Effect of dsRNA on growth rate and reproductive potential of Monosporascus cannonballus.

The effect of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) infection on growth rate and the reproductive potential of Monosporascus cannonballus was studied in 21 isolates collected in cucurbit growing areas of Spain and Tunisia. The isolates were incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) under different conditions of temperature, pH, and water potential (Ψ(s)). They showed optimal growth temperatures over the range of 27-34°C and perithecia formation was obtained mainly at 25 and 30°C, although some isolates were able to produce perithecia at 35°C. All isolates were able to produce perithecia in a broad range of pHs (4-8). Regarding the effect of Ψ(s,) the isolates were more tolerant to grow on KCl than on NaCl. For each solute, radial growth decreased progressively as Ψ(s) decreased and was severely limited at -5.0 to -6.0MPa. Perithecia formation was highest at -0.5MPa, decreased at -1.0MPa and occurred just in some isolates at -2.0MPa. Nine of the M. cannonballus isolates harboured dsRNA with 2-6 bands each and a size range of 1.9-18.0Kb. Phenotypical data were subjected to multivariate factorial analysis. Most of the isolates clustered in two groups corresponding with the presence/absence of dsRNA elements. Isolates without detectable dsRNA produced more perithecia. However, isolates with dsRNA produced lower number of perithecia depending on the pH, Ψ(s,) or solute used. These results improve our understanding of the behaviour and growth of this pathogen in soil, and can be useful to implement effective disease control.

Chemical composition and antifungal activity of volatiles from three Opuntia species growing in Tunisia.

The chemical composition of the volatiles isolated by steam distillation from leaves, flowers and fruits of Opuntia lindheimeri var. linguiformis L. Benson, leaves and flowers of Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm and leaves of Opuntia microdasys (Lehmann) gathered in the sea cliff of Monastir town (Tunisia), has been studied by GC and GC-MS. Remarkable differences were noted between the composition and the constituent percentage of the different studied organs. The most important compounds found in leaves, flowers and fruits of Opuntia lindheimeri var. linguiformis were tetradecanoic acid (3.15-13.57%), hexadecanoic acid (8.5-17.33%), butyl tetradecanoate (8.05-21.47%) and (E)-3-Butyldiene phthalide (6.92-15.77%). In the flowers volatile extract of Opuntia macrorhiza, the main compound found was Butyl tetradecanoate (21.14%). The volatile extract from Opuntia microdasys leaves was mainly rich in hexadecanoic acid (13.13%), (E)-3-Butyldiene phthalide (21.4%) and butyl tetradecanoate (5.91%). Volatile components extracts were tested against the fungi Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium solani f. sp cucurbitae, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp niveum, Pythium ultimum and Rhizoctonia solani. The strongest inhibitory effect of the all volatile extracts was observed against