Detection of lethal yellowing phytoplasma in embryos from coconut palms infected with Cape St Paul wilt disease in Ghana

This study investigated the potential of seed transmission of Cape St. Paul wilt disease (CSPWD) in coconuts. PCR amplification was used to assess the distribution of phytoplasmas in parts of West African Tall (WAT) palms infected with CSPWD. Employing phytoplasma universal primer pair P1/P7 in standard PCR, or followed with a nested PCR using CSPWD–specific primer pair G813f/AwkaSR, phytoplasma infection was detected in the trunks, peduncles, spikelets, male and female flowers of four infected WAT coconut palms. Through nested PCR, phytoplasma was also detected in four of 19 embryo DNA samples extracted individually from fruits harvested from three of the four infected palms and was confirmed as CSPWD by cloning and sequencing. Subsequently, CSPWD phytoplasma was again detected in five of 33 embryos from nine infected palms, and in one of eight fruits from two symptomless palms. Fruits from infected palms recorded higher percentage germinations in two field nurseries (average of 71·0%) compared to fruits from healthy palms (average of 57·6%), and matured fruits that had dropped from infected palms showed the same levels of germination as those harvested directly from the palms. This indicates that infected fruits retain the ability to germinate whether harvested or dropped. No phytoplasmas were detected in any of the resulting seedlings and plantlets obtained through embryo in-vitro culture. Therefore, although phytoplasma DNA can be detected in embryos, there is as yet no evidence that the pathogen is seed transmitted through to the seedling to cause disease in progeny palms.     

Spatiotemporal distribution of flavescence dorée phytoplasma in grapevine

In this study quantitative real‐time PCR was used to follow the seasonal changes of flavescence dorée phytoplasma (FDp) titre in grapevines of cv. Modra frankinja (syn. Blaufränkisch) and cv. Refo?k (syn. Refosco'd'Istria) from two vineyards located in climatically different vine‐growing regions of Slovenia. Besides its known presence in the leaf veins, FDp was also detected in flowers, berry tissues and tendrils. In plants with high concentrations of FDp in tissues with symptoms, phytoplasma was also detected in symptomless tissues. A trend of decreasing FDp titre in all examined symptomless tissues from June to July and an increasing one throughout the growing season in tissues with symptoms was recorded. Accordingly, FDp was present in detectable amounts in flowers, petioles and veins of almost all infected plants in the late spring, and was detected in all examined tissue types in summer, with the highest titre in berries in August. The study showed that in the absence of plant health measurements an FDp infection may spread exponentially by a factor of 40 per year.     

Virus infection and reproductive losses in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

The viruses, bean yellow mosaic ( BYMV ), Echtes Ackerbohnenmosaik (EAMV) and bean (pea) leaf roll ( BLRV ) reduced seed yield in faba bean particularly when plants were infected at the pre-and mid-bloom stage. EAMV and BYMV , but not BLRV , delayed senescence and increased branching on glasshouse-grown plants so that more inflorescences were produced on diseased plants; most of the additional flower buds necrosed. All three viruses increased the proportion of flower buds that became necrotic thus reducing the number of mature flowers available for pollination. This, together with enhanced abscission of recently set flowers, diminished pod production. Flower set per se was unaffected by infection. The number of ovule sites per pod and weight of individual mature seeds were also unaffected by these diseases but productivity per pod declined because of increased ovule abortions. Patterns of pod production on the inflorescence and location of mature seeds within the pod were unaffected by virus infection.     

Symptomless infection by strawberry virus 1 (StrV-1) leads to losses in strawberry yields

High-throughput sequencing has opened up possibilities of detecting new plant pathogens, especially viruses, with relative ease. However, information about biological characteristics and relevance to plant production is usually lacking. Recently, a new strawberry cytorhabdovirus named strawberry virus 1 (StrV-1) was described and characterized at a molecular level. The virus can be transmitted by aphids and is commonly found in commercial plantations. Here, we studied the impact of a sole StrV-1 infection on production in two strawberry cultivars—Darselect and Karmen. All plants infected with StrV-1 remained symptomless during the experiment. In general, Darselect was more resilient to StrV-1 infection, and the average yield per plant was nonsignificantly lowered by 11.7% over the 2-year experiment. In contrast, StrV-1 infection in cultivar Karmen led to a significant yield loss of 31.8%, indicating that the genetic background plays a role. While the average fruit weight and diameter were relatively unaffected, lower yields in infected plants stemmed from a significantly reduced number of inflorescences, by 23.6% and 29.6% in Darselect and Karmen, respectively, which resulted in a reduction in the average number of flowers per plant (decreased by 16.5% and 27.3%, respectively), and hence the number of fruits per plant (by 14.5% and 27.6%, respectively). The StrV-1 load was higher in spring than in autumn, and generally higher in the second year after infection, which corresponded to higher losses in the second harvest, especially in cultivar Karmen.     

番茄灰霉病在果实上的侵染部位及防治新技术

 通过发病规律及人工接种研究,明确了番茄灰霉病菌Botrytis cinerea初侵染番茄果实的主要部位为残留的花瓣处及柱头处,随后扩展到果蒂部、脐部,最后蔓延到果实的其它部位。据此,在国内外首次提出了一种防治番茄果实灰霉病的新方法,在番茄用2,4-D蘸花后7~15 d(幼果直径10~20 mm)摘除残留的花瓣及柱头,防效达80%以上,对番茄单果重无影响。     

Molecular diagnosis of Puccinia psidii (guava rust) – a quarantine threat to Australian eucalypt and Myrtaceae biodiversity

A species-specific, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection assay, using two primer sets designed from the rRNA ITS region, was developed for Puccinia psidii . Detection sensitivities of one urediniospore alone, or one or two urediniospores in the presence of pollen or leaf tissues, respectively, were observed. The assay reliably, accurately and sensitively detected the rust from naturally infected, geographically widespread eucalypt and fruit tree plantation and nursery species from diverse tissues types (e.g. leaves, flowers, fruits, pollen, seeds and woody material) including symptomless or cryptically contaminated plants or plant tissue. Independent testing in Brazil and Australia demonstrated the international inter-laboratory transferability of the P. psidii assay required for germplasm screening, disease monitoring and quarantine and incursion management, towards which the assay has already been employed.     

The mode of infection ofColletotrichum musae (Cke. and massee) causing tip rot of banana fruits in the plantation

The mode of infection ofColletotrichum musae, the main causal agent of tip rot of banana fruits in the Jordan Valley, was investigated. Immature, apparently healthy banana fruits cv. Dwarf Cavendish were inoculated by spraying spore suspensions on the distal end of the fruit. A correlation was found among type of flowers, age of fruits at inoculation time, concentration of spores in the inoculum, and the development of tip rot in the fruits. An infection rate of 100% was obtained with suspensions at a concentration of at least 5x10⁴ spores/ml on fruit with persistent flower parts, not older than 3 weeks after the curling of the hand bract. On fruits with deciduous flower parts, only inoculations of very young fruits still under bracts was successful. Penetration of the fungus through the perianths was assessed. Virulent inoculum was found to be present in the plantation; 100% infection was obtained by using a suspension prepared from dry leaves and debris collected around banana plants.     

Suppression of Sumatra disease symptoms in cloves treated with antibiotics

Repeated infusions of a mixture of oxytetracycline and streptomycin into the wood of initially symptomless clove trees exposed to natural infection by Sumatra disease resulted in a delay in symptom onset and slower rates of symptom development compared with untreated trees. The numbers of bacterially occluded vessels in root samples of treated trees were significantly fewer than those from controls. These results strongly support the hypothesis that a xylem-limited. Gram-negative bacterium, known to be consistently associated with Sumatra disease symptoms, is the causal agent. The productive life of treated trees was usefully extended but some phytotoxicity was observed, resulting in leaf scorching and stunted flower buds. In view of the high value of the crop, antibiotic therapy merits further investigation as a short-term control measure.     

绿盲蝽对冬枣不同生长期的为害

为了解绿盲蝽对其重要果树寄主冬枣的为害特点,通过对各生长期叶、蕾、花、幼果等易受害部位接虫试验,研究绿盲蝽对冬枣的为害规律及其对冬枣坐果的影响。结果显示,不同生长期各部位的被害率和刺点数均随着接虫数的增加而增大。嫩叶期最幼嫩的部位顶芽和第1片叶被害率均为100%,第4、5片叶的被害率均为0;相同接虫密度下,花的刺点数显著高于蕾和幼果;花蕾并存时,花的刺点数显著高于蕾,而被害率无显著差异。花期受害后,坐果数显著降低,其中接1、2、3、4、5头绿盲蝽坐果数分别降低了49.49%、59.60%、84.85%、94.95%、94.87%。研究表明,绿盲蝽对冬枣的为害有明显趋嫩和趋花性,花期受害后对产量的影响最大,应加强对花、幼果期绿盲蝽种群的控制。     

Distribution patterns of mulberry dwarf phytoplasma in reproductive organs,winter buds,and roots of mulberry trees

Distribution patterns of mulberry dwarf (MD) phytoplasma were investigated in several organs of dwarf-diseased mulberry trees using direct and nested polymerase chain reactions and electron microscopy. MD phytoplasma was detected in the root of all MD-diseased trees collected from overwintering to before sprouting in the cold district; however, it was not always found in winter buds of the same trees. On the other hand, MD phytoplasma was also detected frequently in reproductive organs, such as flowers (female and bisexual flowerets), fruits (catkins), and seed coats, from a single diseased tree, although the distribution patterns were not uniform. In addition, MD phytoplasma was verified to move into roots from ground plant organs after an artificial inoculation test using the leafhopper Hishimonoides sellatiformis as a vector.     

Tomato can be a latent carrier of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’, the causal agent of potato zebra chip disease

‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ was recently described as the causal agent of potato zebra chip disease. This pathogen occurs in North America, New Zealand, and Northern Europe on various crops, and may spread to other potato growing regions. Observation on ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’‐infected tomato and potato plants propagated in growth chambers over 5 years indicated that tomato plants (cvs Moneymaker and Roma) can be a latent carrier of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’. Tomato plants graft‐inoculated with scions from latently infected tomato plants remained symptomless, but tested positive in a species specific PCR assay. ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ was consistently detected in the top, middle and bottom portion of the symptomless tomato plants, including stem, petiole, midrib, vein, flowers and fruits. In tomato fruits, ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ was evenly distributed in the tissues at the peduncle and style ends, as well as in the pericarp, and columella placenta tissues. This is the first report that ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ is present in a plant reproductive organ. In contrast, potato plants (cvs. Jemseg, Atlantic, Shepody, Frontier Russet, Russet Burbank, Red Pontiac, and Russet Norkotah) grafted with scions from the same latently infected tomato plants resulted in typical symptoms of purple top, leaf scorch, and other disease symptoms in plants and brown discoloration in the vascular ring and medullary rays in tubers.     

Epidemiology,histopathology and aetiology of olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides in Portugal

Anthracnose is an important disease affecting mature olive fruits, causing significant yield losses, and poor fruit and oil quality. In Portugal, high anthracnose incidence was recorded during 2003–2007 with 41% of 908 orchards surveyed displaying disease symptoms. In another 14% of the orchards, the pathogen was recorded in symptomless plants. Disease severity was on average 36%, frequently reaching 100%. In Portugal, anthracnose is endemic to neglected orchards of susceptible cultivars, but under favourable conditions it can also severely affect less susceptible cultivars. Pathogens were genetically heterogeneous, with Colletotrichum acutatum genetic group A2 as the most frequent (80%), followed by group A4 (12%) and group A5 along with C. gloeosporioides (3–4%), while groups A3 and A6 of C. acutatum were sporadic. Important geographic variations were observed in the frequencies of these populations, accompanied by year‐to‐year populational shifts. Epidemiology and histopathology studies showed the presence of the pathogens on vegetative organs year‐round, particularly on olive leaves and branches, and on weeds. These represent inoculum reservoirs where secondary conidiation occurs, and conidia are then dispersed by spring rains reaching flowers and young fruits or by autumn rains reaching pre‐mature fruits. Unripe fruits were colonized without showing symptoms up to penetration of the cuticle, but further colonization and symptom production was completed only as fruits matured. These findings challenge current control practices, particularly the timing of fungicide treatment, and contribute to improved disease management.     

湖北省设施番茄灰霉病发生规律及流行因子分析

为探索湖北省设施番茄灰霉病的发生规律,揭示不同流行因子与番茄灰霉病发生的关系。于2013-2016年在湖北省武穴市吴谷英村番茄种植基地选取代表性番茄大棚进行调查和取样检测,结果表明:湖北省设施番茄叶片和花朵带菌率变化起伏较大,带菌率分别为0～90.0%和0～100.0%;叶片带菌率在3月下旬到4月中下旬和5月中下旬是高峰期;花朵带菌率在4月中旬和5月中下旬达到高峰期,总体上花朵带菌率较高。番茄不同组织灰霉病的发病时间不同,叶片首先开始发病,花、果实、茎秆再逐渐发病,花朵和果实的发病率相对较高,叶片和茎秆发病率较低;花朵和果实发病率均在5月中旬至6月初达到最大值,茎秆发病率于5月下旬至6月上旬达到最高值,叶片无明显发病高峰期。果实、叶片、花朵和茎秆的发病率分别为0～42.0%、0～24.7%、0～100.0%和0～32.0%。番茄叶片发病率、花朵发病率、茎秆发病率和相对湿度均与果实发病率呈显著相关;通过预测模型检验表明相对湿度和叶片发病率所建模型预测值和实际值符合程度较好。在湖北省设施番茄大棚中,叶片发病率、花朵发病率、茎秆发病率和相对湿度对番茄果实发病影响最为显著,在防治过程中应及时摘除发病组织,调控棚内环境条件,预防灰霉病发生。     

House sparrows (Passer domesticus (Linn.)) causing severe damage to peach buds in residential areas at Ludhiana,Punjab

Abstract

House sparrow (Passer domesticus (Linn.)) damage to peach flower buds/flowers was observed during 1978–1985 in the Aggar Nagar (Ludhiana) residential locality. At the flower bud stage, sparrows destroy the buds completely by eating or damaging them so that no flowers are produced, but leaf buds and young leaves remain untouched. The average yield of the Flordasun peach cultivar is 75 kg per tree (Anonymous, 1985) but in the present case only 0 to approximately 2 kg fruit were produced per tree.     

Albugo candida staghead formation in Brassica juncea in relation to plant age, inoculation sites, and incubation conditions

Maximum staghead formation was obtained in 26-day-old (growth stage [GS] 3.1) Brassica juncea plants by inoculating differentiating flower buds with a zoospore suspension of Albugo candida race 2 V; exposing apical meristem tissues by opening the flower buds with forceps proved more conducive to staghead formation. Inoculation of 35- and 45-day-old plants (GSs 4.1 and 5.0, respectively) produced fewer hypertrophies, mainly in isolated flowers. Inoculation of 7- and 13-day-old plants (GSs 1.0 and 2.1, respectively) did not produce any hypertrophied flowers, but did result in the production of hypertrophied branches at the first node on the main stem. In general, hypertrophies were initiated more readily under greenhouse conditions than in the growth chamber. Other Brassica hosts inoculated with A. candida race 2 V or 7 V at GS 31 showed similar rankings for staghead formation and leaf infection. The technique should prove useful in screening breeding lines for disease resistance, particularly staghead formation, the most damaging phase as far as yield loss is concerned.     

First report of Alternaria dianthicola causing flower blight on carnation in China

A severe disease of carnation flowers was observed in Kunming, China in November 2009. Initial symptoms on flowers and immature flower buds were characterized by water‐soaked areas. Spots with purple margins could be seen on petals of some varieties. An Alternaria sp. was isolated from 100% of symptomatic tissues sampled. The isolates showed high virulence when inoculated onto tissue culture plantlets and on healthy carnation flowers. Results of sequence analysis of 5.8S rDNA‐ITS of isolates showed 99% sequence similarity with Alternaria dianthicola in GenBank. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this was the first sighting of blight of flowers and immature flower buds of carnation caused by Alternaria dianthicola in China.     

Examination of latent infection in raspberry canes with Phytophthora rubi and P. idaei and transmission in micropropagation

Buds of raspberry canes from naturally and artificially infected root stocks were tested by nested PCR for the latent presence of Phytophthora rubi and P. idaei to establish the risk of introducing these pathogens into micropropagation. Fifteen out of 201 buds tested positive for P. rubi and only 1 out of 176 for P. idaei. These infections were not restricted to buds in the lower part of the cane and mostly do not appear to spread systemically up from the rootstock but seem to be caused by secondary infections of the canes. Buds from symptomless canes from infected root stocks were used for micropropagation and P. rubi could be detected in 5.8% of the obtained microplants after ten generations in one of the two trials. This indicates that micropropagation procedures are not absolutely infallible in eliminating infection and underlines the necessity of a zero tolerance towards diseases in the starting material.     

Factors influencing internal fruit rot of cucumber caused by Didymella bryoniae

Several factors influencing the incidence of internal fruit rot of cucumber caused byDidymella bryoniae were studied.Internal infection of fruits is achieved via the flower. However, in most cases the majority of the fruits escaped infection after flower inoculation. It took more than two days for the fungus to reach the fruit after infection of the style. A mechanical barrier was not detected in the fruit tip within three days after inoculation of the open flower.Inoculation of wilted flowers resulted in 60% less infection than inoculation of fresh flowers. Blossom excision reduced fruit infection with ca 75%. Growing plants under drought stress markedly increased the incidence of internal fruit rot.Neither the method of inoculation, nor the composition of the inoculum, nor the relative humidity influenced the incidence of internal fruit rot. Fruit thinning, duration of fruit growth, flowering period and the removal of parts of the flower had no effect either on fruit infection.Cultivars resistant to powdery mildew were also resistant to internal fruit infection. The resistance was associated with a long style and a short flowering period.Growing cultivars in which the flowers quickly fall away from the fruitlets or in which the flowers have no style may solve the problem of internal fruit rot in cucumber.Samenvatting Factoren die van invloed kunnen zijn op het ontstaan van inwendig vruchtrot van komkommer, veroorzaakt doorDidymella bryoniae, werden onderzocht.Inwendige vruchtinfectie vindt plaats via het bloempje. Bijna altijd ontsnapte echter het grootste deel van de vruchten aan een aantasting als de bloem werd geïnoculeerd. Het duurde meer dan twee dagen voordat de schimmel via de stijl de vrucht had geïnfecteerd. In de punt van de vrucht werd binnen drie dagen na inoculatie van de open bloem geen mechanische barrière gevonden.Na inoculatie van verwelkte bloemen kwam 60% minder aantasting voor dan na inoculatie van bloemen die pas open waren. Het verwijderen van het bloempje reduceerde de aantasting met ca. 75%. Het optreden van inwendig vruchtrot nam aanzienlijk toe door de planten onder droge omstandigheden te telen.Noch de methode van inoculatie, noch de samenstelling van het inoculum, noch de relatieve luchtvochtigheid beïnvloedden het optreden van inwendig vruchtrot. Vruchtdunning, duur van de vruchtgroei, bloeiduur en het verwijderen van delen van de bloem hadden ook geen effect op de aantasting.Cultivars die resistent waren tegen echte meeldauw vertoonden ook resistentie tegen inwendige vruchtaantasting. De resistentie was gecorreleerd met een lange stijl en met een korte bloeiduur.De teelt van cultivars waarvan de bloemdelen snel van de vruchtbeginsels afvallen, of waarvan de bloempjes geen stijl hebben, zou het probleem van inwendig vruchtrot bij komkommer kunnen oplossen.     

Persistent,symptomless, systemic,and seed-borne infection of lettuce by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis>

Experiments are presented which show that Botrytis cinerea, the cause of grey mould disease, is often present in symptomless lettuce plants as a systemic, endophytic, infection which may arise from seed. The fungus was isolated on selective media from surface-sterilised sections of roots, stem pieces and leaf discs from symptomless plants grown in a conventional glasshouse and in a spore-free air-flow provided by an isolation propagator. The presence of B. cinerea was confirmed by immuno-labelling the tissues with the Botrytis-specific monoclonal antibody BC-12.CA4. As plants grew, infection spread from the roots to stems and leaves. Surface-sterilisation of seeds reduced the number of infected symptomless plants. Artificial infection of seedlings with dry conidia increased the rate of infection in some experiments. Selected isolates were genetically finger-printed using microsatellite loci. This confirmed systemic spread of the inoculating isolates but showed that other isolates were also present and that single plants hosted multiple isolates. This shows that B. cinerea commonly grows in lettuce plants as an endophyte, as has already been shown for Primula. If true for other hosts, the endophytic phase may be as important a component of the species population as the aggressive necrotrophic phase.     

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.