Biological control of Sclerotinia disease by Aspergillus sp. on oilseed rape in the field. Issue 11 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Xiaojia; Roberts, Daniel P.; Xie, Lihua; Yu, Changbing; Li, Yinshui; Qin, Lu; Hu, Lei; Zhang, Yinbo; Liao, Xing
• Is Part Of: Biocontrol science and technology. Volume 26:Issue 11(2016)
• Page Start: 1526
• Page End: 1537
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: Aspergillus -- biological control -- mycoparasitism -- oilseed rape -- Sclerotinia sclerotiorum; Pests -- Biological control -- Periodicals; Weeds -- Biological control -- Periodicals; Pesticides -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Plants, Protection of -- Periodicals; Plants -- Biological control -- Periodicals; Agricultural pests -- Control -- Periodicals; Pest Control, Biological -- Periodicals; 632.96
• DOI: 10.1080/09583157.2016.1218440
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0958-3157

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes serious yield losses to many crops worldwide. Aspergillus sp. Asp-4, previously shown to inhibit germination of sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum in vitro and in the field, was evaluated in field trials for suppression of this pathogen on oilseed rape. Spray application of Asp-4 to the soil prior to sowing rice in a rice–oilseed rape rotation resulted in a significant reduction in incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot on oilseed rape compared with the non-treated control in two field trials. This application of Asp-4 also resulted in a significant reduction in germination of sclerotia relative to the non-treated control in these field trials, suggesting that this reduction in sclerotial germination led to disease control. Microscopic examination demonstrated that Asp-4 could effectively colonise external and internal portions of sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum in vitro . Incubation of Asp-4 with sterile sclerotial material induced production of β-glucanase and chitinase activities by this isolate; β-glucanase and chitinase being potentially capable of degrading the glucan and chitin polymeric components of sclerotia. Incubation of Asp-4 with sterile sclerotial material also resulted in a significant reduction in dry weight of this sclerotial material relative to the non-treated control in 96 h in vitro experiments. Experiments reported here indicate that Aspergillus sp. Asp-4 has promise as a biological control agent for S. sclerotiorum on oilseed rape. Experiments reported here suggest that disease control results from inhibition of germination of sclerotial resting structures due to mycoparasitic colonisation by Asp-4.