Monitoring physiological races of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Podosphaera xanthii</Emphasis> (syn.<Emphasis Type="Italic">Sphaerotheca fuliginea</Emphasis>), the causal agent of powdery mildew in cucurbits: Factors affecting race identification and the importance for research and commerce

Identification of the physiological races ofPodosphaera xanthii (syn.Sphaerotheca fuliginea), the causal agent of powdery mildew in cucurbits, is based upon the differing responses of various melon cultigens to the pathogen. Eight races of the pathogen have been identified to date in the USA, Africa, Europe and around the Mediterranean Sea, and four new races were reported from greenhouse melons in the major growing area of Japan. Plant responses to powdery mildew may be affected by environmental factors such as light intensity, temperature and humidity, as well as by age and nutritional status of the plants. The same factors affect the accuracy and reliability of race identification. In an attempt to overcome those obstacles, the genetic diversity ofP. xanthii was studied using molecular markers. Unfortunately, no correlation was found between DNA polymorphism and the race of the pathogen as identified by biological tests. The usefulness of race identification as a guide for the grower in selecting appropriate cultivars is limited because changes or shifts in the pathogen population are common. Such changes may be found among growing seasons, geographic regions and hosts, and also within a single greenhouse during a single season. On the other hand, race identification is important for basic research and is especially important for the commercial seed industry, which requires accuracy in declaring the type and level of resistance to powdery mildew in its products. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting March 2, 2004. Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization. No. 501/04.     

瓜类蔬菜白粉病及其抗性分子遗传的研究进展

瓜类蔬菜是蔬菜产业重要的种类之一,但其产量和品质严重受到白粉病的影响。解决白粉病危害瓜类蔬菜生产最为有效的途径是选育和推广抗病品种,而对瓜类蔬菜白粉病菌及其抗性分子遗传机理的了解和运用是加快抗病品种选育的前提和基础。文章综述了瓜类蔬菜白粉病病原菌种类和分布、抗性遗传和抗性基因、抗性分子标记技术的开发和应用,针对存在的问题提出进一步研究的方向,以期为瓜类蔬菜抗白粉病育种提供参考和借鉴。     

氟吡菌酰胺防治瓜类及草莓白粉病田间试验

为了筛选高效、安全的白粉病化学防治药剂,通过田间药效试验进行药剂筛选。试验结果表明,分别在药后7天和14天,氟吡菌酰胺防治甜瓜上白粉病的效果最高,防效均在95%以上。与之相比较,防治黄瓜上白粉病和草莓上的白粉病效果稍低,其防效也在90%以上。研究表明,氟吡菌酰胺防治白粉病效果良好、持效期长,是防治黄瓜、甜瓜、草莓白粉病的一种新型良好杀菌剂。     

Genetic diversity of Melon necrotic spot virus and Olpidium isolates from different origins

The geographic incidence, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of Melon necrotic spot virus (MNSV) and Olpidium isolates were studied in three cucurbit species from several Latin American and European countries on different collecting dates. Of the 112 cucurbit samples analysed, 69 from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and Spain were DAS‐ELISA‐positive for MNSV. Olpidium bornovanus and O. virulentus infections, and MNSV infections mixed with these Olpidium species, were observed for all these countries. Twenty‐nine MNSV isolates from all the origins where the virus was detected were selected and amplified by RT‐PCR. The resulting RT‐PCR of the p29, p89, p7A, p7B and p42 proteins was used to estimate the genetic diversity and the phylogenetic relationships of the MNSV population. The sequences obtained in this study were compared with the MNSV sequences of the NCBI database, and three groups were recovered by nucleotide composition according to geographical origins: the EU‐LA genotype group (with two subgroups: EU and LA, European and Latin American isolates, respectively), the JP melon genotype group (Japanese melon reference isolates) and the JP watermelon genotype group (Japanese watermelon reference isolates). The genetic diversity in the entire p7A and p7B proteins of MNSV suggests that these coding regions are under strong selective pressure. Additionally, the rDNA‐ITS region was analysed in 40 O. bornovanus and O. virulentus isolates associated with each geographical location and host examined. Phylogenetic analysis showed two groups for each Olpidium species, and these groupings were related to the host from which they were originally isolated.     

Structure and temporal shifts in virulence of Pseudoperonospora cubensis populations in the Czech Republic

The structure and temporal dynamics of the virulence of Pseudoperonospora cubensis (causal agent of cucurbit downy mildew) were studied in pathogen populations in the Czech Republic from 2001 to 2010. A total of 398 P. cubensis isolates collected from Cucumis (Cm.) sativus, Cm. melo, Cucurbita (Cr.) maxima, Cr. pepo, Cr. moschata and Citrullus lanatus were analysed for variation in virulence (pathotypes). Virulence was evaluated on a differential set of 12 genotypes of cucurbitaceous plants. All isolates of P. cubensis were characterized by their level of virulence (classified according the number of virulence factors, VF; low VF = 1–4, medium VF = 5–8, high VF = 9–12): high (75%), medium (24%) and low (1%). The structure and dynamics of virulence in the pathogen populations were expressed by pathotypes using tetrad numerical codes and a total of 67 different pathotypes of P. cubensis were determined. The most susceptible group of differentials was Cucumis spp., while the lowest frequency of virulence was recorded on Cr. pepo ssp. pepo, Ci. lanatus and Luffa cylindrica. A high proportion (c. 90%) of isolates was able to infect cucurbit species Benincasa hispida and Lagenaria siceraria, which are not commonly cultivated in the Czech Republic or elsewhere in central Europe. In the recent pathogen populations (2008–2010) there was prevailing frequency (70–100%) of isolates with high numbers (9–12) of virulence factors. ‘Super pathotype’ 15.15.15 was often observed in the study within the pathogen populations and was one of the four most frequently recorded pathotypes. Pseudoperonospora cubensis populations shifted to a higher virulence over time. From 2009 the pathogen population changed dramatically and new pathotypes appeared able to establish natural and serious infection of Cucurbita spp. and Ci. lanatus, which was not observed in 2001–2008. Generally, virulence structure and dynamics of P. cubensis populations are extremely variable in the Czech Republic.     

Comparison of three biological control agents against cucumber powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) in semi-commercial-scale glasshouse trials

The effect of three reported biological control agents, Ampelomyces quisqualis, Verticillium lecanii and Sporothrix flocculosa, was tested against cucumber powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea). Two glasshouse experiments, one in the summer and one in winter/spring were conducted on a semi-commercial scale. In both experiments, a susceptible and a partially resistant cultivar were used. In the second experiment, the additional effect of integration of biological control and silicon amendments to the nutrient solution was also assessed. In both experiments, A. quisqualis did not control the disease. V. lecanii had a small effect on powdery mildew in the first experiment but not in the second. S. flocculosa gave the best control of powdery mildew in both experiments. In the first experiment, weekly application of S. flocculosa reduced disease in the partially resistant cultivar to the same level as a treatment in which the fungicides bupirimate and imazalil were each applied once. Addition of silicon in the nutrient solution in a concentration of 0.75 mM reduced disease by 10–16%, averaged over all treatments. There was no interaction between silicon and the biocontrol agents. Yield was recorded in the second experiment and was significantly increased by the fungicide treatment compared to the control in the partially resistant cultivar. Yield in the treatment with S. flocculosa was not significantly different from the fungicide treatment in this cultivar. Silicon had no effect on yield in either cultivar.     

Suppression of powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) in cucumber by the detergent Zohar LQ-215

The effect of the detergent Zohar LQ-215 alone or combined with the fungicide fenarimol (Rubigan) on cucumber powdery mildew (caused bySphaerotheca fuliginea) was examined under controlled environmental conditions and in the field. In laboratory tests conducted on leaf disks, the efficacy of fenarimol was 30 times greater than that of Zohar LQ-215 as indicated by the ED₅₀ values of the compounds (0.012% and 0.356%, respectively). Zohar LQ-215 did not reduce spore germination or germ-tube elongation, but inhibited the later stages of the disease cycle (i.e., mycelial growth and sporulation). Although the detergent was degraded relatively quickly, its effect on the polycyclic development of the disease lasted for up to 24 days after spraying. Low disease severity (2.4% compared with 27% in the control) was maintained following three applications of the detergent at 5 days intervals. In a greenhouse trial, a mixture of Zohar LQ-215 and fenarimol at half rate did not improve disease suppression beyond the effect of fenarimol applied alone at half rate. However, the effects of the two compounds were additive when applied in the field as a mixture.     

瓜类嫁接苗生物力学特性的试验分析

为给瓜类蔬菜斜插自动嫁接机器人的研制提供设计依据和有关设计参数,该文采用自制植物茎力学性能测试装置,选取瓜类常用嫁接作物为研究对象,对不同瓜类嫁接作物的形态指标、抗拉特性、压缩特性及压杆稳定特性进行了试验研究。试验结果得出在不损伤作物茎前提下,在夹持部位粘贴弹性EVA(乙烯一醋酸乙烯共聚树脂)软质垫片可以获得稳固的夹持效果,最大抗拉力2.38N;在常用嫁接砧木中,黒籽南瓜的横向压缩屈服极限力最大为7.288N,瓠瓜的屈服极限力最小为3.474N;在常用嫁接砧木品种中黑籽南瓜的失稳临界载荷最大为1.49N。并利用StatView软件对生物形态指标与生物力学性质进行了相关性分析,结果表明不同作物力学性能指标与长轴直径相关性较大。该文为设计开发新型自动嫁接装置提供依据。     

瓜类蔬菜白粉病抗性诱导及其抗病机制研究进展

白粉病的抗性诱导可有效减轻其对瓜类蔬菜生产的危害,是进行瓜类蔬菜有机生产的一种重要技术措施。主要从化学因子、物理因子、生物因子诱导以及物理机制、生理生化机制、分子机制等方面,综述了近年来在瓜类蔬菜白粉病的抗性诱导途径及其抗病机制等研究中所取得的成果,分析了存在的问题,并对今后的研究进行了展望。     

New subspecies-specific polymerase chain reaction-based assay for the detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli

New subspecies-specific primers for the detection of Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli ( Aac ), the seedborne bacterium which causes bacterial fruit blotch of cucurbits, were designed based on PCR fragments obtained in ERIC- and BOX-PCR profiles of Aac strains. PCR with both primer sets identified 30 strains from different locations and hosts, but did not amplify DNA from other closely related species and subspecies assessed, with the exception of DNA of one strain of A. avenae subsp. avenae , which was amplified by one of the primer sets, named BX-S. This primer set, based on a BOX-PCR fragment, performed under high-stringency conditions without losing its detection sensitivity. The primers were also evaluated for their ability to detect the pathogen in contaminated watermelon and melon seed samples. The BX-S primers facilitated the detection of the pathogen from washings of 5000-seed samples with 0·02% infestation. This primer set was also assessed for detection using immunomagnetic separation polymerase chain reaction (IMS-PCR) and was shown to be as sensitive as a previously described primer set (AACF2/R3), detecting 0·02% infestation in seed samples. This highly specific and sensitive primer set could be used to improve PCR-based detection of this important pathogen.