Ailton Reis

Characterization of Isolates of Phytophthora infestans from Southern and Southeastern Brazil from 1998 to 2000

The population of Phytophthora infestans in Brazil was first characterized 12 years ago. In this research, isolates of P. infestans from potato (n = 184) and tomato (n = 267) collected in southern and southeastern Brazil were characterized to provide more detailed analysis of the current structure of the population. All 451 isolates were analyzed for mating type, and subsets of the isolates were analyzed for allozymes, restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprint, mtDNA haplotypes, and metalaxyl resistance. Tomato isolates were all of A1 mating type, mtDNA Ib, and US-1 genotype or some variant within this clonal lineage. Of the potato isolates, 82% were A2 mating type, mtDNA IIa, BR-1 genotype, which is a new lineage of P. infestans. All A2 isolates were found on potato, whereas 91% of the A1 isolates were from tomato. A1 and A2 isolates were never found in the same field. The frequency of resistance to metalaxyl was higher in isolates from tomato (55%) than in isolates from potato (38%). After more than a decade of coexistence of isolates of the A1 and A2 mating types, the population was highly clonal, dominated by the BR-1 and US-1 clonal lineages.

Sensitivity of Brazilian Isolates of Phytophthora infestans to Commonly Used Fungicides in Tomato and Potato Crops

Isolates of the US-1 and BR-1 clonal lineages of Phytophthora infestans, collected from tomato and potato fields of two main producing regions of Brazil (south and southeast), were tested for sensitivity to the systemic fungicide metalaxyl, plus the three protectant fungicides mancozeb, chlorothalonil, and cymoxanil. For metalaxyl, one agar test and two leaf-disc tests were carried out. For all tests, metalaxyl insensitive (I), intermediately insensitive (II), and sensitive (S) isolates were detected. There was no association among metalaxyl sensitivity and region, lineage, or host. In the agar test, 35.0% of 210 isolates were classified as I, 36.0% as II, and 29.0% as S. US-1 isolates were classified as 36.1% I, 30.6% II, and 33.3% S. BR-1 isolates were 33.3% I, 23.8% II, and 42.9% S. In leaf-disc test 1 (240 isolates tested), 24.3% were classified as I, 35.0% as II, and 40.7% as S. Isolates of US-1 were 21.0% I, 39.8% II, and 39.2% S, whereas BR-1 isolates were 36.0% I, 20.0% II, and 44.0% S. In leaf-disc test 2 (96 isolates tested), which was based on an effective dose for 50% sporulation inhibition (ED50), most isolates were either I (44.8%) or II (51.0%), and only three (4.2%) were S. The US-1 isolates were 46.0% I, 51.0% II, and 3.0% S. Isolates of the BR-1 lineage were 45.0% I, 52.0% II, and 3.0% S. For mancozeb, the ED50 for 53 of 59 isolates was below 1.0 μg/ml. No isolate grew on medium amended with more than 100 μg of chlorothalonil/ml and the ED50 for 38 of 50 isolates was below 1.0 μg/ml. For cymoxanil, the ED50 for all 47 isolates tested was below 1 μg/ml. There is no evidence of resistance of resistance of P. infestans to protectant fungicides commonly used in Brazil.

Resistência de Didymella bryoniae a fungicidas no Brasil

Didymella bryoniae resistance to fungicides in Brazil Gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) is one of the most important diseases of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) wordwide. Chemical control, although widely adopted, cannot always avoid disease progress in the field. Resistance of the causal agent to some active ingredients has been reported in Europe, Japan and in the United States, but no such study has been done in Brazil. This work reports results of three in vitro assays for fungicide resistance, as measured by the rate of mycelial growth. In the first test, seven isolates were evaluated against nine fungicides at half the recommended commercial doses. Evidence of resistance to Methyl Thiophanate (TM) and Carbendazim (CARB) (Benzimidazoles) as well as to the mixture of Methyl-Thiophanate and Chlorotalonil (TM+CHLO) was detected. No resistance was suggested to Mancozeb, Difenoconazole, Tebuconazole and the mixtures Mancozeb + Difenoconazole or Trifloxistrobine + Propiconazole. The test was repeated with the same seven isolates of D. bryoniae against TM, CARB, TM+CHLO and Copper Oxichlorate at ¼, ½, 1 and 2 times the recommended doses. Only Copper Oxichlorate consistently caused a decrease in the mycelial growth rates with increasing doses. TM had no effect on the mycelial growth rates at any of the concentrations tested, and CARB and TM+CHLO showed very minor effects with increasing product concentrations. Finally, a collection of 31 isolates from seven Brazilian states was tested for resistance against TM at the recommended dose (490 ppm). Eighty-one per cent of the isolates, from most Brazilian states, proved to be highly resistant. Resistant and sensitive isolates were found in the same geographic regions. Considering the prevalence of isolates resistant to both TM and CARB, an evidence of cross-resistance, the use of benzimidazoles should be avoided for gummy stem blight control. Additional keywords: benzimidazoles, sensitivity to fungicides , Ascochyta cucumis.

Associação de Alternaria dauci e A. alternata com sementes de coentro e eficiência do tratamento químico

Association of Alternaria dauci and A. alternata with coriander seeds and efficiency of chemical treatments Twelve lots of coriander seeds were evaluated for the presence of Alternaria spp., using 600 seeds per lot in the blotter test. Two Alternaria species were detected, A. dauci (AD) in eight lots and A. alternata (AA) in six lots. A sample of 400 seeds was sown in styrofoam trays and the incidence of spots on cotyledons was evaluated 21 days after sowing. Only lesions caused by AD were observed on leaves. The seed lot with higher incidence of AA and AD was treated with fungicides (thiram, benomyl, captam and iprodione) and 400 seeds in each treatment were placed in four gerbox boxes with sterilized wet filter paper. Seeds were observed under stereoscopic microscope for presence of AD and AA. The best treatment was the mixture of thiram + iprodione resulting in 0.5% and 0% incidence of AA and AD, respectively. Treated seed samples were sown in styrofoam trays to verify transmission of Alternaria spp. from seeds to seedlings. Plants resulting from non treated seeds presented 13% of infection with AD. Plants from seeds treated with the mixture thiram + iprodione were not infected by AD. The results demonstrated the efficacy of thiram + iprodione mixture for treatment of coriander seeds against A. dauci and A. alternata.

Produtividade, florescimento prematuro e queima-das-folhas em cenoura cultivada em sistema orgânico e convencional

Four experiments were carried out with carrots genotypes during summer season in Distrito Federal, Brazil, to evaluate yield, bolting and leaf blight under organic and conventional conditions. The experiments were carried out in two locations and in each one two experiments were established, considering both crop systems. The experimental design was a random block with eight treatments and five replicates. The treatments consisted of the cvs. Alvorada, Brasilia RL, Brasilia Bionatur, Kuronan, Nantes 3 Tip Top, Carandai AG 106, Brazlândia and Pop. 0212246. The soil was fertilized with organic compost for the organic trial and with chemical fertilizer for the conventional trial. Plants were evaluated for leaf blight incidence, 70 days after sowing date, through visual observation. Roots were harvested 95 days after sowing, washed, classified and weighted. Bolting was more frequent in Brasilia Bionatur, under conventional condition, in Brazlândia. A difference of susceptibility to leaf blight among genotypes was observed in plants cultivated in the organic system. Nantes was the most susceptible while Pop. 0212246 was the most resistant. Alternaria dauci was observed more frequently at Brazlândia, while Cercospora carotae was observed at both locations, similarly, under organic conditions. For commercial and total yield, commercial and total root number, Pop. 0212246 and Brazlândia were the best materials in both crop systems. Total and commercial yield, total and commercial root number, number and weight of refused roots were higher in the conventional area, compared to the organic area. Brasilia and Brazlândia can be recommended for Distrito Federal, independently of crop system, during summer season. Pop. 0212246 showed desirable agronomical characteristics and can be, in the future, available for farmers in Distrito Federal.

Mating type, mefenoxam sensitivity, and pathotype diversity in Phytophthora infestans isolates from tomato in Brazil

The objective of this work was to characterize 79 Phytophthora infestans isolates collected in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fields, as to mating type, mefenoxam sensitivity, and pathotype composition. The isolates were sampled in 2006 and 2007 in seven Brazilian states as well as in the Distrito Federal. They were characterised as to mating type (n=79), sensitivity to fungicide mefenoxam (n=79), and virulence to three major resistance genes Ph‑1, Ph‑2, and Ph‑3/Ph‑4 (n=62). All isolates were of the mating type A1. Resistant isolates were detected in all sampled states, and its average frequency was superior to 50%. No difference was detected in pathotype diversity, neither between subpopulations collected in 2006 and 2007 nor between isolates grouped as resistant or intermediately sensitive to mefenoxam. All major resistance genes were overcome at different frequencies: Ph‑1, 88.7%; Ph‑2, 64.5%; and Ph‑3/Ph‑4, 25.8%. Isolates with virulence genes able to overcome all major resistance genes were detected at low frequencies. Tomato breeding programs in Brazil must avoid the development of cultivars with resistance based exclusively on major genes. Grupo de compatibilidade, sensibilidade ao mefenoxam e diversidade de patotipos de isolados de Phytophthora infestans de tomate no Brasil Resumo − O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar 79 isolados de Phytophthora infestans, coletados em campos de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum), quanto ao grupo de compatibilidade, a sensibilidade ao mefenoxan, e a diversidade de patotipos. Os isolados foram obtidos em coletas realizadas nos anos de 2006 e 2007, em sete Estados do Brasil e no Distrito Federal. Os isolados foram usados para determinacao do grupo de compatibilidade sexual (n=79), resistencia ao fungicida mefenoxam (n=79) e espectro de virulencia aos genes de efeito principal Ph‑1, Ph‑2 e Ph‑3/Ph‑4 (n=62). Todos os isolados foram classificados no grupo de compatibilidade A1. Isolados insensiveis ao fungicida mefenoxam foram detectados em todos os Estados amostrados, e apresentaram frequencia media superior a 50%. Nao houve diferenca de diversidade de patotipos entre as subpopulacoes coletadas em 2006 e 2007, e nem entre os isolados agrupados como resistentes ou intermediariamente sensiveis ao mefenoxam. Os genes de resistencia foram suplantados em diferentes frequencias: Ph‑1, 88,7%; Ph‑2, 64,5%; e Ph‑3/Ph‑4, 25,8%. Isolados complexos capazes de suplantar a resistencia dos quatro genes de resistencia foram encontrados em baixa frequencia. Programas de melhoramento de tomate no Brasil devem evitar o desenvolvimento de cultivares com resistencia baseada exclusivamente em genes de efeito principal. Termos para indexacao: Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum lycopersicum, manejo de doencas, resistencia a fungicida, requeima, variabilidade do patogeno.

Reaction of melon genotypes to the gummy stem blight and the downy mildew

The gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) and the downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) are two foremost melon (Cucumis melo) diseases, considering their effects on yield and fruit quality. Despite the importance of such diseases, relatively few studies have been done so far on the identification of resistance sources to D. bryoniae and P. cubensis in Brazil. This work aimed at evaluating the resistance of commercial melon genotypes to the gummy stem blight and the downy mildew. Firstly, the most aggressive and representative D. bryoniae isolate was selected. Subsequently, the resistance of 86 melon genotypes to stem infection was studied upon greenhouse conditions by inoculating with the previously selected isolate. Afterwards, the resistance to mildew and leaf infection by D. bryoniae of 28 melon genotypes was evaluated in the field, under natural infection. In the greenhouse, all 86 melon genotypes were infected and showed stem infection symptoms caused by D. bryoniae four days after inoculation. Nevertheless, a significant variation on the resistance levels of the melon genotypes was found. Under field conditions and natural inoculation, genotypes Taslaki and Sary Juliabi were the most susceptible to leaf infection by D. bryoniae, significantly differing from the other genotypes. The lowest levels of susceptibility were identified in genotypes Perlita Busle S1, Valenciano Eliptico, Glaver, MR1, and 2526. All genotypes were susceptible to the downy mildew, albeit differing in susceptibility levels.

Murcha do manjericão (Ocimum basilicum) no Brasil: agente causal, círculo de plantas hospedeiras e transmissão via semente

Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L) is one of the most important vegetable crops in the family Lamiaceae, being employed mainly as a source of essential oils for the pharmaceutical industry. Samples of plants showing symptoms of wilt, stem blight and collar root rot were collected during the 2005 hot rainy season in the rural area of Brazlândia (Federal District) in central Brazil. Two other samples displaying identical symptoms were collected under greenhouse and field conditions in Ponte Alta (DF). The fungus Fusarium oxysporum was consistently isolated in all samples. Pathogenicity tests were conducted using seedlings and stem cuttings of the O. basilicum cultivars ‘Dark Opal’ and ‘Italian Large Leaf’ as well as accessions of the species O. americanum L, O. campechianum Mill., Origanum manjorana L., O. vulgare L., Mentha arvensis L., Coleus blumei Benth., Leonorus sibiricus L. and Leonotis nepetaefolia (L.) W.T. Aiton. All isolates were highly virulent on O. Reis, A.; Miranda, B.E.C.; Boiteux, L.S.; Henz G.P. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) wilt in Brazil: Causal agent, host range and seed transmission. Summa Phytopathologica, v.33, n.2, p.137-141, 2007.

Caracterização de isolados de Phytophthora infestans do Distrito Federal e de Goiás

Characterization of Phytophthora infestans isolates from Distrito Federal and Goias, Brazil

Powdery mildew of Allium species caused by Oidiopsis taurica in Brazil

Oidiopsis taurica Salmon (Syn. Oidiopsis sicula Scalia) was identified as the causal agent of a powdery mildew disease occurring on distinct Allium species in Brazil. This disease was initially observed in plastic house and field-grown garlic (Allium sativum) and leek (A. porrum) accessions in Brasilia (Federal District) and in field-grown and greenhouse onion (A. cepa) cultivars in Belem do Sao Francisco (Pernambuco State) and Brasilia, respectively. Typical symptoms consisted of chlorotic areas on the leaf surface corresponding to a fungal colony. These lesions turned to a brownish color with the progress of the disease. Fungi morphology was similar to that described for O. taurica. Endophytic mycelium emerging through estomata, light pale conidia were dimorphic (lanceolate primary conidia and somewhat cylindrical secondary conidia), fibrosin bodies were absent, conidia formed predominantly single (not in chains), and appressoria were non-lobed. Its sexual stage, Leveillula taurica (Lev.) Arnaud, was not observed. Inoculations were performed with the O. taurica isolates from distinct Allium hosts. These isolates were also pathogenic to sweet pepper and tomato, indicating an apparent absence of host specialization. One bunching onion (A. fistulosum) accessions was not infected by O. taurica suggesting that this species might carry useful resistance alleles to this pathogen. This is the first formal report of a powdery mildew disease on species of the genus Allium in Brazil. This disease might become important on these vegetable crops especially in hot and dry areas such as those in the Central and Northeast regions of Brazil.