Postharvest Fruit Rots of Apple in Greece: Pathogen Incidence and Relationships Between Fruit Quality Parameters, Cultivar Susceptibility, and Patulin Production.

The incidence of pathogens associated with postharvest fruit rots on the four most extensively cultivated apple cultivars (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, and Fuji) in Greece was surveyed during two consecutive storage periods (2008-09 and 2009-10) in five packinghouses located in northern Greece. The fungi isolated were identified based on their morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacer gene sequencing. In the four cultivars sampled, Penicillium expansum and Botrytis cinerea were the predominant pathogens, accounting for averages of 44.

Sensitivity of Penicillium expansum field isolates to tebuconazole, iprodione, fludioxonil and cyprodinil and characterization of fitness parameters and patulin production.

A total of 236 Penicillium expansum field isolates from decayed apple fruit collected from packinghouses and processing industries located in the region of Imathia, Northern Greece were tested for their sensitivity to tebuconazole, fludioxonil, iprodione and cyprodinil. Preliminary fungitoxicity tests on the response of the isolates showed several phenotypes, distinguished according to their sensitivity to fungicides tested. The EC(50) values ranged from 0.

Multiple resistance of Botrytis cinerea from kiwifruit to SDHIs, QoIs and fungicides of other chemical groups.

Background: Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr. is a high-risk pathogen for fungicide resistance development that has caused resistance problems on many crops throughout the world.

First Report of Penicillium glabrum Causing Fruit Rot of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Greece.

During September and October of 2008 in the region of Larisa (central Greece), postharvest fruit rot was observed on pomegranate (cv. Kapmaditika), which is rapidly increasing in production in Greece, causing losses of 10 to 20% after 2 months of cold storage (5 to 6°C). Infected fruits showed green conidiophores in the calyx area, while internal symptoms consisted of soft, brown tissue that became covered with green mycelium and conidiophores.

First Report of Botrytis cinerea Causing Gray Mold of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Greece.

Pomegranate is rapidly increasing in production in Greece. During August of 2008 in the region of Larisa (central Greece), preharvest fruit rot was observed on pomegranate (cv. Kapmaditika) that caused losses estimated at 10%.

Stability and fitness of anilinopyrimidine-resistant strains of Botrytis cinerea.

The fitness of anilinopyrimidine-resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea compared with that of sensitive isolates, collected from vegetable crops in Greece during 2005, was investigated. Stability of resistance to anilinopyrimidine fungicides was determined after consecutive transfers of the fungal isolates on fungicide-free potato dextrose agar for 16 culture cycles or on fungicide-untreated cucumber seedlings for eight disease cycles. Results showed that after the consecutive transfers of the isolates either in vitro or in vivo sensitivity to cyprodinil was not changed significantly compared to the initial sensitivity in all the isolates tested, suggesting a stable genetically controlled trait.

Baseline Sensitivity of Botrytis cinerea to Pyraclostrobin and Boscalid and Control of Anilinopyrimidine- and Benzimidazole-Resistant Strains by These Fungicides.

Fifty-five isolates of Botrytis cinerea collected from vegetable crops were used to determine the pathogen's baseline sensitivity to two new fungicides: boscalid, which inhibits the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase in the electron transport chain, and pyraclostrobin, which blocks electron transport between cytochrome b and cytochrome c. Measurement of sensitivity to boscalid was based on both inhibition of mycelial growth and spore germination, while measurement of sensitivity to pyraclostrobin was based only on inhibition of spore germination. For both fungicides, the sensitivity distribution was a unimodal curve, with a mean EC value (effective concentration that reduces mycelial growth or spore germination by 50%) of 0.

First Report of Oilseed Rape Stem Rot Caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Greece.

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) was recently introduced into Greece for the production of biofuels. During May of 2007, symptoms typical of stem rot were observed on oilseed rape plants in three commercial fields in the area of Galatades-Pella, Central Macedonia, Greece.

First Report of Ascochyta Leaf Spot Caused by Phoma exigua var. exigua on Common Bean in Greece.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is cultivated extensively in Greece for dry and fresh bean production. During 2005 and 2006, a disease with typical blight symptoms was observed occasionally on dark red kidney, brown kidney, and black bean plants in most bean-producing areas of Greece.

Geographical Distribution, Pathotype Characterization, and Molecular Diversity of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum in Greece and Resistance of Greek Bean Cultivars.

Thirty-five Colletotrichum lindemuthianum isolates were obtained from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) fields in 23 prefectures of Greece during a survey conducted in 2003 and 2004. Race characterization based on the standardized set of 12 differential cultivars demonstrated the presence of races 2, 6, and 22, which are reported for first time in Greece, while race 22 is reported for the first time in the world. In addition, pathotype diversity showed significant correlation with the geographical origin of these isolates.

Control of Benzimidazole- and DMI-Resistant Strains of Cercospora beticola with Strobilurin Fungicides.

The control efficacy of two new strobilurin fungicides, trifloxystrobin and pyraclostrobin, against Cercospora beticola isolates resistant and sensitive to sterol demethylation-inhibiting (DMI) fungicides and benzimidazole fungicides and the effects on evolution of resistance were tested in the current study. Control efficacy of strobilurin fungicides was measured using three C. beticola isolates, one DMI-resistant (DMIR), one benzimidazole-resistant (BENR), and one of wild-type sensitivity (WCB).

First Report of Phomopsis Fruit Decay on Apple Caused by Phomopsis mali in Greece.

From 2002 to 2005, a previously unreported disease causing significant yield losses was observed on apple fruits (cv. Red Chief) in the region of Imathia in northern Greece. Almost all apple orchards in that area, cultivated with Red Chief, showed disease symptoms on 3 to 10% of the fruits.