Effects of Temperature on Sporulation and Latent Period of Colletotrichum Spp. Infecting Strawberry Fruit

Suppression of Strawberry Anthracnose by Paenibacillus polymyxa TP3 In Situ and from a Distance

Strawberry is a popular fruit with valuable nutrition and an attractive fragrance, but its production and propagation are limited by various diseases, including anthracnose and gray mold. For disease management, biological control measures are environmentally friendly and good alternatives to fungicides to avoid crop losses, reduce carbon emissions, and improve food safety. In this study, Paenibacillus polymyxa TP3, which originated from the strawberry phyllosphere, was shown to antagonize the anthracnose fungal pathogen Colletotrichum siamense and reduce leaf symptoms on strawberry plants. Several mass spectra corresponding to fusaricidin were detected in the confrontation assay of P. polymyxa TP3 and C. siamense by image mass spectrometry. The transcription of fusA and fusG in the fusaricidin biosynthesis gene cluster increased while P. polymyxa TP3 was cultured in the medium containing the culture filtrate of C. siamense, as detected by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, indicating the involvement of fusaricidins in P. polymyxa TP3 antagonism against the anthracnose pathogen. Further disease control assays demonstrated the time frame and spatial mode of P. polymyxa TP3-induced systemic resistance of strawberry against C. siamense. The transcript level of the marker gene FaPDF1.2 of the jasmonic acid pathway increased in strawberry leaves after drenching treatment with P. polymyxa TP3, and the callose deposition was enhanced by further flg22 treatment. In addition, P. polymyxa TP3 treatments of the strawberry mother plants reduced C. siamense infection in the daughter plants, which would be a potent feature for the application of P. polymyxa TP3 in strawberry nurseries and fields to reduce the impact of diseases, especially anthracnose.

New Insights in the Detection and Management of Anthracnose Diseases in Strawberries

Anthracnose diseases, caused by Colletotrichum spp., are considered to be among the most destructive diseases that have a significant impact on the global production of strawberries. These diseases alone can cause up to 70% yield loss in North America. Colletotrichum spp. causes several disease symptoms on strawberry plants, including root, fruit, and crown rot, lesions on petioles and runners, and irregular black spots on the leaf. In many cases, a lower level of infection on foliage remains non-symptomatic (quiescent), posing a challenge to growers as these plants can be a significant source of inoculum for the fruiting field. Reliable detection methods for quiescent infection should play an important role in preventing infected plants' entry into the production system or guiding growers to take appropriate preventative measures to control the disease. This review aims to examine both conventional and emerging approaches for detecting anthracnose disease in the early stages of the disease cycle, with a focus on newly emerging techniques such as remote sensing, especially using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) equipped with multispectral sensors. Further, we focused on the acutatum species complex, including the latest taxonomy, the complex life cycle, and the epidemiology of the disease. Additionally, we highlighted the extensive spectrum of management techniques against anthracnose diseases on strawberries and their challenges, with a special focus on new emerging sustainable management techniques that can be utilized in organic strawberry systems.

Development of a model for Colletotrichum diseases with calibration for phylogenetic clades on different host plants

Fungi in the genus Colletotrichum cause serious pre- and post-harvest losses to several agricultural crops worldwide. Through a systematic literature review, we retrieved the published information on Colletotrichum anthracnose diseases on different host plants and developed a mechanistic model incorporating the main stages of the pathogen's life cycle and the effect of weather. The model predicts anthracnose progress during the growing season on the aerial organs of different crops, and was parameterized for seven Colletotrichum clades (acutatum, dematium, destructivum, gloeosporioides, graminicola, and orbiculare) and the singleton species, C. coccodes. The model was evaluated for the anthracnose diseases caused by fungi belonging to five clades on six hosts by using data from 17 epidemics that occurred in Italy, the USA, Canada, and Japan. A comparison of observed versus predicted data showed a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.928 and an average distance between real data and the fitted line of 0.044. After further validation, the model could be used to support decision-making for crop protection.

Temperature and Humidity Regulate Sporulation of Corynespora cassiicola That Is Associated with Pathogenicity in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Cucumber target leaf spot, caused by Corynespora cassiicola, is an emerging disease with a high incidence that causes severe damage to cucumbers on a global scale. Therefore, efforts need to be undertaken to limit the spread and infection of this pathogen, preferably by using environmentally friendly methods. In this study, the effects of temperature and moisture on the sporulation of C. cassiicola were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The novelty of our study refers to the observation of spore production and size as well as the revelation of a correlation between spore size and virulence. On potato dextrose agar (PDA) and cucumber-leaf extract agar (CEA), temperature played a critical role in spore production, which was strongly influenced by both temperature and moisture on detached leaves and cucumber seedlings. Maximum spore production was found at 30 °C on PDA and 25 °C on CEA, cucumber detached leaves and living plants. Lower spore productions were observed with a stepwise change of 5 °C. In addition, the largest spore production was found at 100% relative humidity (RH) in comparison to the other tested moisture. Moreover, moisture was found to be the most important factor affecting spore size, accounting for 83.09-84.86% of the total variance in length and 44.72-73.10% of the total variance in width. The longest-narrowest spores were formed at 100% RH, and the shortest-widest spores were formed at 75% RH. Furthermore, the result showed that larger spores of C. cassiicola were more virulent and small spores were avirulent. Our findings will contribute to the development of new strategies for the effective alleviation and control of cucumber target leaf spot.

Temperature requirements of Colletotrichum spp. belonging to different clades

The fungal genus Colletotrichum includes plant pathogens that cause substantial economic damage to horticultural, ornamental, and fruit tree crops worldwide. Here, we conducted a systematic literature review to retrieve and analyze the metadata on the influence of temperature on four biological processes: (i) mycelial growth, (ii) conidial germination, (iii) infection by conidia, and (iv) sporulation. The literature review considered 118 papers (selected from a total of 1,641 papers found with the literature search), 19 Colletotrichum species belonging to eight clades (acutatum, graminicola, destructivum, coccodes, dematium, gloeosporioides, and orbiculare), and 27 host plants (alfalfa, almond, apple, azalea, banana, barley, bathurst burr, blueberry, celery, chilli, coffee, corn, cotton, cowpea, grape, guava, jointvetch, lentil, lupin, olive, onion, snap bean, spinach, strawberry, tomato, watermelon, and white bean). We used the metadata to develop temperature-dependent equations representing the effect of temperature on the biological processes for the different clades and species. Inter- and intra-clades similarities and differences are analyzed and discussed. A multi-factor cluster analysis identified four groups of clades with similar temperature dependencies. The results should facilitate further research on the biology and epidemiology of Colletotrichum species and should also contribute to the development of models for the management of anthracnose diseases.

Monitoring Colletotrichum Colonization and Reproduction in Different Rubber Tree Clones

Anthracnose, caused by fungi of the genus Colletotrichum, is present in the major rubber tree crop areas in Brazil, especially in São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, and northern states. This disease can affect different tissues of the rubber tree, leading to production losses. Thus, a better understanding of the pathosystem Colletotrichum x rubber tree can provide evidence to subsequent epidemiological research and phytosanitary management studies of this disease in the field. The present study aimed to investigate C.tamarilloi colonization and reproduction steps in resistant clones (IAC 502, IAC 507, RRIM 937) and in one susceptible clone (RRIM 600) of the rubber tree, verifying the influence of temperature up to 48 h after inoculation of the fungus, under 24 h wetness. Samples were analyzed under a light, a UV and a scanning electron microscope. Data indicated that the fungus had a delay in its development in resistant clones and, although colonization was expressive 48 h after inoculation, the new spore formation rate in the analyzed samples was lower in resistant clones. For RRIM 600, rapid colonization and intensive sporulation could be observed.

Modeling the Effects of the Environment and the Host Plant on the Ripe Rot of Grapes, Caused by the Colletotrichum Species

Ripe rot caused by Colletotrichum spp. is a serious threat in many vineyards, and its control relies mainly on the repeated use of fungicides. A mechanistic, dynamic model for the prediction of grape ripe rot epidemics was developed by using information and data from a systematic literature review. The model accounts for (i) the production and maturation of the primary inoculum; (ii) the infection caused by the primary inoculum; (iii) the production of a secondary inoculum; and (iv) the infection caused by the secondary inoculum. The model was validated in 19 epidemics (vineyard × year combinations) between 1980 and 2014 in China, Japan, and the USA. The observed disease incidence was correlated with the number of infection events predicted by the model and their severity (ρ = 0.878 and 0.533, respectively, n = 37, p ≤ 0.001). The model also accurately predicted the disease severity progress during the season, with a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.975 between the observed and predicted data. Overall, the model provided an accurate description of the grape ripe rot system, as well as reliable predictions of infection events and of disease progress during the season. The model increases our understanding of ripe rot epidemics in vineyards and will help guide disease control. By using the model, growers can schedule fungicides based on the risk of infection rather than on a seasonal spray calendar.

Managing Colletotrichum on Fruit Crops: A "Complex" Challenge

The fungal genus Colletotrichum includes numerous important plant pathogenic species and species complexes that infect a wide variety of hosts. Its taxonomy is particularly complex because species' phenotypes and genotypes are difficult to differentiate. Two notable complexes, C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides, are known for infecting temperate fruit crops worldwide. Even species within these complexes vary in traits such as tissue specificity, aggressiveness, geographic distribution, and fungicide sensitivity. With few effective chemicals available to control these pathogens, and the persistent threat of fungicide resistance, there is a need for greater understanding of this destructive genus and the methods that can be used for disease management. This review summarizes current research on diseases caused by Colletotrichum spp. on major fruit crops in the United States, focusing on the taxonomy of species involved, disease management strategies, and future management outlook.

Performance of Three Isolates of Metarhizium Anisopliae and Their Virulence against Zeugodacus Cucurbitae under Different Temperature Regimes, with Global Extrapolation of Their Efficiency

The performance of entomopathogenic fungi in pest control is usually affected by both biotic and abiotic factors. This study aimed to determine the effects of various temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30 °C) on conidial germination, mycelial growth and conidial density and virulence to the melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae of three selected isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae. The three isolates, ICIPE 18, ICIPE 30 and ICIPE 69, had previously been selected in laboratory bioassays. Percentage mortality by the three isolates ranged between 16.25% and 100.0% across the different temperatures. The isolates ICIPE 69 and ICIPE 18 recorded the highest percentage mortality of 96.25% and 100% and the shortest LT₅₀ values of 2.61 and 2.63 days, respectively, at 30 °C. However, at 30 °C, ICIPE 69 produced the highest number of conidia of 90.5 × 10⁷ /mL and was therefore selected for global mapping to predict its efficacy against Z. cucurbitae using the geospatial temperature data layer and the best fitted quadratic model. The map showed that the isolate would be more effective in the tropics than in temperate climates.

Investigations on the Timing of Fruit Infection by Fungal Pathogens Causing Fruit Rot of Deciduous Holly

Fruit rot of deciduous holly is an emerging fungal disease that is affecting plant production across midwestern and eastern U.S. nurseries. To determine the growth stage(s) of host susceptibility to infection by the major pathogens associated with the disease, Alternaria alternata and Diaporthe ilicicola, and minor pathogens such as Colletotrichum fioriniae and Epicoccum nigrum, we conducted two sets of experiments over two consecutive seasons. In the first case we monitored the presence of the pathogens as well as disease progression in a commercial nursery under natural conditions by collecting plant tissues from the flower bud stage until fruit maturity. The target pathogens were consistently isolated from asymptomatic samples at all stages of fruit development and from symptomatic samples at fruit maturity across the 2 years of collection. A significant increase in fungal isolation frequency, primarily species of Alternaria and Colletotrichum, was observed right after flowering, but fruit rot symptoms only developed on mature fruit. In the second case we artificially inoculated containerized plants maintained outdoor at our research farm with individual or combined pathogens at different fruit developmental stages, and we assessed disease incidence on mature fruit to determine the time of host susceptibility to infection and, indirectly, whether pathogens in the fungal complex carry out latent infections. D. ilicicola could cause latent infection on deciduous holly fruit when inoculated at the full bloom and petal fall stages, and all inoculations made on wounded mature fruit resulted in fruit rot. These findings suggest that flowering represents a critical period to manage D. ilicicola infections and that mature fruit should be protected from any injury to avoid disease. In both experiments a negative correlation between disease incidence and temperature was found; however, the decrease in temperature also coincided with fruit ripening. The effects of temperature and changes in physiological properties of the fruit during maturation on disease development should be further investigated to fully interpret these findings.

Natamycin, a New Biofungicide for Managing Crown Rot of Strawberry Caused by QoI-Resistant Colletotrichum acutatum

Anthracnose crown rot of strawberry, caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, is an important disease affecting California nursery and fruit production. Preplant dip treatments of transplants with fludioxonil-cyprodinil or azoxystrobin are industry standards for managing the disease and have been used extensively. Following reports of reduced efficacy of azoxystrobin in the field, high levels of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) resistance were detected in California isolates of the pathogen. Resistance was associated with the G143A mutation in the cytochrome b gene, similar to a previous report from Florida, and there were no detected fitness penalties in pathogenicity or virulence. Therefore, several alternative fungicides were investigated in laboratory and field studies. Subsequently, the new biofungicide natamycin was identified. Baseline sensitivities of 74 isolates of C. acutatum to natamycin were determined to be unimodal, with a range from 0.526 to 1.996 μg/ml (mean 0.973 μg/ml). Although this toxicity was considerably lower than that of azoxystrobin (using sensitive isolates), fludioxonil, or cyprodinil, dip treatments of transplants with natamycin (at 500 or 1000 mg/liter) were highly effective. Disease severity and plant mortality in field studies with inoculated transplants were reduced to similarly low levels as treatments containing fludioxonil, whereas azoxystrobin failed in inoculations with QoI-resistant isolates of C. acutatum. Fruit yield was also significantly increased by natamycin as compared with the inoculated control. Differences in disease susceptibility were observed among cultivars evaluated, with Monterey and Portola more susceptible than Fronteras. Natamycin has a unique mode of action that is different from other fungicides registered on strawberry and, based on this research, was registered in the United States as a preplant, biofungicide dip treatment of strawberry transplants for management of anthracnose crown rot.

Characterization, Virulence, Epidemiology, and Management of Anthracnose in Celery

Leaf curling and petiole twisting of celery (Apium graveolens) were observed in several commercial fields in five Michigan counties in 2010 through 2012, causing significant crop damage and loss. Prior to this time, the pathogen Colletotrichum acutatum species complex had not been previously associated with celery in Michigan. In this study, the pathogen's genotype and phenotype were characterized, the influence of environmental conditions determined, and fungicides tested. Pathogen identification was based on conidial morphology and molecular identification using species-specific primers. Intersimple-sequence repeat (ISSR) banding patterns were similar between C. acutatum isolates from celery (n = 51) and blueberry (n = 1) but different from C. dematium and C. gloeosporioides. Four ISSR primers resulted in 4% polymorphism when tested on isolates from celery. Pathogenicity and virulence of C. acutatum sensu lato isolated from celery (n = 81), tomato (n = 2), and blueberry (n = 1) were evaluated in greenhouse experiments, which revealed differences in virulence among isolates but no significant differences specific to collection year, county, or field. In dew chambers and growth chambers, high temperatures (≥25°C) or long leaf wetness duration (>24 h) increased disease incidence. Twelve fungicides were tested in field studies over two growing seasons to determine their efficacy against celery anthracnose. The fungicides azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin, mancozeb, and chlorothalonil reduced disease by 27 to 50% compared with the untreated control when disease pressure was moderate.

Identifying pathogenicity genes in the rubber tree anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides through random insertional mutagenesis

To gain more insight into the molecular mechanisms of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides pathogenesis, Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was used to identify mutants of C. gloeosporioides impaired in pathogenicity. An ATMT library of 4128 C. gloeosporioides transformants was generated. Transformants were screened for defects in pathogenicity with a detached copper brown leaf assay. 32 mutants showing reproducible pathogenicity defects were obtained. Southern blot analysis showed 60.4% of the transformants had single-site T-DNA integrations. 16 Genomic sequences flanking T-DNA were recovered from mutants by thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR, and were used to isolate the tagged genes from the genome sequence of wild-type C. gloeosporioides by Basic Local Alignment Search Tool searches against the local genome database of the wild-type C. gloeosporioides. One potential pathogenicity genes encoded calcium-translocating P-type ATPase. Six potential pathogenicity genes had no known homologs in filamentous fungi and were likely to be novel fungal virulence factors. Two putative genes encoded Glycosyltransferase family 28 domain-containing protein and Mov34/MPN/PAD-1 family protein, respectively. Five potential pathogenicity genes had putative function matched with putative protein of other Colletotrichum species. Two known C. gloeosporioides pathogenicity genes were also identified, the encoding Glomerella cingulata hard-surface induced protein and C. gloeosporioides regulatory subunit of protein kinase A gene involved in cAMP-dependent PKA signal transduction pathway.

Use of Leaf Wetness and Temperature to Time Fungicide Applications to Control Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry in Florida

Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR), caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, is a major disease of strawberry in Florida and is generally controlled by weekly fungicide applications. More than 20 applications may be made during the growing season, most commonly using captan and the quinone-outside inhibitors. Field experiments were conducted for three seasons on a susceptible and a partially resistant cultivar to evaluate the effectiveness of timing fungicide applications for managing AFR based on a previously published model by Wilson and associates that uses leaf wetness duration and temperature to predict fruit infection by C. acutatum under controlled conditions. For most treatments, rules were established where captan was applied when the predicted proportion of fruit infected (INF) from the model exceeded 0.15 and pyraclostrobin was applied when INF exceeded 0.5. For one model-timed treatment where captan and pyraclostrobin were applied before symptoms first appeared in the field, disease control was as good as the treatment where calendar weekly applications were made and the model-timed treatment utilized 47% fewer sprays. In treatments where fungicide application began after symptom appearance, the number of applications was reduced further but disease control was 40% less effective. Model-timed fungicide treatments that included pyraclostrobin gave better control than the treatments using captan alone. The model relating leaf wetness and temperature to predict AFR infection can be used effectively in a disease-forecasting system to time fungicide treatments and greatly reduce the number of applications without loss of disease control or yield.

Effect of different carbon sources on endochitinase production by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

The present work analyzes the production of endochitinase by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a phytopathogenic fungus, using six different carbon sources and two pH values. For quantitative assay of endochitinase activity in solution, the synthetic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-N,N',N"-triacetylchitotrioside was used. The major productions were obtained at pH 7.0 and 9.0, when colloidal chitin and glucose were used, whereas xylose and lactose were not good carbon sources. When testing different concentrations of colloidal chitin, glucose and glucosamine, colloidal chitin 0.5% was the best substrate, giving values of 2.4 U at the fifth day. When using glucose, best production occurred at 0.3% concentration, after 5 days growth, with values of 1.31 U. Endochitinase production was markedly decreased in high levels of glucose and in all glucosamine concentrations tested. SDS-PAGE co-polymerized with glycol-chitin analysis showed three major activity bands of 200, 100, and 95 kDa, when incubated at 50 degrees C.

Development of a Robust Screening Method for Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum spp. on Strawberry Seedlings Enabling Forward Genetic Studies

Generation and screening for nonpathogenic mutants is a popular tool for identifying pathogenicity-related genes. Successful application of this technique for plant fungal pathosystems requires reliable and rapid screening procedures. This study reports on the development of a rapid in vitro bioassay enabling large-scale screening and isolation of nonpathogenic mutants of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. acutatum on strawberry seedlings. Inoculation was carried out on strawberry seedlings at two different developmental stages: 12-week-old (young) and 15-week-old (older) seedlings. A comparison was made between two inoculation techniques, (i) foliar dip and (ii) root soak, at two incubation temperatures (19 and 25°C). Mortality of young seedlings was observed 4 days after inoculation with both species, reaching 50% within 10 days, using both techniques at 25°C. However, mortality of older seedlings was delayed by 4 days compared with that in the young seedlings when using the root-soak method. Disease development decreased in young and older seedlings at the lower temperature. This method also was reliable in determining pathogenicity of the cucurbit-specific C. magna that did not cause disease symptoms on strawberry by either inoculation method. The proposed method enabled screening of more than 980 restriction enzyme-mediated integration mutants resulting in a selection of five reduced-virulence isolates. Initial characterization of some of these mutants revealed large differences in germination and appressorial formation compared with pathogenic isolates.

Detection, Isolation, and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum spp. from Strawberry Petioles

The herbicide paraquat is used to kill plant tissues and accelerate the growth of quiescent fungal colonists. In this study, freezing was investigated as an alternative to paraquat for the detection of latent infections of Colletotrichum spp. on strawberry petioles. Apparently healthy petioles from field-grown plants and inoculated petioles from greenhouse-grown plants were killed by freezing or exposure to 0.3% paraquat, and incubated in petri dish moist chambers. Previously frozen petioles were treated with 0.525 or 0.0525% sodium hypochlorite and Tween 20 at 18 µl/liter for selected intervals to test the effects of surface disinfestation on detection frequency. After 5 to 7 days of incubation, Colletotrichum acervuli developed much more frequently on freeze- and paraquat-treated petioles than on washed petioles which were not killed. Detection frequencies were similar for paraquat and some freeze treatments, but the latter were negatively affected by prolonged surface disinfestation. Using the petiole freeze method, Colletotrichum acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and Glomerella cingulata (the teleomorph of C. gloeosporioides) were detected on symptomless petioles of field-grown plants. In addition, C. acutatum and C. dermatium were detected on apparently healthy transplants from northern nurseries. All of these fungi are reported pathogens of strawberry, but not all C. gloeosporioides isolates from frozen petioles were pathogenic in greenhouse bioassays. Freezing is a viable, nonhazardous alternative to paraquat for the detection of latent Colletotrichum infections on strawberry.

Purification and characterization of an endochitinase produced by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

The phytopathogenic fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was analyzed for chitinase activity, the best production occurring at the fourth day. A 43 kDa endochitinase with specific activity of 413 U microg(-1) protein was purified corresponding to a 75% yield. The optima of temperature and pH for the enzyme were 50 degrees C and pH 7.0, respectively. The enzyme showed a high stability at 50 degrees C and pH 7.0. Values of pH from 5.0 up to 7.0 gave, at least, 50% of maximum activity, suggesting a biotechnological application. Further studies are in progress to determine the possible use of this endochitinase in biological control.

Influence of Temperature and Wetness Duration on Conidia and Appressoria of Colletotrichum acutatum on Symptomless Strawberry Leaves

ABSTRACT Strawberry leaves (cv. Tristar) inoculated with Colletotrichum acuta-tum conidia were incubated at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C under continuous wetness, and at 25 degrees C under six intermittent wetness regimes. The number of conidia and appressoria was quantified on excised leaf disks. In order to assess pathogen survival, inoculated leaves were frozen and incubated to induce acervular development. Germination, secondary3 conidiation, and appressorial development were significantly (P </= 0.05) affected by temperature and wetness treatments. Under continuous wetness, the optimum temperature range for conidial germination was 23.0 to 27.7 degrees C, whereas the optimum temperature for appressorial development ranged from 17.6 to 26.5 degrees C. Secondary conidiation showed an optimum temperature range of 21.3 to 32.7 degrees C and was most abundant between 12 and 36 h after inoculation. Conidial germination, appressorial production, and secondary conidiation were favored by increasing wetness duration and more than 4 h of wetness were required for secondary conidiation. In a greenhouse, C. acutatum survived up to 8 weeks on leaves. The number of acervuli formed on leaves after freezing and incubation was closely (r(2) >/= 0.95) related to appressorial populations prior to this treatment and was greatest following periods of continuous wetness. Production of secondary conidia and appressoria of C. acutatum on symptomless strawberry leaves under a range of environmental conditions suggests that these processes also occur under field conditions and contribute to inoculum availability during the growing season.

Effects of Host, Inoculum Concentration, Wetness Duration, Growth Stage, and Temperature on Anthracnose of Lentil

The effects of concentration of conidia, duration of the wetness period, plant growth stage, and temperature on the development of anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum) on lentil (Lens culinaris) were assessed in growth-chamber and greenhouse studies using cv. Indianhead and line 458-57, which have partial resistance, and susceptible cv. Eston. Each genotype was assessed for incubation period (IP), latent period (LP), number of lesions (LN) per stem, and disease severity (DS). Both IP and LP decreased linearly with increasing conidial concentration, wetness duration, and temperature. Both IP and LP also became progressively shorter as the plants aged between 2 to 6 weeks and increased between 6 to 8 weeks after seeding. Both LN and DS increased linearly with increasing inoculum concentration, wetness duration, and temperature. Both LN and DS also increased with plant age between 2 to 4 weeks and decreased between 4 to 8 weeks. The growth stage and temperature required for optimal disease development ranged, respectively, from 4 to 6 weeks and 20 to 24°C when plants were inoculated at a concentration of 4 × 10⁴ conidia/ml and provided with a wetness period of 24 h. Generally, cv. Indianhead and line 458-57 had significantly longer IP and LP and lower LN and DS than cv. Eston.

Comparison of rain effects on splash dispersal of three colletotrichum species infecting strawberry

ABSTRACT Rain simulation studies were performed to compare splash dispersal of three Colletotrichum species: C. acutatum (C. acutatum-O isolate from Ohio and C. acutatum-M isolate from Mississippi), C. fragariae (isolate from Mississippi), and C. gloeosporioides (isolate from Florida). Conidial dispersal was assessed by counting colonies formed from spore-bearing splash droplets deposited in sheltered petri plates containing a selective medium. Colonies were converted to number of conidia based on germination rates of spores on the media. The interpolated total number of dispersed conidia over a 61 min rain and 72 cm from the point source (Sigma) was calculated. For all species, a rain intensity of 30-mm/h resulted in significantly greater dispersal than an intensity of 11-mm/h. C. fragariae had the lowest amount of spore dispersal, and C. acutatum-O had the highest dispersal. C. acutatum-M and C. gloeosporioides were intermediate in magnitude of conidial splash dispersal. However, differences were directly attributed to differences in spore density per fruit at the source. When Sigma was corrected for source strength (Sigma(r)), the species were very similar, with only C. acutatum-M having a mean Sigma(r) significantly less than the others. Proportions and rates of spore removal (per minute) from source fruits were higher for C. acutatum-O and C. gloeosporioides than for other isolates. Wash-off rates of conidia deposited on healthy fruits were the same for all species. Deposition flux density of spores that had been uniformly sprayed over the entire soil surface of the experimental area was affected by species. A significant difference in means was observed between C. acutatum and C. fragariae-the latter had a somewhat lower flux density. This is the first demonstration that closely related species infecting the same plant species are similar in terms of splash dispersal.

Fruit Resistance to Colletotrichum acutatum in Strawberries

Evaluation of strawberry resistance to anthracnose is generally limited to the crown rot phase of the disease. The major objective of this study was to develop a screening test for resistance to anthracnose fruit rot (Colletotrichum acutatum) using detached strawberries under controlled-environment conditions. Inoculation was carried out on detached fruits harvested at the stage when they were turning white-pink. Lesion diameter and percentage of diseased fruits (disease incidence) were measured. An incubation temperature of 18°C allowed a better discrimination between resistant and susceptible genotypes than 25°C. At 18°C and 8 days after inoculation, 26 genotypes differed greatly in susceptibility to anthracnose fruit rot, and lesion size ranged from 0 to 17 mm with disease incidence of 10 to 100%. A relationship between lesion size and disease incidence was established. The 26 genotypes were classified into three groups of susceptibility according to lesion size and percentage of diseased fruits. The susceptible group included nine genotypes with lesion sizes of 8.2 to 14.4 mm and 81 to 100% diseased fruits. In this group, Pajaro and Elsanta were the most susceptible. The four genotypes belonging to the resistant group, Dover, Capitola, US159, and US438, showed small fruit lesion sizes of 0.4 to 1.0 mm and a limited disease incidence (10 to 17%). The resistance of two genotypes to anthracnose fruit rot was evaluated under field conditions (plastic tunnel). The relatively resistant genotype, Sequoia, displayed reduced incidence of anthracnose fruit rot in the sections closest to the source of inoculum compared with the susceptible genotype Elsanta.

Effect of Strawberry Density on the Spread of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum acutatum

ABSTRACT Spread of strawberry anthracnose, resulting from the rain splash dispersal of Colletotrichum acutatum conidia, was determined in field plots by assessing fruit disease incidence at a range of distances from an introduced point source of infected fruit with sporulating lesions. Four within-row plant densities were established in replicated plots in each of 2 years. A generalized linear model with a logit link function and binomial distribution for incidence was used to quantify the effects of distance and side of the row relative to the inoculum source, plant density treatment, and their interactions on disease incidence. At all assessment times, there was a significant (P </= 0.05) decline in incidence with increasing distance from the spore source. Moreover, row side had a significant effect, with the near side having higher incidence than the far side. Plant density treatment had a significant, but nonlinear, effect on incidence, with incidence generally declining with increasing density. Side of the row relative to the inoculum source and density treatment could affect the steepness of the disease gradient (slope) as well as the overall level of disease incidence, depending on the assessment time and year. The combined effects of plant density and row side on the height and steepness of the disease gradients could be measured using the predicted distance in which incidence equals 10% (d(10)). Estimated d(10) generally increased in a nonlinear manner with decreasing plant density. Also, plant density had a significant negative effect on the proportion of incident rain that penetrated the canopy. In a separate study, plant density did not consistently affect infection of fruit that had been placed within the canopy immediately after being inoculated in the laboratory with a controlled inoculum density, indicating that conditions favoring infection were similar for the four densities. Thus, differences in mean disease incidence and disease gradients among the treatments were mostly due to differences in dispersal and not to other components of the disease cycle. As previously reported for controlled studies using a rain simulator, however, the effects of plant density on dispersal were complex, and increasing density did not universally lead to decreasing disease incidence.