Pathogenicity of root and stolon-colonising fungi to white clover

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 763 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Zahid ◽  
G. M. Gurr ◽  
A. Nikandrow ◽  
W. J. Fulkerson ◽  
H. I. Nicol

Fungi isolated from white clover plants growing in dairy pastures in northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland were tested for their pathogenicity to seedlings, excised stolons and mature white clover plants. Thirty out of 65 isolates tested, including species of Fusarium, Phytophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Phoma, Codinaea, Gliocladium, Microsphaeropsis, Trichoderma, Nectria and Macrophomina, were pathogenic to white clover roots in vitro. Ten of the fungi, including the genera Alternaria, Colletotrichum, Drechslera, Fusarium, Phoma, Macrophomina, Phomopsis and Rhizoctonia, caused stolon rot symptoms. Of the 23 fungi tested on seedlings and mature white clover plants Phytophthora megasperma, Phoma nebulosa and Pythium irregulare were the most pathogenic to both seedlings and mature plants. Root rot and plant growth suppression was more severe in pot tests using field soil compared with pasteurised potting mix. Novel methods are described for testing pathogenicity to excised stolons.


1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (92) ◽  
pp. 434 ◽  
Author(s):  
VE Rogers ◽  
JAG Irwin ◽  
G Stovold

Three cycles of recurrent mass selection in the field increased the level of resistance of lucerne (Medicago sativa) to Phytophthora root rot in irrigated heavy clay soil at Deniliquin, New South Wales. The breeding stocks were derived from Siro Peruvian and Lahontan. In each cycle between 45 and 80 vigorous, disease free plants were selected from soil naturally infested with Phytophthora megasperma var. sojae, and allowed to interpollinate. Yield data and ratings for root rot were obtained for half-sib families sown in rows. Progeny in cycle 1 were inoculated by isolates of P. megasperma from both New South Wales and Queensland, and there was substantial agreement between both sources in ratings for disease. In the third cycle of selection, progeny had a disease rating of 1.4 when inoculated with Queensland isolates of P. megasperma, compared with 3.6 and 4.1 for Hunter River and Siro Peruvian respectively (plants scored 1 or 2 considered resistant; 3, 4 or 5 susceptible). In a field trial, the percentage of disease-free plants after eight months of growth in infested soil was: cycle 3 selections, 44.4; Hunter River, 9.9; Siro Peruvian, 12.0. Cumulative dry matter production of the selections during that time was twice that of Hunter River.



1974 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 537 ◽  
Author(s):  
GE Stovold

The problem of poor re-establishment and poor seasonal production in long-term subterranean clover pastures has been recognized for some time, particularly on the Southern Tableland and Slopes regions of New South Wales. Field and laboratory investigations showed that rotting of the lateral feeder roots was a common disease of subterranean clover during the cool part of the growing season. Isolations made from diseased roots yielded a predominance of Pythium spp. of which Pythiurn irregulare was the most common. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that P. irregulare consistently caused damping-off of germinating subterranean clover. This fungus also infected established plants and at low temperatures caused severe reduction of dry matter production. Symptoms produced on artificially inoculated plants were identical with those observed on plants infected in the field. Soil moisture and the level of fungal inoculum added did not have a critical effect on the severity of root disease. A range of other important pasture and crop species were also artificially infected with P. irregulare, with resulting necrosis of feeder roots. In vitro studies of factors affecting the growth of P. irregulare showed that this pathogen was well adapted to survive and cause disease in cold wet soils, the conditions most favourable for root rot in the field. The importance of P. irregulare as a pathogen of established plants and possible means of reducing its effect on the growth of subterranean clover are discussed.



1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (63) ◽  
pp. 455 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Stovold

Pythiaceous fungi associated with a widespread root rot disease of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) in New South Wales include Phytophthora drechsleri, Pythium myriotylum, Pythium ultimum Pythium irregulare, Pythium acanthicum, and a number of sterile Pythium spp. Pathogenicity of these fungi was tested against safflower seedlings and older plants growing either in soil with moisture content at field capacity or in flooded soil. Phytophthora drechsleri, Pythium myriotylum, Pythium ultimum and Pythiumirregulare caused severe pre-emergence damping off. When safflower plants, three and eight weeks old, were inoculated with each of the fungi, only Phytophthora drechsleriand Pythium myriotylum killed a high proportion of plants. The pathogenicity of Phytophthora drechsleri, Pythium myriotylum, Pythium ultimum, and Pythium irregulare was increased by flooding the soil for ninety hours after inoculation. Phytophthora drechsleri was isolated from naturally infected saffron thistle (Carthamus lanatus). Cross inoculation tests with Phytophthora drechsleri isolates from safflower and saffron thistle showed that both isolates could infect each host. Saffron thistle could be an important alternative host of Phytophthora drechsleri in the field. It is concluded that Phytophthora drechsleri is the major cause of root rot of safflower in New South Wales.



2000 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 436-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.W. Waipara ◽  
S.K. Hawkins

A preliminary survey of pastures sprayirrigated with dairyshed effluent revealed a significant increase in the population of plant pathogenic Pythium species isolated from both soil and roots In vitro pathogenicity tests showed the majority of these isolates to be pathogenic when inoculated onto the seedlings of white clover subterranean clover and perennial ryegrass although both clover species were more susceptible to Pythiuminduced disease than ryegrass



2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 187 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Aldaoud ◽  
W. Guppy ◽  
L. Callinan ◽  
S. F. Flett ◽  
K. A. Wratten ◽  
...  

In 1995–96, a survey of soil samples from subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) paddocks was conducted across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia, to determine the distribution and the prevalence of races of Phytophthora clandestina (as determined by the development of root rot on differential cultivars), and the association of its occurrence with paddock variables. In all states, there was a weak but significant association between P. clandestina detected in soil samples and subsequent root rot susceptibility of differential cultivars grown in these soil samples. Phytophthora clandestina was found in 38% of the sampled sites, with a significantly lower prevalence in South Australia (27%). There were significant positive associations between P. clandestina detection and increased soil salinity (Western Australia), early growth stages of subterranean clover (Victoria), mature subterranean clover (South Australia), recently sown subterranean clover (South Australia), paddocks with higher subterranean clover content (Victoria), where herbicides were not applied (South Australia), irrigation (New South Wales and Victoria), cattle grazing (South Australia and Victoria), early sampling dates (Victoria and New South Wales), sampling shortly after the autumn break or first irrigation (Victoria), shorter soil storage time (Victoria) and farmer’s perception of root rot being present (Victoria and New South Wales). Only 29% of P. clandestina isolates could be classified under the 5 known races. Some of the unknown races were virulent on cv. Seaton Park LF (most resistant) and others were avirulent on cv. Woogenellup (most susceptible). Race 1 was significantly less prevalent in South Australia than Victoria and race 0 was significantly less prevalent in New South Wales than in South Australia and Western Australia. This study revealed extremely wide variation in the virulence of P. clandestina. The potential importance of the results on programs to breed for resistance to root rot are discussed. in South Australia.



1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (71) ◽  
pp. 790 ◽  
Author(s):  
JV Lovett ◽  
EM Matheson

In field experiments conducted over three years at Armidale, New South Wales, the total winter forage production by barley, oats, wheat and rye was similar. However, barley and rye tended to outyield wheat and oats at early harvests, the reverse applying at late harvests. It is suggested that these characteristics of the cereals could be exploited to meet specific seasonal requirements for dry matter production more effectively than is possible with a single species. Response to high seeding rates in forage production was similar in all cereals and was confined to a late sowing. Significant differences in in vitro digestibility over the winter period were recorded and differences were also apparent in subsequent grain yield.



1968 ◽  
Vol 8 (35) ◽  
pp. 767
Author(s):  
RN Allen

Control of post-emergence damping-off, basal stem rot, and root rot of vetch (Vicia sativu) caused by Pythium debaryanum and other pythiaceous fungi, was obtained in a sod-sown field trial at Wollongbar, New South Wales, by applying the fungicide Dexon (R) (p-dimethylaminobenzenediazo sodium sulphonate) with the fertilizer in the furrow at sowing. Dexon improved plant establishment and survival, and increased plant vigour in the early stages of growth. Dry matter yield of vetch was increased from 206 lb an acre without Dexon, to 604 lb an acre with Dexon applied at 8 oz an acre (4.3 mg per row ft), with a corresponding reduction in the cost of fodder produced. Yield responses were also obtained at lower and higher rates, but at 64 oz an acre the Dexon was phytotoxic and no yield response was observed despite excellent disease control.



1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (66) ◽  
pp. 112 ◽  
Author(s):  
DW Turner ◽  
B Barkus

At Alstonville, New South Wales, leaf position had a greater effect than season on the nutrient concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mn, Cu, and Zn in the laminae of Williams bananas growing on a krasnozem soil and sampled over a 4-year period. However, season was more important for Mg. The effect of stage of plant growth was significant but much smaller than the other influences. When sampling for leaf analysis, leaf position and plant age can be standardised, but a major problem in this investigation was unpredictable, significant changes in nutrient composition from one sampling date to another. If these results are true for other soils. the data do not allow critical levels to be applied.



2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Bowman ◽  
W. Smith ◽  
M. B. Peoples ◽  
J. Brockwell

Total productivity and legume nitrogen fixation (N2 fixation) in dryland pastures were examined in a 2 year study (1999–2001) on 118 farms in central-western New South Wales. Pasture exclosure cages, placed at 217 on-farm sites, were harvested on 7 occasions and the foliage hand-sorted according to species in order to measure shoot dry matter (DM). The separated legume shoot material collected in spring 1999 (52 different legume samples) and 2000 (76 different legume samples) from a subset of representative pastures (41 cages on 28 different farms in 1999, 32 cages on 25 different farms in 2000) was also analysed for concentration of nitrogen (%N) and 15N natural abundance. These data were subsequently used to calculate the proportion of the legume shoot N derived from atmospheric N (%Ndfa), comparative measures of the relative efficiency of N2 fixation (kg N fixed/t DM accumulated) and the amounts of shoot N fixed (kg N/ha). The survey encompassed 8 common pasture types, and 5 others that were less common, ranging from native perennial grass pastures with little legume content to lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pastures with and without companion clovers. Fifteen legume species were found in the pastures, some only occasionally. Lucerne and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) were the only perennials. Mean spring estimates of %Ndfa were similar in 1999 and 2000 for lucerne (72 and 81%, respectively), rose clover (T. hirtum All., 82 and 77%) and annual medics (Medicago spp., 89 and 86%). For the remaining 12 legume species, measures of %Ndfa ranged from 64 to 95% and averaged 83%. Shoot %N contents were greater for lucerne than for the other 14 legumes and this was reflected in the comparative measures of N2 fixation which ranged from 14.5 kg N/t DM for rose clover to 25.7 kg N/t DM for lucerne in 2000. The most productive pasture type comprised lucerne plus balansa clover [T. michelianum Savi var. balansae (Boiss.) Azn.], white clover or arrowleaf clover (T. vesiculosum Savi), but all pasture types that contained lucerne were highly productive. Spring was the most productive season and summer the least. Lucerne was overwhelmingly the most productive legume and was responsible for >83% of the fixed N in those pastures that contained both lucerne and other legumes. Lucerne productivity was approximately uniform throughout the year whereas, for other pastures, especially those based on rose clover or subterranean clover (T. subterraneum L.), there were sharp peaks in spring and little or no dry matter production over summer. The presence of lucerne in pastures significantly (P<0.05) reduced broadleaf weeds. It was concluded that, where there are requirements in central-western New South Wales agriculture for uniform forage production throughout the year and a high input of fixed N, lucerne is substantially superior to other species.



1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 605 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Archer ◽  
GG Robinson

This paper reports the findings of a five-year study on the growth patterns, production and means of persistence of white clover in a cool temperate environment with summer dominant rainfall, on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. White clover essentially persisted as a perennial, but large and rapid declines in plant frequency occurred during late summer if soil moisture levels became depleted. The critical combination of conditions at which plant frequency was adversely affected occurred when available soil moisture levels declined below 35 mm and mean weekly maximum temperatures exceeded 20�C; conditions which often occur in late summer in this environment. During one prolonged period of moisture stress in the second spring and summer period of the study, all plants died. Regeneration was due to germination of seeds and seedling establishment, but plants subsequently persisted as perennials. Relationships were developed to predict the probability of survival of white clover over the range of temperatures and soil moistures recorded in these experiments. Germination occurred to a variable extent each year, but was observed only during winter and spring. Seedling establishment was effective in only one year, which followed the death of white clover in summer, 1980-81. The sward was slow to recover after seedling regeneration owing to low winter temperatures and competition from established temperate perennial grasses in spring. Seedlings contributed little to dry matter production in spring. These results indicate that white clover is unlikely to be of value as an annual in temperate pastures. Strategies aimed at improving white clover in cool temperate environments, either by management or selection/breeding programs, should therefore focus upon improving the ability of white clover to persist as a perennial.



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