The potential of Ulocladium botrytis for biological control of Orobanche spp.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
A strain of Ulocladium botrytis isolated from diseased Orobanche crenata shoots caused disease on the parasitic weed in pathogenicity tests. The potential of the fungus to be developed as a mycoherbicide for Orobanche spp. was further investigated. Although the fungus significantly decreased O. crenata germination in vitro by 80%, it did not generally lead to a decreased number of O. crenata shoots or tubercles in inoculated root chambers or pots. However, the number of diseased or dead tubercles and underground shoots was significantly increased compared to the noninoculated treatments. Postemergence inoculation of O. crenata shoots with a conidial suspension resulted in the death of almost all inoculated plants 14 days after application under greenhouse conditions. In preliminary host-range studies, the pathogen caused disease on Orobanche cumana on sunflower whereas on Orobanche aegyptiaca shoots parasitizing tomato only minimal disease symptoms could be detected after postemergence inoculation. Based on the results of our investigations, we conclude that Ulocladium botrytis has only a limited potential to be used as a biocontrol agent against Orobanche spp.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Biological Control |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 3 |
Pages (from-to) | 301-306 |
Number of pages | 6 |
ISSN | 1049-9644 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Jun 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
- Biological control, Mycoherbicide, Orobanche aegyptiaca, Orobanche crenata, Orobanche cumana, Ulocladium botrytis
Research areas
ID: 162182847