<p>  </p> <p>Over the past two decades, emerging fungal pathogens have been reported in numerous groups ranging from mammals to key crop species across the globe. To combat the rise of these fungal pathogens in industrial agriculture, fungicides have been developed and subsequently applied en masse. Despite their growing usage, research examining the effects of these anthropogenic contaminants on natural systems is severely limited compared to other major classes of pesticides. Of particular concern are their impacts on aquatic systems, which can be especially at risk due to their proximity to agriculture. Herein I used a tiered approach to assess the impacts of this class of pesticides on aquatic ecosystems using amphibians as model system. In the first chapter, I assessed the acute toxicity of two widely applied fungicides, pyraclostrobin and chlorothalonil, to six different species of amphibians commonly found in the Midwest. My results showed that these fungicides are very acutely toxic to several species of amphibians at levels within the expected environmental concentration (EEC). In the second chapter, I examined the impacts of long-term low-dose exposure of pyraclostrobin on the growth, development, and activity levels of three species of amphibians. Despite the acute toxicity of pyraclostrobin, sublethal effects of the fungicide were rather limited with only minor effect on growth and activity. In the third chapter, I investigated the effects of fungicide exposure on host-parasite interactions using trematodes and American Bullfrog tadpoles. I found that in all treatments pyraclostrobin increased parasite loads from ~3 to 8 times compared to control tadpoles. Additionally, parasite loads were approximately 2 times higher in tadpoles with the continued fungicide exposures compared to those tadpoles that were moved to fresh water following initial fungicide exposure. Finally, my fourth chapter investigated the impact of pyraclostrobin and chlorothalonil application regime on community-level interactions under semi-natural conditions. While chlorothalonil had limited effects on the community, I found that pyraclostrobin was acutely toxic to Gray Treefrogs at environmentally relevant concentrations and these effects were stronger with more frequent applications. Collectively, my research has demonstrated that fungicides can be acutely toxic to amphibians at EECs under laboratory and semi-natural conditions. Additionally, they have the potential to alter disease dynamics by increasing infection risk. Given our increasing usage of fungicides to control emerging fungal pathogens, a greater emphasis on understanding the environmental implications of this management strategy is needed to inform ecological risk assessments. </p>

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The soybean cultivars reaction to the causal agent of asian rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd.) and mixing responsiveness of DeMethylation Inhibitor (DMI) and Quinone outsite Inhibitor (QoI) fungicides are important factors to be determined for the management of the pathogen. The activity of these fungicides sprayed on the leaves depends on the amount that it reaches the biochemical action site and the compound efficacy. Thus, the proportion of leaf deposit that it enters the leaf, the rate of entry and dissipation in the leaf tissue are determinant for the activity and diseases residual control after the occurrence of a wash. The chapter I objective was to evaluate the reaction of fifteen soybean cultivars to the causal agent of soybean rust and the responsiveness mixing Active Ingredients (AI) epoxiconazole (EPOX) + pyraclostrobin (PYR) and prothioconazole (PROT) + trifloxystrobin (TRIFL). The parameters evaluated were the latency period, residual control, progression and the Area Under the Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC). In the Chapter II, the EPOX and PYR persistence associated with mancozeb (Mz) was determined under greenhouse conditions in two commercial soybean cultivars. Artificial washes were used to determine the concentration of the remaining AI on the foliar tissues after the spraying. For this purpose, the leaves were washed with water at 0.17, 1, 2, 4, 48, 96, 192 h after the fungicide spraying and immediately collected. The EPOX and PYR concentrations were also determined on leaves at 12, 16 and 20 days after spraying. Through the high performance liquid chromatographic analysis and the experimental design, it was possible to measure the EPOX and PYR concentrations penetrated and it dissipated in whole-plant leaves, associated or not to mancozeb. The influence of the interaction between leaflets age and cultivars in the EPOX and PYR concentration on leaves after the spraying was also evaluated. Due to the scarcity of detailed studies on the performance of site-specific fungicides associated with multisite fungicides, in the Chapter III was investigated the asian rust severity and the residual control of the EPOX and PYR mixture associated mancozeb. In the chapter I, it was verified that the responsiveness of DMI and QoI mixtures to P. pachyrhizi is different among the cultivars. The greatest residual control of the pathogen in the different cultivars was through of the PROT + TRIFL spraying. In the chapter II, it was verified that mancozeb influences the persistence of DMI and QoI fungicides in soybean cultivars. The EPOX penetration rate in the cultivars was faster without the association of mancozeb to the fungicide (DMI + QoI). The association of mancozeb to the fungicide (DMI + QoI) reduced the penetration rate of PYR in DM 6563 RSF IPRO cultivar. The PYR concentration in leaves of the two cultivars at 48 h after spraying was similar by the association or not of the fungicide with mancozeb. The cultivars showed different AI penetration rates in leaves. It was observed a reduction of the AI concentrations in the foliar tissues after 48 h of the spraying, evidencing a dissipation process of the AI, after this time. The association of mancozeb to the fungicide (DMI + QoI) only influenced the persistence of PYR at 16 days after spraying in DM 6563 RSF IPRO cultivar. The dissipation rate of PYR is different between the leaves cultivars. The penetration of the AI is greater in younger leaves than in older leaves. The concentrations of PYR in soybean leaves were higher than EPOX at different sampling times, after the fungicide spraying. In the chapter III, it was verified that mancozeb associated with EPOX + PYR in spray solution increases the residual control of P. pachyrhizi and it reduces the disease severity. / A reação de cultivares de soja ao agente causal da ferrugem asiática (Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd.) e responsividade de mistura de fungicidas Inibidores da DesMetilação (IDM) e Inibidores da Quinona oxidase (IQo) são importantes fatores a serem determinados para o manejo do patógeno. A atividade desses fungicidas pulverizados na folha depende da quantidade que atinge o local de ação bioquímico e da eficácia do composto. Assim, a proporção do depósito foliar que entra na folha, a taxa de entrada e sua dissipação no tecido foliar são determinantes para a atividade e residual no controle das doenças após a ocorrência de uma lavagem. O capítulo I teve como objetivo avaliar a reação de quinze cultivares de soja ao agente causal da ferrugem asiática e responsividade da mistura dos ingredientes ativos (IA) epoxiconazol (EPOX) + piraclostrobina (PIR) e protioconazol (PROT) + trifloxistrobina (TRIFL). Os parâmetros avaliados foram o período de latência, residual de controle, progresso e a área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD). No capítulo II, a persistência de EPOX e PIR associadas com mancozebe (Mz) em duas cultivares comerciais de soja foi determinada em condições de casa de vegetação. Lavagens artificiais foram utilizadas para determinar a concentração dos IA remanescentes nos tecidos foliares após a pulverização. Para isso, as folhas foram lavadas com água 0,17, 1, 2, 4, 48, 96, 192 h após a pulverização do fungicida e imediatamente coletadas. As concentrações de EPOX e PIR também foram determinadas em folhas aos 12, 16 e 20 dias após a pulverização. Através da análise cromatográfica liquida de alta eficiência e do desenho experimental foi possível mensurar as concentrações de EPOX e PIR penetradas e dissipadas em folhas de planta inteira, associadas ou não à mancozebe. A influência da interação de idade de trifólios e cultivares sobre as concentrações de EPOX e PIR após a pulverização também foi avaliada. Devido à escassez de estudos detalhados sobre o desempenho dos fungicidas sítio-específicos associados aos fungicidas multissítios, no capítulo III foi investigado a severidade de ferrugem asiática e o residual de controle da mistura de EPOX e PIR associada ao mancozebe. No capítulo I foi verificado que a responsividade de misturas de IDM e IQo à P. pachyrhizi é distinta entre as cultivares. O maior residual de controle do patógeno nas diferentes cultivares foi através da pulverização de PROT + TRIFL. No capítulo II foi verificado que mancozebe influencia a persistência de fungicidas IDM e IQo em cultivares de soja. A taxa de penetração de EPOX nas cultivares foi mais rápida sem a associação de mancozebe ao fungicida (IDM + IQo). A associação de mancozebe ao fungicida (IDM + IQo) reduziu a taxa de penetração de PIR na cultivar DM 6563 RSF IPRO. A concentração de PIR em folhas das duas cultivares às 48 h após a pulverização foi semelhante pela associação ou não do fungicida com mancozebe. As cultivares apresentaram diferentes taxas de penetração dos IA em folhas. Observou-se uma redução das concentrações dos IA nos tecidos foliares após 48 h da pulverização, evidenciando um processo de dissipação dos IA, após esse tempo. A associação de mancozebe ao fungicida (IDM + IQo) somente influenciou a persistência de PIR aos 16 dias após a pulverização na cultivar DM 6563 RSF IPRO. A taxa de dissipação de PIR em folhas é diferente entre as cultivares. A penetração dos IA é maior em folhas mais novas do que em folhas velhas. As concentrações de PIR em folhas de soja foram superiores que EPOX nos diferentes tempos de coletas, após a pulverização do fungicida. No capítulo III foi verificado que mancozebe associado com EPOX + PIR em calda de pulverização aumenta o residual de controle de P. pachyrhizi e reduz a severidade da doença.

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