Pathogenicity of Pythium aphanidermatum to Chrysanthemum in Combined Inoculations with Belonolaimus longicaudatus or Meloidogyne incognita

Rooted cuttings of ''Iceberg'' chrysanthemum in steamed soil were inoculated with the nematodes Belonolaimus longicaudatus, and Meloidogyne incognita, alone and combined with Pythium aphanidermatum, a fungus pathogen of chrysanthemum. B. longicaudatus alone severely restricted the root system; with P. aphanidermatum also present, plant weight and height were further reduced and onset of symptoms was earlier. M. incognita + fungus interaction was similar but less intense. The fungus suppressed egg production of M. incognita but not the reproduction of B. Iongicaudatus. However, all three pathogens combined significantly suppressed reproduction of both nematodes and caused greatest inhibition of plant growth.     

Somatic Hybrids Between Potato and S. berthaultii Show Partial Resistance to Soil‐Borne Fungi and Potato Virus Y

Three tetraploid somatic hybrid lines produced by protoplast fusion between a dihaploid potato, Solanum tuberosum, cultivar BF15 and the wild potato species Solanum berthaultii were evaluated here for their response to different soil‐borne pathogens, that is Fusarium solani, Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizoctonia solani as well as to infection by potato virus Y (PVY). Both hybrid and BF15 plants grown in vitro were inoculated with the tested pathogen strains, that is R. solani, P. aphanidermatum, or F. solani. The growth level and disease severity index of these plants were compared to the susceptible commercial cultivar Spunta. A better growth of inoculated hybrid plants and restricted disease symptoms were observed in comparison with the commercial plants. Under glasshouse conditions and after inoculation with R. solani and P. aphanidermatum, improved resistance of the hybrid plants to these pathogens was confirmed. Indeed, these plants showed no significant damage following inoculation and a better development in R. solani‐infected plants. The susceptibility of the hybrid tubers to R. solani, P. aphanidermatum, and to F. solani infection was also determined. A significant reduction of tissue colonisation was observed in all the hybrid lines compared to the cultivated cultivars. The STBc and STBd hybrids also showed improved resistance to the PVY ordinary strain (PVY^o) under glasshouse conditions.     

Potassium phosphite affects growth,antioxidant enzymes activity and alleviates disease damage in cucumber plants inoculated with Pythium ultimum

In the present study, the impact of potassium phosphite on response of cucumber plants inoculated with Pythium ultimum var. ultimum was assessed. Variations in the accumulation of both antioxidant enzymes and growth parameters were investigated. The results revealed that fresh and dry weights of shoot and root exhibited up to 2 fold increase in potassium phosphite-treated plants. The concentrations of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase were significantly higher in the plants treated with 4 g L^?1 of potassium phosphite compared to other treatments, at 48 h after inoculation. It was demonstrated that both 2 and 4 g L^?1 treatments could alleviate the disease damage to a high extent, while control plants were severely damaged by the pathogen. The results of this study suggest that the increased induction of antioxidant enzymes (2.2, 2.8 and 4 fold increase for superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase, respectively) might have alleviated damping-off symptoms leading to increased plant growth and yield.     

Analogous wheat root rhizosphere microbial successions in field and greenhouse trials in the presence of biocontrol agents Paenibacillus peoriae SP9 and Streptomyces fulvissimus FU14

Two Pythium-infested soils were used to compare the wheat root and rhizosphere soil microbial communities from plants grown in the field or in greenhouse trials and their stability in the presence of biocontrol agents. Bacteria showed the highest diversity at early stages of wheat growth in both field and greenhouse trials, while fungal diversity increased later on, at 12 weeks of the crop cycle. The microbial communities were stable in roots and rhizosphere samples across both soil types used in this study. Such stability was also observed irrespective of the cultivation system (field or greenhouse) or addition of biocontrol coatings to wheat seeds to control Pythium disease (in this study soil infected with Pythium sp. clade F was tested). In greenhouse plant roots, Archaeorhizomyces, Debaryomyces, Delftia, and unclassified Pseudeurotiaceae were significantly reduced when compared to plant roots obtained from the field trials. Some operational taxonomic units (OTUs) represented genetic determinants clearly transmitted vertically by seed endophytes (specific OTUs were found in plant roots) and the plant microbiota was enriched over time by OTUs from the rhizosphere soil. This study provided key information regarding the microbial communities associated with wheat roots and rhizosphere soils at different stages of plant growth and the role that Paenibacillus and Streptomyces strains play as biocontrol agents in supporting plant growth in infested soils.     

The Preparation of a Cellulose-like Polymer from 2,3,6-Tri-O (N-pheny1carbamyl)-D-glucopyranose by the Action of Phosphorus Pentoxide in Dimethyl Sulfoxide

Starch phosphorylase was purified from either freshly harvested or stored roots of sweet potato (.Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. cv Tain on 65). Both enzyme preparations in their native state showed on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis a cluster of about six closely located activity bands, which had common antigenic determinants as they were simultaneously probed by monoclonal antibodies. The molecules of enzymes from stored roots were smaller than those from fresh roots. However, the two enzyme preparations had completely fused precipitin lines in double diffusion assays with an antiserum raised against the fresh root preparation. One large subunit and several small ones were found for both enzyme preparations. The small subunits appeared to be the degradation products of the large ones as revealed by peptide mapping and immunoblotting. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that the enzyme was present in the amyloplasts and cell walls of root storage parenchyma.     

Seedling mortality of metal hyperaccumulator plants resulting from damping off by Pythium spp.

Seedling mortality of Alyssum serpyllifolium ssp. lusitanicum and A. murale , both nickel hyperaccumulators, was reduced by increasing concentrations of metal within plant tissues when inoculated with the fungi Pythium mamillatum or P. ultimum , both of which cause damping-off disease of seedlings. Pythium mamillatum , isolated from nickel-rich serpentine soil, was more tolerant of nickel than P. ultimum , isolated from low-metal control soil, and was more pathogenic than P. ultimum towards seedlings containing high concentrations of metal. These results support the hypothesis that metal hyperaccumulation by plants is closely linked to increased protection against disease.     

Proteins Related to the Biocontrol of Pythium Damping-off in Maize with Trichoderma harzianum Rifai

Induced resistance has been evidenced as one of mechanisms of Trichoderma to control plant diseases, however, no study showed the change of host proteomics in Trichoderma-induced resistance of maize against damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum Trow. The mechanism of Trichoderma harzianum Rifai for controlling maize seedling disease caused by Pythium ultimum Trow was investigated firstly by proteome technique and the result suggested that T. harzianum strain T22 was not only able to promote seedling growth but also protein accumulation. One-dimensional electrophoresis assay showed that more bands appeared on the gel with T22 or T22 combined with P. ultimum （T22 ＋ P. ultimum） treatment than with other treatments. Enzyme assay showed that two chitinases of the root sample were more activated in the treatments with T22 than in the other treatments without T22. Proteins in the seedling roots from the various treatments were separated through protein extraction and 2-D electrophoresis technique. In the seedlings produced from the T22-treated seeds, there were 104 up-regulated proteins and 164 down-regulated proteins relative to the control, and 97 and 150, respectively, aftel treatment with T22 ＋ P. ultimum; however, with P. ultimum alone the values were much lower than with the other two treatments. The correlation coefficient values were 0.72, 0.51 and 0.49 for the comparison of protein spot distribution on gel among control with T22, P. ultimum and T22 ＋ P. ultimum, respectively. So it seemed that P. ultimum infection was more effective than T22 in interfering with the host proteome profile. Furthermore, analysis with MALDITOF-MAS showed that some important proteins associated with defensive reactions were identified in T22 or T22 ＋ P. ultimum treatments, including endochitinase, pathogenesis-related protein PRMS （pathogenesis-related maize seed）, GTP-binding protein, isoflavone reductase and other proteins related to respiration. All those proteins are probably part of the network of resistance or development-related proteins. Interestingly, P. ultimum treatment resulted in elimination of pathogenesis-related protein PRMS on gel, and therefore damping-off could be in part attributed to inhibition of the expression of this protein by P. ultimum infection. Some unknown proteins are also related to the defensive reaction of the host.     

寡雄腐霉发酵液对番茄生长的影响及对灰霉病的防治作用

为了研发对番茄灰霉病高效、稳定、安全的生物农药,试验利用自主分离获得的寡雄腐霉菌株制备发酵液,采用盆栽试验研究寡雄腐霉发酵液对番茄生长的影响和对灰霉病的防治效果及机制,并在大田生产中验证其生防效果。结果表明,盆栽试验中,寡雄腐霉发酵液促进健康番茄植株生长,植株总生物量和根系生物量分别增加9.5%和15.4%,提高了植株叶绿素含量、根系活力及氮、磷、钾吸收量,并使带病番茄植株的发病率和病情指数分别降低57.2%和60.3%,相对防治效果达60.3%,施用寡雄腐霉发酵液对番茄叶片细胞膜具有保护性,降低丙二醛含量,提高病原性相关酶""超氧化物歧化酶、多酚氧化酶和苯丙氨酸解氨酶活性。后续田间试验中寡雄腐霉发酵液对番茄灰霉病的防治效果达71.2%。说明寡雄腐霉发酵液能有效防治番茄灰霉病,还具有促进番茄生长的作用,并且可诱导番茄植株对病原菌的防御作用,应用前景广泛。