Biological Control of Phytopathogenic Fungi by Fatty Acids

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of fatty acids against phytopathogenic fungi. Two pot experiments were conducted by mixing palmitic and oleic acids in the soil in which poor plant growth was observed. In addition, the antifungal activities of nine fatty acids (butyric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid) against four phytopathogenic fungi: Alternaria solani, Colletotrichum lagenarium, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cucumerinum, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, were assessed by measuring mycelial growth and spore germination via Petri dish assay. The results of the pot experiments showed that the mixture of palmitic and oleic acids enhanced the growth of the seedlings of continuous-tomato and continuous-cucumber. Except for oleic acid, in the Petri dish assay, the fatty acids tested were observed to inhibit the mycelial growth of one or more tested fungi. In addition to the suppression of mycelial growth, butyric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, and palmitic acid showed an inhibitory effect against spore germination and the extent of inhibition varied with both the type of fatty acids, and the fungi. In particular, capric acid displayed strong inhibitory effect against C. lagenarium on the mycelial growth and spore germination. The saturated fatty acids, i.e. palmitic acids, showed stronger antifungal activity than the unsaturated fatty acids, i.e. oleic acid. It suggests that fatty acids might be applicable to exploring for alternative approaches to integrated control of phytopathogens.     

Animal Toxicity of Phytopathogenic Fungi

Twelve genera of phytopathogenic fungi comprising 27 species previously reported to produce phytotoxins were tested concurrently for animal and plant toxicity. There appeared to be no direct relationship between plant and animal toxicity.     

植物病原真菌中DNA分子鉴定技术

就基因组ＤＮＡ中Ｇ＋Ｃ含量、分子杂交、聚合酶链式反应（ＰＣＲ）、限制性片段长度多态性（ＲＦＬＰ）、随机扩增多态性（ＲＡＰＤ）,以及扩增片段长度多态性（ＡＦＬＰ）等分子标记技术,在植物病原真菌鉴定工作中的应用情况和发展趋势作了介绍。     

The Effects of Griseofulvin on Certain Phytopathogenic Fungi

In vitro and in vivo investigations have been carried out intothe reaction of actively growing hyphae of Botrytis spp. onencountering an environment containing griseofulvin. In vitro, the reactions noted were slowing of the growth rate,stimulation to branching, abnormal appearance of hyphal protoplasm,and loss of rigidity of the hyphal membrane in the region ofthe tip. The antibiotic is not translocated within the mycelium. In vivo, Botrytis tulipae was incapable of penetrating cellmembranes in the stem of tulips watered with griseofulvin. Theantibiotic was shown to delay or to prohibit the penetrationof onion epithelium by B. allii, depending on concentration.The characteristic curling and stunting of hyphae caused bygriseofulvin have both been observed to occur in plant cells.     

植物中抗病原真菌的活性物质

综述了近十年国内外公开报道的部分植物抗病原真菌的活性物质, 这些物质主要包括萜类、生物碱类、黄酮类、酚类、醌类、苯丙素类、香豆素类和木脂素类等。侧重介绍了禾本科、豆科、蔷薇科、菊科和十字花科植物中抗病原真菌的活性物质的特点。提出了一些看法与建议。     

植物中抗病原真菌的活性物质

综述了近十年国内外公开报道的部分植物抗病原真菌的活性物质,这些物质主要包括萜类、生物碱类、黄酮类、酚类、醌类、苯丙素类、香豆素类和木脂素类等.侧重介绍了禾本科、豆科、蔷薇科、菊科和十字花科植物中抗病原真菌的活性物质的特点.提出了一些看法与建议.     

Isozyme Variability in Isolates of Some Facultative Phytopathogenic Fungi

Gel electrophoresis was used to examine the variation in isozymes within and between the facultative pathogen species Septoria nodorum, Ustilago maydis and Rhynchosporium secalis. Variation was found in all three species, U. maydis being the most variable. The variation between isolates of R. secalis was sometimes unstable, reflecting variability in other characters. The determinants of isozyme variability, particularly in relationship to the general biology of different fungi, are discussed.     

Regularities in the Germination of Conidia of Phytopathogenic Fungi

The autoregulation of conidium germination in phytopathogenic micromycetes of the genera Fusarium, Botrytis, and Bipolaris was studied. It was shown that Trichoderma longibrachiatum was less competitive than Fusarium oxysporum after their simultaneous inoculation but inhibited the phytopathogen growth in the case of earlier introduction. In the latter case, no autoinhibition of the germination of F. oxysporum conidia occurred; moreover, a cooperative effect was observed, i.e., the number of germinated F. oxysporum conidia increased with an increase in their density.     

Activation of a Bean Chitinase Promoter in Transgenic Tobacco Plants by Phytopathogenic Fungi

The temporal and spatial expression of a bean chitinase promoter has been investigated in response to fungal attack. Analysis of transgenic tobacco plants containing a chimeric gene composed of a 1.7-kilobase fragment carrying the chitinase 5B gene promoter fused to the coding region of the gus A gene indicated that the chitinase promoter is activated during attack by the fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea, Rhizoctonia solani, and Sclerotium rolfsii. Although induction of [beta]-glucuronidase activity was observed in tissues that had not been exposed to these phytopathogens, the greatest induction occurred in and around the site of fungal infection. The increase in [beta]-glucuronidase activity closely paralleled the increase in endogenous tobacco chitinase activity produced in response to fungal infection. Thus, the chitinase 5B-gus A fusion gene may be used to analyze the cellular and molecular details of the activation of the host defense system during pathogen attack.     

Intracellular Localization of the Systemic Fungicide Triadimenol in Phytopathogenic Fungi

The intracellular localization of the radioactively labelled fungicide (³H)triadimenol A in the in vitro grown sporidia of Ustilago avenae and in the in vivo cultured powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordet) on barley (Hordeum vulgare) is described. The specimens were prepared by low temperature techniques: shock freezing, freeze substitution and embedding in Spurr's low viscosity resin. The localization of the fungicide was achieved by means of conventional electron microscopic autoradiography. The available experimental data allow a first qualitative analysis of the distribution of silver grains on freeze substituted sporidia of U. avenae and the infection structures of Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei. Concerning U. avenae the fungicide is detected preferentially over the vacuoles, the cytoplasm, and the cell walls after a six month exposure. The host pathogen system powdery mildew on barley exhibits an accumulation of silver grains in the host cell wall adjacent to the infection site and the papillae whereas decisively fewer grains occur inside the haustoria. Apart from this general localization pattern the haustoria show ultrastructural changes caused by the fungicide treatment: vesiculation and collapse of the sheath membrane as well as a diffuse appearance of the haustorial cytoplasm. Around the haustoria an aggregation of host cytoplasm material is observed.     

杜仲内生真菌的多样性分析及其抗植物病原真菌的活性

以河南郑州和江苏徐州采集到的杜仲为材料,采用纯培养方法对杜仲内生真菌进行分离。将分离纯化得到的90株真菌通过形态学鉴定并进行多样性分析,90株内生真菌分别属于13个属,其中茎点霉属(Phoma)和链格孢属(Alternaria)为优势菌群,分别占总菌株数的18%和16%;其次为黑孢属(Nigrospora)和枝孢属(Cladosporium),均占总菌株数的10%。用平板对峙法对分离得到的杜仲内生真菌进行抗植物病原真菌实验,发现有18个菌株对至少一种病原真菌具有明显的拮抗作用。通过比色法进行内生真菌产IAA(吲哚乙酸)定性实验,结果显示,有37株真菌具有产IAA能力,通过分光光度法对这37株真菌进行产IAA定量实验,发现有8株有较好的产IAA活性。     

The Chitinolytic Activity of Bacillus Cohn Bacteria Antagonistic to Phytopathogenic Fungi

Among the 70 tested Bacillus spp. strains antagonistic to phytopathogenic fungi, 19 were found to possess chitinolytic activity when grown on solid media with 0.5% colloidal chitin. The chitinolytic activity of almost all of these 19 strains grown in liquid cultures ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 U/ml. One of the 19 strains exhibited exochitinase activity. In addition to chitinase, two strains also produced chitosanase and one strain, -1,3-glucanase. No correlation was found between the antifungal activity of the bacillar strains studied and their ability to synthesize extracellular chitinase. Among the 19 chitinolytic strains, the correlation between these parameters was also low (r _{x , y} = 0.45), although the enzymatic preparations of most of these strains inhibited the growth of the phytopathogenic fungus Helminthosporium sativum.     

Antifungal Activity of Volatile Compounds Produced by an Edible Mushroom Hypsizygus marmoreus against Phytopathogenic Fungi

Volatile compounds with antifungal activity produced by edible mushrooms have potential as biological control agents to combat fungal diseases and reduce fungicide use in agriculture. Here we investigated the antifungal activity of volatile compounds produced by the edible mushroom Hypsizygus marmoreus (TUFC 11906) against eight phytopathogenic fungi. The results showed that volatile compounds from the mycelia and culture filtrates (CFs) of H. marmoreus had antifungal activity against some phytopathogenic fungi. Among them, the mycelial growth and conidial germination of Alternaria brassicicola were significantly inhibited by 60 and 100%, respectively. Moreover, the volatile compounds from CFs inhibited the lesion formation of A. brassicicola on detached cabbage leaves by 94%. The volatile compounds had higher antifungal activity against A. brassicicola than other fungi. With the removal of the volatile compounds from conidia of A. brassicicola, the conidia began to germinate, which indicates fungistatic activity of the compounds. The volatile compounds were isolated from the CFs of H. marmoreus, and the major volatile compound with antifungal activity was estimated to be 2‐methylpropanoic acid 2,2‐dimethyl‐1‐(2‐hydroxy‐1‐methylethyl)propyl ester. As the volatile compound produced by H. marmoreus is a product of an edible mushroom and has fungistatic activity against some phytopathogenic fungi, especially A. brassicicola, it may be possible to use the compounds as a novel safe agent for protecting crops in the field and during storage.     

黄柏果实提取物对植物病原真菌的抑制作用

在室内测定了芸香科植物黄柏(Phellodendron chinese Schneid.)果实乙醇粗提物及其4个不同极性溶剂的萃取部分在浓度为1 mg/mL时对小麦纹枯病菌(Rhizoctonia cerealis)、稻纹枯病菌(Rhizoctonia solani)、番茄镰刀菌萎焉病菌(Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici)、黄瓜枯萎病菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cucumerinum)、棉花枯萎病菌(Fusarium vasinfectum)、棉花黄萎病菌(Verticillium dahliae)、小麦赤霉病菌(Fusarium graminearum)、玉米小斑病菌(Bipolaris maydis)、西瓜枯萎病菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niverum)、梨黑星病菌(Venturia piri-na)、稻瘟病菌(Magnaporthe grisea)等11种植物病原真菌的抑制作用.乙酸乙酯部分和正丁醇部分对植物病原菌均表现出较强的抑制活性,其中乙酸乙酯部分对两种丝核菌小麦纹枯病菌和稻纹枯病菌的生长抑制作用最强,抑制率分别为100.00%和89.36%;正丁醇部分对两者的抑制率分别为97.32%和61.32%.实验结果表明,黄柏果实中的抗真菌活性成分主要存在于乙醇粗提物中的乙酸乙酯和正丁醇萃取部分中.     

The Antimicrobial Efficiency of Root Oil Against Human Pathogenic Bacteria and Phytopathogenic Fungi

The in vitro antimierobial activity of root oil of C. orchioides were studied against human pathogenic bacteria and phytopathogenic fungi by comparing the results with standard microbial susceptibility testing biodises. The oil of C. orchioides in case of bacteria shows significant activity against Bacillus anthracis, B. subtilis, Salmonella pullorum, S. newport, and Staph. aureus. While in case of fungi root oil had excellent activity against Fusarium monili forme, F. solani, Asprgullus flavus and Cladosporium and shows significant activity against all other tested fungi.     

Molecular Taxonomy of Phytopathogenic Fungi: A Case Study in Peronospora

Background

Inappropriate taxon definitions may have severe consequences in many areas. For instance, biologically sensible species delimitation of plant pathogens is crucial for measures such as plant protection or biological control and for comparative studies involving model organisms. However, delimiting species is challenging in the case of organisms for which often only molecular data are available, such as prokaryotes, fungi, and many unicellular eukaryotes. Even in the case of organisms with well-established morphological characteristics, molecular taxonomy is often necessary to emend current taxonomic concepts and to analyze DNA sequences directly sampled from the environment. Typically, for this purpose clustering approaches to delineate molecular operational taxonomic units have been applied using arbitrary choices regarding the distance threshold values, and the clustering algorithms.

Methodology

Here, we report on a clustering optimization method to establish a molecular taxonomy of Peronospora based on ITS nrDNA sequences. Peronospora is the largest genus within the downy mildews, which are obligate parasites of higher plants, and includes various economically important pathogens. The method determines the distance function and clustering setting that result in an optimal agreement with selected reference data. Optimization was based on both taxonomy-based and host-based reference information, yielding the same outcome. Resampling and permutation methods indicate that the method is robust regarding taxon sampling and errors in the reference data. Tests with newly obtained ITS sequences demonstrate the use of the re-classified dataset in molecular identification of downy mildews.

Conclusions

A corrected taxonomy is provided for all Peronospora ITS sequences contained in public databases. Clustering optimization appears to be broadly applicable in automated, sequence-based taxonomy. The method connects traditional and modern taxonomic disciplines by specifically addressing the issue of how to optimally account for both traditional species concepts and genetic divergence.