The effect of two ectomycorrhizal fungi, Paxillus involutus and Suillus tomentosus, and of Bacillus subtilis on Fusarium damping-off in jack pine seedlings

On a testé l'effet de deux espèces de champignons ectomycorhiziens, le Paxillus involutus et le Suillus tomentosus, et une lignée de la bactérie Bacillus subtilis sur le Fusarium moniliforme, agent pathogène de la fonte des semis du pin gris (Pinus banksiana). Le P. involutus et B. subtilis ont tous les deux inhibé la croissance in vitro du F moniliforme. Les filtrats de culture de P. involutus et de B. subtilis ont été toxiques pour le F moniliforme, mais la formation de chlamydospores par le F moniliforme a été observée. Une meilleure survie des plantules a été observée lorsqu'elles étaient co-inoculées avec le P. involutus et le B. subtilis plutôt qu'avec le F moniliforme seulement. Le S. tomentosus n'a pas inhibé la croissance in vitro du F. moniliforme ni accru la survie des plantules de pin gris en présence de F moniliforme. Ce dernier a réduit la formation d'ectomycorhizes sur le pin gris par le P. involutus et le S. tomentosus. Le nombre d’unités formatrices de colonies du F. monoliforme a été significativement réduit quand les plantules ont été inoculées avec le P. involotus ou le B. subtilis seul ou en combinaison. D’autre part, le S. tomentosus n’a pas réduit le nombre d’unités formatrices de colonies du F. monoliforme. La suppression de la croissance du F. monoliforme par le P. involutus et le B. subtilis a entraîné la production de composés antifongiques.Two species of ectomycorrhizal fungi, Paxillus involutus and Suillus tomentosus, and a bacterial strain of Bacillus subtilis, were tested against Fusarium moniliforme, the causal agent of damping-off in jack pine (Pinus banksiana) seedlings. Both P. involutus and B. subtilis inhibited in vitro growth of F moniliforme. The culture filtrates of P. involutus and B. subtilis were toxic to F moniliforme, but chlamydospore formation of F moniliforme was observed. Greater jack pine seedling survival was observed when co-inoculated with P. involutus and B. subtilis than with F moniliforme alone. S. tomentosus neither inhibited in vitro growth of F moniliforme nor increased survival of jack pine seedlings against F moniliforme. F moniliforme reduced ectomycorrhiza formation on jack pine seedlings by P. involutus and S. tomentosus. The number of colony forming units of F moniliforme was significantly reduced when seedlings were inoculated with P. involutus and B. subtilis alone or in combination. S. tomentosus, on the other hand, did not reduce the number of colony forming units of F moniliforme. The suppression of F moniliforme growth by P. involutus and B. subtilis involved production of antifungal compounds

Effect of seed damage and metalaxyl seed treatment on seedling blight of field pea

Non-Peer ReviewedWhen cool, wet conditions occur at seeding, soil-bone diseases can severely reduce stand establishment in field pea. Seed that has been damaged by rough handling (augering or dropping) is particularly vulnerable to injury from Pythium spp. Field trials were conducted over 3 yr to assess the impact of seed rot, damping-off and seedling blight on seedling establishment and seed yield from damaged field pea seed. The effect of fungicide seed treatment was also examined. Mechanical damage to the seed reduced seedling emergence and seed yield. Seed treatment with metalaxyl (Apron) reduced the impact of seed damage, but did not always restore emergence and seed yield to the same level as from undamaged seed. Differences among cultivars were small relative to the effect of seed injury. This study showed that planting fungicide-treated, high quality field pea seed was an effective means to maximize emergence and stand establishment for commercial field pea production

Virulence and pathotype characterization of Plasmodiophora brassicae populations collected from clubroot resistant canola cultivars in Western Canada 2018

Non-Peer Reviewe

Where are we with respect to clubroot management?

Non-Peer Reviewe

The use of Vapam as a soil fumigant for clubroot [Plasmodiophora brassicae] control in canola

Non-Peer ReviewedClubroot is an important soilborne disease of canola in Alberta, Canada, which is caused by the obligate parasite Plasmodiophora brassicae. In recent year, clubroot has spread throughout central Alberta, with isolated infestations also identified into southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Soil fumigation could prove to be an effective tool to eradicate localized clubroot infestations and new infection foci. Soil-applied Vapam is a liquid metam sodium solution used to control weeds, nematodes, insects and soil-borne diseases in crops. We analyzed the efficacy of various concentration rates of Vapam for the control of clubroot of canola at two heavily infested field locations in Edmonton, Alberta. A clubroot-susceptible canola cultivar was grown in soil treated with Vapam, with plants subsequently assessed for disease severity, plant weight and height, and gall weight. Preliminary results from one of the field locations suggest that Vapam may effectively reduce clubroot severity at certain concentrations. Next year, the same sites will be sown to the same canola cultivar to assess the residual effects of the Vapam treatments. In addition, new field sites will also be included in order to replicate the initial experiment using the same concentrations of Vapam

Evaluation of biofungicides for control of clubroot on canola

Non-Peer ReviewedClubroot of canola, caused by the protist pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae (Pb), is an emerging threat to canola production in western Canada. Effective/practical control options are currently lacking. This study was initiated to assess registered microbial fungicides for control of clubroot on canola. Selected biofungicides were initially applied as a soil drench and the fungicides Allegro and Ranman were also included for comparisons. Selected products were further evaluated at varying concentrations, soil drench volumes, and for seed treatment. At moderate disease pressure, the biofungicides Serenade and Prestop, as well as synthetic fungicides Allegro and Ranman were highly effective as a soil-drench treatment, reducing clubroot severity by 85–100% in controlled conditions. Biofungicide concentration appeared to be important while soil-drench volumes may be reduced. All products, however, were significantly less effective or ineffective under extremely high disease pressure. All products were less efficacious in trials using infested field soils, a circumstance that may be related to treatment timing. Results from seed-treatment trials were too variable to draw a conclusion but there was a strong indication that this approach be successful though more research is required on microbial formulations. Serenade, Prestop, Allegro, and Ranman should be further evaluated under field conditions for clubroot control

A framework of web-based conceptual design

A web-based conceptual design prototype system is presented. The system consists of four parts which interpret on-line sketches as 2D and 3D geometry, extract 3D hierarchical configurations, allow editing of component behaviours, and produce VRML-based behavioural simulations for design verification and web-based application. In the first part, on-line freehand sketched input is interpreted as 2D and 3D geometry, which geometrically represents conceptual design. The system then infers 3D configuration by analysing 3D modelling history. The configuration is described by a parent–child hierarchical relationship and relative positions between two geometric components. The positioning information is computed with respect to the VRML97 specification. In order to verify the conceptual design of a product, the behaviours can be specified interactively on different components. Finally, the system creates VRML97 formatted files for behavioural simulation and collaborative design application over the Internet. The paper gives examples of web-based applications. This work forms a part of a research project into the design and establishing of modular machines for automation manufacture. A consortium of leading automotive companies is collaborating on the research project

Calculations on the Size Effects of Raman Intensities of Silicon Quantum Dots

Raman intensities of Si quantum dots (QDs) with up to 11,489 atoms (about 7.6 nm in diameter) for different scattering configurations are calculated. First, phonon modes in these QDs, including all vibration frequencies and vibration amplitudes, are calculated directly from the lattice dynamic matrix by using a microscopic valence force field model combined with the group theory. Then the Raman intensities of these quantum dots are calculated by using a bond-polarizability approximation. The size effects of the Raman intensity in these QDs are discussed in detail based on these calculations. The calculations are compared with the available experimental observation. We are expecting that our calculations can further stimulate more experimental measurements.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figure

Use of cultivar resistance and crop rotation with Bacillus subtilis for clubroot control in canola

Non-Peer ReviewedThis study was conducted to assess additional strategies potentially complimentary to cultivar resistance or biocontrol in control of clubroot. New granular Bacillus subtilis formulations and a seed dressing method were developed to facilitate biofungicide delivery in field trials. The granular formulations were applied in furrow during seeding at 50 kg/ha to a clubroot resistant (CR) and susceptible (CS) canola cultivar, respectively, in three field trials. The seed dressing applied approximately 1×105 to 5×106 cfu/seed doses of the biocontrol agent, and was evaluated on the CS cultivar seeded to different crop-rotation scenarios where the plots had a 1-year, 3-year, or 11-year break from last canola crop. Clubroot disease pressure was high at all trial sites with disease severity indexes (DSI) ranging from 69% to 98% on the CS cultivar. None of the granular formulations reduced clubroot substantially, whereas the CR cultivar showed a high effect, reducing DSI to below 15% and doubling the yield over that of CS cultivar. Plots of varying rotation showed a pattern of clubroot pathogen pressure, with those of 1-year break from canola being the highest. The DSI for all rotational scenarios was high, reaching 100% in short-rotation plots. Biofungicide seed dressing did not reduce DSI, but longer crop rotation often reduced gall size slightly, showed much milder above-ground damage, and increased the yield significantly relative to short rotation in two separate trials. Even a 3-year break from canola was highly beneficial, with the yield doubled as opposed to that with only 1-year break from canola