Concentrations of constitutive alk(en)ylresorcinols in peel of commercial mango varieties and resistance to postharvest anthracnose

Mature green mango fruits of commercially important varieties were screened to investigate the levels of constitutive antifungal compounds in peel and to assess anthracnose disease after inoculation with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. High-pressure liquid chromatography was used to quantify the levels of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol in the peel extracts. The fruit peel of the varieties ‘Kensington Pride’ and ‘Keitt’ were observed to have the highest levels of both 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol (107.3–123.7 and 49.9–61.4 μg/g FW, respectively) and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol (6.32–7.99 and 3.30–6.05 μg/g FW, respectively), and the fruits of the two varieties were found to have some resistance to postharvest anthracnose. The varieties ‘Kent’, ‘R2E2’, ‘Nam Doc Mai’, ‘Calypso’ and ‘Honey Gold’ contained much lower concentrations of resorcinols in their peel and three of these varieties were found to be more susceptible to anthracnose. Concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol were significantly lower at the ‘sprung’ and ‘eating ripe’ stages of ripening compared to levels at harvest. Concentrations of 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol did not differ significantly across the three stages of ripening. The levels of these two resorcinols were found to be strongly inter-correlated (P<0.01, r²=0.71), with concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol being an average 18 times higher than those of 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol. At the ‘eating ripe’ stage, significant relationships were observed between the concentrations of each type of alk(en)ylresorcinol and anthracnose lesion areas following postharvest inoculation, P<0.001, r²= 0.69 for 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol, and P<0.001, r²= 0.44 for 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol.     

Characterization and biological activity of flavonoids from ripe fruit of an anthracnose-resistant blueberry cultivar

Anthracnose fruit rot, caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, is among the most important diseases of blueberries. Most cultivars are susceptible but ‘Elliott’ is resistant. Our objective was to identify possible antifungal compounds that play a role in the resistance response. Chemical fractions from freeze-dried, ripe fruit of ‘Elliott’ and a susceptible cultivar (Jersey) were extracted with methanol and ethyl acetate. Extracts were screened on solid media for suppression of microconidiation of C. acutatum. The methanolic extract was fractionated and the soluble methanolic fraction from ‘Elliott’ was the most biologically active. This fraction was dried, dissolved in water, and screened in vivo by pre-treating ripe ‘Jersey’ fruit with 0.5, 1, 2, and 4% solutions (w/v) and subsequently inoculating the fruit with C. acutatum. An 88% reduction in infection incidence was observed after 12 days with the 4% solution. Anthocyanins and other flavonoids were then quantified in fruit of the two cultivars using HPLC-MS. ‘Elliott’ fruit contained more anthocyanins (4.87 mg/g of freeze-dried tissue) than ‘Jersey’ (3.27 mg/g of freeze-dried tissue); however, the same compounds were found in both cultivars. ‘Elliott’ fruit also contained more non-anthocyanin flavonoids (0.18 mg/g of freeze-dried tissue) than ‘Jersey’ (0.12 mg/g of freeze-dried tissue), including two distinctive compounds in ‘Elliott’. The non-anthocyanin flavonoid fractions of both ‘Elliott’ and ‘Jersey’ significantly decreased the growth of C. acutatum in a liquid bioassay but the effect was more pronounced in the ‘Elliott’ fraction. The two distinctive compounds in ‘Elliott’ were further characterized by MS/MS and were identified as quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside and, putatively, syringetin rhamnoside. Additionally, we evaluated ‘Elliott’ and ‘Jersey’ methanolic extracts for their ability to inhibit lipid peroxidation, and the extract obtained from ‘Elliott’ was almost twice as active at inhibiting peroxidation. These results provide new insights into the role of antifungal compounds in the resistance response of ripe ‘Elliott’ blueberries to infection by C. acutatum.     

Control and prevention of contact infection of brown rot disease with fosetyl-aluminium,and residue levels in post-harvest-treated citrus fruits

The effect of fosetyl-aluminium on the control and spread of brown rot disease Phytophthora citrophthora in post-harvest citrus fruit was studied in laboratory and semi-commercial experiments. Aqueous solutions of fosetyl-aluminium at 5 to 10 g a.i. litre^?1 controlled the fungus even when applied 3 days after inoculation at 17°C. No mycelia developed on the peel surface of treated fruit. The fungicide exerted a good prophylactic effect on healthy fruit, protecting them during storage from contact inoculation. Fosetyl-aluminium also showed a fungitoxic effect in vitro and in vivo on other fungi which developed in harvested citrus fruits. Residue levels of phosphoric acid in the treated fruit were higher when the fungicide was incorporated in the wax coating the fruit than when applied in aqueous solution, and levels were lower in the pulp than in the peel. It is concluded that fosetyl-aluminium is a suitable commercial post-harvest treatment for control of brown rot in citrus fruits.     

Investigations on avian pests of oil palm,Elaeis guineensis Jacq. in India†

Abstract

The common myna Acridotheres tristis Linn., the jungle crow Corvus macrorhynchus Wagner and the house crow Corvus splendens Viellot are the major pests of oil palm in India. Other birds like crow pheasant Centropus sinensis Stresmann, parrot Loriculus sp. and pariah kite Milvus migrans Sykes also feed on oil palm fruits. These birds feed on the fleshy mesocarp of the ripe fruits resulting in heavy fruit loss, significantly reducing oil yield. Gizzard and intestinal content analysis indicated that oil palm fruits are the major source of food for these birds. Observations on 1657 oil palm fruit bunches during 1985–86 revealed that 76% of the ripe bunches and 5.6% of the unripe bunches were damaged by birds. The damage by birds was either ‘partial’ or ‘complete’, where 40–50% and 80–100% respectively, of the individual fruit weight was lost. The partial fruit damage was more common in 130–160 day‐old bunches and the complete fruit damage increased after 150 days of fruit set. Fruit loss due to bird damage was higher in palms in the border area of the plantation (2.3 kg/bunch) than in the interior (1.3 kg/bunch). It is estimated that around 2.8 tonnes of fresh fruits/ha/yr, equivalent to 420 kg of palm oil, are lost due to bird damage.     

Effects of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (Ethrel) on gooseberries

Solutions of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (Ethrel) up to 480 parts/million concentration were applied as foliar sprays to gooseberries (cv. Careless). Harvesting consisted of shaking the bushes by hand and collecting the dropped fruit. With increasing CEPA level pre-harvest fruit abscission increased and amount of fruit finally left on the bushes decreased. Splitting the application had the effect of reducing pre-harvest abscission. Berry size and total yield were not significantly affected by any of the treatments. Taste-panels did not detect any off-flavours in treated fruit. At hard green fruit stage, analyses for shear value, colour, acidity and soluble solids did not show any marked treatment effects. At ripe fruit stage, softening, yellowing and decrease in acidity were significantly greater for the 480 parts/million CEPA level than for the other treatments. There were no signs of phytotoxic or carry-over effects due to CEPA.     

Zinc and Boron Application at Different Phenological Stages Alleviates Tree Growth,Fruit Yield and Quality of Sweet Orange Cv. ‘Blood Red’

The deficiency of micronutrients, particularly zinc (Zn) and boron (B) has affected vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality of sweet orange in many citrus growing areas of Pakistan. The present study was conducted in 2015 and 2016 to determine the impact of Zn and B supplementation on growth and quality of sweet orange cv. ‘Blood red’. Pre-harvest foliar application of variant Zn and B levels was done at different phenological stages of fruit growth and development, i.e., full bloom, fruit set and premature stage. Results have concluded that pre-harvest foliar application of Zn and B augmented phosphorous, Zn, B, potassium, iron, and manganese contents in leaves, particularly Zn and B content from deficient to optimal level. Moreover, the combined application of Zn and B has also significantly enhanced vegetative characters such as tree height and spread along with reproductive characters, i.e., incremented numbers of fruit, fruit weight, total soluble solids, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid contents. However, among stage comparison, outcomes depicted that foliar application of Zn and B at full bloom?+?fruit set?+?premature stage resulted in maximum production with high quality fruits.

     

Differential response to combined prochloraz and thyme oil drench treatment in avocados against the control of anthracnose and stem-end rot

The ability to meet consumers demand for high-quality standard fruit entails the distribution of unblemished safe fruit free of chemical residues on its edible portion. Therefore, this study was focused on investigating the influence of the combined effect of aqueous plant volatiles with half strength prochloraz solution to control anthracnose and stem-end rot in the green-skinned avocado cultivar (Fuerte). This method was applied due to its practicability on bulk fruits in packhouses and the fruits were subjected to stand-alone and combined treatments to assess the development of the disease after cold storage and observe the elicitation of the residual effect of the treatments on the defence related enzymes in ‘Fuerte’. The incidence of stem-end rot was 10% by the combination of prochloraz® (500 μg mL^?1; P50) with 0.1% v/v thyme oil compared to the 58.8% incidence exhibited by the untreated fruit during storage at 6.5 °C for 14 days followed by 3 days at retail shelf conditions (15 °C) (preventative application). Citral (0.1% v/v), P50 (500 μg mL^?1)?+?0.1% v/v citral and yucca extract alone reduced the stem-end rot incidence to about 25% during storage. More so, thyme oil (0.1% v/v) reduced both anthracnose and stem-end rot incidence to 35% after postharvest storage and P50 (500 μg mL^?1)?+?0.1% v/v thyme oil and 0.1% v/v thyme oil effectively induced the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chitinase and β-1, 3 glucanase in fruit inoculated with Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides through the improvement of quality and firmness of the fruit after storage.     

新疆南部棉区转Bt基因棉花Bt杀虫蛋白表达规律研究

为研究新疆南部植棉区转Bt基因棉花Bt杀虫蛋白时空表达规律,本文利用ELISA技术于2009年和2010年对南疆种植的转Bt基因棉花‘中棉所41’、‘中棉所43’、‘236’、‘K9030’、‘T3’、‘中棉所44’、‘中棉所45’、‘K7’和‘SGK321’各生育期中不同器官中的Bt杀虫蛋白含量进行测定。结果发现：在时间表达上,大多数转Bt基因棉花叶片的Bt杀虫蛋白含量随着棉花发育进程而逐渐下降,在子叶期含量最高,至蕾期或吐絮期达到最低点。并且不同品种间Bt杀虫蛋白含量差异显著。在空间表达上,在花铃期,棉铃和花苞叶的Bt杀虫蛋白含量最低,大多数品种表现为叶片＞棉蕾＞花瓣（花柱）＞棉铃和花苞叶。     

不同品种烟草对斜纹夜蛾生活史和产卵选择行为的影响

为探明不同品种烟草对斜纹夜蛾生活史和产卵选择行为的影响,随机选取了选育品种‘中烟100’和‘湘烟5号’,地方品种‘双管晒烟’和‘梁桥晒烟’,野生种‘八旦野生烟’和‘长花烟草’,测试斜纹夜蛾幼虫取食不同品种烟草后的生活史参数及成虫的产卵选择行为。结果表明,不同品种烟草对斜纹夜蛾的死亡率、发育历期、蛹重、蛹期、羽化率、成虫体重都有显著影响。按斜纹夜蛾的蛹重、羽化率和成虫干重从大到小对其所取食的烟草品种类型排序,依次为选育品种>地方品种>野生种;死亡率、蛹期和发育历期,从大到小依次为野生种>地方品种>选育品种。斜纹夜蛾对不同烟草品种的产卵选择偏好性存在差异,其中最偏好在选育品种上产卵,其次为地方品种,最不喜野生种。研究表明野生种烟草相对选育和地方品种而言对斜纹夜蛾抗性更高。     

Citrus black spot intensity and yield losses on sweet orange are affected by Phyllosticta citricarpa inoculum concentration and fruit developmental stage

Citrus black spot (CBS) symptom expression on sweet oranges has been reported to be affected by the fruit developmental stage and inoculum concentration in greenhouse conditions. However, there is little information concerning the period in which the fruit is susceptible in commercial orchards. This study assessed the influence of fruit age and inoculum concentration of Phyllosticta citricarpa on CBS intensity and fruit drop in the field. Two field trials were conducted in commercial ‘Valencia’ orchards in São Paulo state, Brazil. Fruit were inoculated from October (petal fall stage) to July (c.6.5 cm diameter), with 10¹, 10³ and 10⁵ pycnidiospores/ml. CBS symptoms and fruit drop were observed in higher levels for fruit inoculated from October to February than from March to July. In both trials, when fruit were inoculated 10 times from October to July or single-inoculated in November or December, high CBS severities of 11%–22% were observed and the proportion of fruit remaining on the tree was 48%–77%; in contrast, noninoculated fruit had severity below 1.1% and 90% remained on the tree. Inoculations in November or December of green fruit with 1.5–3.0 cm diameter using 10⁵ pycnidiospores/ml were associated with higher CBS intensity and fruit drop and shorter incubation period than inoculations with lower concentrations. This work provides a better understanding of fruit stages and P. citricarpa inoculum concentrations most related to symptom expression and losses under natural conditions and may be helpful for improvement of CBS management in the São Paulo citrus belt.     

Use of nitrate non‐utilizing (nit) mutants to determine phenological stages at which Botrytis cinerea infects wine grapes causing botrytis bunch rot

Botrytis bunch rot (BBR), caused by Botrytis cinerea, degrades wine grapes during ripening, even though infection can occur as early as flowering. Effective BBR management requires knowledge of whether some stages of fruit development are more important than others in relation to infection and BBR severity at harvest. Bunches of Vitis vinifera ‘Sauvignon blanc’ and/or ‘Pinot noir’ were inoculated in two vineyard trials and one glasshouse trial with nitrate non‐utilizing (nit) mutant strains at three phenological stages: early flowering, pre‐bunch closure (PBC) and veraison. Isolates recovered from symptomless berries at veraison and from bunches with symptoms at harvest were screened to measure the incidence of the nit strains used in the inoculations. It was found that latent infections, which resulted in BBR at harvest, could become established at all three phenological stages and no single stage was associated with greater latent incidence or harvest severity than any other stage. It was concluded that a proportion of BBR at harvest resulted from the expression of latent infections that had accumulated throughout the season. However, the time between infection and BBR symptom expression in near‐ripe grape berries was sufficiently short for polycyclic secondary infection to also contribute to epidemic development.     

Schadwirkung des Sonnenbrands auf das Gewebe des Apfels (Malus domestica Borkh.)

Sunburn is a physiological injury of the apple fruit that significantly affects its quality. The change mainly occurs on or close to the surface layers. Later, plant pathogens can infect the fruit through the injured epidermal tissue, making the fruit unmarketable. In sensitive varieties, this can cause a 50% loss in yield. Other factors also play a role in its formation. It occurs mainly in areas with high temperature and high numbers of sunny hours during the ripening period. Water stress during this period also increases the damage. However the main key factors during the formation of sunscald are primarily the variety of the apple, its physiological state and the structure of the planting. Some varieties (‘Granny Smith’) are sensitive to light since their epidermal tissue is thin, whereas ‘Jonathan’ and ‘Gala’ are affected very rarely. Moreover apple varieties having red-colour fruits are more resistant to sunscald.     

临麦系列春小麦品种抗条锈性分析

小麦条锈病是发生于甘肃省临夏州小麦生产上的最主要病害,种植抗病品种是防治该病最经济有效且有利于保护环境的措施。作者于2013年在甘肃省农业科学院植物保护研究所兰州低温温室和甘谷试验站进行了苗期、成株期分小种接种鉴定,并于2010-2014年对临麦系列春小麦品种‘临麦32号’~‘临麦36号’在甘肃省不同生态区的8个试验点进行成株期抗条锈性分析,结果表明:春小麦品种‘临麦32号’苗期对所有供试菌系均表现感病,成株期对CYR29和CYR32表现中抗-中感;‘临麦33号’除对CYR29苗期表现免疫、成株期表现中抗-中感外,对其余供试菌系均表现感病。对自然诱发的条锈病,两品种也表现感病;‘临麦34号’和‘临麦36号’除对新菌系G22-9、G22-14表现感病外,对其余菌系表现抗病,但自2013年开始两品种在田间也表现感病;‘临麦35号’全生育期对接种及自然诱发的条锈菌均表现抗病。苗期选用24个国内外供试条锈菌单孢菌系进行基因推导分析,发现供试临麦系品种抗性谱与已知基因载体品种的抗性谱均不一致,初步推测供试临麦系品种含有未知抗条锈基因。     

A new disease of passion fruit in Mauritius: postharvest stem-end rot caused by Phomopsis tersa

Symptoms of post-harvest stem-end rot of passion fruit caused by Phomopsis tersa are described for the first time. Under laboratory conditions, following artificial inoculation, first symptoms occurred 4–11 days after harvest, depending on the length of the peduncles of fruits when harvested and whether fruits were injured. It is concluded that the pathogen invades the fruit through the peduncle and damaged skin.     

Virus-free plants of iris ‘wedgwood’ obtained by meristem culture

Some commercial varieties of Dutch (bulbous) iris such as ‘Wedgwood’ and ‘Imperator’ are wholly infected with a virus called latent mosaic virus in Israel or iris mosaic virus in the Netherlands. The aim of the investigation was to obtain virus-free plants of these varieties by culture of meristem tips excised from bulbs kept in their vegetative stage by storage at 25.5°C. Several media were used; those based on the medium ofMorel (personal communication) gave the best results. About 100 meristems were placed on each medium and on the best media about 30% started to grow. By transferring slowly growing meristems to the medium ofMurashige & Skoog (1962), growth improved greatly, though root formation remained poor. Twenty meristems developed into plants, of which ten were tested serologically. Eight plants of the variety ‘Wedgwood’ proved to be virus-free.     

Evaluation of screening methods and fruit composition in relation to anthracnose fruit rot resistance in blueberries

Anthracnose fruit rot is an important disease of blueberries, and losses are common in humid growing regions. Most commercial cultivars are susceptible and the disease is usually managed with fungicides. However, a few cultivars are considered resistant. The objectives of this study were to: (i) compare different inoculation techniques for anthracnose fruit rot resistance screening, (ii) screen ripe fruit from a range of blueberry cultivars using selected techniques, and (iii) investigate the role of fruit characteristics in anthracnose fruit rot resistance. The following inoculation methods were evaluated on ripe fruit of a susceptible and resistant cultivar using a conidial suspension: spray, droplet, and injection inoculation of whole fruit; and droplet inoculation of the open surface of cut fruit. All whole‐fruit inoculations yielded similar results. Despite the removal of the epidermis, resistance was also expressed in cut fruit but relatively fewer conidia were produced. The cut‐fruit assay required substantially less time and half the amount of fruit to accomplish than whole‐fruit assays. Detached ripe fruit from 24 cultivars in 2008 and 26 cultivars in 2009 were screened for resistance. Results from the cut‐fruit assay correlated best with published resistance ratings. To determine the possible role of fruit characteristics in resistance, fruit pH, titratable acidity, sugar content and firmness were regressed against various fruit rot resistance measures. Fruit rot resistance was positively correlated with sugar content. On defined media, mycelial growth was restricted as sugar concentration increased and pH decreased, suggesting that fruit composition may play a role in the resistance phenotype.     

Phytosanitary status of grapevine in Montenegro

During 2006 and 2007, a survey on the incidence and distribution of fourteen grapevine viruses was carried out in the Skadar Lake basin, one of the two main grapevine‐growing areas of Montenegro. In total 165 samples were collected from four red (‘Vranac’, ‘Krato?ija’, ‘Merlot’ and ‘Cardinal’), two white (‘Chardonnay’ and ‘Rkaciteli’) and a few unknown grapevine varieties in the vicinity of Podgorica and Bar. The phytosanitary status of the collected samples was analysed by DAS‐ELISA and the presence of Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 1 (GLRaV‐1), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 2 (GLRaV‐2) and Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 3 (GLRaV‐3) was confirmed in some of them. The most frequently found virus in assayed samples was GLRaV‐3 (54.5%), followed by GFLV (23%), GLRaV‐1 (20%) and GLRaV‐2 (0.6%). These serological analyses showed the absence of Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 6 (GLRaV‐6), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 7 (GLRaV‐7), Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV), Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV), Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), Raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) and Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) from all tested samples.     

Multiple preharvest treatments with harpin reduce postharvest disease and maintain quality in muskmelon fruit (cv. Huanghemi)

Decay caused by fungal pathogens is responsible for significant economic loss of muskmelon fruit (Cucumis melo L.) in China. However, postharvest treatment is not effective in controlling all of these pathogens, owing to the ability of some of them for latent infection. Therefore, preharvest treatment has been considered as a promising method to control postharvest decay in muskmelon fruit. The effect of multiple preharvest treatments with harpin on postharvest disease and quality of cv. ‘Huanghemi’ muskmelon fruit was investigated in this study. Results showed that harpin treatment significantly decreased the incidence of latent infection caused by Alternaria alternata and Fusarium spp. in harvested fruit. Meanwhile, the postharvest pink rot in treated fruit inoculated with Trichothecium roseum was suppressed noticeably. Moreover, preharvest treatment increased the activities of peroxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-Coumarate:CoA ligase and β-1,3-glucanase compared with control fruit. Harpin treatment also contributed to the accumulation of total phenolic compounds and lignin. In addition, harpin treatments were able to maintain the quality of harvested fruit. These results suggest that multiple treatments with harpin before harvest may be a promising technology to control postharvest disease and delay quality losses in Huanghemi muskmelon fruits.     

Allelopathic Potential of Soliva sessilis Ruiz & Pav. on Wheat

Soliva sessilis (Burweed) is a winter annual weed found in wheat crop of Pakistan. It is thought to have an allelopathic effect on wheat crop. In this regard, an experiment was conducted in 2019 in the department of Weed Science and Botany at the University of Agriculture Peshawar, to assess the allelopathic potential of S. sessilis on various wheat varieties grown in Peshawar, Pakistan. Physiologically matured roots and leaves of S. sessilis were dried, ground and stored. Three common wheat varieties were selected for the research including Atta Habib, Pirsabaq-15, and Shahkar-13. The treatments of the experiment comprised of the aqueous extracts of the roots and leaves of S. sessilis, hot water extracts, methanol extracts, litter, and mulches. A mass of 5?g of S. sessilis was taken for the different extracts for 24?h, however, the methanol extract was kept for 48?h. The effect of the treatments was highly significant on wheat seed germination, radicle length, plumule length, fresh biomass as well as dry biomasses of the three tested wheat varieties. The variety Atta Habib was discovered as the most susceptible variety to the treatments of aqueous extracts, hot water extracts, and leaves’ litter. In contrary, the variety Pirsabaq-15 exhibited a remarkable increase in the various data collection parameters. The leaves of S. sessilis were observed more toxic as compared to the roots. The mulch of S. sessilis indicated stimulatory effect on the wheat varieties. For the interaction effect between treatments and varieties, the leaves and roots aqueous extract and their litter showed inhibitory effect. In conclusion, the leaves and roots of S. sessilis are potentiality allelopathic to wheat crop plants and further study is needed to assess the types of these allelochemicals present in the leaves and roots of the weed.