Pathotypes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plasmodiophora brassicae</Emphasis> causing damage to oilseed rape in the Czech Republic and Poland

Winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is an important crop in the Czech Republic and Poland. Clubroot disease caused by the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae is a serious and still-growing problem for oilseed rape growers in both countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathotype composition of P. brassicae populations from the Czech Republic and Poland, according to the three evaluation systems, and to determine soil inoculum loads for representative fields via traditional end-point PCR as well as quantitative PCR analysis. There were considerable differences between the populations of P. brassicae from both countries, and the number of pathotypes varied depending on the evaluation system and the threshold used to distinguish susceptible vs. resistant plant reactions. This is the first study comparing the effect of different thresholds. Using an index of disease (ID) of 25 % to distinguish susceptible vs. resistant reactions, there was a total of seven pathotypes identified based on the differentials of Williams, five with the system of Somé et al., and 18 with the European Clubroot Differential (ECD) set. However, based on a threshold of 50 %, there were nine pathotypes according to the evaluation system by Williams, four based on the differentials of Somé et al., and 15 with the ECD set. Changing of the thresholds led to the reclassification of some pathotypes. Several pathotypes were common in both countries. High amounts of pathogen DNA were found in many of the field soils analysed by quantitative PCR. There was a weak correlation between soil pH and infestation of P. brassicae for the Polish soils.     

Population genetic structure of Mycosphaerella graminicola and Quinone Outside Inhibitor (QoI) resistance in the Czech Republic

Damage caused by the wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola increased rapidly during the last two decades in the Czech Republic. We collected isolates from naturally infected fields in seven wheat-growing locations and analysed these using eight microsatellite markers. All markers were highly polymorphic. We found a high degree of genetic diversity and low clonality within all sampled Czech populations. We identified 158 unique multilocus haplotypes among 184 isolates. Field populations showed weak genetic structure but we detected more differentiation between climatic regions within the Czech Republic. We compared the Czech field populations to populations from the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland and found a marked differentiation between Czech populations and Western European populations. We hypothesize that decades of different agricultural practices, including the use of different wheat cultivars, may explain this genetic differentiation. We detected a rapid increase in QoI fungicide resistance during the sampling period from 2005 to 2011, coinciding with the widespread application of this class of fungicides in the Czech Republic. M. graminicola populations in the Czech Republic underwent a rapid adaptive evolution from sensitivity to resistance similar to what was described earlier in Western Europe.     

Gas chromatographic determination of technical pyrazon (5-amino-4-chloro-2-phenyl-3(2H)pyridazinone)

5-Amino-4-chloro-2-phenyl-3(2H)pyridazinone (common name pyrazon) is the active ingredient of herbicide formulations known under the trade names Burex, Chlorazine, Pyramin, Phenazon. Pyrazon content was evaluated using the internal standard 4-chloro-5-methylamino-2-phenyl-3(2H)pyridazinone. FID detector and glass column (50 × 0.25 cm) packed with 2% cyclohexane-di-methanol succinate on silanised Chromosorb G (80-100 mesh) were used. Technical products can contain two interesting impurities, the non-active pyrazon isomer 4-amino-5-chloro-2-phenyI-3(2H)pyridazinone and the unreacted 4,5-dichloro-2-phenyl-3(2H)pyridazinone, the later of which issignificant from the point of view of toxicology. Determination of these two compounds under the conditions used for pyrazon is practically impossible. They were therefore determined on a separate glass column (70 × 0.24 cm) packed with 5% cyclohexane-di-methanol succinate on Chromosorb G (60-80 mesh). A standard addition method for small concentrations of 4,5-dichloro-2-phenyl-3(2H) pyridazinone in technical pyrazon products is also described.     

Endogenous development of Hemolivia mauritanica (Apicomplexa: Adeleina: Haemogregarinidae) in the marginated tortoise Testudo marginata (Reptilia: Testudinidae): evidence from experimental infection

Six young tortoises Testudo marginata Schoepff, 1792 were experimentally infected with Hemolivia mauritanica (Sergent et Sergent, 1904). The prepatent period ranged from 6 to 8 weeks. Young, smaller, club-like forms (6-9 x 3-6 Am) of gametocytes appeared in the peripheral blood first, whereas mature, elongated, cylindrical forms (9-12 x 5-7 Am) were detected after 1-2 weeks and predominated during later patency. Three of the infected tortoises were euthanized and dissected to study the endogenous stages. Meronts occurred in the cells of the reticulo-endothelial system and in the erythrocytes; these were observed mostly in parenchymatous organs. Mature forms measured 14.2 x 9.3 microm and contained 7-12 merozoites. Cysts with two (exceptionally one) cystozoites were also found predominantly in parenchymatous organs and measured 14.8 x 7.9 microm. Pathological changes attributable to Hemolivia were mild and limited to liver and kidneys. The role of individual developmental stages of haemogregarines is discussed with respect to evolution of heteroxenous life cycle and long-term persistence of parasites in their intermediate hosts.     

The importance of landscape context for songbirds on migration: body mass gain is related to habitat cover

Landscape context influences many aspects of songbird ecology during the breeding season. The importance of landscape context at stopover sites for migrating songbirds, however, has received less attention. In particular, landscape context may affect the availability and quality of food for refueling during stopovers, which is critical for successful migration. We evaluated the influence of woody habitat cover in the surroundings of stopover sites at several spatial extents on the hourly changes of body mass in two species of European-African forest-dwelling songbird migrants (Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus, and the Eurasian Redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus). Data were sampled by standardized methods from a network of ringing stations throughout Europe during the falls of 1994–1996. In both species, hourly body mass gain calculated for first captures increased with woody habitat cover. We found a similar logarithmic relationship for both species, although for Willow Warblers mass gain was more strongly related to the habitat cover within 5 km, in contrast to 3 km for Redstarts. For Willow Warblers, where sufficient data are available for each year, the relationship is consistent over the years. The shape of the relationship suggests existence of a threshold of landscape suitability for refueling at stopover sites: in sites with less than 10% of woody habitat cover, birds tend to lose body mass or to gain mass at a lower rate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Adaptation of wheat rusts to the wheat cultivars in former Czechoslovakia

Summary In former Czechoslovakia virulence of rusts attacking wheat was studied since the sixties. Since the same time genes for resistance in the registered cultivars were identified. The role of Berberis and Thalictrum as alternate hosts for stem rust and leaf rust, respectively, was investigated as well. Determined changes of virulence in rust populations could only partially be ascribed to changes of resistance genes in the grown cultivars. Unnecessary genes for virulence had no negative effect on the fitness of the pathogen. All tested samples of aeciospores from barberries attacked rye, not wheat. None of Thalictrum species occurring in the Czech and Slovak Republics was found to host wheat leaf rust. However, the sexual stage of wheat stem rust and wheat leaf rust could be induced on Berberis vulgaris and Thalictrum speciosissimum, respectively. General epidemiological conclusions are drawn from the results and experience of the last 35 years.     

Disease resistance in the genusAegilops L. — stem rust,leaf rust,stripe rust,and powdery mildew

Summary Resistance of the GaterslebenAegilops collection was studied in relation to the following wheat diseases: stem rust(Puccinia graminis), leaf rust(Puccinia recondita), stripe rust(Puccinia striiformis) and powdery mildew(Erysiphe graminis). Numerous sources of complete, combined or single resistance have been detected in 487 accessions of 21Aegilops species. Potential donors of the complete resistance have been found in diploidAe. speltoides, Ae. longissima ssp.sharonensis, Ae. mark-grafii and tetraploidAe. geniculata. Methods of a transfer of resistance genes from particularAegilops species to the common wheat,Triticum aestivum, are discussed.

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Krankheitsresistenz in der GattungAegilops L. — Schwarzrost, Braunrost, Gelbrost und Mehltau

Zusammenfassung Die GaterslebenerAegilops-Kollektion wurde auf Resistenz gegen folgende Weizen-Krankheiten untersucht: Schwarzrost(Puccinia graminis), Braunrost(Puccinia recondita), Gelbrost(Puccinia striiformis) und Mehltau(Erysiphe graminis). Zahlreiche Quellen für Resistenz gegenüber einzelnen Krankheiten, kombinierte Resistenz und auch vollständige Resistenz gegenüber allen Erregern konnten unter den 487 Sortimentsnummern aus 21Aegilops-Arten gefunden werden. Potentielle Donoren mit vollständiger Resistenz wurden bei den diploiden SippenAe. speltoides, Ae. longissima ssp.sharonensis undAe. markgrafii sowie bei der tetraploidenAe. geniculata nachgewiesen. Methoden zur Übertragung der Resistenzgene von den einzelnenAegilops-Arten auf den Weizen,Triticum aestivum, werden diskutiert.

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Aegilops L. —

Aegilops :Puccinia graminis, P. recondita, P. striiformis, Erysiphe graminis. , , 487 21 Aegilops. , Ae. speltoides, Ae. longissima ssp.sharonensis, Ae. markgrafii Ae. geniculata. Aegilops Triticum aestivum.