柑桔溃疡病菌存活期的研究

本文对鄂东南地区生态条件下柑桔溃疡病菌在不同场所的存活期进行了研究 ,并对其能否作为侵染源进行了评价。证实在病株病斑内的病菌存活时间可达一年以上 ,是此病发生最主要的侵染源。病菌在田间条件下的土壤、落叶、落果、果皮及自然水中的存活期均相当有限 ;其中以冬季病落叶中的病菌存活期最长 ,也不超过 3个月 ;故年前存在于这些场所的病菌均不能成为第 2年的初侵染源     

Detection of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri from field samples using single‐tube nested PCR

A single‐tube nested PCR was developed for detection of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), the causal agent of citrus canker disease. The assay targets the pthA gene of Xcc and utilizes different annealing temperatures for the two primer pairs. It reliably detected as few as 1·0 × 10² Xcc cells, and was unaffected by the presence of PCR inhibitors. It was 10‐fold and 8500‐fold more sensitive than standard PCR and ELISA, respectively. Increased sensitivity was also achieved via the use of a washing method for DNA extraction, as opposed to direct extraction from leaf tissue. When evaluated for Xcc detection in 90 samples collected from affected pomelo orchards, the single‐tube nested PCR was superior to standard PCR, detecting the pathogen in 67 vs. 54 samples. It was also able to detect Xcc from samples with and without symptoms. This assay can be used as a rapid and sensitive technique for routine Xcc detection in field samples for surveillance of citrus canker.     

Unstable green fluorescent protein for study of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri survival on citrus

Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker, an important disease for the citrus industry. Studies of Xac survival in environments outside of the lesion performed in the past may have underestimated the viable population because the recovery was based on the ability of the bacterium to grow on culture media. This study monitored survival of Xac that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) in two different forms: the native protein, and a protein that is unstable due to a specific oligopeptide tail targeted by proteases within the bacterium. Transformed strains of Xac were verified to be stable in their expression of GFP and to show no differences in virulence and fitness compared to wild type strains. Evaluation of protein stability confirmed that strains with unstable GFP only expressed and fluoresced in metabolically active cells, and not in dead bacteria. Fluorescence of unstable GFP strains under confocal microscopy was used to track bacterial survival and biofilm formation on leaf and fruit surfaces. After spray inoculation, aggregates of fluorescing cells of unstable GFP strains formed biofilms on leaves and fruit. Bacterial cells that aggregated on the surfaces only survived when protected from desiccation. Aggregation of viable bacteria in biofilms confirms their role in pathogen survival outside of lesions and protection from bactericide treatments in the field or in the fruit disinfection process.     

柑橘溃疡病菌免疫荧光和生物学检测技术研究

本研究通过对7个不同柑橘品种的离体叶片接种及致病性观察筛选出了柑橘溃疡病菌敏感寄主材料，并建立了柑橘溃疡病菌的生物学检测方法；还初次尝试建立了一种简便易行的柑橘溃疡病菌免疫荧光快速鉴定方法。柑橘离体叶片接种实验结果表明：福本、红肉脐橙、纽荷尔和枳壳对柑橘溃疡病菌表现出一定的感病性，而粗柠檬和邓肯葡萄柚未表现出明显感病迹象，反而出现了坏死性应激反应。免疫荧光试验结果显示：浓度为10^3cfu／mL的菌液在30℃下用BSA封闭2h，30℃下抗体结合1h，荧光抗体浓度为4μg,／mL，室温放置40min后镜检，就可以在荧光显微镜下清晰地看到绿色的柑橘溃疡病菌体，而用该方法检测不到水稻白叶枯病菌。用免疫荧光抗体检测柑橘溃疡病菌操作简便，仅需一台荧光显微镜，整个检测过程仅需要4h。     

N‐acetylcysteine interferes with the biofilm formation,motility and epiphytic behaviour of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri

Citrus canker is caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri. Bacterial biofilm formation is important in the development of this disease because it is a factor in epiphytic bacterial survival on leaves and in infection. N‐acetylcysteine (NAC), in addition to having antibacterial properties, reduces biofilm formation by a variety of bacteria and was therefore tested for impairing biofilm formation by X. citri. Copper is currently the antimicrobial compound most commonly applied in agriculture to control citrus canker. Therefore, this study also evaluated a possible synergistic effect between NAC and copper to improve the strategy for controlling this phytopathogen. NAC was found to decrease biofilm formation, the production of extracellular polysaccharides and bacterial stickiness. Motility was also affected in the presence of NAC. The best combination of NAC and copper for controlling X. citri was application of NAC followed by copper 48 h later. The concentrations of 6 mg mL^?1 of NAC and 3·5 μg mL^?1 of copper were able to kill X. citri. NAC inhibited the epiphytic behaviour of X. citri on leaves, altering cell growth and the bacterial ability to form biofilms. The addition of copper to cells previously treated with NAC enhanced its bactericidal activity. In conclusion, NAC has antibacterial properties against X. citri, interfering with bacterial growth, motility and biofilm formation. Under epiphytic conditions, NAC made the cells more susceptible to copper by affecting X. citri biofilm formation. This study opens new possibilities for the use of NAC in combination with copper, possibly resulting in more sustainable management of citrus canker.     

Characterization of phenotypically distinct strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri from Southwest Asia

Strains of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri were isolated from Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia) trees in several countries in southwest Asia. These strains produced typical erumpent bacterial canker lesions on Mexican lime but not on grapefruit (C. paradisi). Lesions on grapefruit were watersoaked and blister-like in contrast to the typical erumpent lesions seen after artificial inoculation with all described pathotypes of X. axonopodis pv. citri. This group of strains hydrolysed gelatin and casein and grew in the presence of 3% NaCl as is typical of X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype A. RFLP analyses and DNA probe hybridization assays also gave results consistent with X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype A. Metabolic fingerprints prepared with the Biolog® system showed similarities as well as differences to X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype A. In spite of the physiological and genetic similarities to pathotype A of X. axonopodis pv. citri, these strains had no or very little affinity for polyclonal antiserum prepared against any of the reference strains of X. axonopodis pv. citri and also did not react with monoclonal antibody A1, an antibody that detects all strains of pathotype A of X. axonopodis pv. citri. These strains were also insensitive to bacteriophage Cp3 like X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype A and unlike X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype B. We conclude that these strains, designated Xcc-A*, represent a variant of X. axonopodis pv. citri pathotype-A with pathogenicity limited to C. aurantifolia. The existence of extensive genotypic and phenotypic variation within pathotype A of X. axonopodis pv. citri was unexpected and further complicates the systematics of this species.     

Development of a simplified NASBA protocol for detecting viable cells of the citrus pathogen Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri under different treatments

Nucleic acid sequence based amplification (NASBA) is a method of amplifying RNA, for the detection of RNA viruses and human pathogenic bacteria. Recently, NASBA has also been employed for the detection of plant diseases caused by viruses and quarantine bacteria. A major citrus pathogen, Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), causal agent of citrus bacterial canker, is being studied in depth due to its economic importance, with recent focus concentrating on its viability and survival under different stress conditions and control treatments. In this work, a NASBA protocol using primers for gumD mRNA has been developed to assess the viability of this pathogen under different bacteriocidal treatments. This method is rapid, specific and sensitive, and is able to detect viable bacterial cells, using a hybridization device which allows the visualization of the results in only 30 min. The usefulness of the method has been confirmed with bacterial suspensions subjected to different heat treatments and to sodium orthophenylphenate.     

Laboratory Evaluation of Citrus Cultivars Susceptibility and Influence of Fruit Size on Fortune Mandarin to Infection by Alternaria alternata pv. citri

Young leaves of 62 citrus cultivars were inoculated with conidia of three Spanish isolates of Alternaria alternata pv. citri, the causal agent of brown spot of citrus. Hybrids with Dancy mandarin, King mandarin or their derivates as a parent, grapefruit cultivars and the mandarin cultivars Guillermina, Emperor, Clemenpons and Esbal were highly susceptible to the pathogen. Satsuma cultivar Clausellina and orange cultivars, with the exception of Sanguinelli, were slightly susceptible. Lemon and lime cultivars were not susceptible, with the exception of Mexican lime (Citrus aurantifolia), which was slightly susceptible. Although this study shows a range of potential hosts for this pathogen, to date the only affected cultivars in Spain are Fortune and Nova mandarins, and Minneola tangelo. The susceptibility of Fortune fruits decreased as diameter increased, being susceptible through the whole season. This was confirmed with field observations in autumn where fruit infections have been detected when the diameter reaches 6–7 cm.     

7种挥发性化合物对柑橘木虱引诱效果的评价

柑橘黄龙病对全球的柑橘产业造成了严重的经济损失,其传播媒介主要为柑橘木虱。在前期研究中利用柑橘木虱对4种芸香科植物的取食偏好结合代谢组学分析筛选出一批可能对柑橘木虱具有引诱效果的挥发性化合物,本研究鉴定了邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯、癸酸、正辛醇、左旋香芹酮、2-环己烯酮、反式-1,2-环己二醇、吡嗪等7种挥发性化合物在0、0.1%、1%、10%4个浓度和10、20、30、40、50、60 min 6个持续时间下对柑橘木虱的引诱效果,并比较了其中5种脂溶性挥发物在各自最优浓度下的引诱效果。试验结果表明,7种挥发物对柑橘木虱都有引诱效果,但是引诱效果与挥发物浓度及持续时间有关。吡嗪、左旋香芹酮、正辛醇、2-环己烯酮、癸酸、邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯和反式-1,2-环己二醇的最佳引诱浓度分别为0.1%、1%、1%、1%、10%、10%、10%。六臂嗅觉仪试验结果显示5种脂溶性挥发物中1%左旋香芹酮的引诱效果高于10%癸酸、10%邻氨基苯甲酸甲酯、1%2-环己烯酮、1%正辛醇及对照(矿物油),但与其他4种挥发物没有显著差异。研究结果可为柑橘木虱引诱剂的开发提供参考,促进柑橘黄龙病的绿色防控。     

Antifeedant and sublethal effects of imidacloprid on Asian citrus psyllid,Diaphorina citri

BACKGROUND: Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, transmits the causal bacteria of the devastating citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB). Because of the variation in spatial and temporal uptake and systemic distribution of imidacloprid applied to citrus trees and its degradation over time in citrus trees, ACP adults and nymphs are exposed to concentrations that may not cause immediate mortality but rather sublethal effects. The objective of this laboratory study was to determine the effects of sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid on ACP life stages. RESULTS: Feeding by ACP adults and nymphs on plants treated daily with a sublethal concentration (0.1 µg mL^?1) of imidacloprid significantly decreased adult longevity (8 days), fecundity (33%) and fertility (6%), as well as nymph survival (12%) and developmental rate compared with untreated controls. The magnitude of these negative effects was directly related to exposure duration and concentration. Furthermore, ACP adults that fed on citrus leaves treated systemically with lethal and sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid excreted significantly less honeydew (7–94%) compared with controls in a concentration‐dependent manner suggesting antifeedant activity of imidacloprid. CONCLUSIONS: Sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid negatively affect development, reproduction, survival and longevity of ACP, which likely contributes to population reductions over time. Also, reduced feeding by ACP adults on plants treated with sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid may potentially decrease the capacity of ACP to successfully acquire and transmit the HLB causal pathogen. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

R44型直升机喷雾防治柑橘木虱的效果初报

大区域内实施柑橘木虱统防统治是控制柑橘黄龙病的关键措施,也是难点。本试验研究R44型直升机施药防治柑橘木虱的可行性和效果。在连片柑橘园,利用R44型直升机喷洒30%噻虫嗪悬浮剂防治柑橘木虱,施药3、7和10d后,柑橘木虱的虫口减退率分别为84.2%、84.8%和85.0%,防治效果分别为85.3%、87.7%和89.6%;对果树无损伤。试验结果表明,利用R44直升机施药进行柑橘木虱大面积防治可行有效,是一种省工、快速、高效的施药方式,值得大面积推广应用。     

Effect of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection on susceptibility of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, to selected insecticides

BACKGROUND: In the present investigation, the effect of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), a bacterium considered to be responsible for causing huanglongbing (HLB) disease in citrus, on the physiology of its vector, the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, was determined. Specifically, the effects of Las infection on the susceptibility of ACP to selected insecticides were determined. Furthermore, total protein content and general esterase activity were quantified in Las‐infected and uninfected ACP to gain insight into the possible mechanism(s) responsible for altered susceptibility to insecticides owing to Las infection. RESULTS: LC₅₀ values were significantly lower in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP adults for chlorpyrifos and spinetoram. Furthermore, there was a general trend towards lower LC₅₀ values for three other insecticides for Las‐infected ACP; however, the differences were not statistically significant. Total protein content (µg mL^?1) was significantly lower in Las‐infected (23.5 ± 1.3 in head + thorax; 27.7 ± 1.9 in abdomen) than in uninfected (29.7 ± 2.1 in head + thorax; 35.0 ± 2.3 in abdomen) ACP. Likewise, general esterase enzyme activity (nmol min^?1 mg^?1 protein) was significantly lower in Las‐infected (111.6 ± 4.5 in head + thorax; 109.5 ± 3.7 in abdomen) than in uninfected (135.9 ± 7.5 in head + thorax; 206.1 ± 23.7 in abdomen) ACP. CONCLUSION: Susceptibility of ACP to selected insecticides from five major chemistries was greater in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP. The lower total protein content and reduced general esterase activity in Las‐infected than in uninfected ACP may partly explain the observed higher insecticide susceptibility of Las‐infected ACP. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry