• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2013

Hevea brasiliensis is a natural source of rubber and an important plantation tree species in Malaysia. Leaf blight disease caused by Fusicoccum substantially reduces the growth and performance of H. brasiliensis. The aim of this study was to use a combination of both morphological characteristics and molecular data to clarify the taxonomic position of the fungus associated with leaf blight disease. Fusicoccum species were isolated from infected leaves collected from plantations at 3 widely separated locations - Selangor, Perak, and Johor states - in Peninsular Malaysia in 2010. All the isolates were identified according to their conidial patterns and DNA sequences generated from internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2), the 5.8S rRNA, and an unknown locus (BotF15) containing microsatellite repeats. Based on taxonomic and sequence data, Neofusicoccum ribis was identified as the main cause of leaf blight disease in H. brasiliensis in commercial plantations in Malaysia. A pathogenicity trial on detached leaves further confirmed that N. ribis causes leaf blight disease. N. ribis is an important leaf pathogen, and its detection in Malaysia has important implications for future planting of H. brasiliensis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.459-469
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• 2018

Plants and microorganisms (microbes) use information from chemicals such as volatile compounds to understand their environments. Proficiency in sensing and responding to these infochemicals increases an organism's ecological competence and ability to survive in competitive environments, particularly with regard to plant-pathogen interactions. Plants and microbes acquired the ability to sense and respond to biogenic volatiles during their evolutionary history. However, these signals can only be interpreted by humans through the use of state-of the-art technologies. Newly-developed tools allow microbe-induced plant volatiles to be detected in a rapid, precise, and non-invasive manner to diagnose plant diseases. Beside disease diagnosis, volatile compounds may also be valuable in improving crop productivity in sustainable agriculture. Bacterial volatile compounds (BVCs) have potential for use as a novel plant growth stimulant or as improver of fertilizer efficiency. BVCs can also elicit plant innate immunity against insect pests and microbial pathogens. Research is needed to expand our knowledge of BVCs and to produce BVC-based formulations that can be used practically in the field. Formulation possibilities include encapsulation and sol-gel matrices, which can be used in attract and kill formulations, chemigation, and seed priming. Exploitation of biogenic volatiles will facilitate the development of smart integrated plant management systems for disease control and productivity improvement.

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

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.103-107
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• 2019

Roles of nutrients in controlling plant diseases have been documented for a long time. Among the nutrients having impact on susceptibility/resistance to crop diseases, nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plant growth and development. In rice plants, excess nitrogen via fertilization in agricultural systems is known to increase susceptibility to the rice blast disease. Mechanisms underlying such phenomenon, despite its implication in yield and sustainable agriculture, have not been fully elucidated yet. A few research efforts attempted to link nitrogen-induced susceptibility to concomitant changes in rice plant and rice blast fungus in response to excess nitrogen. However, recent studies focusing on phytobiome are offering new insights into effects of nitrogen on interaction between plants and pathogens. In this review, I will first briefly describe importance of nitrogen as a key nutrient for plants and what changes excess nitrogen can bring about in rice and the fungal pathogen. Next, I will highlight some of the recent phytobiome studies relevant to nitrogen utilization and immunity of plants. Finally, I propose the hypothesis that changes in phytobiome upon excessive nitrogen fertilization contribute to nitrogen-induced susceptibility, and discuss empirical evidences that are needed to support the hypothesis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.490-502
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• 2022

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and it is among the most destructive pathogen responsible for severe yield losses. Potential bacterial biocontrol agents (BCAs) with plant growth promotion (PGP) abilities can be applied to better manage the BLB disease and increase crop yield, compared to current conventional practices. Thus, this study aimed to isolate, screen, and identify potential BCAs with PGP abilities. Isolation of the BCAs was performed from internal plant tissues and rhizosphere soil of healthy and Xoo-infected rice. A total of 18 bacterial strains were successfully screened for in vitro antagonistic ability against Xoo, siderophore production and PGP potentials. Among the bacterial strains, 3 endophytes, Bacillus sp. strain USML8, Bacillus sp. strain USML9, and Bacillus sp. strain USMR1 which were isolated from diseased plants harbored the BCA traits and significantly reduced leaf blight severity of rice. Simultaneously, the endophytic BCAs also possessed plant growth promoting traits and were able to enhance rice growth. Application of the selected endophytes (BCAs-PGP) at the early growth stage of rice exhibited potential in suppressing BLB disease and promoting rice growth.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.99-102
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• 2024

Integrated pest management is essential for controlling plant diseases that reduce crop yields. Rapid diagnosis is crucial for effective management in the event of an outbreak to identify the cause and minimize damage. Diagnosis methods range from indirect visual observation, which can be subjective and inaccurate, to machine learning and deep learning predictions that may suffer from biased data. Direct molecular-based methods, while accurate, are complex and time-consuming. However, the development of large multimodal models, like GPT-4, combines image recognition with natural language processing for more accurate diagnostic information. This study introduces GPT-4-based system for diagnosing plant diseases utilizing a detailed knowledge base with 1,420 host plants, 2,462 pathogens, and 37,467 pesticide instances from the official plant disease and pesticide registries of Korea. The AI plant doctor offers interactive advice on diagnosis, control methods, and pesticide use for diseases in Korea and is accessible at https://pdoc.scnu.ac.kr/.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.721-726
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• 2010

'Nampung', a new soybean cultivar for soy-paste, was developed from the cross between Suwon190 and 'Pokwangkong' by soybean breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science (NICS) in 2007. A promising line, SS97215-S-S-20, was selected and designated as the name of Milyang162. It was prominent and had good result from regional adaptation yield trials(RYT) for three years from 2005 to 2007 and was released as the name of 'Nampung'. It has a determinate growth habit, white flower, brown pubescence, yellow seed coat, light brown hilum, medium spherical seed (19.9 grams per 100 seeds). 'Nampung' is resistant to soybean mosaic virus and bacterial pustule, the major soybean disease in Korea. It is possible to harvest of 'Nampung' using combine because of it's lodging tolerance, few branches, and high position of pod attachment. The average yield of 'Nampung' is 2.97 ton per hectare in the regional yield trials (RYT) carried out for three years from 2005 to 2007 which is 21 percent higher than the check variety, 'Taekwang'.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.264-269
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• 2014

The effect of biological control of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, on cucumber and lettuce was evaluated with green manure crop species in greenhouse. Nematicidal effect of sudan grass cultivation in cucumber greenhouse was comparable to that of chemical treatment with fosthiazate GR, showing the high activity of 88.6%. Sudan grass cultivation in lettuce greenhouse significantly reduced the number of M. incognita in soil, showing 93.5% of nematiidal activity. In addition, since growth of sudan grass was superior to other green manure crop species, it is considered that cultivation of sudan grass is proper to control M. incognita in greenhouse.

• Korean Journal of Breeding Science
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.587-590
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• 2011

A new sesame variety 'Yunheuk' was developed from Yeongnam Agricultural Research Institute in 2007. A cross was made by 'Yoosung' with weak disease resistance and 'Kunheuk' with high yield capacity & quality, followed by pedigree selection, yield test and regional yield trial (RYT) by the sesame breeding team at the National Institute of Crop Science and Yeongnam Agricultural Research Institute up to 2007. The variety showed higher lodging resistance and more dark seed coloring rather than that of check variety 'Yangheuk'. Average stem length and the number of capsules per plant is 118 cm, 79 cm respectively. Its 1,000 grains weight is about 2.67 g indicating 0.10 g lower than that of 'Yangheuk', and its oil content is about 46.4%. 'Yunheuk' also contains total 2.59 mg/g of such lignans as sesamin and sesamolin. And its dark color density ($L^*$ Value) of seed coat is 22.43 which was about 10% lower than that of check variety. The average yield of 'Yunheuk' was 99.9 kg per 10a at the national-wide regional performance.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.238-246
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• 2010

In 2006 fall, a preliminary survey of viruses in two important medicinal plants, Cynanchum wilfordii and C. auriculatum, was conducted on the experimental fields at the Agricultural Research and Extension Services of Chungbuk province in Korea. On each experimental fields, percentage of virus infection was ranged from 20 to 80%, and especially an average of disease incidence propagated by roots was twice higher than that by seeds. The various symptoms were observed in Cynanchum spp. plants, such as mosaic, mottle, necrosis, yellowing, chlorotic spot and malformation etc. In electron microscopic examination of crude sap extracts, filamentous rod particles with 390-730 nm were observed in most samples. The virus particles were purified from the leaves of C. wilfordii with typical mosaic symptom, and the viral RNA was extracted from this sample containing 430-845 nm long filamentous rod. To identify the viruses, reverse transcription followed by PCR with random primers was carried out. The putative sequences of P3 and coat protein of potyvirus were obtained. From a BLAST of the two sequences, they showed 26-38% and 62-72% identities to potyviruses, respectively. In SDS-PAGE analysis, the subunit of coat protein was approximately 30.3 kDa, close to the coat protein of potyvirus. In bioassay with 21 species in 7 families, Chenopodium quinoa showed local lesion on inoculated leave and chlorotic spot on upper leave, but the others were not infected. RT-PCR detection using specific primer of C. wilfordii and C. auriculatum samples, all of 24 samples with virus symptom was positive, and five out of seven samples without virus symptom were also positive. On the basis of these data, the virus could be considered as a new member of potyvirus. We suggested that the name of the virus was Keunjorong mosaic virus (KjMV) after the common Korean name of C. wilfordii.