Evaluation of Resistance to TSWV and Agronomic Behaviour of Some TSWV-Resistant Tomato Genotypes in Southern Italy

A two-year research was carried out in Ofanto valley (Basilicata region, southern Italy) in 2006-2007, for evaluating agronomic behaviour of new processing tomato genotypes resistant to tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and ascertaining their effective resistance to the virus. Five TSWV-resistant genotypes (cultivars and lines) were compared in each year the TSWV susceptible cultivar ‘Perfectpeel’ was used as a control. Two transplant dates were adopted in both years: 1) mean-early and 2) mean-late. A split-plot design with 3 reps was followed in the two years. Yield and fruit quality were considered as agronomic traits. About virological aspects, field observations and laboratory analysis (ELISA, IME) were carried out during crop cycles. Phytoplasma infection frequency was also assessed for the same plants. The control cultivar ‘Perfectpeel’ resulted highly productive in both years that were however characterized by low incidence of virus infections; beside, among new genotypes ‘Vespro’ and ‘Suerte’ gave a good yield, while ‘Candia’ and ‘Isi 23259’ exhibited high fruit quality. Virological studies showed that the new processing tomato genotypes were indeed TSWV-resistant. Finally, phytoplasma infections had a dissimilar incidence among plants of the tested genotypes

preliminary studies on productivity of white pleurotus eryngii isolates in protected cultivation

Four isolates of Pleurotus eryngii species-complex, originating from different basidiomata growing in a mountainous area of the Basilicata region (southern Italy) and characterized by white pileus cuticle (Wh A, Wh B, Wh C, and Wh D) were compared, in artificial cultivation conditions, to other isolates of the same mushroom with beige (Be 3, Be 5) or brown cap (Br 1, Br 2) originating from the same area of the former or selected among the commercial ones (Com 142 and Com 164) in order to evaluate their productivity and morphological features. The experiments were carried out in a greenhouse belonging to the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bari Aldo Moro, in autumn winter 2010-2011, using substrate bags well colonized by P. eryngii mycelium and kept at 4-6°C for 5 months. Wh A and Wh D and, less significantly, Wh C, Be 5 and Com 142, produced a fresh basidioma yield significantly higher than the five other tested isolates (Wh B, Be 3, Br 1, Br 2 and Com 164). Only Com 142 produced the basidiomata of medium and maximum size significantly heavier and with larger pileus diameter than other tested isolates. Com 142 also resulted significantly different, for the basidiomata number/substrate bag, from the white pileus cuticle isolates except for Wh B. All tested isolates concentrated almost all (90-95%) of the sporophore yield in the first basidioma flush. No significant differences were found among all tested P. eryngii isolates in terms of yield earliness

PRIMA SEGNALAZIONE DI ALCUNI FUNGI E MYCETOZOA INTERESSANTI PER LA BASILICATA E/O LA PUGLIA

Investigations carried out over the past six years in some territories of Basilicata and Apulia (southern Italy), allowed to discover for the first time the following taxa of Fungi and Mycetozoa: Basilicata - Ascomycota: Ascocoryne sarcoides, Helvella leucomelaena, Hymenoscyphus conscriptus, Hypomyces chrysospermus, H. lateritius, H. luteovirens, Poronia punctata, Xylaria polymorpha; Basidiomycota: Clavaria vermicularis var. vermicularis, Clavulinopsis corniculata var. bispora, Cyathus olla, Hebeloma radicosum, Inonotus hispidus, Myriostoma coliforme, Panellus stypticus, Pluteus thomsonii, Scleroderma bovista, Xerocomus badius; Mycetozoa: Arcyria incarnata, Didymium clavus, Leocarpus fragilis, Lycogala epidendrum and Stemonitis axifera; Puglia - Ascomycota: Daldinia concentrica; Basidiomycota: Amanita codinae, Ceriporia purpurea, Dichomitus campestris, Perenniporia rosmarini, Polyporus arcularius, Scleroderma meridionale, Stereum subtomentosum and Tulostoma brumale. Finally, new natural stations of Amanita vittadini, Bisporella citrina, Coltricia perennis, Geastrum triplex, Gyromitra esculenta, Macrotyphula fistulosa, Morchella conica, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus, Sarcoscypha coccinea, and Xylaria hypoxylon were also found in Basilicata and, in some instances, also in Apulia

In Vitro Control of Post-Harvest Fruit Rot Fungi by Some Plant Essential Oil Components

Eight substances that are main components of the essential oils from three Mediterranean aromatic plants (Verbena officinalis, Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare), previously found active against some phytopathogenic Fungi and Stramenopila, have been tested in vitro against five etiological agents of post-harvest fruit decay, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium italicum, P. expansum, Phytophthora citrophthora and Rhizopus stolonifer. The tested compounds were β-fellandrene, β-pinene, camphene, carvacrol, citral, o-cymene, γ-terpinene and thymol. Citral exhibited a fungicidal action against P. citrophthora; carvacrol and thymol showed a fungistatic activity against P. citrophthora and R. stolonifer. Citral and carvacrol at 250 ppm, and thymol at 150 and 250 ppm stopped the growth of B. cinerea. Moreover, thymol showed fungistatic and fungicidal action against P. italicum. Finally, the mycelium growth of P. expansum was inhibited in the presence of 250 ppm of thymol and carvacrol. These results represent an important step toward the goal to use some essential oils or their components as natural preservatives for fruits and foodstuffs, due to their safety for consumer healthy and positive effect on shelf life extension of agricultural fresh products

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

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