First Report of Powdery Mildew Caused by Erysiphe platani on Platanus × acerifolia in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Platanus × acerifolia (Aiton) Willd. (London planetree) is a tree commonly used as an ornamental and in the furniture industry. In the summer of 2013, powdery mildew was observed on shoots of P. × acerifolia plants in the cities of Pelotas and Canela (State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Voucher specimens (n = 2) were deposited in the Phytopathological Museum Manoel Alves Oliveira at Federal University of Pelotas. Dense white powdery masses of conidia and mycelium were observed on leaves (abaxial and adaxial surfaces), petioles, and young stems. Leaves with high disease severities (≥70%) were deformed with curved edges to the adaxial side, and they often died. Mycelia were superficial with lobed appressoria. Conidiophores were straight, sometimes curved at the base, unbranched, cylindrical, 98 to 236 µm long (137.3 ± 41.2 µm) and composed of a cylindrical foot cell 49 to 102 µm long (66.9 ± 19.5 µm) and 4.4 to 6.4 µm wide (5.3 ± 0.8 µm) followed by two to four cells. Conidia were produced singly or in short chains (two to three), without distinct fibrosin bodies, ellipsoid to ovoid and measuring 24 to 37 µm long (29.5 ± 3.2 µm) and 12 to 19 µm wide (15.2 ± 1.4 µm), often with a wrinkled appearance. Primary conidia had truncate bases and rounded apex while both base and apex were truncated in secondary conidia. Germ tubes were produced apically (pseudoidium type). Chasmothecia were not observed. Genomic DNA was used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using the ITS1 and ITS4 primers. The resulting sequence (602 bp) was deposited (Accession No. KF499270) in GenBank. BLASTn searches revealed similarity of 100 and 99% with Erysiphe platani from P. orientalis L. (Accession No. JQ365943.1) and P. occidentalis L. (Accession No. JX997805.1), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis placed our sequence in a clade (99% bootstrap support) which included only other E. plantani sequences. In short, morphological and molecular approaches allowed us to identify the infecting fungus as E. platani. For Koch's postulates, 10 detached leaves were inoculated (10 to 15 conidia cm2) on their adaxial surface using an eyelash brush. Non-inoculated leaves served as control. All leaves were kept inside trays with petiole immersed in humidified cotton and maintained at 25 ± 1°C. Symptoms identical to those of the original leaves were observed 6 to 8 days after inoculation, whereas the control leaves remained symptomless. Although E. platani has been previously reported on P. × acerifolia in the city of Poços de Calda, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil (1) and on P. occidentalis in Korea (2), to our knowledge, this is the first record of E. platani on P. × acerifolia in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. References: (1) E. M. Inokuti et al. New Dis. Rep. 15:38, 2007. (2) Y. J. La and H. D. Shin. Plant Dis. 97:843, 2013.

Root-Knot Disease Caused by Meloidogyne arenaria and M. javanica in Teak in São Paulo State, Brazil.

Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) is one of the most important forest crops in Brazil, occupying areas in different regions, such as Goiás, Mato Grosso, Paraná, and São Paulo states. Teak wood is used for many purposes such as shipbuilding, rolling and plywood, firewood, and charcoal. In May 2011, teak symptomatic feeder root samples, exhibiting inconspicuous, small galls, were collected in the municipality of Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil (22°41'46.90″S, 47°38'36.84″W). Specimens were identified through perineal patterns and esterase phenotypes of 20 adult females (1,2). Perineal patterns and esterase phenotypes were consistent with those described for Meloidogyne arenaria (Neal, 1889) Chitwood, 1949 and M. javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood, 1949. Perineal patterns of M. arenaria showed a low dorsal arch, compressed dorsolaterally, with lateral field marked by some forked and broken striae; no punctate markings between anus and tail terminus were observed. Perineal patterns of M. javanica were rounded, with low dorsal arch, striae smooth, lateral field distinct, clearly demarcated from striae by parallel lines. From the esterase electrophoresis we obtained A2 (Rm:1.2;1.3) and J3 (Rm:1.0;1.25;1.4) phenotypes, typical from M. arenaria and M. javanica, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. arenaria parasitizing teak roots in Brazil and elsewhere (new host) and the first report of M. javanica infecting teak in the State of São Paulo. Previously, M. javanica was reported to be infecting teak-growing areas in the State of Mato Grosso (3). This finding has a great importance, not only by the inclusion of these parasites in teak pathological scenario, but also for predicting possible damage in plant species used in teak-based intercropping systems. References: (1) P. R. Esbenshade and A. C. Triantaphyllou. J. Nematol. 22:10, 1990. (2) K. M. Hartman and J. N. Sasser. 1985. Page 115 in: An Advanced Treatise on Meloidogyne. Volume II, Methodology. K. R. Barker et al., eds. North Carolina State University Graphics, Raleigh,1985. (3) R. A. Silva et al. Nematol. Bras. 27:261, 2003.

Pequi is a Host for Pratylenchus zeae in the Brazilian Cerrado Region.

The Brazilian Cerrado Region has many natural resources that have high social economic interest. Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.), a native species from that area, has an edible fruit, which is highly appreciated by the local population, and also a high-quality wood. In January 2010, pequi root samples were collected near the municipality of Rio Verde, Goiás State, Brazil (17°49'25.76″S, 51°02'10.06″W). Roots were washed with tapwater, dried on absorbent paper, cut in 1-cm2 pieces, and processed for nematode extraction by the blender centrifugal flotation method (2). The specimens were identified by morphological and morphometrical characteristics of six adult females mounted in formaldehyde temporary slides (1). Morphological characters used for identification included female body, stylet, pharyngeal overlapping, pharynges, postvulval uterine sac, tail lengths, stylet knobs, number of labial rings, vulva position in relation to body length, body diameters (high body, vulval, and anus region), and the de Man's ratios (a, b, b', c, and c'). Characters measured were consistent with those described for Pratylenchus zeae Graham, 1951 (1); the labial region showed three annuli, stylet was 14.83 (±0.93) µm long, with broad, anteriorly flattened basal knobs. Vulva position was 71.66% (±0.98) of body length and spermatheca was round, small, and without sperm (males were not found). Postvulval uterine sac was short (31.3 ± 4.03 µm) and tail (26.6 ± 3.61 µm) was conoid, pointed, and unstriated. Pharyngeal overlapping length was 30.5 (±6.5) µm; pharynges were 150.83 (± 28.16) µm long. The de Man's ratios obtained were: a = 24.26 ± 2.31; b = 3.89 ± 0.69; b' = 3.08 ± 0.48; c = 17.17 ± 1.47; and c' = 2.25 ± 0.19. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. zeae infecting pequi. It is difficult to determine the economic importance of this nematode parasite to pequi production since pequi is not yet a commercial crop in Brazil. This finding, however, has long term importance because researchers have been developing improved cultivars by combining favorable agronomic characteristics with high oilseed content for biofuel production. If these are commercialized, P. zeae could become an important pathogen in pequi plantings. References: (1) P. Castillo and N. Vovlas. Pratylenchus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae): Diagnosis, Biology, Pathogenicity and Management. Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, the Netherlands, 2007. (2) W. A. Coolen and C. J. D'Herde. A Method for the Quantiative Extraction of Nematodes from Plant Tissue. State Agric. Entomol. Res. Stn. Ghent, Belgium, 1972.