Effects of postharvest treatments on recovery of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri in infected grapefruit leaves

Studies were conducted to evaluate treatments that reduce recovery of Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) in infected grapefruit leaves. To investigate effects of temperature (0, 10, 40, and 50 °C), disinfectant (none or Pro-San), and treatment duration (0, 2, 10, and 20 min) on survival of Xcc in vitro, a split–split plot experimental design was utilized. Recovery of Xcc in vitro in the absence of Pro-San decreased with increasing treatment duration at 50 °C but not at temperatures <50 °C. Xcc in vitro was not detected after any treatment combination involving Pro-San. Decontamination of grapefruit leaves infected with Xcc in relation to disinfectant (none or Pro-San), temperature (0, 10, 40, 45, and 50 °C), treatment duration (0, 2, 5, 10, and 20 min), and assessment time (0, 2, 7, and 14 days post treatment [dpt]) was examined using a split–split–split plot design. Reductions in Xcc recovery generally increased with increasing treatment duration and temperature, and they were greater for treatments involving Pro-San. To examine the general trend of increased Xcc recovery with increasing dpt, nonlinear mixed regression analysis was used to fit a monomolecular model to relative Xcc recovery data. Results indicated that increases in relative Xcc recovery after 14 dpt were insignificant and unsubstantial. Treatment at 45 °C for 20 min or 50 °C for ≥5 min resulted in leaf tissue damage in some instances; in two cases, tissue damage was observed on untreated leaves 14 dpt. Experiments were conducted to investigate the relationships of tissue damage with leaf age and location of tissue damage in relation to point of inoculation. Tissue damage was observed on only the youngest, most supple leaves, and its localization did not appear to be related to naturally occurring citrus canker lesions or artificial inoculation sites. Results from these studies may be useful in formulation of future regulatory policies regarding trade of citrus foliage, especially those used as condiments.     

Evaluation of soil applied systemic acquired resistance inducers integrated with copper bactericide sprays for control of citrus canker on bearing grapefruit trees

Soil application of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides and the commercial systemic acquired resistance (SAR) inducer, acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), provides season-long control of foliar infection by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, the causal agent of citrus canker. Reduction in leaf disease incidence with ASM is comparable to protection with 21-day interval foliar sprays of copper hydroxide (CH). Soil applications of ASM alone, rotated with the neonicotinoids imidacloprid (IMID), thiamethoxam (THIA), and clothianidin (CLOTH), or combined with foliar sprays of CH were compared for canker disease control on fruit of 5- to 7-year-old bearing ‘Ruby Red’ grapefruit trees in Southeast Florida. All treatments significantly reduced the incidence of canker lesions on fruit compared to the untreated check. Soil drenches of ASM and season-long rotations with IMID, THIA, and CLOTH were as effective for suppressing fruit canker as season-long foliar sprays with CH. SAR inducers combined with CH sprays provided optimum control of fruit canker when initiated before the onset of the susceptible foliar flush in the spring. Additional control of canker with soil-applied SAR inducers may enable reduction in the frequency of copper sprays and reduce disease loss from copper resistant Xcc strains where they are prevalent.     

Integration of soil applied neonicotinoid insecticides and acibenzolar-S-methyl for systemic acquired resistance (SAR) control of citrus canker on young citrus trees

Soil application of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides for control of psyllid vectors of Huanglongbing disease on young citrus trees also produces season-long SAR control of citrus canker caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri Schaad et al. The neonicotinoids imidacloprid (IMID) and thiamethoxam (THIA) were compared with soil or sprinkler applications of the commercial SAR inducer acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and foliar sprays of copper hydroxide (CH) and/or streptomycin (STREP) to evaluate their effects on the percentage of canker-infected leaves on 2-yr-old ‘Vernia’ orange and 3-yr-old ‘Ray Ruby’ grapefruit trees in Southeast Florida. All treatments significantly reduced the incidence of foliar canker compared to the untreated check. Soil drenches of ASM and season long rotations with IMID and THIA were highly effective for suppressing foliar canker on young grapefruit and orange trees under weather conditions absent of high intensity rains or tropical storms. Sprinkler application of ASM was less effective than soil drench. The level of control for SAR treatments was comparable to eleven 21-day interval sprays of CH and/or STREP. SAR induced by soil-applied insecticides provides substantial benefits for canker disease management on young citrus trees that may be augmented with ASM.     

Integrated management of major diseases of mungbean by seed treatment and foliar application of insecticide,fungicides and bioagent

Field experiments were conducted during the rainy seasons of 2009 and 2010 for the management of the major diseases of mungbean, namely, wet root rot (Rhizoctonia solani), cercospora leaf spots (Cercospora canescens and Pseudocercospora cruenta) and yellow mosaic (Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus) by using different combinations of an insecticide, fungicide, and bio-formulation as seed treatment, with or without foliar sprays. A combination of seed treatment with thiamethoxam (Cruiser™) at 4 g kg⁻¹, carboxin (Vitavax™) at 2 g kg⁻¹ and Pusa 5SD (Trichoderma virens) at 4 g kg⁻¹ followed by simultaneous foliar sprays of thiamethoxam (Actara™) 0.02% and carbendazim (Bavistin™) 0.05% at 21 and 35 days after sowing resulted in the highest seed germination and grain yield in mungbean with the lowest intensities of cercospora leaf spots and mungbean yellow mosaic, and moderate incidence of wet root rot. The lowest whitefly population was also observed in this treatment during all stages of the crop. The treatment combinations having Pusa 5SD as seed treatment provided the lowest wet root rot incidence. Two sprays were superior to single spray for all variables recorded, but in combination with seed treatment, single spray was found to be more cost effective as it obtained the highest return per rupee of input. Use of T. virens based bio-formulation Pusa 5SD with insecticide thiamethoxam has been effectively demonstrated for the first time along with fungicides Bavistin and Vitavax for the management of the major diseases of mungbean.     

Control of postharvest radish decay using a Cryptococcus albidus yeast coating formulation

An antagonist yeast strain, WY-1, was identified using 18S and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA region sequences. The 18S and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequences of this yeast strain were amplified and sequenced using the universal primer pairs NS1/NS8 and ITS4/ITS5. The ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA sequence and 18S neighbor-joining tree showed that WY-1 was a strain of Cryptococcus albidus. The biocontrol activity of C. albidus WY-1 on postharvest decay of radishes caused by Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. was investigated. In vitro, at 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹ C. albidus WY-1 inhibited the mycelial weight increases of Alternaria spp. and Fusarium spp. by 45.3% and 59.6%, respectively. In vivo, infection incidence and lesion development of radish decay were suppressed by the application of C. albidus WY-1 at 10⁸ CFU ml⁻¹. After 6 days of incubation at 20 °C or 24 days at 4 °C, disease incidences were 2.8% and 1.4%, respectively; however, the disease incidences of control fruit were 98.6% and 87.5% under these incubation conditions, respectively. Application of C. albidus WY-1 and the chemical fungicide thiabendazole were statistically just as effective. Finally, C. albidus cell counts around inoculation sites remained high at 4 °C even 32 days after inoculation (6.7 × 10⁵ CFU per cm²).     

Control of chickpea blight disease caused by Didymella rabiei by mixing resistance inducer and contact fungicide

Elicitors of systemic acquired resistance are well known to reduce severity of several plant pathogenic diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses. Their field applications for management of plant diseases are, however, limited because of yield penalties. Our studies on affect of Benzo (1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH), an elicitor of systemic acquired resistance, on chickpea blight caused by a fungal pathogen Didymella rabiei showed that multiple foliar applications of the chemical were effective in management of the disease under economic threshold levels. Multiple applications, however, affected chickpea grain yield adversely. The BTH induced yield penalties could be prevented by foliar spray schedule comprised of BTH and a contact fungicide mancozeb. One spray of BTH (50 ppm) followed by another of mancozeb (0.2%) was less effective (8.3% severity) than three sprays of BTH (4.2% severity) in blight control, however, this treatment enhanced grain yield significantly (1.241 t ha⁻¹) over three sprays of BTH (0.922 t ha⁻¹).     

Dormant season foliar sprays of broad-spectrum insecticides: An effective component of integrated management for Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in citrus orchards

Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is a global pest of citrus and vector of Candidatus Liberibacter, a bacteria that causes huanglongbing or greening, a devastating disease of citrus. Mature citrus trees are dormant in winter and produce most new shoots in spring, followed by sporadic canopy growth in summer and fall. Young shoots are required for oviposition and nymphal development, but adults can survive and overwinter on hardened leaves. Surviving adults reproduce in spring shoots and their progeny are probably responsible for a large portion of disease spread as they disperse to search for food. Therefore, foliar sprays of broad-spectrum insecticides applied to mature trees in winter were evaluated in a commercial citrus orchard as tactic to reduce pest populations and insecticide use in spring and summer when beneficial insects are most active. A single spray of chlorpyrifos (2.8 kg a.i. ha⁻¹) in January 2007 reduced adult psyllids an average of 10-fold over six months compared to untreated trees. The following year, differences with the untreated control averaged 15-fold for over five months following a single spray of chlorpyrifos, fenpropathrin (0.34 kg a.i. ha⁻¹), or oxamyl (1.12 kg a.i. ha⁻¹) applied in January. Spiders, lacewings and ladybeetles were equally abundant during the growing season in both treated and untreated trees both years (P = 0.05). Thus foliar sprays of broad-spectrum insecticides before spring growth suppressed D. citri for five to six months, with no detectible impact on key natural enemies. This tactic has been widely adopted to control the psyllid in Florida, in some cases area-wide. Additional sprays during the growing season should be based on scouting and targeted at adults before anticipated new flush.     

Assessment of spray deposition and recycling rate in the vineyard from a new type of air-assisted tunnel sprayer

A new, two-row, air-assisted tunnel sprayer was tested in the vineyard in comparison to a conventional, broadcast sprayer. The tunnel was fitted with external axial flow fans (airflow rate: 2.23 m³ s⁻¹ per row) and lamellate separating panels, designed to filter the excess spray and recover its liquid fraction for recycling, while discharging the air to the outside. Two field tests were performed, at end of flowering and beginning of ripening. Mean deposits on the leaves and on leaf undersides at twelve canopy locations (three height ranges, two depths and the two sides of the row) were assessed using a soluble colour dye (Tartrazine) as a tracer.Mean foliar deposition from the tunnel sprayer and the reference sprayer was not statistically different at either growth stage. The tunnel sprayer gave increased deposit variability on leaf undersides in the first test, associated with uneven deposition over the canopy heights and significant differences between the two sides of the row. This was corrected by a different adjustment of the nozzles and air outlets in the second test when, as a whole, the overall performances of both sprayers could be considered comparable. Penetration into the canopy was similar despite smaller airflow rate of the tunnel sprayer, and coverage of undersides was also comparable and in line with previous tests performed with air-assisted vineyard sprayers.The recycling rate of the tunnel sprayer was 50.1% of spray volume applied in the first experiment, and 34.0% in the second experiment. This confirmed the potential of this technique for substantial spray saving and reduction in chemical input, without compromising deposition.     

Fungitoxicity and synergism of mixtures of fluopicolide and pyraclostrobin against Phytophthora infestans

Fluopicolide and pyraclostrobin were new systemic fungicides with highly inhibitory activity on a broad spectrum of oomycetes, but so far the fungitoxicity of their mixtures on the different developmental stages of Phytophthora infestans and whether synergism exists have not been investigated. The joint-toxicity of the mixtures of fluopicolide with pyraclostrobin was determined against the different developmental stages (mycelial growth, zoospore release, cystospore germination and sporangial germination) of P. infestans and late blight on the leaf discs and the potted plants of potato, and whether the synergistic interaction exists in the mixtures of the two fungicides were evaluated in vitro and in vivo based on the synergistic ratios calculated with the Wadley formulas. The protective activity and curative activity against P. infestans and the efficacy duration in controlling potato late blight of the synergistic mixtures of the two fungicides were examined in this study. The results showed that mixtures of fluopicolide (F) and pyraclostrobin (P) at the ratios of 10:1 and 1:4 (F:P) exhibited synergistic interactions and had excellent inhibitory activity against almost all developmental stages of P. infestans. Synergistic interactions of the mixtures at the ratios of 1:4 and 10:1 (F:P) against the mycelial growth of metalaxyl-resistant isolates were more obvious than against the mycelial growth of metalaxyl-sensitive isolates. Synergistic interactions of the mixtures at the ratio of 1:4 (F:P) against the mycelial growth of the most of the tested isolates were more obvious than those of the mixtures at the ratio of 10:1 (F:P). The highest activity of the mixtures was observed against zoospore release at the ratio of 1:4 (F:P) with EC₅₀ value of 0.0044 μg ml⁻¹. The strongest synergistic interaction of the mixtures was observed against zoospore release at the ratio of 10:1 (F:P) with the synergistic ratio of 5.27. The mixtures of fluopicolide and pyraclostrobin at the ratios of 1:4 and 10:1 (F:P) showed synergistic interactions against P. infestans on the leaf discs and intact plants of potato. The EC₅₀ values for protective activity and curative activity of the mixture at the ratio of 10:1 (F:P) were 0.63 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.87 μg ml⁻¹, and EC₅₀ values of protective activity and curative activity of the mixture at the ratio of 1:4 (F:P) were 0.27 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.44 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. At 14 days after spraying of fungicide solutions, the disease control efficacy of the mixtures at the ratios of 10:1 and 1:4 (F:P) was still over 80% at the dosages of 50 μg ml⁻¹ and 100 μg ml⁻¹, and the disease control efficacy of the two mixtures remained at about 97% at the dosages of 200 μg ml⁻¹, indicating long-lasting effective control efficacy of the two fungicides against potato late blight.     

Comparative efficiency of chemical compounds for in vitro and in vivo activity against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, the causal agent of tomato bacterial canker

Bacterial canker of tomato caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis produces considerable economic losses in many countries because effective control measures are lacking. The extent to which bactericides control this disease effectively is low and has not yet been well documented for Southern European conditions. In this study the bactericidal effect of several products on this pathogen was assessed in vitro and in vivo in tomato plants under greenhouse conditions. Seven antibacterial substances (bronopol, copper sulphate, kasugamycin, oxolinic acid, oxytetracycline, streptomycin and 8-hydroxy-quinoline), three commercial formulates (Antibak RZ, an oligoelements mixture containing copper plus zinc; Orthopol, a potassium soap; and Param, a resistance inductor) and combinations thereof were tested. In vitro assessment showed that minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antibacterial substances was between 4–8 μg ml⁻¹, except for copper sulphate with a MIC value of 150 μg ml⁻¹ and kasugamycin, which was not active at 500 μg ml⁻¹. MIC values of commercial formulates ranged between 5 and 40 μl ml⁻¹. Furthermore, combinations of 8-hydroxy-quinoline+copper sulphate, 8-hydroxy-quinoline+Antibak RZ, streptomycin+Antibak RZ and streptomycin+Orthopol showed a synergistic effect at sub-inhibitory concentrations. Treatments containing copper sulphate greatly reduced disease symptoms on plants sprayed with the bacteria, whereas streptomycin was less effective. In two independent trials, the percentage of leaves showing symptoms was significantly lower (2.4% and 11.9%) after treatment with copper sulphate combined with 8-hydroxy-quinoline at half-dose, than in inoculated controls (75.1% and 59.6%). These results were better than copper sulphate alone. However, plants inoculated by pricking rapidly developed systemic infection, which no product managed to control significantly, although several treatments did reduce symptoms. We conclude that copper sulphate combined with 8-hydroxy-quinoline may be useful in controlling external symptoms of this disease in greenhouses, and is environmentally friendly, reducing the amount of copper applied to crops.     

Foliar sprays of concentrated urea at maturity of pigeonpea to induce defoliation and increase its residual benefit to wheat

The pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) crop retains appreciable amounts of green foliage even after reaching physiological maturity, which if allowed to defoliate, could augment the residual benefit of pigeonpea to the following wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in a pigeonpea–wheat rotation. The effect of addition of leaves present on mature pigeonpea crop to the soil was examined on the following wheat during the 1999/2000 growing season at Patancheru (17°4′N, 78°2′E) and during the 2001–2003 growing seasons at Modipuram (29°4′N, 77°8′E). At Patancheru, an extra-short-duration pigeonpea cultivar ICPL 88039 was defoliated manually and using foliar sprays of 10% urea (30 kg/ha) and compared with a millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.) crop, naturally senesced leaf residue and no-leaf residue controls. At Modipuram, the effect of 10% urea spray treatment on mature ICPL 88039 was compared with the unsprayed control. At both locations, the rainy season crops were followed by a wheat cultivar UP 2338 at four nitrogen levels applied in a split plot design, which at Patancheru were 0, 30, 90 and 120 kg N ha⁻¹ and at Modipuram 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha⁻¹. At Patancheru, urea spray added 0.5 t ha⁻¹ of extra leaf litter to the soil within a week without significantly affecting pigeonpea yield. This treatment, however, increased mean wheat yield by 29% from 2.4 t ha⁻¹ in the no-leaf residue pigeonpea or pearl millet plots to 3.1 t ha⁻¹. At Modipuram, the foliar sprays of urea added more leaf litter to the soil than at Patancheru. Here, increase in subsequent wheat yield due to additional pigeonpea leaf litter was 7–8% and net profit 21% more than in the unsprayed control. The addition of pigeonpea leaf litter to the soil resulted in a saving of 40–60 kg N for the following wheat crops in both the environments. The results demonstrated that pigeonpea leaf litter could play an important role in the fertilizer N economy in wheat. The urea spray at maturity of the standing pigeonpea crop significantly improved this contribution in increasing wheat yield, the effect of which was additional to the amount of urea used for inducing defoliation. The practice, if adopted by farmers, may enhance sustainability of wheat production system in an environmentally friendly way, as it could reduce the amount of fertilizer N application to soil and enhance wheat yield.     

Population dynamics of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians on different plant species and management of bacterial leaf spot of lettuce under greenhouse conditions

The population dynamics of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians (Xcv) was studied both externally and internally in lettuce, tomato and pepper plants. In addition, the application of bactericides during transplant production period was carried out for the management of bacterial leaf spot of lettuce under greenhouse conditions. Epiphytic populations of Xcv were recovered on leaves of lettuce plants (10⁵ CFU/g) 5 weeks after sprayed than the other plant species when inoculated with 10⁸ CFU/ml of Xcv. When plants of each crop species infiltrated with the bacterium at 10⁵ CFU/ml, the highest populations were developed in lettuce (10⁸ CFU/cm²) followed by pepper with 10⁶ CFU/cm² and tomato with 10⁵ CFU/cm² 10-days after infiltration. Application of a mixture of Maneb and Kocide or Kocide alone as a foliar spray on lettuce significantly reduced the incidence and disease severity of bacterial leaf spot by 29 and 27% respectively. Spread of the bacterium and development of the disease may partly be managed by avoiding intercropping of these plants commonly grown in close proximity to lettuce. For the management of leaf-associated populations of Xcv in lettuce, use of a mixture of Maneb and Kocide is advocated to minimize the effect of attacks.     

Spray volume and fungicide rates for citrus black spot control based on tree canopy volume

The control of citrus black spot (CBS) caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa relies mainly on fungicide sprays. Generally, high and non-standardized spray volumes are adopted and the sprays are based on litre per tree or per hectare. However, the tree canopy volume may vary with age, density and variety, and this is expected to impact on the spray volume and fungicide rates needed for disease control. This study evaluated the efficacy of different fungicide spray volumes and rates for CBS control based on the tree-row-volume (TRV) concept. Two field trials were carried out during three seasons in São Paulo state, Brazil. Trials were set up in commercial orchards of late-maturing ‘Valencia’ sweet orange grown for juice production. In field trial 1, the volumes tested were 125 (standard), 100 (internal runoff point), 75 (intermediate) and 50 (half the internal runoff point) mL of spray mixture/m³ of the tree canopy. In field trial 2, 100 and 50 mL/m³ were evaluated. The fungicide rates ranged from 40 to 110 mg of metallic copper/m³ and from 1.9 to 4.7 mg of pyraclostrobin/m³. Untreated control trees (UTC) were kept unsprayed. CBS incidence and severity, premature fruit drop, yield, fungicide deposition and spray coverage were evaluated. All spray volumes tested reduced CBS incidence and severity on fruit at 75–95% and resulted in 1.6–3.0-fold higher yields than the UTC. However, a slight trend of more CBS symptoms and fruit drop, and lower yield was observed for trees treated with 50 mL/m³ compared to those treated with higher volumes. Spray volume change, from 125 to 75 mL/m³, irrespective of fungicide rate correction, led to a 40% reduction of CBS spray costs and water usage and increased the financial return of the control by up to 35%. TRV-based sprays may contribute to sustainable citrus production by reducing costs and environment impacts while maintaining efficient CBS control.     

Fungicidal activity of fluopicolide for suppression of Phytophthora capsici on squash

The efficacy of a new fungicide fluopicolide in suppression of Phytophthora blight caused by Phytophthora capsici was evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. Studies with 51 P. capsici isolates from vegetable crops in Georgia, USA, indicated that 5.9% of the isolates were resistant, 19.6% were intermediately sensitive, and 74.5% were sensitive to 100 μg ml⁻¹ of mefenoxam based on in vitro mycelial growth. EC₅₀ values of fluopicolide in inhibiting mycelial growth of 25 isolates, representing resistant, intermediately sensitive, and sensitive to mefenoxam, ranged from 0.05 to 0.35 μg ml⁻¹ with an average of 0.2 μg ml⁻¹ EC₅₀ values of fluopicolide in suppressing zoospore germination and sporangium production of the 25 isolates ranged from 1.1 to 4.5 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.3–9.0 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. Evaluation of a collection of 150 P. capsici isolates from vegetables and irrigation ponds found none of the isolates were resistant to 10 μg ml⁻¹ of fluopicolide. Field experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy and application methods of fluopicolide for control of P. capsici on squash in spring 2007 and 2009. Fluopicolide applied through drip irrigation or as a foliar spray at 86.6 or 115.4 g ha⁻¹ consistently provided significant disease reduction and increased squash yield. Results with fluopicolide were similar or slightly superior to mefenoxam applied at recommended rate. Fluopicolide applied at 57.7 g ha⁻¹ did not provide consistent satisfactory disease suppression. The results indicated that fluopicolide was effective in suppression of different stages of the life cycle of P. capsici and could be a viable alternative to mefenoxam for managing Phytophthora blight in squash production.     

Antifungal activity of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. essential oil against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on rapeseed plants (Brassica campestris L.)

The present study aimed to determine the in vitro and in vivo effects of Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. essential oil (ZCEO) against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on rapeseed plants. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detected 21 compounds that represented 98.3% of the total amount of extracted oil, which mainly comprised pulegone (53.5%), isomenthone (10.4%), and carvone (5.7%). The mycelial growth of S. sclerotiorum was completely inhibited at essential oil concentrations of 1.25 and 0.15 μl ml⁻¹ under contact and vapor phase conditions, respectively. Under contact phase, the germination of sclerotial was inhibited at the concentration of 1.00 μl ml⁻¹. The essential oil concentration of 0.15 μl ml⁻¹ in the vapor phase showed a strong inhibitory effect on sclerotial germination. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum growth on detached rapeseed leaves and potted rapeseed plants were dose dependently inhibited by the essential oil. Considerable morphological changes were also observed in the fungal hyphae and sclerotia. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicated ZCEO can effectively inhibit the growth of S. sclerotiorum. Thus, ZCEO could be used for crop protection.     

Insecticides for control of potato tuberworm and green peach aphid on potatoes in California

Six insecticides were evaluated in a replicated field experiment at Gonzales, California, for control of the potato tuberworm,Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), and the green peach aphid,Myzus persicae (Sulzer). Azodrin^®, methomyl, Stauffer N 4543 (O-isobutyl ethylphosphonodithioate S-ester with N-(mercaptomethyl) phthalimide) and azinphosmethyl were applied as foliage sprays by ground sprayer at 2-week intervals. The systemic insecticides, aldicarb (Temik^®) and carbofuran (Furadan^®) formulated as 10% granules, were applied to the soil as side dress treatments on the same day that the spray treatments were begun. Aldicarb granules were also applied topically so that the granules fell on the young plants and on the soil surface. Azinphosmethyl, Stauffer N 4543, Azodrin^® and methomyl effectively controlled the tuberworm larvae in the foliage but effective control of tuberworms in the harvested tubers occurred only where azinphosmethyl, methomyl and Stauffer N 4543 were used. The granule applications of carbofuran and aldicarb were totally ineffective in controlling the potato tuberworm. Effective green peach aphid control was obtained with Azodrin^® spray and the two granular aldicarb treatments. The side dressed application of aldicarb appeared to provide better green peach aphid control than did the soil surface application.     

Economic returns from fungicide application to control husk spot of macadamia in Australia is influenced by spray efficiency,rates and costs of application

Fungicides are commonly applied as prophylactic sprays, with the expectation of increased yield and kernel quality, to control husk spot of macadamia in Australia. However, economic benefits from fungicide applications to control husk spot have rarely been quantified. We investigated the effectiveness, efficiency and economic returns of fungicide spray applications for husk spot control using three different spray application volumes and two dose rates of tank mixtures of carbendazim and cupric hydroxide under commercial macadamia orchard conditions. Husk spot incidence and severity were significantly (P < 0.001) different among the treatments and between the two years. In both years, the rate of fruit abscission was highest in the untreated control followed by low spray application volumes, but reduced with increasing spray volume. The quality and value of nut-in-shell increased when nut abscission was delayed. Poor quality and low nut-in-shell value of $2.85 kg⁻¹ in 2010 and $2.12 kg⁻¹ in 2011 were obtained in the untreated control trees that abscised early in the harvest period compared with the average nut-in-shell value of $2.95 kg⁻¹ in 2010 and $2.46 kg⁻¹ in 2011 in the fungicide treated trees. Gross margins for each fungicide treatment schedule compared to the untreated control averaged over both years showed positive contributions of 20%, 10% and 6% for the high, moderate and low dilute rate volume applications, respectively. Our data further indicates that dilute rate applications at higher volume may be more beneficial and cost-effective than concentrate rate applications in husk spot control programs. Overall, harvest yield increased by 11%–33% when husk spot was controlled using fungicide sprays compared to no fungicide spray applications. The benefit-cost ratios revealed highly significant benefits for the implementation of husk spot management programs.     

Biological control of the false root-knot nematode Nacobbus aberrans by Pseudomonas protegens under controlled conditions

The use of antagonistic biological agents, such as fungi and bacteria, offers an economical and safe strategy to manage plant–parasitic nematodes in infested fields. The false root-knot nematode, Nacobbus aberrans, is a damaging parasite of many agronomic and horticultural crops in South and North America. The management of this nematode is challenging and often not profitable for farmers. In greenhouse tests, conducted in Argentina, applications of the strain Pseudomonas protegens CHA0 and its isogenic derivative ARQ1 (used as control) at a rate of 10⁸ cfu ml⁻¹ suppressed infection and reproduction of N. aberrans on tomato roots. However, neither of the strains promoted plant root or shoot growth of the treated plants. Root colonization by the bacteria was assessed by specific PCR–RFLP protocols and fluorescence microscopy. The results obtained in this preliminary study were encouraging and showed the potential of P. protegens CHA0 to be used for the management of the false root-knot nematode on tomato.     

Timing and efficacy of insecticides for control of mussel scale, Lepidosaphes ulmi, on apple using predictive models

The timing and pattern of mussel scale (Lepidosaphes ulmi (L.)) crawler emergence was monitored in relation to air and bark-surface temperatures using sticky band traps around branches in apple orchards in Kent, UK in three successive years, 2007-2009. The emergence and migration of the crawlers lasted for over 4 weeks at a high level, much longer than had been previously reported. In all three years, there were clearly two peaks of emergence of the crawlers, possibly because there is a diapausing and non-diapausing form of the insect. A temperature sum model developed in the 1990s in The Netherlands using air temperatures predicted the peak emergence of crawlers to within 5-16 days; however, the model was less accurate when tree bark temperatures for the north or south of the tree were used. We have developed two models to predict the emergence of the crawlers by revising the original Dutch model. The observed emergence period (5-95%) was longer than the predicted in all three years but the two revised models performed better than the original Dutch model.In two experiments, in 2007 and 2008, the efficacy of a wide range of insecticide products at different timings during crawler emergence was evaluated. Of the 7 products compared as single or two sprays (spray volume 500 l ha⁻¹) at different emergence timings, or with the addition of adjuvants or as winter treatments, thiacloprid 480 g/l SC (375 ml ha⁻¹) and acetamiprid 20% w/w SP (375 g ha⁻¹) gave the best and similar control, reducing the percentage of fruits infested by 94%. Two sprays of fenoxycarb 25% w/w WG (600 g ha⁻¹) gave the poorest control (28%). Two sprays of spirodiclofen 240 g/l SC (600 g ha⁻¹), chlorpyrifos 75% w/w WG (960 g ha⁻¹) or flonicamid 50% w/w WG (140 g ha⁻¹) gave intermediate results, reducing the percentage infestation by 72% on average. Adjuvants gave no additional value to the treatments when applied in admixture and winter applications of mineral oil (spray volume 1000 l ha⁻¹), alone or in admixture with chlorpyrifos or thiacloprid were not effective at controlling mussel scale the following growing season.Overall, acetamiprid and thiacloprid were the most efficacious insecticides and this study indicates that sprays are best applied in the latter part of the migration (after 50% emergence) with an interval between sprays of at least two weeks to span the long emergence period of the pest.     

Tolerance of Amaranthus palmeri populations from California to postemergence herbicides at various growth stages

In recent years, poor control of Amarathus palmeri S. Wats. plants with glyphosate in many agricultural and non-crop has been observed in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV), California, USA. Studies were conducted to assess if these were glyphosate-resistant (GR) populations. Populations from 23 different locations of the SJV were exposed to glyphosate application of 840 g ae ha⁻¹ at the 5 to 8 leaf stage of the plant and compared against a known GR and glyphosate-susceptible (GS) population from New Mexico, USA. None of the plants from the SJV survived the glyphosate application suggesting that they were GS. Plant mortality following application of glyphosate (840 g ae ha⁻¹), glufosinate (490 g ai ha⁻¹), paraquat dichloride (660 g ai ha⁻¹), saflufenacil (50 g ai ha⁻¹), rimsulfuron (70 g ai ha⁻¹⁾, and a tank-mix of glyphosate (840 g ae ha⁻¹) + saflufenacil (50 g ai ha⁻¹) applied at the 4 to 6, 8 to 10, and 12 to 16 leaf stages of A. palmeri was determined on potted plants grown outdoors. Complete control was obtained with all the treatments applied at the 4 to 6 leaf stage but control was reduced to less than 70% and 20% with glyphosate and glufosinate, respectively at the later stages. The other treatments provided 100% control at all growth stages. Combinations of saflufenacil + glyphosate, saflufenacil + glufosinate, saflufenacil + dicamba, rimsulfuron + glyphosate, tembotrione + glyphosate, flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone + glyphosate, flumioxazin + pyroxasulfone + glyphosate, dicamba + paraquat dichloride, and glyphosate + glufosinate were also tested on 8 to 10 leaf stage A. palmeri plants and all the combinations provided 100% control.