Pathogenicity of isolates of Magnaporthe spp. from wheat and grasses infecting seedlings and mature wheat plants in Argentina

Wheat blast of wheat (Triticum aestivum), caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype triticum (MoT; anamorph Pyricularia oryzae) is a destructive disease in the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. In Argentina, the fungus was recently recorded on wheat and barley plants in the northeast part of the country, Buenos Aires and Corrientes Provinces, with a potential for spreading. This work aimed to study, for the first time, the morphocultural and pathogenic characteristics of Magnaporthe isolates collected from wheat and other herbaceous species in Argentina and three neighbouring countries (Paraguay, Brazil and Bolivia) and determine their aggressiveness on wheat varieties. Statistical differences among isolates, culture media, and development conditions were found for conidia colour, growth rate, size and sporulation rate. Pathogenicity tests performed on seedlings with 19 isolates of Magnaporthe spp. under greenhouse conditions showed a maximum disease severity of 55.3% and 66.7% for varieties BIOINTA 3004 and Baguette 18, respectively. Weed and grass isolates were infectious on wheat, demonstrating their potential epidemiological role on the disease. Spike disease severity was 34.6% for the host × pathogen interaction of BIOINTA 3004 × PY22. Observed symptoms included partial or total spike bleaching, and glume and rachis discolouration. The 1000‐grain weight was significantly reduced to 38.5% and 63.1% for cultivars BIOINTA 3004 and Baguette 18, respectively. The disease affected grain germination, which fell to 65.9% for seeds infected with the PYAR22 isolate. Symptoms observed in infected grains were partial spotting, grain softening, and rot symptoms with the presence of a greyish mould.     

拮抗尖孢镰刀茵的木霉菌筛选方法评估

利用11株不同木霉菌株分别比较对峙培养法、病原菌存活率测定法、生防菌分泌物降解病原菌测定法、浸种抑菌萌发试验法及种苗接种活体筛选法对抑制黄瓜枯萎病尖孢镰刀菌Fusariumoxysporum的拮抗木霉菌的筛选效率。试验表明不同的筛选方法获得拮抗木霉菌菌株的结果差异较大,其中病原菌存活率测定法与种苗活体接种筛选法结果一致性较高,可推荐作为生防木霉菌株初筛的有效方法。     

Fusarium species and chemotypes associated with fusarium head blight and fusarium root rot on wheat in Sardinia

Environmental conditions in Sardinia (Tyrrhenian Islands) are conducive to fusarium root rot (FRR) and fusarium head blight (FHB). A monitoring survey on wheat was carried out from 2001 to 2013, investigating relations among these diseases and their causal agents. FHB was more frequently encountered in the most recent years while FRR was constantly present throughout the monitored period. By assessing the population composition of the causal agents as well as their genetic chemotypes and EF‐1α polymorphisms, the study examined whether the two diseases could be differentially associated to a species or a population. Fusarium culmorum chemotypes caused both diseases and were detected at different abundances (88% 3‐ADON, 12% NIV). Fusarium graminearum (15‐ADON genetic chemotype) appeared only recently (2013) and in few areas as the causal agent of FHB. In F. culmorum, two haplotypes were identified based on an SNP mutation located 34 bp after the first exon of the EF‐1α partial sequence (60% adenine, 40% thymine); the two populations did not segregate with the chemotype but the A‐haplotype was significantly associated with FRR in the Sardinian data set (P = 0·001), suggesting a possible fitness advantage of the A‐haplotype in the establishment of FRR that was neither dependent on the sampling location nor the sampling year. The SNP determining the Sardinian haplotype is distributed worldwide. The question whether the A‐haplotype segregates with characters facilitating FRR establishment will require further validation on a specifically sampled international data set.     

Pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum and F. meridionale on soybean pod blight and trichothecene accumulation

Soybean (Glycine max) is the most important crop in Argentina. At present Fusarium graminearum is recognized as a primary pathogen of soybean in several countries in the Americas, mainly causing seed and root rot and pre‐ and post‐emergence damping off. However, no information about infections at later growth stages of soybean development and pathogenicity of F. graminearum species complex is available. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare the pathogenicity of F. graminearum and F. meridionale isolates towards soybean under field conditions and to evaluate the degree of pathogenicity and trichothecene production of these two phylogenetic species that express different chemotypes. Six isolates of F. graminearum and F. meridionale were evaluated during 2012/13 and 2013/14 soybean growing seasons for pod blight severity, percentage of seed infected in pods and kernel weight reduction. The results showed a higher aggressiveness of both F. graminearum and F. meridionale species during the 2013/14 season. However, the differences in pathogenicity observed between the seasons were not reflected in a distinct trichothecene concentration in soybean seeds at maturity. Fusarium meridionale isolates showed similar pathogenicity to F. graminearum isolates but they were not able to produce this toxin in planta during the two field trials.     

Survival of Phoma koolunga,a causal agent of ascochyta blight,on field pea stubble or as pseudosclerotia in soil

Phoma koolunga is a recently recognized pathogen in the ascochyta blight complex of field pea (Pisum sativum). Unlike the other three ascochyta blight pathogens, survival of P. koolunga is poorly understood. Survival of this fungus was examined on field pea stubble and as pseudosclerotia on the surface of, and buried in, field soil. Pseudosclerotia were formed in plates containing potato dextrose agar (PDA) mixed with sand or amended with fluorocytocin. After 1 month, P. koolunga was recovered on amended PDA from 93% of stubble sections retrieved from the soil surface, 36% of buried stubble sections and 100% of pseudosclerotia buried in field soil, pasteurized or not. The frequency of recovery of P. koolunga decreased over time and the fungus was not recovered from stubble on the soil surface at 15 months, nor was it recovered from stubble buried in soil at 11 months or later, or from pseudosclerotia buried for 18 months. In a pot bioassay, most ascochyta blight lesions developed on plants inoculated with stubble retrieved from the soil surface after 1 month. Infectivity of the inoculum decreased over time. Disease on plants inoculated with stubble that had been buried or left on the soil surface for up to 6 and 5 months, respectively, and pseudosclerotia retrieved at 14 months and later from field soil did not differ from the non‐inoculated control. These results suggest that field pea stubble may play a role in survival of P. koolunga, especially if it remains on the soil surface. In addition, pseudosclerotia were able to persist in soil and infect field pea plants into the next season.     

Composition and toxigenic potential of the Fusarium graminearum species complex from maize ears,stalks and stubble in Brazil

A large collection (n = 539) of Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) isolates was obtained from Brazilian maize, and collections formed according to geography and maize part: (i) kernel (n = 110) from south and south‐central Brazil; (ii) stalk (n = 134) from Paraná state (south); and (iii) stubble (n = 295) from Rio Grande do Sul state (south). Species composition, identified using a multilocus genotype approach, was assessed separately in each collection due to differences in geographic sampling. Overall, three species were found: F. meridionale (Fmer; 67% prevalence) with the nivalenol (NIV) genotype, F. graminearum (Fgra; 19%) with the 15‐acetyl (A) deoxynivalenol (DON) genotype, and F. cortaderiae (Fcor; 14%) with the NIV (49/74) or the 3‐ADON (25/74) genotype. In kernels, Fmer was spread across all locations and Fgra and Fcor were found mostly at high elevation (>800 m a.s.l.). The majority (97·8%) of stalk isolates was assigned to Fmer; three were assigned to Fgra. In the stubble, Fmer was less dominant (53%), with a shift towards Fcor as the most frequent species at high elevation sites (>600 m a.s.l.). No differences in the mycelial growth rate were observed among isolates from each species grown at 15°C. Fgra grew faster at 25°C and Fmer showed the widest range of variation across the isolates at both temperatures. The survey data suggest that Fmer may outcompete other species on ears and stalks in comparison to stubble. Additional sampling that controls for other factors, as well as direct testing of aggressiveness on ears and stalk tissue, will be needed to fully evaluate this hypothesis.     

Nivalenol‐producing Fusarium cerealis associated with fusarium head blight in winter wheat in Manitoba,Canada

Fusarium head blight (FHB) in small grain cereals is primarily caused by the members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex. These produce mycotoxins in infected grains, primarily deoxynivalenol (DON); acetylated derivatives of DON, 3‐acetyl‐DON (3‐ADON) and 15‐acetyl‐DON (15‐ADON); and nivalenol (NIV). This study reports the isolation of Fusarium cerealis in infected winter wheat heads for the first time in Canada. A phylogenetic analysis based on the TRI101 gene and F. graminearum species‐specific primers revealed two species of Fusarium: F. graminearum sensu stricto (127 isolates) and F. cerealis (five isolates). Chemotype determination based on the TRI3 gene revealed that 65% of the isolates were 3‐ADON, 31% were 15‐ADON and 4% were NIV producers. All the F. cerealis isolates were of NIV chemotype. Fusarium cerealis isolates can often be misidentified as F. graminearum as the morphological characteristics are similar. Although the cultural and macroconidial characteristics of F. graminearum and F. cerealis isolates were similar, the aggressiveness of these isolates on susceptible wheat cultivar Roblin and moderately resistant cultivar Carberry differed significantly. The F. graminearum 3‐ADON isolates were most aggressive, followed by F. graminearum 15‐ADON and F. cerealis NIV isolates. The findings from this study confirm the continuous shift of chemotypes from 15‐ADON to 3‐ADON in North America. In Canada, the presence of NIV is limited to barley samples and the discovery of NIV‐producing F. cerealis species in Canadian wheat fields may pose a serious concern to the Canadian wheat industry in the future.     

Effect of flooding on the survival of Leptosphaeria spp. in canola stubble

This study used a versatile temperature‐control device to assess the effect of temperature (12–40°C) and duration (2–12 weeks) of flooding on the survival of Leptosphaeria spp. in canola (Brassica napus) stubble. Canola basal stems with blackleg symptoms were submerged in water in small glass jars containing 20 cm³ soil on a thermogradient plate capable of simultaneously maintaining up to 96 independent temperature regimes. Flooded stems were sampled at 2‐week intervals, surface‐sterilized, and incubated on V8‐juice agar for 10 days to recover the pathogen. Flooding for 2 weeks substantially reduced pathogen recovery relative to non‐flooded controls and the pathogen was not recovered after 6 weeks of flooding, irrespective of temperature. The pathogen was eliminated slightly more rapidly at flooding temperatures >20°C than at 12–16°C. There was no difference between Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa in their ability to survive flooding. Stem tissues degraded most rapidly during the first 2 weeks of flooding, corresponding to a quick decline in pathogen survival during the same period. These results indicate that a paddy rice crop following winter rapeseed may minimize the impact of blackleg by eradicating the inoculum of Leptosphaeria spp. in stubble.     

Effect of wheat spike infection timing on fusarium head blight development and mycotoxin accumulation

Fusarium head blight in wheat spikes is associated with production of mycotoxins by the fungi. Although flowering is recognized as the most favourable host stage for infection, a better understanding of infection timing on disease development and toxin accumulation is needed. This study monitored the development of eight characterized isolates of F. graminearum, F. culmorum and F. poae in a greenhouse experiment. The fungi were inoculated on winter wheat spikes before or at anther extrusion, or at 8, 18 and 28 days later. Disease levels were estimated by the AUDPC and thousand‐kernel weight (TKW). The fungal biomass (estimated by qPCR) and toxin concentration (deoxynivalenol and nivalenol, estimated by UPLC‐UV‐MS/MS) were measured in each inoculated spike, providing a robust estimation of these variables and allowing correlations based on single‐individual measurements to be established. The toxin content correlated well with fungal biomass in kernels, independently of inoculation date. The AUDPC was correlated with fungal DNA, but not for early and late infection dates. The highest disease and toxin levels were for inoculations around anthesis, but early or late infections led to detectable levels of fungus and toxin for the most aggressive isolates. Fungal development appeared higher in kernels than in the chaff for inoculations at anthesis, but the opposite was found for later inoculations. These results show that anthesis is the most susceptible stage for FHB, but also clearly shows that early and late infections can produce significant disease development and toxin accumulation with symptoms difficult to estimate visually.     

小麦赤霉病流行区镰刀菌致病种及毒素化学型分析

 为从分子水平上明确小麦赤霉病流行区镰刀菌致病种及其B 型毒素化学型的分布特点,本研究对2008 年度采自四川、重庆、湖北、安徽、江苏、河南6 省33 县市的赤霉病穗上分离获得的433 个镰刀菌单孢菌株,用鉴定种和鉴定B 型毒素化学型的特异性引物进行了鉴定分析。致病种检测结果表明,四川病穗检测到Fusarium asiaticum、F. graminearum、F.avenaceum 和F. meridionale 4 个镰刀菌种,重庆、湖北、安徽和江苏病穗检测到F. asiaticum 和F. graminearum 2 个种,河南病穗仅检测到F. graminearum 1 个种。毒素化学型检测结果表明,Nivalenol(NIV)是四川和重庆镰刀菌主要毒素化学型,Deoxynivalenol(DON)是湖北、河南、安徽和江苏镰刀菌主要毒素化学型;将DON 化学型进一步划分为3-AcDON 和15-AcDON 显示,四川、湖北、江苏镰刀菌毒素以3-AcDON 为主,安徽镰刀菌毒素为3-AcDON 和15-AcDON 两者参半,河南镰刀菌全部产生15-AcDON。结果揭示,F. asiaticum 是四川、重庆、湖北和江苏等赤霉病流行麦区的优势致病种;镰刀菌产生的DON 和NIV 毒素化学型存在明显的地域分布,长江上游的麦区以NIV 为优势化学型,长江中下游麦区以DON 为优势化学型;镰刀菌致病种与DON 毒素的化学型间存在一定关系。     

保湿时间对小麦赤霉病抗性鉴定结果的影响

为优化黄淮麦区小麦赤霉病抗性鉴定方法,于2020年在河南农业大学许昌校区试验田对4个小麦品种进行单花滴注赤霉病抗性鉴定,分析不同套袋保湿天数对病情严重度的影响,并利用与主效抗病基因Fhb1连锁的功能标记TaHRC-STS对其进行分子检测.结果显示:抗病品种'苏麦3号'宁麦9号'携带该基因,而感病品种不携带;套袋1～7...     

Virulence and toxin synthesis of an azole insensitive Fusarium culmorum strain in wheat cultivars with different levels of resistance to fusarium head blight

Fusarium culmorum causes head blight, produces toxins and reduces yield and quality of cereals. To prevent damage caused by fusarium head blight (FHB), azole fungicides are mainly applied. The occurrence of insensitivity to azoles is a major problem in agriculture. The present study shows that a tebuconazole insensitive strain of F. culmorum can be readily produced in the laboratory, but that the resulting strain of the fungus is of lower fitness in vitro. Insensitivity was confirmed microscopically and by cell viability and metabolic activity. The tebuconazole insensitive strain shows cross insensitivity to nine important azoles. In addition, plants inoculated with the insensitive F. culmorum strain showed no reduction of FHB symptoms and deoxynivalenol (DON) content after tebuconazole treatment, compared to an inoculation with the sensitive strain. Use of wheat cultivars carrying a high resistance level (i.e. cv. Toras) was the most effective method for reducing symptoms and decreasing DON content, independent from the level of fungicide insensitivity of the F. culmorum strain. In conclusion, resistant cultivars and a fungicide mixture which combines different mechanisms of action in fungal metabolism should be applied to avoid fungicide insensitivity of Fusarium spp. in future.     

黄瓜枯萎病菌拮抗菌的筛选、鉴定和防效测定

为获得对黄瓜枯萎病菌Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum(FOC)具有拮抗作用的生防菌株,采用稀释涂布平板和平板生长对峙法从健康黄瓜根际土壤中分离、筛选对FOC具有强拮抗能力的拮抗细菌,并从形态学观察、生理生化特性、全细胞脂肪酸分析及16S rRNA和gyr B基因序列相似性对拮抗能力最强的菌株进行鉴定,同时测定拮抗菌无菌过滤发酵液对FOC菌丝生长、孢子萌发的抑制作用,并评价其发酵液对盆栽和大田黄瓜枯萎病的防治效果。研究结果显示,从健康黄瓜根际土壤中分离获得23株对FOC具有拮抗作用的细菌,其中菌株FJ17-4对FOC抑菌作用最强,鉴定为贝莱斯芽胞杆菌Bacillus velezensis。FJ17-4抑制FOC引起菌丝畸形、扭曲、膨胀、皱缩、缠绕等异常现象。10%无菌过滤液对FOC菌丝生长和孢子萌发的抑制率分别为70.96%和85.40%。50倍发酵液、菌体悬浮液和无菌过滤液盆栽防治效果分别为70.20%、58.87%和47.80%,大田防治效果分别为69.53%、58.46%和36.12%。综上,FJ17-4能有效抑制FOC,对黄瓜枯萎病具有显...     

Fusarium oxysporum,F. proliferatum and F. redolens associated with basal rot of onion in Finland

In recent years in Finland, Fusarium infections in onions have increased, both in the field and in storage, and Fusarium species have taken the place of Botrytis as the worst pathogens causing post‐harvest rot of onion. To study Fusarium occurrence, samples were taken from onion sets, harvested onions and also from other plants grown in the onion fields. Isolates of five Fusarium species found in the survey were tested for pathogenicity on onion. Fusarium oxysporum was frequently found in onions and other plants, and, of the isolates tested, 31% caused disease symptoms and 15% caused growth stunting in onion seedlings. Fusarium proliferatum, a species previously not reported in Finland, was also identified. Over 50% of the diseased onion crop samples were infected with F. proliferatum, and all the F. proliferatum isolates tested were pathogenic to onion. Thus, compared to F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum seems to be more aggressive on onion. Also some of the F. redolens isolates were highly virulent, killing onion seedlings. Comparison of the translation elongation factor 1α gene sequences revealed that the majority of the aggressive isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae group together and are distinct from the other isolates. Incidence and relative proportions of the different Fusarium species differed between the sets and the mature bulbs. More research is required to determine to what extent Fusarium infections spoiling onions originate from infected onion sets rather than the field soil.     

两株解淀粉芽胞杆菌对西瓜枯萎病的防治作用及其相关生防因子检测

本试验从西瓜枯萎病生物防治实际需要出发,检测了两株解淀粉芽胞杆菌TR2和CE对西瓜枯萎病的防治作用及其相关的生防因子。平板对峙试验显示生防菌TR2和CE对西瓜枯萎病尖孢镰刀菌Xg-1、Xg-2和腐皮镰刀菌Xg-3的生长有较强的抑制作用,其中TR2对Xg-1的抑菌效果最好,抑菌带宽度为4.7 mm,CE对Xg-3的抑菌效果最好,抑菌带宽度为5.0 mm,抑菌圈边缘菌丝出现变细、扭曲、个别细胞膨大成球形等畸形现象。幼苗接种试验表明生防菌TR2和CE对西瓜枯萎病的发生具有防治效果,其中TR2对Xg-1在第15 d时防病效果最好,病情指数明显降低,其防治效果达到60%;TR2和CE对Xg-3在第3 d时表现很好的防病效果,发病率和病情指数都明显低于对照,防治效果可达63.6%。采用结晶紫染色、钼锑抗比色法、四苯硼钠法和透明圈检测等方法检测TR2和CE的相关生防因子,发现TR2和CE均可以形成生物膜、分解有机磷、无机磷和钾矿石,并且具备产生蛋白酶、淀粉酶和纤维素酶的能力。采用水培法发现TR2和CE的解磷解钾能力可以促进西瓜幼苗根和茎的生长。结果表明生防菌TR2和CE可以控制西瓜枯萎病的发生、形成生物膜在西瓜根系定殖,促进西瓜幼苗生长,是具有开发潜力的生防菌株。     

Development of three fusarium crown rot causal agents and systemic translocation of deoxynivalenol following stem base infection of soft wheat

Fusarium pseudograminearum, F. culmorum and F. graminearum are the most important fusarium crown rot (FCR) causal agents. They have the common ability to biosynthesize deoxynivalenol (DON). To elucidate the behaviour of each of the three species, a comparative study was carried out to investigate symptom progression, fungal systemic growth and translocation of DON following stem base inoculation of soft wheat. FCR symptoms were mainly localized in the inoculated area, which extended up to the second node for all inoculated species. Only the most aggressive strains caused symptoms up to the third node. Real‐time quantitative PCR showed that fungal colonization reached the third node for all the tested species, but a low percentage of plants showed colonization above the third node following inoculation with the most aggressive strains. Fungal growth was detected in symptomless tissues but none of the three species was able to colonize as far as the head tissues. However, even if the pathogens were not detected in the heads, DON was detected in head tissues of the plants inoculated with the most aggressive strains. These results demonstrate that F. pseudograminearum, F. culmorum and F. graminearum, under the same experimental conditions, follow a similar pattern of symptom progression, fungal colonization and DON translocation after stem base infection. Differences in the extent of symptoms, fungal colonization and mycotoxin distribution were mainly attributable to strain aggressiveness. These findings provide comparative information on the events following infection of the stem base of wheat by three of the most important FCR casual agents.     

一株小麦赤霉病生防菌的鉴定及其生防机制初探

本研究通过平板对峙试验,自稻茬分离获得1株对禾谷镰刀菌具有良好抑菌活性的细菌hzq1601。经16S rDNA和gyrB基因序列比对结果表明,菌株hzq1601为解淀粉芽胞杆菌Bacillus amyloliquefaciens。菌株hzq1601与多菌灵相容性分析结果显示其可在1000 mg/L的多菌灵药液中正常存活。田间试验结果显示,10⁸ cfu/mL的hzq1601菌液分别与50%多菌灵可湿性粉剂80 g/667m²和70 g/667m²联合施用的防治效果为87.1%和81.0%,与单独施用50%多菌灵可湿性粉剂100 g/667m²处理的防治效果无显著性差异,但显著高于单独施用50%多菌灵可湿性粉剂80 g/667m²和70 g/667m²处理的防治效果,说明上述hzq1601菌液与50%多菌灵可湿性粉剂的2种组合对赤霉病的防治具有减药增效作用。对菌株hzq1601基因组的分析表明其基因组中存在13种次生代谢产物合成基因簇,显示其具有多方面的生防...     

Molecular,biological and physiological characterizations of resistance to phenamacril in Fusarium graminearum

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is one of the most devastating wheat diseases in China. Phenamacril is a novel cyanoacrylate fungicide with a unique chemical structure and specific mode of action against Fusarium spp. In this study, the molecular, biological and physiological characteristics of laboratory‐induced mutants of F. graminearum with resistance to phenamacril were investigated. Compared to the wildtype strains, the phenamacril‐resistant mutants showed obvious defects in various biological and physiological characteristics, including vegetative growth, carbon source utilization, response to oxidative and osmotic stresses, sensitivity to cell wall and cell membrane integrity inhibitors, cell membrane permeability, glycerol accumulation and pathogenicity. The phenotypes of the phenamacril‐resistant mutants exhibited many variations. Sequencing indicated that the three parental strains studied were identical, and the mutants TXR1, TXR2, BMR1, BMR2, SYR1 and SYR2 each had a single point mutation in the amino acid sequence encoded by the myosin‐5 gene (FGSG_01410). These results provide new reference information for future investigations concerning the resistance mechanism of F. graminearum to phenamacril and could offer important relevant data for the management of FHB caused by F. graminearum.     

Biocontrol traits of two Paenibacillus polymyxa strains SQR‐21 and WR‐2 in response to fusaric acid,a phytotoxin produced by Fusarium species

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the phytotoxin fusaric acid (FA) on the biocontrol traits of two biocontrol strains Paenibacillus polymyxa WR‐2 and SQR‐21. The results showed that the growth of both WR‐2 and SQR‐21 decreased with increasing FA concentration, and at 70 and 80 μg mL^?1 FA, respectively, the strains were unable to grow. The biocontrol traits of both strains were negatively affected by FA concentration higher than 2·5 μg mL^?1. However, at 2·5 μg mL^?1 FA, biofilm formation and root colonization were not affected and there was even a positive effect on the production of spores and hydrolytic enzymes (protease and β‐l,3‐glucanase). The production of fusaricidin‐type antifungal compounds was increased with an increase in FA concentration up to 50 and 60 μg mL^?1 for WR‐2 and SQR‐21, respectively. The production of antifungal volatile organic compounds by WR‐2 and SQR‐21 was increased only at 2·5 μg mL^?1 FA. The effect of FA on the overall metabolic activity of WR‐2 and SQR‐21 was also determined. This study will help to understand the response of P. polymyxa strains to FA and will help to improve their biocontrol efficiency.     

Species prevalence and disease progression studies demonstrate a seasonal shift in the Alternaria population composition on potato

To assess the incidence of early blight/brown spot (EB/BS) in Flanders (Belgium), potato fields in 22 locations were monitored and scored over the duration of the growing seasons 2014 and 2015. The average disease incidence was shown to be higher in 2014 than in 2015. Soil type, rainfall and temperature were also analysed in relation to disease incidence. In 2014, potato plants grown in sandy soils had more EB/BS disease than those grown in clay or loamy soils. However, the low disease incidence in 2015 meant that differences in disease levels between soil types could not be discerned for that growing season. A windowpane analysis demonstrated that rainfall and humidity accounted for the differences in disease incidence between the two growing seasons. During the course of the survey, the species composition in leaves with symptoms was assessed using real‐time PCR. Remarkably, small‐spored Alternaria species, such as A. alternata and A. arborescens, rather than the more virulent A. solani were the predominant species on potato leaves throughout the growing season. As the disease progressed, the proportion of A. solani increased. In view of these results, the virulence of a collected set of Alternaria isolates was assessed by an in vitro assay. Despite A. solani being more virulent than A. alternata or A. arborescens, the most abundant species isolated from potato leaves with symptoms was A. arborescens.