DOCSLIB.ORG

Open Poleatewich Final Draft.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Open Poleatewich Final Draft.Pdf The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School Department of Plant Pathology DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGICAL CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PRE- AND POSTHARVEST DISEASES OF APPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA A Dissertation in Plant Pathology by Anissa M. Poleatewich 2010 Anissa M. Poleatewich Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 2010 The dissertation of Anissa M. Poleatewich was reviewed and approved* by the following: Paul A. Backman Professor of Plant Pathology Dissertation Advisor Chair of Committee Maria del Mar Jimenez-Gasco Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology Beth K. Gugino Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology Henry K. Ngugi Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology Richard P. Marini Professor of Horticulture Frederick E. Gildow Professor of Plant Pathology Head of the Department of Plant Pathology *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School iii ABSTRACT Disease prevention is an essential practice in producing quality fruit. Chemical pesticides are widely used for controlling pre- and postharvest diseases of apple and development of fungicide resistance in pathogen populations has resulted in fewer fungicides available for disease control. Additionally, registration withdrawal and restrictions on postharvest fungicide applications continue to plague the industry. The objective of this research was to develop biological controls for foliar and fruit diseases that can be implemented into existing conventional, reduced risk and potentially organic apple production systems to reduce the use of fungicides needed to maintain a quality product. Specific objectives were to (1) determine the effectiveness of novel indigenous endospore-forming bacterial isolates collected from apple and vegetables to suppress pre-harvest and postharvest diseases of apple; (2) evaluate application strategies for theses isolates to optimize suppression of multiple diseases; (3) evaluate growth and survival of these isolates on several apple cultivars; and (4) examine interactions between plant, pathogen, and the biological control agent in order to formulate hypotheses regarding the mechanism(s) of disease suppression. Healthy leaves and fruit were collected from abandoned, organic, and conventionally managed apple orchards in Adam‟s County, PA in 2006 and 2007. Endophytic and epiphytic bacteria were isolated and screened for the ability to form endospores, colonize apple leaves and fruit and the ability to hydrolyze chitin. A total of 75 endospore-forming bacterial isolates were collected from apple and 35% were chitonlytic. Isolates were further screened for the ability to reduce pre-harvest diseases; apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), cedar-apple rust (Gymnosporangium juniper-virginianae), flyspeck (Zygophiala jamaicensis), and fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) in growth chamber, greenhouse and field experiments. Isolates were also screened for the ability to reduce severity of the postharvest diseases bitter rot (Colletotrichum acutatum) and blue mold (Pencillium expansum). Following preliminary screens, six isolates were selected for field experimentation. Four isolates were tested in a two-year field study on biological control of pre- and postharvest diseases at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center in Biglerville, PA. Bacteria were applied to „Golden Delicious‟ and „Rome Beauty‟ trees in May or in May +June. Foliar apple scab severity was assessed weekly using a 7-point rating scale to estimate the percent leaf area scabbed. Bacillus megaterium isolate A3-6, B. mycoides isolate A1-1 and B. cereus isolate FLS-5 applied in May or in May+June significantly reduced apple scab severity on „Rome iv Beauty‟ and „Golden Delicious‟ leaves and fruit. Fruit harvested from this experiment were challenged with the bitter rot pathogen, C. acutatum. When applied as postharvest treatments, these isolates significantly reduced mean bitter rot lesion size on both 'Golden Delicious' and 'Rome Beauty' fruit. A pre-harvest + postharvest application of B. megaterium isolate A3-6 resulted in the greatest suppression of bitter rot with an average of 45% and 95% reduction in lesion size compared to no-bacteria controls on „Golden Delicious‟ and „Rome Beauty‟ fruit respectively. While a synergistic effect was not observed in treatments combining pre- and postharvest application strategies, there was an additive effect as pre-harvest applications of the biocontrol bacteria were able to reduce foliar and fruit scab. Futher, these pre-harvest effects persisted postharvest by suppressing bitter rot, but were enhanced by the addition of a postharvest application of the same isolate. Five isolates were tested in a field experiment conducted at the PSU Department of Horticulture research farm in Rock Springs, PA to evaluate integration of bacteria with soluble silicon and chitosan for apple scab disease suppression. Application of Chitosan to 'Cortland' leaves in May and June did not reduce foliar apple scab severity compared to the non-treated control. All five of the bacterial isolates tested (B. mycoides isolate A1-1, B. megaterium isolates A3-6 and Ae-1, B. cereus isolate FLS-5 and Brevibacillus laterosporus isolate FLS-1) applied alone or in combination with chitosan in May and June significantly reduced foliar scab severity on „Cortland‟. Further research on the concentration of chitosan as a foliar spray and combination with biocontrols is needed to determine the potential for apple scab control. Application of the potassium silicate product, AgSil alone or in combination with bacteria, to 'Cortland' leaves in May and June did not significantly reduce apple scab severity on leaves. No significant reduction in fruit scab was observed for any of the amendment or bacterial isolate treatments. The combination of bacteria with chitosan was also evaluated for suppression of the postharvest diseases bitter rot and blue mold. Application of chitosan to apple wounds alone or in combination with B. megaterium isolate A3-6 or Ae-1, B. mycoides isolate A1-1, or Brevibacillus laterosporus isolate FLS-1 significantly reduced bitter rot and blue mold lesion size on both 'Golden Delicious' and 'Rome Beauty' fruit. A synergistic effect was observed in treatments combining chitosan with B. mycoides isolate A1-1 or B. megaterium isolates A3-6 and Ae-1 on „Golden Delicious‟ fruit with an average of 81% reduction in bitter rot lesion size compared to the no-bacteria/chitosan control. Application of chitosan with B. megaterium isolate A3-6 to wounds resulted in a 78% reduction in blue mold lesion size. Future experiments evaluating v postharvest disease suppression when chitosan is applied in combination with our isolates as a fruit coating (applied as a dip or spray) will provide insights into the level of control that could be achieved in a commercial setting. The bacteria B. mycoides isolate A1-1, B. megaterium isolates A3-6 and Ae-1 and B. cereus isolate FLS-5 significantly reduced bitter rot lesion size and were able to colonize fruit wounds at room and storage temperatures. Population levels of isolates A3-6 and Ae-1 were typically log 2 lower than isolate FLS-5 at 2°C and log 1 lower at 20°C, suggesting that the mechanism of disease suppression does not involve competition for space or nutrients. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the mechanism of postharvest disease suppression by these isolates. Observations of wounded tissue colonized with B. megaterium isolate A3-6 showed attachment of bacterial cells to hyphae of C. acutatum. Furthermore, sections of the hyphae where bacterial cells had attached were damaged and collapsed. Further experimentation is needed to more conclusively elucidate the mechanism of bitter rot suppression by isolate A3-6. The potential for integration of the collected bacterial isolates into existing apple management programs was evaluated. The bacteria B. megaterium isolates A3-6 and Ae-1 and B. cereus isolate FLS-5 were able to colonize apple foliage treated with sulfur, copper hydroxide or streptomycin sulfate. While B. mycoides isolate A1-1 significantly reduced fruit and foliar scab severity in two successive field trials, foliar colonization on non-treated or fungicide treated leaves was low. Although, B. cereus is a ubiquitous colonizer of foliar and soil environments, these bacteria are considered an opportunistic animal pathogens and some strains cause food poisoning. Even though only certain strains cause illness, the use of B. cereus isolate FLS-5 for biological control on apple may face regulatory issues. Based on the controlled environment, greenhouse and field experiments conducted for this dissertation, B. megaterium isolate A3-6 and B. mycoides A1-1 are the best candidates for biological control of pre- and postharvest diseases of apple. The combination of our biological control agents with fungicides or antibiotics may provide significant benefits by reducing the variability in disease management associated with biological control agents while reducing the rate of chemical used without compromising disease suppression. The disease management potential of our isolates combined with other BCAs with documented activity against the overwintering or secondary phase of apple scab represents an additional area of research to develop and optimize biological strategies for apple. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. xi LIST OF
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Venturia Inaequalis (Cooke) Winter, Hedwigia 36: 81, 1897
    Set No 41, published 1974 CMI Descriptions of VENTURIA INAEQUALIS Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria No. 401 Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Winter, Hedwigia 36: 81, 1897. Sphaerella inaequalis Cooke, 1866. Spilosticta inaequalis (Cooke) Petr., 1940. Endostigma inaequalis (Cooke) Syd., 1923. Sphaeria cinerascens Fuckel, 1863. Sphaerella cinerascens Fuckel, 1870. Conidial state: Spilocaea pomi Fr., 1825. Fusicladium pomi (Fr.) Lind, 1913. Helminthosporium pyrorum Lib. (pro parte), 1832. (For further synonymy see Barr, Canadian Journal of Botany 46: 808, 1968 and Hughes, Canadian Journal of Botany 31: 566–568, 1953.) Pseudothecia immersed, globose, amphigenous, scattered or grouped, with or without setae. Asci cylindrical, bitunicate, 8- spored, 60–70 × 7–12 µm. Ascospores monostichous or distichous, olivaceous brown, septate in the upper third, with upper ends tapering and lower ends rounded, 12–15 × 6–8 µm. Conidial state: Conidiophores arising from subcuticular or intraepidermal mycelium which forms radiating plates, simple cylindrical, pale to mid brown to olivaceous brown, sometimes swollen at the base, variable in length, up to 90 µm long, 5–6 µm wide. Stroma often formed as pseudoparenchyma. Conidia produced singly at the tip of the conidiophore and then successively by proliferation through scars of the detached conidia, resulting in characteristic and distinct annellations on the conidiophores; obpyriform to obclavate, pale to mid olivaceous brown, smooth, 0–1-septate, 12–30 µm long, 6–10 µm wide in the broadest part with a truncate base 4–5 µm wide. © CAB INTERNATIONAL 1998 Set No 41, published 1974 HOSTS: Principally on apple (Malus pumila), and other species of Malus. Also recorded on Pyrus spp., Sorbus spp.
    [Show full text]
  • Selection and Orchard Testing of Antagonists Suppressing Conidial Production by the Apple Scab Pathogen Venturia Inaequalis
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Wageningen University & Research Publications Eur J Plant Pathol DOI 10.1007/s10658-008-9377-z Selection and orchard testing of antagonists suppressing conidial production by the apple scab pathogen Venturia inaequalis Jürgen J. Köhl & Wilma W. M. L. Molhoek & Belia B. H. Groenenboom-de Haas & Helen H. M. Goossen-van de Geijn Received: 7 April 2008 /Accepted: 29 September 2008 # KNPV 2008 Abstract Apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis concluded that C. cladosporioides H39 has promising is a major disease in apple production. Epidemics in potential as a biological control agent for apple scab spring are initiated by ascospores produced on over- control. More information is needed on the effect of C. wintering leaves whereas epidemics during summer cladosporioides H39onapplescabepidemicsaswellas are driven by conidia produced on apple leaves by on mass production, formulation and shelf life of biotrophic mycelium. Fungal colonisers of sporulating conidia of the antagonist. colonies of V. inaequalis were isolated and their potential to reduce the production of conidia of V. Keywords Antagonist screening . Biological control . inaequalis was evaluated on apple seedlings under Sporulation controlled conditions. The four most effective isolates of the 63 screened isolates were tested subsequently under Dutch orchard conditions in 2006. Repeated Introduction applications of conidial suspensions of Cladosporium cladosporioides H39 resulted in an average reduction of Apple scab, caused by Venturia inaequalis is a major conidial production by V. inaequalis of approximately disease in world-wide apple production (MacHardy 40%. In 2007, applications of conidial suspensions of C.
    [Show full text]
  • Determination of the Genetic Structure of Venturia Inaequalis Populations by Means of Molecular Markers
    SSis. EW <*-* -"B Diss. ETHNr. 12767 Determination of the Genetic Structure of Venturia inaequalis Populations by Means of Molecular Markers A dissertation submitted to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich for the degree of Doctor of Natural Sciences presented by CatE Isabel Tenzer Dipl. sc. nat. ETH born January 8th, 1971 citizen of Germany accepted on the recommendation of Prof. Dr. B. A. Roy, examiner Dr. C. Gessler, co-examiner Prof. Dr. G. Defago, co-examiner 1998 1 Contents Contents Page Abstract 2 zusammenfassung 3 Introduction 5 Chapter 1 15 Subdivision and genetic structure of four populations of Venturia inaequalis in Switzerland Chapter 2 28 Genetic diversity of Venturia inaequalis across Europe Chapter 3 41 Identification of microsatellite markers and their application to population genetics of Venturia inaequalis Discussion 57 Curriculum vitae 68 Verdankungen 69 2 Abstract Abstract Venturia inaequalis is the causal agent of apple scab, the most important disease in apple production in Europe. The pathogen is mainly controlled by fungicides, but the plantation of scab-resistant apple cultivars becomes increasingly important, being a more ecological cultivation strategy. The mostly used resistance gene (Vf) originated from Malus floribunda 821, but a break down of this resistance has already been reported in 1984 in Ahrensburg (Northern Germany), in 1994 in Kent (Great Britain), and in 1997 in Wilheminadorp (The Netherlands). Since most new resistant varieties carry the V/-resistance, concern about a large scale breakdown of this resistance increases. However, the V/-resistance is still largely effective despite of growing Vf-resistant cultivars in European as well as in American breeding stations for more than 30 years and for a shorter time in commercial orchards.
    [Show full text]
  • The Apple Scab Pathogen, Venturia Inaequalis, Causes
    Dodine Sensitivity in Venturia inaequalis Populations and The Possibility for Renewed Use Against Apple Scab in The Northeastern US Kerik D. Cox Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456 he apple scab pathogen, Venturia inaequalis, causes of managing several diseases in addition to apple scab. By the extensive crop loss in all production regions in the north- 1990s, dodine use for apple scab management in the region had eastern US. In the absence of durable host resistance in all but ceased. During this time, scientists at the New York State T all commercially Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) reassessed the stabil- ity of dodine resistance by investigating several orchards in NY Recent evaluations of dodine (Syllit) desirable culti- “ vars, producers and Michigan. They had found that although the frequencies of resistance in NY State have shown that are forced to un- resistant isolates had declined, they had not returned to baseline the resistance level to Syllit has declined dertake intensive sensitivity levels. and that dodine could potentially be chemical manage- Although, it has been only been a little over a decade since the used for control of early season apple ment programs to last investigation into dodine stability, increasing concerns over scab. In such orchards Syllit should be avoid fresh mar- QoI and DMI resistance warrant a more in-depth investigation ket losses. Indeed, into the prevalence of dodine resistance in the region and the used with caution until the changes in apple scab is man- possibility for renewed dodine use in apple orchards.
    [Show full text]
  • Apple Scab (Venturia Inaequalis) and Pests in Organic Orchards
    Apple Scab (Venturia inaequalis) and Pests in Organic Orchards Boel Sandskär Department of Crop Science, Alnarp Doctoral Thesis Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Alnarp 2003 2 Abstract Sandskär, B. Apple Scab (Venturia inaequalis) and Pests in Organic Orchards Doctoral Dissertation ISSN 1401-6249, ISBN 91-576-6416-1 Domestication of apples goes back several thousand years in time and archaeological findings of dried apples from Östergötland in Sweden have been dated to ca 2 500 B.C. Worldwide, apples are considered an attractive and healthy fruit to eat. Organic production of apples is increasing abroad but is still at very low levels in Sweden. This study deals with major disease and pest problems in organic growing of apples. It concentrates on the most severe disease, the apple scab (Venturia inaequalis). Resistance to apple scab was evaluated during three years in over 450 old and new apple cultivars at Alnarp and Balsgård in southern Sweden. There were significant differences between the cultivars and years. About ten per cent of the cultivars had a high level of resistance against apple scab. The correlation between foliar and fruit scab was stronger when the scab infection pressure was high (1998-1999), compared to when it was low (2000). Polygenic resistance is a desirable trait since such resistance is more difficult to overcome by the pathogen. A common denominator for polygenic resistance among the cultivars assessed was 'Worcester Pearmain'. The leaf infection of apple scab was compared at three locations: Alnarp, Kivik and Rånna (Skövde) in an observation trial for 22 new apple cultivars. The ranking of the cultivars was similar at the three locations.
    [Show full text]
  • Apple Autotetraploids with Enhanced Resistance to Apple Scab (Venturia Inaequalis) Due to Genome Duplication-Phenotypic and Genetic Evaluation
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Apple Autotetraploids with Enhanced Resistance to Apple Scab (Venturia inaequalis) Due to Genome Duplication-Phenotypic and Genetic Evaluation Małgorzata Podwyszy ´nska 1,* , Monika Markiewicz 1 , Agata Broniarek-Niemiec 2 , Bozena˙ Matysiak 1 and Agnieszka Marasek-Ciolakowska 1 1 Department of Applied Biology, Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3 Street, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland; [email protected] (M.M.); [email protected] (B.M.); [email protected] (A.M.-C.) 2 Department of Phytopathology, Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3 Street, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Among the fungal diseases of apple trees, serious yield losses are due to an apple scab caused by Venturia inaequalis. Protection against this disease is based mainly on chemical treatments, which are currently very limited. Therefore, it is extremely important to introduce cultivars with reduced susceptibility to this pathogen. One of the important sources of variability for breeding is the process of polyploidization. Newly obtained polyploids may acquire new features, including increased resistance to diseases. In our earlier studies, numerous tetraploids have been obtained for several apple cultivars with ‘Free Redstar’ tetraploids manifesting enhanced resistance to apple scab. In the present study, tetraploids of ‘Free Redstar’ were assessed in terms of phenotype and genotype with particular emphasis on the genetic background of their increased resistance to apple Citation: Podwyszy´nska, M.; scab. Compared to diploid plants, tetraploids (own-rooted plants) were characterized with poor Markiewicz, M.; Broniarek-Niemiec, A.; growth, especially during first growing season.
    [Show full text]
  • Venturia Inaequalis and V
    Deng et al. BMC Genomics (2017) 18:339 DOI 10.1186/s12864-017-3699-1 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Comparative analysis of the predicted secretomes of Rosaceae scab pathogens Venturia inaequalis and V. pirina reveals expanded effector families and putative determinants of host range Cecilia H. Deng1, Kim M. Plummer2,3*, Darcy A. B. Jones2,7, Carl H. Mesarich1,4,8, Jason Shiller2,9, Adam P. Taranto2,5, Andrew J. Robinson2,6, Patrick Kastner2, Nathan E. Hall2,6, Matthew D. Templeton1,4 and Joanna K. Bowen1* Abstract Background: Fungal plant pathogens belonging to the genus Venturia cause damaging scab diseases of members of the Rosaceae. In terms of economic impact, the most important of these are V. inaequalis, which infects apple, and V. pirina, which is a pathogen of European pear. Given that Venturia fungi colonise the sub-cuticular space without penetrating plant cells, it is assumed that effectors that contribute to virulence and determination of host range will be secreted into this plant-pathogen interface. Thus the predicted secretomes of a range of isolates of Venturia with distinct host-ranges were interrogated to reveal putative proteins involved in virulence and pathogenicity. Results: Genomes of Venturia pirina (one European pear scab isolate) and Venturia inaequalis (three apple scab, and one loquat scab, isolates) were sequenced and the predicted secretomes of each isolate identified. RNA-Seq was conducted on the apple-specific V. inaequalis isolate Vi1 (in vitro and infected apple leaves) to highlight virulence and pathogenicity components of the secretome. Genes encoding over 600 small secreted proteins (candidate effectors) were identified, most of which are novel to Venturia, with expansion of putative effector families a feature of the genus.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PREVALENCE and MOLECULAR MECHANISMS of SINGLE-SITE FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE in the APPLE SCAB PATHOGEN, VENTURIA INAEQUALIS a Di
    THE PREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF SINGLE-SITE FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE IN THE APPLE SCAB PATHOGEN, VENTURIA INAEQUALIS A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Sara M. Villani February 2016 THE PREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF SINGLE-SITE FUNGICIDE RESISTANCE IN THE APPLE SCAB PATHOGEN, VENTURIA INAEQUALIS Sara M. Villani, Ph.D. Cornell University 2016 ABSTRACT Apple scab, caused by the fungal pathogen Venturia inaequalis is among the most prevalent and economically important diseases in commercial apple orchards in regions with temperate climates worldwide. The absence of durable apple scab resistance in the majority of commercially desired cultivars often mandates numerous fungicide applications each season to successfully manage the disease. Highly effective single-site fungicides have enhanced the ability to manage a number of phytopathogenic fungi, including V. inaequalis. Unfortunately the highly specific nature and repetitive use of these fungicides has led to their diminished efficacy and widespread resistance in V. inaequalis. The identification of the prevalence of single-site resistance in populations of V. inaequalis and an understanding of molecular mechanisms of resistance to these fungicides can aid in the rapid detection of fungicide resistance, the deployment of fungicide anti-resistance management strategies, and the development of efficient and effective chemical management programs for apple scab control. In this dissertation, a combination of applied and basic research was implemented to gain further understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with practical resistance to DMI and QoI fungicides in isolates and/or populations of V.
    [Show full text]
  • Chitinase Activities, Scab Resistance, Mycorrhization Rates and Biomass of Own-Rooted and Grafted Transgenic Apple
    Genetics and Molecular Biology, 35, 2, 466-473 (2012) Copyright © 2012, Sociedade Brasileira de Genética. Printed in Brazil www.sbg.org.br Research Article Chitinase activities, scab resistance, mycorrhization rates and biomass of own-rooted and grafted transgenic apple Tina Schäfer1,2, Magda-Viola Hanke3, Henryk Flachowsky3, Stephan König2, Andreas Peil3, Michael Kaldorf1, Andrea Polle4 and François Buscot1,2 1Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Faculty of Biological Science, Pharmacy and Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. 2Department of Soil Ecology, UFZ-Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Halle, Germany. 3Julius Kühn-Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural and Fruit Crops, Dresden, Germany. 4Department of Forest Botany and Tree Physiology, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Abstract This study investigated the impact of constitutively expressed Trichoderma atroviride genes encoding exochitinase nag70 or endochitinase ech42 in transgenic lines of the apple cultivar Pinova on the symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). We compared the exo- and endochitinase activities of leaves and roots from non-trans- genic Pinova and the transgenic lines T386 and T389. Local and systemic effects were examined using own-rooted trees and trees grafted onto rootstock M9. Scab susceptibility was also assessed in own-rooted and grafted trees. AMF root colonization was assessed microscopically in the roots of apple trees cultivated in pots with artificial sub- strate and inoculated with the AMF Glomus intraradices and Glomus mosseae. Own-rooted transgenic lines had sig- nificantly higher chitinase activities in their leaves and roots compared to non-transgenic Pinova. Both of the own-rooted transgenic lines showed significantly fewer symptoms of scab infection as well as significantly lower root colonization by AMF.
    [Show full text]
  • To Venturia Inaequalis
    International Journal of Molecular Sciences Article Sweet Immunity: The Effect of Exogenous Fructans on the Susceptibility of Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) to Venturia inaequalis Anze Svara 1 , Łukasz Paweł Tarkowski 2, Henry Christopher Janse van Rensburg 3 , Evelien Deleye 1 , Jarl Vaerten 1, Nico De Storme 1, Wannes Keulemans 1 and Wim Van den Ende 3,* 1 Laboratory for Fruit Breeding and Biotechnology, Division of Crop Biotechnics, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; [email protected] (A.S.); [email protected] (E.D.); [email protected] (J.V.); [email protected] (N.D.S.); [email protected] (W.K.) 2 Seed Metabolism and Stress Team, INRAE Angers, Institut de Recherche en Horticulture et Semences, Bâtiment A, CEDEX, 49071 Beaucouzé, France; [email protected] 3 Lab of Molecular Plant Biology, KU Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +32-16321945 Received: 9 July 2020; Accepted: 11 August 2020; Published: 16 August 2020 Abstract: There is an urgent need for novel, efficient and environmentally friendly strategies to control apple scab (Venturia inaequalis), for the purpose of reducing overall pesticide use. Fructans are recently emerging as promising “priming” compounds, standing out for their safety and low production costs. The objective of this work was to test a fructan-triggered defense in the leaves of apple seedlings. It was demonstrated that exogenous leaf spraying can reduce the development of apple scab disease symptoms. When evaluated macroscopically and by V. inaequalis-specific qPCR, levan-treated leaves showed a significant reduction of sporulation and V.
    [Show full text]
  • Apple Scab - Venturia Inaequalis
    Problem: Apple Scab - Venturia inaequalis Host: Apple, flowering crabapple Description: Scab causes premature defoliation and a reduction in the number and quality of flowers the year following defoliation, and can predispose trees to winter injury and other diseases. Scab first appears in early spring as roughly circular, velvety, olive-green spots on both the upper and lower surfaces of leaves. The spots eventually turn dark-green to brown and develop a rough texture. Some leaf distortion may accompany infection of expanding foliage. Numerous leaf or petiole infections will cause leaf yellowing and premature defoliation. The fungus also may attack the fruit at any stage of development. Early infection results in blossom blight and dropping of young fruit. Later infections produce dark- green to black, circular lesions on the fruit. These rough, scaly spots cause surface blemishes to the fruit but do not extend deeply into the flesh. The scab fungus overwinters as immature fruiting structures in partially decayed leaves on the orchard floor. During winter, the black fruiting structures of the fungus mature and begin to release spores (ascospores) in the spring. In Kansas, primary spore release begins in early to mid-April and continues for a period of five to nine weeks. Windblown spores are deposited on expanding leaves where they germinate and penetrate the leaf surface. Germination and infection of the host requires that the leaf surface remain wet for a period of time, the length of which varies according to the ambient temperature. Symptoms normally develop 9 to 17 days after infection; at this time the fungus begins to produce secondary spores (conidia) which can reinfect apple leaves or fruit throughout the summer during favorable weather.
    [Show full text]
  • Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity on the Latent Period of Venturia Inaequalis in Apple Leaves
    Ecology and Epidemiology Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity on the Latent Period of Venturia inaequalisin Apple Leaves J. R. Tomerlin and A. L. Jones Research associate and professor, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and the Pesticide Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824. Present address of senior author: Field Crops Laboratory, Plant Genetics and Germplasm Institute, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705. Supported in part by EPA Grant CR-806277-02 titled "Development of a comprehensive, unified, economically and environmentally sound system of integrated pest management for major crops." Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Article Number 10620. Accepted for publication 20 May 1982. ABSTRACT Tomerlin, J. R., and Jones, A. L. 1983. Effect of temperature and relative humidity on the latent period of Venturia inaequalis in apple leaves. Phytopathology 73:51-54. The latent period for Venturia inaequalis was longer in leaves of kept at low RH for up to 30 days, or on those kept at low RH after 3 or 6 Mclntosh apple seedlings kept at 10 C than at 15 or 20 C in growth days at high RH. Lesions developed on seedlings transferred to high RH chambers. Latent periods were similar on seedlings kept at 15 or 20 C. after being maintained at low RH for 10-24 days, although latent periods Latent periods on seedlings kept at 20 or 10Cfor 5days, thenat 10or20C, were 4-16 days longer than on seedlings kept continuously at high RH. were the same as those on seedlings kept continuously at 20 C.
    [Show full text]