Identification of Alternaria spp. on wheat by pathogenicity assays and sequencing

The pathogenicity of Alternaria spp. isolated from wheat leaves collected in regions where alternaria leaf blight has been reported was compared with that of IMI reference isolates of A. triticina and A. alternata using two durum and two bread wheat genotypes. To identify isolates putatively corresponding to A. triticina , morphological and DNA sequence analyses based on ribosomal DNA from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1, 5·8S rRNA gene, ITS2) and toxicity bioassays of culture filtrate were combined. Glasshouse inoculations provided reliable information to assess the pathogenicity of A. triticina isolates on wheat. Alternaria leaf blight symptoms were produced by the A. triticina isolates only on durum wheat cv. Bansi, while A. alternata , A. tenuissima and A. arborescens isolates were found to be nonpathogenic on the wheat cultivars tested. Alternaria triticina isolates were distinguished from other Alternaria species by Simmons and Roberts' sporulation pattern 6 and two to three conidia per sporulation unit associated with primary conidia bearing long (> 7  µ m) apical secondary conidiophores. Phylogenetic analysis also proved effective at discriminating wheat-pathogenic A. triticina from other nonpathogenic Alternaria species. Alternaria triticina isolates yielded longer ITS sequences than A. alternata , A. tenuissima and A. arborescens isolates, leading to clear-cut differences as visualized with agarose gel electrophoresis. Additionally, only culture filtrates of A. triticina isolates caused nonspecific necrotic lesions on leaves of 3-week-old wheat plants.     

A Severe Hellenic CMV Tomato Isolate: Symptom Variability in Tobacco, Characterization and Discrimination of Variants

A severe strain of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) originating from an infected tomato plant (Gastouni-Olympia, Greece) was isolated in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi nc), after three serial local lesion passages in Chenopodium quinoa and designated CMV-G. CMV-G induces yellow mosaic (YM) symptoms in tobacco. When CMV-G was passed mechanically through C. quinoa, phenotypic variants inducing YM or green mild mosaic (MM) in tobacco were isolated. Aphid transmission, from different hosts, appears to be an effective approach for separating MM variants of CMV-G from YM variants. In particular, aphid transmission from zucchini proved to be very efficient in selecting for MM variants. In contrast, aphids transmitted only YM variants from tomato plants. Molecular characterization of CMV-G and its progeny resulted in their classification in the CMV subgroup IB, free of satellite RNA, being the first discovery of the subgroup IB in Greece. In the Solanaceae family (tobacco, tomato, pepper) YM variants induced more severe symptoms than the MM variants. YM and MM phenotype was stable in tobacco for all seven passages tried using the obtained YM and MM variants. Cross-protection experiments showed that an isolated MM variant was able to protect tobacco plants against a challenge infection by a YM variant.     

Development of specific PCR primers for identification and detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora capsici</Emphasis> Leon

A PCR-based method was developed for the identification and detection of Phytophthora capsici in pepper plants. Three PCR primers (CAPFW, CAPRV1 and CAPRV2) specific for P. capsiciwere designed based on the sequence of its internal transcribed spacer regions. CAPFW/CAPRV1 amplify a 452 bp product from P. capsici DNA whereas CAPFW/CAPRV2 a 595 bp fragment; neither set amplifies DNA from pepper or several fungi pathogenic to pepper. In conventional (single-round) PCR, the limit of detection was 5 pg DNA for both primer sets, whereas in nested PCR the detection limit for both was of 0.5 fg. However, when the dilution series of target DNA were spiked with plant DNA, amplification declined two-fold in both conventional and nested PCR. The CAPFW/CAPRV2 set in conventional PCR was used to detect P. capsici DNA in inoculated plants. Detection occurred as soon as 8h post-inoculation in stem samples from infected but still symptomless plants. The method was also tested to detect fungal DNA in infected soils.     

The relative resistance of wheat, rye and triticale to take-all caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis

In seven field experiments conducted over 6 years with a wide range of disease severities, triticale was intermediate in resistance to Gaeumannomyces graminis between wheat (susceptible) and rye (resistant). Use of triticale is suggested as an immediately available means of introducing take-all resistance into cereal cultivation.
Octoploid triticale was slightly more susceptible than hexaploid triticale. There was little evidence of consistent variation in resistance among wheat or rye cultivars but a few hexaploid triticale cultivars varied in resistance. The resistance of triticale was not reliably expressed in the glasshouse tests used, so selection for resistance to take-all in a breeding programme would need to be conducted in the field. Individual pairs of rye chromosomes added to wheat did not significantly reduce its susceptibility. The feasibility of transferring the resistance of rye to wheat is considered.     

Fusarium head blight and mycotoxin contamination of wheat,a review

Summary An infection of bread wheat by fusarium head blight contaminates the crop with mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV). The toxicity and natural occurrence of these mycotoxins in wheat are reviewed. Based on 8 years data of fusarium head blight epidemics of wheat in the Netherlands, DON contamination of the grain was estimated. Fusarium head blight ratings averaged an infection of 1.7% of all spikelets; estimates for DON contamination averaged 0.9 mg kg^–1. Taking a guideline level for DON in uncleaned bread wheat of 2 mg kg^–1, in 1979 and 1982 a wheat crop was produced with estimated DON concentrations above the limit of tolerance. Human and animal exposure to mycotoxins in the Netherlands appears to be small but chronic. The information presented in this paper illustrates the need for an annual evaluation of the crop for fusarium head blight incidence and mycotoxin content, and the necessity of fusarium head blight resistant wheat cultivars.Samenvatting Aaraantasting van tarwe doorFusarium culmorum enFusarium graminearum leidt tot vorming van mycotoxinen in het graan, waarvan deoxynivalenol (DON) en nivalenol (NIV) de belangrijkste toxinen zijn. In dit artikel wordt een overzicht gegeven van de toxicologische aspecten, en het voorkomen van deze toxinen in tarwe. Informatie over DON en NIV in tarwe in West-Europa is schaars. Gebaseerd op gegevens vanFusarium epidemieën in de jaren 1979–1986 wordt een schatting gegeven van de concentratie DON in Nederlandse tarwe. Rekening houdend met de herkomst en verwerking van tarwe, blijken zowel in dierlijk als menselijk voedsel lage concentraties DON chronisch voor te komen. Op basis van een maximaal toelaatbare dagelijkse dosis DON van 3 g kg^–1 lichaamsgewicht is de schatting van de dagelijkse opname van DON in het jaar volgend op de oogst van 1982 net op de grens. Zowel een jaarlijkse inventarisatie vanFusarium aantasting en DON besmetting van het graan, als de ontwikkeling vanFusarium-resistente rassen zijn noodzakelijk.     

Variable response of open-pollinated seedling progeny of avocado to Phytophthora root rot

Phytophthora root rot, caused byPhytophthora cinnamomi Rands, is the most important disease of avocado (Persea americana Miller). In an attempt to identify root rot-resistant rootstocks that could ultimately be used under conditions in southern Florida, we screened open-pollinated progeny of avocado from the National Germplasm Repository in Miami. From 1996 to 1998, a total of 2,355 seedlings from 51 accessions were examined in potting mix artificially infested withP. cinnamomi. Most seedlings developed severe root rot, but tolerance was observed in some families (i.e., progeny of certain accessions). Although the most susceptible families developed mean disease ratings of up to 97% root necrosis, mean ratings for the most tolerant families were less than 60%. There was also a strong relationship between the racial background of the female parent and the tolerance of seedlings. Seedlings of the West Indian race and hybrids between it and the Guatemalan race were significantly more tolerant than those from other parents (P< 0.05). Individuals in several families developed < 50% root necrosis, the arbitrary standard of tolerance in this study. Twelve families accounted for 82% (188 of 229) of the tolerant seedlings, and only two of these did not have a West Indian or Guatemalan × West Indian pedigree. Broad-sense heritability for PRR tolerance was 0.45. This is the first report on the inheritance of PRR tolerance in avocado and on the influence of genotype and racial pedigree under controlled conditions.     

小菜蛾对苯甲酰基脲类杀虫剂的抗性现状及治理对策

本文概述了小菜蛾对苯甲酰基脲类杀虫剂的抗性现状,并根据其抗性特点提出５点治理对策。     

菜豆优良种质综合鉴定评价

对`七五 、`八五 期间入国家种质库菜豆资源性状鉴定中表现优良的3 8份菜豆资源进行了两年3试点田间综合鉴定评价,获得了4份矮生、2份蔓生优异材料可供菜豆生产和科研利用.     

娄彻氏链霉菌XL-6的抑菌活性及对茄子幼苗的防病促生效应

本文研究了娄彻氏链霉菌Streptomyces rochei XL-6无菌发酵液在自然状态下的抑菌活性及对茄子幼苗的防病促生效果。结果表明,菌株XL-6发酵液的抑菌活性物质可耐70℃高温,在pH 5~8其抑菌活性保持稳定;该抑菌活性物质不受紫外线、蛋白酶K和胰蛋白酶的影响,在4℃条件下贮藏28 d仍可保持良好的抑菌活性。采用不同浓度的发酵液处理茄子幼苗均可提高茄苗对青枯病的抗性,其中,施用40倍发酵液显著降低茄子青枯病发病率和病情指数并显著提高PAL和PPO酶活性,对盆栽茄子的防治效果达64.78%。同时,40倍发酵液显著提高茄子种子发芽率、鲜重、叶绿素含量及根系活力,较病原菌菌体处理和无菌水处理,茄苗干重增幅分别达15.81%和27.95%,对茄苗的促生效果显著。说明适宜浓度的拮抗菌XL-6发酵液兼具防治茄子青枯病和促进植株生长的效果。     

The effect of diflubenzuron on Eggs of the vine Moth,Lobesia (Polychrosis) Botrana Den. & Schiff (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The activity of diflubenzuron against eggs ofLobesia botrana Den. & Schiff. was assayed with a dipping procedure, at 22° and 27° C. The compound was much more active at 27°C (LC-50 = 0.0072%) than at 22°C (LC-50 = 0.195%).