Effectiveness of Phosphorous acid, Bacillus subtilis and Copper Compounds on Apple cv. Gala with M9 Rootstock in the Control of Fire Blight

Necrogenic Gram-negative bacterium Erwinia amylovora, which causes economic losses especially in pome fruits such as apple, pear, quince and loquat, some berries and many ornamental plants, causes fire blight disease. Copper compounds are used extensively in disease control programs and they can cause toxicproblems in terms of plant and environmental health. In addition, the formation of resistance to copper in the pathogen is frequently observed. In this study, plant activator phosphorous acid and biological control agent Bacillus subtilis, and 3 different copper compounds,  Copper sulfate,  Copper oxychloride and Copper hydroxide which are commonly  used  against E. amylovora,  on  apple  cv.  Gala  with  M9  rootstock  were  evaluated  comparatively.  When the new season shoot lengths of 3-year-old plants with homogeneous growth reached 20-25 cm, chemicals and B. subtilis were applied first time before one week ago from the pathogen inoculation, and after 2 times with 1 week intervals. The youngest two leaves at tips of actively growing terminal plant shoots were inoculated by cutting off using scissors dipped in suspension of E. amylovora str. EaARADY5 containing 108 CFU ml-1. Disease assessments were made after the disease severity (%)  was determined on the basis of shoot blight after symptom development of the disease stopped, and the results were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). According to the findings, while the highest effect was obtained by copper oxychloride with 69%  effectiveness among all applications,  the lowest effectiveness was obtained with 43.5% copper sulfate. It has been revealed that the use of the most effective of the copper compounds in field applications will result in less exposure to chemicals in terms of human and environmental health, and that B. subtilis and phosphorous acid can be used significantly in the integrated control of fire blight

Potential Biological Control Agents against Soft Rot Diseases Caused by Pectobacteria on Some Sugar Beet Cultivars

Sugar beet is one of the most economically important agricultural crops cultivated in many provinces of Turkey. Especially in recent years, there has been an increase in bacterial tuber rot due to factors related to climate change. In preliminary trials, soft rot disease by Pectobacterium caratovorum subsp. caratovorum (Pcc) and Pectobacterium betavasculorum (Pb) were detected predominantly in sugar beets in Central Anatolia. Today, some cultural measures and copper compounds are used against soft rot agents in sugar beet, but successful results cannot be obtained in preventing the disease. In this study, a total of 270 soil samples were taken from the rhizosphere of 10 different fields in 3 different periods in 3 different ecologically diverse districts (Çumra, Altınekin and Seydişehir) of Konya, one of the provinces with the highest amount of sugar beet production in Turkey. As a result of the isolations, a total of 3064 bacterial isolates were purified and 262 of them showed antibacterial activity against Pcc and Pb in vitro conditions. In addition, 15 antagonist bacteria with the highest inhibitory effect on the development of both pathogens were tested in greenhouse conditions, and according to the results obtained from here, 3 antagonists with the highest effect were tested in field conditions in the cultivation areas of 3 different districts named above. Biochemical, morphological and molecular diagnoses of antagonist bacteria with high efficacy were made. According to the results obtained, it has been concluded that rhizospheric bacteria with antagonistic effect have a success rate of 33-90% against Pcc and Pb pathogens, and that the biological products to be prepared in future studies can be used in ecological, climate friendly and within sustainable agricultural practices in sugar beet production areas

Determination of Quantities of Host Protein after Infection with Erwinia amylovora of Apple, Pear And Quince Cultivars

Fire blight disease caused by Erwinia amylovora is a destructive bacterial pathogen mainly on pears, apples and quinces from Rosaceae family. In this study, it was aimed determination of total protein amounts in different apple cultivars (Braeburn, Fuji, Gala and Golden), pear cultivars (Santa Maria and Williams) and quince cultivars (Eşme and Ekmek) in the infections of two virulent E. amylovora strains (Ea234-1 and Ea240-3) according as the time. It was taken leaf samples after leaf inoculation with E. amylovora (108 CFU ml-1) at 24th, 36th and 72nd hours. For verification of the infections, re-isolations were made from bacteria inoculated plants and the agent was identified as E. amylovora by biochemical, physiological and molecular tests. In determining the amounts of total protein and in the SDS-PAGE analyses were used Bradford and Laemmli methods, respectively, and absorbance values of protein extracts derived from the leaf samples taken, were obtained at 595 nm wavelength. According to the findings obtained; after infection of E. amylovora in the apple varieties comparing to controls, total protein concentrations at 24th hours increased and a decrease in the amount of 36th to 72nd hours and Braeburn has the highest protein content was determined. In the pear varieties, while total protein concentrations at 24th and 36th hours increased, a decrease in the amount of 72nd hour, and Santa Maria variety has the highest protein content was detected. In the quince varieties, total protein concentrations at 72th hour increased and Eşme variety has the highest protein content was identified. As a result of SDS-PAGE analysis, protein fractions which have different molecular weights were obtained. The protein bands were defined approximately 55-70 kDa and 35-55 kDa molecule weight on apple and quince varieties, respectively and also approx. 55-70 kDa in pear varieties