Leaf Wetness Period Research Articles

The combined effects of temperature and leaf wetness periods on soybean frogeye leaf spot intensity

The frogeye leaf spot, a disease caused by the fungus Cercospora sojina, affects soybean crops worldwide with enormous economic impact. In this study, we evaluated the combined effects of temperature and duration of leaf wetness periods on the intensity of frogeye leaf spot in soybean. Experiments were conducted in a growth chamber with cultivar Don Mario 7.0i at temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C and leaf wetness periods of 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours. The experimental design was completely randomized with five replications. When soybean plants were grown at 15°C, affected leaflet area, number of lesions per leaflet and diameter of lesions could only be measured after 60 hours of leaf wetness. At the temperatures of 20 and 25°C this period was reduced to 24 hours of leaf wetness, at 30oC, we found the need for 36 hours of leaf wetness and at a temperature of 35°C, 48 hours. The optimal temperatures for disease development were 27°C for diameter and affected leaflet area and 28°C for number of lesions per leaflet with 72 hours of leaf wetness.

Bremia lactucae Infection Efficiency in Lettuce is Modulated by Temperature and Leaf Wetness Duration Under Quebec Field Conditions.

More than 80% of Canadian lettuce production is located in the province of Quebec. Yet most of our knowledge on the epidemiology of lettuce downy mildew (Bremia lactucae) is derived from controlled-condition experiments or field experiments conducted in subtropical climates and, thus, cannot readily be applied to Quebec lettuce production. The influence of temperature and leaf wetness duration on the infection efficiency (IE) of B. lactucae was studied for 4 years (2003, 2004, 2012, and 2013) under field and growth-chamber conditions. IE was defined as the ratio of the number of lesions/leaf to the airborne conidia concentration (ACC). B. lactucae ACC was measured with rotating-arm samplers three times/week. In addition, 72 lettuce trap plants/sampling day were exposed to the potential airborne B. lactucae inoculum and disease intensity was assessed after 7 days of incubation in greenhouse. Under growth-chamber conditions, an ACC of 1 conidium/m3 was sufficient to cause 1 lesion/leaf, and IE ranged from 0.25 to 1.00. Under field conditions, an ACC of 10 to 14 conidia/m3 was required to cause 1 lesion/leaf, and IE ranged from 0.02 to 0.10, except in 2004, when IE ranged from 0.03 to 1.00. IE increased with increasing leaf wetness duration but decreased with increasing temperature. Also, considering an observed average temperature range from 10 to 20°C in the area of Quebec, 2 h of leaf wetness was sufficient for infection by B. lactucae. Therefore, under Quebec lettuce production conditions, a leaf wetness period of 2 h and an ACC of 10 to 14 conidia/m3 can be used as risk indicators to facilitate disease management decisions. Also, under typical Quebec weather conditions, measuring both morning and evening leaf wetness events could be used to improve the reliability of leaf wetness duration as a downy mildew risk indicator. Further research is needed to validate these risk indicators for integration into management strategies.

Reconsidering Leaf Wetness Duration Determination for Plant Disease Management.

Relationships between leaf wetness and plant diseases have been studied for centuries. The progress and risk of many bacterial, fungal, and oomycete diseases on a variety of crops have been linked to the presence of free water on foliage and fruit under temperatures favorable to infection. Whereas the rate parameters for infection or epidemic models have frequently been linked with temperature during the wet periods, leaf wetness periods of specific time duration are necessary for the propagule germination of most phytopathogenic fungi and for their penetration of plant tissues. Using these types of relationships, disease-warning systems were developed and are now being used by grower communities for a variety of crops. As a component of Integrated Pest Management, disease-warning systems provide growers with information regarding the optimum timing for chemical or biological management practices based on weather variables most suitable for pathogen dispersal or host infection. Although these systems are robust enough to permit some errors in the estimates or measurements of leaf wetness duration, the need for highly accurate leaf wetness duration data remains a priority to achieve the most efficient disease management.

Effect of temperature and leaf wetness on Phoma tarda and phoma leaf spot in coffee seedlings

Phoma leaf spot is a major disease of coffee plants in regions with specific conditions of temperature and humidity. Despite the importance of environmental variables for disease progression, so far they have been poorly understood. Thus, we assessed the effect of different temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30 oC) on mycelial growth, production and germination of conidia of Phoma tarda ; and the same effect of temperature (15, 20, 25 and 30 oC) and leaf wetness duration (6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hours) on fungal infection and severity of disease over time in coffee plants. Disease assessment was integrated in the area using the disease progress curve (AUDPC) and the infection processes were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimal temperatures for fungus growth, conidial production and germination in vitro were 22.9, 29.8, and 25.1 °C, respectively. Temperatures ranging from 15-20 °C significantly increased germ tube length and provided favorable conditions for pathogen infection through observation of early events such as cuticle separation from leaf tissue. The same temperature range combined with increasing leaf wetness periods, reached the highest value of the AUDPC of phoma leaf spot. Thus, it was found that both temperature and leaf wetness duration in the variables assessed and the difference in relation to temperature for in vitro growth and sporulation for in vivo tests were important.

Epidemiological Aspects of Cowpea Bacterial Blight

Cowpea bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola (Xav), can severely reduce the yields of cowpea in tropical regions. Despite its destructiveness, research on the epidemiology of bacterial blight is scarce in Brazil. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of the Xav inoculum concentration and of the duration of leaf wetness periods on disease severity, in addition to assessing bacterial transmissibility by seed and to identify indicator plants that might be used for simple diagnostic tests. In experiments conducted in greenhouse and field conditions, cowpea plants were inoculated with 105, 106 and 107 CFU (colony forming units) of Xav/mL, and seeds harvested from field plots were used to determine the transmissibility of the bacteria. Under greenhouse conditions, plants were subjected to leaf wetness duration periods of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 h after inoculation. In another experiment, soybean, common bean and wild poinsettia were inoculated with Xav. It was observed that plants inoculated with a concentration of 107 UFC/mL and subjected to 12 h of leaf wetness had higher disease severity. There was transmission of Xav to the seeds in all inoculum concentrations used. Hypersensitivity reaction was observed in wild poinsettia less than 24 h after inoculation.

Disease Management Practice on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Ethiopia

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the fourth major crop of the world after rice, wheat and maize. In Ethiopia, the yield per unit area of potato is very low compared to those of other countries. There are many factors that reduce the yield of the crop among which the diseases like late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and bacterial wilt (Ralstonia (Pseudomonas) solanacearum) which play an important role. Management of these diseases is therefore very essential. In Ethiopia, however, much research has not been done for the management of bacterial wilt disease except identification of bacteria and screening of biological control agents and use of resistant varieties. Late blight of potato can be managed using the following management (control) strategies: use of biological control agents, use of resistant varieties, intercropping, use of certified disease-free seed, use of selective fungicides and cultural practices such as destruction of cull piles by freezing or deep burying, destruction of volunteer potato plants in nearby fields throughout the season, destruction (desiccate, disc or flail and desiccate) of infected plants to avoid spread, reduction of periods of leaf wetness and high humidity within the crop canopy by appropriately timing irrigation, application of a recommended fungicide spray program (the program should start prior to the arrival of the pathogen) and desiccation of vines prior to harvest.

Potential impact of the global climate changes on the spatial distribution of areas of risk for the occurrence of eucalyptus rust in Brazil

Rust, caused by Puccinia psidii, is one of the most important diseases affecting eucalyptus in Brazil. This pathogen causes disease in mini-clonal garden and in young plants in the field, especially in leaves and juvenile shoots. Favorable climate conditions for infection by this pathogen in eucalyptus include temperature between 18 and 25 ºC, together with at least 6-hour leaf wetness periods, for 5 to 7 consecutive days. Considering the interaction between the environment and the pathogen, this study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of global climate changes on the spatial distribution of areas of risk for the occurrence of eucalyptus rust in Brazil. Thus, monthly maps of the areas of risk for the occurrence of this disease were elaborated, considering the current climate conditions, based on a historic series between 1961 and 1990, and the future scenarios A2 and B2, predicted by IPCC. The climate conditions were classified into three categories, according to the potential risk for the disease occurrence, considering temperature (T) and air relative humidity (RH): i) high risk (18 < T < 25 ºC and RH > 90%); ii) medium risk (18 < T < 25 ºC and RH < 90%; T< 18 or T > 25 ºC and RH > 90%); and iii) low risk (T < 18 or T > 25 ºC and RH < 90%). Data about the future climate scenarios were supplied by GCM Change Fields. In this study, the simulation model Hadley Centers for Climate Prediction and Research (HadCm3) was adopted, using the software Idrisi 32. The obtained results led to the conclusion that there will be a reduction in the area favorable to eucalyptus rust occurrence, and such a reduction will be gradual for the decades of 2020, 2050 and 2080 but more marked in scenario A2 than in B2. However, it is important to point out that extensive areas will still be favorable to the disease development, especially in the coldest months of the year, i.e., June and July. Therefore, the zoning of areas and periods of higher occurrence risk, considering the global climate changes, becomes important knowledge for the elaboration of predicting models and an alert for the integrated management of this disease.

Optimal environmental conditions for infection and development of Puccinia purpurea on sorghum

Although rust can reduce grain yields of late-planted sorghum crops in Queensland, little research has been conducted on environmental parameters affecting infection and development. The effects of temperature, leaf wetness period, plant growth stage, urediniospore concentration and darkness period on the development of rust (Puccinia purpurea) on the inbred Sorghum bicolor line IS8525 were evaluated separately by artificial inoculation of plants under controlled conditions. Rust developed between 16 and 28 °C, with the optimum temperature being 20 °C. Disease severity (pustules cm−2) increased as the length of leaf wetness increased from 4 to 24 h. Infection occurred when plants were exposed to full light, full darkness and varying periods of darkness for the first 24 h after inoculation; 16 h of darkness resulted in the highest rust severity. Plants of IS8525 and of the more resistant line IS12539 inoculated 21–49 days after sowing developed higher levels of rust than others inoculated at, or close to, flowering (63 days after sowing). Rust severity also increased with increasing urediniospore concentrations, but leaf death occurred on young plants inoculated with the highest concentration (50 mg 100 mL water−1). The findings of this study have been used to develop an inoculation technique to detect putative pathotypes of P. purpurea in Australia.

Udostępnienie systemu wspomagania podejmowania decyzji w zwalczaniu wybranych chorób roślin sadowniczych i warzywniczych w serwisie internetowym jako element integrowanej produkcji

This paper presents an analysis of the functioning of an online decision support system for integrated production in the fight against of major diseases of apple-, cherry- and bird-cherry-trees, onions, tomatoes and carrots based on the meteorological stations iMetos and disease models of the firm Pessl Instruments available at http://www.agropogoda.pl. To make this application we used disease development models based on numerous implementation experiences and scientific publications, which help to calculate the degree of risk/infection dedicated to the disease. The apple scab infection periods are defined on the basis of the model Schwabe. It has predicted Venturia inaequalis infections on the basis of the temperature and duration of the leaf wetness period. The description of the infection course made by Tamm et all. (1994) helped to determine the critical periods of brown rot of stone fruit trees Monilinia laxa. Pessl Instruments,Austria, developed the other disease models. The risk is assessed on the basis of conditions conducive to disease development. Daily weather data (air temperature, relative humidity and total precipitation) are used for calculations. The application calculates the risk on the basis of weather data collected from agro-meteorological stations and attached to them disease models. The user selects a station from the map or from the list of choices and the risk index values are presented in the graphs. Also text files with weather data are generated for selected stations. They can be used for a complex analysis of the conditions conducive to the development of the disease. Przedstawiono analizę funkcjonowania internetowego systemu wspomagania decyzji w integrowanej produkcji, w zwalczaniu najważniejszych chorób jabłoni, wiśni, czereśni, cebuli, pomidora i marchwi, opartego na stacjach meteorologicznych iMetos i modelach chorobowych firmy Pessl Instruments dostępnych pod adresem http://www.agropogoda.pl. Do budowy aplikacji wykorzystano modele rozwoju chorób opracowane na podstawie licznych doświadczeń wdrożeniowych oraz publikacji naukowych, dzięki którym wyliczany jest stopień zagrożenia/infekcji dla danej choroby. Terminy infekcji parcha jabłoni wyznaczane są na podstawie modelu Schwabe, który prognozował infekcje Venturia inaequalis na podstawie temperatury i długości okresu zwilżenia liścia. Do wyznaczenia okresów krytycznych brunatnej zgnilizny drzew pestkowych Monilinia laxa posłużyło opracowanie przebiegu infekcji przez Tamm i wsp. (1994). Pozostałe modele chorobowe opracowane zostały przez Pessl Instruments, Austria. Zagrożenie ocenia się na podstawie analizy warunków sprzyjających rozwojowi choroby. Do obliczenia służą dobowe dane pogodowe (temperatura powietrza i wilgotność względna powietrza oraz suma opadu atmosferycznego). Aplikacja oblicza zagrożenie na podstawie danych pogodowych pobranych ze stacji agrometeorologicznych oraz dołączonych do nich modeli chorobowych. Użytkownik wybiera stację z mapy lub z listy wyboru i wartości indeksu zagrożenia są przedstawiane na wykresie. Dla wybranych stacji generowane są także pliki tekstowe z danymi pogodowymi, które użytkownik może wykorzystać do kompleksowej analizy warunków sprzyjających rozwojowi danej choroby.

The effect of temperature, leaf wetness and light on development of grapevine rust

The effects of temperature, leaf wetness duration, and light regimes on infection and the effect of temperature on latent period of Phakopsora euvitis (grapevine rust) on cv. Niagara Rosada grapevine (Vitis labrusca) was investigated. Potted transplants were spray-inoculated with an aqueous spore suspension and exposed to temperatures of 15, 20, 25, or 30 °C and wetness periods of 0, 3, 6, 12, or 24 h (under controlled environment conditions). Duration of leaf wetness and temperature both had significant effects on infection. A minimum of 6 h of continuous leaf wetness was required for infection of P. euvitis at temperatures of 15, 20, and 25 °C. Maximum infection occurred with a leaf wetness duration of 12 to 24 h at 20 °C. Infection did not occur at 30 °C regardless of leaf wetness period. A multiple regression model was developed describing infection based on temperature and leaf wetness duration (R 2 = 0.78). Light regimes during the initial 24-h leaf wetness period affected infection. The latent period was 13 days at 15 °C, 7 days at 20–25 °C, and 8 days at 30 °C. The results of this study describe conditions required for the development of grapevine rust epidemics.

Factors affecting incidence and severity of leaf spot disease on lettuce caused by Septoriabirgitae

AbstractIn the 1990s during wet seasons a new disease causing brown leaf spots on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was found for the first time in many lettuce‐growing areas of Austria and Germany. The causal agent, a new pathogenic species called Septoria birgitae, may be responsible for total crop loss. To study how temperature, inoculum density and leaf wetness period influence disease incidence and severity of leaf spot on lettuce caused by S. birgitae, we carried out in vivo experiments in growth chambers and in the field. Additionally, we evaluated the relevance of infected plant debris acting as a primary inoculum source in soil for subsequent crops. S. birgitae produces spores over a wide temperature range between 5°C and 30°C, and can infect plants at temperatures between 10°C and 30°C, with an optimum between 20°C and 30°C. Spores of S. birgitae at a density of at least 103 conidia mL–1 are essential for disease outbreak on lettuce. Because leaf wetness is crucial for releasing conidia from pycnidia, we studied the impact of leaf wetness duration on disease development under various temperature conditions. For relevant leaf spot disease development on lettuce in vivo, a leaf wetness duration of at least 24 h and temperatures higher than 10°C were necessary. Leaf spot disease development in the field required several leaf wetness periods longer than 20 h at approximately 15°C at the beginning of crop cultivation. Incorporating S. birgitae infected plant debris in soil as a primary inoculum was not relevant for leaf spot disease outbreak in the next year. However, in cases of continuous cropping of lettuce on the same field and in the same season, Septoria‐infected lettuce debris may become more relevant.

First Report of Pectobacterium wasabiae Causing Aerial Stem Rot of Potato in Washington State.

Aerial stem rot of potato (Solanum tuberosum), also known as bacterial stem rot, is often caused by the pectolytic bacteria Pectobacterium (Erwinia) carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, P. atrosepticum, or Dickeya spp. (3). A survey was carried out in August 2008 in 'Russet Burbank' potato fields exhibiting aerial stem rot symptoms in the Columbia Basin of Washington State. One bacterial strain isolated during the survey, PwO405, exhibited pectolytic ability on crystal violet pectate (CVP) agar and potato slices and failed to grow at 37°C, but physiological tests did not conclusively distinguish the bacterium as P. atrosepticum (1). The bacterium was positive for ONPG, N-acetylglucosaminyl transferase, gelatin liquefaction, and acid production from D-galactose, lactose, melibiose, raffinose, citrate, and trehalose. The bacterium was negative for indole production and acid production from maltose, α-methyl-D-glucoside, sorbitol, D-arabitol, inositol, inulin, and melezitose. Molecular identification of the bacterium was performed with 16S rRNA, aconitase (acnA), and malate dehydrogenase (mdh) coding sequences as previously described (2,4). Partial sequences of 16S rRNA (1,408 bp) and acnA (412 bp) genes (GenBank Accession Nos. JQ723958 and JQ723959, respectively) exhibited 99% shared identities with P. wasabiae strain WPP163, while the mdh sequence (435 bp) (GenBank Accession No. JQ723960) exhibited 100% shared identity with mdh sequences from three P. wasabiae strains (NZEC9, NZEC10, and NZEC8974). Maximum parsimony analysis using concatenated acnA and mdh sequences from this study and Pectobacterium sequences previously deposited in GenBank (2,4) clustered strain PwO405 with other P. wasabiae strains. Three 7-week-old 'Russet Norkotah' potato plants were wound-inoculated by inserting a sterile 23 gauge needle just above a central leaf axil at a depth of 1 mm. A 10-μl drop of inoculum (104 CFU) was placed on the wound. Plants were exposed to a 24-h leaf wetness period (90 to 100% RH in a mist chamber) and lesions were measured. All three inoculated plants exhibited aerial stem rot symptoms similar to those observed in the field, including brown water-soaked lesions that spread acropetally and basipetally. Upon drying, the lesions became shriveled and turned dark brown to black. Some plants exhibited hollowing of the stems and unilateral wilt on the side of the lesion. Symptoms were not observed on water-inoculated controls. The bacteria that were reisolated into pure culture from all three inoculated stems caused pitting on CVP and exhibited the same morphology as the original culture and were confirmed as P. wasabiae using 16S rRNA, acnA, and mdh coding sequences, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Stem rot ability of the bacterium was also confirmed on four potato cultivars: 'Ranger Russet,' 'Russet Burbank,' 'Russet Norkotah,' and 'Umatilla Russet' by wound-inoculating six single-stem plants of each cultivar as described above. To our knowledge, this is the first report of aerial stem rot of potato caused by P. wasabiae in Washington State.

Effects of Temperature and Moisture Variables on Brown Rust Epidemics in Sugarcane

AbstractEpidemics of brown rust in sugarcane, caused by Puccinia melanocephala, vary in severity between seasons. Natural epidemics were studied to determine the effects of temperature and moisture variables on epidemic onset, severity and decline. Variables were monitored with disease severity in two cultivars, each grown at a different location in Louisiana. Maximum daily temperature was the variable most correlated with seasonal epidemic development and decline. Disease severity was high during 2009 and low during 2010. This contrast allowed evaluation of the effects of conducive and limiting environmental conditions on severity. Lower severity resulted from a combination of unfavourable temperature and leaf wetness conditions that delayed onset then reduced the rate of disease increase. An accumulation of 23–25 days with leaf wetness periods of at least 7 h after the daily minimum temperature exceeded 17°C preceded the onset of disease on young leaves in both severe and mild epidemics. Severe epidemics in both cultivars declined once maximum ambient daily temperature was 32°C or higher. Low and high limiting temperatures determined the initiation and decline of an epidemic, respectively, under Louisiana climatic conditions. The availability of leaf wetness was then an important determinant of disease severity during the epidemic.

Weather based warning systems for bean angular-leaf-spot and anthracnose

Data available in the literature were used to develop a warning system for bean angular leaf spot and anthracnose, caused by Phaeoisariopsis griseola and Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, respectively. The model is based on favorable environmental conditions for the infectious process such as continuous leaf wetness duration and mean air temperature during this subphase of the pathogen-host relationship cycle. Equations published by DALLA PRIA (1977) showing the interactions of those two factors on the disease severity were used. Excell spreadsheet was used to calculate the leaf wetness period needed to cause different infection probabilities at different temperature ranges. These data were employed to elaborate critical period tables used to program a computerized electronic device that records leaf wetness duration and mean temperature and automatically shows the daily disease severity value (DDSV) for each disease. The model should be validated in field experiments under natural infection for which the daily disease severity sum (DDSS) should be identified as a criterion to indicate the beginning and the interval of fungicide applications to control both diseases.

Temperature and Leaf Wetness Effects on Infection of Sugarcane by Puccinia melanocephala

AbstractBrown rust epidemics in sugarcane, caused by Puccinia melanocephala, vary in severity between seasons. To improve the understanding of disease epidemiology, the effects of leaf wetness, temperature and their interaction on infection of sugarcane by the pathogen were studied under controlled conditions. Disease severity was low at 15 and 31°C regardless of leaf wetness duration. No infection occurred with a 4‐h leaf wetness period. Increasing leaf wetness duration from 7 to 13 h lowered the temperature required for disease onset from 21 to 17°C. More infection occurred with 13 compared to 10 h of leaf wetness at 17°C, and severity decreased for all leaf wetness periods at 29 compared to 27°C. Postinfection suboptimal low and high temperatures increased the time required for lesion development and high temperatures decreased maximum disease severity. The observed effects of leaf wetness and temperature on infection by P. melanocephala could help explain the initiation, rate of increase and decline of brown rust epidemics in the field.

Aerobiologia de Cercospora kikuchii

Neste estudo, foram quantificados os conídios de Cercospora kikuchii [crestamento foliar em soja (Glycine max)] presentes no ar, sua relação com a intensidade da doença e com os fatores ambientais [temperatura, umidade relativa do ar (UR), precipitação e molhamento foliar] no período de novembro a março de 2006/07 e 2007/08 em Brasília, DF. Para tanto, foi instalada uma armadilha volumétrica capta-esporos 'Burkard' de sete dias em campo experimental com soja. Houve maior captura de conídios no período diurno, com mais de 60% dos esporos coletados entre 8h e 15h. Os dados climáticos variaram de acordo com a safra, mas, de modo geral, em ambos os experimentos, o período de maior captura de esporos ocorreu quando houve redução da precipitação e do molhamento foliar. A UR acima de 80% e temperatura entre 20 e 24°C foram mais favoráveis para a captura de conídios e a intensidade do crestamento foliar. Nos dois anos de avaliação, a maior quantidade de esporo capturado ocorreu quando a soja se apresentava no estádio R6-R7, assim como a intensidade da doença foi maior após o início do estágio reprodutivo da cultura. Apesar da quantidade de conídio capturado em 2006/07 ter sido maior que em 2007/08, o padrão da flutuação aérea de conídios foi semelhante.

Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems for epidemiological analysis of soybean rust

The objective of this work was to develop and to evaluate adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems as methodology to describe the severity of soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) monocyclic process in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], under effects of leaf wetness, temperature, and days after fungi inoculation. The experiment was conducted in growth chambers with mean air temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 30°C and leaf wetness periods of 6, 12, 18 and 24h. The plants were inoculated by spraying a suspension of P. pachyrhizi inoculum at concentration of 104 uredinosporemL−1. A disease assessment key was adopted for estimate amounts of soybean rust at 0, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days after fungi inoculation. A hybrid neural network training with 3 and 3000 epochs was applied to disease severity data for optimization of fuzzy system parameters used to describe the severity of soybean rust based on leaf wetness, temperature and days after fungi inoculation. Higher accuracy and precision of the neuro-fuzzy systems estimates were obtained after training with 3000 epochs. Nevertheless, training with 3 epochs produced smoother estimates. The neuro-fuzzy systems enabled to describe the severity of soybean rust monocyclic process under effects of leaf wetness, mean air temperature and days after fungi inoculation and was better applied for Conquista cultivar, followed by Savana and Suprema cultivars. Higher soybean rust severity was verified under temperatures among 20°C and 25°C, leaf wetness above 6h, with higher values above 10h, and 15 days after fungi inoculation. Temperatures near 15°C increased the latent period of the disease but not inhibited its development after 10 days of fungi inoculation.

Efeito do inóculo, período de molhamento foliar e do estádio fenológico do feijão-caupi no desenvolvimento da mela

Web blight caused by the fungus Thanatephorus cucumeris (Rhizoctonia solani anastomosis group 1 IA ) is one of the most important diseases of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in the north of Brazil. There is no information about the effect of epidemiological parameters on development of the disease under controlled conditions. The aims of this work were to identify the type and inoculum concentration of R. solani, the susceptible phenological states and the leaf wetness periods for disease development in greenhouse conditions. In the first study we tested the use of mycelia fragments (mf) and sclerotia as source of inoculum; in the second experiment, the effect of different inoculum concentrations (0, 103, 104,105 and 106 mf.mL-1); in the third experiment, the effect of leaf wetness period was tested by maintaining cowpea plants at 0, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours of leaf wetness after the inoculation, and in the last experiment the effect of phenological states was tested by inoculating cowpea plants at the stages of cotyledonal leaf, trifoliate leaves, flowering and pod filling. The highest severity values of disease were observed with the plants inoculated in the flowering phenological state with 106 mf.mL-1 and six hours of leaf wetness. These parameters can be utilized to establish an inoculation methodology for R. solani on cowpea plants under controlled conditions.

Effects of temperature, inoculum concentration, leaf age, and continuous and interrupted wetness on infection of olive plants by Spilocaea oleagina

Experiments were conducted on olive plants in controlled environments to determine the effect of conidial concentration, leaf age, temperature, continuous and interrupted leaf wetness periods, and relative humidity (RH) during the drier periods that interrupted wet periods, on olive leaf spot (OLS) severity. As inoculum concentration increased from 1·0 × 102 to 2·5 × 105 conidia mL−1, the severity of OLS increased at all five temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C). A simple polynomial model satisfactorily described the relationship between the inoculum concentration at the upper asymptote (maximum number of lesions) and temperature. The results showed that for the three leaf age groups tested (2–4, 6–8 and 10–12 weeks old) OLS severity decreased significantly (P < 0·001) with increasing leaf age at the time of inoculation. Overall, temperature also affected (P < 0·001) OLS severity, with the lesion numbers increasing gradually from 5°C to a maximum at 15°C, and then declining to a minimum at 25°C. When nine leaf wetness periods (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h) were tested at the same temperatures, the numbers of lesions increased with increasing leaf wetness period at all temperatures tested. The minimum leaf wetness periods for infection at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25°C were 18, 12, 12, 12 and 24 h, respectively. The wet periods during early infection processes were interrupted with drying periods (0, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h) at two levels of RH (70 and 100%). The length of drying period had a significant (P < 0·001) effect on disease severity, the effect depending on the RH during the interruption. High RH (100%) resulted in greater disease severity than low RH (70%). A polynomial equation with linear and quadratic terms of temperature, wetness and leaf age was developed to describe the effects of temperature, wetness and leaf age on OLS infection, which could be incorporated as a forecasting component of an integrated system for the control of OLS.

Influence of Temperature and Wetness Periods on the Development of Stemphylium Blight on Lentil.

Stemphylium blight of lentil (Lens culinaris subsp. culinaris) caused by Stemphylium botryosum has become more prevalent in the Canadian prairies. Germination of conidia, appressorium formation, and infection of lentil plants were evaluated under controlled conditions at temperatures from 5 to 30°C and increasing incubation periods under wet conditions to elucidate the epidemiology of this disease. On glass slides, conidial germination increased steadily with temperature up to 25 and 30°C, and reached more than 80% after 20 h at these temperatures, compared with around 30% at 5°C. The response of germination on glass slides to temperature was nonlinear, as evident in significant linear, quadratic single factor, and linear, quadratic, and cubic cross factor temperature effects in the model. On lentil leaves, 18% of conidia had germinated after 2 h of incubation at 25°C, and a few germ tubes penetrated into the tissue through stomata. Germination reached 89% after 12 h, and 12% of germ tubes had penetrated into the leaves. Stemphylium blight severity reached more than 80% at 25 and 30°C with leaf wetness periods of 48 h. A simple logistic model with linear temperature, leaf wetness period, and cross factor effects described disease development on lentil plants.