Pathogenicity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycochaetophora gentianae</Emphasis>, causal fungus of gentian brown leaf spot,as affected by host species,inoculum density,temperature, leaf wetness duration,and leaf position

When the influence of host species, inoculum density, temperature, leaf wetness duration, and leaf position on the incidence of gentian brown leaf spot caused by Mycochaetophora gentianae, was examined, the fungus severely infected all seven Gentiana triflora cultivars, but failed to infect two cultivars of G. scabra and an interspecific hybrid cultivar. Inoculum density correlated closely with disease incidence, and a minimum of 10² conidia/mL was enough to cause infection. In an analysis of variance, temperature and leaf wetness duration had a significant effect upon disease incidence, which increased with higher temperature (15–25°C) and longer duration of leaf wetness (36–72 h). No disease developed at temperatures lower than 10°C or when leaf wetness lasted <24 h. At 48-h leaf wetness, disease incidence was 0, 28, 77, and 85% at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C, respectively. Middle and lower leaves on the plant were more susceptible than upper leaves. In microscopic observations of inoculated leaves, >50% of conidia germinated at temperatures >15°C after 24-h leaf wetness. More appressoria formed at higher temperatures (15–25°C) with extended duration of leaf wetness (24–72 h). At 48-h leaf wetness, appressorium formation was 0, 8, 26, and 73% at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C, respectively. These results suggest that temperature and leaf wetness duration were important factors for infection of gentian leaves.     

Valdensia leaf blight of highbush blueberry caused by Valdensinia heterodoxa, a new fungal disease in Japan

In July 2003, a new disease occurred on leaves of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbossum L.) in Iwate, Japan. Leaves initially had brownish spots, which subsequently developed into large lesions with concentric rings, resulting in premature defoliation. Teardrop-shaped conidia infecting leaves were visible by the naked eye as small protuberances in the center of lesions. Star-shaped conidia were sporadically produced on large lesions. The causal fungus was identified as Valdensinia heterodoxa, based on cultural, morphological and genetic studies. Inoculation tests showed that the fungus reproduced lesions on detached young leaves of highbush blueberry. A field survey in 2009 indicated that symptoms initially appeared on the lower leaves of basal shoots in late May, and the disease rapidly progressed on leaves of basal shoots, eventually spreading to lateral shoots from late June to late July. Removal of all basal shoots in late June significantly reduced disease incidence on lateral shoots in late July.     

Overwintering of brown leaf spot fungus, Mycochaetophora gentianae, in infected gentian leaves as the primary inoculum source

Overwintering of the brown leaf spot fungus, Mycochaetophora gentianae, in infected gentian leaves was studied in Iwate, northern Japan. Sporophores were produced on overwintered, infected leaves when they were sampled from January to July, but not in August after incubation in high humidity at 15 °C. Symptoms developed on gentian plants grown in soil artificially infested with overwintered, infected leaves that were either left throughout the experiments or removed before planting. Few lesions developed when plants were grown in soil infested with conidia. These results indicate that M. gentianae can overwinter in infected leaves, which act as the primary inoculum source.     

Inheritance of resistance to brown leaf spot disease in gentians

Brown leaf spot caused by Mycochaetophora gentianae is a serious disease on gentian in Japan. Previous studies revealed that Gentiana triflora cultivars were susceptible to M. gentianae and that G. scabra cultivars and their interspecific hybrid cultivars were resistant. We subsequently analyzed the mode of inheritance of resistance to M. gentianae in gentians using several populations derived from crosses between G. scabra and G. triflora. Parental G. scabra and G. triflora lines, F₁ and BC₁ plants were inoculated with a conidial suspension and assessed for susceptibility to M. gentianae. All tested F₁ plants were resistant to M. gentianae, indicating that the resistance of G. scabra was inherited dominantly. Segregation ratios in backcross progenies using G. scabra line OK fit the Mendelian ratio of 1:1, showing the involvement of a single dominant locus. These results indicate that the resistance to M. gentianae in G. scabra line OK is controlled by a single dominant allele designated as gentian brown leaf spot resistance (GBLS-1). Finding this allele should facilitate future breeding efforts to develop resistant gentian cultivars.     

Symptom development,in planta distribution,and transmission of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Impatiens necrotic spot virus</Emphasis> in gentian: evidence for survival in roots and winter buds

Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) causes serious damage to gentian (Gentiana spp.). Symptom development, in planta distribution, and transmission of INSV were studied after mechanical inoculation of gentian plants and propagation of shoot cuttings from infected stock plants. When young gentian plants at the 2nd-leaf stage were inoculated with INSV, plants developed systemic symptoms that were restricted to a few upper leaves. However, older plants at the 6th-leaf stage did not develop systemic symptoms. After plant inoculation, INSV was detected using DAS-ELISA in symptomatic upper leaves, and rootlets and winter buds, but not in asymptomatic leaves. When asymptomatic shoot cuttings from infected stock plants were vegetatively propagated in a thrips-free glasshouse, 44.4% of those obtained from the apical shoot and 20.6% of those obtained from the middle section of the plant developed systemic symptoms. These results indicated that when gentian plants were infected with INSV, the virus was preferentially transported from the infected leaves to the root and winter buds. However, even asymptomatic shoot cuttings may develop systemic symptoms when obtained from infected stock plants. Therefore, vegetative propagation from infected stock plants can be a source of INSV infection.