Biocontrol Science and Technology (2008) 18, 779-792

Emmanuel Yamoah, E. Eirian Jones, Graeme W. Bourdôt, David M. Suckling, Richard J. Weld and Alison Stewart (2008)
Factors influencing pathogenicity of Fusarium tumidum on gorse (Ulex europaeus)
Biocontrol Science and Technology 18 (8), 779-792
Abstract: Factors promoting pathogenicity of Fusarium tumidum on gorse (Ulex europaeus) were determined to develop a novel strategy for delivering this potential mycoherbicide using insects as vectors of inoculum. Fusarium tumidum sprayed as a suspension of 1 x 10⁶ conidia mL^-1 on at least 50% of a gorse plant reduced shoot dry weight by 45% (P<0.05). A minimum of 910 viable conidia were required to cause a lesion on leaves. The leaves and flowers were more susceptible to infection than stems, spines and pods. Generally, wounding of gorse leaves and stem increased F. tumidum infection, most likely through releasing nutrients that enhanced conidial germination and hyphal growth. We showed in a separate experiment that conidial germination (93%) and germ tube length (407 µm) were greater when incubated in 0.2% gorse extract solution for 24 h than in water (62% germination, germ tube length 42 µm). Inoculation of gorse with a F. tumidum conidial suspension supplemented with 0.2% gorse extract resulted in a shoot dry weight reduction (P=0.012) equivalent to that of plants that were wounded and inoculated. It is concluded that wounding of older tissues (which mimics insect damage) is required to facilitate F. tumidum infection of mature gorse plants.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Emmanuel Yamoah, David Maxwell Suckling, E. Eirian Jones, Graeme Wayne Bourdot

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ulex europaeus (weed)
Fusarium tumidum (weed pathogen)	Ulex europaeus (weed)