Use of beneficial bacteria and their secondary metabolites to control grapevine pathogen diseases

Grapevine is one of the most important economic crops yielding berries, wine products as well as derivates. However, due to the large array of pathogens inducing diseases on this plant, considerable amounts of pesticides—with possible negative impact on the environment and health—have been used and are currently used in viticulture. To avoid negative impacts of such products and to ensure product quality, a substantial fraction of pesticides needs to be replaced in the near future. One solution can be related to the use of beneficial bacteria inhabiting the rhizo- and/or the endosphere of plants. These biocontrol bacteria and their secondary metabolites can reduce directly or indirectly pathogen diseases by affecting pathogen performance by antibiosis, competition for niches and nutrients, interference with pathogen signaling or by stimulation of host plant defenses. Due to the large demand for biocontrol of grapevine diseases, such biopesticides, their modes of actions and putative consequences of their uses need to be described. Moreover, the current knowledge on new strains from the rhizo- and endosphere and their metabolites that can be used on grapevine plants to counteract pathogen attack needs to be discussed. This is in particular with regard to the control of root rot, grey mould, trunk diseases, powdery and downy mildews, pierce’s disease, grapevine yellows as well as crown gall. Future prospects on specific beneficial microbes and their secondary metabolites that can be used as elicitors of plant defenses and/or as biocontrol agents with potential use in a more sustainable viticulture will be further discussed

Biofluid Biomarkers in Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative condition where new markers of disease progression are needed. So far no disease-modifying interventions have been found, and few interventions have been proven to alleviate symptoms. This may be partially explained by the lack of reliable indicators of disease severity, progression, and phenotype.Biofluid biomarkers may bring advantages in addition to clinical measures, such as reliability, reproducibility, price, accuracy, and direct quantification of pathobiological processes at the molecular level; and in addition to empowering clinical trials, they have the potential to generate useful hypotheses for new drug development.In this chapter we review biofluid biomarker reports in HD, emphasizing those we feel are likely to be closest to clinical applicability

Reaction of faba bean genotypes to Rhizoctonia solani and resistance stability Reação de genótipos de fava a Rhizoctonia solani e estabilidade da resistência

The production of faba bean (Phaseolus lunatus) is limited due to the occurrence of Rhizoctonia canker, caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. In order to select materials with potential for use in faba beans breeding programs and/or disease integrated management, 72 genotypes were evaluated and also stability of the disease resistance in relation to different pathogen isolates, inoculum densities and soil type. The seeds were sown in soil infested with the pathogen by the addition of colonized substrate (rice grains). The evaluation of genotypes was done after 15 days, using a note scale to discriminate the genotypes into five reaction classes. None of the 72 genotypes showed immunity to R. solani and only four genotypes (F-42, F-49, F-53 and F-58) behaved as highly resistant. The reactions presented by these genotypes varied according to the R. solani isolate, inoculum density and soil used. The genotype F-58 showed more stable resistance to pathogen isolates and inoculum densities. The genotype F-53 showed resistance stability in soils collected in different locations, remaining highly resistant in all situations. The genotype F-58 did not show high resistance to only one tested soil. Therefore, the genotypes F-58 and F-53 are promising sources of resistance to R. solani and should be indicated in areas infested by the pathogen.<br>A produção de fava (Phaseolus lunatus) é limitada pela ocorrência da rizoctoniose, causada pelo fungo Rhizoctonia solani. Visando selecionar materiais com potencial de utilização nos programas de melhoramento e/ou no manejo integrado da doença, foram avaliados 72 genótipos de fava e verificada a estabilidade da resistência em relação a diferentes isolados do patógeno, densidades de inóculo e tipos de solo. As sementes foram plantadas em solo infestado com o patógeno pela incorporação de substrato (grãos de arroz) colonizado. A avaliação dos genótipos foi realizada após 15 dias, com o auxílio de escala de notas, discriminando-os em cinco classes de reação. Nenhum dos 72 genótipos apresentou reação de imunidade a R. solani e apenas quatro genótipos (F-42, F-49, F-53 e F-58) comportaram-se como altamente resistentes. As reações apresentadas por esses genótipos variaram conforme o isolado de R. solani, a densidade de inóculo e o solo utilizado. O genótipo F-58 evidenciou maior estabilidade na resistência aos isolados do patógeno e densidades de inóculo. O genótipo F-53 demonstrou estabilidade da resistência em solos coletados em diferentes locais, mantendo alta resistência em todas as situações. O genótipo F-58 não demonstrou alta resistência em somente um solo. Portanto, os genótipos F-58 e F-53 constituem fontes promissoras de resistência a R. solani e devem ser preferidas em campos infestados pelo patógeno

Efficacy of fungicides on mycelial growth of diatrypaceous fungi associated with grapevine trunk disease

Several species of Diatrypaceae have been recently isolated from the wood of cankered grapevines in several regions of the world and shown to be pathogenic with varying degrees of virulence when inoculated in stems of potted vines. Existing management strategies have focussed on the evelopment of procedures and products to prevent or reduce Eutypa lata infection. The best method to prevent infection is by applying fungicides to wounds, but there are few registered chemicals for any of the diatrypaceous fungi in Australia. Six selected fungicides were evaluated in vitro for their efficacy in reducing mycelial growth of Eutypa lata, Cryptovalsa ampelina, Diatrypella vulgaris, Eutypa leptoplaca, Eutypella citricola and Eutypella microtheca. Carbendazim, fluazinam, tebuconazole, and prothioconazole + tebuconazole were effective at inhibiting mycelial growth of all Diatrypaceae spp. tested. Pyraclostrobin reduced colony diameter of most of the fungal species by 50% or more. Pyrimethanil was ineffective at reducing mycelial growth of these pathogens. Five of the six fungicides evaluated in this study have shown efficacy in vitro against Diatrypaceae spp. and require further evaluation in the field. This study represents the first approach for fungicide evaluation against mycelial growth of diatrypaceous fungi, other than Ea. lata. It contributes to the development of integrated management strategies for grapevine trunk diseases. © 2011 Australasian Plant Pathology Society Inc.Peer Reviewe