Powdery mildew (PM) is an important foliar disease of many crops, occurring under both greenhouse and field conditions. The application of biological control and soluble silicon (Si) against PM has received increasing acceptance as a result of increased environmental and public concern over the use of fungicides for disease management, and because many key fungicides are no longer effective because of resistance problems. However, success with these control options depends on the development of effective antagonists and understanding how best to use Si in agriculture. Potential antagonists of PM were isolated from naturally infected leaves of different plants. A total of 2000 isolates were tested in a preliminary screening on detached leaves of zucchini. The best 30 isolates showing consistent results were further tested under greenhouse conditions for their efficacy against PM of zucchini. In a greenhouse trial, 23 isolates provided disease control to levels of 30 to 77%. Application of 29 isolates resulted in significant reductions in values of area under disease progress curve (AUDPC). The best five isolates were identified as Clonostachys rosea (Link) Schroers, Samuels, Seifert & Gams (syn. Gliocladium roseum) (Isolate EH), Trichothecium roseum (Pers.) Link (syn. Cephalothecium roseum) (Isolate H20) and Serratia marcescens (Bizio) (Isolates B15, Y15 and Y41). Three adjuvants (Break-ThruR (BK), PartnerR (PR) and Tween-80R (T-80)) were compared for their ability to improve efficacy of spray application of silicon (Si) and biocontrol agents (BCAs) against PM. Both BK and PR improved the efficacy of Si significantly (P < 0.05). Microscopic studies showed that BK affected PM fungi directly and enhanced the deposition of BCAs on the pathogen. Break-ThruR was only toxic to the pathogen mycelia when used at > 0.25 m. .-1, but phytotoxic to zucchini plants when used at > 0.45m. .-1. However, it did not affect the c.f.u. of bacterial BCAs. Use of BK at 0.2-0.4 m. .-1 can be recommended to assist spray application of Si (at 750 mg .-1) or BCAs for improved control of PM. The effect of concentration, frequency of application and runoff of Si sprays applied to the foliage was evaluated for control of PM of zucchini. Silicon (250-1000 mg .-1) + BK (0.25 m. .-1), was sprayed onto zucchini plants at frequencies of 1-3 wk-1. Spraying Si reduced the severity of PM significantly (P < 0.05). Regardless of the concentration of Si, the best results were obtained when the frequency of the treatment was increased, and when spray drift or spray runoff were allowed to reach the rhizosphere of the plants. When Si was applied onto leaves, direct contact between the spray and the pathogen resulted in mycelial death. Part of the spray (i.e., drift and runoff) was absorbed by plant roots, and subsequently played an important role in the health of the plants. If affordable, soluble Si should be included in nutrient solutions of hydroponics or supplied with overhead irrigation schemes when PM susceptible crops are grown. Under greenhouse conditions, application of BCAs, with or without Si, reduced the severity and development of PM significantly (P < 0.001). Application of Si significantly reduced the severity and AUDPC values of PM (P < 0.05 for both parameters). Silicon alone reduced the final disease level and AUDPC values of PM by 23-32%, and improved the efficacy of most BCAs. In the course of the investigation, antagonistic fungi consistently provided superior performances to bacterial isolates, providing disease control levels of up to 90%. Higher overall disease levels reduced the efficacy of Si against PM, but did not affect the efficacy of BCAs. Under field conditions, Si alone reduced disease by 32-70%, Isolate B15 reduced disease by 30-53% and Isolate B15 + Si reduced disease by 33-65%. Other BCAs applied alone or together with Si reduced the disease level by 9-68%. Most BCAs reduced AUDPC values of PM significantly. For most antagonists, better efficacy was obtained when Si was drenched into the rhizosphere of the plant. However, efficacy of some of the BCAs and Si were affected by environmental conditions in the field. Repeated trials and better understanding of how to use Si and the BCAs, in terms of their concentration and application frequency, and their interactions with the plant and the environment, are needed before they can be used for the commercial control of PM. Elemental analysis was conducted to determine the impact of differing application levels of silicon (Si) in a form of potassium silicate (KSi) in solution in terms of Si accumulation and selected elements in different tissues of zucchini and zinnia and growth of these plants, and to study the effect of PM on the levels of selected elements in these two plant species. Plants were grown in re-circulating nutrient solutions supplied with Si at different concentrations and elemental composition in different parts were analysed using EDX and ICP-OES. Increased levels of Si in the solution increased the levels of Si in leaves and roots of both plants without affecting its distribution to other plant parts. In zucchini, the roots accumulated the highest levels of Si, substantially more than in the shoots. In contrast with zinnia, accumulation of Si was highest in the leaves. Accumulation of potassium (K) in shoots of both plants increased with increased levels of KSi in the nutrient solution. However, K levels in flower of zinnia, fruits of zucchini and roots of both plants remained unaffected. Increased level of Si reduced accumulation of calcium (Ca) in both plants. Adding Si into the nutrient solution at 50 mg .-1 resulted in increased growth of zucchini and increased uptake of P, Ca, and Mg by both plant species. However, application of higher levels of Si did not result in any further biomass increase in zucchini. Levels of Si in the nutrient solution had no effects on elemental composition and characteristics of the fruits of zucchini. In both plant species, the presence of PM on the leaves of plants resulted in these leaves accumulating higher levels of Si and Ca, but less P, than leaves of uninfected plants exposed to the same levels of soluble Si. The highest concentrations of Si were observed in leaf areas infected with PM, and around the bases of trichomes. For optimum disease control and maximum accumulation of different elements in these two plants, hydroponic applications of Si at 50-150 mg .-1 is recommended. Five selected biocontrol agents and potassium silicate, used as source of soluble Si, were tested under hydroponic conditions at various concentrations against PM of zinnia (Glovinomyces cichoracearum (DC) Gelyuta, V.P.). Application of BCAs resulted in reductions in final disease level and AUDPC values of PM by 38-68% and 30-65%, respectively. Both severity and AUDPC values of PM were reduced by 87-95% when plants were supplied with Si (50-200 mg .-1). It is proposed that the provision of a continuous supply of Si and the ability of this plant species to accumulate high levels of Si in its leaves were the major reasons for the good response of zinnia to Si treatments against PM. Silicon played a protective role before infection and suppressed development of PM after infection. The combination of the best selected BCAs and Si can be used as an effective control option against PM of zinnia when grown in hydroponic system. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

A videira é uma das plantas mais antigas cultivadas pela humanidade, sendo que no Brasil a uva é a terceira fruta com maior volume de produção, atrás apenas do cultivo das bananas e das laranjas. Apesar da produção rentável, principalmente aos pequenos produtores, o parreiral é susceptível a várias doenças cujo manejo compromete até 59% dos gastos do produtor. No estado de São Paulo, dentre as doenças, três têm destaque: a antracnose (causada pelo Sphaceloma ampelinum), o míldio da videira (causado pelo Plasmopara viticola) e a ferrugem (causada pelo Phakopsora euvitis). Os produtores utilizam controle químico de forma intensa e preventiva, chegando a 100 aplicações de fungicidas em um ciclo de até 120 dias. Os principais fungicidas utilizados são os inibidores da quinona oxidase (QoI), que agem impedindo o transporte de elétrons do citocromo b ao citocromo c1 na cadeia respiratória da mitocôndria. Porém, existem relatos de resistência ao fungicida aplicado no campo em diversos países. As substituições G143A, G137R e F129L na sequência da proteína citocromo b impedem que o fungicida se ligue ao seu sítio alvo. As mutações que levam às substituições estão localizadas em uma das regiões chamada hotspot do gene citocromo b (cytB). Visto que, pela carência de estudos, a resistência genética a esses fungicidas nunca foi relatada no Brasil, o objetivo principal desse trabalho foi sequenciar e caracterizar a região hotspot em isolados de míldio, ferrugem e antracnose provenientes de parreirais do estado de São Paulo. Foram selecionados 35 isolados de 11 locais diferentes; desses, 11 isolados de míldio foram considerados geneticamente resistentes, pois apresentam a mutação para o resíduo alanina na posição 143, e 4 isolados foram considerados geneticamente sensíveis. Os dois isolados de ferrugem selecionados também foram considerados geneticamente sensíveis. Pela estratégia de Genome Walking foi possível sequenciar 65% do gene cytB de um dos isolados brasileiros de P. viticola; foram encontrados poucos polimorfismos e nenhum íntron na sequência analisada. Os resultados obtidos com esse estudo podem servir de suporte para a tomada de decisões de manejo mais adequadas para a realidade da viticultura brasileira; além disso, são importantes para futuros estudos sobre a evolução do patógeno com a pressão seletiva exercida pelos fungicidas. / Grapevine is one of the most ancient cultivated plants and its fruit, grape, is notably important in Brazil, since it is the third most produced, only behind banana and citrus. Although it is rentable especially to smallholders, the vineyard is often attacked by several pathogens and the damages induced by them can compromise up to 59% of the producers\' expenses in order to keep the diseases under control. In Sao Paulo state there are three important diseases that attack vineyards: anthracnose (caused by Sphaceloma ampelinum), downy mildew (caused by Plasmopara viticola) and rust (caused by Phakopsora euvitis). Pest management practices used by the producers relies on intensive and preventive use of fungicides, in which the culture is sprayed 100 times per vineyard\'s growth cycle (that last approximately 120 days). One of the most used fungicides are the quinone oxidase inhibitors (QoI), that act by blocking the electron transport chain at the mitochondria binding at the Qo site of the cytochrome b (cytB) complex. However, there are several reports of the presence of resistant strains in different countries. Resistance is caused by the aminoacids substitutions F129L, G137R and G143A in the cytochrome b protein sequence, that prevent the fungicide molecule binding to its target site. The mutations in the cytB gene that lead to these substitutions are harbored in a region called hotspot for fungicide resistance. Since this type of study was never reported in Brazil, the main purpose of this work was to sequence and characterize the hotspot region of different isolates from anthracnose, downy mildew and rust. Thirty five isolates from eleven different locations were choosen for the study. Eleven of them harbored the mutation that lead to the substitution G143A; these were then considered genetically resistant to the QoI fungicides. On the contrary, four downy mildew and the two rust isolates were considered sensitive to the QoI fungicides, since none of the aminoacids substitutions were observed. Also, by using a technique named Genome Walking it was possible to sequence 65% of cytB gene from a Brazilian downy mildew isolate. In this sequence were found few polymorphisms and none intron. These study findings are unique for Brazilian isolates and might be useful to provide reliable support for the pest management decisions regarding the reality that is found at the vineyards in Brazil. Furthermore, the results presented here are important to the comprehension of pathogen\'s evolution when suffering from a selective pressure caused by the intensive use of fungicides.

No description available.

Characteristics of quantitative resistance in pea (Pisum sativum L.) to Erysiphe pisi DC, the pathogen causing powdery mildew, were investigated. Cultivars and seedlines of pea expressing quantitative resistance to E. pisi were identified and evaluated, by measuring the amounts of pathogen present on plant surfaces in field and glasshouse experiments. Disease severity on cv. Quantum was intermediate when compared with that on cv. Bolero (susceptible) and cv. Resal (resistant) in a field experiment. In glasshouse experiments, two groups of cultivars, one with a high degree of resistance and the other with nil to low degrees of resistance to E. pisi, were identified. This indicated either that a different mechanism of resistance applied in the two groups, or that there has been no previous selection for intermediate resistance. Several other cultivars expressing quantitative resistance were identified in a field experiment. Quantitative resistance in Quantum did not affect germination of E. pisi conidia, but reduced infection efficiency of conidia on this cultivar compared with cv. Pania (susceptible). Other epidemiological characteristics of quantitative resistance expression in Quantum relative to Pania were a 33% reduction in total conidium production and a 16% increase in time to maximum daily conidium production, both expressed on a colony area basis. In Bolero, the total conidium production was reduced relative to Pania, but the time to maximum spore production on a colony area basis was shorter. There were no differences between the cultivars in pathogen colony size or numbers of haustoria produced by the pathogen. Electron microscope studies suggested that haustoria in Quantum plants were smaller and less lobed than those in Pania plants and the surface area to volume ratios of the lobes and haustorial bodies were larger in Pania than in Quantum. The progress in time and spread in space of E. pisi was measured in field plots of cultivars Quantum, Pania and Bolero as disease severity (proportion of leaf area infected). Division of leaves (nodes) into three different age groups (young, medium, old) was necessary because of large variability in disease severity within plants. Disease severity on leaves at young nodes was less than 4% until the final assessment at 35 days after inoculation (dai). Exponential disease progress curves were fitted for leaves at medium nodes. Mean disease severity on medium nodes 12 dai was greatest (P<0.001) on Bolero and Pania (9.3 and 6.8% of leaf area infected respectively), and least on Quantum (1.6%). The mean disease relative growth rate was greatest (P<0.001) for Quantum, but was delayed compared to Pania and Bolero. Gompertz growth curves were fitted to disease progress data for leaves at old nodes. The asymptote was 78.2% of leaf area infected on Quantum, significantly lower (P<0.001) than on Bolero or Pania, which reached 100%. The point of inflection on Quantum occurred 22.8 dai, later (P<0.001) than on Pania (18.8 dai) and Bolero (18.3 dai), and the mean disease severity at the point of inflection was 28.8% for Quantum, less (P<0.00l) than on Pania (38.9%) or Bolero (38.5%). The average daily rates of increase in disease severity did not differ between the cultivars. Disease progress on Quantum was delayed compared with Pania and Bolero. Disease gradients from inoculum foci to 12 m were detected at early stages of the epidemic but the effects of background inoculum and the rate of disease progress were greater than the focus effect. Gradients flattened with time as the disease epidemic intensified, which was evident from the large isopathic rates (between 2.2 and 4.0 m d⁻¹) Some epidemiological variables expressed in controlled environments (low infection efficiency, low maximum daily spore production and long time to maximum spore production) that characterised quantitative resistance in Quantum were correlated with disease progress and spread in the field. These findings could be utilised in pea breeding programmes to identify parent lines from which quantitatively resistant progeny could be selected.