News and announcements from all on any aspect of Plant
Pathology are invited for the Newsletter. Contributions from the ISPP
Executive, Council and Subject Matter Committees, Associated Societies and
Supporting Organisations are requested.
“Century-old mystery” is an appropriate start to the title of a paper
reporting the full life cycle of Pucciniastriiformis
and identifying Berberis as an alternate host. The paper by Jin Y, Szabo L
J and Carson M was published in the May 2010 issue of Phytopathology 100,
432-435.
The life history of Puccinia striiformis was a
mystery because an alternate host had never been identified. About a year
ago, aecidia were seen in Minnesota, USA, on several Berberis spp. which
were thought to be resistant to P. graminis, the stem rust
pathogen long-known to use some Berberis spp. as alternate host. P.
striiformis f. sp. poae was confirmed as the pathogen in this case
from cereal and grass inoculations and from molecular tests. Then Berberis
spp were inoculated with teleutospores of P. striiformis f. sp.
graminis and aecidia developed. The resulting aeciospores were used
to successfully inoculate wheat and uredinia there developed. The complete
life cycle of P. striiformis was thus demonstrated and confirmed
for the first time in many decades of knowing the pathogen on wheat, where
it causes the debilitating diseases known as yellow or stripe rust in
different parts of the world.
The authors point out that this
knowledge will enable rapid advances in the genetics of the fungus and
lead to improved strategies for better control of stripe rust, which has
been one of the most variable cereal rust pathogens with regard to
virulence.
A Celebration of Plant
Pathology in Wisconsin
The Department of Plant Pathology
at Madison in the University of Wisconsin, USA, will recognize its
Centennial with a celebration from 24-26 June 2010. International plant
pathology is indebted to the Department for the teaching, research and
guidance by L R Jones, J C Walker, A J Riker, G W Keitt and others before
ISPP was founded. More recently, Glenn Pound, Luis Sequeira and many
others have continued the tradition.
ISPP itself has had a major
involvement with the Department through some of its distinguished faculty
such as Arthur Kelman, President of ISPP from 1973-1978
www.isppweb.org/nlaug09.asp,
and Paul Williams who was a
Jacob Eriksson Prize
Medallist through the International Botanical Society, the Medal now being
awarded through ISPP, see
www.isppweb.org/about_eriksson.asp.
There are now
approximately 1000 graduates from the Department in many parts of the
world. Many other people were post-doctoral fellows in the Department.
The web-site
http://centennial.plantpath.wisc.edu/ gives details of the
celebrations including the address for contacting the Centennial Committee
Chair, John H Andrews. Congratulations from ISPP.
Feared pathogen of Myrtaceae detected in Australia
The myrtle rust fungus, Uredo rangelii, has recently been
found in a cut flower property on the central coast of NSW. It is the
first time that the pathogen has been found in Australia, but it has been
long feared. Emergency measures have been put in place because it is
considered as part of a complex of rusts that infect the Myrtaceae which
includes many Australian native species. More information should be
available soon. See http://bit.ly/myrtlerust
to download an alert posted by the Australian Nursery and Garden Industry.
Food Security and ISPP
This new journal is now in its second year of publication and the first
issue for 2010 was completed in March, and several new on-line papers with
free previews have become available in April.
See:
http://bit.ly/aPhktz for the web-page
of the publisher Springer with details of access to all of the past and
current material. See also:
www.isppweb.org/ for information on how the International Society for
Plant Pathology (ISPP) initiated the idea of the journal and then
developed it in conjunction with Springer. The ISPP web-site also shows
how ISPP members can obtain special privileges for accessing papers in the
journal.
One of the latest on-line papers with a free preview is
by
Maurizio Vurro,
Barbara Bonciani and
Giovanni Vannacci and is titled “Emerging
infectious diseases of crop plants in developing countries: impact on
agriculture and socio-economic consequences”. The paper is based on an
invited oral presentation entitled “Emerging infectious diseases” during a
Conference on “Socio-economic impact of plant disease” organized by the
Accademia of Georgofili and held in Florence on 26 November 2009. The
paper focuses on four particular crop diseases and considers them from the
plant pathological angle but also analyses their economic impact and
socio-economic consequences. Three of the diseases are caused by
pathogens, cassava mosaic virus, a bacterium responsible for wilt of
banana and the new strain Ug99 of the wheat stem rust fungus and one is
caused by the parasitic weed plant Striga hermonthica affecting cereals.
Another of the latest on-line papers is by
Toby J A Bruce of Rothamsted Research Station in the UK and is titled
“Tackling
the threat to food security caused by crop pests in the new millennium”.
A major emphasis is on newer approaches to crop protection through
promising technologies such as development of novel resistant cultivars
with multiple resistance genes, suitable epigenetic imprints and improved
defence responses that are induced by attack. The latter embraces use of
chemical activators of defence and the deployment of genes controlling
metabolites and pathways as these become well-known through on-going
international research.
New Approach
towards Disease Resistance
An excellent example of a
promising new approach to plant protection is a project initiated by
Jonathan Jones and Cyril Zipfel at the Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK.
This became an international research effort which has given rise to a
multi-authored paper in the April 2010 issue of Nature Biotechnology 28
(4) 365-369 titled “Interfamily transfer of a plant pattern-recognition
receptor confers broad-spectrum bacterial resistance”. The project arose
from the knowledge that receptors in plants can recognise molecular
patterns that are conserved across many pathogens. The receptors detect
microbes by recognising these patterns and then trigger defense. There is
potential to use the processes to confer resistance.
These are
early days for the envisaged technology because only a few receptors and
the recognised pathogen molecules have been identified. Careful selection
of known interactions was a starting point for the project. In this
research, a receptor was transferred from the cruciferous Arabidopsis to
solanaceous plants in the genera Nicotiana and Solanum conferring response
to a bacterial factor and thereby greater resistance to bacteria as
diverse as Pseudomonas, Agrobacterium, Xanthomonas and Ralstonia.
In contrast to programs based on the long-known gene-for-gene specificity
and R genes, it is envisaged by the authors that transgenic transfer of
pattern receptors into chosen varieties, as well as into crops that are
not amenable to classical breeding, such as banana, offers new prospects
of developing resistance. Strain-specific R genes are widely used in
breeding programs to control plant diseases but they rarely confer
broad-spectrum disease resistance and are often rapidly overcome by
evolving pathogens. Because the receptors are thought to be broadly
effective their engineering could provide more durable and sustainable
resistance in the field. Combinations of several receptors as well as
their combinations with R proteins that are widely effective might provide
broad-spectrum disease resistance against many genera of pathogens with
promise for durability in the field.
Euroscience Open Forum and Call for Grants to Attend
As
shown at www.esof2010.org,
this is the biennial pan-European meeting dedicated to scientific research
and innovation created by Euroscience. At ESOF meetings leading
scientists, researchers, young researchers, business people, entrepreneurs
and innovators, policy makers, science and technology communicators and
the general public from all over the world discuss new discoveries and
debate the direction that research is taking in the sciences, humanities
and social sciences. In 2010, ESOF will be held in Torino, Italy, from 2-7
July.
ESOF Programmes include a Career Programme dedicated to
students, PhD candidates and young researchers. A call for grants
(deadline May 16) to support the participation of young researchers (under
35 years) has been published at:
http://www.esof2010.org/travel_grants. See also
http://www.esof2010.org/grants_unesco for some grants offered by
UNESCO for Eastern and South-Eastern European, and Mediterranean
countries.
Looking forward to meeting you in Torino!
Maria Lodovica Gullino.
Speakers in
Plant Virology invited for Congress in Korea
The
organisers of the BIT’s 1st World Congress of Virus and Infections seek
volunteers from plant virologists to fill some gaps in Track 11, the plant
virus part of the program shown at
http://bit.ly/dgP3By. The Congress is being held in Busan, South
Korea, from 31 July to 3 August 2010, as described in the April issue of
the ISPP Newsletter.
Contact: Ms Chris Zhao, Program Coordinator,
Organizing Committee of WCVI-2010, 26 Gaoneng Street, Room 405, Dalian
High-tech Zone, Dalian, LN 116025, China
chris@bit-wsa.com.
Plant
Pathology Congress in South Africa
The next Southern
African Society for Plant Pathology (SASPP) congress will take place at
the Berg-en-Dal Conference Centre in the Kruger National Park from 23 to
26 January 2011, see “Coming Events”. The congress will embrace the latest
advances, challenges, and opportunities from basic scientific research in
plant pathology to practical issues confronting the agricultural and
forestry industries. It will provide a forum for research
presentation, and an environment for informal discussion on all aspects of
plant pathology.
The Centre comprises four
partners in Lincoln University, Massey University, and two research
institutes AgResearch and Plant & Food Research, but is hosted by Lincoln
University. It also interacts internationally. The major aim is to develop
new knowledge of damaging organisms and their interactions with plants in
order to develop novel biologically based management. Protecting
plant-based primary industries and natural ecosystems from threats is
vital for New Zealand.
The Centre’s research is organised into
four interlinking themes: World-leading biosecurity; Sustainable
bioprotection; Plant bioprotection systems biology and Maori bioprotection.
The Centre also incorporates a strong bioprotection postgraduate training
groups and is closely linked to leading overseas institutions in this
work.
The Director is Professor Alison Stewart and the Deputy
Directors are Professor Richard Falloon, Immediate Past President of ISPP,
and Professor Stephen Wratten.
The 3rd International Symposium on Seed Health in
Agricultural Development to be held in August 2010 in Beijing, China, as
listed in “Coming Events”. See:
http://bit.ly/a06sVd. Four international centres support research and
education within seed health and share the responsibility to arrange
symposia on seed health in agricultural development. They are: The Seed
Health Centre in the China Agricultural University; The Danish Seed Health
Centre for Developing Countries; The African Seed Health Centre and The
Asian Seed Health Centre. The symposium will be open to all interested
parties and stakeholders from the private sector, and to national and
international public sectors.
A Centre of Seed Pathology is in The
University of Copenhagen, Denmark,
www.dshc.life.ku.dk/. It caters
for the needs of developing countries in seed pathology, and conducts
training at different levels, Diploma, Modular, MSc and PhD. Field
research projects are currently conducted in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal,
Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The Centre has 5 permanent scientific staff
members. Its research areas of interest for development assistance are in
seed bacteriology, seed mycology and seed virology. It is part of the
Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences,
and is headed by Associate Professor Ole Søgaard Lund.
Forest Insects and Diseases in central Europe An IUFRO Workshop in Germany in September
2010 (see “Coming Events” and
http://www.biotic-risks-2010.de
) will focus on Biotic Risks and Climate Change in Forests, with respect
to three subtopics. These are risk assessment of actual and introduced
pests and diseases; survey of actual and introduced pests and diseases;
information platform on pests and diseases occurrence. The main concern is
with forest health in Central Europe, but researchers from elsewhere are
welcome to attend. From: Dr Milos Knizek, Forestry and Game Management
Research Institute, Jiloviste – Strnady, Praha 5 – Zbraslav, CZ - 156 04,
Czechia.
Pacific Island Plant
Viruses – a review
This provides an updated listing of
plant virus and viroid records and the first consolidated listing of
phytoplasma records in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Fiji Islands, French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Pitcairn Islands, the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
and Wallis and Futuna.
See: Davis R I and Ruabete T K (2010)
Records of plant pathogenic viruses and virus-like agents from 22 Pacific
island countries and territories: a review and an update. Australasian
Plant Pathology 39 (3) 265-291.
www.australasianplantpathologysociety.org.au.
Acknowledgements
I thank Elaine Davison
and Greg Johnson for their input.
Coming Events
The 12th International Conference on Plant
Pathogenic Bacteria 2010 at Saint-Denis, Ile de La Reunion. 7-11 June
2010. See:
http://www.icppb2010.org/.
XVIth Biennial Workshop on the
Smuts and Bunts in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. 14-18 June 2010.
Contact:
denis.gaudet@agr.gc.ca.
2010 Canadian Phytopathological
Society joint Annual Meeting and Conference with the Pacific Division of
the American Phytopathological Society. 20-23 June 2010. See:
http://cps-scp2010.ubcconferences.com/.
BITs 1st World Congress of Virus and
Infections-2010 “Voice of Virologists” in Busan, South Korea. 31
July-3 August 2010. See: http://www.bitlifesciences.com/wcvi2010/ >.
Fifth
Symposium on Silicon in Agriculture in Viçosa Federal University, Viçosa
City, Minas Gerais, Brazil. 16-18 August 2010. See:
www.siliconagriculture.com.br/. Contact:
fabricio@ufv.br.
ISHS 12th
International Workshop on Fire Blight in Warsaw, Poland. 16-20 August
2010. See:
www.fireblight2010.pl.
XXVIII International Horticultural
Congress (IHC2010) in Lisbon, Portugal. 22-27 August 2010. Contact:
info@ihc2010.org. See:
http://www.ihc2010.org.
International Symposium on Seed Health
in Agricultural Development (SHAD) in Beijing, P R China. 25-27 August
2010. See: http://bit.ly/a06sVd.
International Advances in Plant Virology in Arnhem, The Netherlands.
5-7 September 2010. See:
http://www.aab.org.uk/.
XXI Phytopathology Peruvia Congress in
Tarapoto, San Martin, Peru. 5-10 September 2010. See:
www.aspefi.org/congreso/.
3rd AAB Symposium on Potato Cyst Nematodes in Newport, UK. 14-15
September 2010. See:
http://www.aab.org.uk/.
IUFRO
Workshop "Methodology of Forest Insect and Disease Survey in Central
Europe" in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. 20-23 September 2010.
See:
http://www.biotic-risks-2010.de.
11th European Fusarium
Seminar – “Mycotoxins, Taxonomy, Pathogenicity and Host Resistance” in
Radzikow, near Warsaw, Poland. 20-24 September 2010. Contact:
e.czembor@ihar.edu.pl or
t.goral@ihar.edu.pl.
9th Conference of the European Foundation for Plant Pathology & 6th
Congress of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Fitopatologia jointly in Évora,
Portugal. 15-18 November 2010. See:
http://www.efpp10.uevora.pt/.
2nd International Conference on Huanglongbing in Orlando, Florida,
USA. 10-14 January 2011. See:
IRCHLB.org.
47th Congress of the
Southern African Society for Plant Pathology at Berg-en-Dal, Kruger
National Park, South Africa. 23–26 January 2011. See:
www.saspp.co.za. Contact:
quenton.kritzinger@up.ac.za.
International Congress of Post Harvest Pathology in Lleida,
Catalonia, Spain. 13-15 April 2011. Contact: The Congress Secretary
fundacio@700.udl.cat.
18th Biennial Australasian Plant Pathology Meeting and 4th Asian
Conference for Plant Pathology at the Darwin Convention Centre, Darwin,
Northern Territory, Australia. 27-29 April 2011. See: http://www.appc2011.org.
2nd Argentine Congress of Plant Pathology in Mar del Plata,
Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. 1-3 June 2011. Contact :
ridaoaz@balcarce.inta.gov.ar.
XVIII International Botanical Congress – 2011 in Melbourne,
Australia. 24–30 July 2011. See:
http://www.ibc2011.com/.
Joint Meeting of APS and IAPPS in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. 6-10
August 2011. See: http://www.apsnet.org.
APS Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. 4-8 August
2012. See: http://www.apsnet.org.
APS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, USA. 10-14 August 2013.
See: http://www.apsnet.org.
10th International Congress of Plant Pathology (ICPP2013) in Beijing,
China. 25-30 August 2013. Contact: Professor You-Liang Peng,
Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology,
China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China. Phone:
+86-10-62733607; Fax: +86-10-62733607. e-mail:
president@cspp.org.cn . See:
http://www.icppbj2013.org/.
APS Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. 9-13 August 2014.
See: http://www.apsnet.org.
29th International Horticulture Congress in Brisbane, Australia.
August 2014. See:
http://www.ihc2014.org.
