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Apoharknessia eucalyptorum is associated with leaf spots on Eucalyptus dunnii in Southern Brazil; however, no data about its symptoms and severity are currently available. In this study, inoculation, symptomatology, and severity on leaves and stems of E. dunnii and leaves of Corymbia citriodora are analyzed and discussed. Detached and intact seedling leaves and seedling stems, with and without wounds, were inoculated with A. eucalyptorum. The severity of leaves was assessed based on the lesion area, whereas the severity on stems was considered by the size of the lesions. After inoculation, the following symptoms were observed on leaves with and without lesions: brown, circular or irregular lesions, occurring along the leaf margins, sparsely distributed, or coalescing throughout the leaf blade. The severity on detached leaves ranged from 13 to 63 % on E. dunnii and from 30 to 38 % on C. citriodora, whereas on intact seedling leaves the severity was observed only on wounded tissues, with 11.90 % on E. dunnii and 19.63 % on C. citriodora. Only inoculated stems of E. dunnii with wounds showed signs of the pathogen. This study confirms the pathogenicity of A. eucalyptorum on both E. dunnii and C. citriodora, a new host for the disease, and concludes that although the pathogen can be considered a primary pathogen based on detached leaf inoculations, the infection on non-wounded tissues is limited. Thus, the distribution of A. eucalyptorum and the possible impacts of the pathogen on Eucalyptus spp. plantations should be monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antagon istic bacteria can be used as a safe and nature-friendly method of disease control. Bacteria associated with canola plants from western Iranian fields were isolated and their inhibitory effect against the blackleg pathogen of canola investigated in vitro. 8 isolates were selected based on antagonistic test results (dual cultures) and in vitro study of biocontrol mechanism. Next, their inhibitory ability against blackleg disease in the greenhouse was investigated. Selected isolates showed high inhibitory ability against Leptosphaeria maculansin vitro, suggesting the susceptibility of the blackleg pathogen to antifungal compounds produced by the selected strains. The selected isolates were able to produce antifungal antibiotics. Antifungal volatile compounds were observed in six selected isolates. All eight selected isolates generated hydrolytic enzymes such as cellulase, lipase, and amylase. Moreover, six isolates were able to produce protease. Isolate 642 (confirmed as Pseudomonas sp.) significantly inhibited blackleg disease under greenhouse conditions, suggesting its suitability for further investigation in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex of Diaporthe (asexual morph) species occurring on soybean constitutes an important pathogenic group associated with diseases such as pod and stem blight, seed decay and stem canker. Stem canker, caused by Diaporthe aspalathi, has been reported as the most aggressive form of canker and its occurrence has limited soybean crop productivity in the southern United States. The main form of pathogen control is the use of stem canker resistant soybean varieties. In this study, strains of Diaporthe and Phomopsis were isolated from stem and seeds of soybean in different locations in South America during the years 1989-2014. Genomic DNA from 26 isolates were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) techniques, and sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA. The molecular analysis of ITS sequences by alignment with those of ex-type strains deposited in GenBank and morphological characteristics allowed the identification of Phomopsis longicolla, D. phaseolorum var. sojae, D. caulivora and D. aspalathi. An analysis of the pathogenicity of 13 isolates of D. aspalathi inoculated in soybean genotypes carrying different resistance genes to stem canker (Rdm1, Rdm2, Rdm3, Rdm4, Rdm5 and Rdm?) enabled us to identify the occurrence of at least three races of D. aspalathi occurring in Brazil. Among the isolates identified as D. aspalathi, both molecular and phenotypic analyses showed clustering depending on the date of collection and pathogenicity, which revealed the existence of variability of the pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem canker is a damaging disease of winter oilseed rape, caused by ascomycetous fungi Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa. The initial source of plant infection is ascospores, formed in pseudothecia on stubble from the previous growing season. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of fungicide treatments at different times of application in the autumn on quality and quantity of seed yield, in relation to the concentration of ascospores of L. maculans and L. biglobosa in the air. Field experiments were done in Lower Silesia, the region of intensive oilseed rape cultivation, located in south-west Poland. We have demonstrated that, in case of high disease pressure, fungicide treatment against stem canker was most efficient when done 4-11 days after the highest concentration of pathogen ascospores in air. The seed yield, oil and protein content increased by 17.7-18.8 %, 1.60-1.72 % and 0.8-0.9 % respectively. In low disease pressure the optimal spray time was more flexible, but the highest yield was always following the maximum ascospore release. In some cases it also coincided with the increase of oil, without adverse effect on protein content. Furthermore, it coincided with the increase of indole glucosinolates, such as glucobrassicine and 4-hydroxyglucobrassicine, and - besides one studied year - it was also connected with decreased amounts of alkenyl glucosinolates. Both Leptosphaeria species were present in air and in infected plants during their vegetation. The ratio between both species depended on seasons; L. maculans prevailed on leaves in the autumn, whereas L. biglobosa dominated on stems before harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans (LM), causing blackleg in oilseed rape (OSR), develops gene-for-gene interactions with OSR cultivars. Thus, virulent races can cause severe OSR yield losses in genotypes that depend only on the major resistance genes. LM race spectra were determined using 644 isolates collected from four OSR growing areas in northern Germany in autumn 2011 and 2012. Avirulence alleles ( AvrLm) and race spectra of the isolates was identified with OSR cultivars harbouring the major genes Rlm1, Rlm2, Rlm3, Rlm4, Rlm7, and Rlm9. Thirteen LM races were determined, whereby 85 % of the collected isolates belonged to race AvrLm( 5)-( 6)- 7-( 8) (virulent to Rlm1- 4 and Rlm9) and 10 % belonged to race AvrLm1-( 5)-( 6)- 7-( 8) (virulent to Rlm2- 4 and Rlm9). Only six of 644 isolates (0.9 %) showed virulence to Rlm7. Using tester isolates that identify Rlm7, we showed that Rlm7 was absent in the most sown cultivars in northern Germany, explaining the low frequency of isolates being virulent to Rlm7. However, blackleg disease incidence (DI) increased significantly in the cultivar Exocet (harbouring Rlm7) between 2011/12 and 2012/13, whereas DI was the same in a susceptible control cultivar across all sampled regions and years. Our results show that Rlm7 is the only known major resistance gene in German OSR cultivars that is still effective against LM, but increasing deployment in commercial cultivars may foster resistance breakdown in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potato stem canker caused by Rhizoctonia solani commonly occurs in potato-growing regions around the world, but little is known about whether binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) can incite this disease on potato plants in China. In the present study, a total of 69 BNR isolates were recovered from cankered subterraneous stems of potato collected from 17 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities of China. Based on the morphological characteristics and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers of the ribosomal DNA, 48 isolates were classified as anastomosis group (AG)-A with a ratio of 69.56 %, 15 isolates (21.74 %) were AG-K, four isolates (5.80 %) were AG-F, one isolate (1.45 %) was AG-I and one isolate (1.45 %) was AG-U. Pathogenicity tests under glasshouse conditions revealed that all BNR isolates, except for the AG-I isolate, could induce symptoms of stem canker on potato plants with disease incidence ranging from 5.26 to 55.56 % and disease index ranging from 1.32 to 13.89, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed report about BNR AGs causing stem canker on potato plants in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptosphaeria maculans and L. biglobosa are damaging pathogens of oilseed rape. The infection of plants occurs predominantly in early autumn or spring by spores produced in pseudothecia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pseudothecia formed in the autumn are still viable in the spring and to what extend they are destroyed by winter frosts. The studies presented here demonstrated that winter frosts can render pseudothecia unable to release spores. Nevertheless, ascospores present in pseudothecia unable to discharge ascospores, were fully capable of germination, regardless of the incubation temperature. No significant differences were found between the studied Leptosphaeria species in their response to frost. A multiple regression equation has been elaborated to forecast the ability of pseudothecia to release ascospores, based on winter temperatures. Considerable correlation was found between the ascospore release in the autumn and the ability of pseudothecia to release ascospores over the winter period and the subsequent symptoms of stem canker before harvest. We have demonstrated that the potential and the survival of inoculum can have a large impact on the success of the pathogen. This may be particularly important in the light of forecasted climate change. Higher winter temperatures may increase the ability of pseudothecia to release ascospores and the discharge of ascospores of L. maculans and L. biglobosa into the air, and cause early plant infections. This in turn will increase the number of infected plants, the disease incidence at harvest, and reduce the yield of oilseed rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nectria flute canker is a disease of Pinus radiata stems caused by the pathogen Neonectria fuckeliana occurring in the southern parts of New Zealand. In Northern Hemisphere countries where N. fuckeliana is endemic, it is commonly found in Picea and Abies spp. Open wounds, dead attached branches and branch stubs have been identified as the primary infection courts. Although in New Zealand the development of Nectria flute canker disease is associated with pruned branch stubs, recent studies suggest that this is not the only possible entry method as the fungus has been found in trees prior to pruning. Three field trials were established to examine the potential infection mechanisms for N. fuckeliana in P. radiata in New Zealand; including stem wounds and branch stubs. The difference between inoculations into the stem and into branch wood was clear. Inoculation of deep stem wounds resulted in the greatest fluting with 76% of trees inoculated developing cankers. Inoculation directly into stubs resulted in only small stem depressions that occurred in 17% of cases and the fungus was largely contained within the branch trace. Tree response to inoculation with either ascospores or conidia of the Acremonium anamorph gave similar results in terms of canker development and fungal spread within the stem. Tree response to inoculation was highly variable however: in one study 6% of trees did not respond to inoculation at all, while 26% produced severe cankers regardless of inoculation method. A more thorough understanding of the infection mechanisms of N. fuckeliana will contribute to the development of better disease management protocols to prevent infection and disease development in future plantation stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two controlled environment experiments were conducted to explore the hypothesis that invasion and damage caused to potato roots by the potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis might result in quantitative or qualitative changes in the release of root exudates to subsequently affect the growth of Rhizoctonia solani (AG3) in the potato rhizosphere. The growth of five R. solani isolates was compared on media amended either with root exudates from G. rostochiensis-infested or uninfested potato (cv. Désirée) plants at different time intervals after the introduction of the nematodes. In Experiment 1, the growth of R. solani was higher on medium amended with potato root exudates from G. rostochiensis-infested compared to uninfested plants, collected 4, 6, 8 and 12 days after the G. rostochiensis treatments were administered. Similarly, in Experiment 2, R. solani isolates grew faster on medium amended with potato root exudates from G. rostochiensis-infested than uninfested plants. This trend was particularly pronounced at the 12-day collection. At this time, 49% of the G. rostochiensis juveniles in roots were found to belong to the juvenile moults J2 and J3, indicating that root exudates were modified during the earlier stages of juvenile invasion. Carbohydrate analysis of root exudates indicated significantly higher levels of sucrose in root exudates from G. rostochiensis-infested than uninfested plants, whereas no significant differences were found in total nitrogen content. The results are discussed to help elucidate the mechanism behind the disease complex found between G. rostochiensis and R. solani in previous field research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]