与迭球螋密度之间的关系; 寻找效应与迭球螋密度和棉蚜密度之间的关系用Beddington(1975)模型 E=a/［1+aThNa+btW(P-1)］进行描述, 拟合方程: E=0.738 4/(2.266 8 P+0.004 04 Na -1.266 8), 寻找效应随迭球螋密度和猎物棉蚜密度的增大而下降。     

异色瓢虫幼虫对云南云杉长足大蚜若虫的捕食效应

在室内研究了捕食性天敌异色瓢虫4龄幼虫对云南云杉长足大蚜若虫的捕食作用。结果表明,异色瓢虫对云南云杉长足大蚜若虫的捕食功能反应符合HollingⅡ型反应,拟合的圆盘方程为N_a=1.028 9 N_t/(1+0.009 8 N_t)。根据HollingⅢ型功能反应新模型N_a=a·exp~(-b/N_t)计算出最佳寻找密度43.54头;在猎物密度一定的情况下,利用其捕食作用率与个体间相互干扰作用的关系用Hassell-Varley的干扰反应模型拟合为E=0.242 4P~(-0.398 5);分摊竞争强度与其密度的关系式为I=0.005 4lgP+0.679 6。利用Holling(1959)寻找效应(E)与猎物密度(N_t)关系式计算了寻找效应;利用HassellVarley(1969)模型和Beddington(1975)2种模型对异色瓢虫4龄幼虫寻找效应和自身密度之间的关系进行了模拟,模拟方程分别为:E=0.748 7P~(-1.298 4)、E=1.021 3/(2.479 4P-1.479 4)和E=1.021 3/(0.01 N_a+2.479 4P-1.479 4),异色瓢虫对云南云杉长足大蚜的寻找效应随猎物密度及捕食者密度的增加而下降。     

异色瓢虫对柴胡明蚜的捕食作用

为了明确异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis Pallas对柴胡明蚜Hyadaphis bupleuri B9rner的捕食作用及防治潜力。本文在室内测定了异色瓢虫4龄幼虫和雌、雄成虫对柴胡明蚜的捕食功能反应、寻找效应和自身密度干扰反应。研究结果表明,异色瓢虫4龄幼虫及雌、雄成虫的功能反应均属HollingⅡ型,其中雌、雄成虫的捕食能力(a/T_h)较强,分别为222.7和199.3,捕食上限(1/T_h)最大,分别为190头/d和182头/d。异色瓢虫对柴胡明蚜的捕食量与猎物密度呈正相关,但寻找效应与猎物密度呈负相关。异色瓢虫自身密度对其捕食作用的干扰效果明显,天敌密度与其对柴胡明蚜的捕食量呈负相关,反应符合Watt模型。异色瓢虫对柴胡明蚜有较强的生物防治潜能。     

异色瓢虫对槐蚜的捕食功能反应

在室内条件下,就异色瓢虫对槐蚜的捕食功能反应进行了研究。结果表明,异色瓢虫各龄幼虫、成虫对槐蚜的日捕食量差异较大。在相同槐蚜密度条件下,老熟幼虫和成虫的捕食量要远远高于低龄幼虫;各龄幼虫、成虫的捕食量均随槐蚜密度的增加而增加,当槐蚜增加到一定水平,捕食量趋于稳定。异色瓢虫各龄幼虫和成虫的功能反应均属于HollingⅡ型,经Χ2检验,各圆盘方程理论值和实测值拟合较好。异色瓢虫各龄幼虫、成虫对槐蚜的寻找效应随猎物密度的增加而减少。     

异色瓢虫对雪松长足大蚜的捕食作用

为明确异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis对雪松长足大蚜Cinara cedri的捕食能力,采用捕食功能反应方法在室内测定了异色瓢虫各龄幼虫和成虫对雪松长足大蚜4龄若蚜的捕食功能反应、寻找效应、种内干扰效应及环境温度对其捕食能力的影响。结果显示:异色瓢虫各龄幼虫和成虫对雪松长足大蚜若蚜的捕食功能反应类型均属于Holling II型,成虫对雪松长足大蚜的捕食能力强于幼虫,幼虫的捕食能力随虫龄的增大而增强,1～4龄幼虫及成虫的日最大捕食量分别是11.41、41.32、61.73、140.85、188.68头;异色瓢虫1～4龄幼虫及成虫对雪松长足大蚜4龄若蚜的寻找效应随猎物密度的增加而下降,二者之间呈线性相关,相关系数为0.9758～0.9993,其中2龄幼虫的搜寻效应随猎物密度的增加,下降趋势最大,成虫则下降趋势最小;异色瓢虫成虫的捕食受到较强的种内干扰,在猎物密度和捕食空间一定的情况下,单头日平均捕食量随其自身密度的增加而降低,二者间关系符合模型A=58.8391x~(-0.3313);异色瓢虫的捕食受环境温度影响明显,在15～35℃范围内,其成虫对雪松长足大蚜的捕食量先增加后减少,25℃是异色瓢虫最适宜的捕食温度。表明异色瓢虫对雪松长足大蚜有很强的捕食能力,尤其是成虫和高龄幼虫,但应用时还需考虑温度因素的影响。     

多异长足瓢虫捕食枸杞蚜的功能反应与寻找效应研究

通过室内多异长足瓢虫对枸杞蚜捕食作用的研究表明,多异长足瓢虫成虫对枸杞蚜若蚜的捕食功能反应符合HollingⅡ型反应模型,拟合的圆盘方程为Na=0.571N/(1 0.033 3N),其寻找效应随着构杞蚜若蚜密度的增加而降低.多异长足瓢虫成虫对自身密度的功能反应用Watt模型拟合为A=75.21p-0.5339,其捕食作用率与个体间相互干扰作用的关系用Haasell-Vadey干扰反应模型拟合为E=0.863 6P-1.0515.     

异色瓢虫成虫对胡萝卜微管蚜的捕食作用

为明确异色瓢虫成虫对胡萝卜微管蚜的捕食作用,本研究以三岛柴胡为寄主植物,在室内测定了异色瓢虫成虫的捕食功能反应和种内干扰对其捕食作用的影响。结果表明,异色瓢虫成虫的捕食量受胡萝卜微管蚜密度影响,捕食反应符合HollingⅡ型方程。异色瓢虫成虫的瞬时攻击率a为1.1534,取食1头猎物所需时间T_h为0.012 0 d。其理论最大日捕食量为83.33头;在一定空间和相同比例猎物条件下,异色瓢虫成虫对胡萝卜微管蚜的捕食作用受种内干扰的影响,干扰系数为0.961 0。     

六斑月瓢虫捕食不同猎物的功能反应研究

在室内条件下研究了六斑月瓢虫Menochilus sexmaculata雌、雄成虫对烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci、豆蚜Aphis craccivora和玉米蚜Rhopalosiphum maidis的捕食作用。结果表明,六斑月瓢虫成虫对3种猎物的捕食功能反应均符合HollingⅡ功能反应模型,经χ2检验,其理论值与观察值差异不显著。捕食功能反应参数反映六斑月瓢虫雌、雄成虫对烟粉虱、玉米蚜和豆蚜的捕食量差异显著,其最大日捕食量分别为86.21、217.39、303.03头和60.98、151.52、153.85头。六斑月瓢虫雌、雄成虫的搜寻效应均随猎物的密度增加而降低,且以取食豆蚜和玉米蚜的搜寻效应大于烟粉虱。六斑月瓢虫成虫对3种猎物的控制能力大小依次为豆蚜玉米蚜烟粉虱,且雌成虫大于雄成虫。     

黄足肥螋成虫对草地贪夜蛾2龄幼虫的捕食功能反应

为明确黄足肥螋Eurellia pallipes对草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda的捕食能力,在室内于(28±1)℃,L//D=16 h//8 h条件下,研究了黄足肥螋成虫对草地贪夜蛾2龄幼虫的捕食功能与搜寻效应。结果表明:黄足肥螋成虫对草地贪夜蛾2龄幼虫具有较强的捕食作用,捕食时,黄足肥螋先用尾铗夹伤草地贪夜蛾幼虫或造成其死亡后再取食,持续取食时间最长达22 min,最短6 min,平均取食时间为(10.3±3.3) min。通过HollingⅡ模型对捕食作用数据进行拟合,发现其对草地贪夜蛾2龄幼虫的捕食功能反应属于HollingⅡ模型,日最大捕食量为62.5头,瞬时攻击率和处理时间分别为0.951和0.016 d。黄足肥螋成虫对草地贪夜蛾2龄幼虫表现出一定的搜寻效应,但在一定的空间内随着猎物密度的增加其搜寻效应逐渐降低。由此表明,黄足肥螋成虫对草地贪夜蛾低龄幼虫具有较好的防控潜力。     

黄足肥螋的发生及其对苹果绵蚜的捕食作用

本文对黄足肥螋Euborellia pallipes(Shiraki)的发生及其对苹果绵蚜Eriosoma lanigerum(Hausmann)的捕食作用开展了研究。结果表明:7～9月份是黄足肥螋田间发生高峰期,它对苹果绵蚜E.lanigerum(Hausmann)的功能反应符合HollingⅡ,Na=0.9804N/(1 0.0108N),其捕食量随苹果绵蚜密度的增加而增加,日最大捕食量和最佳寻找密度可达46.3头和19.9头。在15～30℃下,黄足肥螋的捕食量随温度的升高而增加,每头成虫在10、15℃、18℃、20℃、25℃和30℃下的取食量分别为3.3头、20.3头、23.8头、25.8头和27.0头。研究表明了黄足肥螋是苹果绵蚜的主要捕食性天敌昆虫之一,应加强保护与利用。     

Dermestid beetles in ‘evolution Canyon’, lower Nahal Oren, Mt. Carmel, including new records for Israel

Fifteen species of dermestid beetles were recorded at ‘Evolution Canyon’ (EC), Lower Nahal Oren, Mt. Carmel, Israel. They represent ~35% of known Israeli dermestid species. The following three species were recorded for the first time in Israel:Trogoderma svriaca Dalla Torre, 1911;Ctesias svriaca Ganglbauer, 1904; andAnthrenus (s.str.) jordaniens Pic, 1934. Adults of 13 species were collected on the more solar radiated, warmer and climatically more fluctuating south-facing slope (SFS); ten species were collected on the opposite, north-facing slope (NFS), which was cooler and climatically more stable. The abundance of adult dermestid beetles was 1.9 times higher on the SFS than on the NFS (86 and 47, respectively). Species richness and abundance distribution at EC (three collecting stations on each slope and one at the valley bottom) were significantly negatively correlated with the plant cover that consisted of trees and bushes (Spearmanr _s ,P=0.007 and 0.039, respectively) and perennials (Spearmanr _s ,P=0.039 and 0.077, respectively), indicating that non-woody plants were preferred by adult dermestid beetles.     

Epidemiology of Toxigenic Fungi and their Associated Mycotoxins for Some Mediterranean Crops

Recent data on the epidemiology of the common mycotoxigenic species of Fusarium, Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium in infected or colonized plants, and in stored or processed plant products from the Mediterranean area are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the toxigenicity of the causal fungal species and the natural occurrence of well known mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, patulin, Alternaria-toxins and moniliformin), as well as some more recently described compounds (fusaproliferin, beauvericin) whose toxigenic potential is not yet well understood. Several Fusarium species reported from throughout the Mediterranean area are responsible of the formation of mycotoxins in infected plants and in plant products, including: Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, F. cerealis, F. avenaceum, F. sporotrichioides and F. poae, which produce deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, fusarenone, zearalenone, moniliformin, and T-2 toxin derivatives in wheat and other small grains affected by head blight or scab, and in maize affected by red ear rot. Moreover, strains of F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, and F. subglutinans, that form fumonisins, beauvericin, fusaproliferin, and moniliformin, are commonly associated with maize affected by ear rot. Fumonisins, were also associated with Fusarium crown and root rot of asparagus and Fusarium endosepsis of figs, caused primarily by F. proliferatum. Toxigenic A. alternata strains and associated tenuazonic acid and alternariols were commonly found in black mould of tomato, black rot of olive and citrus, black point of small cereals, and black mould of several vegetables. Toxigenic strains of A. carbonarius and ochratoxin A were often found associated with black rot of grapes, whereas toxigenic strains of A. flavus and/or P. verrucosum, forming aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively, were found in moulded plant products from small cereals, peanuts, figs, pea, oilseed rape, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios, and almonds. Finally, toxigenic strains of P. expansum and patulin were frequently found in apple, pear and other fresh fruits affected by blue mould rot, as well as in derived juices and jams.     

Broad bean mottle virus in Morocco; curculionid vectors,and natural occurrence in food legumes other than faba bean (Vicia faba)

Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV) was transmitted from infected to healthy faba-bean plants by the curculionid weevilsApion radiolus Kirby,Hypera variabilis Herbst,Pachytychius strumarius Gyll,Smicronyx cyaneus Gyll, andSitona lineatus L. The latter appeared to be an efficient vector: acquisition and inoculation occurred at the first bite, the rate of transmission was c. 41%, and virus retention lasted for at least seven days.S. lineatus transmitted the virus from faba bean to lentil and pea, but not to the three genotypes of chickpea tested. This is the first report on the generaHypera, Pachytychius, andSmicronyx as virus vectors, and onA. radiolus, H. variabilis, P. strumarius, andS. cyaneus as vectors of BBMV.Out of 351 samples of food legumes with symptoms suggestive of virus infection, 16, 11, 19, and 17% of the samples of chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean, respectively, were found infected when tested for BBMV in DAS-ELISA. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of BBMV in chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean. The virus should be regarded as a food-legume virus rather than a faba-bean virus solely, and is considered an actual threat to food legume improvement programmes.     

Characterization of potato potyvirus Y (PVY) isolates from seed potato batches. Situation of the NTN, Wilga and Z isolates

A collection of 38 PVY isolates from seed potato batches, originating from several Western European countries, was characterized by using current biological, serological and molecular tools differentiating PVY strains and groups. The correlation between the three kinds of tests was good but not absolute. No single serological or PCR method was able to discriminate among the five isolate groups found. Twenty-nine isolates belonged to the PVY^N strain and six to the PVY^O strain. No PVY^C was found. Two other isolates reacted serologically like PVY^O, but were unable to elicit a hypersensitive response from the Ny_tbr gene and probably represent the PVY^Z group. At the molecular level, these two isolates showed a combination of both PVY^O and PVY^N and could be recombinants of these strains. Another isolate reacted serologically like PVY^O, but induced vein necrosis in tobacco, like PVY^N-Wilga. Some PVY^N isolates caused tuber ring necrosis in glasshouse conditions. These might belong to the PVY^NTN group. The PVY^NTN, PVY^N-Wilga and PVY^Z groups probably represent pathotypes within strains PVY^N and PVY^O, respectively. The present study also confirms previous reports showing a high genetic variation at the 5 end within the PVYN strain.     

The autumn leafroller: Phenology,damage and parasitoids in a Dutch apple orchard

The phenology of the autumn leafroller,Syndemis musculana, a local pest of apple, was studied in order to forecast larval emergence. From 1983–1986, peak flight as determined with sexpheromone traps was always between 13–18 May. The duration of embryonic development was determined at various constant temperatures and used to estimate the periods of egg hatch in these four years. Each year, most eggs should have hatched in the second decade of June.Differences in attack rates between apple cultivars seem to be explained largely by the variation in picking time. Larvae are only half grown at the beginning of harvest (cv. James Grieve), and have gone into hibernation when the latest variety (cv. Golden Delicious) is picked. Moreover, the varieties Cox's Orange Pippin and Belle de Boskoop, picked about half time, are liable to receive additional damage by caterpillars brought with the picked fruits into storage.Various hymenopterous parasites were reared from caterpillars. As the only leafroller in the orchard which hibernates as mature larva,S. musculana may promote winter survival of some parasitoids, like the eulophidColpyclypeus florus.Samenvatting De fenologie van de herfstbladroller (Syndemis musculana Hübner), een incidentele plaag op appel, werd nader bepaald met het doel het uitkomen van de eieren te kunnen voorspellen. In 1983–1986 viel de piekvlucht, bepaald met behulp van feromoonvallen, steeds tussen 13 en 18 mei.De ontwikkelingsduur van de eieren bij verschillende constante temperaturen werd gebruikt om de periode van uitkomen te schatten. De meeste eieren zullen ieder jaar in de eerste helft van juni uitkomen.Geconstateerde verschillen in schade tussen appelrassen blijken goeddeels terug te voeren op verschillen in pluktijdstip. De rupsen van de herfstbladroller zijn pas half-was als de eerste appels eind augustus geplukt worden, terwijl tegen het einde van de oogst begin oktober de meeste al in winterslaap zijn. Met name tussentijdse rassen, als Cox's Orange Pippin and Schone van Boskoop, lopen extra schade op doordat grotere rupsen met de geplukte vruchten in de kist terecht komen.Uit de rupsen werden negen, al van andere boomgaardbladrollers bekende, sluipwespen gekweekt, Omdat deze bladrollersoort, als enige in de boomgaard, als volgroeide rups overwintert, lijkt zij bij uitstek geschikt als winterwaard.This study was carried out at the Experimental Orchard De Schuilenburg, Schuilenburg 3, 4041 BK Kesteren, the Netherlands, to which address correspondence should be addressed.     

Characterization of Sclerotinia minor populations in Texas peanut fields

In the summer of 2004 an epidemic of sclerotinia blight of peanut, a disease caused by Sclerotinia minor, occurred in Texas in fields where the disease was never previously detected. The disease was observed on many plants within one of the fields (>3000 disease foci), although most foci were <1 m. It is hypothesized that these observations were inconsistent with the recent introduction of a monocyclic pathogen, even if disease developed under conducive environmental conditions. The pattern of disease is most suggestive of the presence of foliar (ascospore) infections, although air temperature was above the known limits for apothecia development if the pathogen had arrived in the field in 2004 peanut seed. To further examine this epidemic, 232 isolates were collected, across a variety of spatial scales spanning this field and other Texas peanut fields, and evaluated for aggressiveness, fungicide sensitivity and genotypic diversity. There was wide variation among isolates for the phenotypic characteristics measured, but there was no evidence that a genotypically unique, highly aggressive, and fungicide resistant isolate had been introduced or evolved. The predominant genotype, TX1, which contained 154 isolates, was found in every county and field population.     

Eyespot of Cereals Revisited: ITS phylogeny Reveals New Species Relationships

Four species so far classified in Pseudocercosporella or Ramulispora (hyphomycetes) are associated with eyespot disease symptoms of cereals. Two of these have been linked to teleomorphs that were described in Tapesia. Sequence data derived from the Internal Transcribed Spacer region (ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2) of the rDNA operon showed, however, that the eyespot fungi associated with Tapesia are not congeneric with Ramulispora sorghi, the type of Ramulispora. The genus name Tapesia is now rejected in favour of the conserved name Mollisia, which appears to comprise heterogeneous fungi. Tapesia yallundae is not closely related to the type of Mollisia, M. cinerea, but clusters separately, being more closely allied to species with Cadophora anamorphs. A new holomorph genus, Oculimacula, is therefore proposed for teleomorphs of the eyespot fungi, while the anamorphs are accommodated in Helgardia gen. nov.     

Transgene herbizidresistente Kulturen

Zusammenfassung Herbizidresistente Kulturpflanzen nehmen unter den derzeit weltweit angebauten gentechnisch veränderten Ackerbaukulturen Sojabohne, Baumwolle, Raps und Mais den weit überwiegenden Anteil ein. Als Ursachen für die rasche Zunahme der Anbauflächen herbizidresistenter Sorten sind unter anderem die Unzulänglichkeiten der für diese Kulturen bestehenden Herbizidlösungen sowie die Zunahme der pfluglosen Bestellverfahren zu sehen. Im Gegenzug hat die Minimalbodenbearbeitung aufgrund der Einführung der Herbizidresistenztechnologie, insbesondere in Sojabohne, ein ausgeprägtes Flächenwachstum erfahren.Als Entscheidungskriterien für die Wahl des Unkrautbekämpfungssystems unter Einbezug des Anbaus herbizidresistenter oder konventioneller Sorten lassen sich aus den Erfahrungen der vergangenen 8 Jahre anführen: Sortenleistung, erhöhte Kulturverträglichkeit und zeitliche Anwendungsflexibilität, Wirkungssicherheit einer Nachauflaufbehandlung in Trockenregionen, Wirkungsbreite, Wirkungsdauer und Bekämpfung resistenter Unkrautbiotypen. Aufgrund fehlender Zulassungen und Kennzeichnungsvorschriften in wichtigen Exportmärkten sind für den Anbau transgener Sorten in Übersee auch Vermarktungseinschränkungen sowie für den Anbau in Europa Haftungs- und Koexistenzregeln wichtige einzelbetriebliche Entscheidungsparameter.Fortschritte erfährt die Herbizidresistenztechnologie kurz- und mittelfristig in der Weiterentwicklung bereits praktizierter Spritzfolgen und Tankmischungen zu Fertigformulierungen der Komplementärherbizide mit residualen Partnern. Zur Bekämpfung und Vorbeugung der Ausbreitung neuer herbizidresistenter Biotypen werden die Komplementärherbizide mit Partnern anderer Wirkungsmechanismen kombiniert. Weitere Entwicklungen sind die Kombination verschiedener transgener Merkmale mit der Herbizidresistenz sowie die Ausweitung von den derzeit dominierenden Kulturen auf weltweit weniger bedeutsame Kulturen, in denen die Entwicklung neuer konventioneller Herbizidwirkstoffe bisher wenig erfolgreich war oder im Verhältnis zum Aufwand nur bedingt attraktiv ist. Für die langfristige Entwicklung könnte die Plastidentransformation zur Verhinderung einer unerwünschten Ausbreitung transgener Merkmale Bedeutung erlangen.     

Pathogenic fungi involved in root rot of peas in the Netherlands and their physiological specialization

Research on root rot pathogens of peas in the Netherlands has confirmed the prevalence ofFusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Pythium spp.,Mycosphaerella pinodes andPhoma medicaginis var.pinodella. Aphanomyces euteiches andThielaviopsis basicola were identified for the first time as pea pathogens in the Netherlands. Other pathogens such asRhizoctonia solani andCylindrocarpon destructans were also found on diseased parts of roots. F. solani existed in different degrees of pathogenicity, and was sometimes highly specific to pea, dwarf bean of field bean, depending on the cropping history of the field.A. euteiches was specific to peas, whereasT. basicola showed some degree of physiological specialization.     

Surveys of cereal diseases and pests in the Netherlands. 3. Monographella nivalis and Fusarium spp. in winter wheat fields and seed lots

Data from surveys of winter wheat fields in the period 1974–1986 and of seed lots in the period 1962–1986 and identifications of diseases on plant samples were compiled to describe the occurrence of snow mould (Monographella nivalis) andFusarium spp. On average,M. nivalis dominated overFusarium spp. The complex ofFusarium spp. constituted mainly ofF. culmorum, followed byF. avenaceum andF. graminearum. M. nivalis was dominant in May on stem-bases and in July on leaves and leaf sheaths. On seedsM. nivalis predominated only in years with low temperatures in July and August.Average brown footrot infection in the field was 4% tillers in May and 5% culms in July. Brown footrot intensity in July was high in cropping seasons with high precipitation in October and with low temperatures in October, November and December. In July during the early eighties, an average of 8% of leaves and 6% of flag leaf sheaths were infected byM. nivalis. Average ear blight incidence was 1.2% glumes infected. Seed contamination by these pathogens averaged 16% in the years 1962–1986. The contamination was high in years with high precipitation in June, July and August. Aspects of cv. resistance and yield loss are illustrated.