Temporal Dynamics and Severity of Cucurbit Downy Mildew Epidemics as Affected by Chemical Control and Cucurbit Host Type

Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaack Kikway ◽  
Anthony P. Keinath ◽  
Peter S. Ojiambo

Cucurbit downy mildew caused by the oomycete Pseudoperonospora cubensis is an important disease that affects members of Cucurbitaceae family globally. However, temporal dynamics of the disease have not been characterized at the field scale to understand how control strategies influence disease epidemics. Disease severity was assessed visually on cucumber and summer squash treated with weekly alternation of chlorothalonil with either cymoxanil, fluopicolide or propamocarb, during the 2018 spring season and 2019 and 2020 fall seasons in North Carolina, and the 2018 and 2020 fall seasons in South Carolina. Disease onset was observed around mid-June during the spring season and early September during the fall season, followed by a rapid increase in severity until mid-July in the spring season and late September or mid-October in the fall season, typical of polycyclic epidemics. The Gompertz, logistic and monomolecular growth models were fitted to disease severity using linear regression and parameter estimates used to compare the effects of fungicide treatment and cucurbit host type on disease progress. The Gompertz and logistic models were more appropriate than the monomolecular model in describing temporal dynamics of cucurbit downy mildew, with the Gompertz model providing the best description for 34 of the 44 epidemics examined. Fungicide treatment and host type significantly (P < 0.0001) affected standardized area under disease progress curve (sAUDPC), final disease severity (Final DS) and weighted mean absolute rates of disease progress (ρ), with these variables, in most cases, being significantly (P < 0.05) lower in fungicide treated plots than in untreated control plots. Except in a few cases, sAUDPC, Final DS and ρ were lower in cases where chlorothalonil was alternated with fluopicolide or propamocarb than in cases where chlorothalonil alternated with cymoxanil or when chlorothalonil was applied alone. These results characterized the temporal progress of cucurbit downy mildew and provided an improved understanding of the dynamics of the disease at the field level. Parameters of disease progress obtained from this study could serve as inputs in simulation studies to assess the efficacy of fungicide alternation in managing fungicide resistance in this pathosystem.

Plant Disease ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. N. Neufeld ◽  
P. S. Ojiambo

Outbreaks of cucurbit downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis are dependent on the weather but effects of temperature and leaf wetness duration on infection have not been studied for different cucurbits. To determine the effects of these two weather variables on sporangia germination and infection of cucurbit host types by P. cubensis, three host types; cucumber (‘Straight 8’), cantaloupe (‘Kermit’), and acorn squash (‘Table Queen’), were inoculated and exposed to leaf wetness durations of 2 to 24 h at six constant temperatures ranging from 5 to 30°C in growth-chamber experiments. Sporangia germination was assessed after each wetness period, and leaf area infected was assessed 5 and 7 days after inoculation. Germination of sporangia was highest on cantaloupe (16.5 to 85.7%) and lowest on squash (10.7 to 68.9%), while disease severity was highest and lowest on cucumber and cantaloupe, respectively. Host type, temperature, wetness duration and their interactions significantly (P < 0.0001) affected germination and disease severity. Germination and disease data for each host type were separately fitted to a modified form of a Weibull function that characterizes a unimodal response and monotonic increase of germination or infection with temperature and wetness duration, respectively. The effect of host type on germination and infection was characterized primarily by differences in the upper limit parameter in response to temperature. Differences among host types based on other parameters were either small or inconsistent. Temperature and wetness duration that supported a given level of germination or infection varied among host types. At 20°C, 15% leaf area infected was expected following 2, 4, and 8 h of wetness for cucumber, squash, and cantaloupe, respectively. When temperature was increased to 25°C, 15% disease severity was expected following 3, 7, and 15 h of wetness for cucumber, squash, and cantaloupe, respectively. Risk charts were constructed to estimate the potential risk of infection of cucurbit host types by P. cubensis based on prevailing or forecasted temperature and leaf wetness duration. These results will improve the timing and application of the initial fungicide spray for the control of cucurbit downy mildew.


Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (10) ◽  
pp. 2592-2598
Author(s):  
Anthony P. Keinath

The objective of this study was to evaluate fungicide applications, host resistance, and trellising, alone and in combination, as management practices for downy mildew on slicing cucumber. A split-split plot experimental design was used with three and four replications in spring and fall 2017, respectively. The whole-plot treatment was fungicide, four applications of chlorothalonil (Bravo Weather Stik 6SC) alternated with three applications of cyazofamid (Ranman 400SC), or water. Split plots were nontrellised or trellised with four strings supported by stakes. Split-split plots were cultivar Bristol, which is intermediately resistant to downy mildew, or cultivar Speedway, which is susceptible to downy mildew with similar parentage as Bristol. In both seasons, area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were lower with fungicides than water for both cultivars. In the spring, AUDPC for Bristol was lower than for Speedway regardless of fungicide treatment. In the fall, Bristol had a lower AUDPC than Speedway with fungicides, but the AUDPC did not differ between the two cultivars with water. The mean AUDPC for trellised plants (376.2) was lower than for nontrellised plants (434.0; P = 0.007). Fungicide applications increased marketable and total fruit weights in both seasons (P ≤ 0.0002). Marketable weight with fungicides was almost double (93% greater) the marketable weight with water. Marketable weight was 55% greater for Bristol than for Speedway in spring, but yields did not differ between cultivars in fall (season-by-cultivar interaction, P ≤ 0.0003). Because trellising had no effect on marketable yields (P = 0.11), trellising is not recommended for managing downy mildew on slicing cucumber. Of the three management techniques examined, fungicides had the largest effects on disease and yields, followed by cultivar resistance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn E. Goldenhar ◽  
Mary K. Hausbeck

Michigan growers rely on fungicides to limit cucurbit downy mildew (CDM), incited by Pseudoperonospora cubensis; resistance of the pathogen to fungicides is a concern. We evaluated fungicides against CDM in Michigan field studies from 2015 to 2017. According to the relative area under the disease progress curve (rAUDPC), in 2015, mandipropamid, propamocarb, fluxapyroxad/pyraclostrobin, copper octanoate, and dimethomorph resulted in disease levels similar to the control. These treatments, along with cymoxanil, were similar to the control in 2016. Fungicides that were ineffective during 2015 and 2016 did not limit CDM in 2017. Famoxadone/cymoxanil and fluopicolide did not limit CDM in 2017. Each year, the following treatments were similar for disease based on rAUDPC data: oxathiapiprolin applied alone or premixed with chlorothalonil or mandipropamid, ametoctradin/dimethomorph, fluazinam, mancozeb/zoxamide, cyazofamid, and ethaboxam. An exception occurred in 2017, when ethaboxam was less effective than fluazinam, oxathiapiprolin/chlorothalonil, and oxathiapiprolin/mandipropamid. Mancozeb and chlorothalonil treatments were similar in 2015 and 2017, according to rAUDPC data. In 2017, yields were increased for oxathiapiprolin/chlorothalonil, oxathiapiprolin/mandipropamid, mancozeb, ametoctradin/dimethomorph, mancozeb/zoxamide, ethaboxam, cyazofamid, chlorothalonil, and fluazinam compared with the untreated control.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 598b-598
Author(s):  
L.P. Brandenberger ◽  
J.C. Correll ◽  
T.E. Morelock ◽  
R.W. McNew

Resistance to race 3 and 4 of downy mildew (Peronospora farinosa f.sp. spinaciae) was examined in separate field inoculation tests. Three Arkansas cultivars and three other commercial spinach cultivars were compared by periodically scoring individual leaves for disease severity 7 to 28 days after inoculation. Leaves were scored on a 0 to 6 scale with 0 = 0% of the leaf surface being covered with sporulation and 6 = 90-100%. Resistance was evaluated by comparing disease ratings on a given day as well as the area under the disease progress curve. Arkansas spinach cultivars exhibited significantly lower disease severity ratings in field inoculation tests for all sample dates for both races 3 and 4 when compared to known susceptible cultivars.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Carolina Bertuzzi Pereira ◽  
Dauri José Tessmann ◽  
Rosangela Getirana Santana ◽  
Rodrigo Iván Contreras-Soto ◽  
Reginaldo Teodoro de Souza ◽  
...  

Downy mildew caused by Plasmopara viticola is a major disease of grapes in Paraná State, Brazil and other wine-producing regions. The seedless table grape ‘BRS Vitória’ stands out for its tolerance to this disease and is a viable alternative to reduce fungicide applications. The objectives of this study were to analyze the influence of weather-related factors, such as temperature and rainfall on disease progress and to evaluate the efficacy of fungicide spray programs for controlling downy mildew of grapes during the summer-fall and winter-spring crop seasons in northern Paraná, Brazil. Field trials were conducted in Marialva, Paraná, during the winter-spring crop seasons (August to December) in 2013 and 2014 and the summer-fall crop seasons (January to May) in 2014 and 2015. The experimental design used was completely randomized with repeated measurements over the phenological periods, with five treatments and 10 replicates. The following treatments were compared: (1) conventional, in which fungicides were applied according to conventional standards; (2) preventive fungicide sprays every seven days; (3) preventive fungicide sprays every 14 days; (4) fungicide sprays after observing the first downy mildew symptoms; and (5) no fungicide sprays. In the conventional fungicide program, sprays were performed two or three times per week. Treatments 2 and 3 received sprayings between the start of branch budding and fruit ripening. In treatment 4, sprays started from the first occurrence of oil spot symptoms, and then, the applications were spaced every seven days until fruit ripening. The severity of disease was evaluated weekly. The disease was severe only in the 2014 and 2015 summer-fall crop seasons, reaching a maximum severity of 17.3% and 21.3% of the leaf area, respectively. The highest disease severity in the summer-fall crop seasons was associated with higher frequencies of rainy days and higher temperatures. Disease severity in conventional treatments did not differ from severity in treatments with sprayings made every seven and 14 days during the summer-fall crops in both years. Severity index on bunches were not observed for the evaluated trials. The seedless grape ‘BRS Vitória’ is less dependent on the use of fungicides to control downy mildew in northern Paraná.


Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 2812-2820
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Salas ◽  
Christopher P. Shepherd ◽  
Henry K. Ngugi ◽  
Jean-Luc Genet

Oxathiapiprolin, a novel oomycete fungicide recently registered by DuPont, was reported to have high intrinsic activity against cucurbit downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis). The goal of this study was to characterize disease control attributes of oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides critical to effective management of cucurbit downy mildew. In growth chamber and greenhouse studies, oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides were compared with mandipropamid, mefenoxam + mancozeb, fluopicolide + propamocarb, cymoxanil + mancozeb, and ametoctradin + dimethomorph products for pre- and postinfection activity, local systemic movement, and protection of new growth produced after fungicide application. In preventive application, oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides significantly (P < 0.0001) inhibited downy mildew development, with the highest level of disease observed being 0.4% compared with 86.7% observed for mandipropamid. When applied postinfection, oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides significantly (P < 0.0001) suppressed disease development, but disease control was reduced relative to that observed for preventive application. There was a significant effect of formulation on the postinfection activity of oxathiapiprolin, whereby the oil dispersion (OD) formulation was more inhibitory than the water-dispersible granule formulation (0.001 ≤ P ≤ 0.049). Disease severity on the outer half leaf portion protected from spray deposition during fungicide application was lower for oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides (1.6 to 6.6%) than observed for fluopicolide + propamocarb (10.9 to 23.7%), mefenoxam + mancozeb (40.3 to 51.4%), and the nontreated controls (83.3 to 84.9%), which indicates significant acropetal movement within the leaf. Postinfection applications of oxathiapiprolin-based formulations had the greatest effect on lesion growth and sporangia production compared with the other fungicides in the experiment. When applied preventively to rapidly growing plants in a greenhouse, oxathiapiprolin-based fungicides consistently protected new growth that was not present at the time of application, with the OD formulation reducing disease severity by >75% relative to nontreated plants. The practical implications of these observations are discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. S. Ojiambo ◽  
H. Scherm

In the southeastern United States, Septoria leaf spot, caused by Septoria albopunctata, can result in premature defoliation of blueberry plants during summer and fall, thereby reducing yield potential for the following year. The effects of disease severity and leaf attributes (leaf age and leaf location in the canopy) on the dynamics (timing and extent) of defoliation were quantified in field plots of Premier rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) in 2002 and 2003. In each year, 50 shoots were selected for assessment in early spring, and all leaves on these shoots (n = 410 and 542 in 2002 and 2003, respectively) were monitored individually for disease progress and time of abscission at 3- to 10-day intervals throughout the season. In both years, disease progress was characterized by an exponential increase in disease severity up to late September, followed by a decline toward the end of the assessment period in late November. Defoliation was sporadic up to late August, followed by more rapid and sustained levels of leaf loss. Abscission of severely infected leaves could explain the decline in disease severity toward the end of the season. Final disease severity (i.e., disease severity on the last assessment date before leaf drop) was highest for leaves that abscised early and lowest for leaves that had not abscised by the end of the assessment period. Survival analysis revealed that older leaves (located on the lower halves of shoots) and leaves with high levels of disease (≥5 spots/leaf at the time of fruit harvest in mid-June) abscised significantly (P < 0.0001) earlier than younger leaves and leaves with lower disease severity. Relative to their respective reference groups, mean times to abscission were ≈2 weeks shorter for the older leaf group and ≈3 weeks shorter in the leaf group afflicted by high disease severity. When an accelerated failure time model was fitted to the data, the resulting parameter estimates indicated that each additional leaf spot present at harvest accelerated time to leaf abscission (expressed using late August as a starting point) by 1.9 and 4.5% in 2002 and 2003, respectively. Leaf location in upper or lower portions of the canopy had no significant effect on time to abscission (P > 0.05).


2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Emmitt ◽  
James W. Buck

Production nurseries and daylily hybridizers in the southeast United States rely on the use of fungicides to manage daylily rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia hemerocallidis. Foliar sprays of pyraclostrobin, flutolanil, tebuconazole, myclobutanil, chlorothalonil, mancozeb, pyraclostrobin + boscalid, flutolanil + tebuconazole, flutolanil + myclobutanil, flutolanil + chlorothalonil, and flutolanil + mancozeb applied on 14-day intervals, and a nontreated control, were evaluated under high disease pressure at three locations in Griffin, GA, in 2015. Tebuconazole or the tebuconazole + flutolanil treatment consistently had the lowest area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of the treatments. The addition of flutolanil to chlorothalonil or mancozeb did not improve rust control and no difference in disease severity was observed in any treatment containing contact fungicides on all assessment dates. Single application costs ranged from $10.21 to $95.96 with tebuconazole providing excellent disease management at a relatively low cost per application ($13.90).


2019 ◽  
Vol 109 (5) ◽  
pp. 787-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathilde Chen ◽  
François Brun ◽  
Marc Raynal ◽  
David Makowski

Grapevine downy mildew (GDM) is a severe disease of grapevines. Because of the lack of reliable information about the dates of GDM symptom onset, many vine growers begin fungicide treatments early in the season. We evaluate the extent to which such preventive treatments are justified. Observational data for 266 untreated sites for the years between 2010 and 2017 were used to estimate the timing of GDM onset on vines and bunches of grapes in South West France (Bordeaux region) through survival analyses. The onset of GDM was not apparent on vines and bunches before early to mid-May, and the rate of GDM symptom appearance was highly variable across years. Depending on the year, 50% of the plots displayed symptoms between mid-May and late June for vines. For several years, our statistical analysis revealed that the proportion of plots with no symptoms was high in early August on vines (27.5 and 43.7% in 2013 and 2016) and on bunches (between 23 and 79% in 2011, 2013, and 2016). We found a significant effect of the amount of rainfall in spring on the date of symptom appearance. These results indicate that preventive fungicide application is unjustified in many vineyards, and that regional disease surveys should be used to adjust fungicide treatment dates according to local characteristics, in particular according to rainfall conditions in spring.


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