• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.181-188
• /
• 2024

Southern blight, caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotium rolfsii, is a serious disease that affects many economically important crops. In this study, we selected Bacillus subtilis GJ6-14, from a total of 260 strains, to control Southern blight in pepper plants. In both seedling and plant tests, GJ6-14 significantly suppressed disease incidence and severity compared to control, furthermore, GJ6-14 demonstrated efficient colonization in the rhizosphere by maintaining the population from log 5.41 to log 3.92 in the pathogen-inoculated plants, indicating its potential as a biocontrol agent. Molecular analysis revealed up-regulation of defense-related genes, such as a 7.6-fold increase in LOX1 and 15.5-fold increase in PR1, at 72 hr after inoculation of S. rolfsii in GJ6-14-treated plants, suggesting activation of plant defense mechanisms. Overall, our findings highlight the promising role of B. subtilis GJ6-14 as a potential biocontrol agent in sustainable management of Southern blight in pepper plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
• /
• 2018.04a
• /
• pp.144-144
• /
• 2018

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.481-488
• /
• 2016

Dithiocarbamate fungicides such as maneb and mancozeb are widely used nonsystemic protectant fungicides to control various plant fungal diseases. Dithiocarbamate fungicides should be frequently applied to achieve optimal efficacy of disease control and avoid either decline in effectiveness or wash-off from leaf surface. Dithiocarbamates are of low resistance risk but have the potential to cause human neurological diseases. The objective of this study was to develop a strategy to effectively control plant disease with reduced use of dithiocarbamtes. Southern corn leaf blight was the model pathosystem for the investigation. When corn plants were drench-treated with Bacillus cereus C1L, a rhizobacterium able to induce systemic resistance in corn plants against southern leaf blight, frequency of spraying dithiocarbamate fungicides could be decreased. The treatment of B. cereus C1L was able to protect maize from southern leaf blight while residues of dithiocarbamates on leaf surface were too low to provide sufficient protection. On the other hand, frequent sprays of mancozeb slightly but significantly reduced growth of corn plants under natural conditions. In contrast, application of B. cereus C1L can significantly promote growth of corn plants whether sprayed with mancozeb or not. Our results provide the information that plant disease can be well controlled by rhizobacteria-mediated induced systemic resistance in combination with reduced but appropriate application of dithiocarbamate fungicides just before a heavy infection period. An appropriate use of rhizobacteria can enhance plant growth and help plants overcome negative effects caused by dithiocarbamates.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
• /
• 2018.10a
• /
• pp.216-216
• /
• 2018

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.308-310
• /
• 1999

A fungus associated with gray blight on tea plant (Camellia sinensis) was identifed as Pestalotiopsis theae based on the mycological characteristics. Mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar and size and shape of conidia of P. theae were similar to those of P. longiseta, but P. theae was different from P. longiseta in the color of three median cells and the number of apical appendages. Artificial inoculation of conidial suspension or mycelial mats on the wounded leaves and shoots of healthy plants induced the same disease, respectively. The Korean native variety was relatively. The Korean native variety was relatively more resistat to P. theae than a Japanese variety‘Yabukita’which has bee recently introduced and planted in large areas of southern parts of Korea. Here, we report the report the first record of gary blight caused by P. theae on tea plant in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.305-317
• /
• 2022

To investigate the blossom infection risk of fire blight on pears, the program Maryblyt has been executed from 2018 to 2022 based on meteorological data from central-Korean cities where fire blight has occurred as well as from southern Korean cities where the disease has not yet occurred. In the past five years, years with the highest risk of pear blossom blight were 2022 and 2019. To identify the optimal time for spraying, we studied the spray mode according to the Maryblyt model and recommend spraying streptomycin on the day after a "High" warning and then one day before forecasted precipitation during the blossom period. Maryblyt also recommends to initiate surgical controls from mid-May for canker blight symptoms on pear trees owing to over-wintering canker in Korea. Web-cam pictures from pear orchards at Cheonan, Icheon, Sangju, and Naju during the flowering period of pear trees were used for comparing real data and constructing a phenological model. The actual starting dates of flowering at southern cities such as Sangju and Naju were consistently earlier than those calculated by the model. It is thus necessary to improve the forecasting model to include field risks by recording the actual flowering period and the first day of the fire blight symptoms, according to the farmers, as well as mist or dew-fall, which are not easily identifiable from meteorological records.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.22-29
• /
• 1997

Etiological and ecopathological studi88888es on the leaf blight of kiwifruit (Chinese gooseberry), a disease newly found in 1993 in Korea, were carried out in this experiment. The leaf blight symptom was prevalent in the southern area of Chonnam Province where kiwifruits were widely cultivated. The disease occurred from July to fall, causing early defoliation of kiwifruit vines. Small brownish circular or irregular lesions appeared initially on the leaves, starting from the marginal leaf areas, and enlarged. Afterwards small grayish black granules (acervuli) were formed on the lesions. The color of old lesions changed to grayish brown or grayish white. The causal fungus was identified as Pestalotiopsis menezesiana (Bress. & Torr.) Bissett according to its morphological characters and pathogenicity (pathogenic to Chinese gooseberry and grapevine, but not to other hosts of Pestalotiopsis spp.such as tea, apple, persimmon, and chestnut). As P. longiseta and P. neglecta were reported recently in Japan as pathogens causing similar blight symptoms in kiwifruit, P. menezesiana is a new leaf blight pathogen in kiwifruit. Development of the disease was stimulated by wounding, prevailing wind, and drought. The causal fungus was proven to be overwintered in the diseased leaves on the ground surface.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.54-60
• /
• 1994

Incidence of Rhizoctonia blight ranged from 22.2% to 100% in the golf courses at six geographical locations in Korea from 1989 to 1993. Rhizoctonia blight occurred more severly in southern area than in northern area. Fifty seven isolates of Rhizoctonia solani obtained from diseased parts of zoysiagrasses were grouped to AG2-2 by anastomosis test. Pathogenicity testes revealed that this pathogen was strongly pathogenic to Korean lawngrasses(Zoysia japonica, Z. matrella, Z. tenuifolia), but not pathogenic to creeping bentgrass(Agrostis palustris), bermuldagrass(Cynodon dactylon), Kentucky bluegrass(Poa pratensis), perennial ryegrass(Lolium prenne), and creeping red fescue(Festuca rubra subsp. rubra L.). The isolation frequency of R. solani AG2-2 fro sheaths of the infected plants was the highest by 91.67%, and that from stolons and roots was 11.13% and 5.63% respectively. The pathogen was not isolated from the leaves. Population density of R. solani in the lawn of large circular patch was highest on surface soils down to 1 cm deep with the value of 4.9$\times$104 (CFU/g soil), but below 1 cm population density decreased sharply down to 0.8~9.8$\times$103 (CFU/g soil). Horizontal distribution of propagules in turfgrass soil was higher in the margin than in center of patch, where the number of propagules was similar to these of healthy looking soils close to the margin of diseased patch. The meteorological factors influencing the outbreak of the disease were temperature, the number of rainy days and precipitation. Optimum temperature for disease development of Rhizoctonia blight in field was 20~22$^{\circ}C$, and that for hyphal growth of R. solani AG2-2 in vitro was 25~3$0^{\circ}C$. In Pusan area, Rhizoctonia blight first occurred in late April and rapidly developed in late June. The disease slightly decreased during July to August and developed again in late September in 1993. The monthly disease progress in Pusan area was similar to that in Kyeonggi province.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.265-275
• /
• 2018

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) is an export crop and source of income in Tanzania. However, its productivity is challenged by insect pests and diseases. Cashew Leaf and Nut Blight Disease (CLNBD) caused by Cryptosporipsis spp. has been cited as one of the most devastating diseases in Tanzania. Studies were conducted to investigate incidences and severities of CLNBD on cashew in farmers' fields and elite cashew hybrids developed in 1996 and 1998 in eastern and southern zones of Tanzania. Furthermore, a screen house experiment was conducted to screen these hybrids against CLNBD at Naliendele Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Mtwara, Tanzania. The results indicated significant differences (P<0.001) in CLNBD incidences and severities in cashew in farmers' fields across Bagamoyo, Nachingwea and Mtwara districts. Further, there were significant differences (P<0.001) among hybrids in CLNBD severities in the screen house experiment. In ranking the elite cashew hybrids, 38 were tolerant and 14 were susceptible to CLNBD. This observation suggests that elite cashew hybrids developed in 1996 and 1998 are more tolerant to CLNBD compared to cashew found in farmers' fields. These findings strongly suggest that the elite cashew hybrids can be recommended for commercial farming in Tanzania.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.481-489
• /
• 2018

In this study, the succession and stand dimension attributes related to the disaster prevention function of Pinus thunbergii coastal forests were examined after damage from Diplodia tip blight. In 2015, 101 years after the Taisho eruption, field investigations were performed on the vegetation, soil thickness, and pH of surface soil of P. thunbergii coastal forests in western Sakurajima (Hakamagoshi plot) and Taisho lava flows in southeastern Sakurajima (Seto plot). The Hakamagoshi plot had more woody plant species with larger basal areas than that in the Seto plot. The mean age and height, maximal age and height of plant species, and H/D ratio were all larger in the Hakamagoshi plot than in the Seto plot. These results may be explained by the relatively smaller effect of volcanic ash and gas on forests in the Hakamagoshi plot compared to the Seto plot, resulting in a more suitable environment for many plant species. Although P. thunbergii coastal forests in Sakurajima are currently recovering from damages owing to Diplodia tip blight, there has not yet been a sufficient recovery compared to the results from a 1997 study. Furthermore, the results of assessment based on the H/D ratio and abundance of trees in P. thunbergii forests indicate that both regions are not yet effective in disaster prevention. Thus, it is necessary to establish Pinus trees, which can adjust to harsh environments like coastal areas and are resistant to volcanic ash and gas, to enhance the disaster prevention function of P. thunbergii coastal forests in volcanic regions. It may also be helpful to establish coastal forests with ectotrophic mycorrhizal fungi and organic matter coverage. Additionally, it is necessary to ensure the continuous maintenance of stand density and soil quality, and further develop efforts to prevent Diplodia tip blight and promote forest recovery.