Les pommiers sont la cible de nombreux ravageurs et maladies fongiques, à l’origine de pertes économiques importantes. Les agriculteurs sont dans l’obligation de traiter les micro-organismes responsables des maladies fongiques, notamment à l’aide de pesticides. Les produits phytosanitaires sont aujourd’hui très controversés. Ainsi, les pouvoirs publics, français et européens, contrôlent leur emploi par de nombreuses règlementations. Par conséquent, il apparaît nécessaire de proposer une alternative peu rémanente permettant de contrôler le développement fongique. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’évaluer l’efficacité d’une alternative innovante basée sur l’emploi d’eau chargée en ozone contre quatre espèces fongiques à l’origine des principales maladies du pommier : Venturia inaequalis, Botrytis cinerea, Neofabraea alba et Phytophthora syringae. Dans un premier temps, ce travail de thèse a permis de vérifier l’action anti-fongique de l’ozone sur les suspensions de spores des quatre espèces fongiques ainsi que sur différents stades de développement des spores de V.inaequalis. Il a été mis en évidence une différence de sensibilité selon l’espèce et le stade de développement considérés. Par ailleurs, l’altération de la membrane sous l’action de l’ozone a été observée par plusieurs expérimentations : quantification du degré de peroxydation des phospholipides membranaires, observations des spores au Microscope Electronique à Balayage et au Microscope Optique après colorations. Dans un second temps, l’effet de l’eau chargée en ozone a été évalué sur des jeunes plants de pommiers préalablement contaminés par les spores de V.inaequalis. Cette étude a confirmé l’action anti-fongique de l’eau chargée en ozone. Il a également été observé l’importance des quantités d’eau et d’ozone apportées qui doivent être maîtrisées pour optimiser l’efficacité du traitement. Ces résultats permettent de valider la candidature de l’ozone comme fongicide alternatif à l’emploi de produits phytosanitaires. Les modalités d’application devront faire l’objet de recherches supplémentaires en vue du transfert de la technologie du laboratoire au verger. / Apple trees are the target of a lot of pests and fungal diseases, responsible for many economic losses. Farmers treat these micro-organisms mainly with pesticides. Plant-protection products are today very controversial. French and European authorities control their use by means of numerous regulations. Therefore, an alternative solution with a low remanence must be found in order to limit fungal diseases. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the innovative process efficiency based on the use of ozonated water against four fungal species: Venturia inaequalis, Botrytis cinerea, Neofabraea alba and Phytophthora syringae. Firstly, this work of thesis verified the ozone antifungal action on spores suspensions of the four fungal species and on different stages of development of V.inaequalis spores. According to the species and stages of development considered, a difference of sensibility was detected. Moreover, alteration of the membrane, due to ozone action, was observed thanks to several experimentations: quantification of phospholipids peroxidation, spore observations with Scanning Electron Microscopy and with Optical Microscopy after staining. Secondly, the ozonated water effects on seedlings previously contaminated by V.inaequalis spores were evaluated. This study confirmed the anti-fungal action of water containing ozone. It was also observed the importance of the water and of ozone quantities supplied. These quantities must be controlled to optimize the antifungal action of the treatment. These results validated the ozone application as a fungicide alternative of use of pesticides. Additional researches will be made concerning the treatment modalities: the aim is to transfer the technology from the laboratory to the orchard.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Les microfossiles non-polliniques, des restes de divers organismes préservés dans les sédiments lacustres ou tourbeux, sont de plus en plus couramment employés en paléoécologie. Parmi ces microrestes, les spores de champignons coprophiles sont privilégiées dans les reconstructions des activités humaines telles que les activités pastorales. L’aptitude de ces spores à refléter la présence ou l’abondance des troupeaux n’est pas encore complètement comprise. Des analogues modernes ont été collectés dans deux zones d’estive, dans les montagnes du Pays Basque et d’Ossau. Des analyses de gradients contraintes par des variables environnementales ont permis d’identifier des assemblages non-polliniques associés à diverses conditions environnementales en contexte humide et terrestre. Un cortège d’ascospores de groupes coprophiles liées aux activités pastorales a pu être isolé. Les référentiels ont également fourni des informations sur la portée spatiale de l’information non-pollinique.Les microfossiles non-polliniques ont été étudiés dans quatre séquences tourbeuses en complément d’autres sources d’informations paléoenvironnementales (pollen, signal incendie). Ils ont fourni les informations sur les dynamiques des quatre sites durant l’Holocène et les périodes historiques. Les résultats des référentiels sont appliqués à l’interprétation des dynamiques pastorales. Les résultats modernes et fossiles montrent que la charge pastorale n’est pas le seul paramètre qui influence les signaux coprophiles ; ces spores pourraient avoir un potentiel d’indicateurs paléoenvironnementaux et pastoraux plus étendu qu’attendu.Les ascospores de groupes coprophiles sont décrites et illustrées ainsi que d’autres microfossiles fongiques, algaux et indéterminés. / Non-pollen palynomorphs, microscopic remains produced by a variety of organisms and preserved in peat and lake sediments, are now more widely used in palaeoenvironmental studies. In particular, spores of coprophilous fungi are considered as an adapted tool to reconstruct past land-use such as pastoral activities. However, their ability to reflect the presence and/or the number of cattle is not fully understood yet. Modern analogs from summer pastures in the Basque Mountains and the Ossau valley have been collected. Numerical analysis of modern non pollen-palynomorphs and environmental variables helped to distinguish several pools of microremains associated to distinct environmental conditions in both terrestrial and wet ecosystems. A group of ascospores of dung-related fungi clearly related to grazing activities was isolated. The modern dataset also provided useful information on the spatial scale represented by non-pollen palynomorphs. Fossil non-pollen palynomorphs from four peat records, combined with other palaeoenvironmental data (pollen, fire frequencies), have been studied. They informed on the evolution of the local conditions of the wetlands during Holocene and historical times. The modern data set is used to aid interpretation of the dynamics of past land-use and pastoral activities. The results from both modern and fossil approaches show that other parameters than the grazing pressure can induce variability in the copropilous signals; the indicative value of dung-related ascospores might be broader than expected. The ascospores of dung-related taxa are described and illustrated, alongside with other fungal, algal and unidentified microremains.

Concern regarding the health effects of indoor air quality has grown in recent years, due to the increased prevalence of many diseases, as well as the fact that many people now spend most of their time indoors. While numerous studies have reported on the dynamics of aerosols indoors, the dynamics of bioaerosols in indoor environments are still poorly understood and very few studies have focused on fungal spore dynamics in indoor environments. Consequently, this work investigated the dynamics of fungal spores in indoor air, including fungal spore release and deposition, as well as investigating the mechanisms involved in the fungal spore fragmentation process. In relation to the investigation of fungal spore dynamics, it was found that the deposition rates of the bioaerosols (fungal propagules) were in the same range as the deposition rates of nonbiological particles and that they were a function of their aerodynamic diameters. It was also found that fungal particle deposition rates increased with increasing ventilation rates. These results (which are reported for the first time) are important for developing an understanding of the dynamics of fungal spores in the air. In relation to the process of fungal spore fragmentation, important information was generated concerning the airborne dynamics of the spores, as well as the part/s of the fungi which undergo fragmentation. The results obtained from these investigations into the dynamics of fungal propagules in indoor air significantly advance knowledge about the fate of fungal propagules in indoor air, as well as their deposition in the respiratory tract. The need to develop an advanced, real-time method for monitoring bioaerosols has become increasingly important in recent years, particularly as a result of the increased threat from biological weapons and bioterrorism. However, to date, the Ultraviolet Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (UVAPS, Model 3312, TSI, St Paul, MN) is the only commercially available instrument capable of monitoring and measuring viable airborne micro-organisms in real-time. Therefore (for the first time), this work also investigated the ability of the UVAPS to measure and characterise fungal spores in indoor air. The UVAPS was found to be sufficiently sensitive for detecting and measuring fungal propagules. Based on fungal spore size distributions, together with fluorescent percentages and intensities, it was also found to be capable of discriminating between two fungal spore species, under controlled laboratory conditions. In the field, however, it would not be possible to use the UVAPS to differentiate between different fungal spore species because the different micro-organisms present in the air may not only vary in age, but may have also been subjected to different environmental conditions. In addition, while the real-time UVAPS was found to be a good tool for the investigation of fungal particles under controlled conditions, it was not found to be selective for bioaerosols only (as per design specifications). In conclusion, the UVAPS is not recommended for use in the direct measurement of airborne viable bioaerosols in the field, including fungal particles, and further investigations into the nature of the micro-organisms, the UVAPS itself and/or its use in conjunction with other conventional biosamplers, are necessary in order to obtain more realistic results. Overall, the results obtained from this work on airborne fungal particle dynamics will contribute towards improving the detection capabilities of the UVAPS, so that it is capable of selectively monitoring and measuring bioaerosols, for which it was originally designed. This work will assist in finding and/or improving other technologies capable of the real-time monitoring of bioaerosols. The knowledge obtained from this work will also be of benefit in various other bioaerosol applications, such as understanding the transport of bioaerosols indoors.

When tomato Craigella is infected with Verticillium dahliae Dvd-E6 (Dvd-E6), a tolerant state is induced with substantial pathogen load, but few symptoms. Unexpectedly, these plants are more robust and taller with Dvd-E6 behaving as an endophyte. Some endophytes can protect plants from virulent pathogens. This research was undertaken to improve understanding of the cellular and molecular nature of Verticillium tolerance in tomato, especially whether infection by Dvd-E6 can protect Craigella from virulent V. dahliae, race 1 (Vd1). To permit mixed infection experiments a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based assay was developed and used for differentiating Dvd-E6 from Vd1, when present in mixed infections. The results suggested that protection involves molecular interplay between Dvd-E6 and Vd1 in susceptible Craigella (CS) tomatoes, resulting in restricted Vd1 colonization. Further studies showed a dramatic reduction of Vd1 spores and mycelia. To examine genetic changes that account for these biological changes, a customized DNA chip (TVR) was used to analyze defense gene mRNA levels. The defense gene response was categorized into four groups. Group 1 was characterized by strong induction of defense genes followed by suppression. However, Vd1-induced gene suppression was blocked by Dvd-E6 in mixed infections. These genes included some transcription factors and PR proteins such as class IV chitinases and beta glucanases which are known to target fungal spores and mycelia. Experiments also were repeated with a Craigella resistant (CR) isoline containing a fully active Ve locus (Ve1+ and Ve2+). The biological results showed that the presence of the Ve1+ allele resulted in restricted Vd1 colonization and, in a mixed infection with Dvd-E6, Vd1 was completely eliminated from the plant stem. Surprisingly, there was no significant increase in defense gene mRNAs. Rather, elevated basal levels of defense gene products appeared sufficient to combat pathogen attack. To investigate functional effects of the genetic changes observed, an inducible RNAi knockdown vector for a defense gene (TUS15G8) with unknown function (pMW4-TUS15G8) as well as the Ve2 resistance gene (pMW-Ve2) was prepared as a initial step for future transformation analyses. Taken together the results reveal intriguing but complex biological and molecular changes in mixed infections, which remain a basis for future experiments and potential agricultural benefits. / Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan