Leaf Diseases and Management

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 5006

Special Issue Editors

Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
Interests: plant-pathogen interactions; hormone metabolism; photomorphogenesis

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Guest Editor
Integrated Cropping Systems Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Brookings, SD 57006, USA
Interests: wheat rust diseases; fungal biology; soil microbiomes; crop–pathogen interactions; cropping systems
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Leaves are the primary plant organ used for photosynthesis. Leaf diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, viral, and oomycete pathogens, such as spots, blights, rusts, powdery mildew, downy mildew, curls, mosaics, and necrosis, are major threats to crop yield and grain quality worldwide. Management tools for leaf disease control include, but are not limited to, exclusion and/or eradication of pathogens, vectors, and infected plants, physical barrier protection, application of fungicides and bactericides, adoption of biocontrol agents, cultural practices that help avoid the potential for infection, and development of disease-resistant cultivars. To improve the efficacy of these tools, we need to deepen our understanding of plant–pathogen interaction mechanisms and come up with novel disease-management strategies. This Special Issue focuses on the current advancements in leaf disease mechanisms and management ideas. All relevant contributions, including those at molecular, genetic, genomic, population, microbiome, and field levels, are welcome.

Dr. Hao Peng
Dr. Chuntao Yin
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • leaf diseases
  • plant disease management
  • plant pathogens
  • epidemiology
  • biocontrol agents
  • microbiomes
  • fungi
  • bacteria
  • viruses
  • oomycetes
  • plant–microbe interactions

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1193 KiB  
Article
Vegetation Indices for Early Grey Mould Detection in Lettuce Grown under Different Lighting Conditions
by Asta Kupčinskienė, Aušra Brazaitytė, Neringa Rasiukevičiūtė, Alma Valiuškaitė, Armina Morkeliūnė and Viktorija Vaštakaitė-Kairienė
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4042; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12234042 - 30 Nov 2023
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Abstract
Early detection of pathogenic fungi in controlled environment areas can prevent major food production losses. Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is often detected as an infection on lettuce. This paper explores the use of vegetation indices for early detection and monitoring of [...] Read more.
Early detection of pathogenic fungi in controlled environment areas can prevent major food production losses. Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is often detected as an infection on lettuce. This paper explores the use of vegetation indices for early detection and monitoring of grey mould on lettuce under different lighting conditions in controlled environment chambers. The aim was focused on the potential of using vegetation indices for the early detection of grey mould and on evaluating their changes during disease development in lettuce grown under different lighting conditions. The experiment took place in controlled environment chambers, where day/night temperatures were 21 ± 2/17 ± 2 °C, a 16 h photoperiod was established, and relative humidity was 70 ± 10% under different lighting conditions: high-pressure sodium (HPS) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. Lettuces were inoculated by 7-day-old fungus Botrytis cinerea isolate at the BBCH 21. As a control, non-inoculated lettuces were grown under HPS and LEDs (non-inoculated). Then, the following were evaluated: Anthocyanin Reflectance Index 2 (ARI2); Carotenoid Reflectance Index 2 (CRI2); Structure Intensive Pigment Index (SIPI); Flavanol Reflectance Index (FRI); Greenness (G); Greenness 2 (G2); Redness (R); Blue (B); Blue Green Index 2 (BGI2); Browning Index 2 (BRI2); Lichtenthaler Index 1 (LIC1); Pigment Specific Simple Ratio (PSSRa and PSSRb); Gitelson and Merzlyak (GM1 and GM2); Zarco Tejada–Miller Index (ZMI); Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); Simple Ratio (SR); Red-Eye Vegetation Stress Index (RVSI); Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI); Photochemical Reflectance Index 515 (PRI515); Water Band Index (WBI); specific disease index for individual study (fD); Healthy Index (HI); Plant Senescence Reflectance (PSRI); Vogelmann Red Edge Index (VREI1); Red Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (RENDVI); and Modified Red Edge Simple Ratio (MRESRI). Our results showed that the PSRI and fD vegetation indices significantly detected grey mould on lettuce grown under both lighting systems (HPS and LEDs) the day after inoculation. The results conclusively affirmed that NDVI, PSRI, HI, fD, WBI, RVSI, PRI, PRI515, CRI2, SIPI, chlorophyll index PSSRb, and coloration index B were identified as the best indicators for Botrytis cinerea infection on green-leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv Little Gem) at the early stage of inoculated lettuce’s antioxidative response against grey mould with a significant increase in chlorophyll indices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leaf Diseases and Management)
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8 pages, 9528 KiB  
Communication
Novel Pathogen–Plant Host Interaction: Colletotrichum jiangxiense and Fraxinus americana L. (White Ash) in a Sentinel Garden in China
by Lin Chang, Yilin Li, Ziwen Gao, Pierluigi (Enrico) Bonello, Michelle Cleary, Isabel A. Munck, Alberto Santini and Hui Sun
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4001; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12234001 - 28 Nov 2023
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Abstract
Fraxinus americana L. (white ash), a native North American tree commonly cultivated for its ornamental qualities, displayed symptoms of leaf spot disease in a sentinel garden located in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, in 2022. This disease led to premature leaf shedding, adversely affecting the [...] Read more.
Fraxinus americana L. (white ash), a native North American tree commonly cultivated for its ornamental qualities, displayed symptoms of leaf spot disease in a sentinel garden located in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, in 2022. This disease led to premature leaf shedding, adversely affecting the plant’s growth and substantially diminishing its ornamental value. Potential fungal pathogens were isolated from the diseased leaves and the subsequent application of Koch’s postulates confirmed the pathogenicity of the fungal isolates (BL-1, BL-2). Through a combination of multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, including ITS, ACT, ApMat, CAL, CHS-1, GAPDH, and TUB2, alongside morphological assessments, the fungus was conclusively identified as Colletotrichum jiangxiense. This represents the first record of C. jiangxiense affecting white ash, highlighting the important role of sentinel gardens in uncovering novel pathogen–plant host interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leaf Diseases and Management)
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16 pages, 3158 KiB  
Article
Performance- and Resistance-Related Early Responses of Colombian Elite Rubber Tree Genotypes under Low Pressure of South American Leaf Blight: Implications for Disease Management in the Amazon
by Lyda Constanza Galindo-Rodríguez, Armando Sterling, Herminton Muñoz-Ramirez and Jesica Andrea Fonseca-Restrepo
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3627; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12203627 - 20 Oct 2023
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Abstract
The cultivation of Hevea brasiliensis, the primary commercial source of natural rubber, is strongly impacted by South American leaf blight (SALB) disease, caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora ulei. Various management strategies have been implemented, including the selection of resistant genotypes and [...] Read more.
The cultivation of Hevea brasiliensis, the primary commercial source of natural rubber, is strongly impacted by South American leaf blight (SALB) disease, caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora ulei. Various management strategies have been implemented, including the selection of resistant genotypes and the identification of escape zones. This study evaluated the growth, early yield, and resistance to SALB of nine Colombian elite genotypes from the ECC-100 series and IAN 873 clone (control) in a large-scale clone trial in an area with low SALB pressure in the Colombian Amazon during 2017–2020. Favorable early performance was evident, although there was a significant increase in the severity and sporulation of P. ulei over time, especially in the ECC 35, ECC 60, and IAN 873 genotypes. However, these scores indicate low susceptibility. Genotypes with higher resistance to SALB demonstrated greater growth and early yield compared to more highly susceptible genotypes. The ECC 64, ECC 73, ECC 90, ECC 25, and ECC 29 genotypes were more desirable in low SALB pressure zones due to their higher resistance and early performance. It is important to highlight that this research contributes to the selection of new SALB-resistant Colombian genotypes of H. brasiliensis. However, it is also necessary to evaluate the productivity of these selections in the mature stage and long-term resistance to SALB before recommending and promoting their commercial adoption in the Colombian Amazon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leaf Diseases and Management)
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14 pages, 1589 KiB  
Article
Phenotypic Evaluation of Soybean Genotypes for Their Reaction to a Mississippi Isolate of Phakopsora pachyrhizi Causing Soybean Rust
by Shuxian Li and James R. Smith
Plants 2023, 12(9), 1797; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12091797 - 27 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1488
Abstract
Soybean rust (SBR) caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. and P. Syd. is one of the most important foliar diseases of soybean. SBR has the potential to cause major economic damage to global and U.S. soybean production. Analysis of reactions of soybean genotypes to [...] Read more.
Soybean rust (SBR) caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. and P. Syd. is one of the most important foliar diseases of soybean. SBR has the potential to cause major economic damage to global and U.S. soybean production. Analysis of reactions of soybean genotypes to P. pachyrhizi is an important step towards breeding for resistance to SBR. Fifty-four diverse soybean genotypes with both known and unknown Rpp resistance genes were tested for their reactions to a Mississippi P. pachyrhizi isolate. PI 567102B (Rpp6) had a near-immune reaction with the lowest disease severity score and no sporulation. Among seventeen genotypes with resistant or incomplete resistant reddish-brown (RB) reactions, eight are improved breeding lines that are available to researchers through material transfer agreements (MTAs). Thirty-six genotypes had the susceptible TAN reaction. Four soybean lines (RN06-32-1(7-b, GC 00138-29, G01-PR16, and GC 84051-9-1) had RB reactions and significantly lower SBR severity and sporulation than three of the six resistant checks, PI 230970 (Rpp2), PI 462312 (Rpp3), and PI 459025B (Rpp4). G01-PR16 is a publicly released germplasm. This research provides new information about reactions of different soybean genotypes to a midsouthern USA isolate of P. pachyrhizi and thereby aids in breeding for resistance to SBR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Leaf Diseases and Management)
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