Evaluation of common bean lines for their reaction to tomato yellow leaf curl virus-Ir2

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) can cause an economically relevant disease in the major tomato growing regions, and no resistance has been identified in commercial and wild tomato cultivars in Iran. In the present study, 34 common bean lines were screened for their reaction to TYLCV-Ir2 under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Bean plants were inoculated at the first trifoliate stage with viruliferous whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci biotype B) and were then sprayed with an insecticide and maintained in whitefly-proof greenhouse. The inoculated plants were monitored for the development of symptoms and the presence of viral DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) four weeks after inoculation. Results revealed that out of the 34 lines, five were resistant. These lines exhibited either no symptoms or very mild symptoms and no viral DNA was detected in them by PCR. Two lines, which showed no typical disease symptoms but contained viral DNA, were identified as tolerant to TYLCV-Ir2. The vector feeding preference for common bean lines was assessed. Results indicated a significant difference in adult whitefly numbers among bean lines but there was no relationship between the number of whiteflies and disease symptom severity. The resistance to TYLCY-Ir2 expressed in common bean lines may be useful as source of resistance for the development of resistant commercial common bean cultivars.     

Experimental host range and natural reservoir of sweet potato leaf curl virus in the United States

Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), a sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) transmitted begomovirus, causes serious yield losses to many sweet potato cultivars. Using experimental whitefly transmissions in a greenhouse (choice tests) and in a growth chamber (no-choice tests), we evaluated 111 plant species in 30 families to determine the host range of SPLCV. The host range was limited to plants in the genus Ipomoea within the family Convolvulaceae. In total, 38 of 45 Ipomoea species tested were susceptible to SPLCV infection. Surveys were conducted during the 2007-2009 sweet potato growing seasons in Mississippi and South Carolina to evaluate morning glory species as potential reservoir hosts for SPLCV. In the sweet potato experimental fields and surrounding areas, a large proportion of volunteer sweet potatoes, as well as a high percentage of annual and perennial morning glories tested positive for SPLCV. Understanding the host range and potential virus reservoir host plants will ultimately help in the development of an effective disease management strategy that is based on the consideration of agroecological factors.     

Evaluation of electrolyzed oxidizing water for phytotoxic effects and pre-harvest management of gray mold disease on strawberry plants

Near neutral (pH = 6.3-6.5) electrolyzed oxidizing water (EO water) has been demonstrated to inactivate fungi in pure culture and to mitigate infection on fruit surfaces. One possible alternative or supplement to traditional pre-harvest crop management practices that currently rely on the use of large quantities of fungicides is near neutral EO water. In the present work, treatment of Botrytis cinerea or Monilinia fructicola with near neutral EO water (50 or 100 ppm total residual chlorine (TRC)) in pure culture resulted in a 10⁶ reduction and 100% inactivation as evidenced by negative broth enrichment. When applied in concert with 50 or 100 ppm EO water, treatments of Captan 50WP (captan), Rovral (iprodione), Iprodione 4LAG (iprodione), or Switch 62.5 WDG (cyprodinil and fludioxonil) effectively inhibited fungal growth of B. cinerea as evidenced by a 10⁶ reduction on the direct plate and negative broth enrichment. Treatments of Captan 50WG (captan), Rovral (iprodione), Iprodione 4LAG (iprodione), Switch 62.5 WDG (cyprodinil and fludioxonil), Captan 80 WDG (captan), or Captevate (captan and fenhexamide) when applied in concert with 50 or 100 ppm EO resulted in a 10⁶ reduction of M. Fructicola and 100% inactivation as evidenced by negative broth enrichment. Strawberry plants sprayed with EO water (pH = 6.3-6.5) at concentrations of 50 and 100 ppm TRC once per week, did not result in significant (P > 0.05) phytotoxicity relative to a water (0 ppm TRC) treatment. In this study, the application of 100 ppm EO water (pH = 6.3-6.5) twice per week to strawberry plants infected with B. cinerea was more effective (P ≤ 0.05) than a once per week Captan application and as effective as a once per week captan/once per week EO treatment. The once per week captan/once per week EO treatment was significantly more effective (P ≤ 0.05) than the captan once per week treatment. Dip treatments of strawberries in near neutral EO solutions (50 and 100 ppm TRC; pH = 6.3-6.5) did not leave a chlorine residue on the fruit relative to a water dip. The results from this study suggest that near neutral EO solutions could be used to manage infection of B. cinerea on strawberry plants in the field and also as a disinfection solution for harvesting equipment, greenhouses, packing houses and in commercial facilities to prevent or manage infections of B. cinerea and M. fructicola.     

Quantification of yield loss due to coffee leaf scorch

Coffee leaf scorch caused by Xylella fastidiosa is widespread in major coffee-growing regions of Brazil. This study was done to quantify the yield loss caused by this disease. The severity data of the disease were collected during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons at commercial plantations growing Coffea arabica ‘Catuaí’ in São Gotardo-MG in 250 plants of three blocks of 7000 coffee plants each. Fifty selected plants per block with different disease severities were determined. The linear regression showed a significant relationship (P < 0.01) between disease severity and bean yield and between disease severity and grain size in all years. The relationship between yield and the disease severity was significant (P < 0.01). For each 1% increase in the disease severity, there was a decrease of 1.22, 1.34 and 2.02 bags of bean yield/ha in 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively, thus showing the importance of the disease in reducing coffee bean yields.     

Evaluation of the Ugandan sorghum accessions for grain mold and anthracnose resistance

Sorghum accessions from Uganda were evaluated for grain mold and anthracnose resistance during the 2005 and 2006 growing seasons at the Texas A&M University Research Farm, near College Station, TX. Accession PI534117 and SC719-11E exhibited the lowest grain mold severities of 2.4, whereas, accessions PI534117, PI534144, PI576337, PI297199, PI533833, and PI297210, with SC748-5 were highly resistant to anthracnose in both years. Accessions PI534117, PI297134, PI297156 exhibited low grain mold severities in 2006. Significant negative correlation was recorded between grain mold and percent germination and high temperature in both years. In 2006, daily precipitation recorded significant positive correlation with grain mold. The seed mycoflora was analyzed across sorghum lines and treatments. In 2005, Curvularia lunata and Fusarium thapsinum were the most frequently recovered fungal species with 31 and 21% incidence, respectively, followed by Alternaria spp. (19%) and F. semitectum (13%). In 2006, predominant colonizers were F. thapsinum (58%), followed by Alternaria and F. semitectum with 15 and 10, percent respectively, while C. lunata had a 6% incidence. In this study, PI534117 holds promise for multiple disease resistance, as it had the lowest disease severity of grain mold and was highly resistant to anthracnose in both years. It also has a high germination rate, a high seed weight, and its short stature is more advantageous for the new A-line conversion program.     

Feeding behavior of a potential insect pest, Lygus hesperus, on four new industrial crops for the arid southwestern USA

Camelina (Camelina sativa), guayule (Parthenium argentatum), lesquerella (Physaria fendleri), and vernonia (Centrapalus pauciflorus [formerly Vernonia galamensis]) are either under limited commercial production or being developed for production in the southwestern USA. Insect pests are a potential economic threat to all these new crops, with Lygus hesperus, the western tarnished plant bug, among the most prominent due to its regional abundance and propensity to feed on reproductive plant tissue. The objectives of this study were to establish baseline data on the feeding behavior and potential impact of L. hesperus on camelina, guayule, lesquerella and vernonia. Behavioral observations of adult females and males, and nymphs of this insect were made in the laboratory. Insects spent ≈35% of their time either probing (=tasting) or feeding on various reproductive and vegetative tissues of guayule, lesquerella or vernonia, but only 20% on camelina. When insects did probe and feed they preferred reproductive tissues, primarily flowers and siliques/achenes, and there were differences in these behaviors relative to crop but not generally to insect stage or sex. Insects probed and fed more on flower tissue of guayule and vernonia compared with camelina and lesquerella, and more on siliques of lesquerella compared with achenes of vernonia. When probing and feeding on vegetative tissue, there was generally a preference for stems compared with leaves in all crops except guayule. Results show that L. hesperus will readily feed on the economically important tissues of all crops, and although research has shown that this feeding did not consistently affect lesquerella yield, further work will be needed to determine if such feeding poses a risk to commercial production of camelina, guayule or vernonia.     

The effect of hail protection nets on Glomerella leaf spot in ‘royal Gala’ apple

In commercial apple orchards in southern Brazil, it is common to avoid hail damage by covering the trees with nets. This study was carried out to assess the effects of both black and white hail netting on the temporal dynamics of Glomerella Leaf Spot disease (GLS) in a commercial ‘Royal Gala’ apple orchard in a high-altitude region of southern Brazil during two growing seasons (2003/2004 and 2004/2005). Apple trees on M9 rootstock, trained to a slender spindle and with a spacing of 5.5 m × 3 m, were left uncovered (control) or covered with black or white hail netting. The incidence and severity of GLS were quantified biweekly from October to February by evaluating 100 leaves distributed randomly on four medium-height branches per plant on each 12 replications per treatment. Disease progress curves were constructed from the data and the epidemics were compared by using four epidemiological measures: the beginning of symptom appearance (BSA), the time to reach the maximum disease intensity (TRMDI), the maximum value of disease severity (Y_max), and the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). The highest intensity of GLS was observed in the plants under the black hail netting. Significant reductions in BSA and TRMDI and significant increases in Y_max and AUDPC were found among treatments in both growing seasons. However, no significant differences of GLS were found between the white hail netting and the control in either growing season.     

Field reactions of plum cultivars to the shot-hole disease in southern Italy

The reactions to shot-hole disease (Stigmina carpophila) of nine plum cultivars and seed-propagated myrobalan trees were evaluated during three years in three commercial orchards located at Nova Siri, Matera, Italy. In July 2006, May 2007, June 2007 and June 2008, shot-hole severity and twig defoliation were assessed. Pathogen pressure was higher in 2007 and 2008 than in 2006. In the three years of study, cultivar Golden Plumza was the most susceptible to the shot-hole measured by leaf severity, however it showed variable defoliation percentages in different years. The seed-propagated myrobalan trees were the most resistant, although they showed a slight degree of defoliation in 2007 and 2008. Intermediate reactions to the disease occurred in cultivars Angeleno, Autumn Giant, Fortune, Green Sun, October Sun, Santa Rosa, Sorriso di Primavera and T.C. Sun. A significant correlation between shot-hole leaf severity and twig defoliation was detected. To our knowledge, this is the first report on screening for resistance of plum cultivars to shot-hole disease.     

Resistance monitoring of Heliothis virescens to pyramided cotton varieties with a hydrateable, artificial cotton leaf bioassay

Proof of concept was demonstrated for a practical, off-the-shelf bioassay to monitor for tobacco budworm resistance to pyramided Bt cotton using plant filtrates. The bioassay was based on a previously described feeding disruption test using hydrateable artificial diet containing a blue indicator dye, a diagnostic dose of insecticide and novel assay architecture. Using neonate larvae from a Bt-susceptible, laboratory reared tobacco budworm strain, a diagnostic dose for Bollgard II and WideStrike cotton was obtained that limited neonate blue fecal production to 0-2 pellets in 24 h (Bt-resistant larvae produced >2 fecal pellets). The bioassay was tested with three different field populations of tobacco budworm collected from tobacco in central North Carolina (USA) and shown to accurately diagnose susceptibility to Bt. The diagnostic doses were also successfully evaluated with two Bt-resistant, laboratory reared tobacco budworm strains. Shelf life studies showed the assay could be stored for at least 6 months at room temperature (longer storage times were not studied). The application of the bioassay as an easy to use monitoring tool is discussed.     

Development and statistical evaluation of models in forecasting moth phenology of major lepidopterous peach pest complex for Integrated Pest Management programs

A 3-parameter Boltzman and a 4-parameter Logistic non-linear regression model were constructed to simulate the emergences and seasonal dynamics of the major moth pest complex of peach including Anarsia lineatella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Grapholitha (Cydia) molesta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Adoxophyes orana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Model development used 4 yr (2004–2007) climatic data and field observations in peach orchards located in two separate regions in northern Greece. Model performance was evaluated by using the Adjusted r² and the Akaike and Bayes-Schwartz information criteria. Applied models had a very high prediction capability in most of the cases. The Akaike and Bayes–Schwartz information values of the 4-parameter Logistic model provided better estimates in most data sets. According to the Logistic equation, 50% of the cumulative number of male moths for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations of A. lineatella occurred at 151, 785 and 1513 degree-days respectively, for G. molesta at 654, 785 and 1251, and for A. orana at 406, 1260 and 2141 degree-days (Biofix: 1^st March in all cases). In addition, a simplified theoretical degree-day model adjustment was attempted to generate simultaneously a multispecies moth phonological model for the above species, in order to outline perspectives in Integrated Pest management (IPM). The unique proposed model revealed differences in the phenology of the three species, and can simplify calculations and recommendations to pest control advisors, based on a common base temperature and biofix.     

Evaluation of fungicides to control circular leaf spot of persimmon caused by Mycosphaerella nawae

The efficacy of ten fungicides against Mycosphaerella nawae, the causal agent of circular leaf spot (CLS) of persimmon, was evaluated in vitro and in field experiments. Field trials were conducted in 2009 and 2010 to investigate the comparative efficacy of the fungicides alone or combined using alternating sequences in spray programmes based on two, three or four applications. Disease incidence was assessed by estimating the percentage of affected leaves, which included leaves showing at least one necrotic spot and defoliation. Fenpropimorph, pyraclostrobin, tebuconazole and thiophanate-methyl were the most effective fungicides in inhibiting mycelial growth of M. nawae isolates (EC₅₀ < 2 ppm). In field experiments, the most effective fungicides using two spray applications were captan, chlorothalonil, mancozeb and pyraclostrobin which significantly reduced disease incidence compared with untreated plots. Regarding the number of spray applications, two applications of captan and mancozeb were less efficient than three to control the disease. However, the percentage of affected leaves provided by three applications of captan and mancozeb alone or combined with pyraclostrobin using alternating sequences in spray programmes, was not significantly different from that provided by four applications. Experimental results demonstrated that spray programmes based on three applications of these fungicides could effectively control CLS of persimmon. The advantages of spray programmes based on alternated use of strobilurins and protective fungicides are discussed.     

Effects of leaf scales of different pineapple cultivars on the epiphytic stage of Fusarium guttiforme

The fungus Fusarium guttiforme (Syn. F. subglutinans f. sp. ananas) is responsible for fusariosis, one of the main phytosanitary threats to pineapple (Ananas comosus var. comosus). A structural study comparing epidermal differences in pineapple cultivars resistant and susceptible to fusariosis was performed, relating properties of the epidermis to known susceptibility to the disease. The basal, non-chlorophylled, portions of mature leaves of pineapple plants were analyzed by light and electron microscopy. All cultivars showed common morpho-anatomic aspects characteristic of Bromeliaceae, such as scutiform scales and unstratified epidermis. However, cultivar Vitoria (resistant) had less scales than cultivars Smooth Cayenne (susceptible, intermediate severity) and Perola (susceptible, with extreme severity of fusariosis symptoms). Inoculation of conidia suspension (10⁵ conidia ml⁻¹) of the fungus F. guttiforme to leaves and harvesting 24 h later yielded numbers of viable colonies related to the density of leaf scales. This suggests that scales can act as havens for fungal conidia and favour the epiphytic stage of the fungus on pineapple plants, and are involved in the interaction of plant and pathogen. A reduction in scale numbers was related to lower infection levels and is relevant to the future breeding programme for development of new pineapple cultivars resistant to fusariosis and their involvement in integrated control strategies.     

Evaluation of Lecanicillium longisporum, Vertalec against the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, and cucumber powdery mildew, Sphaerotheca fuliginea in a greenhouse environment

The commercial mycopesticide, Vertalec^® based on Lecanicillium longisporum, was evaluated for simultaneous control of aphids and powdery mildew on cucumbers in a greenhouse setting where temperature and RH were allowed to fluctuate within normal operating ranges. Five to six week old cucumber plants were inoculated with either Sphaerotheca fuliginea (Sf) spores, cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii) or both. Vertalec, Vertalec containing irradiation-inactivated blastospores (II Vertalec) or sterilized water (control) were applied to the plants 1, 4, and 7 days later. Vertalec treatment provided complete control of aphids 16 days after aphid inoculation, whereas effects of the II Vetalec were not significantly different from the water-treated control. The number of powdery mildew spots on cucumber leaves and the number of S. fuliginea spores in each spot were significantly lower in Vertalec-treated plants than II Vertalec-treated plants or the controls, whereas numbers in the II Vertalec treatment were lower that the untreated control. These results demonstrate that Vertalec has potential for simultaneous management of both cotton aphid and powdery mildew in greenhouse cucumber production.     

Monitoring for MACE resistance in the tobacco-adapted form of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the eastern United States

Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides exert their neurotoxic effects by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE), thereby, prolonging the action of acetylcholine at cholinergic synapses, resulting in neuronal hyperexcitation. Mutations at the AChE target site confer modified acetylcholinesterase (MACE) phenotypes. Target-site insensitivity of AChE was characterized in field-collected, tobacco-adapted forms of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), from nine different states in the eastern United States from 2004 to 2007. The specific activity of the AChE among the 65 aphid colonies screened by Ellman's assay ranged from 0.017–0.259 U/min/mg protein. Eight colonies, with a wide range of specific activities were chosen to study the inhibition of AChE in the presence of two carbamate insecticides, methomyl and pirimicarb. IC₅₀ values for methomyl ranged from 0.35 to 2.4 μM, while six out of eight colonies had lower values that ranged from 0.16 to 0.30 μM for pirimicarb. Two colonies that were inhibited by methomyl had very high IC₅₀ values for pirimicarb, 40.4 and 98.6 μM respectively. The target-site insensitivity in these two colonies that are resistant to pirimicarb could be due to an ace2 gene mutation. This is the first instance where MACE phenotypes in M. persicae from the United States were studied and confirmed. The results indicate that the possible insensitivity due to MACE resistance in some colonies may render selected carbamate insecticides ineffective. Concerns of MACE resistance in managing the tobacco-adapted form of the green peach aphid on tobacco in the United States are discussed.     

Brachypodium as a model system for grass research

The combination of a tractable experimental system, molecular tools, facile genetics and comprehensive genomics resources places Brachypodium distachyon in a unique position to promote and accelerate biological investigations in cereal and grass crops. Brachypodium has a proven track-record as a bridge into Triticeae cereal crops by helping to navigate and assemble their large and complex genomes. Brachypodium’s compact genome already provides a useful reference for map-based cloning and comparative genomics. In this review, I argue that Brachypodium will also fulfill a more generic role as a functional genomics model. In this context, Brachypodium will play a pivotal role in multi-system approaches to underpin tomorrow’s grass research landscape.     

A novel,integrated method for management of witches' broom disease in Cacao in Bahia,Brazil

A three-year field study was conducted in Bahia, Brazil to validate several strategies for management of witches' broom disease in cacao caused by Moniliophthora perniciosa. Treatments which were applied alone or in combination included applications of biological control fungus Trichoderma stromaticum, fungicide copper hydroxide and phytosanitary broom removal. When compared with untreated control treatments, higher pod yields and consistently lower pod losses were obtained by alternating fungicide with biocontrol application. Pod losses caused by witches' broom were also reduced by fungicide treatment or by phytosanitary broom removal when applied alone or in combination, however total pod production per tree was consistently low whenever broom removal was used as a management strategy. While application of biocontrol fungus alone was not able to reduce witches' broom on pods, it reduced vegetative broom formation and also increased the number of pod-forming flower cushions. The present study indicates that alternating fungicide copper hydroxide with biocontrol fungus T. stromaticum without expensive phytosanitary broom removal is not only a better disease management strategy in Bahia but also results in better yields and thereby better net economic returns.     

Field evaluation of yield effects on the U.S.A. heirloom sweetpotato cultivars infected by Sweet potato leaf curl virus

The incidence of Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), a Begomovirus, on sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. (Convolvulaceae), in South Carolina, U.S.A. has increased rapidly in recent years. This is likely due to the use of infected propagating materials and the increasing population of its vector, the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). In this study, we demonstrated in field experiments that SPLCV infection reduced the yields of most heirloom sweetpotato lines relative to the yields of non-infected plants. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology specific to several common sweetpotato viruses was used to determine the virus infection status in 69 selected accessions of heirloom sweetpotato lines. Meristem tip culture technology was used to regenerate virus-free plants from these materials. To ensure the virus-free status, each mericlone was evaluated using real-time PCR and graft bio-indexing on the indicator species, Ipomoea setosa Ker Gawl. Mericlones of 27 cultivars were found to be free of the viruses. The 27 cultivars were included in a field test to determine the effect of SPLCV infection on yield. Yields of virus-free plants of the cultivars ranged from 10 to 80% greater than the yields of SPLCV-infected plants. However, the yield differences between virus-free and infected plants were diminished in the second year of the field experiment due to a rapid re-infection by SPLCV. These results demonstrate the importance of using certified, virus-tested seed roots or cuttings. The rapid re-infection of the virus-tested sweetpotato plants with SPLCV observed in these studies suggests that management of the whitefly population should be a critical element in control of this important virus.     

Influence of leaf position that correspond to whole plant severity and diagrammatic scale for white spot of corn

The main objective of this research is to determine the influence of leaf position on corn plants with white spot caused by Pantoea ananatis, which better represents the infection on the whole plant. A diagrammatic scale to quantify the severity of the disease was elaborated and validated. For scale elaboration, the minimal and maximal limits of the disease severity observed in the field were considered, and intermediate levels followed logarithmic increments according to the Weber–Fechner stimulation law. The scale has nine classes: 0.1, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 64%. For scale evaluation, a severity evaluation for white spot was performed by 10 raters with no experience in disease evaluation. Initially, severity estimation was performed without a scale for 41 leaves with different levels of severity. Afterward, the same raters used the proposed diagrammatic scale. Through linear regression to compare the actual and estimate severity values, the raters’ accuracy and precision were analyzed. Satisfactory accuracy and precision were achieved when estimation was performed with a diagrammatic scale. To determine the best leaf disease severity evaluation, correlation and regression analyses were performed with 25 plants of five genotypes, for a total of 284 leaves analyzed. Results analysis leads us to conclude that the severity of white spot on corn plants significantly correlates with the disease mean severity of leaves 0 and -1, i.e., a leaf of the corn ear and the one immediately below it. This scale provided good levels of accuracy and precision (a mean R² of 94%), with errors concentrating around 10%. Raters presented increased reproducibility (R² > 90% in 82% of cases) of severity estimates. The proposed diagrammatic scale is considered adequate to estimate the severity of white spot in corn for germplasm evaluations, for epidemiological studies and for evaluation of control strategies for this disease.     

Evaluation of soybean for resistance to soybean rust in Vietnam

Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Sydow, is a severe foliar disease of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that occurs throughout most soybean producing regions of the world. The objective of this research was to evaluate selected soybean genotypes for resistance to soybean rust in Vietnam. Five field experiments in Vietnam were completed from 2006 to 2009. The area-under-the-disease-progress-curve (AUDPC) was calculated for each soybean genotype based on four disease assessments taken during the reproductive growth stages. AUDPC units among soybean genotypes in each experiment differed (P < 0.05). Over the five experiments, the resistant check DT 2000 was most often the genotype with the lowest AUDPC units while the sources of rust resistance (Rpp1-5) did not always have low AUDPC units in each experiment, although PI 230970 (Rpp2) appeared to be more stable. A few genotypes with non-characterized genes for resistance, such as PI 398998, PI 437323, and PI 549017, had the lowest AUDPC units in at least one of the experiments. These genetic resources may be useful for host plant resistance studies and breeding soybeans for rust resistance in Vietnam and other locations like Brazil and the United States that have more recently been inundated with soybean rust. A significant (P < 0.001) experiment × genotype interaction was found when the AUDPC data of 14 soybean genotypes tested in Experiments 1, 2, and 3 were combined and analyzed. This result indicates the potential importance of changing fungal races and/or biotypes that occur in the rust population.     

Control of tomato powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) in the Comarca Lagunera, Coahuila State, Mexico, supported by the spray forecast model Tomato.PM

Tomato powdery mildew [Leveillula taurica (Lev.) Arm.] is a common disease of tomato crops in the Comarca Lagunera region of the state of Coahuila, Mexico. To control the disease, fungicides are commonly sprayed up to 18 times on a weekly basis in this region. Effectiveness of the spray forecast model Tomato.PM, developed for California conditions, to reduce fungicide spraying, was evaluated. Disease dynamics on plants treated with three different fungicides (azoxystrobin, myclobutanil and wettable sulfur), with and without model recommendations, was analyzed in three experiments at three locations. When spraying followed model recommendations, it was possible to eliminate 11-16 fungicide applications with no significant effect on fruit yield. All three fungicides reduced the severity of disease but their effects varied with the cropping cycle. A significant increase in total yield due to fungicide spraying was observed in one out of three experiments.