Detection and analysis of genetic variations in GOB locus of Plasmopara viticola by DNA sequence analysis

The population genetic structure of Plasmopara viticola in Japan was analyzed using grapevine downy mildew specimens collected from two islands, Honshu and Hokkaido. By simple sequence repeat analysis with the GOB microsatellite marker and DNA sequencing, an accurate copy number of the (CT) _n (CTAT) _n repeat was determined. Consequently, we found a large number of genetic variations in (CT) _n and (CTAT) _n repeats. Also, a single nucleotide polymorphism in the (CTAT) _n repeat of the GOB locus was detected. These genetic variations may serve as a valuable tool to understand the population structure of P. viticola.     

NO和H2O2提高葡萄抗霜霉病的生理作用机制

 以对霜霉病具有不同抗性的3个葡萄品种Fredonia、西拉和赤霞珠为材料,研究一氧化氮（NO）和过氧化氢（H₂O₂）在调控葡萄抵御霜霉病菌感染过程中的生理机制。结果表明：接种葡萄霜霉病菌后3个葡萄品种叶片中NO和H₂O₂含量均有猝发现象,H₂O₂猝发早于NO,抗性强的品种Fredonia的变化快而显著;外施一定浓度的NO供体硝普钠（SNP）和H₂O₂均可减缓霜霉病菌侵染过程,降低感病率和平均病情指数,并且能够不同程度地提高抗性弱的葡萄品种赤霞珠叶片的过氧化物酶（POD）、苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、β-1,3-葡聚糖酶（Glu）和几丁质酶（Cht）活性,增强葡萄过敏性坏死反应;而NO和H₂O₂的清除剂2-4,4,5,5-苯-四甲基咪唑-1-氧-3-氧化物（cPTIO）和抗坏血酸（AsA）在一定程度上能够提高感病率和平均病情指数。推测NO和H₂O₂可以通过提高POD、PAL、Glu和Cht病程相关蛋白活性,进而增强葡萄对霜霉病的抗性。     

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana activates expression of defence genes in grapevine and prevents infections by grapevine downy mildew Plasmopara viticola

Fungal entomopathogens like Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) are known as antagonists of insects with multiple functional and ecological roles, and have attracted increased attention as biocontrol agents in integrated pest management programmes. For some crop plants, it has been proven that endophytic B. bassiana, besides its entomopathogenic habit, can provide protection against plant pathogens or limit their damaging effects. However, for grapevine, limited knowledge is available on the influence of endophytic B. bassiana on fungal pathogens and about the mechanisms underlying putative protection effects. This study assessed the protective potential of endophytic B. bassiana against grapevine downy mildew Plasmopara viticola in greenhouse experiments. Three and seven days after a B. bassiana treatment, potted grapevine plants were inoculated with P. viticola and the evolving disease severity was assessed. Disease severity was significantly reduced in B. bassiana-treated plants compared to control plants, depending on the age of leaves. Furthermore, a microarray and an RT-qPCR analysis were performed to work out fundamental aspects of genes involved in the interaction between grapevine and B. bassiana. The results indicate an up-regulation of diverse defence-related genes in grapevine as a response to endophytic establishment of B. bassiana. Thus, endophytic establishment of an entomopathogenic fungus such as B. bassiana in grapevine plants would represent an alternative and sustainable plant protection strategy, with the potential for reducing pesticide applications in viticulture.     

The control of Plasmopara viticola with the 1:1 complex of zineb with 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol and the potential effect of the use of this complex on ethylenethiourea residues

Zineb 1:1 complex with 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol was shown to be more active than zineb in glasshouse and field trials against Plasmopara viticola. The effects of this increase in efficacy on the potential reduction of ethylenethiourea residues are discussed.     

The Role of Water in Epiphytic Colonization and Infection of Pomaceous Flowers by Erwinia amylovora

ABSTRACT Detached crab apple flowers were used as an experimental model to investigate the effect of relative humidity (RH), free moisture, and water potential Psi(w) on the interaction between Erwinia amylovora and pomaceous flowers. Flowers were maintained at 24 degrees C with the cut pedicel submerged in a sucrose solution. The bacterium multiplied on inoculated flower stigmas at between approximately 55 and 100% RH but not in the floral cup (hypanthium) until the RH was higher than 80%. To study the effect of free moisture, stigma-inoculated flowers were kept wet for different periods. Flowers became diseased only with wetting, and incidence was high (77%) even when water application was immediately followed by a 52-min drying period. In other experiments with hypanthium-inoculated flowers, RH or sucrose concentration in holding vials was varied to affect Psi(w) of flower nectar and ovary tissue. Population size of E. amylovora in the hypanthium increased with nectar Psi(w) following a sigmoidal curve (R(2) = 0.99). Disease incidence and severity, however, were more closely related to ovary Psi(w) (R(2) = 0.85 and 0.91, respectively) than to bacterial population size (R(2) = 0.25 and 0.67, respectively) as fitted to the quadratic equation. Maximum disease incidence and severity occurred at an ovary Psi(w) above -2.0 MPa, and disease severity continued to increase above -1.0 MPa. These results were confirmed with detached flowers of Delicious apple and d'Anjou pear. A practical implication is that disease might be partly managed in arid climates by limiting soil irrigation water during bloom and early fruit set.     

两种喷撒技术雾滴在花椰菜上的沉积分布研究

在花椰菜莲座后期，测定了低容量吹雾法和高容量喷雾法雾滴在花椰菜上的沉积分布。结果表明，两种喷撒技术形成的雾滴在叶片上的单位面积沉积量均以中层叶较高，内层与外层叶上较低；但吹雾法雾滴在内层和中层叶上的沉积量明显比喷雾法高，在中层叶背面的沉积机率亦比后者大。     

The Effect of Endophytic Fusarium verticillioides on Infestation of Two Maize Varieties by Lepidopterous Stemborers and Coleopteran Grain Feeders

ABSTRACT A series of experiments were conducted to test the effect of the presence of Fusarium verticillioides in the maize plant on subsequent infestation by coleopteran and lepidopteran pests. The effect of percent internodes 1 to 5 infected with F. verticillioides, time after planting, and maize variety on attacks of stem and ears by lepidopterous and coleopteran pests was assessed in field experiments in early and late season 1998 and early season 1999 in Benin Republic. Artificial inoculation of the first internode with fungal-treated toothpicks was compared with a hot-water-fungicide seed treatment and a control. In 1998, two varieties that differed in husk tightness, the improved DMRLSR-W and the local Gbogbe, were used. Percentage of node 1 to 5 and plants infected was highest with the inoculation treatment but tended to be similar in the seed treatment and the control. The infection rate tended to increase with time and, within sampling date, decreased with node level. Ear infection was strongly correlated with percent infected nodes, indicating that F. verticillioides in the stem predisposed kernel infection. F. verticillioides incidence was higher in Gbogbe than in DMRLSR-W. Stem and ear infestations by the pyralid Eldana saccharina, the major pest in the area, tended to be highest in inoculation and lowest in the protection treatment. The same trends were found for the pyralid Chilo spp., the tortricid Cryptophlebia leucotreta, and beetles pooled across species. Significant positive correlations were found between ear/stem F. verticillioides infection and E. saccharina, Cryptophlebia leucotreta, Mussidia nigrivenella, and the noctuid Sesamia calamistis, but the latter three pest species were only significantly correlated with fungal infection of the upper nodes of the plant. Similar to disease incidence, E. saccharina numbers in stem and ear were higher in Gbogbe than DMRLSR-W in late 1998, whereas for the pyralid ear feeder M. nigrivenella, it was reversed. It was suggested that some lepidopterous and coleopteran pests are attracted by and survive longer (or have lower mortality) on plants infected with F. verticillioides.