Pythium root rot caused by Pythium aphanidermatum, a destructive disease of sweet pepper and other hydroponic crops, is characterized by root browning (necrosis) and reduces growth of roots and shoots. Serious losses in crop productivity are common, in part for lack of adequate control measures. Severe root rot has been previously associated with episodes of high temperature, but whether this is due to high temperature effects on the host, the pathogen, or their interaction remains unclear. To clarify these relationships, and to provide a basis for predicting rapid increases in root rot, quantitative experiments were conducted to determine how episodes of high root-zone temperature are associated with root browning. Pepper plants were grown separately in hydroponic units containing aerated nutrient solution positioned in temperature-controlled water baths. The root zone temperature was 23°C except during high temperature treatments. Browning developed progressively earlier in roots that were maintained at 33°C for 9 to 144 h immediately before they were inoculated with zoospores of P. aphanidermatum, and in all instances earlier than in control plants maintained continuously at 23°C. The data demonstrated unequivocally that high root-zone temperature can predispose pepper plants to Pythium root rot. Browning also developed earlier when root inoculation with P. aphanidermatum was delayed as long as 216 h following exposure at 33°C for 72 h, indicating that predisposition of the host by high temperature episodes can persist for at least 9 days. The ability of Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain 63-28 to suppress Pythium root rot and promote plant growth was investigated in pepper plants grown in the hydroponic units and predisposed to the disease, i.e. plants were predisposed to high temperature (33°C for 72 h ending at 3 days before inoculation) or not predisposed (constant 23°C). When P. chlororaphis was applied in the nutrient solution at a final density of 107 CFU mL-1 7 days before the high temperature episode, the agent delayed root browning, re-mediated predisposition to root rot, and increased growth of plants that were and were not inoculated with P. aphanidermatum. It is concluded that high temperature predisposed pepper seedlings to root rot and that strain 63-28 has substantial potential for managing root rot regardless of predisposition by high temperature.

Cucumber root rot caused by Pythium aphanidermatum can be suppressed by introduced plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Preliminary experiments clarified that this root disease could be suppressed by strains of Pseudomonas aureofaciens, P. corrugata, and P. fluorescens. To determine whether the mechanism was a systemic resistance induced by PGPR, a split root technique was employed on greenhouse cucumbers grown in soilless substrates. On the split roots, bacteria which were introduced into one side of the root were completely separated from pathogen challenged-inoculated roots-on the other side of the roots. Results from the series of experiments conducted with this design demonstrated that (i) the resistance against root rot induced by PGPR was systemic, (ii) germination of P. aphanidermatum zoospores was reduced in extracts from bacterized roots compared to non-treated control, and (iii) spread of Pythium mycelia was delayed and zoospore germination was inhibited on the distant induced root, compared to the non-bacterized control. Furthermore, enzyme analysis indicated that phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase increased on cucumber roots two days after they were bacterized with Pseudomonas strains 13 or 63--28. When the bacterized roots were challenged with P. aphanidermatum, these plant defense enzymes increased as the symptoms appeared, but this accumulation of enzymes was not any higher on roots induced with each of the Pseudomonas strains compared to the Pythium inoculated control. This enzyme stimulation was also systemically induced by PGPR or P. aphanidermatum on cucumber roots. The patterns of iso-peroxidase induced with the PGPR and P. aphanidermatum treatments were different. High levels of salicylic acid (SA) accumulated in bacteria-induced roots, as well as in pathogen-infected roots, which suggests that SA may be associated with cucumber resistance response. But exogenous application of SA did not induce any systemi

Typescript / Includes bibliographical references / 134 leaves : ill. ; 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 Pathology, 1966

[Truncated abstract] Weeds are a major limitation to agricultural and horticultural production and the main method of control is the use of herbicides. In addition to the resulting chemical pollution of the environment, the wide spread and continues use of herbicides have resulted in many weeds developing resistance to commonly used herbicides. This study investigated the potential of using green manures as a cultural method of control of weed invasion in agricultural fields. To understand the general mechanisms involved in the suppression of seed germination in green manure amended soils, seeds of crop species with little or no dormancy requirements were used in certain studies. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and cress (Lepidium sativum) seeds were sown to a sandy soil amended with green manures of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius), Brassica juncea, or oats (Avena sativa) to determine if the amendments affected seed germination and/or decay. It was hypothesised that the addition of plant material would increase the microbial activity of the soil thereby increasing seed decay, under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Initial experiments used lettuce, cress and lupin seeds. Lettuce and cress are commonly used as standard test species for seed viability studies. Subsequent experiments used seeds of annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum), silver grass (Vulpia bromoides), wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) and wild oat (Avena fatua) as these weed species are commonly found throughout agricultural regions in Western Australia. Amending the soil with lupin or Brassica green manure was established as treatments capable of developing environments suppressive to seed germination. Lupin residues as green manure showed the strongest inhibition of seed germination and seed decay. The decay of certain seeds was enhanced with changes to soil microbial activity, dissolved organic carbon and carbon and nitrogen amounts in lupin amended soil. Seeds of weed species were decayed in lupin amended soil, but showed varied degree of decay. Annual ryegrass and silver grass were severely decayed and wild oat and wild radish were less decayed, in lupin amended soil.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Alnarp : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

No description available.

No description available.

Au cours de cette étude, 237 micro-organismes ont été isolés de cinq substrats utilisés pour la culture de la tomate de serre. De ceux-ci, 40 micro-organismes ont réduit la croissance mycélienne in vitro de Pythium aphanidermatum et de Pythium ultimum parmi lesquels plusieurs permettaient de réduire la fonte des semis causée par ces deux agents pathogènes. Des travaux ont par la suite été entrepris afin de tester la capacité de ces micro-organismes à réduire la pourriture pythienne (P. ultimum) chez des plants de tomate matures cultivés en conditions hydroponiques. Les résultats obtenus ont montré que Pénicillium brevicompactum, P. solitum souche 1, Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. marginalis, P. putida sous-groupe B souche 1, P. syringae souche 1 et Trichoderma atroviride ont réduit le taux d'infection par P. ultimum, amélioré l'ancrage dans le substrat et augmenté le rendement vendable des plants cultivés dans de la laine de roche. Les expériences effectuées dans un substrat organique contenant de la tourbe, de la sciure de pin et du compost (v/v/v; 60/30/10) ont également démontré la capacité de la plupart de ces micro-organismes à réduire la pourriture pythienne et à augmenter l'ancrage des plants. P. putida sous-groupe B souche 1 et T. atroviride ont par ailleurs augmenté significativement la croissance reproductive des plants sains cultivés en conditions hydroponiques, et ce aussi bien en laine de roche qu'en substrat organique. Cet effet stimulant pourrait être attribuable, à tout le moins en partie, à une régulation de la concentration d'auxines au niveau de la rhizosphère par ces micro-organismes et à une production microbienne de 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylate (ACC) désaminase. À cet effet, les travaux réalisés suggèrent que la synthèse microbienne d'acide indole-acétique (AIA) à partir de tryptophane serait impliquée dans la stimulation du développement de plantules de tomate d'une part ; ils démontrent d'autre part que la présence de P. putida et T. atroviride au niveau de la rhizosphère réduit l'effet inhibiteur de F AIA sur l'élongation racinaire. Les travaux ont également montré que P. ultimum est en mesure de produire des composés auxiniques (notamment l'AIA) et que l'AIA appliqué au niveau des racines ou des parties aériennes influence le développement des symptômes de pourriture pythienne chez la tomate. Plus spécifiquement, les travaux ont montré que de faibles (0 à 0,1 ug/ml) concentrations d'AIA exogène au niveau de la rhizosphère ont augmenté la sévérité des symptômes causées par P. ultimum, tandis que de fortes concentrations (10 (ig/ml), appliquées soit au niveau du substrat ou au niveau des parties aériennes, ont réduit les dommages causés par cet agent pathogène. Cette étude a permis d'identifier des micro-organismes capables d'une part de limiter les dommages attribuables au champignon P. ultimum chez la tomate de serre et d'autre part de stimuler la croissance des plants de tomate. Considérant l'importance de cet agent pathogène responsable de pertes substantielles dans la culture de la tomate de serre en milieu hydroponique, ces micro-organismes bénéfiques pourraient trouver des applications dans la culture commerciale de ce légume.

Certains Trichoderma spp. sont des agents de lutte biologique reconnus pour réprimer des microorganismes telluriques phytopathogènes, dont les Oomycota Pythium spp. Aussi, le silicium est connue pour son rôle prophylactique envers les Pythium spp. Le but de cette étude est de démontrer le potentiel de Trichoderma à augmenter la biodisponibilité du silicium (Si) de deux matériaux qui en sont riches et à réduire l'intensité de la fonte des semis en étudiant le modèle : concombre (Cucumis sativus) - P. ultimum. Les réactions enzymatiques et les tests de confrontation avec des microorganismes ont permis de construire l'arbre phylogénétique séparant les souches de Trichoderma. L'hémicellulase a été effective pour l'ensemble des souches, la lignase pour sept souches et la cellulase pour une souche. Le test de confrontation a montré le potentiel antagoniste des souches, et la souche A de Trichoderma sp., isolée d'Equisetum sp. a présenté un effet inhibiteur dû à la production d'antibiotiques (sorbicillinoïdes). Dans l'eau stérile additionnée des poudres de wollastonite(silicate minéral), de glumes de riz (organo-silicate), et de leur mélange 1 :1, avec et sans l'addition d'une souche de Trichoderma, la teneur en acide silicique a augmenté. Lors du bioessai avec le concombre, les masses sèches aériennes et l'intensité de la maladie ont été similaires entre les traitements témoins et ceux enrichis d'une souche de Trichoderma. Cependant, la teneur la plus élevée en Si a été mesurée pour les traitements additionnés de la souche de Trichoderma A ou de la souche C (collection UL # 16). Au final, l'enrobage des semences avec des matériaux riches en silicium additionné d'une souche de Trichoderma confirme partiellement l'hypothèse ; certaines souches de Trichoderma ont permis une meilleure biodisponibilité du silicium pour la plante, tout en ayant tendance à limiter l'intensité de la fonte des semis du concombre causée par Pythium. / Some Trichoderma spp. are biological control agents known to control phytopathogenic soil-borne microorganisms, including Oomycota Pythium spp. In addition, silicon (Si) is known for its prophylactic role against Pythium spp. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the potential of Trichoderma to increase the plant biodisponibility of Si and reduced the severity of damping-off by studying the model : cucumber (Cucumis sativus) - P. ultimum. The enzymatic and microbial confrontation characterizations made it possible to build the phylogenetic tree separating the Trichoderma strains. Hemicellulase was effective for all strains in opposite to lignase who was effective for seven strains and cellulase for one strain. The confrontation test showed the potential antagonist of some strains, and the Trichoderma strain A, isolated from field horsetail (Equisetum sp.), had an inhibitory effect, due to the production of antibiotics (sorbicillinoids). The addition of wollastonite and husk powders, alone or in combination in sterile water allowed Si solubilization (measured as silicic acid); on top of that, the addition of a Trichoderma strain increased Si solubilization. In the plant-cucumber bioassay, aerial dry weights and disease severity were similar between the control and the Trichoderma treatments. In cucumber, the highest total Si content was measured forthe treatments coated with strains A and C (from the collection of Université Laval # 16). In conclusion, coating cucumber seeds with mixed wollastonite and rice husk powders and a strain of Trichoderma partially confirms the hypothesis; some strains of Trichoderma allowed a better bioavailability of silicium for the plant, while tending to limit the severity of damping-off caused by Pythium.

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Historically root diseases have been a production-limiting problem for the strawberry industry worldwide. In the Western Cape Province of South Africa the most serious root disease is black root rot, which causes losses of up to 30%, annually. The aims of this study were to investigate aspects of the etiology and epidemiology of this disease in the Western Cape, and to provide information that can be incorporated in an integrated disease management strategy. In Chapter I a summary of published information on this disease is presented. Disease symptoms include severe stunting of plants, which have black, rotted, reduced root systems. Even though this disease is of great economic importance, the etiology remains unresolved. However, soilborne fungal root pathogens, particularly Pythium and Rhizoctonia spp. have been implicated as major role players. Control of this disease, as well as the other root diseases affecting strawberries, has relied on soil fumigation with broad spectrum chemical fumigants, in particular methyl bromide. However, due to the ozone depleting action of methyl bromide it was decided at the signing of the Montreal Protocol to remove this chemical from the market. This action has caused great demand for alternative measures to control root diseases on many crops including strawberries. Development of integrated disease management strategies is dependent upon a more complete understanding of the etiology, biology and ecology of the disease complex. In Chapter 2 fungal pathogens associated with diseased plants were isolated and Koch's postulates were carried out. The most frequently isolated fungal pathogens were Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia spp. and Cylindrocarpon destructans. Two morphotypes of Rhizoctonia were isolated viz. a brown and a white type. Pythium irregulare was isolated more frequently in July than in September, and was not isolated at all in November. Rhizoctonia spp. were present at all sampling dates but were more frequently isolated in November than at the other times. All the fungi that were tested were pathogenic and caused root lesions. Cylindrocarpon destructans and Coniella fragariae did not have a stunting effect on the plants. These results confirm a major role for Pythium and Rhizoctonia in the black root rot complex and suggest that there is a complimentary seasonal variation in occurrence between these two pathogens. The Rhizoctonia species and anastomosis groups of isolates obtained from diseased strawberries in the Western Cape Province were determined, and their pathogenicity and relative virulence assessed. Both binucleate and multinucleate types were recovered from diseased roots and identified as R. fragariae and R. so/ani, respectively. All isolates of R. solani were members of anastomosis group (AG) 6, whereas three AG types were identified among isolates of R. fragariae, viz. AG-A, AG-G and AG-I at a relative occurrence of 69%, 25%, 6% respectively. All Rhizoctonia isolates were pathogenic to strawberry, but R. solani (AG 6) was the most virulent causing severe stunting of plants. This is the first species confirmation and AG type identification of Rhizoctonia taxa causing root rot of strawberries in South Africa. An assessment of the presence and quantity of black root rot pathogens associated with soils prior to fumigation and post fumigation with methyl bromide, was made in Chapter 4. Isolations were also made from nursery plants to determine whether any black root rot pathogens were in the plants before transplanting. Results demonstrated that after fumigation the soil was free of all pathogenic fungi associated with the disease. However, the main pathogens involved in black root rot, viz. Rhizoctonia fragariae, R. solani and Pythium spp. were isolated from nursery plants. The fact that the plants are already infected with these pathogens renders the prospects for control of this disease difficult. Further studies are urgently required to develop production practices that can be included in disease management programmes. In vitro studies were carried out to determine the ECso values of different fungicides for isolates of Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia fragariae AG-A, AG-G and AG-I and R. solani AG 6. Benomyl, fludioxonil and tolc1ofos-methyl were used in these tests. Field trials were also conducted using these fungicides. In Chapter 5 it is shown that in general application of fungicides improved the yield and did not affect the survival rate of strawberry plants. Fludioxonil showed potential for short-term use. Applications of fungicides that targeted specific fungal genera were not sufficient to control the disease. Seasonal fluctuation of Pythium and Rhizoctonia spp. became apparent with the occurrence of Pythium being relatively high early in the season but low late in the season. Conversely, the occurrence of Rhizoctonia was low at the beginning of the season but high late in the season. In the short-term there is potential for fungicide applications as part of an integrated disease management strategy, but the economic feasibility of this practice needs to be assessed. In this study the major pathogens causing black root rot were identified in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and important information regarding the epidemiology of the disease was reported. These results can be incorporated in an integrated management strategy to reduce losses of strawberry production, attJibutable to black root rot. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wortelsiektes is wêreldwyd 'n produksie-beperkende probleem vir die aarbeibedryf. . Swartwortelvrot, wat jaarliks verliese van tot 30% veroorsaak, is die belangrikste wortelsiekte in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika. Die doelwitte van hierdie studie was om aspekte van die etiologie en epidemiologie van die siekte in die Wes- Kaap te ondersoek en inligting wat in geïntegreerde siektebestuurstrategië ingesluit kan word, te voorsien. In Hoofstuk 1 word 'n opsomming van gepubliseerde inligting aangaande die siekte uiteengesit. Siektesimptome sluit ernstige verdwerging van plante met swart verotte en verkleinde wortelstelsels in. Alhoewel die siekte van groot ekonomiese belang is, is die etiologie grootliks onbekend. Grondgedraagde wortelpatogene swamme, spesifiek Pythium en Rhizoctonia spp., is egter as belangrike rolspelers geïdentifiseer. Tot dusver het die beheer van hierdie siekte sowel as ander wortelsiektes van aarbeie berus op grondberoking met breë spektrum chemiese berokingsmiddels, spesifiek metielbromied. As gevolg van die osoonafbrekende aksie van metielbromied is daar egter tydens die ondertekening van die Montreal Protocol besluit om dié middel van die mark te verwyder. Hierdie besluit het 'n groot aanvraag na alternatiewe beheermaatreëls vir wortelsiektes van verskeie gewasse, insluitende aarbeie, veroorsaak. Die ontwikkeling van geïntegreerd siektebestuurstrategieë is egter afhanklik van 'n meer volledige begrip van die etiologie, biologie en ekologie van die siektekompleks. In Hoofstuk 2 is die patogene swamme wat met die siekte geassosieer word, geïsoleer, en is Koch se postulate uitgevoer. Die mees algemeen geïsoleerde patogene swamme was Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia spp. en Cylindrocarpon destructans. Twee morfotipes van Rhizoctonia is geïsoleer, nl. 'n bruin tipe en 'n wit tipe. Pythium irregulare is meer dikwels in Julie as in September geïsoleer, maar glad nie in November nie. Rhizoetonia het tydens alle monstertye voorgekom, maar is meer dikwels in November geïsoleer. Al die swamme wat getoets is, was patogenies en het letsels op die wortels veroorsaak. Cylindroearpon des true tans en Coniella fragariae het nie'n verdwergingseffek op plante gehad nie. Hierdie resultate bevestig die dominante rol van Pythium en Rhizoctonia in die swartwortelvrot kompleks en dui op 'n komplementêre seisoenale variasie in die voorkoms van hierdie twee patogene. Die Rhizoctonia spesies en anastomose groepe (AG) van die isolate geisoleer vanaf siek aarbeiplante in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie is bepaal, en die patogenisiteit en relatiewe virulensie is beraam. Sowel tweekernige as multikernige tipes is vanaf siek wortels geïsoleer en respektiewelik as R. fragariae en R. so/ani geïdentifiseer. Alle isolate van R. so/ani was lede van anastomose groep 6, terwyl drie AG tipes, nl. AGA, AG-G en AG-I onder die R. fragariae isolate geïdentifiseer is met relatiewe voorkomste van 69%, 25%, 6% respektiewelik. Alle Rhizoctonia isolate was patogenies op aarbeie, maar R. so/ani (AG 6) was die mees virulente en het ernstige verdwerging van plante veroorsaak. Hierdie is die eerste bevestiging van spesies en identifisering van AG tipes van Rhizoctonia taksa wat wortelvrot van aarbeie in Suid Afrika veroorsaak. In Hoofstuk 4 is 'n beraming van die voorkoms en hoeveelheid swartwortelvrot patogene geassosieer met grond voor, en na beroking met metielbromied, gemaak. Isolasies is ook vanaf kwekeryplante gemaak om te bepaal of enige swartwortelvrot patogene voor oorplanting in die plante teenwoordig was. Die resultate het getoon dat grond na beroking vry was van alle patogeniese swamme geassosieër met die siekte. Die hoof patogene betrokke in die swartwortelvrot kompleks, nl. Rhizoctonia fragariae, R. so/ani en Pythium spp. was egter in die kwekery plante teenwoordig. Die feit dat plante reeds met hierdie patogene geïnfekteer is, maak die vooruitsigte vir die beheer van hierdie siekte moeilik. Verdere studies word dringend benodig vir die ontwikkeling van produksiepraktyke wat by siektebestuursprogramme ingesluit kan word. In vitro studies om die ECso waardes van die isolate van Pythium irregulare, Rhizoctonia fragariae AG-A, AG-G en AG-I en R. so/ani AG 6 vir die fungisiedes benomyl, fludioxonil en tolclofos-metiel te bepaal, is uitgevoer. Hierdie fungisiedes is ook in veldproewe getoets. In Hoofstuk 5 is getoon dat aanwending van fungisiedes die opbrengs verbeter het en nie die oorlewing van aarbeiplante beïnvloed het nie. Fludioxonil het potensiaal vir korttermyn gebruik getoon. Die aanwending van fungisiedes wat spesifieke swamgenera teiken, was nie voldoende om die siekte te beheer nie. Seisoenale fluktuasies van Pythium en Rhizoctonia spp. het duidelik geword met die relatief hoë voorkoms van Pythium vroeg in die seisoen, maar lae voorkoms laat in die seisoen, terwyl die voorkoms van Rhizoctonia laag was aan die begin van die seisoen, maar hoog later in die seisoen. In die korttermyn is daar potensiaal vir fungisiedtoedienings as deel van 'n geïntegreerde siektebestuurstrategie, maar die ekonomiese haalbaarheid van hierdie praktyk moet bepaal word. In hierdie studie is die hoof patogene wat swartwortelvrot van aarbeie in die Wes-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika veroorsaak geïdentifiseer, en belangrike inligting rakende die epidemiologie van die siekte is aangeteken. Hierdie resultate kan in 'n geïntegreerde bestuurstrategie geïnkorporeer word om verliese van aarbeiproduksie, toeskryfbaar aan swartwortelvrot te, verminder.