Assessing zoospore Phytophthora activity to enhance disease management and promote ecological surveillance of chestnut ink disease
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abstract
Phytophthora cinnamomi and P. cambivora are soil borne Oomycetes that cause
Chestnut Ink Disease, a lethal and widespread disease of the European chestnut
(Castanea saliva Mill. Zoospores are the main infective propagules that actively
swimming in liquid environments, reach the roots, encyst and infect the host.
Gathering these biological characteristics we studied, on potting mix previously
infested with P. cinnamomi, zoospore re lease and environmental conditions that
promote zoospores production and host infection on different host plants (Castanea
saliva, Camellia japonica, llex aquifolium), and different time-span of flooding ,. Data
analysis made by nonparametric Kruskai-Wallis test, followed by multiple
comparison of mean ranks found that infection of P. cinnamomi is significantly
higher (p<0.001} in C. saliva. Concerning C. saliva, no significant differences were
detected for studied environmental conditions and time-span of flooding using a
nonparametric two-way ANOVA. In natural soils, collected around the canopy of
diseased chestnut trees, Phytophthora revealed a similar pattern of zoospore activity
even when compared to the infested growing potting mix used as positive control.
Variability between samples from the same tree was associated with physiographic
and edaphic conditions which determine the biological stage and prevalence of
Phytophthora species in soil. Using this successful, simple and rapid methodology
enables detailed studies on the ecology of soil borne Phytophthora and the
possibility to promote ecological surveillance and also enhance sanitary
management practices.
