New insights on Flavescence dor ée phytoplasma ecology in the vineyard agro‐ecosystem in southern Switzerland
Abstract
Phytoplasmas associated with Flavescence dorée (FDp) grapevine disease are quarantine pathogens controlled through mandatory measures including the prompt eradication and destruction of diseased plants, and the insecticide treatments against the insect vector, the ampelophagous leafhopper Scaphoideus titanus. In the present study, a multidisciplinary approach has been applied to investigate the FDp ecological cycle in a test vineyard agro‐ecosystem in Canton Ticino, south Switzerland. Despite the scarce population density of S. titanus, a regular trend of new infections (3.4% of the total vines) through the yea...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - April 7, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: P. Casati, M. Jermini, F. Quaglino, G. Corbani, S. Schaerer, A. Passera, P.A. Bianco, I.E. Rigamonti Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Phenological growth stages of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) based on the BBCH scale
Abstract
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a pseudocereal native from the Andean region of South America that has increased in importance worldwide. Quinoa is now considered an alternative to traditional crops in a climate change scenario, considering its ability to adapt to marginal soils, droughts and frosts. Despite the interesting agronomic and nutritional features of this crop, research into quinoa is characterised by individual attempts to define its phenological stages without an international consensus. A unique criterion to quantify the phenology of quinoa could become a useful tool for researchers and plant breeders...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 31, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: V. Sosa ‐Zuniga, V. Brito, F. Fuentes, U. Steinfort Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Effect of five fungicides with different modes of action on cobweb disease (Cladobotryum mycophilum) and mushroom yield
Abstract
The fungicides chlorothalonil, metrafenone, prochloraz‐Mn, thiabendazole and thiophanate‐methyl were tested in vitro and in vivo for their effect on Cladobotryum mycophilum, the mycoparasite that causes cobweb disease in white button mushroom. In vitro experiments showed that metrafenone (EC50= 0.025 mg L−1) and prochloraz‐Mn (EC50= 0.045 mg L−1) were the most effective fungicides for inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. mycophilum. Selectivity indexes of the tested fungicides on both C. mycophilum and Agaricus bisporus indicated that metrafenone was also the most selective fungicide, while chlor...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 31, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: J. Carrasco, M.J. Navarro, M. Santos, F.J. Gea Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Influence of limiting and regulating factors on populations of Asian citrus psyllid and the risk of insect and disease outbreaks
Abstract
Diaphorina citri, known as the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), is the insect vector of a devastating citrus disease (huanglongbing; HLB), which has caused billions of dollars in damage in Florida since its detection in 2005. Data from long‐term monitoring programs in two Florida citrus groves were used to assess ACP demography and population ecology, which is needed to implement more effective management strategies for HLB. Seasonal patterns and correlations between ACP density estimates and a suite of environmental and community indicators, previously shown to influence ACP demography, were described and interprete...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 31, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: B.J. Udell, C. Monzo, T.M. Paris, S.A. Allan, P.A. Stansly Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Phenological growth stages of bael (Aegle marmelos) according to the extended Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie scale
ABSTRACT
Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an important rutaceous fruit widely cultivated in India. This crop is revered for its high economic and therapeutic value. However, its phenology has not yet been described systematically. Detailed description of phenological growth stages of bael using the extended Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale has been worked out and reported in this paper. Eight principal growth stages and 37 secondary growth stages for bud, leaf development, shoot growth, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, fruit maturation and senescence have been dis...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 15, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: K. Kishore, K.K. Mahanti, D. Samant Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Lessons learned from the virus indexing of Musa germplasm: insights from a multiyear collaboration
Abstract
The Bioversity International Transit Center (ITC) for banana hosts more than 1500 accessions largely covering the genetic diversity of the genus Musa. Its objective is to conserve this genetic diversity and to supply plant materials to users worldwide. All the Musa accessions must be tested for virus presence and, if infected, virus elimination must be attempted, to enable the supply of virus‐free plant material. An international collaborative effort launched under the auspices of Bioversity International (2007–2013) finally led to the implementation of a two‐step process to test the accessions. The first st...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: C. De Clerck, K. Crew, I. Van den houwe, L. McMichael, C. Berhal, L. Lassois, M. Haissam Jijakli, N. Roux, J. Thomas, S. Massart Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Allometric equations for yield predictions of enset (Ensete ventricosum) and khat (Catha edulis) grown in home gardens of southern Ethiopia
The objective of this study was to develop linear allometric models for estimating the edible (food and feed) and commercial yields of enset and khat plants, respectively. Data were collected from 20 enset and 100 khat plants. Diameter at 50‐cm height (d50), pseudostem height (hp) and their combination were good predictor variables for the food products of enset with adjusted R2 values above 0.85, while d50, hp, edible pseudostem height (hep), total height (ht) and their combination were good predictor variables for the feed products of enset with adjusted R2 values above 0.70. For dwarf khat plants crown area (ca) combi...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: B.T. Mellisse, K. Descheemaeker, M.J. Mourik, G.W.J. Ven Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Effects of species and soil ‐nitrogen availability on root system architecture traits – study on a set of weed and crop species
Abstract
Better managing crop : weed competition in cropping systems while reducing both nitrogen and herbicide inputs is a real challenge that requires a better understanding of crop and weed root architecture in relation to soil‐nitrogen availability. An original approach was used which considered the parameters of a simulation model of root architecture as traits to analyse (a) the interspecific diversity of root system architecture, and (b) its response to soil‐nitrogen availability. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted using three crop and nine weed species grown at two contrasted concentrations of soil...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: D. Moreau, F. Abiven, H. Busset, A. Matejicek, L. Pag ès Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
First report of the gall midge Asphondylia serpylli on thyme (Thymus vulgaris), and identification of the associated fungal symbiont
Abstract
Asphondylia spp. (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) are known for inducing gall formation on many diverse plants in both wild and agricultural contexts. The species Asphondylia serpylli is herewith reported for the first time on thyme (Thymus vulgaris) cropped in Poland. The associated fungus has been identified as Botryosphaeria dothidea, representing its first record from cecidomyiid galls on a species of Lamiaceae. Moreover, a short account is given on the parasitoid species active in this particular ecological context. These findings point out the basic role of B. dothidea in the organization of these three‐component ...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: B. Zimowska, G. Viggiani, R. Nicoletti, A. Furma ńczyk, A. Becchimanzi, I. Kot Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Temporal and spatial dynamics of Tomato spotted wilt virus and its vector in a potato crop in Argentina
ABSTRACT
The nature of spatial and temporal dynamics of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and its vector in a potato crop cv. Innovator without insecticide application is analysed. Seed tuber was analysed for the presence of TSWV as a source of initial inoculum. The presence of plants with symptoms of TSWV was evaluated by visual observation and DAS‐ELISA analysis to confirm the virus infection. Thrips species were collected from leaves and inflorescences and identified under stereomicroscope. The distribution of symptomatic plants and thrips species was recorded five times at 14 days intervals. The initial seed tuber inf...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: A.E. Salvalaggio, P.M. L ópez Lambertini, G. Cendoya, M.A. Huarte Tags: REVIEW ARTICLE Source Type: research
Mating behaviour and reproductive output in insecticide ‐resistant and ‐susceptible strains of the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais)
Abstract
Insecticide resistance is a broadly recognised and well‐studied management problem resulting from intensive insecticide use, which also provides useful evolutionary models of newly adapted phenotypes to changing environments. Two common assumptions in such models are the existence of fitness costs associated with insecticide resistance, which will place the resistant individuals at a disadvantage in insecticide‐free environments, and the prevalence of random mating among insecticide‐resistant and ‐susceptible individuals. However, cases of insecticide resistance lacking apparent fitness disadvantages do ex...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - February 28, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: N.M.P Guedes, R.N.C. Guedes, J.F. Campbell, J.E. Throne Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Detection of lethal yellowing phytoplasma in coconut plantlets obtained through in vitro germination of zygotic embryos from the seeds of infected palms
Abstract
Lethal yellowing (LY) is a disease caused by 16SrIV phytoplasmas that has devastated coconut plantations in the Americas. An alternative means of phytoplasma spread is through seeds. Therefore, we used a novel approach based on plumules from the embryos of LY‐diseased coconut palms. We cultured the plumules in vitro to determine the presence of phytoplasma DNA in the plantlets. In the first assay, 185 embryos were obtained. The results showed positive detection in 20 samples (11%) with the nested PCR and in 59 samples (32%) with the TaqMan real‐time PCR. A second assay was designed to trace plumules to their r...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - February 28, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: C. Oropeza, I. Cordova, C. Puch ‐Hau, R. Castillo, J.L. Chan, L. Sáenz Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Inoculation of cucumber, melon and zucchini varieties with Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus and evaluation of infection using different detection methods
Abstract
The disease caused by Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), which is naturally transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, causes important economic losses in cucurbit crops. The availability of simple and efficient inoculation protocols and detection methods is necessary for screening varieties and germplasm collections as well as for breeding populations. We evaluated the infectivity of ToLCNDV inocula prepared using three different buffers for mechanical sap inoculation in a susceptible variety of zucchini. We found that inoculum prepared with buffer III, which contains polyvinylpyrrolidone, is highly eff...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - February 28, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: M.R. Fig às, A. Alfaro‐Fernández, M.I. Font, D. Borràs, C. Casanova, M. Hurtado, M. Plazas, J. Prohens, S. Soler Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
Biological control of Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae): feasibility, prospective agents and research gaps
Abstract
The tropical fruit tree, Ziziphus mauritiana (Rhamnaceae), a native of the Indian subcontinent, is a pasture and environmental weed in northern Australia and Fiji. In their native range, Ziziphus spp., including commercially cultivated Z. mauritiana and Z. jujuba, are subjected to a wide range of pests and diseases. The feasibility of classical biological control of this weed has not been explored to date. Effective biological control could reduce plant vigour and seed output, thereby limiting the spread of Z. mauritiana in Australia. Two Ziziphus species are native to Australia, hence, any prospective biological ...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - February 24, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: K. Dhileepan Tags: REVIEW ARTICLE Source Type: research
Control and yield loss modelling of circular leaf spot of persimmon caused by Mycosphaerella nawae
ABSTRACT
Symptoms of circular leaf spot of persimmon (CLSP), caused by Mycosphaerella nawae, consisted of necrotic spots on leaves, chlorosis and premature defoliation. Although CLSP is a foliar disease, early fruit maturation and abscission are frequently associated with the presence of lesions on leaves and defoliation, resulting in severe economic losses. Despite their importance for the design of efficient disease management programmes, quantitative relationships between CLSP incidence and yield loss are unknown. Therefore, fungicide efficacy trials were conducted during two consecutive years in Spain to induce differe...
Source: Annals of Applied Biology - February 23, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: D.D.M. Bassimba, J.L. Mira, M.E. Sedano, A. Vicent Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research
