Extratos vegetais podem induzir mecanismos de resistência de plantas em função da presença de compostos com características eliciadoras. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do extrato bruto de alecrim nas concentrações 0%; 1%; 2,5% e 5% sobre a atividade de peroxidase, polifenoloxidase e fenilalanina amônia-liase (FAL) em soja inoculada com Macrophomina phaseolina. Foram retiradas amostras nos tempos 0, 36, 72, 120, 168, 216 e 264 h após o tratamento. Nas amostras retiradas do colo das plantas, para peroxidase, as concentrações mais elevadas do extrato proporcionaram dois picos de indução. Houve constante incremento na atividade de polifenoloxidase desde 36 até 120 h após o tratamento para a concentração 5%. Para FAL apenas a concentração 5% promoveu incremento 83% e 130% maior nos tempos 168 e 216 h após o tratamento, respectivamente. Para as atividades na raiz, peroxidase novamente apresentou dois picos de incremento para concentração 5%, a polifenoloxidase foi 426% maior na concentração 5% às 216 h após o tratamento e a atividade de FAL apresentou incremento de 340% no tempo 216 h após o tratamento com 5% do extrato. Estes resultados indicam o potencial do extrato de alecrim em induzir a atividade de enzimas de defesa em colo e raiz de soja.

Induction of resistance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) has been considered a promising alternative to control anthracnose. Among the changes generated in the induction of resistance, structural changes have been reported by several authors as an efficient form of resistance to the stress plants undergo. Histochemical analysis techniques have been used to investigate tissue changes triggered by induction of resistance. Thus, this study aims to investigate certain histochemical changes suffered by common bean plants induced with potassium phosphite and Trichoderma spp. in response to the attack by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, aiming to determine the host response pattern in terms of structural changes, associating it to possible disease control. Treatments consisted of isolates T. harzianum (isolate TOD1) and T. virens (isolate TM4), leaf fertilizer potassium phosphite Fertilis®, and distilled water (control). Inducers were applied to common bean alone or associated, consisting of five treatments plus the control treatment. The six treatments were evaluated for the absence and presence of C. lindemuthianum in a factorial scheme (6×2). Treatments allowed evaluating the severity of anthracnose in common bean, location of H2O2, lignin deposition, and hypersensitivity response in common bean hypocotyl by histochemical staining. Potassium phosphite and combinations of T. virens and T. harzianum with potassium phosphite efficiently reduced disease severity under greenhouse conditions, reaching 68, 84, and 71%, respectively. Studies with hypocotyl showed that T. harzianum + potassium phosphite and T. virens + potassium phosphite accelerated the H2O2 accumulation process and lignin deposition at the pathogen penetration site, in addition to the hypersensitivity reaction through the resistance-inducing activity, contributing to the protection of common bean against anthracnose caused by C. lindemuthianum.

Objective: The objective was to characterize the fermentative and microbiological profile of Tifton 85 bermudagrass haylage with different layers of polyethylene film and storage time. Methods: The experimental design consisted of a randomized block design with four and six wrapping layers (100 and 150 microns in total. respectively) allocated in the main plots, through repeated measures analysis (30, 60, and 90 days of storage) with four replicates. Results: The storage time and number of wrapping layers did not show changes in the population of Clostridium and lactic acid bacteria. A decrease was observed in the enterobacteria population with an increase in the storage period in the two wrapping layers studied. Upon opening of the haylage at 30 days, the population of Bacillus was lower in haylages made with six layers of wrapping (3.63 log colony forming units/g). No growth of Listeria sp. or Salmonella sp. was observed during the experimental period. The fungal genera with a greater occurrence were Penicillium sp. and Fusarium sp. The following mycotoxins were not detected: ochratoxin A, fumonisins, and zearalenone. Relative to the organic butyric, propionic, and acetic acids, the haylages presented a low concentration of lactic acid; this may have prevented a drop in the pH, which was high when the silos were opened (5.4). The levels of ammoniacal nitrogen and soluble carbohydrates presented no variation among the number of wrapping layers, with an overall average of 35.55 and 38.04 g/kg. Conclusion: Tifton 85 bermudagrass haylage wrapped with four and six layers presented adequate fermentation and microbiological characteristics in the evaluated periods.

Northern leaf blight caused by Exserohilum turcicum is an important disease of maize (Zea mays L.), and its severity depends more closely on growth lesions than on spot number. Here, we characterized the infection sites of E. turcicum on resistant and susceptible maize genotypes by analyzing the histology of lesions as well as the structural and biochemical mechanisms of infection. Maize leaves were inoculated with the pathogen at specific points and incubated in a microhumidity chamber. Samples were obtained to follow fungal development and host tissue lignification using light and electron microscopy, and the activity and electrophoretic patterns of peroxidases were determined. The time course of spore germination and appressorium formation was essentially the same for both genotypes; however, a delay of 12 h in fungal penetration, accompanied by host tissue lignification, was noted in the resistant genotype, as opposed to that in the susceptible one. Scanning electron microscopy revealed fungal mycelium in the xylem vessels of both genotypes; however, in the resistant genotype, pathogen colonization was restricted to mesophyll cells around the penetration point, where chlorotic flecks were produced. Meanwhile, in the susceptible genotype, following penetration and chlorotic fleck formation, the pathogen continued to grow inside the xylem vessels and profusely colonized mesophyll tissue distant from the penetration point, resulting necrotic lesion development. Electrophoretic patterns of peroxidases were similar between the two genotypes, with three isoenzymes present in all tissues. In addition, two novel isoenzymes were detected in chlorotic flecks, necrotic lesions, and green tissue around the lesions.

Devido à dificuldade de manejo de nematoides e a necessidade de desenvolver métodos alternativos de controle, objetivou-se avaliar a toxicidade in vitro do extrato aquoso de alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalis), assim como sua capacidade de controle de Meloidogyne incognita nos genótipos de soja CD206 e CD215. Em ensaio in vitro, para avaliar a capacidade inibitória de eclosão de juvenis, depositou-se 500 ovos/placa quantificando o número de juvenis eclodidos após 15 dias de incubação com 1%, 5% e 10% do extrato aquoso de alecrim. O ensaio in vivo foi conduzido em casa de vegetação climatizada, usando-se as mesmas concentrações do extrato de alecrim, pulverizado semanalmente sobre as plantas pelo período de 64 dias, iniciando no estádio fenológico V3. Três dias após a primeira pulverização inoculou-se 1800 ovos e 400 juvenis de segundo estágio (J2). O número de ovos e J2 no solo e raiz, o número de galhas e o fator de reprodução foram determinados. Os resultados indicaram que in vitro, o extrato de alecrim reduziu a eclosão de juvenis. Em soja, verificou-se redução de 48% no número de galhas, além da redução no número de ovos no solo e no fator de reprodução para a cultivar CD 206. Para CD 215 houve redução no número de ovos e no fator de reprodução. Assim, o extrato aquoso de alecrim apresenta potencial para manejo de M. incognita em soja.

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a diagrammatic scale to evaluate the severity of spots on maize leaves caused by the fungus Diplodia macrospora. Severity ranged between the minimal (0.5%) and maximal (55%) limits of disease severity, and intermediate severity levels were defined according to the "Weber-Fechner stimulus response law". The proposed scale describes six levels of severity based on how much of the leaf is affected: 0.5%, 3%, 8%, 23%, 36%, and 55%. Validation was carried out by eight evaluators, four inexperienced and four experienced. They estimated the severity of disease in 60 maize leaves, with and without the proposed diagrammatic scale. A relationship was shown by regression analysis between estimated and actual severity, with and without the use of the scale. When both inexperienced and experienced evaluators used the scale, they were able to estimate disease severity more accurately and precisely.