AbstractTomato bacterial spot on tomato may be caused by four species of Xanthomonas and among them X. gardneri(Xg) is the most destructive one, especially in areas irrigated using a center pivot system in Minas Gerais state and the midwest region of Brazil. Due to the ineffectiveness of chemical control and the lack of cultivars with high levels of genetic resistance, this study investigated the potential of three antagonists (Streptomyces setonii (UFV618), Bacillus cereus (UFV592) and Serratia marcescens (UFV252)), and the hormone jasmonic acid (JA) as a positive control, to reduce bacterial spot symptoms and to potentiate defense enzymes in the leaves of tomato plants infected by Xg. Tomato seeds were microbiolized with each antagonist, and the soil was drenched with these bacteria. The plants were sprayed with JA 48 h before Xginoculation. The final average severity on the tomato plants was reduced by 29.44, 59.26 and 61.33% in the UFV592, UFV618 and JA treatments, respectively. The UFV618 antagonist was as effective as JA in reducing bacterial spot symptoms on tomatoes, which can be explained by the greater activities of defense enzymes that are commonly involved in host resistance against bacterial diseases. These results suggest that JA and the UFV618 antagonist can be used in the integrated management of bacterial spot on tomatoes.

A murcha-de-fusário, causada por Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol), é uma das mais importantes doenças que afetam a produção de tomate no mundo. Este estudo investigou o potencial de três antagonistas, Streptomyces setonii (UFV 618), Bacillus cereus (UFV 592) e Serratia marcescens (UFV 252), e como controle positivo foi utilizado o hormônio ácido jasmônico (AJ), na redução dos sintomas da murcha-de-fusário e potencialização das enzimas de defesa nos tecidos do caule de plantas de tomateiro infectadas por Fol. Sementes foram microbiolizadas com cada antagonista e o solo também foi encharcado com eles. As plantas foram pulverizadas com AJ 48 horas antes da inoculação Fol. A área abaixo da curva do progresso do índice da murcha-de-fusário (AACPIMF) foi reduzida em 54%, 48%, 47% e 45% para os tratamentos UFV 618, AJ, UFV 592 e UFV 252, respectivamente. Os três antagonistas, e até mesmo a pulverização AJ, foram eficientes na redução dos sintomas da murcha-de-fusário em caules de tomateiro, o que pode ser explicado pela menor concentração de aldeído malônico (uma indicação de danos oxidativos em lípideos nas membranas plasmáticas) e maior atividade de peroxidases, polifenoloxidases, glucanases, quitinases, fenilalanina amônia liases e lipoxigenases, comumente envolvidas na resistência do hospedeiro a doenças fúngicas. Esses resultados apresentam uma nova alternativa que pode ser usada no manejo integrado da murcha-de-fusário em tomateiro.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol), is one of the most important diseases that affect tomato yield worldwide. This study investigated the potential of three antagonists, Streptomyces setonii (UFV 618), Bacillus cereus (UFV 592) and Serratia marcescens (UFV 252), and as positive control the hormone jasmonic acid (JA), to reduce Fusarium wilt symptoms and to potentiate the defense enzymes in the stem tissues of tomato plants infected by Fol. The seeds were microbiolized with each antagonist, and the soil was also drenched with them. The plants were sprayed with JA 48 h before Fol inoculation. The area under the Fusarium wilt index progress curve was reduced by 54, 48, 47 and 45% for the UFV 618, JA, UFV 592 and UFV 252 treatments, respectively. The three antagonists, and even the JA spray, efficiently reduced the Fusarium wilt symptoms on the tomato plant stems, which can be explained by the lower malondialdehyde concentration (an indication of oxidative damage to lipids in the plasma membranes) and the greater activities of peroxidases, polyphenoloxidases, glucanases, chitinases, phenylalanine ammonia-lyases and lipoxygenases, which are commonly involved in host resistance against fungal diseases. These results present a novel alternative that can be used in the integrated management of Fusarium wilt on tomatoes.

Considering the importance of bacterial leaf speck (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato) in reducing tomato yield and difficulties in disease control, this study investigated the effects of fractions of shells extract of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Sa) and fruit extract of Caesalpinia ferrea (Cf) compared to Acibenzolar-S-Methyl (ASM) on reducing bacterial leaf speck symptoms and on the potentiation of the activities of defense enzymes. The number of lesions per plant (NLP) was significantly lower in plants treated with the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of S. adstringens (Sa) and ASM compared to other treatments (EAF of Cf, n-butanol fractions of Sa and Cf, aqueous fractions of Sa and Cf and sterile distilled water). The bacteria were inhibited by the EAF of Sa and EAF of Cf and n-butanol fractions of Sa and Cf according to the bioautography assay. Saponins and tannins were the two major compounds found in these fractions based on the phytochemical analysis. Peroxidase (POX), polyphenoloxidase (PPO), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities were determined on the leaves of plants treated with EAF Sa, ASM and sterile distilled water. Both POX and PAL activities were higher at 3 and 6 days after inoculation (dai), while the PPO and GLU activities were higher from 9 to 12 dai. It is suggested that saponins increased tomato resistance to P. s. pv. tomato because no antimicrobial activity against the bacteria was observed. In conclusion, the EAF Sa was very efficient in reducing bacterial leaf speck symptoms in conditions where the POX, PPO, PAL and GLU activities played a pivotal role in increasing tomato resistance to the disease.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of silicon (Si) on the resistance of tomato plants (cv. Santa Clara) to bacterial speck, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). Tomatoes were grown in soil without calcium silicate (control), in soil without calcium silicate and sprayed with Supa Sílica® (2 mL/L) (SS) and in soil with calcium silicate (0.16 g/kg of soil) (CS). The effect of SS on the growth of Pst was evaluated in vitro. There was no significant difference among the treatments for foliar Si concentration and incubation period. No significant differences were observed between the control and CS for the number of lesions per plant (NLP) and bacterial speck severity estimated by the software QUANT. The NLP was significantly reduced with SS spray. There was a negative linear response of in vitro Pst growth to the SS rates. Peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase and glucanase activities were significantly higher for plants sprayed with SS and grown in soil with CS compared to the control treatment. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and lypoxygenase activities were significantly higher for plants grown in soil with CS compared to the control. The concentration of malondialdehyde was significantly higher for plants sprayed with SS compared to the control at 0 and 7 dai. The results of this study indicate that the symptoms of bacterial speck are reduced when plants are sprayed with SS, which can be linked to the direct effect of this product against Pst rather than the potentation of host defense responses.

Duas escalas diagramáticas foram desenvolvidas para quantificar a severidade da mancha-bacteriana do feijão-caupi, causada pela bactéria Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola, em cultivares de feijão-caupi de trifólios com folíolos ovais e lanceolados. Trifólios com diferentes níveis de severidade foram coletados para determinação do limite mínimo e máximo de severidade, sendo níveis intermediários determinados de acordo com a "Lei do Estímulo de Weber-Fechner". Os níveis propostos foram: 0,05; 0,25; 1,00; 3,40; 9,70; e 17,70% para trifólios com folíolos ovais e 0,10; 0,35; 1,10; 3,50; 9,30; e 19,10% para trifólios com folíolos lanceolados. As escalas foram validadas por meio do cálculo da sua acurácia e precisão. Para tanto, realizou-se análises de regressão linear da severidade real com a estimada com e sem o uso das escalas propostas. As estimativas foram feitas por 12 avaliadores sem experiência em quantificar essa doença em 50 trifólios com diferentes níveis de severidade da mancha-bacteriana. Para isso, avaliou-se a acurácia e a precisão dos avaliadores. Com a utilização das escalas diagramáticas, obtiveram-se níveis satisfatórios de acurácia e precisão. Assim, as escalas propostas tornam-se uma ferramenta fácil e de rápida utilização, que podem ser adotadas para auxiliar na avaliação da severidade da mancha-bacteriana do feijão-caupi, em estudos epidemiológicos e seleção de cultivares resistentes a doença.

Two diagrammatic scales were developed to assess the severity of bacterial blight of cowpea, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vignicola in cowpea cultivars with oval and lanceolate leaflets, considering the limits for minimum and maximum severity of the disease, as well as intermediate levels. The levels were determined in accordance with the "Weber-Fechner's Stimulus Responses Law", representing: 0.05; 0.25; 1.00; 3.40; 9.70; and 17.70% for diagrammatic scale with oval leaflets and 0.10; 0.35; 1.10; 3, 50; 9.30; and 19.10% for lanceolate leaflets. The scales were validated by means of their accuracy and precision. To calculate these factors, linear regression analysis of actual disease severity and the estimated ones with and without the use of the scales. Twelve non-experienced evaluators estimated 50 leaflets with different levels of severity bacterial blight. For this, the accuracy and precision of the evaluators was assessed. With the use of diagrammatic scales, there were satisfactory levels of accuracy and precision. Thus, the diagrammatic scales proposed were considered appropriate to assess the severity of bacterial blight of cowpea and can be used in epidemiological studies, to evaluate the reactions of genotypes to the disease.

The objective of this study was to identify fungi and bacteria associated with the post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in the Serrana region of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Rhizomes with symptoms of rot were sampled in the packing-house and in the field soon after harvest. In the packing-house, we report positive pathogenicity tests for Acremonium murorum, Acrostalagmus luteo-albus, Fusarium sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Sclerotium rolfsii. For the rhizomes sampled during harvest, the mean incidence of pathogens was as follows: F. oxysporum, 74%; Fusarium sp., 31%; Fusarium solani, 21%; Nigrospora oryzae, 5%; Fusarium semitectum and Nigrospora sphaerica, 6%; Alternaria tenuissima, 4%; Penicillium commune, Verticillium sp.(1) and Verticillium sp.(2), 3%; A. luteo-albus, Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium sp. and Epicoccum sp., 2%; and Curvularia geniculata and Mucor hiemalis, 1%. The mean incidence of bacteria that cause soft rot was as follows: Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae, 4%; and Pseudomonas fluorescens, 1%. The presence of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae indicated probable fecal contamination. This is the first record of ginger rhizome rot caused by P. fluorescens in the world and the first from A. murorum, A. luteo-albus, L. theobromae and E. cloacae subsp. cloacae causing ginger rhizome rot in Brazil.

Face às escassas informações acerca da variabilidade patogênica de isolados brasileiros de Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, realizou-se um estudo para avaliar a especificidade patogênica de trinta e três isolados do patógeno, provenientes de várias regiões do Brasil e do exterior, a oito espécies de brássicas, através de inoculação por meio de injeção da suspensão bacteriana nas folhas. Desse total, 12 isolados foram obtidos de couve-comum (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), nove de repolho (B. oleracea var. capitata), cinco de couve-flor (B. oleracea var. botrytis), dois de canola (B. napus), um de brócolos (B. oleracea var. italica), um de couve-chinesa (B. chinensis), um de couve-rábano (B. oleracea var. gongylodes) e dois de rabanete (Raphanus sativus). A avaliação da patogenicidade dos isolados da bactéria, frente aos hospedeiros em estudo, demonstrou que 14 deles não apresentaram especificidade, originando sintomas em todas as diferentes plantas inoculadas. Os 19 isolados restantes, entretanto, apresentaram relativo grau de especificidade, não causando doença em uma ou mais das plantas inoculadas.

Considering the lack of information in literature about the pathogenic variability of Brazilian isolates of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, a study was carried out to determine the pathogenic specificity of 33 isolates of this bacterium originated from several regions of Brazil and overseas to eight different Brassica species, through inoculation by means of injection of the bacterial suspension in leaves. From these isolates, 12 were obtained from collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), nine from cabbage (B. oleracea var. capitata), five from cauliflower (B. oleracea var. botrytis), two from canola (B. napus), one from broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica), one from Chinese cabbage (B. chinensis), one from kohlrabi (B. oleracea var. gongylodes) and two from radish (Raphanus sativus). The pathogenicity of the bacterium isolates to the tested hosts indicated that 14 of them were not specific and originated symptoms on all inoculated plants. The other 19 isolates had showed relative degrees of specificity and did not cause disease in one or more of the tested brassicas.

Diferentes tratamentos foram comparados visando a erradicação de Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis de estacas de bambu infestadas artificialmente. A imersão das estacas, por 30 minutos, em uma solução de hipoclorito de sódio a 2% foi o tratamento mais eficiente, em comparação à solarização, à exposição direta aos raios solares, à imersão em sulfato de cobre e à fumigação com fosfina ou brometo de metila.

Different treatments were compared as a means to eradicate viable cells of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis from infested bamboo stakes. The soaking of the stakes, for 30 minutes, in a 2% solution of sodium hypochlorite was the most efficient treatment, as compared to solarization with or without a plastic mulch and fumigation with phosfine or methyl bromide.