Integrated pest management of major pests and diseases in eastern Europe and the Caucasus

This book promotes Integrated Pest Management, to contribute to reduced reliance on pesticides and the avoidance of adverse impacts from pesticide use on the health and safety of farming communities, consumers and the environment. Through the IPM approach, technical advice is provided to help plan methods and measures to control major pests and diseases occurring or expected to occur in the countries of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. The specific descriptions contain a short summary of the biology of the species, completed with information on methods and tools of monitoring and control. Preventive control methods are also discussed

Chilling Stress—The Key Predisposing Factor for Causing Alternaria alternata Infection and Leading to Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Leaf Senescence

Leaf senescence plays a vital role in nutrient recycling and overall capacity to assimilate carbon dioxide. Cotton premature leaf senescence, often accompanied with unexpected short-term low temperature, has been occurring with an increasing frequency in many cotton-growing areas and causes serious reduction in yield and quality of cotton. The key factors for causing and promoting cotton premature leaf senescence are still unclear. In this case, the relationship between the pre-chilling stress and Alternaria alternata infection for causing cotton leaf senescence was investigated under precisely controlled laboratory conditions with four to five leaves stage cotton plants. The results showed short-term chilling stress could cause a certain degree of physiological impairment to cotton leaves, which could be recovered to normal levels in 2–4 days when the chilling stresses were removed. When these chilling stress injured leaves were further inoculated with A. alternata, the pronounced appearance and development of leaf spot disease, and eventually the pronounced symptoms of leaf senescence, occurred on these cotton leaves. The onset of cotton leaf senescence at this condition was also reflected in various physiological indexes such as irreversible increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage, irreversible decrease in soluble protein content and chlorophyll content, and irreversible damage in leaves' photosynthesis ability. The presented results demonstrated that chilling stress acted as the key predisposing factor for causing A. alternata infection and leading to cotton leaf senescence. It could be expected that the understanding of the key factors causing and promoting cotton leaf senescence would be helpful for taking appropriate management steps to prevent cotton premature leaf senescence

Understanding Trichoderma bio-inoculants in the root ecosystem of Pinus radiata

Oral presentation on understanding Trichoderma bio-inoculants in the root ecosystem of Pinus radiat

Biochemical and molecular studies of some aspects of disease resistance in potato (solanum tuberosum L.)

Disease problems in crop plants are still a major threat to the agro-industry worldwide. Various strategies have been developed and evaluated in recent years. One strategy is to use naturally-occurring antipathogen factors such as lysozymes and chitinases in transgenic plants. In the present study, transgenic plants containing chick-egg white lysozyme (Lys 75) have been evaluated for lysozyme production in planta, subcellular localisation, and resistance to some potato pathogens, including Phytophthora infestans and Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica, the two major potato pathogens worldwide. In addition, the evaluation of resistance was also undertaken for transgenic plants carrying other naturally-occurring antipathogen factors including a bean chitinase gene (BCH 35) and a snowdrop lectin gene (GNA 74). In order to accurately quantify the lysozyme production in Lys 75 plants, the turbidimetric lysozyme enzyme assay was optimised. Also, a modified substrate for the enzyme has been developed by covalently linked the Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell wall with a dye, remazol brilliant violet 5R to enable a colorimetric assay of the enzyme. In order to quantitatively assess resistance levels of the transgenic plant, a new method (leaf-bridge bioassay) for conducting and evaluating resistance in planta has been developed. All transgenic plants in tissue culture were tested for resistance using this technique. Evaluation of the progress of infection in detached leaves of Lys 75 showed that lysozyme gave some degree of protection against the bacterial pathogen, Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica and the fungal pathogen, Fusarium sulphureum. Analysis of intercellular fluid from the Lys 75 leaves showed that more than 80% of the total lysozyme expressed in the leaf was located in the intercellular space which is a strategic place to combat pathogen attack. In contrast, the levels of protection in BCH 35 plants were relatively low compared with Lys 75. The progress of infection was delayed in BCH 35 leaves challenged with F. sulphureum only. No resistance at all was observed in GNA 74 to all the pathogens used. All the transgenic potato lines were susceptible to P. infestans. Recently, a new strategy to combat disease problems has been suggested based on a 'durable resistance'. Potato variety Stirling' which shows durable resistance in the field has been used to study the early biochemical and molecular events during elicitation of 'Stirling' cell suspension cultures with an elicitor mix derived from infective units of a compatible strain of P. infestans. For comparison, an elicitor mix from an incompatible strain of P. infestans was also prepared and used. The mixed elicitor comprising zoospore extract, culture filtrate and mycelium homogenate induced defence responses in 'Stirling' cell suspension cultures as judged by the increase in PAL enzyme activity. PAL activity in 'Stirling' ceUs elicited with an elicitor mix derived from an incompatible strain of P. infestans was twice the activity in the compatible interaction. The peak levels in both types of interaction were at 6 h post-elicitation. An oxidative burst was demonstrated also in both types of interactions indicated by rapid release of H(_2)O(_2) into the culture medium. The H(_2)O(_2) level peaked at 2 h post-elicitation in both interactions before being reduced to its normal level at 4 h. The H(_2)O(_2) released during incompatible interaction was twice the levels monitored in the compatible. A subtracted cDNA library of differentially expressed mRNAs during elicitation of 'Stirling' cell suspension cultures with the elicitor mix from a compatible strain of P. infestans was constructed using suppression subtractive hybridisation. Two cDNA clones, STS 42 and STS 52, relevant to the present study were identified and characterised. STS 42 showed high degree of similarity to potato leucine aminopeptidase gene which is induced in response to wounding. Gene expression studies using RT-PCR showed that the mRNA levels of STS 42 increased gradually throughout the 18 h elicitation. STS 51 was identified as a member of the ribonuclease T2 histidine proteins. It showed some degree of similarity to plant ribonucleases involved in self-incompatibility reactions during pollination. It has a site for tyrosine kinase phosphorylation at the hydrophilic region of the sequence and could possibly be involved in phosphorylation during signal transduction. mRNA levels of STS 51 were increased during the first 12 h of elicitation

Effect Of Post-Anthesis Fungicide Applications To Manage Fusarium Head Blight In Winter Wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum, is currently considered one of the most economically important diseases on wheat in the North Central United States. The fungus causes light-weight tombstone grains to form and produces the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), reducing the yield and quality of the grain. Currently, farmers rely heavily on the sterol demethylase Inhibitor (DMI) triazole fungicide Prosaro (Bayer CropScience) to protect their crop from this disease. The optimal fungicide application timing is traditionally believed to be early anthesis - Feekes Growth Stage (FGS) 10.5.1. However, environmental conditions and uneven flowering across a field at this growth stage can hinder precise fungicide application. Field trials were conducted at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education in West Lafayette, IN in the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 growing seasons to determine the impact of post-anthesis fungicide timing in conjunction with initial infection by F. graminearum and subsequent development of FHB and DON. Treatments consisted of single applications of Prosaro at 475 mL/ha applied at Feekes Growth Stage 10.5.1 (anthesis), and anthesis + 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 days. In 2013 all plots were inoculated with macroconidia of F. graminearum and non-treated inoculated plots served as controls. In 2014, an additional treatment was included that did not receive inocula or fungicide. Disease index was assessed ten days after the final treatment. DON and yield were evaluated post-harvest. Results indicate that fungicide applications made up to 11 days post-anthesis may be useful in reducing FHB and DON when conditions are favorable for disease development. Fungicide application had a significant effect on DON ( P \u3c 0.0001) in both 2013 and 2014. Mean DON values were numerically lower at every application time in both years compared to the non-fungicide treated control. These results indicate that fungicide application after anthesis may be useful in reducing FHB and mycotoxin levels in wheat

Functional phenomics for improved climate resilience in Nordic agriculture

The five Nordic countries span the most northern region for field cultivation in the world. This presents challenges per se with short growing seasons, long days and a need for frost tolerance. Climate change has additionally increased risks for micro-droughts and water logging as well as pathogens and pests expanding northwards. Thus, Nordic agriculture demands crops that are adapted to the special Nordic growth conditions and future climate scenarios. A focus on crop varieties and traits important to Nordic agriculture, including the unique resource of nutritious wild crops, can meet these needs. In fact, with a future longer growing season due to climate change the region could contribute proportionally more to the global agricultural production. This also applies to other northern regions, including the Arctic. To address current growth conditions, mitigate impacts of climate change and meet market demands, the adaptive capacity of crops that both perform well in northern latitudes and are more climate resilient has to be increased, and better crop management systems be built. This requires functional phenomics approaches that integrate versatile high-throughput phenotyping, physiology and bioinformatics. This review stresses key target traits, the opportunities of latitudinal studies and infrastructure needs for phenotyping to support Nordic agriculture.Peer reviewe

Functional phenomics for improved climate resilience in Nordic agriculture

The five Nordic countries span the most northern region for field cultivation in the world. This presents challenges per se with short growing seasons, long days and a need for frost tolerance. Climate change has additionally increased risks for micro-droughts and water logging as well as pathogens and pests expanding northwards. Thus, Nordic agriculture demands crops that are adapted to the special Nordic growth conditions and future climate scenarios. A focus on crop varieties and traits important to Nordic agriculture, including the unique resource of nutritious wild crops, can meet these needs. In fact, with a future longer growing season due to climate change the region could contribute proportionally more to the global agricultural production. This also applies to other northern regions, including the Arctic. To address current growth conditions, mitigate impacts of climate change and meet market demands, the adaptive capacity of crops that both perform well in northern latitudes and are more climate resilient has to be increased, and better crop management systems be built. This requires functional phenomics approaches that integrate versatile high-throughput phenotyping, physiology and bioinformatics. This review stresses key target traits, the opportunities of latitudinal studies and infrastructure needs for phenotyping to support Nordic agriculture.Peer reviewe

Strategic irrigation against apple scab

Proceedings to the 15th International Conference on Organic Fruit Growing