bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
First Report of White Mold Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on Persian Buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus) in Italy
Authors: Garibaldi A. , Minuto A. , Gullino M. L. 
Published: May 2007

Persian buttercup (Ranunculus asiaticus L.) is grown in the Albenga Region of northern Italy for cut flower production and exportation to central and northern Europe. During the winter of 2003, sudden wilt was observed in commercial plantings of R. asiaticus. Initial symptoms included stem necrosis at the soil level and yellowing and tan discoloration of leaves. As stem necrosis progressed, infected plants wilted and died. Wilt occurred within a few days on young plants and was characterized by the presence of soft and watery tissues. Necrotic tissues became covered with whitish mycelium that produced dark, spherical sclerotia (1 to 4 mm in diameter). Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary (1) was consistently recovered from infected stem pieces of R. asiaticus that were disinfested for 1 min in 1% NaOCl and plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 100 ppm of streptomycin sulfate. Pathogenicity of three isolates obtained from infected plants of persian buttercup was confirmed by inoculating 30-day-old plants grown in containers. Inoculum that consisted of wheat kernels infested with mycelium and sclerotia of each isolate was placed on the soil surface around the base of each of five plants. Noninoculated plants served as controls. The inoculation trial was repeated once. All plants were kept at temperatures ranging between 8 and 22°C and watered as needed. Inoculated plants developed symptoms of leaf yellowing followed by wilt within 15 days, while control plants remained symptomless. White mycelium and sclerotia developed on infected tissues, and S. sclerotiorum was reisolated from inoculated plants. S. sclerotiorum has been previously reported on R. asiaticus in the United States (2) and Japan (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of wilt of R. asiaticus caused by S. sclerotiorum in Italy and Europe. References: (1) N. F. Buchwald. Den. Kgl. Veterin.er-og Landbohojskoles Aarsskrift, 1949. (2) D. F. Farr et al. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1989. (3) T. Urushibara et al. Annu. Rep. Kanto-Tosan Plant Prot. Serv. 46:61, 1999.
Current Status and Newly Discovered Natural Hosts of Tomato infectious chlorosis virus and Tomato chlorosis virus in Spain
Authors: Font M. I. , Juárez M. , Martínez O. , Jordá C. 
Published: May 2007

Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) are emergent whitefly-transmitted criniviruses. ToCV and TICV were detected in Spain in 2000 (2) and 2001 (1), respectively. Both viruses infect tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) crops and cause symptoms of foliar chlorosis. ToCV is prevalent along the southern and eastern regions of Spain (provinces of Sevilla, Málaga, Almería, Murcia, Alicante, and Castellón), Balearic (Mallorca), and the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria). However, TICV only has been detected in the provinces of Murcia, Alicante, and Castellón in Spain. During the summer and autumn of 2002, abnormal interveinal reddening, yellowing symptoms, or both, were observed in plants of Chenopodium album L., C. murale L., and Solanum nigrum L. growing in or around tomato fields in Murcia and Almería provinces. To study the alternative hosts that may serve as virus reservoirs in areas where these viruses are prevalent, 62 samples of 42 common weed species were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for ToCV and TICV (1). The 439-bp ToCV-specific DNA fragment was amplified in two S. nigrum samples from Alicante and Murcia provinces, and the 501-bp TICV-specific DNA fragment was amplified in one C. murale sample from Murcia, as well as in three C. album samples from Murcia and Alicante provinces. The DNA fragment amplified from the ToCV isolate was sequenced and showed 99 to 98% identity with the ToCV isolates (GenBank Accession Nos. AY048854 and AF234029) from Italy and Portugal, respectively. The DNA fragment amplified from TICV isolates were sequenced and showed 98% identity with the TICV isolate from Spain (GenBank Accession No. AF479662), confirming the diagnosis. Although the number of samples is not sufficient to conclude that we know, in a precise way, the role of weed reservoirs in TICV and ToCV epidemics in Spain, this study might contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology of these viruses. To our knowledge this is the first report of these weeds as natural hosts of ToCV and TICV in Spain. References: (1) M. I. Font et al. Plant Dis. 86:696, 2002. (2) J. Navas-Castillo et al. Plant Dis. 84:835, 2000.
Strawberry latent ringspot virus Infecting Roses in India
Authors: Kulshrestha S. , Hallan V. , Raikhy G. , Ram R. , Zaidi A. A. 
Published: May 2007

Rose is an economically important crop of India and the world. A survey of rose plantations in and near the Kangra Valley of Himachal Pradesh, India, showed virus-like symptoms, including yellow flecking in young leaves and reduction in leaflet size, while some were symptomless. These symptoms are similar to those for Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV) (1). Sap inoculation from symptomatic and some symptomless leaves to Chenopodium amaranticolor resulted in chlorotic local lesions followed by systemic chlorosis. SLRSV was detected in this indicator host and six rose cultivars (Happiness, Iceberg, First Prize, Ganga, Pink Panther, and Oklahoma) showing characteristic symptoms of SLRSV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with ELISA kit (DSMZ, Braunschweig, Germany). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed with SLRSV-specific primers (2), and a product of the expected size of ˜181 bp was amplified. The authenticity of the fragment was confirmed by sequencing. Isolated SLRSV was also inoculated to seed-grown rose seedlings and after 20 days postinoculation the same symptoms (yellow flecking in young leaves) were observed. These results established the identity of the virus that caused yellow flecking on rose leaves in India as SLRSV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of SLRSV infecting rose in India. References: (1) A. F. Murant. Strawberry latent ringspot virus. No. 126 in: Description of Plant Viruses, CMI/AAB, Surrey, U.K., 1974. (2) E. Bertolini et al. J. Virol. Methods 96:33, 2001.
First Report of Botrytis cinerea on Pansy Flowers in Buenos Aires
Authors: Rivera M. C. , Lopez S. E. 
Published: May 2007

Pansy (Viola × wittrockiana) is an ornamental annual plant produced as a potted plant in greenhouses around Buenos Aires, Argentina. Flower rot with signs of gray mold was observed on pansy cv. Crown during the autumn of 2003. Diseased tissues were surface sterilized by immersion in 2% NaOCl for 1 min, placed on 2% potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 22°C. Fungal mycelia were initially white and became gray after 72 h. After 4 days, colonies were 4 cm in diameter and sporulated profusely. Black sclerotia developed after 7 days. Mycelia were septate with dark branched conidiophores bearing unicellular, ellipsoid, hyaline conidia that measured 8 to 12 × 6 to 8 μm in botryose heads. These characteristics agree with Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr. (1). Pathogenicity tests were performed by spraying 10 healthy pansy plants during bloom with 3 ml of a conidial suspension (106 conidia per ml) per plant. Controls were treated with sterilized distilled water only. Plants were covered with plastic bags for 2 days and incubated at 18 to 22°C. The flowers developed water-soaked lesions between 4 and 6 days after inoculation. Fifty percent of the flowers were pendulous because flower blight reached the peduncle. The pathogen was reisolated from diseased flowers after superficial sterilization with 2% NaOCl and isolated on PDA. Gray mold has a rapid development during bloom, and the pathogen was able to enter undamaged flower tissues. No disease symptoms were observed on leaves. This report adds pansy as a new host of B. cinerea to a previous list of ornamentals grown in Argentina where gray mold was observed. Reference: (1) M. V. Ellis and J. M. Waller. Sclerotinia fuckeliana (condial state: Botrytis cinerea). No. 431 in: Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria, CMI, Kew, Surrey, UK, 1974.
First Report of Phytophthora cinnamomi on Ilex glabra in Virginia
Authors: Moorman G. W. , Hong C. X. , Richardson P. A. 
Published: May 2007

During 2002, two nurseries in southeastern Virginia reported losses exceeding 75% of container-grown inkberry holly (Ilex glabra) cv. Shamrock. The development of necrotic leaf spots and blotches followed initial symptoms of leaf yellowing and wilting. Affected leaves rapidly turned brown and fell. Dark brown-to-black roots were washed and plated on agar media. Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands was consistently isolated and identified on the basis of its morphology (2) and single-stranded conformational polymorphism fingerprint (1). The organism had nonpapillate, internally proliferating, noncaducous, ovoid to ellipsoid sporangia that formed only in water. It did not grow at 35°C and had abundant botryose hyphal swellings, coralloid hyphae, and grape-like clusters of chlamydospores. The isolate, determined to be the A2 mating type, produced elongate cylindrical, amphigynous antheridia and oogonia with a tapered base. A pine bark potting mix amended with V8 juicetreated vermiculite colonized by the suspected pathogen was placed in 12-liter containers. Two inkberry holly cv. Shamrock liners were planted in each of three containers and two 1-yr-old plants were planted in each of three additional containers during April 2004. An identical set of six containers of noninoculated plants was also established. During June 2004, inoculated plants exhibited symptoms identical to those observed in nurseries, and P. cinnamomi was isolated. Noninoculated check plants did not develop symptoms. Japanese holly (I. crenata) was previously known as a host, but to our knowledge, this is the first report of inkberry holly (I. glabra) susceptibility. References: (1) P. Kong et al. Fungal Genet. Biol. 39:238, 2003. (2) D. J. Stamps et al. Mycol. Pap. No. 162. CAB International Mycological Institute, Wallingford, UK, 1990.
First Report of Cucumber mosaic virus in Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master) in Ohio
Authors: Whitten K. R. , Nameth S. G. P. 
Published: May 2007

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) is a wildflower that is native to Ohio. In recent years, native wildflowers have become very popular with home gardeners, and conservationists have begun to reestablish these plants in their native ranges. As native perennial wildflowers become more common, it is important to determine if they might serve as possible perennial reservoirs of viruses. A plot of 20 species native to Ohio was established on the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. In the summers of 1999 and 2001, random samples were collected from established plantings. Some sampled plants did not show symptoms of virus infection; however, all samples of E. yuccifolium appeared chlorotic, slightly mottled, and stunted. Using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) analysis (1), these plants were assayed for viral infection. dsRNA profiles obtained from symptomatic E. yuccifolium resembled that of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). These results were confirmed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Agdia Inc., Elkhart, IN) for CMV. dsRNA-containing samples of E. yuccifolium produced ELISA absorbance values (A405) of 0.231 to 0.713 when compared with the negative control. All 14 samples of E. yuccifolium tested positive for CMV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV in E. yuccifolium, which should serve as the basis for a more extensive survey, since CMV can potentially infect a wide variety of ornamental and nonornamental hosts. Reference: (1) R. Valverde et al. Plant Dis. 74:255, 1990.
Iris Yellow Spot Virus in Onion Bulb and Seed Crops in Washington
Authors: du Toit L. J. , Pappu H. R. , Druffel K. L. , Pelter G. Q. 
Published: May 2007

The geographic distribution of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV, Genus Tospovirus, Family Bunyaviridae) in onion (Allium cepa L.) crops in the western United States has increased with the most recent report in Colorado (1,4). Furthermore, the incidence of IYSV has increased significantly in onion crops in the Treasure Valley of southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, where the disease was first detected in the United States (1,2). Surveys of onion seed crops in Washington during the past 2 years showed the presence of plants with symptoms characteristic of IYSV infection, including distinct diamond-shaped chlorotic or necrotic lesions, as well as indistinct circular to irregular, chlorotic or necrotic lesions of various sizes on the scapes of flowering plants. To date, symptomatic plants have been observed in five seed crops in Washington, at incidences ranging from <1% to approximately 20% in individual seed crops. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays carried out directly on symptomatic onion samples collected in July 2002, and on Nicotiana benthamiana plants mechanically inoculated with sap from these symptomatic plants, did not detect the presence of IYSV. In late July 2003, symptomatic plants were collected from an onion seed crop in Grant County and tested for IYSV infection by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Total nucleic acid was extracted from symptomatic areas of the scapes with the procedure described by Presting et al. (3). Primers specific to the nucleocapsid (NP) gene of IYSV were designed based on sequences in GenBank: 5′-TCA GAA ATC GAG AAA CTT-3′ and 5′-TAA TTA TAT CTA TCT TTC TTG G-3′ (sense and antisense polarity, respectively). The RT-PCR assay produced an amplicon of the expected size (approximately 700 bp) that was cloned and sequenced. Comparison with the GenBank IYSV gene sequences showed 98% sequence identity of the NP gene. In August 2003, symptoms of IYSV infection were observed in two onion bulb crops, each located within 2 miles of the symptomatic onion seed crop in Grant County. The presence of IYSV in these crops was confirmed by RT-PCR with cloning and sequencing of the amplicon, as described for the seed crop samples. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmation of IYSV in onion bulb and seed crops in Washington, where 16,000 to 18,000 acres of onion bulb crops and 700 to 900 acres of onion seed crops are grown annually (USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service). The increase in prevalence of IYSV in the Pacific Northwest highlights the need for additional research to clarify the epidemiology of this potentially significant pathogen and to develop a regional management program for iris yellow spot. References: (1) J. M. Hall et al. Plant Dis. 77:952, 1993. (2) J. W. Moyer et al. (Abstr.) Phytopathology 93(suppl.):S115, 2003. (3) G. G. Presting et al. Phytopathology 85:436, 1995. (4) H. F. Schwartz et al. Plant Dis. 86:560, 2002.
First Report of Xylella fastidiosa Associated with Leaf Scorch in Black Oak in Washington, D.C.
Authors: Huang Q. 
Published: May 2007

Bacterial leaf scorch caused by Xylella fastidiosa has been reported in 17 species of oak including bur, pin, red, scarlet, shingle, and white oaks (3). In September 2002, a leaf scorch symptom characterized by marginal necrosis of leaves bordered by a darker brown band was observed in a mature black oak (Quercus velutina Lam.) at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The leaf petiole of the black oak was processed in general extraction buffer (Agdia, Inc., Elkhart, IN) contained in a FastDNA lysing matrix tube using the FastPrep FP120 instrument (Qbiogene, Inc., Carlsbad, CA) (1). The leaf petiole extract reacted with an antiserum specific for X. fastidiosa (Agadia, Inc.) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A slow-growing bacterium was cultured from leaf petioles of the affected black oak tree by soaking the surface-sterilized, finely cut leaf petioles in sterile water for 30 min, followed by spreading the bacterial suspension on periwinkle wilt plates (1). When the cultured bacterium was subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers specific for X. fastidiosa (2), a 472-bp PCR product was detected. The PCR product was confirmed to be the predicted X. fastidiosa product by sequencing and sequence comparison with the reported genomic sequence of X. fastidiosa. ELISA and bacterial isolation from leaf petioles of a nearby symptomless white oak (Q. alba L.) tree were negative. To our knowledge, this is the first report of X. fastidiosa associated with leaf scorch in black oak in the United States, expanding the host range of the bacterium in economically important landscape tree species. References: (1) Q. Huang and J. L. Sherald. Curr. Microbiol. 48:73, 2004. (2) M. R. Pooler and J. S. Hartung. Curr. Microbiol. 31:377, 1995. (3) J. L. Sherald. Xylella fastidiosa, A bacterial pathogen of landscape trees. Page 191 in: Shade Tree Wilt Diseases, C. L. Ash, ed. The American Phytopathological Society, 2001.
Fusarium Wilt of African Daisy (Osteospermum sp.) Caused by Fusarium oxysporum in Italy
Authors: Garibaldi A. , Minuto A. , Gullino M. L. 
Published: May 2007

During the fall of 2002, African daisy (Osteospermum sp.) plants showing symptoms of a wilt disease were observed in a commercial, nonheated glasshouse in Albenga in northern Italy. Wilted plants were first observed when outside temperatures were between 15 and 28°C. Symptoms were first observed on seedlings 40 days after they had been transplanted into pots. The vascular tissues of affected plants appeared brown. These plants were stunted and developed yellowed leaves with brown or black streaks in the vascular system. The vascular streaks in the yellow leaves extended from the crown and were continuous with a brown discoloration in the vascular system of the crown and upper taproot. Fusarium oxysporum was consistently and readily isolated from symptomatic vascular tissue onto a Fusarium-selective medium (1). Healthy, rooted, 40-day-old plants were inoculated by root-dip with a conidial suspension (1 × 107 CFU/ml) of three isolates of F. oxysporum obtained from infected plants and transplanted into pots filled with steam-sterilized soil. Noninoculated plants served as control treatments. Plants (10 per treatment) were grown in a glasshouse at an average temperature of 25°C (minimum of 12°C and maximum of 39°C). Wilt symptoms and vascular discoloration in the roots, crown, and veins developed within 20 days on each inoculated plant, while noninoculated plants remained healthy. F. oxysporum was consistently reisolated from infected plants. The pathogenicity test was conducted twice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. oxysporum on Osteospermum sp. in Italy or elsewhere in the world. Reference: (1) H. Komada. Rev. Plant Prot. Res. 8:114, 1975.
First Report of Powdery Mildew on Potato Caused by Golovinomyces cichoracearum in California
Authors: Romberg M. K. , Nuñez J. J. , Farrar J. J. 
Published: May 2007

In October 2003, potato plants in three fields (cv. Desiree, Satina, Midas, and Mondial) in Lancaster, California exhibited symptoms and signs of powdery mildew. Disease symptoms were most severe on cvs. Desiree and Santina. Disease expression was greater along sprinkler lines and in localized areas from which the disease spread to surrounding plants. Severely affected plants began collapsing just prior to water cutoff. Early symptoms comprise small dark areas on the adaxial surface of leaves, along the veins, and at the petioles. Dark lesions consisting of mycelia and conidiophores were also visible on the main stems of affected plants. As the disease progressed, leaves were covered by a gray powdery fungal mass, and older leaves became necrotic. Conidial chains arising from the hyaline, epiphytic mycelia consisted of two to eight conidia. The cylindric to doliform conidia measured 16.8 to 22.8 μm wide (mean = 19.2, standard error = 0.36, N = 30) × 28.8 to 45.6 μm long (mean = 32.4, standard error = 0.75, N = 30). No cleistothecia were observed. Identification of the causal agent as Golovinomyces cichoracearum (synonyms G. orontii and Erysiphe cichoracearum) based on morphology was confirmed by internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Conidia were washed off the affected leaves, concentrated by filtration and centrifugation, and sonicated to release genomic DNA. PCR was performed on the sonicated conidia with primers ITS4 and ITS5 (2), and the resulting amplicon was purified and sequenced. BLAST analysis of the ITS sequence revealed a 99% homology to E. cichoracearum from an Ambrosia sp. (GenBank Accession No. AF011292). Pathogenicity was confirmed on potato seedlings cv. Red La Soda. Inoculations were performed twice on six plants (three pots) each time. A sterile brush was used to transfer conidia from the affected leaves to seedlings consisting of two to three fully expanded leaves. A plastic bag was placed around each pot containing two seedlings for 1 to 2 days and then removed. Noninoculated controls were stroked with a sterile brush, placed in a plastic bag for 1 to 2 days, and kept in the greenhouse on a separate bench. Two control plants were included for each inoculation. Plants were maintained in a greenhouse at approximately 25 to 28°C and 40 to 60% relative humidity. After 7 days, dark spots were visible on the leaves of all inoculated plants, and conidiophores with conidia identical to those of the isolate used as the inoculum source were apparent after 10 days. The controls showed no disease symptoms or signs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of powdery mildew caused by G. cichoracearum on potato in California. The first field report of the disease was from Washington in 1950 (1), with subsequent reports from Utah and Ohio. References: (1) J. D. Menzies. Plant Dis. Rep. 34:140, 1950. (2) T. J. White et al. PCR Protocols. Academic Press, New York, 1990.