Control of Leveillula taurica in tomato by Acremonium alternatum is by induction of resistance, not Hyperparasitism

Spores of the hyperparasite Acremonium alternatum reduced powdery mildew infection by Leveillula taurica on greenhouse tomato. The effect was slightly increased when spores were applied killed, and therefore not due to direct parasitism. The effect was systemic, protecting untreated leaves above the treated ones. Spores killed by heat had more effect than when killed by UV, so the effect was presumably due to induction of host resistance by substances released when cells were heat killed. The size of the effect depended upon leaf age and level of infection. Effects on primary infection and expansion of successful infections appear to be under independent control.

Effects of straw and silicon soil amendments on some foliar and stem-base diseases in pot-grown winter wheat

Four foliar and two stem-base pathogens were inoculated onto wheat plants grown in different substrates in pot experiments. Soils from four different UK locations were each treated in three ways: (i) straw incorporated in the field at 10 t ha−1 several months previously; (ii) silicon fertilization at 100 mg L−1 during the experiment; and (iii) no amendments. A sand and vermiculite mix was used with and without silicon amendment. The silicon treatment increased plant silica concentrations in all experiments, but incorporating straw was not associated with raised plant silica concentrations. Blumeria graminis and Puccinia recondita were inoculated by shaking infected plants over the test plants, followed by suitable humid periods. The silicon treatment reduced powdery mildew (B. graminis) substantially in sand and vermiculite and in two of the soils, but there were no effects on the slight infection by brown rust (P. recondita). Phaeosphaeria nodorum and Mycosphaerella graminicola were inoculated as conidial suspensions. Leaf spot caused by P. nodorum was reduced in silicon-amended sand and vermiculite; soil was not tested. Symptoms of septoria leaf blotch caused by M. graminicola were reduced by silicon amendment in a severely infected sand and vermiculite experiment but not in soil or a slightly infected sand and vermiculite experiment. Oculimacula yallundae (eyespot) and Fusarium culmorum (brown foot rot) were inoculated as agar plugs on the stem base. Severity of O. yallundae was reduced by silicon amendment of two of the soils but not sand and vermiculite; brown foot rot symptoms caused by F. culmorum were unaffected by silicon amendment. The straw treatment reduced severity of powdery mildew but did not detectably affect the other pathogens. Both straw and silicon treatments appeared to increase plant resistance to all diseases only under high disease pressure.

In planta proteomics and proteogenomics of the biotrophic barley fungal pathogen blumeria graminis f. sp hordei

To further our understanding of powdery mildew biology during infection, we undertook a systematic shotgun proteomics analysis of the obligate biotroph Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei at different stages of development in the host. Moreover we used a proteogenomics approach to feed information into the annotation of the newly sequenced genome. We analyzed and compared the proteomes from three stages of development representing different functions during the plant-dependent vegetative life cycle of this fungus. We identified 441 proteins in ungerminated spores, 775 proteins in epiphytic sporulating hyphae, and 47 proteins from haustoria inside barley leaf epidermal cells and used the data to aid annotation of the B. graminis f. sp. hordei genome. We also compared the differences in the protein complement of these key stages. Although confirming some of the previously reported findings and models derived from the analysis of transcriptome dynamics, our results also suggest that the intracellular haustoria are subject to stress possibly as a result of the plant defense strategy, including the production of reactive oxygen species. In addition, a number of small haustorial proteins with a predicted N-terminal signal peptide for secretion were identified in infected tissues: these represent candidate effector proteins that may play a role in controlling host metabolism and immunity. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics 8: 2368-2381, 2009.

In planta proteomics and proteogenomics of the biotrophic barley fungal pathogen blumeria f.sp. hordei

Whilst there is increasing evidence tht the outcome of the interation between a pathogen and a host is dependent on protein-protein interactions, very little information is available on in planta proteomics of biotrophic plant pathogens. Here a proteogenomic approach has been employed to supplement the annotation of the recently sequenced genome and to cast light on the biology of the infection process of the economically important barley powdery mildew pathogen, Blumeria graminis f.sp hordei

Long-distance dispersal and its influence on adaptation to host resistance in a heterogeneous landscape

Small propagules like pollen or fungal spores may be dispersed by the wind over distances of hundreds or thousands of kilometres,even though the median dispersal may be only a few metres. Such long-distance dispersal is a stochastic event which may be exceptionally important in shaping a population. It has been found repeatedly in field studies that subpopulations of wind-dispersed fungal pathogens virulent on cultivars with newly introduced, effective resistance genes are dominated by one or very few genotypes. The role of propagule dispersal distributions with distinct behaviour at long distances in generating this characteristic population structure was studied by computer simulation of dispersal of clonal organisms in a heterogeneous environment with fields of unselective and selective hosts. Power-law distributions generated founder events in which new, virulent genotypes rapidly colonized fields of resistant crop varieties and subsequently dominated the pathogen population on both selective and unselective varieties, in agreement with data on rust and powdery mildew fungi. An exponential dispersal function, with extremely rare dispersal over long distances, resulted in slower colonization of resistant varieties by virulent pathogens or even no colonization if the distance between susceptible source and resistant target fields was sufficiently large. The founder events resulting from long-distance dispersal were highly stochastic and exact quantitative prediction of genotype frequencies will therefore always be difficult.

Biologia de Psyllobora confluens alimentada com o fungo Erysiphe cichoracearum

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os aspectos biológicos de Psyllobora confluens alimentada com o fungo Erysiphe cichoracearum em folhas de quiabeiro. Larvas recém-eclodidas de P. confluens foram individualizadas e alimentadas diariamente com hifas e conídios do fungo, em folhas de quiabeiro, a 23,6±3 e 27,4±2ºC e fotófase de 12 horas. A duração dos estágios imaturos, os aspectos reprodutivos e a longevidade de P. confluens foram avaliados. O período de desenvolvimento de larva a adulto foi 20,5 dias a 23,6ºC e 16,6 dias a 27,4ºC. em ambas as temperaturas, 80% das larvas de P. confluens atingiram a fase adulta. Fêmeas de P. confluens apresentaram período de oviposição de 32,7 dias, com capacidade diária e total de oviposição de 16,8 e 439,9 ovos, respectivamente. A longevidade das fêmeas foi de 46,1 dias e a dos machos 58,7 dias. P. confluens, ao se alimentar do fungo E. cichoracearum em folhas de quiabeiro, completa o ciclo de vida e apresenta elevados padrões de sobrevivência e reprodução.

Efeito de bicarbonato de potássio sobre a severidade do oídio em plantas de soja

O oídio da soja, causado por Erysiphe diffusa, é considerado uma doença esporádica podendo ocasionar perdas quando atinge proporções epidêmicas. O trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a eficiência de bicarbonato de potássio (Kaligreen®) no controle do oídio da soja. As pulverizações do bicarbonato de potássio nas concentrações de 0; 0,25%, 0,5%, 0,75% e 1,0% e do fungicida (piraclostrobina + epoxiconazole) e as avaliações foram semanais. Folhas foram coletadas para análise ultraestrutural através da microscopia eletrônica de varredura. O bicarbonato de potássio controlou a doença em todas as concentrações, mas causou fitotoxicidade a partir de 0,5%. Na analise ultraestrutural pode-se observar que o produto apresentou ação direta sobre o patógeno ocasionando murchamento e redução na germinação dos conídios. O produto apresenta potencial para controlar a doença, porém deve ser adequada a concentração a ser recomenda, bem como a frequência de aplicação para evitar os problemas de fitotoxicidade.

Efeito de tipos de leite sobre oídio em abóbora plantadas a campo

O trabalho foi realizado a campo para avaliar a eficiência de diversos tipos de leite de vaca sobre o oídio da abóbora cultivar Piramoita, causado por Sphaerotheca fuliginea. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com seis tratamentos, cinco repetições e cinco plantas por parcela. Os tratamentos foram: leite cru, leite pasteurizado do tipo C, leite integral do tipo longa vida, leite pasteurizado tipo C + Yakult®, leite integral do tipo longa vida + Yakult® e água como controle. Os melhores resultados no controle da doença foram obtidos com leite de vaca cru, com leite do tipo C e leite do tipo C + Yakult®. Concluiu-se que leite é uma alternativa viável no controle do oídio, mesmo após o início da infecção, no campo. Sua utilização na forma de leite cru mais eficiente e na forma de longa vida o menos eficiente.

First report of Oidium baccharidis on Baccharis trimera in Brazil

Powdery mildew disease was observed on Baccharis trimera in Brazil in January, 2009. Based on the morphological characters, the pathogen was identified as an Oidium baccharidis. This is the first report of this fungus causing powdery mildew on Baccharis in Brazil. © Australasian Plant thology ociety 2010.

Pigmentos fotossintéticos em clones de seringueira sob ataque de oídio

The rubber tree [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex Adr. Of Juss.) Muell. Arg.] can be affected by the occurrence of the fungus Oidium heveae, which causes one of the most important diseases of rubber trees, powdery mildew. This work meet changes in photosynthetic pigments, an indicator of oxidative stress, in seedlings of three Hevea brasiliensis clones, RRIM 600, GT1 and PR255, under infection in Oidium heveae. The experiment was conducted in an open environment under natural photoperiod conditions and at the beginning of the trial, the rubber plants that would be inoculated were sprayed with an aqueous suspension containing Oidium heveae at a concentration of 16 x 104conidia mL-1. On the day of inoculation and after 48, 96, 144 and 192 h leaf samples were collected for the determination of photosynthetic pigments. Degradation in photosynthetic pigments in the period of infection was observed in rubber tree clones studied; thus, there is oxidative stress in clones of rubber trees. No promising genetic material for genetic improvement work stress tolerance by Oidium heveae was identified.

Sílicio na resistência ao oídio em jardim clonal e na transpiração de mudas de eucalipto

Pós-graduação em Ciência Florestal - FCA

Seleção assistida por marcadores moleculares microssatélites para resistência ao oídio em soja

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Herança da resistência a oídio em ervilha e aspectos relacionados à patogênese

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efeito do aumento da concentração de co2 atmosférico sobre o oídio, a ferrugem e o desenvolvimento de plantas de soja

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reação de linhagens de ervilha de vagens comestíveis (Pisum sativum L.) ao oídio (Erysiphe pisi DC.)

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA