Abstract
Neonectria ditissima is the causal agent of European canker. This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem, which may lead to the loss of the whole tree. Chemical control is the essential component in disease management and no suitable biocontrol products are commercially available. This study aimed at selecting potential microbial antagonists against N. ditissima through a systematic stepwise screening program for the development of a new biocontrol product. A total of 520 potential candidates were isolated from apple branches showing canker symptoms. Important characteristics for application of Microbial Biological Control Agents were tested per each candidate: spore production, spore survival during storage, cold tolerance, drought tolerance and UV-B resistance. Isolates able to germinate and grow at human body temperature were excluded. A total of 252 candidates fulfilled the stablished criteria. All 520 candidates belonged to 44 different taxonomic groups, being the most abundant Alternaria spp. (22.2 %), Aureobasidium pullulans (16.1 %), Cladosporium spp. (9.5 %) and Fusarium spp. (9.0 %). Information on possible pathogenicity and toxicity for humans, animals, plants and the environment and on patents in biocontrol use was collected per each identified species. A total of 158 candidates belonging to species that did not show potential risks or patent conflicts were assessed by their antagonistic behaviour against N. ditissima in bioassays in planta. Each candidate was inoculated in ‘Elstar’ apple branches inoculated with N. ditissima 24 h before. Inoculated branches were incubated at 17 °C, 16 h light per day and RH > 90 %. After four weeks, canker symptom expression was visually assessed. The capacity of the candidates to reduce colonisation of N. ditissima in the branches was evaluated by quantifying N. ditissima DNA concentration using qPCR. Four candidates of Clonostachys rosea showed antagonistic properties; after four weeks of treatment, no canker symptoms or small bark cracks were observed in the inoculated branches and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by 90–99 %. Following them, the branches inoculated with one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeum showed small bark cracks and small swollen bark and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by more than 90 %. The systematic stepwise screening approach was a powerful strategy to find new MBCAs against N. ditissima with antagonistic properties that also fulfilled major criteria with regards to commercial production and safety, as well as ecological needs.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Four candidates of Clonostachys rosea reduced N. ditissima DNA by 90–99% in apple branches.
- Taxon
- apple
Malus domesticae0 - Material
- Elstare2
- Treatment
- Four candidates of Clonostachys roseae1
- Interactor
- N. ditissima
Neonectria ditissimae1pathogen - Second interactor
- Clonostachys rosea
Clonostachys roseae1biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- N. ditissima DNAe1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- 90–99 %e1
- Qualifier
- no canker symptoms or small bark crackse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e1“Four candidates of Clonostachys rosea showed antagonistic properties; after four weeks of treatment, no canker symptoms or small bark cracks were observed in the inoculated branches and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by 90–99 %”
e2“Each candidate was inoculated in ‘Elstar’ apple branches inoculated with N. ditissima 24 h before”
Claim · model-written summary
One candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius reduced N. ditissima DNA by more than 90% in apple branches, with small bark cracks and small swollen bark.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeume3
- Interactor
- N. ditissimaNeonectria ditissimae3pathogen
- Second interactor
- Akanthomyces muscariusAkanthomyces muscariuse3biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- N. ditissima DNAe3
- Direction
- reducede3
- Value
- more than 90 %e3
- Qualifier
- small bark cracks and small swollen barke3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e3“Following them, the branches inoculated with one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeum showed small bark cracks and small swollen bark and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by more than 90 %”
Claim · model-written summary
One candidate of A. pullulans reduced N. ditissima DNA by more than 90% in apple branches, with small bark cracks and small swollen bark.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeume3
- Interactor
- N. ditissimaNeonectria ditissimae3pathogen
- Second interactor
- A. pullulans
Aureobasidium pullulanse3biocontrol_agent - Outcome
- N. ditissima DNAe3
- Direction
- reducede3
- Value
- more than 90 %e3
- Qualifier
- small bark cracks and small swollen barke3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e3“Following them, the branches inoculated with one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeum showed small bark cracks and small swollen bark and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by more than 90 %”
Claim · model-written summary
One candidate of Cladosporium europaeum reduced N. ditissima DNA by more than 90% in apple branches, with small bark cracks and small swollen bark.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Treatment
- one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeume3
- Interactor
- N. ditissimaNeonectria ditissimae3pathogen
- Second interactor
- Cladosporium europaeumCladosporium europaeume3biocontrol_agent
- Outcome
- N. ditissima DNAe3
- Direction
- reducede3
- Value
- more than 90 %e3
- Qualifier
- small bark cracks and small swollen barke3
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e3“Following them, the branches inoculated with one candidate of Akanthomyces muscarius, A. pullulans and Cladosporium europaeum showed small bark cracks and small swollen bark and N. ditissima DNA was reduced by more than 90 %”
Claim · model-written summary
The 520 candidates isolated from apple branches belonged to 44 taxonomic groups.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Material
- 520 candidatese4
- Outcome
- taxonomic groupse4
- Value
- 44e4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e4“All 520 candidates belonged to 44 different taxonomic groups, being the most abundant Alternaria spp. (22.2 %), Aureobasidium pullulans (16.1 %), Cladosporium spp. (9.5 %) and Fusarium spp. (9.0 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
Alternaria spp. was the most abundant group among the 520 candidates (22.2%).
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Material
- Alternaria spp.e4
- Outcome
- most abundante4
- Value
- 22.2 %e4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e4“All 520 candidates belonged to 44 different taxonomic groups, being the most abundant Alternaria spp. (22.2 %), Aureobasidium pullulans (16.1 %), Cladosporium spp. (9.5 %) and Fusarium spp. (9.0 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
Aureobasidium pullulans (16.1%) was also among the most abundant groups, with Cladosporium spp. and Fusarium spp. likewise listed.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Material
- Aureobasidium pullulanse4
- Outcome
- most abundante4
- Value
- 16.1 %e4
- Qualifier
- Cladosporium spp. (9.5 %) and Fusarium spp. (9.0 %)e4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e4“All 520 candidates belonged to 44 different taxonomic groups, being the most abundant Alternaria spp. (22.2 %), Aureobasidium pullulans (16.1 %), Cladosporium spp. (9.5 %) and Fusarium spp. (9.0 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
A total of 252 candidates fulfilled the established criteria.
- Taxon
- appleMalus domesticae0
- Material
- candidatese5
- Outcome
- fulfilled the stablished criteriae5
- Value
- 252e5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This pathogen causes cankers on apple branches and the main stem”
e5“A total of 252 candidates fulfilled the stablished criteria”
Claim · model-written summary
The systematic stepwise screening approach was a powerful strategy for finding new MBCAs against N. ditissima.
- Outcome
- to find new MBCAse6
Not reportedComparatorValue
Verbatim
e6“The systematic stepwise screening approach was a powerful strategy to find new MBCAs against N. ditissima”