Identification of wheat blue dwarf phytoplasma effectors targeting plant proliferation and defence responses

The identification of effectors from pathogenic microbes is one of the most important subjects for elucidating infection mechanisms. Wheat blue dwarf (WBD) phytoplasma causes dwarfism, witches' broom, and yellow leaf tips in wheat plants, resulting in severe yield loss in northwestern China. In this study, 37 candidate effector proteins were transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Plants expressing the SAP11‐like protein SWP1 exhibited typical witches' broom. Interestingly, another protein, SWP11, induced both cell death and defence responses, including H₂O₂ accumulation and callose deposition. Analysis by qRT‐PCR was used to show that a marker gene of the hypersensitive response, HIN1, and three pathogenesis‐related genes, PR1, PR2 and PR3, were significantly up‐regulated in leaves of N. benthamiana expressing SWP11. In addition, SWP12 and SWP21 (TENGU‐like) were shown to suppress SWP11‐, BAX‐, and/or INF1‐induced cell death. These results indicated that SWP21 has a distinct role in virulence compared with TENGU and that WBD phytoplasma possesses effectors that target plant proliferation and defence responses. The ability of these effectors to trigger or suppress plant immunity provides new insights into the phytoplasma–plant interaction.     

苹果黑星病的药剂防治

苹果黑星病Venturia inaequalis是黑龙江省对內检疫对象之一。一般发病率为30—40％,严重时可达90％以上。主要为害小苹果树的叶和果实,造成早期落叶,削弱树势生长,花芽形成不良,影响果实品质和产量,并成为影响果树安全越冬的主要原因之一。 1963—1964年間,我們用120倍波尔多液和代森鋅分別进行了防治时期和浓度試驗,結果見     

Activation of tomato plant defence responses against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum using DL-3-aminobutyric acid (BABA)

In this study, we investigated the ability of DL-3-aminobutyric acid (BABA) to protect tomato against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. This was combined with studies of accumulation of total phenolic compounds, free and total salicylic acid (SA), and activity of enzymes related to plant defence, i.e., polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and catalase (CAT). Under greenhouse conditions, tomato plants pre-treated by soil drenching with BABA profoundly reduced disease severity of bacterial wilt compared to plants receiving a soil drench with water. Thus, BABA reduced leaf wilting index by 75.3 % and vascular browning index by 69.9 %, without any in vitro inhibitory activity on the pathogen. BABA treatment significantly reduced the population of R. solanacearum in stems of tomato plants and additionally also significantly increased both fresh and dry weight of roots and shoots of tomato plants compared with the inoculated control. Application of BABA resulted in a high increase in PPO activity both in plants with and without inoculation. Compared to water-treated plants, treatment with BABA also induced a significant increase of total phenolic compounds as well as of free and total SA in leaves of both inoculated and non-inoculated tomato plants at all sampling times. CAT activity decreased in tomato plants treated with BABA in comparison with the water-treated control plants and the decrease in activity correlated with an increasing total SA accumulation. These findings suggest that BABA treatment resulted in induction of resistance to bacterial wilt in tomato.     

花生疮痂病发生规律与防治试验

对花生疮痂病作分离培养、越冬场所、流行动态、品种抗性和防治试验。结果表明,病菌能在花生汁液琼脂平板上形成菌落,对新梢嫩叶喷雾接种潜育期3 d,病菌主要在病株残体上越冬。感病品种果荚带病率高,可通过种子调运和销售传播。在福州于4月下旬始病,5月中下旬盛发,出现明显的发病双高峰期;花生下针结荚期间遇持续降雨是导致该病流行的主要原因。用70%甲基硫菌灵可湿性粉剂500倍液或10%苯醚甲环唑可湿性粉剂1 000倍液,每隔10天连续施药2次,可达到显著的防病增产效果。     

A during-infection spray strategy using sulphur compounds,copper, silicon and a new formulation of potassium bicarbonate for primary scab control in organic apple production

In a field experiment conducted over two growing seasons, the effectiveness and phytotoxicity of inorganic fungicides such as sulphur, lime sulphur, copper, silicon and Armicarb (a new formulation of potassium bicarbonate) was compared with water for the control of primary apple scab infections in Belgium on high, medium and low scab-susceptible cultivars (cvs ‘Pinova’, ‘Pirouette’ and ‘Reinette des Capucins’, respectively). In order to drastically reduce the amount of fungicide applied in the orchard, two approaches were used: (1) a strategy involving spraying during the infection process, before fungal penetration and (2) a tunnel sprayer machine for treatment applications. Under field conditions highly favourable for disease, low rates of elemental sulphur (31.8 and 38.6 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 2005 and 2006, respectively) combined with low rates of copper (2.1 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in both years) provided the best scab control and reduced scab severity on the fruits of cv. ‘Pinova’ by 97 and 98% compared with water control in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Lime sulphur was much more effective than wettable sulphur and appeared to be efficient at temperatures below 10°C, but its effectiveness against apple scab decreased if the treatments were applied 12–24 h later than in the ‘during-infection’ spray strategy. Armicarb used alone significantly reduced apple scab severity on the leaves and fruits of the three cultivars compared with the water control. Its effectiveness was as good as wettable sulphur applied using the same timing and dosage. Silicon reduced apple scab on fruits very slightly, but not on leaves. The amounts of wettable sulphur, lime sulphur, copper, silicon and potassium bicarbonate used in this experiment to control apple scab were not phytotoxic, did not increase fruit russet, did increase the yield of each cultivar and did not affect summer density of the beneficial Typhlodromus pyri. The potential and limitations of ‘during-infection’ spraying as a protection strategy against apple scab in organic farming are discussed.     

马铃薯粉痂病综合防治技术初探

近年来,粉痂病已成为云南省马铃薯生产上的重要病害之一,但目前还没有有效防治粉痂病的药剂和措施。本试验于2005年对云南省马铃薯粉痂病的综合防治技术进行了大田试验和温室盆栽试验。结果表明:在大田试验和温室盆栽试验中,品种会-2对马铃薯粉痂病均表现较高的抗性,在播种穴中施用适量的豆饼进行处理均能较好地防止粉痂病的发生,其他处理的防治效果则不明显。     

Effects of cultivar mixtures on scab control in apple orchards

The effects of two mixtures of resistant and susceptible apple cultivars on the development of scab caused by Venturia inequalis were observed in an experimental orchard over four years, initially for two years without fungicides against scab, and subsequently for two years with a moderate fungicide schedule. The row-by-row and within-row mixtures included a susceptible cultivar and a resistant cultivar in equal proportions. Without fungicides, the results showed a significant reduction of disease incidence over both years (7·3 to 21·3%), and severity in the second year (35·4%) in the within-row mixtures, compared to the monoculture of the susceptible cultivar. The best results were obtained when the within-row mixture was associated with moderate fungicide treatments; in this case the reduction in disease incidence reached 75·1% on leaves and 69·7% on fruits during the growth phase. The characteristics of the Venturia inaequalis / Malus  ×  domestica pathosystem and the results obtained in this experiment suggest a moderate but not negligible ability of cultivar mixtures for reducing epidemics of the disease.     

麦类赤霉病的土表消毒剂测定

麦类穗期赤霉病的病菌来源和土表植物残体上发生的于囊孢子关系密切。通过土表消毒,消除或抑制孢子的形成是一个新的防病途径。过去曾有报告应用西力生石灰粉可以减轻发病,更有效的土表消毒剂向待寻求。在1960年和1961年期间,     

Implication of peroxynitrite in defence responses of potato to Phytophthora infestans

In this study peroxynitrite (ONOO^?) is proposed as an important player in defence responses during the interaction of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. The potato–avr P. infestans model system exhibited a transient programme of boosted ONOO^? formation correlated in time with the burst of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide during the first 6 h post‐inoculation (hpi). The early ONOO^? over‐accumulation was not accompanied by TPx gene expression. In contrast, the compatible interaction revealed a 24 h delay of ONOO^? formation; however, an enhanced level of NO and superoxide correlated with TPx up‐regulation was recorded within the earlier stages of pathogen infection. Peroxynitrite over‐accumulation in the susceptible potato coincided with an enhanced level of protein tyrosine nitration starting from 24 hpi. Surprisingly, the nitroproteome profile of the resistant potato did not show any visible difference after inoculation, apart from one band containing subtilisin‐like protease‐like proteins, which appeared 48 h after pathogen attack. An additional pharmacological approach showed that treatment of the susceptible genotype with ONOO^? followed by inoculation with P. infestans contributed to slowing down of the colonization of host tissues by the pathogen via a faster and stronger up‐regulation of the key defence markers, including the PR‐1 gene. Taken together, the results obtained indicate that a precise control of emitted NO and superoxide in cooperation with thioredoxin‐dependent redox sensors in sites of pathogen ingress could generate a sufficient threshold of ONOO^?, triggering defence responses.     

Apple scab: numerical optimization of a new thermal time scale and application for modelling ascospore release in southern France

Adequate protection of apple trees during the primary contamination period is a cornerstone for management of apple scab. Correct timing of spring treatments is fundamental and thus, much effort has been devoted to forecasting ascospore release by Venturia inaequalis. Most models rely on degree‐day accumulation starting from a biofix date established yearly on the basis of biological observations. Here, the potential of using a single calendar date as a biofix and new types of time scales were explored, with the help of numerical optimization with field‐collected data. Using data acquired between 1996 and 2008, the daily rate of development for V. inaequalis primary inoculum was assessed by fitting generic time scale functions, a method that requires the smallest number of assumptions about the effect of temperature on the biological phenomenon. An optimal calendar biofix was established for Provence and use of non‐linear functions relating pseudothecial development rate to temperature for accumulating thermal time was compared with the usual linear response in standard degree‐day models. A model was then constructed using four additional years of data for validation. The predictive value of the model was further improved by adjusting the time scale with ‘accelerating rules’ to take into account the positive influence of rainy days on pseudothecial maturation prior to ascospore release. However, ‘halting rules’ inserted in the time scale to account for dry days during the ascospore release period strongly reduced the predictive value of the model for southern France, suggesting the possible occurrence of strains adapted to dry conditions.     

Etiology and control of powdery scab of potato in a semi-arid region of Israel

Powdery scab of potato, incited bySpongospora subterranea var.subterranea (Walk.) Lagerh., was recently identified in Israel. Experiments were conducted to determine the role of tuber-borne inoculum in inciting the disease, and to eradicate tuber- and soilborne inoculum. Dipping for 2 min in a mixture of 0.75% ai. pentachloronitrobenzene and 0.03% a.i. organic mercury was found to be highly effective in controlling tuber-borne inoculum. Soil fumigation with methyl bromide or treatment with metham-sodium in irrigation water provided good control of soilborne inoculum.     

我国马铃薯疮痂病及其防治研究进展

马铃薯疮痂病(potato common scab)是由放线菌目链霉菌属的链霉菌Streptomyces spp.引起的土传兼种传病害,广泛分布于世界各马铃薯种植区,不仅影响马铃薯的外观品质和销售价格,严重时还会导致马铃薯出苗延迟甚至引起幼苗死亡,造成产量下降,给马铃薯产业带来巨大的经济损失,已经成为全球危害马铃薯生产的第四大病害。2015年我国确立马铃薯主粮化战略,推动了马铃薯产业的发展。近年来,随着种植区域和规模不断扩大,马铃薯疮痂病在我国很多省(自治区)有不同程度的发生,并有逐年扩大和加重的趋势,严重影响商品薯、加工原料薯和种薯的生产,成为制约我国马铃薯生产的主要病害。本文对马铃薯疮痂病症状、发病因素、传播规律、致病机理、分类方法以及我国马铃薯疮痂病发生情况、种类及分布进行归纳,并对马铃薯疮痂病防治措施进行总结,以期为我国马铃薯疮痂病的研究和防治奠定理论基础。     

Activation of defence responses to Phytophthora infestans in potato by BABA

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans is one of the most devastating diseases of the potato crop. Resistance breeding and current fungicides are unable to control the rapidly evolving P. infestans and new control strategies are urgently needed. This study examined mechanisms of dl ‐β‐aminobutyric acid (BABA)‐induced resistance (IR) in the potato–P. infestans system. Leaves from two cultivars that differ in their degree of resistance, Bintje and Ovatio, were analysed after foliar treatment with BABA. Rapid activation of various defence responses and a significant reduction in P. infestans growth were observed in leaves treated with BABA. In the more resistant cultivar, Ovatio, the activation was both faster and stronger than in Bintje. Microscopic analysis of leaves treated with BABA revealed induction of small hypersensitive response (HR)‐like lesions surrounded by callose, as well as production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). Molecular and chemical analyses revealed soluble phenols such as arbutin and chlorogenic acid and activation of PR‐1. These results show a direct activation of defence responses in potato, rather than priming as reported for other plant species. They also show that the efficiency of BABA‐IR differs between cultivars, which highlights the importance of taking all aspects into consideration when establishing new methods for disease management.