Screening Corymbia populations for resistance to Puccinia psidii

The exotic rust pathogen Puccinia psidii is now widespread along the east coast of Australia from temperate Victoria to tropical far north Queensland, with a current host range exceeding 200 species from 37 myrtaceous genera. To determine the threat P. psidii poses to plantation and native eucalypts, artificial inoculation was used to screen germplasm of spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) for resistance to the biotype of P. psidii that has become established in Australia. The objective was to characterize resistance to P. psidii within the Corymbia species complex so that management strategies for the deployment of germplasm from existing breeding programmes of these spotted gum species could be developed. Symptom development initiated 7 days after inoculation, with resistant and susceptible seedlings identified within all species, provenances and families. Inter- and intraspecific variability in rust resistance was observed among spotted gum species. There was no apparent relationship between climatic conditions at the provenance origin and disease resistance. The heritability estimates for all assessments are moderate to high and indicate a significant level of additive genetic variance for rust resistance within the populations. The results of this study clearly identify potential to select for resistance at the family level within the tested populations. While the potential for P. psidii to detrimentally impact upon Corymbia in the nursery and in young plantations was demonstrated, estimations of the heritability of resistance suggest that efforts to enhance this trait through breeding have reasonable prospects for success.

Puccinia psidii in Queensland, Australia: disease symptoms, distribution and impact

Puccinia psidii has long been considered a significant threat to Australian plant industries and ecosystems. In April 2010, P. psidii was detected for the first time in Australia on the central coast of New South Wales (NSW). The fungus spread rapidly along the east coast and in December 2010 was found in Queensland (Qld) followed by Victoria a year later. Puccinia psidii was initially restricted to the southeastern part of Qld but spread as far north as Mossman. In Qld, 48 species of Myrtaceae are considered highly or extremely susceptible to the disease. The impact of P. psidii on individual trees and shrubs has ranged from minor leaf spots, foliage, stem and branch dieback to reduced fecundity. Tree death, as a result of repeated infection, has been recorded for Rhodomyrtus psidioides. Rust infection has also been recorded on flower buds, flowers and fruits of 28 host species. Morphological and molecular characteristics were used to confirm the identification of P. psidii from a range of Myrtaceae in Qld and compared with isolates from NSW and overseas. A reconstructed phylogeny based on the LSU and SSU regions of rDNA did not resolve the familial placement of P. psidii, but indicated that it does not belong to the Pucciniaceae. Uredo rangelii was found to be con-specific with all isolates of P. psidii in morphology, ITS and LSU sequence data, and host range.

Association mapping of resistance to Puccinia hordei in Australian barley breeding germplasm

Key message “To find stable resistance using association mapping tools, QTL with major and minor effects on leaf rust reactions were identified in barley breeding lines by assessing seedlings and adult plants.” Abstract Three hundred and sixty (360) elite barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) breeding lines from the Northern Region Barley Breeding Program in Australia were genotyped with 3,244 polymorphic diversity arrays technology markers and the results used to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) conferring a reaction to leaf rust (Puccinia hordei Otth). The F3:5 (Stage 2) lines were derived or sourced from different geographic origins or hubs of international barley breeding ventures representing two breeding cycles (2009 and 2011 trials) and were evaluated across eight environments for infection type at both seedling and adult plant stages. Association mapping was performed using mean scores for disease reaction, accounting for family effects using the eigenvalues from a matrix of genotype correlations. In this study, 15 QTL were detected; 5 QTL co-located with catalogued leaf rust resistance genes (Rph1, Rph3/19, Rph8/14/15, Rph20, Rph21), 6 QTL aligned with previously reported genomic regions and 4 QTL (3 on chromosome 1H and 1 on 7H) were novel. The adult plant resistance gene Rph20 was identified across the majority of environments and pathotypes. The QTL detected in this study offer opportunities for breeding for more durable resistance to leaf rust through pyramiding multiple genomic regions via marker-assisted selection.

Screening Eucalyptus cloeziana and E. argophloia populations for resistance to Puccinia psidii

Disease screening to determine the threat Puccinia psidii poses to plantation and native eucalypts in Australia was undertaken in half-sib families of two contrasting eucalypt species, Eucalyptus cloeziana and E. argophloia. Artificial inoculation with a single-lesion isolate of P. psidii was used to screen these species for resistance to the biotype of P. psidii established in Australia. The objective was to characterize resistance to P. psidii within these two distinct species: E. argophloia, a vulnerable species with a narrow distribution, and E. cloeziana, a species with a broad and extensive distribution in Queensland. Results for E. cloeziana indicate that inland provenances are more resistant to P. psidii infection than provenances from coastal regions. Heritability estimates for the two assessment systems used (resistance on a 1-to-5 ordinal scale verses resistance on a 0-to-1 binomial scale) were low to high (0.24 to 0.63) for E. argophloia and moderate to high (0.4 to 0.91) for E. cloeziana, indicating a significant level of additive genetic variance for rust resistance within the populations. This study demonstrates the potential to select resistant families within the tested populations and indicates that P. psidii could detrimentally affect these species in native forests, nurseries, and plantations. Disease screening to determine the threat Puccinia psidii poses to plantation and native eucalypts in Australia was undertaken in half-sib families of two contrasting eucalypt species, Eucalyptus cloeziana and E. argophloia. Artificial inoculation with a single-lesion isolate of P. psidii was used to screen these species for resistance to the biotype of P. psidii established in Australia. The objective was to characterize resistance to P. psidii within these two distinct species: E. argophloia, a vulnerable species with a narrow distribution, and E. cloeziana, a species with a broad and extensive distribution in Queensland. Results for E. cloeziana indicate that inland provenances are more resistant to P. psidii infection than provenances from coastal regions. Heritability estimates for the two assessment systems used (resistance on a 1-to-5 ordinal scale verses resistance on a 0-to-1 binomial scale) were low to high (0.24 to 0.63) for E. argophloia and moderate to high (0.4 to 0.91) for E. cloeziana, indicating a significant level of additive genetic variance for rust resistance within the populations. This study demonstrates the potential to select resistant families within the tested populations and indicates that P. psidii could detrimentally affect these species in native forests, nurseries, and plantations.

Identification of pathotypes of the sorghum rust pathogen, Puccinia purpurea, in Australia

This study aimed to determine if pathotypic diversity of the sorghum rust pathogen, P. purpurea, exists in eastern Australia. A differential set of 10 Sorghum bicolor genotypes was used to identify four putative pathotypes from the 28 P. purpurea isolates that were tested. Pathotypes 1 and 3 were the most common, together comprising 85.7 % of the isolates tested, while pathotype 2 comprised 10.7 % of isolates, and pathotype 4 the remainder. Based on the limited number of isolates that were tested, there was evidence of geographic specialization amongst the pathotypes, with pathotype 1 not being found in north Queensland. This work has provided conclusive evidence that pathotypes of P. purpurea exist in the sorghum growing regions of Australia and has resulted in the development of a protocol for identifying pathotypes and screening breeding and experimental lines for resistance to these pathotypes. However, further investigations on the pathotypic diversity of P. purpurea and on the temporal and geographic distribution of these four as well as any additional undiscovered pathotypes are needed.

Risk assessment for Puccinia psidii becoming established in South Africa

Puccinia psidii, the causal agent of myrtle rust, was first recorded from Latin America more than 100 years ago. It occurs on many native species of Myrtaceae in Latin America and also infects non-native plantation-grown Eucalyptus species in the region. The pathogen has gradually spread to new areas including Australia and most recently South Africa. The aim of this study was to consider the susceptibility of selected Eucalyptus genotypes, particularly those of interest to South African forestry, to infection by P. psidii. In addition, risk maps were compiled based on suitable climatic conditions and the occurrence of potential susceptible tree species. This made it possible to identify the season when P. psidii would be most likely to infect and to define the geographic areas where the rust disease would be most likely to establish in South Africa. As expected, variation in susceptibility was observed between eucalypt genotypes tested. Importantly, species commonly planted in South Africa show good potential for yielding disease-tolerant material for future planting. Myrtle rust is predicted to be more common in spring and summer. Coastal areas, as well as areas in South Africa with subtropical climates, are more conducive to outbreaks of the pathogen.

Impact of the invasive rust Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) on native Myrtaceae in natural ecosystems in Australia

The invasive rust Puccinia psidii (myrtle rust) was detected in Australia in 2010 and is now established along the east coast from southern New South Wales to far north Queensland. Prior to reaching Australia, severe damage from P. psidii was mainly restricted to exotic eucalypt plantations in South America, guava plantations in Brazil, allspice plantations in Jamaica, and exotic Myrtaceous tree species in the USA; the only previous record of widespread damage in native environments is of endangered Eugenia koolauensis in Hawai’i. Using two rainforest tree species as indicators of the impact of P. psidii, we report for the first time severe damage to endemic Myrtaceae in native forests in Australia, after only 4 years’ exposure to P. psidii. A 3-year disease exclusion trial in a natural stand of Rhodamnia rubescens unequivocally showed that repeated, severe infection leads to gradual crown loss and ultimately tree mortality; trees were killed in less than 4 years. Significant (p < 0.001) correlations were found between both incidence (r = 0.36) and severity (r = 0.38) of P. psidii and subsequent crown loss (crown transparency). This provided supporting evidence to conclude a causal association between P. psidii and crown loss and tree mortality in our field assessments of R. rubescens and Rhodomyrtus psidioides across their native range. Assessments revealed high levels of damage by P. psidii to immature leaves, shoots and tree crowns—averaging 76 % (R. rubescens) and 95 % (R. psidioides) crown transparency—as well as tree mortality. For R. psidioides, we saw exceptionally high levels of tree mortality, with over half the trees surveyed dead and 40 % of stands with greater than 50 % tree mortality, including two stands where all trees were dead. Tree mortality was less prevalent for R. rubescens, with only 12 % of trees surveyed dead and two sites with greater than 50 % mortality. Any alternative causal agents for this tree mortality have been discounted. The ecological implications of this are unclear, but our work clearly illustrates the potential for P. psidii to negatively affect Australia’s biodiversity.

Evaluación del daño ocasionado por roya (Puccinia sp.)en sorgos comerciales y criollos en El Salvador

Un diagnóstico fltosanitario realizado en el año 2000 en el Salvador, indicó que la roya (Puccinia sp.) es el hongo más frecuentemente reportado por los agricultores como causante de daño al sorgo. El presente estudio se realizó en la Estación Experimental Semilla Básica, Las 200", con el objeto de evaluar el efecto de la roya sobre el rendimiento de dos variedades comerciales de sorgo (RCV y Soberano) y dos sorgos criollos (Punta de Lanza y Sapo), relacionando el daño, con dos etapas fenológicas del cultivo (etapa reproductiva, y etapa de llenado del grano). Se utilizó un diseño de bloques completos al azar, donde se incluyeron seis tratamientos con 5 repeticiones. Los resultados muestran que los cuatro materiales en estudio no presentaron diferencias significativas en el daño ocasionado por roya durante las etapas iniciales del cultivo (etapa EC,. 65 dds). En cambio, durante la etapa de llenado de grano (EC,. 105 dds) las diferencias entre los cultivares fueron altamente significativas. Los sorgos criollos Sapo, Punta de Lanza y la variedad comercial Soberano se comportaron estadísticamente iguales, mostrando el menor daño de Puccinia. Además de Puccinia sp, los hongos Helminthosporium sp., y Fusarium (Pokka Boeng), afec­ taron los materiales en estudio. Los sorgos criollos Punta de Lanza y Sapo mostraron mayor daño por efecto de Fusarium (Pokka Boeng), que las variedades comerciales RCV y Soberano. Los mayores rendimientos de grano se obtuvieron con los sorgos comerciales Soberano, RCV y el criollo Punta de Lanza, los cuales fueron estadísticamente Iguales. En cuanto al daño ocasionado por puccinia y su efecto en el rendimiento de grano, las variedades comerciales Soberano, RCV y el sorgo criollo Punta de Lanza obtuvieron los mejores rendimientos y el menor daño por el hongo. Por los resultados satisfactorios con respecto al daño ocasionado por puccinia, y a su buen rendimiento, el material criollo punta de lanza y es un material promisorio para mejoramiento.

Desempenho agronomico e caracteristicas da cultivar de trigo BRS 49 no Estado do Parana.

A cultivar de trigo BRS 49, desenvolvida pela Embrapa Trigo, foi indicada para semeadura no Estado do Parana, a partir de 1999. Para a determinacao do seu valor de cultivo e uso, foram utilizados dados de 54 experimentos, instalados em nove locais das regioes 6, 7 e 8 do Parana, no periodo de 1996 a 1998. Apresenta como principais caracteristicas: ciclo intermediario, altura media a alta, moderada resistencia ao acamamento, tolerancia ao aluminio toxico no solo, moderada resistencia ao oidio (Blumeria graminis f. sp tritici) e a ferrugem da folha (Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici), com percentuais de severidade em ensaios inferiores aos das testemunhas Trigo BR 23 e Trigo BR 35, suscetibilidade a giberela (Giberella zeae), cujas notas foram superiores as atribuidas as testemunhas, elevado potencial de rendimento e boa qualidade industrial. No trienio considerado, apresentou rendimento medio de 4.667 kg/ha na Regiao 6, 3.432 kg/ha, na Regiao 7, e 3.930 kg/ha, na regiao 8. Esses valores foram 11%, 11% e 28%, respectivamente, superiores a media das testemunhas (Trigo BR 2, Trigo BR 35 e CEP 24-Industrial). Os percentuais de resposta ao controle fitossanitario foram, em geral, inferiores aos observados nas referidas testemunhas, evidenciando o elevado potencial de rendimento da cultivar com aplicacoes reduzidas de fungicidas. A forca geral de gluten (W), na media de 14 amostras coletadas nas tres Regioes, foi de 260 e a relacao P/L foi de 0,685. Portanto, a cultivar se enquadra na classe Trigo Pao, de acordo com a Instrucao Normativa n.1, de 27 de janeiro de 1999 do MA. A cultivar apresenta caracteristicas de interesse agronomico, principalmente por possibilitar a obtencao de altos rendimentos, sem a necessidade de elevados investimentos com fungicidas.

Avaliação de severidade de oídio (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) em trigo, ensaios Valor de Cultivo e Uso, Ensaio Preliminar em Rede e Bloco de Cruzamentos, em 2009.

2009

Avaliação de genótipos de cevada quanto à severidade de oídio (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei), em 2009.

2009

Avaliação de reação a oídio (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) em linhagens de trigo oriundas do Paraná, em 2009.

2009

Comportamento de genótipos de cevada quanto à severidade de oídio (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei), na safra 2007.

2007

Comportamento de genótipos de cevada quanto à severidade de oídio (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei), na safra 2006.

2006