Olive processing wastes for weed control

The herbicidal effect of olive processing wastes (OPW) on some weed species in wheat, maize and sunflower was investigated in the Aegean region of Turkey. In trials with maize and sunflower, OPW was applied as an air‐dried solid form at 3 and 4.5 kg m^?2. It provided an effectiveness level on Portulaca oleracea of 63–98%. In trials with wheat, OPW was applied as solid and liquid forms, each at two different doses, namely 4.5 and 6 kg m^?2 (solid), and 5 and 10 L m^?2 (liquid). Solid OPW provided a reduction in total weed coverage of 75% and 81% at doses of 4.5 and 6 kg m^?2, respectively. The weed coverage reduction by liquid OPW was 39% and 62% with 5 and 10 L m^?2, respectively. Apart from 12–26% reduction of the number of germinating seeds, OPW showed no toxic effects on maize and sunflower. Wheat was affected in the initial stages but no adverse effect was detected at harvest. It can be concluded that the herbicidal effect of OPW may be considered as an alternative to chemical weed control in some important summer crops (maize and sunflower) and for most of the weeds in winter wheat.     

Identification of a major gene (Mex-1) from Coffea canephora conferring resistance to Meloidogyne exigua in Coffea arabica

Among the most damaging root-knot nematode species, Meloidogyne exigua is especially common in Latin America and constitutes a major agronomic constraint in all major coffee-growing ( Coffea arabica ) areas. Growing nematode-resistant coffee represents the most promising option for control of the pest. The present study aimed to determine the mode of inheritance of the M. exigua resistance transferred into C. arabica from a related species, Coffea canephora , and to identify associated molecular markers. Segregation data analysis of F ₂ progeny derived from a cross between the resistant introgression line T5296 and the susceptible accession Et6 showed that the resistance to M. exigua is controlled by a simply inherited major gene (designated the Mex -1 locus). The gall index distribution exhibited by the F ₂ individuals suggested incomplete dominant expression. Fourteen AFLP markers were found associated with the resistance to M. exigua and a localized genetic map of the chromosome segment carrying Mex -1 was constructed. Furthermore, the association of the identified AFLP markers with Mex -1 was confirmed by analysis of a set of genotypes involving 28 introgression Arabica lines either resistant or susceptible to M. exigua in field conditions. These results represent an important starting point to enhance backcross breeding programmes and to perform an early selection of resistant seedlings.     

Variation in the response of melon genotypes to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis race 1 determined by inoculation tests and molecular markers

Screening of genotypes of melon ( Cucumis melo ) for resistance to wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis is often characterized by wide variability in their responses to inoculation, even under carefully controlled conditions. The variability at the seedling stage of 17 genotypes susceptible to race 1 was examined in growth-chamber experiments. Disease incidence varied from 0 to 100% in a genotype-dependent manner. Using four combinations of light (60 and 90  µ E m⁻² s⁻¹) and temperatures of (27 and 31°C), only light intensity showed a statistically significant effect. Marker-assisted selection for fusarium resistance breeding using cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers were compared using a single set of genotypes that included 24 melon accessions and breeding lines whose genotype regarding the Fom-2 gene was well characterized. The practical value of the markers for discriminating a range of genotypes and clarifying the scoring of phenotypes was also tested using a segregating breeding population which showed codominant SCAR markers to be useful in marker-assisted selection.     

Effects of temperature on ascospore germination and penetration of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) leaves by A- or B-group Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker)

Ascospores of both A-group and B-group Leptosphaeria maculans germinated at temperatures from 5 to 20°C on leaves of oilseed rape. Germination of ascospores of both groups started 2 h after inoculation and percentage germination reached its maximum about 14 h after inoculation at all temperatures. Both the percentage of A-/B-group ascospores that had germinated after 24 h incubation and germ tube length increased with increasing temperature from 5 to 20°C. Germ tubes from B-group ascospores were longer than those from A-group ascospores at all temperatures, with the greatest difference at 20°C. Hyphae from ascospores of both groups penetrated the leaves predominantly through stomata, at temperatures from 5 to 20°C. A-group ascospores produced highly branched hyphae that grew tortuously, whereas B-group ascospores produced long, straight hyphae. The percentage of germinated ascospores that penetrated stomata increased with increasing temperature from 5 to 20°C and was greater for A-group than for B-group L. maculans after 40 h incubation.     

Suppression of wheat-seedling diseases caused by Fusarium culmorum and Microdochium nivale using bacterial seed treatment

Snow mould, caused by Microdochium nivale , and seedling blight caused by members of the Fusarium complex, are cereal diseases of great economic importance in many temperate zones. In a glasshouse bioassay designed to enhance disease, about 600 plant-associated bacterial isolates obtained by different methods were screened for suppressive effects in wheat against infection caused by Fusarium culmorum . Although most of the isolates tested had a neutral effect on test plants and disease development, a few were synergistic to the pathogen and about one-fifth showed > 80% disease suppression. During five consecutive growing seasons, 164 bacterial isolates were tested in field experiments against both F. culmorum and M. nivale as causal agents of seedling blight. Tests for effects on yield in experiments with spring and winter wheat, performed in different climatic regions of Sweden, showed that disease-suppressive effects were repeatable. The most efficient isolates, three fluorescent pseudomonads and a species of Pantoea , suppressed disease equal to that of the fungicide guazatine, both with respect to crop stand and yield. Seed treatment with Pantoea sp. (isolate MF 626) increased yield by an average of more than 500 kg ha⁻¹ in six field experiments.     

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of Erwinia carotovora from mulberry (Morus spp.)

Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of nine bacterial strains isolated from mulberry ( Morus spp.), which were originally described as Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (Ecc), were investigated. Based on the results of biochemical tests, these bacterial strains were divided into two different types, type 1 and type 2. Two strains of type 1 were similar to Ecc, whereas seven strains of type 2 were distinct from Ecc. A polyphasic study that included serological assay, specific PCR assay for E. carotovora ssp. atroseptica (Eca), PCR-RFLP of a pectate lyase ( pel ) gene and RAPD-PCR was performed on the type 2 strains, and the data were compared with those of related E. carotovora subspecies. The results of serological and specific PCR assays for Eca showed that the type 2 strains were distinct from Eca. In RFLP analysis of the pel gene using Sau 3AI, the type 2 strains showed a unique RFLP pattern. On the basis of RAPD analysis, similarity of RAPD patterns within the type 2 strains was very high. A unique RAPD fragment was isolated from the type 2 strains and used as a probe for Southern hybridization. This probe hybridized only with PCR products from the type 2 strains. Based on phenotypic, serological and genetic characteristics, the type 2 strains isolated from mulberry may belong to a distinct E. carotovora subspecies other than Eca or Ecc.     

Characterization of phytoplasmas detected in Chinaberry trees with symptoms of leaf yellowing and decline in Bolivia

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to detect phytoplasmas in foliage samples from Chinaberry ( Melia azedarach ) trees displaying symptoms of yellowing, little leaf and dieback in Bolivia. A ribosomal coding nuclear DNA (rDNA) product (1·8 kb) was amplified from one or more samples from seven of 17 affected trees by PCR employing phytoplasma-universal rRNA primer pair P1/P7. When P1/P7 products were reamplified using nested rRNA primer pair R16F2n/R16R2, phytoplasmas were detected in at least one sample from 13 of 17 trees with symptoms. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of P1/P7 products indicated that trees CbY1 and CbY17 harboured Mexican periwinkle virescence (16SrXIII)-group and X-disease (16SrIII)-group phytoplasmas, respectively. Identification of two different phytoplasma types was supported by reamplification of P1/P7 products by nested PCR employing X-disease-group-specific rRNA primer pair R16mF2/WXint or stolbur-group-related primer pair fSTOL/rSTOL. These assays selectively amplified rDNA products of 1656 and 579 bp from nine and five trees with symptoms, respectively, of which two trees were coinfected with both phytoplasma types. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences revealed Chinaberry yellows phytoplasma strain CbY17 to be most similar to the chayote witches'-broom (ChWBIII-Ch10) agent, a previously classified 16SrIII-J subgroup phytoplasma. Strain CbY1 resembled the Mexican periwinkle virescence phytoplasma, a 16SrXIII-group member. The latter strain varied from all known phytoplasmas composing group 16SrXIII. On this basis, strain CbY1 was assigned to a new subgroup, 16SrXIII-C.     

Comparison of Crinipellis perniciosa isolates from Brazil by ERIC repetitive element sequence-based PCR genomic fingerprinting

Fifty isolates of Crinipellis perniciosa originating from Theobroma cacao , Heteropterys acutifolia and Solanum lycocarpum , from six states within Brazil, were characterized through ERIC-PCR, representing the first application of this method for molecular characterization within C. perniciosa . Phenetic analysis of banding patterns revealed a separation of isolates on the basis of host of origin, with T. cacao -derived isolates showing only a 0·2 similarity level to a cluster comprising the isolates from H. acutifolia and S. lycocarpum . Considerable intraspecific variability was observed within C. perniciosa isolates from T. cacao , with distinct groups observed correlating with geographical origin. Given that a number of isolates from T. cacao from the Amazon region grouped with isolates from Bahia state, this work discusses the possibility that current C. perniciosa populations pathogenic on T. cacao in Bahia originated from the Amazon region, rather than from alternative host plants.     

Genetic variation among asexual progeny of Phytophthora infestans detected with RAPD and AFLP markers

Genotypic variation among 32 single-zoospore isolates (SZI) of Phytophthora infestans , derived asexually from two hyphal-tip parental isolates (PI-105 and PI-1) of the US-8 genotype, was assessed with 80 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and 18 amplified fragment length polymorphic DNA (AFLP) primer pairs. In previous investigations, the SZIs from parental isolate PI-105 showed high levels of virulence variability and were differentiated into 14 races, whereas the SZIs from PI-1 showed identical virulence to the parent. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if phenotypic variation observed among SZIs of P. infestans could be detected at the DNA level in these isolates. Polymorphism was detected with 51 RAPD primers and with all 18 AFLP primer pairs in PI-105 SZIs. In SZIs from PI-1, polymorphism was also detected with 25 RAPD primers and 17 AFLP primer pairs. Cluster analysis using the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) separated the SZIs from parent PI-105 into six virulence groups, 11 RAPD groups and three AFLP groups. Cluster analysis of PI-1 SZIs, which all belong to the same virulence group, differentiated them into four RAPD groups and six AFLP groups. No close correlation among RAPD, AFLP and virulence groups could be established within the two progenies of SZIs. Results of this study suggest that there is a considerable level of inherent genetic variability among SZIs derived asexually from the same parental isolate. The possible mechanisms and implications of this genetic variation are discussed.