Hyeong-Jin Jee

Effect of Potassium Phosphonate on the Control of Phytophthora Root Rot of Lettuce in Hydroponics

The effect of potassium phosphonate ( or ) on the control of Phytophthora root rot of lettuce was evaluated in a liquid hydroponic culture. Phosphonate 100 ppm strongly inhibited mycelial growth of Phytophthora species in vitro but did not affect normal growth of lettuce in a greenhouse test. Application of the chemical before infection showed over 94% control value, while it was less than 35% when applied after infection. In a field trial, phosphonate 100 ppm, which was directly supplemented into the nutrient solution, satisfactorily controlled the disease as it did not develop until 28 days after transplanting and remained at less than 2% infection rate at the end of cultivation. Meanwhile, in the control plot, the disease initiated at 7 days after transplanting and developed rapidly reaching over 70% infection rate at 28 days. Population density of the causal pathogen, R drechsleri, in a heavily infested farm was 22.0-25.0 cfu/100 ml of nutrient solution. However, it decreased to 1.3-2.0 cfu/100 ml at 7 days after treatment with phosphonate 200 ppm.

Occurrence of Blue Mold on Tomato Caused by Penicillium oxalicum in Korea

A blue mold on tomato fruit caused by Penicillium oxalicum occurred sporadically in a greenhouse at Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services. Infection usually occurred through wounds or cracks on the fruits. Symptoms began with water soaking lesions, then became watery and softened eventually. Colony of the causal fungus was white at the early growing stage, turned green on Czapek yeast extract agar and malt extract agar. Conidia were ellipsoidal in shape and in size. Stipes were septate, smooth, thin walled, and in size. Penicilli were mostly biverticillate. Ramuli were 1-3 groups, smooth, and in size. Rami were 1-2 groups and in size. Metulae were 2-3(5) verticils, smooth, and in size. Phialides were 5-7 verticilate, ampulliform to cylindroidal, smooth, and in size. Optimum temperature for growth was about . Pathogenicity of the fungus was proved on tomato fruit according to Koch`s postulation. On the basis of mycological and pathological characteristics, the fungus was identified as P. oxalicum Currie & Thom. This is the first report of the blue mold on tomato fruit caused by P. oxalicum in Korea.

Occurrence of Stem Rot of Disporum smilacinum Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii in Korea

In 2005 and 2007, a basal stem rot of Disporum smilacinum caused by Sclerotium rolfsii occurred sporadically in a herb farm at Hamyang, Korea. The symptom initiated with water-soaking lesion and progressed into stem rot and wilt of a whole plant. Severely infected plants were blighted and died eventually. White mycelial mats appeared on the lesion at early stage and a number of sclerotia were formed on the stem near the soil line. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1-3 mm in size and white to brown in color. The optimum temperature for the growth and sclerotia formation was 30 on PDA and the hyphal width was measured . The typical clamp connections were observed in the hyphae of the fungus grown on PDA. On the basis of symptom, mycological characteristics and pathogenicity to the host plant, this fungus was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo. This is the first report on the stem rot of D. smilacinum caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.

Occurrence of Stem and Fruit Rot of Paprika Caused by Nectria haematococca

Since 2000 severe rots on aerial and underground parts of paprika (Capsicum annum L.) has occurred in most surveyed glasshouses throughout the country. A total of 56 isolates of a fungus were consistently isolated from various plant parts such as fruit, stem, branch, and root collected from 16 farms in five provinces. Anamorph stage of the fungus was identified as Fusarium solani based on its morphological characteristics. However, the fungus readily produced a sexual structure of perithecia on infected plant tissues and on agar media. Since the fungus formed abundant perithecium by a single isolate, it was considered as a homothallic strain of Nectria haematococca, the teleomorph of F. solani. Irregularly globose perithecia with orange to red color formed sparsely to gregariously on dead tissues of fruits and basal stems at the late infection stage, which is a diagnostic sign for the disease. Perithecia ranged from 125 to 220 in diameter varied among isolates. Asci enveloping eight ascospores were cylindrical and measured 60-80x8-12 . Ellipsoid to obovate ascospores are two-celled and measured 11-18x4-7 . Ascospores were hyaline, slightly constricted at the central septum, and revealed longitudinal striations that is characteristic of the species. This fungus that has never been reported in Korea has previously become a threat to paprika cultivation because of its strong pathogenicity and nationwide distribution.

Genetic Diversity of Didymella bryoniae for RAPD Profiles Substantiated by SCAR Marker in Korea

Twenty isolates of Didymella bryoniae were isolated from infected cucurbit plants in various growing areas of southern Korea in 2001 and 2002. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) group [RG] I of D. bryoniae was more virulent than RG IV to watermelon. Virulence of the RG I isolate was strong to moderate to cucumber, whereas that of the RG IV varied from strong, moderate to weak. Two hundred seventy-three amplified fragments were produced with 40 primers, and were analyzed by a cluster analysis using UPGMA method with an arithmetic average program of NTSYSPC. At the distance level of 0.7, two major genomic DNA RAPD groups were differentiated among 20 isolates. The RG I included 7 isolates from watermelon and one isolate from melon, whereas the RG IV included 12 isolates from squash, cucumber, watermelon and melon. Amplification of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and small subunit rRNA region from the 20 isolates yielded respectively a single fragment. Restriction pattern with 12 restriction enzymes was identical for all isolates tested, suggesting that variation in the ITS and small subunit within the D. bryoniae were low. Amplification of the genomic DNAs of the tested isolates with the sequence characterized amplified regions (SCAR) primer RG IF-RG IR specific for RG I group resulted in a single band of 650bp fragment for 8 isolates out of the 20 isolates. Therefore, these 8 isolates could be assigned into RG I. The same experiments done with RG IIF-RG IIR resulted in no amplified PCR product for the 20 isolates tested. An about 1.4 kb-fragment amplified from the RG IV isolates was specifically hybridized with PCR fragments amplified from genomic DNAs of the RG IV isolates only, suggesting that this PCR product could be used for discriminating the RG IV isolates from the RG I isolates as well other fungal species.

Growth Promotion of Pepper Plants by Pantoea ananatis B1-9 and its Efficient Endophytic Colonization Capacity in Plant Tissues

The bacteria B1-9 that was isolated from the rhizosphere of the green onion could promote growth of pepper, cucumber, tomato, and melon plants. In particular, pepper yield after B1-9 treatment on the seedling was increased about 3 times higher than that of control plants in a field experiment. Partial 16S rDNA sequences revealed that B1-9 belongs to the genus Pantoea ananatis. Pathogenecity tests showed non-pathogenic on kimchi cabbage, carrot, and onion. The functional characterization study demonstrated B1-9`s ability to function in phosphate solubilization, sulfur oxidation, nitrogen fixation, and indole-3-acetic acid production. To trace colonization patterns of B1-9 in pepper plant tissues, we used fluorescent dye, which stains the DNAs of bacteria and plant cells. A large number of B1-9 cells were found on the surfaces of roots and stems as well as in guard cells. Furthermore, several colonized B1-9 cells resided in inner cortical plant cells. Treatment of rhizosphere regions with strain B1-9 can result in efficient colonization of plants and promote plant growth from the seedling to mature plant stage. In summary, strain B1-9 can be successfully applied in the pepper plantation because of its high colonization capacity in plant tissues, as well as properties that promote efficient plant growth.

Phytophthora Rot of Broad Bean (Vicia faba) Caused by Phytophthora nicotianae in Korea

Phytophthora rot on broad bean(Vicia faba) occurred in the experimental field at Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services from 2004 to 2006. The fungus isolated from the diseased plants grew well on potato dextrose agar and showed an arachnoid or rosaceous colony pattern. Sporangia were conspicuously papillated, noncaducous, ovoid to globose, and in size. Oogonia and oospores were spherical and measured as 20-32 and 16-28 in size, respectively. Oospores were relatively small and aplerotic. Antheridia were amphigynous, spherical, and unicellula. Chlamydospores were globose and 18-40 in size. Optimum temperature for growth was about on potato dextrose agar. The disease occurred in all parts of the plant including roots, stems, leaves and pods in the field. The symptoms similar to those of naturally infected plants were induced by artificial inoculation and the pathogen was re-isolated from the plant. On the basis of mycological and pathological characteristics, the causal pathogen of broad bean rot was identified as Phytophthora nicotianae. This is the first report of Phytophthora rot of broad bean caused by P. nicotianae in Korea.

A New Formulation System for Slow Releasing of Phosphorous Acid in Soil for Controlling Phytophthora Diseases

Phosphorous acid is known to effectively control various Oomycetes diseases. The phosphoric acid moves upward and downward through the xylem and phloem in plants. The sustainable forms of the slow releasing chemical in rhizosphere would be ideal to be up-taken by plants. Therefore, we developed a new system for phosphorous acid formulation using a carrier coated with polysaccharides. When the product was applied in rhizosphere, the adequate amount of phosphorous acid was consistently released up to 4 weeks in rhizosphere soils. While soil drenching with phosphorous acid at 1,000 and metalaxyl at 150 were not effective to control pepper Phytophthora blight for 4 weeks, direct application of our formulation product around basal stem of pepper plants resulted in excellent disease control effect against Phytophthora blight over 4 weeks. The application of 4 g of our product per plant was optimum to control the disease, and 8 g product/plant did not cause phytotoxicity. Based on the results, we conclude that the applications of the formulation product once or twice during cropping season can control Phytophthora diseases on various crops.

Effects of Prochloraz and Tebuconazole on Control of Fusarium Bulb and Root Rot of Oriental Orchid, Cymbidium goeringii

Eight fungicides including prochloraz, tebuconazole, benomyl, mancozeb, thiophanate-methyl, azoxystrobin, and fluazinam were examined for their control effects on Fusarium bulb and root rot of oriental orchid, Cymbidium goeringii. Among the chemicals, prochloraz and tebuconazole were the most effective on suppression of the causal pathogen, F. oxysporum in vitro and on control of the disease in vivo. Prochloraz and tebuconazole inhibited mycelial growth of the fungi 95~100% at 10ppm a.i. and microconidial germination 75~100% at 100ppm a.i. Prochloraz and tebuconazole showed 80~92% and 84~88% protective control value on the disease, respectively. However, curative effects on infected orchid were relatively low. Other chemicals showed no or lower than 20% curative and 50% protective control value. Results indicated that prochloraz and tebuconazole can be used for the control of the Fusarium bulb and root rot of oriental orchids. However, the chemicals need to be applied prior to the disease development to achieve successful control efficacy.

Occurrence and Distribution of Crop Diseases Caused by Invasive Alien Pathogens in Korea

Occurrence and distribution of crop diseases caused by invasive alien pathogens were surveyed in Korea from 2001 to 2003. Of 22 species of invasive alien pathogens surveyed, 18 species were found on their host plants but 4 species were not. Scientific names of the alien plant pathogens introduced into Korea in the past were reviewed. Revised scientific names of 10 species including anthracnose pathogens were amended in the list. Host ranges of invasive alien pathogens were investigated. Eight species of the invasive alien pathogens were found on new host plants as well as their host plants recorded in the past.