The significance of guttation in the secondary spread of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in tomato greenhouses

Bacterial canker, caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm), can spread in commercial tomato greenhouses causing epidemics. Results of greenhouse experiments with Cmm‐contaminated tools demonstrated disease spread for only a limited distance (<4 plants) from infected plants. However, touching symptomless infected plants bearing guttation droplets prior to touching nearby plants spread the pathogen over longer distances within rows (>22 plants). The pathogen was exuded in large numbers in the guttation fluid of infected plants; its presence in the guttation fluid was not influenced by the inoculation procedures, leaf age or the volume of the guttation droplets. Population size of Cmm and the incidence of leaflets with epiphytic bacteria were significantly higher in plants placed in a guttation‐induction chamber than in those kept in a growth chamber with high humidity, suggesting exudation through guttation contributed to the formation of epiphytic populations on leaflets. This new knowledge may provide a simple and environmentally friendly means for decreasing the spread of the disease by avoiding contact with plants during periods when they bear guttation droplets.     

Biological control of botrytis bunch rot in organic wine grapes with the yeast antagonist Candida sake CPA‐1

The aim of this research was to confirm the efficacy of the yeast antagonist Candida sake CPA‐1 in suppressing botrytis bunch rot development, in an organic vineyard under Mediterranean conditions for two seasons, and compare its performance with that of two biologically based products currently registered for botrytis bunch rot control in New Zealand. In 2009, treatments applied were: commercial formulations of Ulocladium oudemansii (BOTRY‐Zen^®) and chitosan (ARMOUR‐Zen^®), C. sake CPA‐1 combined with the fatty acid‐based additive Fungicover^® and combinations of these products. All treatments were applied six times between early flowering and harvest and compared with an unsprayed control. In 2010, the treatments focused on C. sake and Fungicover and the number of applications was reduced from six to four. The population dynamics of U. oudemansii and C. sake were measured and wine quality tests were carried out in both seasons. Disease control achieved by C. sake treatments in 2009 were comparable to those achieved by BOTRY‐Zen and ARMOUR‐Zen. Applications of C. sake plus Fungicover between flowering and harvest significantly (P < 0·05) reduced botrytis bunch rot incidence and severity by 64% and 90%, respectively, compared with the untreated control in 2009, and by 67% and 89%, respectively, in 2010. Treatments did not adversely affect wine quality parameters after treated grapes were processed. Candida sake consistently provided effective control of botrytis bunch rot in grapes under different meteorological and disease pressure conditions, thereby improving its potential for future commercial applications.     

Co‐infection by Botryosphaeriaceae and Ilyonectria spp. fungi during propagation causes decline of young grafted grapevines

Decline of newly planted, grafted grapevines is a serious viticultural problem worldwide. In the Riverina (New South Wales, Australia), characteristic symptoms include low fruit yields, very short shoots and severely stunted roots with black, sunken, necrotic lesions. To determine the cause, roots and wood tissue from affected plants in 20 vineyards (Vitis vinifera cv. Chardonnay grafted to V. champini cv. Ramsey rootstock) were assayed for microbial pathogens. Ilyonectria spp. (I. macrodidyma or I. liriodendra, producers of phytotoxin brefeldin A, BFA, and cause of black foot disease of grapevines) and Botryosphaeriaceae spp. (predominantly Diplodia seriata) were isolated from rootstocks of 100 and 95% of the plants, respectively. Togninia minima and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (cause of grapevine Petri disease) were isolated from 13 and 7% of affected plants, respectively. All Ramsey rootstock stems of grafted plants sampled from a supplier nursery were infected with Ilyonectria spp. and D. seriata. Diplodia seriata, but not Ilyonectria spp., was also isolated from 25% of canes sampled from the rootstock source block. Root inoculation of potted, disease‐free Chardonnay plants with Ilyonectria isolates from diseased vineyards caused typical disease symptoms, while co‐inoculation with Botryosphaeriaceae spp. increased disease severity. This is the first study to show that a major cause of young grapevine decline can be sequential infection by Botryosphaeriaceae from rootstock cuttings and Ilyonectria spp. from nursery soil. Although the Petri disease fungi were less common in young declining grafted grapevines in the Riverina, they are likely to contribute to the decline of surviving plants as they mature.     

A SNaPshot assay for the rapid and simple detection of known point mutations conferring resistance to ACCase‐inhibiting herbicides in Lolium spp.

Evolution of resistance to herbicides in weeds is becoming an increasing problem worldwide. To develop effective strategies for weed control, a thorough knowledge of the basis of resistance is required. Although non‐target‐site‐based resistance is widespread, target site resistance, often caused by a single nucleotide change in the gene encoding the target enzyme, is also a common factor affecting the efficacies of key herbicides. Therefore, fast and relatively simple high‐throughput screening methods to detect target site resistance mutations will represent important tools for monitoring the distribution and evolution of resistant alleles within weed populations. Here, we present a simple and quick method that can be used to simultaneously screen for up to 10 mutations from several target site resistance‐associated codons in a single reaction. As a proof of concept, this SNaPshot multiplex method was successfully applied to the genotyping of nine variable nucleotide positions in the CT domain of the chloroplastic ACCase gene from Lolium multiflorum plants from 54 populations. A total of 10 nucleotide substitutions at seven of these nine positions (namely codons 1781, 1999, 2027, 2041 2078, 2088 and 2096) are known to confer resistance to ACCase‐inhibiting herbicides. This assay has several advantages when compared with other methods currently in use in weed science. It can discriminate between different nucleotide changes at a single locus, as well as screening for SNPs from different target sites by pooling multiple PCR products within a single reaction. The method is scalable, allowing reactions to be carried out in either 96‐ or 384‐well plate formats, thus reducing work time and cost.     

Nouveau signalement de Hypocryphalus scabricollis (Eichhoff, 1878) en Tunisie,un ravageur émergent sur figuier (Ficus carica L.)

Hypocryphalus scabricollis (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) is a new pest on fig trees (Ficus carica L.). The severe damage observed on this host in Tunisia is described and illustrated. This paper describes the morphological identification of the species and gives information on the biology of the pest and initial recommendations for its control. This is a first report for Tunisia.     

Optimizing aphid biocontrol with the predator Aphidoletes aphidimyza,based on biology and ecology

Aphidoletes aphidimyza is one of the most important predators used in the augmentative biological control of aphids, key pests of many crops worldwide. Adult females are very efficient in locating aphid infestations over a relatively long range, up to 45 m, and deposit eggs near or within aphid colonies. The predatory larvae are aphid generalists preying on several agriculturally important aphid species. The successful use of this biocontrol agent in agricultural systems depends on several biotic and abiotic factors. Among biotic factors, aphid species, plant structure, interspecific competition and intraguild predation may significantly impact the predator´s population dynamics. Key abiotic conditions include day lengths (above a critical threshold to prevent diapause), availability of mating sites in the crop, temperature (above 15 °C to enable egg laying), air relative humidity (above 70%) and availability of pupation sites. Although several successes have been reported in open field crops with naturally occurring or released populations, commercial releases are primarily used in protected crops. Optimized emergence boxes combining provisioning of food sources for the adults, integration with the technological advances that occurred in the greenhouse environment lately, insights into the nutritional ecology in open field crops and exploration of the genetic variability are proposed as future directions to improve adoption and efficacy of A. aphidimyza in crop protection. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry