Alternative hosts and plant tissues for the survival,sporulation and spread of the Ascochyta blight pathogen of chickpea

Various crop and weed species were infected naturally by Didymella rabiei (anamorph: Ascochyta rabiei) in blight-affected chickpea fields in the Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, USA. The fungus was isolated from asymptomatic plants of 16 species commonly found in commercial crops in this region. Isolates of the pathogen from crop and weed species were pathogenic to chickpea and indistinguishable in cultural and morphological characteristics from isolates of D. rabiei from chickpea. Both mating types of D. rabiei were isolated from eight naturally infected plant species. Chickpeas were infected by D. rabiei when plants emerged through infested debris of seven crop and weed species. The teleomorph developed on overwintered tissues of seven plant species infected naturally by D. rabiei in a blight screening nursery and on debris of wheat, white sweet clover and pea inoculated with ascospores of D. rabiei or conidia of two compatible isolates of the pathogen. Didymella rabiei naturally infected 31 accessions of 12 Cicer spp. and the teleomorph developed on the overwintered debris of all accessions, including those of three highly resistant perennial species. The fungus developed on the stem and leaf pieces of ten plant species common to southern Spain inoculated with conidia of two compatible isolates of D. rabiei, and formed pseudothecia with asci and viable ascospores on six of ten species and pycnidia with conidia on all plant species.     

Ascochyta blight of chickpea in Australia: identification, pathogenicity and mating type

The aetiology of blight of chickpea in South Australia was studied following sporadic disease outbreaks over several years that had been tentatively identified as Phoma blight. Nine fungal isolates from diseased chickpeas were tested for pathogenicity in the glasshouse, of which two caused symptoms resembling those of Ascochyta blight. The two aggressive isolates were identified as Ascochyta rabiei based on morphological characteristics of cultures and RAPD analysis. This was further confirmed by successful mating to international standard isolates, which showed that the two Australian isolates were MAT1-1. These isolates are accessioned as DAR 71767 and DAR 71768, New South Wales Agriculture, Australia. This is the first time that A. rabiei has been positively identified in commercial chickpeas in the southern hemisphere. The pathogen was found (in 1992) in only one of 59 seed samples harvested throughout Australia between 1992 and 1996 and tested using International Seed Testing Association methods. The teleomorph has not been found in Australia and results to date suggest that only one mating type is present. This suggests that quarantine restrictions on imported chickpea seed should be retained to prevent the introduction of the opposite mating type.     

Role of seed infection by the Ascochyta blight pathogen of dried pea (Mycosphaerella pinodes) in seedling emergence, early disease development and transmission of the disease to aerial plant parts

The role of infected seed in the epidemiology of Ascochyta blight of pea, caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes, was studied both under growth chamber and field conditions, using healthy seeds, naturally infected seeds and artificially infected seeds. Results suggest that infected seeds caused serious losses, as a result of poor germination and high transmission of the disease, to parts of the plants under soil level. Foot rot symptoms often caused the death of young seedlings. Losses were increased by low temperatures during the early stage of crop development. M. pinodes progressed from seeds to aerial parts of the plants, but no Ascochyta blight symptoms occurred, the disease remaining near to the basal parts of the plants as a foot rot symptom. This suggests that seeds cannot be regarded as a source of contamination in the epidemiology of the disease.     

Development of ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei) in chickpea as affected by host resistance and plant age

Ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta rabiei, is the most destructive disease in many chickpea growing countries. Disease development varies with the growth stage and host resistance. Hence, disease development was studied in cvs ICCX 810800 (resistant), ICCV 90201 (moderately resistant), C 235 (moderately susceptible), ICCV 96029 and Pb 7 (susceptible) under controlled environment (ICRISAT, Patencheru) and field conditions (Dhaulakuan, Himachal Pradesh) at seedling, post-seedling, vegetative, flowering and podding stages. Under controlled environment, the incubation period and terminal disease reaction (TDR) did not vary significantly at different growth stages against virulent isolate AB 4. Cultivars ICCX 810800, ICCV 90201 and C 235 showed a significantly longer incubation period than the susceptible cv. Pb 7. Cultivar ICCX 810800 showed slow disease progress and the least TDR. Field experiments were conducted during the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 growing seasons. During 2003–2004, TDR was higher in plants inoculated at podding and the flowering stage and the lowest disease reaction was recorded in ICCX 810800. A severe epidemic during 2004–2005 was attributed to the favourable temperature, humidity and well distributed high rainfall. TDR did not differ significantly at any of the growth stages in susceptible cvs ICCV 96029 and Pb 7. With respect to seeding date and cultivar, the highest yield was recorded in the early-sown crop (1,276.7 kg ha⁻¹) and in ICCV 90201 (1,799.3 kg ha⁻¹), respectively. The yields were greatly reduced in all the cultivars during 2004–2005 and the highest yield was recorded in ICCX 810800 (524.7 kg ha⁻¹). Integrated disease management using resistant cultivars, optimum sowing period and foliar application of fungicides will improve chickpea production. The experiment under controlled environment and field conditions (during the epidemic year) showed a similar disease development.     

A comparative study of Turkish and Israeli populations of Didymella rabiei,the ascochyta blight pathogen of chickpea

The Fertile Crescent is the centre of domestication of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) and also the place of origin of its pathogens. Agrosystems provide different environments to natural eco‐systems, thus imposing different types of selection on pathogens. Here, the genetic structure and in vitro temperature growth response of the chickpea pathogen Didymella rabiei from domesticated chickpea (59 isolates from Turkey and 31 from Israel) and wild Cicer spp. (three isolates from Turkish C. pinnatifidum and 35 from Israeli C. judaicum) were studied. Six sequence‐tagged microsatellite site (STMS) primer pairs were used to determine the genetic structure of the 128 D. rabiei isolates. Turkish isolates exhibited the highest genetic diversity (H = 0·69). Turkish and Israeli D. rabiei from domesticated chickpea were genetically closer to each other than isolates from the wild Cicer spp. Analysis of molecular variance showed that 54% of the genetic variation resided between isolates from wild and domesticated origins. EF1‐α sequences distinguished between D. rabiei isolates from domesticated and wild Cicer spp. by four polymorphic sites. Nevertheless, a certain degree of mixing between isolates from wild and domesticated origin was demonstrated using the Bayesian algorithm as well as with principal coordinates analysis. Isolates sampled from domesticated chickpea from both countries were better adapted to temperatures typical of Levantine spring and had a significantly larger colony area at 25°C than at 15°C (typical Levantine winter temperature). These observations were in accordance to the heritability values of the temperature growth response.     

Development of potato late blight epidemics: disease foci, disease gradients, and infection sources

ABSTRACT Natural potato late blight epidemics were studied to assess the relative impact of various inoculum sources of Phytophthora infestans in Southern Flevoland (the Netherlands) from 1994 through 1996. Disease surveys were combined with characterization of isolates for mating type and DNA fingerprint pattern using probe RG57. Seventy-four percent of the commercial potato fields with early foci were clearly associated with nearby infested refuse piles. Characterization of isolates from refuse piles and fields confirmed the association. Infected seed tubers, volunteer plants, and infested allotment gardens appeared to be of minor importance for late blight development in potato fields. Several foci in refuse piles, potato fields, and allotment gardens contained more than one genotype. Due to favorable weather in August 1994, infested organic potato fields became major inoculum sources, resulting in the spread of P. infestans to adjacent conventional potato fields. Analyses of disease gradients, both at the field and regional levels, confirmed the role of the organic fields as mid-season infection sources. The mean slope of field gradients downwind of refuse piles (point sources) was significantly steeper (100-fold difference) than the mean slope of field gradients downwind of organic fields (area sources). The genotypic composition of the P. infestans populations along the gradient and of the source populations in the organic potato crops did not differ significantly. Analysis of the region gradient revealed genotype-specific disease gradients. Control measures are recommended.     

棉铃疫病菌对甲霜灵的抗药性风险研究

在实验室条件下,对分离自安徽省芜湖、无为、宣城、望江、肥东、寿县、滁州等7个地区的棉铃疫病菌(Phytophthora boehmeriae Sawada)对甲霜灵的抗药性进行了测定。结果显示,甲霜灵对各供试菌株的EC50分布为0.008 3～0.079 1μg／mL,平均为0.026 1 μg／mL,远小于1 μg／mL,且供试菌株在含甲霜灵质量浓度为1μg／mL的LBA平板上菌丝生长几乎完全被抑制,表明各供试菌株对甲霜灵十分敏感,但其敏感程度地区间存在较大差异。通过室内药剂直接诱变,获得抗甲霜灵菌株,经抗性测定结果表明,抗性菌株的抗性水平较其敏感亲本菌株高13 000倍以上,提示安徽省棉铃疫病菌对甲霜灵具有潜在的抗药性风险。     

Effect of pea plant architecture on spatiotemporal epidemic development of ascochyta blight (Mycosphaerella pinodes) in the field

The effect of pea canopy structure on epidemics of Mycosphaerella pinodes was investigated in four spring pea cultivars (Bridge, Obelisque, Solara and Athos) in two field experiments. These cultivars had similar levels of susceptibility to ascochyta blight and presented different architectural features (branching, standing ability and stem height). Stem height ranged from 77 to 95 cm in 1999 and from 72 to 92 cm in 2000, while leaf area index (LAI) ranged from 3·8 to 5·1 in 1999 and from 3·8 to 4·7 in 2000. Internode lengths varied from 4·6 to 6·0 in 1999 and from 3·8 to 4·7 in 2000. Mean distance between nodes in the canopy (MDN) ranged from 12·2 to 15·3 cm in 1999 and from 11·2 to 13·9 cm in 2000. Canopies with different architecture differed in disease progression on stipules and mainly on pods. The levels of disease on stipules and pods were strongly correlated. Moreover, if disease was considered as a function of stipule height up the stem, large differences in vertical disease distribution were observed between cultivars. Three architectural features acted on disease development: cumulative LAI above the node on which disease was assessed (LAIcum) and large MDN favouring disease development, and large internode length reducing disease severity. Modifying LAI distribution and plant organization could be one way to reduce the impact of ascochyta blight, by direct or indirect effects on environmental and dispersal conditions.     

Development of the infection strategy of the hemibiotrophic plant pathogen,Colletotrichum orbiculare,and plant immunity

The hemibiotrophic fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare forms appressoria as infection structures and primarily establishes biotrophic infection in cucumber epidermal cells. Subsequently, it develops necrotrophic infection. In the pre-invasion stage, morphogenesis of appressoria of C. orbiculare is triggered by signals from the plant surface. We found that C. orbiculare PAG1 (Perish-in-the-Absence-of-GYP1), a component of MOR [morphogenesis-related NDR (nuclear Dbf2-related) kinase network] plays an essential role as a key component of the plant-specific signaling pathway and that hydrolysis of cutin by a spore surface esterase creates a cutin monomer that constitutes a key plant-derived signal. Development of the infection structure of C. orbiculare is strictly regulated by the cell cycle and we found that proper regulation of G1/S progression via two-component GAP genes, consisting of BUB2 (Budding-Uninhibited-by-Benomyl-2) and BFA1 (Byr-Four-Alike-1) is essential for the establishment of successful infection. In the post-invasion stage, the establishment of the biotrophic phase of hemibiotrophic fungi is crucial for successful infection. We found that C. orbiculare WHI2 (WHIsky-2), an Saccharomyces cerevisiae stress regulator homolog, is involved in the phase transition from biotrophy to necrotrophy through TOR (Target of Rapamycin) signaling, and is thus essential for full pathogenesis.     

Environmental risk assessment of plant protection products: an approach to the development of guidelines

To aid the assessment of potential environmental side-effects arising from the use of plant protection products, a general framework for decision-making schemes is proposed. This should provide a consistent basis for the evaluation of different products, affecting the environment in different ways. Schemes constructed by this approach should indicate areas of uncertainty, highlight aspects on which expert knowledge is essential, and identify the data needed and how to interpret them. The proposed framework is sequential, comprising a series of stages, from the pattern of use of the product and its properties, to exposure of wildlife, calculation of the probability that adverse effects will occur, and judgements about their acceptability. This can be applied separately to effects on various components of the environment. A convenient format for decision-making schemes is a sequence of linked questions leading to a classification of the environmental consequences. This is adaptable to more complex versions (e.g. a computer-based expert system) or simpler, abbreviated evaluation using safety factors.     

Quantification of the relationship between the environment and Fusarium head blight, Fusarium pathogen density, and mycotoxins in winter wheat in Europe

Measurements of local environmental conditions, intensity of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat spikes, biomass of Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. poae (pathogens causing FHB) and concentration of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) in harvested wheat grain were obtained in a total of 150 location-years, originating in three European countries (Hungary, Ireland, United Kingdom) from 2001 to 2004. Through window-pane methodology, the length and starting time of temporal windows where the environmental variables were significantly associated with the biological variables were identified. Window lengths of 5 to 30?days were evaluated, with starting times from 18?days before anthesis to harvest. Associations were quantified with nonparametric Spearman correlation coefficients. All biological variables were significantly associated with at least one evaluated environmental variable (P?≤?0.05). Moisture-related variables (e.g., average relative humidity, hours of relative humidity above 80%) had the highest positive correlations with the biological variables, but there also was a significant negative correlation between average temperature and several biological variables. When significant correlations were found, they were generally for all window lengths, but for a limited number of window start times (generally before anthesis for disease index and after anthesis for the toxins and late-season fungal biomasses). Semi-partial Spearman correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between the environmental variables and the concentration of DON and NIV after the effects of FHB intensity and fungal biomass on the mycotoxins were removed. Significant semi-partial correlations were found between relative humidity variables and DON, and between temperature and relative humidity variables and NIV for time windows that started after anthesis (and not for any earlier time windows). Results confirm that the environment influences disease, fungal biomass, and mycotoxin production, and help refine the time windows where the association is greatest. However, variability in the relationships was high, indicating that no single environmental variable is sufficient for prediction of disease or mycotoxin contamination.     

Effects of the host, the pathogen, the environment and their interactions, on fusarium wilt in carnation

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.dianthi causes severe wilting in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) worldwide. The pathogen is present in the soil profile in which carnation roots are distributed and may infect the plants at any time during the growing season. To minimize the losses induced by Fusarium wilt, growers use carnation cuttings free ofFusarium spp. and fumigate the soil with methyl bromide prior to planting. The severity of epidemics and the resulting losses are governed by the main and interacting effects of the three components of the disease syndrome: the host, the pathogen and the environment. Host variables include the type and the degree of cultivar resistance (i.e., complete, partial or tolerance); pathogen variables include the race, its virulence and infectivity, and the amount of initial inoculum; environmental variables include solar radiation intensity, photoperiod, temperature and the growth substrate. In the present review the information available on the effect of the host, the pathogen and the environment, and their interactions, on Fusarium wilt in carnation is summarized.     

吉林省西瓜蔓枯病菌对吡唑醚菌酯的抗性监测及抗性风险评估

为明确吉林省西瓜蔓枯病菌Stagonosporopsis citrulli对吡唑醚菌酯的敏感基线和抗性风险,采用菌丝生长速率法测定吉林省151株西瓜蔓枯病菌菌株对吡唑醚菌酯的敏感性及吡唑醚菌酯对西瓜蔓枯病菌的最低抑制浓度,并监测375株西瓜蔓枯病菌菌株对吡唑醚菌酯的抗性水平。结果表明,供试的151株菌株对吡唑醚菌酯的敏感性频率分布呈连续的单峰曲线,接近正态分布,敏感基线为1.800 μg/mL;吡唑醚菌酯的最低抑制浓度MIC为80.000 μg/mL。抗性水平监测结果显示,375株菌株对吡唑醚菌酯的抗性频率为0。室内药剂驯化获得的抗性突变菌株T-LH3-1和T-XZC5-1在连续转接培养8代后的EC₅₀分别为16.139 μg/mL和31.782 μg/mL,抗性倍数分别为15和51,均为中抗水平,抗药性可以稳定遗传。抗性突变体及其亲本菌株生物学性状结果显示,抗性突变体生物适合度与其亲本菌株差异不显著。交互抗性结果表明,吡唑醚菌酯与醚菌酯之间存在正交互抗性,与戊唑醇、异菌脲、多菌灵和肟菌酯之间不存在交互抗性,可以交替使用以达到延缓抗药性的产生。     

Spatiotemporal variation in airborne sporangia of Phytophthora infestans: characterization and initiatives towards improving potato late blight risk estimation

This study investigated the value of using real‐time monitoring of Phytophthora infestans airborne inoculum as a complement to decision support systems (DSS). The experiment was conducted during the 2010, 2011 and 2012 potato production seasons in two locations in New Brunswick, Canada. Airborne sporangia concentrations (ASC) of P. infestans were monitored using 16 rotating‐arm spore samplers placed 3 m above the ground. The first cases of late blight (2010 and 2011) were detected 6–7 days after the first ASC peak, and all samplers captured their first sporangia within the same week (at 3‐ and 9‐day periods). The cumulative ASC curve and the risk curves from two DSS (PLANT‐Plus and Pameseb Late Blight) had the same shape but different magnitudes. In both locations, the negative binomial distribution fitted the data better than the Poisson distribution, which is indicative of heterogeneity, and based on Taylor's power law, the heterogeneity increased with increasing ASC. Therefore, the present results suggest that spore‐sampling network devices may be a suitable approach for early detection of incoming inoculum and, when combined with DSS, represent a potential aid for targeting the optimal time to apply a disease‐control product. In this context, cumulative ASC can be a counterweight to the DSS risk estimate: a high risk combined with significant ASC will trigger fungicide spraying. Moreover, spore sampling can be used to assess the efficiency of management strategies by means of examining the area under the inoculum progress curve.     

137份云南省地方稻抗白叶枯病多菌系多基因鉴定

为选育水稻抗性品种和发掘抗白叶枯病基因,以来自中国、日本和菲律宾的9株革兰氏阴性菌黄单胞菌水稻变种Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae菌株为供试菌株评价137份云南省地方稻种质资源对白叶枯病菌的抗性,同时检测供试材料中含14个已克隆抗白叶枯病基因的情况。结果显示,供试材料中至少对1株黄单胞菌水稻变种菌株有抗性的材料有104份,抗1、2、3、4、5、6、7、8和9株黄单胞菌水稻变种菌株的材料分别有25、19、14、19、11、6、5、2和3份;其中白杂一号、珍白18、麻旱谷、老来红、晋糯、香谷、毫冷薅、齐头蚂蚱谷、九谷和来之不易10份材料抗谱较广。大部分抗性材料携带1～7个白叶枯病抗性基因或其同源基因,未检测到含有Xa7、xa13、Xa21和Xa45(t)基因或其同源基因的材料。供试材料携带的抗性基因数量与抗性水平均呈极显著相关。     

Effects of Ascochyta blight caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes on the translocation of carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds from the leaf and hull to the seed of dried-pea

The effects of Ascochyta blight (caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes ) on changes in dry weight and in water, carbohydrate, nitrogen and free amino acid contents were studied in the leaf, the hull and the seeds on the second fructifer node of pea ( Pisum sativum ). Pea plants were grown in a glasshouse and inoculated with various concentrations of conidia at the beginning of seed filling, with uninoculated plants as controls. Disease induced a premature water loss of hulls and leaves, accelerated seed desiccation and reduced seed weight. Biochemical analyses revealed a decline in the carbohydrate content and a lower nitrogen remobilization in diseased leaves and hulls. Thus, Ascochyta blight alters carbohydrate metabolism, protein remobilization and free amino acid translocation from these organs. Disease also reduced carbohydrate and nitrogen content in seeds and, in case of high disease severity, the carbohydrate/nitrogen ratio in the seeds was also affected (seed protein concentration increased and starch concentration decreased).     

水稻纹枯病菌PG的分离纯化及其理化性质研究

水稻纹枯病菌产生的多聚半乳糖醛酸酶(Polygalacturonase,PG)是其重要的致病因子之一。用丙酮法提取PG粗蛋白,分别经DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow离子交换柱、Phenyl-Sepharose 6 Fast Flow疏水柱、Sephadex G-75凝胶柱和DE52离子交换柱层析纯化得到一种具有较高活性的PG纯蛋白。该蛋白分子量为39.81 kD;等电点为4.58;含有糖基,含糖量为1.48%;含有α氨基酸,但不含芳香族氨基酸;不含脂基。这种蛋白在pH4~12范围内均具有活性,pH5时活性最大;对热不稳定,100℃下水浴20 min,活性完全丧失;对胰蛋白酶和蛋白酶K敏感,酶处理后其活性只有对照的35.0%和35.2%;对紫外线和氯仿亦敏感,处理后活性仅为对照的40.0%和51.7%。     

Incidence of the potato late blight pathogen,Phytophthora infestans,in Syria and its mating type

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is a devastating disease found worldwide. During 2011, 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons,...     

Phage sensitivity in relation to pathogenicity and virulence of the cotton bacterial blight pathogen of Sudan

At least two pathotypes of Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum are now known to exist in Sudan. The pre-Barakat (race 1) and post-Barakat (race 2) pathogens have been shown to exhibit different host specificity. The former is pathogenic and highly aggressive on only cultivars with no resistance genes or with the B₂ and/or B₃ resistance factors, while the latter can infect the B₆ cultivars also. Race 2 in Sudan, which was previously reported to infect all the standard differentials, produced milder angular leaf spot symptoms and occasionally restricted vein infection. Moreover, it exhibited reduced growth in planta compared with race 1.
Bacteriophage studies revealed that the two races are quite distinct in their phage sensitivity. Race 1 can be lysed by only three, or rarely four, of the six phages used for typing, while race 2 is sensitive to all of them. The present study suggests that phage 7 may be the type-determining phage for race 2. Race 2 strain mutants resistant to phage 3 or 4 were found to be sensitive to phage 7 and pathogenic to both Acala and Barakat, although showing marked attenuation of virulence. However, mutants resistant to phage 2 or 7 were insensitive to all the phages and although they retained their pathogenicity to Acala, they either lost the ability to infect Barakat or produced a hypersensitive reaction. The resistance of all mutants was found to be due to failure to adsorb the homologous phage, indicating a change in the cell wall. The association of this with the attenuation of virulence suggests that bacterial wall components may function as virulence determinants in Xanthomonas campestris pv. malvacearum.