Stability and fitness of pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant phenotypes in field isolates of Botrytis cinerea from apple

Phenotype stability, fitness, and competitive ability of pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea from apple were investigated. Stability of resistance was determined after consecutive transfers on potato dextrose agar (PDA) or being cycled on apple fruit. In vitro fitness components mycelial growth, osmotic sensitivity, conidial germination, and sporulation were evaluated on agar media. Pathogenicity, virulence and sporulation on apple fruit were evaluated at both 20 and 0°C. Competition between fungicide-resistant and -sensitive isolates on apple fruit also was evaluated. Resistance to the two fungicides was retained at levels similar to that of the initial generation after 20 and 10 transfers on PDA and five and three disease cycles on apple fruit at 20 and 0°C, respectively. Great variability in individual fitness components tested was observed among isolates within the same phenotype groups either sensitive or resistant to the fungicides but, when compared as phenotype groups, there were no significant differences in the mean values of these fitness components between resistant and sensitive phenotypes except that the phenotype resistant only to boscalid produced fewer conidia in vitro than sensitive isolates. Resistant isolates were as pathogenic and virulent on apple fruit as sensitive isolates. There was no significant correlation between the values of individual fitness components tested and the level of resistance to pyraclostrobin or boscalid, except that virulence at 20°C positively correlated with the level of resistance to the two fungicides. The final frequency of pyraclostrobin-resistant individuals in the populations was significantly decreased compared with the initial generation and no boscalid-resistant individuals were detected after four disease cycles on apple fruit inoculated with a pair mixture of a dual-sensitive isolate and one isolate each of the three phenotypes resistant to pyraclostrobin, boscalid, or both. The results suggest that resistance of B. cinerea to pyraclostrobin and boscalid was stable in the absence of the fungicides and that resistance to the two fungicides did not significantly impair individual fitness components tested. However, both pyraclostrobin- and boscalid-resistant isolates exhibited competitive disadvantage over the dual-sensitive isolate on apple fruit.     

四川猕猴桃灰霉病菌对4种杀菌剂的抗药性检测

为明确猕猴桃灰霉病菌对常见杀菌剂的抗药性状况, 本试验于2016年-2018年调查统计了四川猕猴桃生产中防控灰霉病所用的药剂种类和施药频次, 并从四川8个猕猴桃主产区采集病叶?病花和病果, 经单孢分离获得122个灰葡萄孢 Botrytis cinerea 菌株, 采用最低抑制浓度法(MIC)测定其对4种化学药剂嘧霉胺?咯菌腈?腐霉利和异菌脲的抗药性?结果表明:用于四川猕猴桃灰霉病防控的药剂主要有8种, 其中嘧霉胺?异菌脲和腐霉利3种药剂施用频次最高; 猕猴桃灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺?咯菌腈?腐霉利和异菌脲的抗性频率分别达95.08%?86.07%?80.33%和5.74%, 且不同产区的灰霉病菌对药剂的抗药性频率不同; 所测菌株对4种杀菌剂的敏感性类型共有8种, 其中以Pyr RFlu RPcm RIpr S(对嘧霉胺?咯菌腈?腐霉利表现抗性, 对异菌脲表现敏感)类型为主, 该类型的菌株占65.57%, 对4种杀菌剂均表现抗性的菌株为7株?表明四川省猕猴桃灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺?咯菌腈?腐霉利和异菌脲已经产生了抗药性, 对异菌脲抗药性较低, 迫切需要筛选新的杀菌剂防治猕猴桃灰霉病?     

Alternative disease control agents induce resistance to blue mold in harvested 'red delicious' apple fruit

ABSTRACT Alternative control agents, including UV-type C (254 nm) irradiation, yeasts antagonistic to fungal growth, chitosan and harpin, were evaluated for their ability to induce resistance in cv. Red Delicious apple fruit against postharvest blue mold caused by Penicillium expansum. Freshly harvested and controlled atmosphere (CA)-stored fruit were treated with these agents at different doses and concentrations or with paired combinations of the agents. Treated fruit were inoculated with P. expansum 24, 48, or 96 h following treatment, and stored at 24 degrees C in the dark. The fruit were evaluated for development of disease every 2 days for 14 days by measuring the diameter of lesions that formed. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated and analyzed statistically. All treatments were effective in reducing the AUDPC; UV-C was most effective, followed by harpin, chitosan, and the yeasts, respectively. Regardless of treatment, fresh fruit were more responsive to treatments than CA-stored fruit. There was a clear time-dependent response of the fruit to the treatments, in which treatments applied 96 h before inoculation provided the best results. In a few situations, the combinations of agents did provide an additive effect, but no synergistic effects were detected. Moreover, disease severity in fruit treated by any combination was markedly better than that in the controls. Although the combinations of treatments was overall less effective than the single treatments, they did provide significant reductions of the progress of disease in comparison with the controls. Because the fungus did not come into contact with any of the control agents, this study showed conclusively that the agents studied were able to induce resistance in the fruit rather than merely inhibit the pathogen directly. It also showed, for the first time, that harpin is able to induce resistance in harvested apple fruit. The use of these control agents may minimize the costs of control strategies and reduce the risks associated with the excessive use of fungicides in harvested apple fruit.     

Molecular characterization and a multiplex allele-specific PCR method for detection of thiabendazole resistance in Penicillium expansum from apple

Thiabendazole (TBZ) is commonly used as a postharvest treatment for control of blue mold in apples caused by Penicillium expansum. Different point mutations in the β-tubulin gene conferring benzimidazole resistance have been reported in plant pathogens, but molecular mechanisms of TBZ resistance in P. expansum from apple in Washington State are unknown. Determination of TBZ resistance level showed that all 102 TBZ-resistant (TBZ-R) isolates were highly resistant. Sequencing of the majority of the β-tubulin gene showed that 76 TBZ-R isolates harboured the E198V mutation and 26 harboured the F167Y mutation, and all the sensitive isolates did not possess any of the mutations, indicating that these two point mutations in the β-tubulin gene were correlated with TBZ resistance in P. expansum from apple in Washington State. There was no association between levels of TBZ resistance and types of point mutations (E198V or F167Y) in the β-tubulin gene. A multiplex allele-specific PCR assay was developed to detect these two mutations simultaneously. Microsatellite-primed PCR derived presence-absence matrix used to assess the genetic relationship among 56 isolates suggested that the resistance mutations originated several times independently and that there was no correlation between the types of point mutation and the genetic background of the isolates.     

Control of blue mold (Penicillium expansum) by fludioxonil in apples (cv Empire) under controlled atmosphere and cold storage conditions

A reduced risk fungicide, fludioxonil, was tested for its efficacy against blue mold caused by thiabendazole-resistant and -sensitive Penicillium expansum (Link) Thom in apples under three storage conditions. In a co-treatment, fludioxonil and inoculum were applied together to test the protective activity of the fungicide on wounds that had been aged for 1 or 2 days. The fungicide was also tested for its curative activity in post-inoculation treatment on apples that had been inoculated for 1 or 2 days. Fludioxonil was very effective as co-treatment and as post-inoculation treatment. At a concentration of 300 mg litre(-1), fludioxonil gave complete control of post-harvest blue mold caused by the thiabendazole-resistant and -sensitive P expansum for 105 days in controlled atmosphere (CA) storage at 2 (+/-1) degrees C, for 42 days in common cold storage at 4 (+/-1) degrees C and also in a shelf-life study for 6 days at 20 (+/-1) degrees C. Comparison on the effect of fludioxonil in CA storage and common cold storage showed that higher concentrations of fungicide were needed in cold storage than in CA storage. Fludioxonil at a concentration of 450 mg litre(-1), gave 98 and 92% control of blue mold of apples in the simulated shelf-life studies after CA and common cold storages, respectively. Fludioxonil has a potential to be incorporated in the fungicide resistance management strategies for control of blue mold in apples stored for 105 days.     

番茄灰霉病菌对咯菌腈的抗性诱变及抗药突变体的生物学特性

为评估番茄灰霉病菌Botrytis cinerea对咯菌腈的抗性风险,就室内经紫外照射获得抗药突变体的方法及抗性突变体的生物学性状进行了研究。结果表明:番茄灰霉病菌分生孢子的紫外照射亚致死时间为90~120 s;经亚致死时间紫外照射后,4个亲本菌株中有2个菌株共产生了6个抗咯菌腈的突变体,其EC50值是亲本菌株的310倍以上,抗性突变频率为3.13×10-7;经紫外照射诱变获得的所有抗性突变体在菌丝生长速率、产孢量、产菌核能力及其在番茄果实上的致病性方面均比其亲本菌株明显降低。相关分析显示,所得抗咯菌腈突变体对氟啶胺、啶菌唑、啶酰菌胺和嘧霉胺无交互抗性。表明番茄灰霉病菌对咯菌腈的抗药性风险较低。     

Screening of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis> isolates from vineyards in Israel for resistance to fungicides

Plots in two vineyards in the Golan Heights, Israel were treated with six botryticides during three growing seasons with 3 applications per season. Applications of fenhexamid, pyrimethanil and cyprodinil + fludioxonil were effective, resulting in 52–65% and 53–63% mean reduction in grey mould incidence and severity, respectively. Carbendazim, fluazinam and iprodione were ineffective or slightly effective. Five hundred and sixteen B. cinerea isolates were collected from infected berries or trapped from the air in the vineyards, and profiles of sensitivity to benomyl, fenhexamid, fluazinam, fludioxonil, iprodione and pyrimethanil were established for each of the isolates based on a mycelial growth test. Seventy-four percent of the isolates were sensitive to the six tested fungicides, and the other 26% of the isolates were classified into 10 phenotypes characterized by resistance to one or more fungicides. Resistant isolates showed fitness parameters similar or reduced in comparison to sensitive isolates. Resistance to benzimidazoles and to dicarboximides was the most frequent (up to 25%) and apparently pre-existed in the populations tested. Increased frequency of benzimidazole resistance, but not dicarboximide resistance, was observed following the 3 years of applications of the fungicides. High level resistance to pyrimethanil was present at a frequency of about 2% in both vineyards in the first 2 years of the sampling survey and reached 10% in the third year at Site 2. A few isolates were resistant to fenhexamid or fludioxonil (0.8 or 0.2%, respectively). No strong resistance to fluazinam was detected, although numerous, less sensitive isolates, presumably possessing multi-drug resistance traits, were recovered at higher frequency from the plots treated with fluazinam than from the untreated plots.     

我国人参产区灰霉病菌抗药性研究初报

人参灰霉病给人参生产造成巨大损失。本研究选取人参生产上常用的4种杀菌剂,对东北人参产区分离的102株灰霉菌进行抗性检测。结果表明,灰霉菌对多菌灵carbendazim(C)、嘧霉胺pyrimethanil(P)、异菌脲iprodione(I)、咯菌腈fludioxonil(F)的抗性频率分别为100%、86.27%、73.53%和30.39%,辽宁和吉林分离菌株对嘧霉胺、异菌脲的抗性高于3省平均水平。分离菌株对4种杀菌剂共有7种抗性类型,即C_RP_RI_RF_S、C_RP_RI_RF_R、C_RP_RI_SF_S、C_RP_SI_SF_S、C_RP_SI_RF_S、C_RP_RI_SF_R和C_RP_SI_SF_R,其所占比例分别为39.22%、26.47%、14.71%、7.84%、5.88%、4.90%和0.98%,未发现对4种杀菌剂均敏感的灰霉菌菌株。研究结果对于指导人参产区防治灰霉病杀菌剂的合理选用,有效降低人参农药残留,延缓灰霉菌抗性产生具有重要意义。     

Impact of fludioxonil resistance on fitness and cross-resistance profiles of Altrenaria solani laboratory mutants

Sensitivity and inherent resistance risk of Alternaria solani to fludioxonil, cross-resistance profiles and the potential implications of resistance mutations on fitness parameters were investigated. Fludioxonil was highly effective against a wild type A. solani field strain both in vitro (EC₅₀?=?0.05 μg/mL) and in preventive applications on artificially inoculated tomato fruit. Mutants with low [Resistance factor (Rf): 15 based on EC₅₀], medium (Rf: 150–300) and high (Rf: > 1000) levels of phenylpyrrole resistance were isolated from the wild type strain at high frequencies following mutagenesis with UV irradiation and selection on fludioxonil containing medium. Resistant isolates retained their resistance levels even after 9 subcultures on fungicide-free growth medium while they could express their resistant phenotypes in planta. Investigation of cross-resistance relationships showed that fludioxonil resistance mutations also reduce the sensitivity of mutant strains to the aromatic hydrocarbon fungicide quintozene as well as the dicarboximides iprodione and vinclozolin. No cross-resistance was observed between fludioxonil and fungicides with different modes of action such as the sterol biosynthesis inhibitors (DMIs) imazalil and flusilazole and the carboxamide boscalid. All fludioxonil resistant isolates were more sensitive to the anilinopyrimidine pyrimethanil, while only two isolates were less sensitive to the QoI pyraclostrobin compared to the wild-type strain. Study of fitness determining parameters showed that resistance mutation(s) had no adverse effects on mycelial growth, conidial germination and sensitivity to osmotic stress while they had a pleiotropic effect on virulence and conidia production in resistant mutants. Results of the present study indicate that fludioxonil is a highly effective fungicide against A. solani, while the risk of resistance development to this fungicide is considered to be medium making fludioxonil an ideal alternative to high risk fungicides such as boscalid and pyraclostrobin whose performance against early blight has already been compromised by resistance development.

     

北京地区番茄灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性检测

为了检测北京地区番茄灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性,指导生产上科学用药,从北京12个区、县采集番茄灰霉病样150份,分离纯化获得109个番茄灰霉病菌(Botrytis cinerea)的单孢菌株,采用菌丝生长速率法测定了番茄灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺(pyrimethanil)的抗药性。所测菌株中嘧霉胺抗性菌株出现的比例高达82.57%,且以高抗菌株为主,占78.89%,抗性水平最高的菌株EC50是最敏感菌株的5 096倍;不同区县番茄灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性存在差异,门头沟区、密云县、延庆县、怀柔区和平谷区、大兴、通州和顺义8个区县的高抗菌株所占比例达66.67%～100%,海淀、朝阳和房山3个区未检测到高抗菌株。上述结果说明北京地区番茄灰霉病菌对嘧霉胺的抗药性非常普遍,且以高抗菌株为主,生产上应替换新型杀菌剂防治番茄灰霉病。     

10种杀菌剂对猕猴桃果实采后青霉病菌的室内毒力测定

[目的]扩展青霉是猕猴桃的重要病害之一,严重影响品质与产量.通过试验,测定10种杀菌剂对猕猴桃果实采后青霉病菌(Penicillium expansum)的毒力.[方法]利用牛津杯法测定不同种杀菌剂对P.expansum的毒力.[结果]所供10种杀菌剂对P.expansum均有一定的抑菌作用,250 g/L丙环唑、95...     

Detection and characterization of fungicide resistant phenotypes of Botrytis cinerea in lettuce crops in Greece

The development of resistance to chemical control agents needs continuous monitoring in Botrytis cinerea. 790 isolates from lettuce and other vegetable crops were collected from six widely separated sites in Greece and tested for their sensitivity to 11 fungicides from nine unrelated chemical groups. 44 of the isolates exhibited multiple resistance to fenhexamid (hydroxyanilides), azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin (QoI’s), boscalid (SDHI’s), cyprodinil and pyrimethanil (anilinopyrimidines), fludioxonil (phenylpyrroles), carbendazim (benzimidazoles) and iprodione (dicarboximides). Thirty per cent of such phenotypes were detected in an experimental glasshouse with lettuce crops, the third year after commencing fungicide applications. The average resistance factor (R_f) for mycelial growth to fenhexamid, pyraclostrobin, boscalid, cyprodinil and fludioxonil, was over 40, 1,000, 100, 700 and 50, respectively. Some strains with high resistance to anilinopyrimidines (14 %) or moderate to fludioxonil (7 %) were detected even in isolates collected from vegetable crops prior to commercial use of these fungicides in Greece. Isolates with fludioxonil moderate resistance and fenhexamid high resistance, were detected for the first time in Greece. The results suggested the high risk in chemical control of grey mould due to development of resistance to most fungicides with site-specific modes of action. Isolates with resistance to fluazinam (phenylpyridinamines) and to chlorothalonil (phthalonitriles) were not found. The inclusion of appropriate multi-site inhibitors like chlorothalonil in fungicide anti-resistance strategies was indispensable.     

Recovery of fungicide-resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis</Emphasis> isolates from strawberry nursery plants

In a four-year survey of strawberry nursery plants, 340 Botrytis isolates were collected and examined for fungicide resistance. High percentages of isolates with resistance to members of all fungicide classes registered on strawberries in Germany were found, i.e. trifloxystrobin (90.3%), boscalid (53.8%), cyprodinil (41.5%), fludioxonil (28.2%) and fenhexamid (15.6%). Of these isolates, 10.3% possessed multiple resistance to all compounds. At 5.0%, resistance to the recently registered fungicide fluopyram was low. Dutch nursery material harboured significantly higher proportions of isolates with resistance to any or all fungicides than plants produced in Germany. These data point to nursery plants as a possible route of introducing fungicide-resistant Botrytis strains into commercial strawberry fields.     

辣椒根腐病菌对咯菌腈的敏感性及其抗性突变体的生物学性状

为明确辣椒根腐病致病菌腐皮镰孢Fusarium solani对咯菌腈的抗性风险,采用菌丝生长速率法测定了采自未使用过咯菌腈的5个省份的102株腐皮镰孢对咯菌腈的敏感性。结果表明：咯菌腈对102株腐皮镰孢的EC₅₀范围为0.029 0～0.183 4 mg/L,平均EC₅₀为(0.106 2±0.031 5)mg/L,敏感性频率分布为连续单峰曲线,所以可将其作为供试5个省份腐皮镰孢对咯菌腈的敏感基线。通过药剂驯化和紫外诱导并结合抗性遗传稳定性最终共获得4株腐皮镰孢抗咯菌腈突变体,抗性水平在6.94～32.43倍之间,突变频率分别为3.51×10^-4(SDWF1914-Y336和SDWF1914-Y017)和7.41×10^-9(SDWF1914-ZR717和JSXZ1906-ZR496)。腐皮镰孢抗咯菌腈突变体生物学性状的研究表明,抗性突变体在菌丝生长速率、产孢量与致病力方面与亲本菌株不存在显著差异。交互抗性测定结果显示,腐皮镰孢对咯菌腈与嘧菌酯、醚菌酯、多菌灵和福美双均无交互抗性。结果表明,供试腐皮镰...     

嘧霉胺对采后柑橘绿霉病的防治效果

在实验室和贮藏库条件下,对嘧霉胺单剂、嘧霉胺与抑霉唑或嘧霉胺和咪鲜胺混剂防治柑橘绿霉病的效果进行了评价。室内实验结果表明:采用500或1 000 mg/L嘧霉胺单剂、500 mg/L嘧霉胺+500 mg/L抑霉唑或500 mg/L嘧霉胺+500 mg/L咪鲜胺混剂在接种后12~18 h进行浸果处理,对由抑霉唑抗性或敏感菌株引起的绿霉病均有显著的防治效果,防效超过94%;500或1 000 mg/L 的抑霉唑对敏感菌株的防效在93%以上,但对抗性菌株的防效低于70%。贮藏库防效试验结果表明:在具抑霉唑抗性菌系的贮藏库中,上述质量浓度的嘧霉胺单剂、嘧霉胺与抑霉唑、或嘧霉胺与咪鲜胺混剂对绿霉病的防治效果明显优于抑霉唑单剂;而在不具抗抑霉唑菌系贮藏库中的防效则与抑霉唑相当。由此认为:嘧霉胺可作为抑霉唑的替代药剂应用于柑橘的采后处理,其推荐使用质量浓度为500~1 000 mg/L,可单独使用,也可与抑霉唑或咪鲜胺混合使用。     

Characterization of genetic and biochemical mechanisms of fludioxonil and pyrimethanil resistance in field isolates of Penicillium digitatum

Genetic and biochemical mechanisms of fludioxonil and pyrimethanil resistance in isolates of Penicillium digitatum were evaluated and compared to those characterized in other fungi. Resistant isolates were naturally occurring in packinghouses and were not associated with crop losses. For the phenylpyrrole fludioxonil, EC50 values were 0.02 to 0.04 microg/ml for sensitive, 0.08 to 0.65 microg/ml for moderately resistant (MR), and > 40 microg/ml for highly resistant (HR) isolates. Two fludioxonil-sensitive isolates evaluated were also significantly more sensitive to the unrelated dicarboximide fungicide iprodione, that also disrupts osmotic regulation, than the MR and HR isolates. There was no consistent relationship, however, between the HR and MR isolates and their sensitivity to iprodione or osmotic stress. Although, two nucleotide substitutions were found in a sequence analysis of the N-terminal amino acid repeat region of the os-1-related histidine kinase gene among isolates of P. digitatum, these were not correlated with fludioxonil resistance. In mycelia not exposed to fludioxonil, the amount of phosphorylated OS-2-related protein (PdOS-2) was higher in fludioxonil-sensitive isolates and lowest in the HR isolate. An increase in PdOS-2 was observed for sensitive and resistant isolates after exposure to fludioxonil. In addition, glycerol content in untreated mycelia of the fludioxonil-sensitive isolate was significantly higher than in resistant isolates. After exposure to fludioxonil, glycerol concentrations significantly increased in the sensitive and MR isolates, but not in the HR isolate. Thus, our studies indicate that the mode of action of fludioxonil in P. digitatum is probably the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway that stimulates glycerol synthesis in sensitive and MR isolates. The general suppression of this pathway in resistant isolates was supported by the fact that growth and sporulation of MR and HR isolates were significantly reduced from that of sensitive isolates. In studies on the mode of action of anilinopyrimidines (AP), EC50 values for mycelial growth of P. digitatum and the previously characterized Botrytis cinerea were determined for cyprodinil and pyrimethanil using a defined culture medium without and with the addition of selected amino acids and homocysteine. The addition of amino acids resulted in a reduced toxicity of the two AP fungicides in both fungi, but the effect of each additive was significantly lower for P. digitatum than for B. cinerea. This suggests that methionine biosynthesis is not the primary target site of APs in P. digitatum.     

设施蔬菜灰霉病菌对不同类型杀菌剂的抗性检测

为了明确设施蔬菜灰霉病菌Botryotinia fuckeliana的抗药性现状,采用菌丝生长速率法检测了20052006年采自浙江、江苏、山东和辽宁4省的144个菌株对6种常用防治药剂的敏感性。结果表明,灰霉病菌对百菌清已经产生了低水平的抗性,频率为5.56%,其对多菌灵的抗性非常严重,总的抗性频率为43.05%,高抗(HR)频率为27.08%;乙霉威的EC50值在0.137728.9μg/mL之间,平均为40.06μg/mL。其中多菌灵-乙霉威双抗频率为36.11%,且首次检测到了两种新的双抗类型。二甲酰亚胺类杀菌剂在生产上已经应用近20年,但灰霉病菌对异菌脲和腐霉利只有频率为20%左右的低水平抗性,没有检测到高抗菌株;苯胺嘧啶类杀菌剂嘧霉胺虽然只应用几年时间,但已经产生了抗性,其抗性菌株频率为4.16%。研究表明,设施蔬菜灰霉病菌对常用的6种防治药剂均产生了不同程度的抗性。     

Biocontrol Potential of Metchnikowia pulcherrima Strains Against Blue Mold of Apple

ABSTRACT Eight strains of Metschnikowia pulcherrima isolated over a 4-year period from an unmanaged orchard and selected for their biocontrol activity against blue mold (caused by Penicillium expansum) of apples were characterized phenotypically, genetically, and for their biocontrol potential against blue mold on apples. All strains grew well and only differed slightly in their growth in nutrient yeast dextrose broth medium at 1 degrees C after 216 h, but large differences occurred at 0 degrees C, with strain T5-A2 outgrowing other strains by more than 25% transmittance after 360 h. This strain was also one of the most resistant to diphenylamine (DPA), a postharvest antioxidant treatment. All strains required biotin for growth in minimum salt (MS) medium, although strain ST2-A10 grew slightly in MS medium containing riboflavin or folic acid, as did ST3-E1 in MS medium without vitamins. None of the strains produced killer toxins against an indicator strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Analysis of Biolog data from YT plates for all eight strains using the MLCLUST program resulted in separation of the strains into one major cluster containing four strains and four scattered strains from which strain ST1-D10 was the most distant from all other strains. This was particularly apparent in 3-D and principle component analysis. Genetic differentiation of the eight strains using maximum parsimony analysis of nucleotide sequences from domain D1/D2 of nuclear large subunit (26S) ribosomal DNA resulted in detection of two clades. Strain ST1-D10 grouped with the type strain of M. pulcherrima but the remaining seven strains grouped separately, which might possibly represent a new species. All strains significantly reduced blue mold on mature Golden Delicious apples during 1 month of storage at 1 degrees C followed by 7 days at room temperature, but strains T5-A2 and T4-A2 were distinctly more effective under these conditions. Strain T5-A2 also was the most effective in tests on harvest mature apples treated with the lowest concentration of the antagonist and stored for 3 months at 0.5 degrees C. Populations of all eight strains increased in apple wounds by approximately 2 log units after 1 month at 1 degrees C followed by 5 days at 24 degrees C. Our results indicate that M. pulcherrima is an excellent candidate for biological control of postharvest diseases of pome fruit. The variation in phenotypic, genetic, and biocontrol characteristics among strains of M. pulcherrima isolated from the same orchard should make it possible to select antagonists with characteristics that are most desirable for postharvest application.     

Fenpropimorph: a promising fungicide for postharvest diseases in citrus fruits

Sour rot, green mold and blue mold are postharvest diseases of citrus fruit. Benzimidazole and imidazole fungicides control molds, and guazatine controls sour rot, but strains ofPenicillium spp. resistant to these chemicals have been reported. Aqueous formulations of fenpropimorph, a morpholine fungicide, are very active in controlling fungi attacking postharvest citrus fruits. The fungicidal effect of the chemical in the coating wax was investigated in combined treatments with guazatine in dip or spray applications on various citrus fruit varieties. Fenpropimorph alone was as good as or a better curative and protective treatment than the current commercial treatments applied in packinghouses in Israel for decay control.     

Improved Control of Postharvest Decay of Pears by the Combination of Candida sake (CPA-1) and Ammonium Molybdate

ABSTRACT The potential enhancement of Candida sake (CPA-1) by ammonium molybdate to control blue and gray mold caused by Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea, respectively, on Blanquilla pears was investigated. In laboratory trials, improved control of blue and gray molds was obtained with the application of ammonium molybdate (1, 5, 10, and 15 mM) alone or in combination with C. sake at 2 x 10(6) or 2 x 10(7) CFU ml(-1) on Blanquilla pears stored at 20 degrees C. In semicommercial trials at 1 degrees C for 5 months, the efficacy of C. sake at 2 x 10(6) CFU ml(-1) on reducing P. expansum and B. cinerea decay was enhanced more than 88% with the addition of ammonium molybdate 5 mM in the 1999-2000 season. In two seasons, the performance C. sake at 2 x 10(6) CFU ml(-1) plus ammonium molybdate was similar to or greater than that of C. sake at 2 x 10(7) CFU ml(-1). Similar control of blue mold was obtained on pears stored under low oxygen conditions. The preharvest application of ammonium molybdate did not reduce postharvest blue mold decay. The population of C. sake on pear wounds significantly decreased in the presence of ammonium molybdate 1 and 5 mM at 20 and 1 degrees C.