Stachybotrys elegans (Pidopl.) W. Gams is a destructive mycoparasite of the soilborne plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani. It colonizes effectively all types of cells of R. solani, and is considered as an effective biological control agent (BCA). Monitoring the presence of this mycoparasite in the field trials requires the development of a reliable and sensitive diagnostic assay that is able to detect and differentiate the BCA from their target host. To achieve this, designed SCAR (sequenced characterized amplified regions) primers designated as SE-13F and SE-13R were generated from informative RAPD markers. They were tested in conventional PCR assays alone or in conjunction with the recently developed SCAR primers (SBU-177/336) designed for Rhizoctonia solani (Kuhn) on several types of DNA. These included DNA extracted from pure cultures, co-cultures of the BCA and the pathogen, plant tissue and several types of soils inoculated with both the BCA and the pathogen. Irrespective of the type of the biological samples from which the DNA was extracted, the primers SE-13F/SE-13R successfully amplified only S. elegans. No cross-reaction was observed when the primers were used to amplify DNA of other fungi, bacteria and plant tissues. Likewise, the primer pair SBU-177/336 detected only its target organism, i.e., R. solani. The detection limit using these primers on amplified DNA was as little as 1 pg DNA extracted from pure cultures of S. elegans, 100 pg DNA extracted from greenhouse soil and 33 pg DNA extracted from natural soil. This work is the first report on the development of SCAR markers for the BCA, S. elegans. These molecular markers offer not only an alternative diagnostic assay to conventional detection methods, but also the possibility of being used in ecological studies.

Bibliography: leaves 149-173. / xiv, 173 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Science, 1994

Bibliography: leaves 184-209. / xx, 219 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis describes the occurence of natural, biologically based suppression of Rhizoctonia barepatch in a direct drilled system at Avon, South Australia. The supressive characteristics are transferable, removed by biocidal treatments, and active against increasing doses of R. solani AG-8, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici and Fusarium graminearum. Disease severity and the viable population of Rhizoctonia are reduced in suppressive soil but the causal agent is still present. The microbial populations in suppressive and non-suppressive soil appear to differ both in their functioning and composition. The control strategy is developed through manipulation of the existing soil biota with farming practices. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Soil Science, 1996

Bibliography: leaves 162-198. / x, 198 leaves, [12] leaves of plates : ill. [some col.] ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis investigates the mechanism(s) involved in the protection of Capsicum seedlings by two isolates of BNR against the damping-off fungus, P.u. sporangiiferum. Emphasis is placed on ecological attributes of the antagonists in relation to the pathogen, in conditions resembling those of the nursery environment for which biological control is intended. It is proposed that competition for resources, such as the host tissues with exudate-rich infection sites and the organic residue in the potting mix, is the principal factor influencing the interactions between P.u. sporangiiferum and BNR. It is also suggested that BNR isolates employ at least three strategies to exert competitive advantage over P.U. sporangiiferum. It is postulated that the ability of BNR to capture and utilise resources, in the presence of a potential competitor, is the principal attribute of these biocontrol agents that brings about a sucessful control of P.u. sporangiiferum in nursery potting mix. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Crop Protection, 1997

Zugl.: Hohenheim, Univ., Diss., 2007

Univ., Diss., 2008--Kassel.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2006--München.

No description available.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF JESSE MILLER, for the Master of Science degree in PLANT, SOIL, and AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS, presented on May 13, 2016 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: THE EFFECTS OF STARTER FERTILIZER ON SOYBEAN INFESTED WITH FUSARIUM VIRULIFORME OR RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Jason Bond Fusarium virguliforme (Aoki), the fungus that causes sudden death syndrome of soybeans (SDS), is prevalent in most of the soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) production regions throughout the United States. Sudden death syndrome management has been limited to cultural practices and host resistance. Rhizoctonia solani (Kühn) is a fungus responsible for pre-emergence and post emergence damping off. Control methods include seed treatments and cultural practices. Several companies have advocated the use of in-furrow starter fertilizers in soybean production. Promoting root growth and emergence are a couple of the alleged benefits. It is unknown if the increased fertility in the root zone may actually increase or decrease the severity of root or seedling diseases. An objective of this study is to determine if the starter fertilizers (2-6-16), (7-12-11), (3-10-13) Nachurs Alpine Solutions™ impacts seedling disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani and soybean yield. A second objective is to determine if starter-fertilizer influences the incidence and severity of SDS and soybean yield. One trial was infested with R. solani at the rate of 0.9 g of inoculum/30.5 centimeters of row. A second trial was infested with F. virguliforme at the rate of 2.25 g/30.5 centimeters of row. Inoculum consisted of sterilized white sorghum inoculated with either pathogen. Plots were 3.04 meters wide by 6.1 meters in length with row spacing of 0.76 meters. Trials took place during the growing season of 2014 and 2015. In 2014, a randomized complete block design consisted of 4 treatments that were replicated 6 times and planted into 4 row plots. Treatments consisted of treated (Metalaxl™, Fluxapyroxad™, Pyraclostrobin™, and Imidacloprid™) or non-treated seed (‘Asgrow 4730’) combined with either fertilizer (2-6-16) or non-fertilizer. Across both trials, there were no seed treatment and fertilizer rate interactions. In the R. solani trial, stand counts were similar between the fertilizer and non-fertilizer treatments. Stand counts were higher when the seed treatment was used. There was no significant difference in soybean yield regardless of treatment. In the F. virguliforme trial, stand counts were reduced in the fertilizer treatment when compared to the non-fertilizer treatment. Foliar symptoms of SDS and soybean yield were not affected by treatment. In 2015, there were changes in treatment structure due to additions of fertilizer treatments 7-12-11 and 3-10-13. Seed treatments and randomized complete block design remained for 2015. Stand counts were higher in plots that received fertilizer treatments in the R. solani trial. Stand counts were lower in R. solani plots with treated seed. Yield was not influenced by seed treatment but was increased by 3-10-13 and 7-12-11 fertilizer treatments. For the F. virguliforme trial, reduced stand counts were found in the plots with seed treatments. Seed treatments did not influence yield. Fertilizer did not impact stand or yield. Foliar symptoms of SDS were not influenced by seed treatment or fertilizer.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-09-17T15:25:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-03-27. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-09-17T15:46:29Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000845926_20170101.pdf: 227536 bytes, checksum: 2a191bf5d74671d97251e88e7f0145ba (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2017-01-02T15:03:51Z: 000845926_20170101.pdf,. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2017-01-02T15:05:08Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000845926.pdf: 1072676 bytes, checksum: cad2ff92580278b3dac67dc96e267389 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O fungo Rhizoctonia solani, é um fitopatógeno que ataca diversas culturas, provocando o tombamento de plântulas. Há vários estudos visando o combate deste micro-organismo, no entanto, não há relatos da composição química de sua biomassa. De acordo com a literatura a biomassa fúngica pode ser uma fonte promissora de moléculas para aplicação em ensaios biológicos. A partir disso, um estudo inédito da composição química da biomassa do R. solani, principalmente em relação aos polissacarídeos, foi realizado. O micro-organismo foi cultivado em meio mínimo de Vogel com glucose como fonte de carbono. A biomassa resultante de vários cultivos foi tratada consecutivamente com etanol (1:20 m/v, 78 °C, 12h, 1x), e água destilada a quente (1:20 m/v, 100 °C, 4h, 4x). O extrato aquoso foi submetido a ciclos de congelamento e descongelamento de maneira a separar o material insolúvel da fração solúvel que foi precipitada em etanol e denominada PEH2O (precipitado etanólico do extrato aquoso). A fração solúvel foi analisada por GPC, cujos resultados indicaram a necessidade de purificação adicional. A cromatografia de filtração em gel Sepharose CL-6B, a pressão normal, separou o PEH2O em cinco frações distintas, denominadas de PI a PV, eluídas em ordem decrescente de suas massas moleculares. A análise cromatográfica para verificar o grau de homogeneidade de cada pico (GPC) indicou que tanto PIII quanto PV estavam puros e aptos a serem quimicamente caracterizados. A hidrólise ácida e os resultados das análises de metilação e ressonância magnética nuclear uni e bidimensional mostraram que PIII é uma β-D-glucana com cadeia principal formada por ligações (1→3), (1→6) e parcialmente substituída em O-6 por cadeias laterais β-D-glucopiranosídicas e PV uma fucomanogalactana com a cadeia principal formada por resíduos α-D-galactopiranosídicos (1→6) ligados, parcialmente substituídos em O-2 por unidades... / The Rhizoctonia solani is a phytopathogenic fungus that attacks various crops, causing the tipping of seedlings. There are several studies related to the combat this microorganism, however, no reports of its biomass chemical composition. According to the literature the fungal biomass can be a promising source of molecules for the use in biological studies. Then a novel study of the chemical composition from R. solani biomass, mainly in relation to the polysaccharides, was conducted. The microorganism was grown in Vogel minimal salts medium with glucose as carbon source. Biomass resulting from various cultivations was treated consecutively with ethanol (1:20 w/v), 78 °C, 12h, 1x) and hot distilled water (1:20 w/v, 100 °C, 4h, 4x). The aqueous extract was subjected to freezing and thawing cycles in order to separate the insoluble material. The soluble fraction was precipitated in ethanol and named PEH2O (ethanolic precipitated from aqueous extract). That fraction was analyzed by GPC and the results indicated that an additional purification procedure would be necessary. Gel filtration chromatography on Sepharose CL-6B at normal pressure, separated the PEH2O in five distinct fractions named PI to PV, which eluted in decreasing order of their molecular weight. The chromatographic analysis to verify the homogeneity degree of each peak (GPC) indicated that both PIII as PV were pure and able to be chemically characterized. The results from acid hydrolysis, methylation analysis and uni- and bidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance experiments showed that PIII is a glucan with β-D-Glcp(1→3), (1→6)-linked main chain, partially substituted at O-6 by β-D-Glcp side chains and PV a fucomannogalactan with a main chain composed by (1→6)-linked -D-Galp partially substituted in O-2 by non-reducing end-units of α- L-Fucp and α-D-Manp. Some Galp units from main chain were partially methylated at OH-3. Both...