The effects of inter-crop cultivation Between rows of citrus crop on spreading of Guignardia citricarpa Ascospores and in the citrus black spot occurrence

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Transmission of Citrus leprosis virus C by Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) to Alternative Host Plants Found in Citrus Orchards

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Acaricides used in conventional and organic citrus orchard: leprosis and phytoseiid mites population control

The citrus leprosis control in São Paulo state is performed exclusively by acaricides to control the vector mite, Brevipalpus phoenicis, which increases the production costs and may affect the beneficial organism's population. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to evaluate during four seasons, the effects of acaricides recommended to control the mite B. phoenicis in conventional and organic citrus over evolution of citrus leprosis and over phytoseiids' population. The experiment was installed in October of 2003 in a citrus orchard in Reginopolis city, state of São Paulo. The experimental design used randomized blocks, the dosages was expressed as mL c.p./100L of water and the treatments were the following: spirodiclofen (20 mL); cyhexatin (50 mL) (used in rotation), lime sulfur (4,000 mL) and control (without pesticide application). However, the rotation between spirodiclofen and cyhexatin began in September 2006. Prior to that time, only spirodiclofen had been used. Surveys were conducted every 15 days on the B. phoenicis, Iphiseioides zuluagai, and Euseius populations. The control level adopted by the B. phoenicis was 8.3%, and the pesticide applications were conducted using tractor-sprayers. During the 2007-08 seasons, 10 infected fallen fruits per plot were collected and the number of leprosis lesions was quantified by each fruit. By the end of the 2007-08 seasons, the productivity, harvest losses, the disease incidence and severity were evaluated. It was found that the lesions' location over the fruit is more important in determining its drop than the lesions' number. The more intense the mite infestation, the greater is the number of lesions, resulting in increased premature fruit drop. A strategy using acaricides spirodiclofen and cyhexatin in rotation promoted more efficient control of B. phoenicis compared to lime sulfur, resulting in greater productivity, lower fruit losses and severity levels. The lime sulfur applications reduced the mite population incidence below the control level; however it did not prevent the lesions' occurrence. The acaricides applicarevented adverse effects on phytoseiid population because there was a reduction of their density.

Pathogenicity, colony morphology and diversity of isolates of Guignardia citricarpa and G-mangiferae isolated from Citrus spp.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A new method for inoculation of fruit with Guignardia citricarpa, the causal agent of citrus black spot

Citrus black spot (CBS) is a fungal disease, caused by Guignardia citricarpa, that has a high economic impact on citrus. Although G. citricarpa has been associated with black spot of citrus, an adequate pathogenicity test is still not available. Thus, our objective was to develop and evaluate a simple, safe, and practical pathogenicity test. We used fruits from Pera-Rio and Valencia sweet orange trees from two different orchards, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Inoculation was performed by placing six disks colonized by G. citricarpa, onto the peel of healthy fruits, previously bagged. In the Pera-Rio sweet orange grove, initial symptoms of the false melanose type resulting from the inoculations were observed 55 days after inoculation (dai). In the Valencia grove, initial symptoms also of the false melanose type resulting from the inoculations occurred 73 dai. A total of 92.8% and 86.6% of the Pera Rio and Valencia fruits inoculated, respectively, showed symptoms of CBS. Citrus black spot symptoms were not observed in any of the control fruits.

Identificação de híbridos de citros resistentes à mancha-marrom-de-alternária por meio de fAFLP e testes de patogenicidade

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Behavioral Response of the Leafcutter Ant, Atta sexdens rubropilosa (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), to Components of Citrus Pulp

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Gas exchange rates at different vapor pressure deficits and water relations of 'Pera' sweet orange plants with citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC)

Net photosynthesis (A) and transpiration rates (E), stomatal conductance (g), water use efficiency (WUE), intrinsic water use efficiency (IWUE) and internal leaf CO2 concentration (C) in response to different vapor pressure deficit (1.2 and 2.5 kPa) were investigated in 'Pera' sweet orange plants affected by citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC), a disease caused by Xylella fastidiosa. All plants were well watered and leaf water potential (Pw) was also measured by the psychrometric technique. Results showed that healthy plants responded to higher vapor pressure deficit (VPD), lowering its net photosynthesis and transpiration rates, and stomatal conductance. However, diseased plants presented no clear response to VPD, showing lower A, E and g for both VPDs studied and very similar values to these variables in healthy plants at the highest VPD. Internal leaf CO2 concentration also decreased for healthy plants when under the highest VPD, and surprisingly, the same pattern of response was found in plants with CVC. These results, the lower Psi(w) and higher WUE values for diseased plants, indicated that this disease may cause stomatal dysfunction and affect the water resistance through xylem vessels, which ultimately may play some role in photosynthetic metabolism. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Peroxidase activity and total phenol content in citrus cuttings treated with different copper sources

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Leaf gas exchange and fruit yield in sweet orange trees as affected by citrus variegated chlorosis and environmental conditions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Azteca barbifex Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): potential pest of citrus crops in eastern Amazon

Damage caused by the ant Azteca barbifex (Forel) was identified in orange trees (Citrus sinensis), in Capitão Poço County, Guamá microregion, Pará State. The damage caused by the scraping of stems and branches lead to reduction in yield with subsequent death of the plant. These characteristics indicate A. barbifex as a potential pest of citrus crops in the eastern region of Amazon.

EFEITO da COMPOSIÇÃO do SUBSTRATO NA FORMAÇÃO DE MUDAS DE LARANJEIRA `PERA'

O efeito de cinco composições de substratos na produção de mudas de laranjeira `Pêra' (Citrus sinensis, L. Osbeck) foi estudado sobre três porta-enxertos (limoeiro `Cravo', Citrus limonia, L. Osbeck; tangerineira `Cleópatra', Citrus reticulata, Blanco; e citrumeleiro `Swingle', Citrus paradisi x Poncirus trifoliata). O experimento obedeceu ao delineamento estatístico de blocos aleatorizados em esquema fatorial 5 x 3 (substratos x porta-enxertos). As composições de misturas utilizadas como substrato e respectivas combinações volumétricas foram: 1) Terra (100%); 2) Terra (33%) + areia fina (33%) + esterco bovino curtido (33%); 3) Terra (33%) + vermiculita (33%) + esterco bovino curtido (33%); 4) Terra (33%) + raspas de madeira (33%) + esterco bovino curtido (33%); 5) Terra (25%) + raspas de madeira (25%) + areia fina (25%) + esterco bovino curtido (25%). A análise dos resultados revelou que plantas de limoeiro `Cravo' e citrumeleiro `Swingle' apresentaram maior desenvolvimento do que as de tangerineira `Cleópatra'. A mistura de materiais com solo mostrou-se vantajosa e induziu à formação de plantas mais desenvolvidas do que aquelas em substrato constituído de terra exclusivamente. A composição do substrato influenciou diferentemente no desenvolvimento de cada porta-enxerto, mas de uma forma geral, composições contento 1/3 de volume de solo e 1/3 de volume de esterco bovino proporcionaram bons resultados para os três porta-enxertos estudados.

Cultivo de embriões imaturos de citros em diferentes concentrações de carvão ativado e ácido giberélico

Adição de carvão ativado e giberelina no meio de cultura podem proporcionar melhores condições no desenvolvimento de embriões imaturos de citros. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de carvão ativado e GA3 (ácido giberélico) no cultivo de embriões imaturos provenientes do cruzamento entre laranjeira 'Pêra Rio' x tangerineira 'Poncã'. Após 118 dias da polinização, frutos imaturos, com 3 a 4 cm de diâmetro, foram coletados, suas sementes removidas e tratadas com álcool (70%) por cinco minutos, hipoclorito de sódio (2%) por 20 minutos e, posteriormente, lavadas três vezes em água destilada e autoclavada. em condições assépticas, os tegumentos das sementes foram separados, os embriões globulares excisados e inoculados em tubos de ensaio contendo 15 mL do meio MT, acrescido de carvão ativado (0; 0,5; 1; 1,5 e 2 g L-1) e GA3 (0; 0,01; 0,1; 1 e 10 mg L-1). Após a inoculação, os embriões permaneceram por 90 dias em sala de crescimento a 27+1ºC, fotoperíodo de 16 horas e irradiância de 32 mmol m-2 s-1. Maior comprimento da parte aérea foi obtido em meio MT, acrescido de 0,1 e 1 mg L-1 de GA3, combinado com 2 g L-1 de carvão ativado. Maior comprimento do sistema radicular, massa da matéria fresca e número de folhas de plântulas foram obtidos em meio MT, acrescido de 0,01 mg L-1 de GA3, na ausência de carvão ativado. A adição de carvão ativado influenciou na concentração de ácido giberélico acrescido no meio de cultura.

Comparative analysis of differentially expressed sequence tags of sweet orange and mandarin infected with Xylella fastidiosa

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Reação de genótipos de tangerinas a Alternaria alternata e Elsinoe fawcettii: resistência, suscetibilidade e acúmulo de metabólitos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)