The need for profitable soybean production practices gain continually with increasing input costs and reduced profit margins. Constant cultivar and product developments has resulted in limited current data available regarding the profitability of preventative fungicide applications and physiological benefits that can occur from these applications. Research was conducted during 2017 and 2018 to determine optimal fungicide application timing, while assessing multiple fungicide options and resulting effect on soybean grain yield, seed quality, and profitability. Additional research was conducted to determine optimal row spacing, planting date and fungicide application combinations to maximize soybean production profitability. These data suggest using multi-mode of action fungicide treatments increased soybean grain yield, regardless of application timing. These data also suggest, profitability from application of multi-mode of action fungicides can be observed at lower adjusted market prices.

Macrophomina phaseolina is a generalist ascomycetic fungal pathogen, capable of infecting over 500 genera of plants and limiting yield in crops grown in Mississippi. Recent documentation of M. phaseolina on Impatiens × hybrida, a newfound host, has merited multiple experiments to quantify the exact nature of this relationship. Despite M. phaseolina being a soil-borne pathogen, disease symptoms were only reported in aboveground tissue. Mode of infection experiments revealed both above and belowground tissues are susceptible to infection. In vitro experiments identified the optimal temperature for the growth of M. phaseolina to be 26°C, where more than 10x the accumulated biomass resulted compared to samples grown at 37°C. Impatiens × hybrida hosts were particularly prone to infection at temperatures above 27°C. In vitro fungicide assays revealed Banrot and T-Bird to be suitable chemical control agents for limiting M. phaseolina growth.

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa F.T. Bennett, the causal agent associated with dollar spot, is a common and economically challenging turfgrass disease in North America. Acceptable turfgrass quality requires the optimization of cultural practices and the judicious use of fungicides. Sclerotinia homoeocarpa causes significant damage to turfgrass swards from May to October annually, therefore, requiring multiple fungicide applications to maintain satisfactory turfgrass quality throughout the growing season. Sterol demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides are among the most widely used in the United States and frequent use has led to the development of fungicide resistance to the DMI fungicide class. The precise mechanism of DMI fungicide resistance in S. homoeocarpa is not completely understood, however over expression of the CPY51A gene or efflux transporter genes have been reported as the molecular mechanism for other fungal systems. Fungicide resistance to the DMI class exhibits a gradual population shift towards insensitivity that can be monitored using In vitro fungicide sensitivity assays. In vitro fungicide sensitivity assays have been used to detect fungicide sensitivity differences in different S. homoeocarpa isolates and currently serve as the most accurate methodology to detect DMI insensitivity in S. homoeocarpa. Documentation of DMI field efficacy on native S. homoeocarpa populations with differing in vitro sensitivities has not been examined thoroughly and would provide critical information regarding the association between in vitro fungicide sensitivity and DMI field efficacy. The objectives of this research are (i) to determine the association between in vitro propiconazole sensitivity and reduced field efficacy for five native S. homoeocarpa populations and (ii) to develop a qualitative in vitro sensitivity assay for detection of S. homoeocarpa isolates responsible for practical field resistance.

Strawberry production in California is limited by plant diseases such as Macrophomina root rot (caused by Macrophomina phaseolina) and Botrytis fruit rot (BFR) (caused by Botrytis cinerea). Current disease management strategies are compromised due to fumigant regulations or ineffective disease management practices. This thesis investigated methods to potentially improve the management of these two diseases. Host plant resistance evaluations for Macrophomina root rot were conducted for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 growing seasons. Fifty-one strawberry genotypes were screened in two field experiments where plants were inoculated artificially with Macrophomina phaseolina in both seasons. A wide range of plant resistance to Macrophomina root rot was observed. The three most resistant genotypes based on final plant mortality were ‘17C721P606’, ‘Yunuen’, and ‘Xareni’ in 2020-2021; ‘UCD Mojo’, ‘Mariposa’, and ‘Dayana’ in 2021-2022. A summary of similar experiments done in the previous four years showed ‘Osceola’ as highly resistant. Disease severity varied among years for specific genotypes as well as the average final mortality for all genotypes in the experiments. Strong positive associations were found for soil temperature during the first month after planting (R2= 0.79, P2= 0.79, P A survey of BFR levels in commercial strawberry fields with and without fungicide applications was conducted in Santa Maria, CA in 2021 and 2022. Weather stations were installed at each field to collect leaf wetness duration and temperature data and calculate the BFR risk factor based on the Strawberry Advisory System (StAS) developed at the University of Florida. There were no statistically significant differences between fungicide and no-fungicide treatments for both in-field and postharvest BFR incidence in 2021 and in-field BFR incidence in 2022, while no-fungicide treatment showed higher postharvest BFR incidence in 2022. BFR levels were low in both years. In 2021, average in-field BFR incidence for fungicide and no-fungicide treatments were 2.6 ± 0.3% and 2.5 ± 0.4%, respectively. Average postharvest BFR incidence for fungicide and no-fungicide treatments were 1.8 ± 0.2% and 2.0 ± 0.3%, respectively. In 2022, average in-field BFR incidence for fungicide and no-fungicide treatments were 3.0 ± 0.4% and 3.7 ± 0.4%, respectively. Average postharvest BFR incidence for fungicide and no-fungicide treatments were 0.6 ± 0.1% and 1.5 ± 0.2%, respectively. Risk factor from StAS was significantly associated with BFR incidence in 2021, but not in 2022. Screening new strawberry genotypes against Macrophomina root rot should be ongoing as part of a standard process for determining the susceptibility of currently grown and potentially new cultivars. Additional research under more diverse weather conditions is necessary to verify the impacts of reducing fungicide use in BFR management and to validate the use of StAS in making fungicide use decisions in California fields.

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Target spot, caused by Corynespora cassiicola, is a common lower canopy disease of soybean in the southern United States. Given the recent resurgence of target spot and increasing reports of resistance to the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicide class within C. cassiicola, a survey of C. cassiicola from the Mississippi soybean production system was initiated in 2019 to determine the nature of its resistance mechanisms. A total of 819 monoconidial isolates were collected from 228 geographic field locations in 75 Mississippi counties. The molecular mechanism of resistance was determined using a PCR-RFLP analysis by comparing nucleotide sequences in the cytochrome b gene. The percentage of isolates containing the G143A substitution increased from 71.3% in 2016 to 93.5% in 2021. In all, 85.8% of the C. cassiicola isolates carried the G143A substitution. The EC50 values of QoI-resistant and -sensitive isolates to azoxystrobin varied significantly with QoI-sensitive isolates exhibiting lower EC50 values than QoI-resistant isolates. Moreover, results of fitness evaluations indicated that QoI-resistant isolates are more competitive than QoI-sensitive isolates and there were no fitness costs associated with QoI resistance in C. cassiicola. Additionally, the sensitivity of six C. cassiicola isolates to eight fungicide active ingredients in four fungicide classes were evaluated. Results indicated that three succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors benzovindiflupyr, fluxapyroxad, and pydiflumetofen were the most effective in inhibiting mycelial growth regardless of isolate phenotype followed by the methyl benzimidazole carbamate thiophanate-methyl, two demethylation inhibitors (DMI) difenoconazole and flutriafol, the QoI pyraclostrobin, and the DMI prothioconazole. Furthermore, the efficacy of seven commercial fungicides on target spot was evaluated in the greenhouse and field. Pydiflumetofen + difenoconazole, fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin, and thiophanate-methyl delayed disease progress and protected soybean yield, which indicated their effectiveness in managing target spot. Pydiflumetofen + difenoconazole also significantly reduced defoliation. Notably, fungicides applied at R3 were more effective in reducing disease severity and defoliation than additional growth stage timings. The current study revealed a reduction in C. cassiicola sensitivity to QoI fungicides and a shift to QoI-resistant populations exhibiting fitness advantages. Our findings provide pertinent information for growers as to which fungicides should be recommended to manage target spot.

Apple scab (causal organism: Venturia inaequalis) is an economically devastating disease of apples that is predominantly controlled with fungicides. Of the chemical classes currently available, the sterol-inhibiting (SI) and strobilurin (QoI) fungicides are the most commonly used. Recent observations indicate that V. inaequalis populations in Virginia have developed resistance to myclobutanil and other SIs. However, little is known about the frequency and distribution of SI and QoI resistance in Virginia's scab populations. The first objective of this research was to evaluate V. inaequalis populations in Virginia for SI and QoI resistance. Fungal isolates were collected from experimental orchards at the Alson H. Smith Jr., Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AHS AREC) and from commercial orchards in Virginia and Maryland. Sensitivities were determined by assessing colony growth at 19°C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 0 or 1.0 µg ml-1 of myclobutanil (SI) (N=87) or trifloxystrobin (QoI) (N=25) at 28 days. A range of fungicide sensitivity was observed for both chemical classes. The second objective of this research was to monitor the temporal dynamics of SI resistance over five sequential field seasons. To monitor shoot growth, neon rubber bands were placed over actively growing shoot tips following myclobutanil application or sample collection. Fungal isolates were collected from the same trees from 2007 through 2010 (N=176) and compared with isolates collected from wild apple seedlings (N=3). A continuum of SI resistance was observed for each year, and the V. inaequalis population exhibited a baseline shifted toward reduced sensitivity. The third objective of this research was to examine the spatial distribution of SI fungicide resistance within the tree canopy in a lower-density orchard (less than 150 trees A-1). Leaves collected from larger trees (>8m) in a lower-density orchard at the AHS AREC were analyzed for manganese deposition, pre- and post-mancozeb application. Fungal isolates (N=105) were collected from several locations within the canopy in replicated trees in the same orchard. Weather sensors also monitored the microclimates within those tree canopies. Spray deposition, microclimate and SI resistance were influenced by canopy location. The fourth objective of this research was to investigate potential SI resistance mechanisms. Previously classified isolates were screened for point mutations within the CYP51A1 gene (Appendix C), differences in polymorphic bands (alleles) (Appendix D), and differences in metabolism of myclobutanil (Appendix E). The consensus sequences for the CYP51A1 gene were identical for all isolates tested (N=9), and results from amplified fragment length polymorphism experiment (N=82) were inconclusive. There were, however, significant differences among incubation time and myclobutanil concentration in the bioassay (N=11). Our results indicate that myclobutanil is still an effective compound for control of apple scab in many areas of Virginia. / Ph. D.

Maximizing productivity and profitability are the primary reasons for double-cropping soybean with small grain in the Mid-Atlantic, USA. Reduced double-crop yield can be attributed to: delayed planting that results in a shortened growing season and less vegetative growth; later-maturing cultivars that terminate main stem growth after flowering and have less growth and nodes; less soil moisture and plant-available nutrients due to small grain uptake; greater air and soil temperatures during vegetative stages that reduce early-season growth; and more favorable conditions for disease development during pod and seed formation. Field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 in eastern Virginia to 1) evaluate cultivar stem growth habit, seeding rate, seed-applied inoculant, starter nitrogen (N) applied at planting, and foliar fungicide on soybean vegetative growth, total N uptake (TNU), seed yield and quality, and yield components; 2) determine the effect of starter N rate, applied with and without inoculant, on soybean vegetative growth, TNU, seed yield and quality, and yield components; and 3) evaluate the response of maturity group (MG) IV and V soybean cultivars to foliar fungicide. Greater seeding rates, inoculant, N, and fungicide typically were not required together to increase yield. Although cultivar interacted with other factors, early-maturing indeterminate 95Y01 yielded more than late-maturing determinate 95Y20 at 4 of 6 locations. Seeding rate interacted with other factors, but the greater seeding rate increased MG IV yield at 1 of 6 locations and decreased MG V yield at 2 of 6 locations. Starter N increased seed yield by 6 kg ha-1 per kg N applied until yield plateaued at 16 kg N ha-1, which continued to 31 kg N ha-1. When N rate was increased greater than 31 kg N ha-1, yield decreased. Fungicide increased yield for MG IV and V cultivars at 4 of 6 and 3 of 6 locations, respectively and prevented yield loss via mid- to late-season disease control, delayed leaf drop, and greater seed size. Optimum fungicide timing depended on environment and disease development. These data assisted in understanding agronomic inputs' combined or individual effects on double-crop soybean growth, canopy, N uptake, seed yield, and yield components. / Ph. D.