Higher fitness and competitive advantage of Pyricularia oryzae Triticum lineage resistant to QoI fungicides.

BACKGROUND: Quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides have not been effective in controlling the wheat blast disease [Pyricularia oryzae Triticum lineage (PoTl)] in Brazil. The first report of resistance of PoTl to QoIs in this country occurred in 2015. This study aimed to test hypotheses about the changes in fitness parameters and competitive advantage of the QoI-resistant (R) PoTl isolate group compared to the sensitive (S) isolate group. Mycelial growth on PDA medium and in vivo conidial production, incubation period and disease severity were analyzed as fitness parameters. The competitive ability was measured on wheat leaves and heads inoculated with mixtures of R:S isolates at the following proportions: 0S:100R, 20S:80R, 50S:50R, 80S:20R, 100S:0R, and 0S:0R. RESULTS: The QoI-R isolate group had significantly higher fitness than the sensitive isolate group, considering both in vitro and in vivo parameters. The highest in vivo conidial production on wheat leaves and the highest leaf and head disease severity were detected when resistant strains were predominant in the isolate's mixtures (20S:80R or 0S:100R proportions), in the absence of fungicide pressure. Conidia harvested from wheat blast lesions on leaves inoculated with 20S:80R and 0S:100R mixtures were resistant to QoIs in vitro assays based on discriminatory doses of the fungicide. CONCLUSION: Therefore, QoI resistance facilitated a higher fitness and a competitive advantage in PoTl, which contrasts with the evolutionary theory that associates a fitness cost to fungicide resistance. We discuss the evolutionary and ecological implications of the higher fitness as found in the fungicide-resistant adapted populations of the wheat blast pathogen. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Copper formulations in bacterial blight control and toxic effects on coffee seedlings

Bacterial blight of coffee (Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae) is an important coffee disease and can be controlled using antibiotics and copper-based compounds. However, copper-based compounds raise doubts among coffee growers regarding bacterial blight control efficiency and phytotoxic potential. In this work, coffee plants were sprayed with different copper molecules in order to study their efficiency on bacterial blight control and the phytotoxic potential. Seven copper formulations, cuprous oxide, copper oxychloride, copper nitrate, copper hydroxide 1 (water-dispersible granules) and 2 (concentrated suspension), copper sulfate 1 (complexed with gluconic acid) and 2 (Bordeaux mixture) were studied. The copper formulations efficiency was compared with the antibiotic kasugamycin, saline solution, and control. In controlled environmental conditions of temperature, relative humidity, and photoperiod, coffee seedlings were sprayed with the treatments and after 24 hours they were inoculated with Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae suspension. Disease incidence and severity assessments were performed in a 2-day interval during a 16-day period. Phytotoxicity incidence and severity, mapping, and quantification of copper on the leaf tissue surface, dried leaves weight, and total copper leaf content were assessed 16 days after pathogen inoculation. Data were submitted to the Scott-Knott test (p < 0.05). Cuprous oxide and copper sulfate 2 proved most efficient to bacterial blight control, causing lower phytotoxicity effect, best covering, and persistence on leaf tissues. Copper nitrate and copper sulfate complexed with gluconic acid were more phytotoxicity compared to other copper formulations.

Essential oils in the control of dry bubble disease in white button mushroom / Óleos essenciais no controle da doença bolha seca em champignon

ABSTRACT: Lecanicillium fungicola, which causes Dry bubble disease, induces infections and inflicts major losses in champignon production. The control can be managed through measures of hygiene and use of fungicides; however, in Brazil there are no registered products. This study aimed to estimate the influence of various essential oils extracted from Melissa officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Eucalyptus globulus, Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Syzygium aromaticum on the in vitro development and their uses. Therefore, analysis was performed of the L. fungicola isolates in vitro and the best oils were tested in vivo. Besides, the Agaricus bisporus - L. fungicola interaction was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cinnamon and clove oils in concentrations of 0.4% and thyme oil of 0.8% were identified as good growth inhibitors of the pathogenic mycelium. Effective inhibition of the conidial germination was seen in all concentrations by cinnamon oil, and by clove and thyme oils only at 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. When the essential oils were applied post-infestation in the in vivo experiments the incidence of the disease in the mushrooms was much lower. From the SEM it was clear that 19 hours after the inoculation of A. bisporus with L. fungicola, the spores had already completely germinated, revealing the presence of the infection. Therefore, the findings of this study indicated that the oil extracts of cinnamon, clove and thyme are potential and efficient alternatives in the control of dry bubble disease.

RESUMO: A doença bolha seca, causada pelo fungo Lecanicillium fungicola, provoca infecções graves que resultam em perdas significativas na produção de champignon. O controle se dá através de práticas sanitárias e do uso de fungicidas, porém no Brasil não há produtos registrados. Desta forma, este estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito de óleos essenciais extraídos de Melissa officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Origanum vulgare, Eucalyptus globulus, Cinnamomum zeylanicum e Syzygium aromaticum sobre o desenvolvimento in vitro de isolados de L. fungicola e aplicação dos melhores óleos em teste in vivo. Além disso, a interação entre Agaricus bisporus e L. fungicola foi verificada por meio de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV). Os óleos de canela e cravo a partir da concentração 0.4% e tomilho a 0.8% inibiram o crescimento micelial do patógeno. Já a germinação de conídios foi inibida pelo óleo de canela em todas as concentrações, bem como pelos óleos de cravo e tomilho, a 0.4% e 0.8%, respectivamente. No experimento in vivo, a aplicação dos óleos essenciais pós-infestação apresentou menor incidência da doença nos cogumelos produzidos. A MEV revelou que após 19 horas da inoculação de L. fungicola em A. bisporus, os esporos já estavam completamente germinados, o que indicava a ocorrência da infecção. Assim, os resultados deste trabalho sugerem que os óleos de canela, cravo e tomilho são alternativas potenciais para o controle da doença bolha seca.