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IOBC/WPRS Working Group ‘Integrated Control in Oilseed Crops’; Prospects and Progress for sustainable oilseed crop protection, Tartu, Estonia 7th – 9th September 2016
This biannual meeting was hosted by the Estonian University of Life Sciences at the University campus in Tartu and provided an opportunity for over 60 researchers from across Europe to share and discuss recent research findings relating to oilseed disease and pest management. Disease sessions covered blackleg (Leptosphaeria spp. ) distribution and severity, varietal resistance and chemical control, non-chemical control of diseases, clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) of oilseed rape as well as other diseases affecting brassicas. It provided information on the disease threats that the UK oilseed rape industry is facing or may encounter in future and allows exchange of ideas, research methods and practical control strategies.
I was given the opportunity to present the results of field experiments investigating effective control of light leaf spot (Pyrenopeziza brassicae) on oilseed rape, demonstrating benefits of early disease control in the autumn as well as benefits from integrating control strategies.
Varieties with AHDB recommended list ratings of 4 or 5 for light leaf spot were more reliant on precise fungicide application timings to protect yield whereas varieties with ratings of 6 or 7 provided yield benefits even where fungicide application timings would have been considered suboptimal.
Robert Malinowski from the Institute of Plant Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences gave an overview of recent research using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for studying plant pathogen interactions during clubroot infection. Of particular interest was the use of mi- croscopy to demonstrate visible cellular changes along with the use molecular markers for cell division and meristematic activity to better understand the mechanisms responsible for reprogramming of cells to produce galls. Other presenters gave updates on clubroot pathotypes in Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, with populations in each country found to be very different which has significance as to the control measures that can be implemented.
Annette Penaud from Terres Inovia provided an update on the proportion of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum population with detectable resistance to SDHI chemistry in France. Oilseed rape crops receive between 1 and 2 fungicides to control this disease, and in vitro tests using boscalid on isolates collected from across France have demonstrated the presence of these strains. The presence of the mutations conferring decreased boscalid sensitivity has been associated with changes on the SDH target enzyme.
Levels of SDHI resistant strains of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in French populations is still low and reports of reduced field performance of boscalid rare.
Birger Koopman from Georg-August University gave an update on the effectiveness of major resistance genes against blackleg of oilseed rape in Germany.
The vulnerability of major genes to populations of Leptosphaeria maculans, capable of evolving from avirulent to virulent rapidly, has meant resistance can be overcome and lead to yield loss.
The frequency of isolates virulent to Rlm1, Rlm2, Rlm3, Rlm4 and Rlm9 was greater than 85% and the frequency of isolates to Rlm7 remained very low (<1%) therefore only the latter is mediating resistance to German L. maculans populations. Malgorzata Jedryczka from the Institute of Plant Genetics of the Polish Academy of Sciences provided an update on the screening of Trichoderma species for use as a biocontrol product against Leptosphaeria spp. T. harzianum, T. hamatum and T. longibrachiatum all prevented growth in dual cultures on agar media and decreased symptoms in controlled environment and field experiments. It was a very informative meeting and I would like to thank the BSPP for providing funding to attend.
Dr Faye Ritchie ADAS
