First Report of Greeneria uvicola Causing Bitter Rot of Grape in China

In 2013, bitter rot of grape was observed in Changbei Vineyard located in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, China. Greeneria species was consistently isolated from the diseased grape berries (Vitis labruscana cv. Kyoho) at approximately 91% of isolation rate in three independent experiments. The species was identified as Greeneria uvicola based on the morphological characteristics, cultural appearance and sequence analysis. Koch's postulates were fulfilled through pathogenicity tests on detached healthy Kyoho grape berries. To our knowledge, this is the first report of G. uvicola causing bitter rot of grape in China.     

当归根显微结构及其根腐病真菌分布研究

利用徒手切片、石蜡切片和超薄切片及显微摄像的方法,对当归根的显微结构及根腐病致病真菌的分布进行了研究。结果表明:当归的根由周皮和次生维管组织两部分组成,周皮由外向内依次分为木栓层、木栓形成层、栓内层;次生韧皮部占根径的比例在60%以上,主要成分包括筛胞、韧皮薄壁细胞、韧皮纤维和分泌道,薄壁细胞富含淀粉粒等营养物质;次生木质部由导管、木薄壁细胞和木射线组成,木质部呈多元形,木射线和韧皮射线明显。在根的周皮细胞和中柱中均有真菌分布,说明真菌由木栓层、木栓形成层、栓内层依次向里侵入到韧皮薄壁细胞,在薄壁细胞内定殖并形成菌丝结或团块状结构,进而扩展成一定的侵染区域;真菌不仅侵染周皮和韧皮部,而且还进一步侵染木质部并破坏导管。此外,研究还发现,淀粉粒是真菌定殖的主要场所,真菌穿透或缠绕在淀粉粒上,并利用其营养不断地生长与繁殖。     

Impact of Continuous Cropping of Lettuce on the Disease Dynamics of Bottom Rot and Genotypic Diversity of Rhizoctonia solani AG 1‐IB

The impact of continuous cropping of lettuce on the disease dynamics of bottom rot and genotypic diversity of the causal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG 1‐IB was studied over 3 years with two crops per year within a field naturally infested with R. solani the pathogen. This field had not had lettuce cultivated in it for 7 years. The disease incidence (DI) and disease severity (DS) were assessed at each harvest and mapped. Surprisingly, a high DI was already observed in the first crop of year one of this field study. In addition, the pathogen was also found to be evenly distributed. Severely infected plants occurred mainly in patches, and the position varied between crops. A significant increase in DS was already observed in the second year, and both temperature conditions and continuous cropping influenced the DS on average over time. Rhizoctonia isolates were randomly collected from the first crop in 1999 and the sixth crop in 2001. The genotypic diversity within the subgroup of R. solani AG 1‐IB was analysed by BOX‐PCR genomic fingerprinting and the aggressiveness of isolates by bioassay. The fingerprints revealed a high level of genotypic diversity within the AG 1‐IB field population. However, continuous cropping was found not to have an impact on genotypic diversity and aggressiveness.     

Laccase production and simultaneous decolorization of synthetic dyes in unique inexpensive medium by new isolates of white rot fungus

Morphological and biochemical analysis of the newly isolated white rot fungal (WRF-1) strain has ability to secrete laccase in the economical medium consisted of synthetic dyes, groundnut shell (GNS) and cyanobacterial biomass (algal bloom) under submerged shaking condition at pH 5.0 and 30 °C ± 2 °C temperature. WRF-1 strain was found to decolorize synthetic dyes efficiently at pH 5.0 and 30 °C ± 2 °C temperature. The laccase activity of strain was purified to homogeneity by chromatography with yield up to 70%. The molecular mass of laccase was found to be 70 kDa by SDS-PAGE and isoelectric point was 4.8. Biotransformation of the dyes was followed spectrophotometrically and dyes were found to decolorize completely after 6 days of fermentation. LC-MS studies were used to decipher the degradation profile of synthetic dyes by WRF-1. Indigo carmine gets degraded to isatin sulfonic acid and 4-amino-3-methylbenzenesulphonic acid whereas methyl orange degraded metabolites were identified as p-N,N′-dimethylamine phenyldiazine and p-hydroxybenzene sulfonic acid. Thus the study would give a road map for the production and application of laccase enzyme on a larger scale using low cost substrate.     

Biodelignification of wheat straw and its effect on in vitro digestibility and antioxidant properties

A variety of methods for feed development have been introduced during last few years. Bioprocessed agricultural residues may prove a better alternative to provide animal feed. For the purpose, some white rot fungi were allowed to degrade wheat straw up to 30 days under solid state conditions. Several parameters including loss in total organic matter, ligninolysis, in vitro digestibility of wheat straw and estimation of different antioxidant activities were studied. All the fungi were able to degrade lignin and enhance the in vitro digestibility. Among all the tested fungi, Phlebia brevispora degraded maximum lignin (30.6%) and enhanced the digestibility from 172 to 287 g/kg. Different antioxidant properties of fungal degraded wheat straw were higher as compared to the uninoculated control straw. Phlebia floridensis found to be more efficient organism in terms of higher antioxidant activity (70.8%) and total phenolic content (9.8 mg/ml). Thus, bioprocessing of the wheat straw with the help of these organisms seems to be a better approach for providing the animal feed in terms of enhanced digestibility, higher protein content, higher antioxidant activity and availability of biomass.     

Fusarium species complex and mycotoxins in grain maize from maize hybrid trials and from grower's fields

Aims: To quantify and to compare the occurrence of Fusarium species in maize kernels and stalk pieces, to analyse mycotoxins in kernels and maize crop residues, to evaluate two approaches to obtain kernel samples and to compare two methods for mycotoxin analyses. Methods and Results: The occurrence of Fusarium species in maize kernels and stalk pieces from a three‐year maize hybrid trial and 12 kernel samples from grower’s fields was assessed. Nine to 16 different Fusarium species were detected in maize kernels and stalks. In kernels, F. graminearum, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum were the most prevalent species whereas in stalks, they were F. equiseti, F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides. In 2006, 68% of the kernel samples exceeded the recommended limit for pig feed for deoxynivalenol (DON) and 42% for zearalenone (ZON), respectively. Similarly, 75% of the samples from grower’s fields exceeded the limits for DON and 50% for ZON. In maize crop residues, toxin concentrations ranged from 2·6 to 15·3 mg kg^?1 for DON and from 0·7 to 7·4 mg kg^?1 for ZON. Both approaches to obtain maize kernel samples were valid, and a strong correlation between mycotoxin analysis using ELISA and LC‐MS/MS was found. Conclusions: The contamination of maize kernels, stalk pieces and remaining crop residues with various mycotoxins could pose a risk not only to animal health but also to the environment. With the hand‐picked sample, the entire Fusarium complex can be estimated, whereas combine harvested samples are more representative for the mycotoxin contents in harvested goods. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first multi‐year study investigating mycotoxin contamination in maize kernels as well as in crop residues. The results indicate a high need to identify cropping factors influencing the infection of maize by Fusarium species to establish recommendations for growers.     

Potato Cell Plasma Membrane Receptors to Ring Rot Pathogen Extracellular Polysaccharides

The interaction of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) of the potato ring rot bacterial pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. sepedonicus (Spieck. et Kott.) Skaptason et Burkh. (Cms) with protoplasts isolated both from leaf cells of plants grown in vitro and microsomal membrane fractions obtained from cell suspension cultures of two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars contrasted by their resistance to this pathogen was studied. The EPS intensively bind to protoplast surfaces and microsomal membranes of the susceptible cultivar but not to those of the resistant cultivar. Treatment with protease, excess of unlabelled EPS, and with dextran, did not lead to the binding of fluorochrome‐labelled EPS to protoplasts and microsomal membranes (from both cultivars). It is proposed that (a) a great number of receptors to EPS Cms are present in the plasma membranes of potato cells of susceptible cultivars, (b) these receptors contain proteinaceous sites exposed on the external side of the plasma membrane which participate in EPS binding, and (c) the plasma membranes of cells of resistant cultivars contain a small but sufficient quantity of receptors to EPS able to induce defensive responses in plants.     

An insight into spore dispersal of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ganoderma boninense</Emphasis> on oil palm

The disease of oil palm caused by Ganoderma boninense, although universally referred to as Ganoderma basal stem rot, occurs in three very distinct phases, with basal stem rot only part of the disease cycle. G. boninense also causes a seedling disease and an upper stem rot. An understanding of spore dispersal provides an insight into where spores of G. boninense have a role in the infection process. This role will be discussed in relation to each of these three infection phases. This understanding is a critical component of developing a successful disease control strategy.     

Characterization and mapping of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rpi1</Emphasis>, a gene that confers dominant resistance to stalk rot in maize

The maize inbred lines 1145 (resistant) and Y331 (susceptible), and the F₁, F₂ and BC₁F₁ populations derived from them were inoculated with the pathogen Pythium inflatum Matthews, which causes stalk rot in Zea mays. Field data revealed that the ratio of resistant to susceptible plants was 3:1 in the F₂ population, and 1:1 in the BC₁F₁population, indicating that the resistance to P. inflatum Matthews was controlled by a single dominant gene in the 1145×Y331 cross. The gene that confers resistance to P. inflatum Matthews was designated Rpi1 for resistance to P. inflatum) according to the standard nomenclature for plant disease resistance genes. Fifty SSR markers from 10 chromosomes were first screened in the F₂ population to find markers linked to the Rpi1 gene. The results indicated that umc1702 and mmc0371 were both linked to Rpi1, placing the resistance gene on chromosome 4. RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) markers were then tested in the F₂population using bulked segregant analysis (BSA). Four RAPD products were found to show linkage to the Rpi1 gene. Then 27 SSR markers and 8 RFLP markers in the region encompassing Rpi1 were used for fine-scale mapping of the resistance gene. Two SSR markers and four RFLP markers were linked to the Rpi1 gene. Finally, the Rpi1 gene was mapped between the SSR markers bnlg1937 and agrr286 on chromosome 4, 1.6 cM away from the former and 4.1 cM distant from the latter. This is the first time that a dominant gene for resistance to maize stalk rot caused by P. inflatum Matthews has been mapped with molecular marker techniques.