Synthesis and antifungal activity of 2‐azetidinonyl‐5‐(2‐benzoylphenoxy)methyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles against seed‐borne pathogens of Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn

BACKGROUND: Finger millet is a major food crop as well as feed and fodder for livestock, especially in regions of southern India. A sturdy crop to fluctuating environmental conditions, it can be cultivated in all seasons of the year. Leaf, neck and finger blast caused by Pyricularia grisea Sacc. and Bipolaris setariae (Saw.) Shoem, as well as leaf spot disease, Bipolaris nodulosa (Berk & M.A.Curtis) Shoem, are major production constraints in southern India. Apart from environmental conditions, the use of harvested seeds by farmers is a major reason for disease prevalence. Benzophenone analogues have been investigated for controlling phytopathogenic fungi. In addition, the most important applications of azetidin‐2‐ones are as antibiotics. Based on this information, the present study was conducted to explore the antifungal activity of integrated 2‐azetidinonyl and 1,3,4‐oxadiazoles moieties into a benzophenone framework. RESULTS: A simple high‐yielding method for the integration of heterocyclic rings, namely 2‐azetidinonyl, at the benzophenone nucleus has been achieved, starting from substituted 2‐hydroxybenzophenones under mild conditions on a wet solid surface using microwave irradiation. In the present study, an array of newly synthesised compounds, 2‐azetidinonyl‐5‐(2‐benzoylphenoxy)methyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles, were screened for their antifungal property against blast and leaf spot causing fungi associated with the seeds of finger millet, cv. Indof‐9. CONCLUSION: Two of the newly synthesised compounds showed promising effects in depleting the incidence of seed‐borne pathogenic fungi of finger millet. The suppression of Pyricularia grisea and Bipolaris setariae resulted in enhanced seed germination and seedling growth. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Pityophthorus pubescens (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) to (E,E)‐α‐farnesene, (R)‐(+)‐limonene and (S)‐(−)‐verbenone in Pinus radiata (Pinaceae) stands in northern Spain

BACKGROUND: Some twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) may vector pitch canker disease Fusarium circinatum (Niremberg & O'Donnell) of Pinus spp. (Pinaceae). Because Pityophthorus pubescens (Marsh.) has been found to be associated with F. circinatum in the Basque Country (northern Spain), various experiments were conducted to assess the beetle's behavioural responses to (E, E)‐α‐farnesene, (R)‐(+)‐limonene and (S)‐(?)‐verbenone to develop a potential inhibitor to host attraction. These experiments comprise electroantennographic and double‐choice olfactometer tests, as well as field assays in Pinus radiata D. Don stands. RESULTS: Both sexes of P. pubescens showed similar electroantennographic responses to different doses (from 1 ng to 1 µg in decadic steps) of each individual compound, with depolarisations to (S)‐(‐)‐verbenone (100 ng) being similar to those of the aggregation pheromone (+)‐trans‐pityol. In olfactometer assays, both sexes were significantly attracted to (+)‐trans‐pityol, but the attraction was reduced when increasing amounts of the chemicals were added to the pheromone. Particularly relevant was the repellent effect induced by (S)‐(?)‐verbenone at 1 ng dose and higher. In the field, (E, E)‐α‐farnesene, (R)‐(+)‐limonene and (S)‐(?)‐verbenone reduced significantly the number of beetles attracted to (+)‐trans‐pityol and racemic trans‐pityol, with (S)‐(?)‐verbenone being the most effective. CONCLUSIONS: (S)‐(?)‐Verbenone showed an interesting potential for use in the protection of P. radiata stands. A potentially effective strategy, which could be implemented in further, more in‐depth studies, could involve the use of this semiochemical as repellent and (+)‐trans‐pityol‐baited traps as attractant in a ‘push‐pull’ strategy. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity of the botanical aphicides 1,5‐diphenyl‐1‐pentanone and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one on two species of Aphididnae

1,5‐Diphenyl‐1‐pentanone (A) and 1,5‐diphenyl‐2‐penten‐1‐one (B) are natural products extracted for the first time from Stellera chamaejasme. Laboratory bioassay showed that the two products have strong contact activity and very good anti‐feedant activity against Aphis gossypii and Schizaphis graminum. Both products showed dose‐dependent relationships for both forms of activity against the two aphids, the contact activity of B being about twice that of A. Both products were inferior to methomyl in contact activity but superior in anti‐feedant activity against the two aphids. This is the first report of aphicidal activity in these two compounds, which may represent a new class of aphicide. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

7‐(4,6‐Dimethoxypyrimidinyl)oxy‐ and ‐thiophthalides as novel herbicides: Part 1. CGA 279 233: a new grass‐killer for rice

A series of novel types of 7‐(4,6‐dimethoxypyrimidin‐2‐yl)oxy ‐ and ‐thio‐3‐methyl‐1 (3H)‐isobenzofuranones were discovered at Dr R Maag AG. From the thio‐isobenzofuranyl series, CGA 279 233—BSI‐proposed common name pyriftalid—was chosen for further development as a grass herbicide for use in rice. General synthetic approaches to these new phthalic acid‐derived compounds are given, with emphasis on the synthesis of pyriftalid and its physico‐chemical behaviour. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

Genetic and serological analyses of elongation factor EF‐Tu of paulownia witches’‐broom phytoplasma (16SrI‐D)

This study determined the tuf gene sequence of the phytoplasma specific to paulownia witches’‐broom from Nanyang, China (hereby designated PaWB‐Ny). The PaWB‐Ny tuf gene was 1185 nucleotides in length and confirmed that the phytoplasma belongs to subgroup 16SrI‐D of aster yellows. Three characteristic GTP‐binding protein motifs were identified based on the peptide deduced from the tuf gene sequence. Results suggested that the elongation factor EF‐Tu was localized in the cytoplasm and lacked hydrophobic transmembrane domains. Antibodies against PaWB‐Ny EF‐Tu were prepared by rabbit immunization with glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST)‐tagged EF‐Tu fusion protein expressed in Escherichia coli. EF‐Tu exhibited a molecular weight of ～43 kDa and was detected in PaWB‐infected paulownia plants by western blot analysis. Indirect enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and dot blotting analyses were performed with freezing and thawing treatments during antigen preparation. Dilution of extracts to an appropriate scale significantly reduced non‐specific reactions. The resultant PaWB EF‐Tu antibody reacted with antigens from plants infected with periwinkle virescence and chinaberry tree witches’‐broom phytoplasmas, but not those infected with jujube witches’‐broom or bishopwood witches’‐broom phytoplasma. The EF‐Tu was characteristically localized within the phytoplasmal cytoplasm of infected plant phloem tissues.     

Synthesis and characterisation of some 4‐keto derivatives of 1,3,4(2H)‐isoquinolinetrione redox mediator herbicides

Derivatives of 2‐ethyl‐1,3,4(2H)‐isoquinolinetrione in which the 4‐keto group has been modified to (Z)‐oxime, (E)‐ and (Z)‐O‐methyl oxime, (Z)‐N,N‐dimethyl hydrazone, cyano‐imine and dicyanomethylene moieties have been prepared and evaluated as redox mediator herbicides. All of the compounds have the free‐radical properties required to function as redox mediators, as determined by cyclic voltammetry, though only the O‐methyl oximes, the N,N‐dimethyl hydrazone and the cyano‐imine have reduction potentials in the range required to stimulate the light‐dependent consumption of oxygen at photosystem I in isolated chloroplasts. The O‐methyl oximes and the cyano‐imine are fast‐acting post‐emergence herbicides, producing symptoms of rapid desiccation; the (E)‐O‐methyl oxime is the most active herbicide, being somewhat more potent than the parent isoquinolinetrione. Hydrolysis studies indicate that it is unlikely that any compound generates the parent isoquinolinetrione in vivo. Attempts to explain differences between in vitro and in vivo activities using hydrolytic stabilities and physical properties were unsuccessful, and it was concluded that these factors probably play a less significant role in moderating the herbicidal activity of isoquinolinetrione derivatives than originally thought. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry