Brazil is the world’s largest producer of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), but occurrence and severity diseases such as orange rust (Puccinia kuehnii), ring spot (Leptosphaeria sacchari), red rot (Colletotrichum falcatum) could be part several factors limiting its production reason for replacing cultivars. It important to use other forms disease control depending on time required ob...

In West and Central Africa, three foliar diseases—early leaf spot caused by Cercospora arachidicola S. Hori; late leaf spot caused by Cercosporidium personatum Berk. & M.A. Curtis (syn. Phaeoisariopsis personata (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) Arx); and rust caused by Puccinia arachidis Speg.— are major constraints to peanut production. Disease distribution and severity vary from region to region with yi...

Commercial products containing formulations of the vesicular–arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) Glomus intraradices were assessed for their effectiveness in suppressing Allium white rot (WR) on onions (Allium cepa) in organic soils and compared with the fungicide Folicur 3.6F (430 g a.i./L tebuconazole) under field conditions. The trials were conducted during 2000 and 2001 in commercial onion fields in...

1. Environmental variables that positively affect one aspect of plant fitness, may have no effect, or even negatively affect some other component of fitness. 2. Using individuals of Achillea millefolium grown under field conditions in Michigan, USA, the hypothesis was tested that seed number was determined largely by plant biomass, while seed germination success depends on tissue nutrient conce...

Bees provide vital pollination services to the majority of flowering plants in both natural and agricultural systems. Unfortunately, both native and managed bee populations are experiencing declines, threatening the persistence of these plants and crops. Agricultural chemicals are one possible culprit contributing to bee declines. Even fungicides, generally considered safe for bees, have been s...

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (C. gloeosporioides; Teleomorph: Glomerella cingulata), is the most destructive disease that affects sweet persimmon production worldwide. However, the biology, ecology, and genetic variations of C. gloeosporioides remain largely unknown. Therefore, in this study, the development of fungicide resistance and genetic diversity among an anthrac...

Advances in enzyme stabilization and immobilization make the use of enzymes for industrial applications increasingly feasible. The lactoperoxidase (LPO) system is a naturally occurring enzyme system with known antimicrobial activity. Stabilized LPO and glucose oxidase (GOx) enzymes were combined with glucose, potassium iodide, and ammonium thiocyanate to create an anti-fungal formulation, which...

Sublethal exposure to fungicides can affect honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in ways that resemble malnutrition. These include reduced brood rearing, queen loss, and increased pathogen levels. We examined the effects of oral exposure to the fungicides boscalid and pyraclostrobin on factors affecting colony nutrition and immune function including pollen consumption, protein digestion, hemolymph pr...

A protectant fungicide (Captan, a.i. captan) and a systemic fungicide (Switch, a.i. fludioxonilþ cyprodinil) were evaluated as preand post-inoculation applications for control of anthracnose fruit rot (AFR), caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, under a short (6 or 8 h) or long (18 or 24 h) wetting period. Evaluations were conducted for two seasons in Maryland and for two seasons in Florida. Both ...

Several species of bumblebees have recently experienced range contractions and possible extinctions. While threats to bees are numerous, few analyses have attempted to understand the relative importance of multiple stressors. Such analyses are critical for prioritizing conservation strategies. Here, we describe a landscape analysis of factors predicted to cause bumblebee declines in the USA. We...