A Diverse Virome of Leafroll-Infected Grapevine Unveiled by dsRNA Sequencing.

Quebec is the third-largest wine grape producing province in Canada, and the industry is constantly expanding. Traditionally, 90% of the grapevine cultivars grown in Quebec were winter hardy and largely dominated by interspecific hybrid sp. cultivars.

Influence of Leaf Wetness Duration and Temperature on Infection of Grape Leaves by under Controlled and Vineyard Conditions.

On susceptible varieties, indirect damage to vines infected by range from reduced vigor to complete defoliation while, on berries, damage ranges from reduced quality to complete yield loss. Limited knowledge about the relationship between weather conditions and infection makes anthracnose management difficult and favors routine application of fungicides. The influence of leaf wetness duration and temperature on infection of grape leaves by was studied under both controlled and vineyard conditions.

PIPE4: Fast PPI Predictor for Comprehensive Inter- and Cross-Species Interactomes.

The need for larger-scale and increasingly complex protein-protein interaction (PPI) prediction tasks demands that state-of-the-art predictors be highly efficient and adapted to inter- and cross-species predictions. Furthermore, the ability to generate comprehensive interactomes has enabled the appraisal of each PPI in the context of all predictions leading to further improvements in classification performance in the face of extreme class imbalance using the Reciprocal Perspective (RP) framework. We here describe the PIPE4 algorithm.

A chromosome-scale draft sequence of the Canada fleabane genome.

Background: Due to the accessibility of underlying technologies the 'Omics', in particular genomics, are becoming commonplace in several fields of research, including the study of agricultural pests. The weed community is starting to embrace these approaches; genome sequences have been made available in the past years, with several other sequencing projects underway, as promoted by the International Weed Genome Consortium. Chromosome-scale sequences are essential to fully exploit the power of genetics and genomics.

Population Genomic Approaches for Weed Science.

Genomic approaches are opening avenues for understanding all aspects of biological life, especially as they begin to be applied to multiple individuals and populations. However, these approaches typically depend on the availability of a sequenced genome for the species of interest. While the number of genomes being sequenced is exploding, one group that has lagged behind are weeds.

Preharvest UV-C treatment affected postharvest senescence and phytochemicals alternation of strawberry fruit with the possible involvement of abscisic acid regulation.

As an environmentally friendly approach for fruit quality improvement, the effect of preharvest UV-C on the physiology of strawberry fruit during postharvest storage remains to be assessed. Strawberry fruit developed with supplementary UV-C were stored at room temperature for 2 weeks. Preharvest UV-C attenuated fruit postharvest senescence and altered phytochemicals composition.

"Piler Dirt" Survey for the Sampling and Detection of Potato Cyst Nematodes.

Potato cyst nematodes are a significant threat to potato production worldwide and have important economic impacts due to yield losses but also because of the expenses associated with regulation procedures. In order to reduce the sampling labor, an alternative strategy named the "Piler Dirt" that collects the soil carried with potato tubers during their transfer to storage was proposed. The method showed a better sensitivity than the reference method to detect fields infested with .

The Ionomics of Lettuce Infected by pv. .

Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) caused by pv. () places a major constraint on lettuce production worldwide. The most sustainable strategy known to date for controlling BLS is the use of resistant cultivars.

Weather-Based Models for Assessing the Risk of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Apothecial Presence in Soybean (Glycine max) Fields.

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) epidemics in soybean, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, are currently responsible for annual yield reductions in the United States of up to 1 million metric tons. In-season disease management is largely dependent on chemical control but its efficiency and cost-effectiveness depends on both the chemistry used and the risk of apothecia formation, germination, and further dispersal of ascospores during susceptible soybean growth stages. Hence, accurate prediction of the S.

Development and Application of a Multiplex qPCR Method for the Simultaneous Detection and Quantification of Pratylenchus alleni and P. penetrans in Quebec, Canada.

Root lesion nematodes are very common plant-parasitic nematodes that affect a wide range of plants. More than one species can be found simultaneously in a field, and each has a different impact on crop yield. Unfortunately, identifying them using classical morphometric criteria is very difficult and time consuming.

Detection and Quantification of Pythium tracheiphilum in Soil by Multiplex Real-Time qPCR.

In Canada, head lettuce (Lactuca sativa capitata) is extensively produced in the muck soils of southwestern Québec. However, yields are increasingly affected by various soilborne pathogens, including Pythium spp., which cause wilt and damping off.

Blueberry IPM: Past Successes and Future Challenges.

Blueberry is a crop native to North America with expanding production and consumption worldwide. In the historical regions of production, integrated pest management (IPM) programs have been developed and provided effective control of key insect pests. These have integrated monitoring programs with physical, cultural, biological, behavioral, and chemical controls to meet the intense demands of consumers and modern food systems.

Host Range and Genetic Characterization of Ditylenchus dipsaci Populations from Eastern Canada.

The stem and bulb nematode, Ditylenchus dipsaci, is a plant-parasitic nematode affecting over 500 plant species worldwide. Since 2012, garlic producers from Ontario and Quebec have been particularly affected with economic losses caused by this pest. Reproduction of D.

Prevalence of a nematode castrator of the carrot weevil and impact on fecundity and survival.

Bradynema listronoti is a parasitic nematode described from infected specimens of the carrot weevil Listronotus oregonensis. Prevalence of infection by B. listronoti under field conditions was followed over a period of 16 years in an untreated carrot field.

Ultraviolet-C priming of strawberry leaves against subsequent Mycosphaerella fragariae infection involves the action of reactive oxygen species, plant hormones, and terpenes.

Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation has been reported to induce defence responses to pathogens in growing crops and described as a new environmentally friendly method for disease control. However, whether the effect of the induced defence mechanisms will persist after the stress imposed by UV-C is alleviated and how these mechanisms interact with pathogen elicitors upon infection have not yet been investigated. Thus, we inoculated strawberry plants with Mycosphaerella fragariae, the causal agent of leaf spot disease, after 5 weeks of repeated UV-C irradiation treatment (cumulative dose of 10.

Preharvest Ultraviolet C Treatment Affected Senescence of Stored Strawberry Fruit with a Potential Role of MicroRNAs in the Activation of the Antioxidant System.

Recent studies presented preharvest ultraviolet C (UV-C) as an environmentally friendly approach for the management of horticultural crop diseases. The effect of this approach on quality preservation during postharvest storage has not yet been investigated. Strawberry fruit harvested from plants grown with supplemental UV-C were stored at room temperature for 72 h, and their postharvest shelf-life biochemical indicators were evaluated.

Validating Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Apothecial Models to Predict Sclerotinia Stem Rot in Soybean (Glycine max) Fields.

In soybean, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum apothecia are the sources of primary inoculum (ascospores) critical for Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) development. We recently developed logistic regression models to predict the presence of apothecia in irrigated and nonirrigated soybean fields. In 2017, small-plot trials were established to validate two weather-based models (one for irrigated fields and one for nonirrigated fields) to predict SSR development.

Genome Scans Reveal Homogenization and Local Adaptations in Populations of the Soybean Cyst Nematode.

Determining the adaptive potential of alien invasive species in a new environment is a key concern for risk assessment. As climate change is affecting local climatic conditions, widespread modifications in species distribution are expected. Therefore, the genetic mechanisms underlying local adaptations must be understood in order to predict future species distribution.

Management of Blueberry Maggot With High Temperatures.

High temperatures were investigated to manage blueberry maggot (Rhagoletis mendax Curran; Diptera: Tephritidae) in field and postharvest situations. To estimate lethal combinations of high temperatures/duration of exposure, blueberry maggot pupae were immersed in water at various temperatures during either 1 or 30 s in the laboratory. Treatments such as 70°C (1 s) or 55°C (30 s) caused 100% mortality of blueberry maggot pupae.

Transcriptome-wide selection of a reliable set of reference genes for gene expression studies in potato cyst nematodes (Globodera spp.).

Relative gene expression analyses by qRT-PCR (quantitative reverse transcription PCR) require an internal control to normalize the expression data of genes of interest and eliminate the unwanted variation introduced by sample preparation. A perfect reference gene should have a constant expression level under all the experimental conditions. However, the same few housekeeping genes selected from the literature or successfully used in previous unrelated experiments are often routinely used in new conditions without proper validation of their stability across treatments.

Entomological Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Viticulture in a Global Market.

Viticulture has experienced dramatic global growth in acreage and value. As the international exchange of goods has increased, so too has the market demand for sustainably produced products. Both elements redefine the entomological challenges posed to viticulture and have stimulated significant advances in arthropod pest control programs.

Preharvest Ultraviolet C Irradiation Increased the Level of Polyphenol Accumulation and Flavonoid Pathway Gene Expression in Strawberry Fruit.

Preharvest ultraviolet C (UV-C) irradiation is an innovative approach for increasing the bioactive phytochemical content of strawberries to increase the disease resistance and nutritional value. This study investigated the changes in individual flavonoids in strawberry developed with three different cumulative doses of preharvest UV-C treatment (low, 9.6 kJ m; middle, 15 kJ m; and high , 29.

Pre-harvest UV-C irradiation triggers VOCs accumulation with alteration of antioxidant enzymes and phytohormones in strawberry leaves.

Recent studies have highlighted the biological and physiological effects of pre-harvest ultraviolet (UV)-C treatment on growing plants. However, little is known about the involvement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their response to this treatment. In this study, strawberry plants were exposed to three different doses of UV-C radiation for seven weeks (a low dose: 9.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase overexpression in herbicide-resistant large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis).

Background: The occurrence of herbicide-resistant weed biotypes is increasing and this report of an acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitor-resistant Digitaria sanguinalis L. Scop. from southwestern Ontario is another example.

Development of Real-Time Isothermal Amplification Assays for On-Site Detection of Phytophthora infestans in Potato Leaves.

Real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays were developed targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 region of the ribosomal DNA of Phytophthora infestans, the potato late blight causal agent. A rapid crude plant extract (CPE) preparation method from infected potato leaves was developed for on-site testing. The assay's specificity was tested using several species of Phytophthora and other potato fungal and oomycete pathogens.