-The degree of blast resistance of upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar Araguaia has decreased over time causing significant yield losses. The major objective of this study was to obtain blast (Pyricularia grisea) resistant somaclones, adapting greenhouse and field selection procedures. Rice blast resistance and agronomic traits were assessed in R 2 to R 6 generations derived from regenerant plants (R 1 ) from immature panicles of Araguaia. The evaluation and selection procedures include testing of early segregating populations and fixed lines in the advanced generations, under natural field conditions, and artificial inoculations in the greenhouse, with prevalent races IB-1 and IB-9 of P. grisea. Somaclones with both vertical resistance and slow blasting resistance were obtained. Twenty of 31 somaclones developed with a high degree of vertical resistance and fan shaped plant type maintained resistance in field and blast nursery tests in the R 6 generation. Greenhouse selection with two specific physiologic races yielded 44 somaclones with slow blasting resistance, similar plant type and yield potential as that of Araguaia.Index terms: Oryza sativa, Pyricularia grisea, somaclonal variation, tissue culture. DESENVOLVIMENTO DE SOMACLONES DA CULTIVAR ARAGUAIA RESISTENTES À BRUSONE EM ARROZ DE SEQUEIRORESUMO -O grau de resistência à brusone da cultivar de arroz (Oryza sativa) Araguaia tem decrescido ao longo dos anos, resultando em prejuízos significativos na produtividade. O objetivo principal deste estudo foi obter somaclones resistentes à brusone (Pyricularia grisea), adaptando os métodos de seleção em casa de vegetação e de campo. Foram avaliadas plantas regeneradas (R 1 ) de panículas imaturas da cultivar Araguaia nas gerações R 2 a R 6 para resistência à brusone e características agronô-micas. O método de avaliação e seleção de plantas envolveu avaliações de populações segregantes e linhagens fixadas, em condições naturais de infecção no campo, e infecções artificiais em casa de vegetação com duas raças prevalecentes de P. grisea IB-1 e IB-9. Foram obtidos somaclones com resistência vertical e progresso lento de brusone. Vinte de 31 somaclones desenvolvidos com alto grau de resistência vertical e tipo de planta em leque apresentaram estabilidade da resistência no campo e nos viveiros de brusone na geração R 6 . No procedimento de seleção em casa de vegetação com duas raças específicas, foram obtidos 44 somaclones com progresso lento de brusone, as quais não diferiram da Araguaia quanto ao tipo de planta e potencial de produtividade.Termos para indexação: Oryza sativa, Pyricularia grisea, variação somaclonal, cultura de tecido.

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An epidemic of rice (Oryza sativa) blast occurred on cultivars Epagri 108 and 109 in the municipalities of Lagoa da Confusão and Duerê in the State of Tocantins, during the rice-growing season 1998-99. DNA fingerprinting and virulence phenotype analysis were utilized to determine the diversity of Pyricularia grisea isolates collected from these cultivars in one epidemic year. Rep-PCR analysis of isolates was done by using two primer sequences from Pot2. Two distinct fingerprint groups or lineages were identified among 53 isolates collected from nine different commercial fields. The virulence pattern of isolates retrieved from these two cultivars was analyzed in artificial inoculation tests utilizing 32 genotypes in the greenhouse. A dendrogram constructed from virulence phenotype data showed a single group considering 77% similarity level. The predominant pathotype IB-45 was represented by 47 of the 53 isolates corresponding to 83%. Four other pathotypes (IB-1, IB-9, IB-13 and IB-41) were identified at random among the isolates from these cultivars. There was no relation between rep-PCR grouping and pathotypes. The results showed that the isolates of P. grisea recovered from cultivars Epagri108 and 109 in farmers' fields had narrow phenotypic and genetic diversity. The blast outbreak on these two cultivars one year after their introduction could be attributed to the new pathotype IB-45 or its increase, which was hitherto existing in low frequency.

Agriculture accounts for ~ 70% of all water use and the world population is increasing annually; soon more people will need to be fed, while also using less water. The use of plant-associated bacteria (PAB) is an eco-friendly alternative that can increase crop water use efficiency. This work aimed to study the effect of some PAB on increasing soybean tolerance to drought stress, the mechanisms of the drought tolerance process, and the effect of the PAB on promoting plant growth and on the biocontrol of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. PAB were isolated from soybean rhizosphere and S. sclerotiorum sclerotia. The strains identified as UFGS1 (Bacillus subtilis), UFGS2 (Bacillus thuringiensis), UFGRB2 and UFGRB3 (Bacillus cereus) were selected on their ability to grow in media with reduced water activity. Soybean plants were inoculated with the PAB and evaluated for growth promotion, physiological and molecular parameters, after drought stress. Under drought stress, UFGS2 and UFGRB2 sustained potential quantum efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), while a decrease was found in the control plants. Moreover, UFGS2 and UFGRB3 maintained the photosynthetic rates in non-stressed conditions compared to the control. UFGS2-treated plants showed a higher stomatal conductance and higher transpiration than the control, after drought stress. Some PAB-treated plants also had other beneficial phenotypes, such as increases in fresh and dried biomass relative to the control. Differential gene expression analysis of genes involved in plant stress pathways shows changes in expression in PAB-treated plants. Results from this study suggest that PAB can mitigate drought stress in soybean and may improve water efficiency under certain conditions.

Epicoccum sp. showed in vitro antagonism to the rice pathogens Magnaporthe oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani, Sarocladium oryzae, Monographella albescens and Cochliobolus miyabeanus in dual culture. The colony growth of the rice blast fungus, M. oryzae, was reduced by 42.50%. The lethal doses (LD 50 ) determined based on probit-log dosage response curves at 3 and 6 hours after germination were 393.0 and 326.6 ppm, respectively. The crude extract (600 ppm) reduced appressorial formation by 95.68%. A greenhouse experiment comparing the relative efficiency of conidial suspension and crude extract of Epicoccum sp. in the suppression of leaf blast showed no statistical difference between both application methods. However, the crude extract of Epicoccum sp. (4000 ppm) 48 hours before the application of M. oryzae induced resistance and suppressed leaf blast by 97.6%. Scanning electron microscopy of rice leaves inoculated with crude extract of Epicoccum sp. and challenged with M. oryzae showed appressorial deformation on penetration phase. Peroxidase and β-1,3-glucanase activities increased in plants sprayed with crude extract of Epicoccum sp., 24 hours after the application of the challenger. PAL as well as chitinase activities increased 72 hours after challenge inoculation. Epicoccum sp. was shown to be a potential antagonist and inducer of resistance against M. oryzae.

Resumo -Este trabalho teve como objetivos determinar as perdas na produtividade de arroz causadas pela brusone (Pyricularia grisea) e estabelecer as relações entre a severidade da doença e alguns componentes de produtividade, nas condições naturais de infecção no campo. Foram realizados dois experimentos em solos de cerrado, com e sem irrigação suplementar, com as cultivares melhoradas de arroz de terras altas (Bonança, Canastra, Caiapó e Primavera). O método de regressão múltipla foi utilizado, incluindo severidade de brusone nas folhas e de brusone nas panículas como variáveis independentes e produtividade como variável dependente, para estimativa das perdas na produtividade. No experimento com irrigação suplementar, a severidade de brusone nas folhas não contribuiu para variação da produtividade. No experimento sem irrigação, a perda média na produtividade das quatro cultivares, estimada com base na equação de regressão, foi de 59,6%, considerando as médias de 33,6% e 49,9% de brusone nas folhas e panículas, respectivamente. A perda estimada em biomassa, causada pela brusone nas folhas, foi de 28,6%. As relações entre severidade de brusone nas panículas e a porcentagem de espiguetas vazias foram lineares e positivas e resultaram em 5,0% e 43,9% de perdas, nos experimentos com e sem irrigação, respectivamente. A brusone nas panículas reduziu a massa de 100 grãos em 5,9% no experimento irrigado e em 47,8% no experimento não irrigado. Termos para indexação: Oryza sativa, Magnaporthe grisea, Pyricularia grisea, controle químico, fungicidas. Estimation of grain yield losses caused by blast in upland riceAbstract -The objectives of this work were to determine rice grain yield losses caused by blast (Pyricularia grisea) and to establish the relationships between blast severity and some yield components. Two field experiments were carried out, on cerrado soil, with and without supplementary irrigation, with upland rice cultivars (Bonança, Canastra, Caiapó and Primavera) improved for superior grain quality. Multiple regression procedure was utilized including leaf and panicle blast severities as independent variables and grain yield as dependent variable, for estimating yield losses. The leaf blast severity did not contribute to the variation in grain yield, in the experiment with supplementary irrigation. In the experiment without irrigation, the average yield loss of four cultivars, estimated on the basis of regression equation was 59.6%, considering the mean leaf and panicle blast severities of 33.6% and 49.9%, respectively. The estimated loss in biomass due to leaf blast was 28.6%. The relationship between panicle blast and percentage of empty spikelets was positive and linear, resulting in 5.0% and 43.9% loss, in experiments with and without supplementary irrigation, respectively. Panicle blast reduced 100-grain mass by 5.9% in experiment with irrigation and 47.8% without irrigation. Index terms: Oryza sativa, Magnaporthe grisea, Pyricularia grisea, chemical control, fungicides.(1) Aceito para publicação em 14 I...

Genetic and phenotypic structure of Magnaporthe oryzae populations of two upland rice cultivars was determined. Monoconidial isolates were obtained from rice blast affected fields, four from cv. BRS Bonança and four from cv. Primavera, in Goias State (2001)(2002)(2003). The pathotypes IB-41 and IB-9 were predominant in both leaf and panicle isolates of BRS Bonança and IF-1 in Primavera. A great majority of pathotypes were common to both leaf and panicle subpopulations of Bonança (42.8%) and Primavera (66.6%). The ANOVA of virulence data showed high variability within population of each cultivar. There was no significant difference in virulence pattern of isolates from leaves and panicles, independent of collection site and cultivar. The molecular characterization of isolates was done employing the rep-PCR analysis with two primer sequences from Pot2. The genetic analysis of 538 isolates showed a high genotypic diversity in both leaf and panicle pathogen populations with 103 haplotypes in Bonança and 49 in Primavera. The migration of pathotypes from leaves to panicles in each field was 70.8% and 36.6% for Primavera and BRS Bonança, respectively. The diversity of M. oryzae population was influenced by cultivar of origin. A great amount of population diversity was encountered within the same field. Keywords: Pyricularia grisea, virulence, Rep-PCR, rice blast. RESUMO Diversidade genética e fenotípica de Magnaporthe oruzae de folhas e panículas de arroz no Estado de Goiás, BrasilA estrutura genética e fenotípica da população de Magnaporthe oryzae foi estudada em folhas e panículas de duas cultivares de arroz de terras altas. Os isolados monospóricos foram obtidos em lavouras comerciais de arroz, quatro da cv. BRS Bonança e quatro da cv. Primavera, Goiás-Brasil (2001. As raças IB-41 e IB-9 foram as predominantes entre os isolados de folhas e panículas de Bonança e a raça IF-1 para Primavera. De 35 e 27 raças identificadas de Bonança (42,8%) e Primavera (66,6%) foram comum a ambas as subpopulações de folha e panículas. Um total de 15 raças não encontradas em folhas foi detectado em baixa freqüência em panícula de Bonança. A anova da virulência, mostrou elevada variabilidade dentro de subpopulação de cada cultivar. Não existiu mudança significativa no padrão de virulência dos isolados de folhas e panículas, independente do local e cultivar. A caracterização molecular dos isolados foi realizada por Rep-PCR com dois primers da seqüência Pot 2. A análise genética dos 538 isolados mostrou elevada diversidade genotípica nas populações de folha e de panículas, com 103 perfis em Bonança e 49 em Primavera. A migração de raças de folhas para panículas em cada lavoura foi de 70,8% (Primavera) e 36,5% (Bonança). A maior parte da diversidade da população foi encontrada dentro de cada lavoura.

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the resistance spectra of six elite breeding lines of rice, developed for improved yield and grain quality, in inoculation tests in the greenhouse and in the field. Forty-six isolates of Pyricularia grisea collected from the cultivar Primavera, 31 from the cultivar Maravilha and 19 from six elite breeding lines, totaling 96 were utilized for inoculations. Out of 11 international and 15 Brazilian pathotypes, IC-1, IB-9, and BD-16, respectively, were identified as most frequent isolates collected from the cultivar Primavera. The isolates retrieved from Maravilha belong to four international and 11 Brazilian pathotypes, the predominant ones being IB-9 and IB-49 and BB-1 and BB-21, respectively. Lines CNA s 8711 and CNA s 8983 showed resistant reaction to all test isolates from Maravilha, while CNA s 8983 was susceptible to three isolates of Primavera pertaining to the pathotype IC-1. A majority of isolates exhibiting compatible reaction to Primavera were incompatible to Maravilha and vice-versa. Field assessment of rice blast utilizing the area under disease progress curve as a criterion for measuring disease severity showed significant differences among the six breeding lines. The isolates of P. grisea exhibiting differential reaction on breeding lines can be utilized in pyramiding resistance genes in new upland rice cultivars.Index terms: Oryza sativa, pathotypes, physiologic races, rice blast, inoculation methods. Espectro de resistência de seis linhagens elites de arroz de terras altas a Pyricularia griseaResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o espectro de resistência de seis linhagens elites de arroz de terras altas, desenvolvidas para maior produtividade e qualidade superior de grãos, através de testes de inoculação em casa de vegetação e no campo. Nos testes de inoculação, foram utilizados 96 isolados de Pyricularia grisea, sendo 46 provenientes da cultivar Primavera, 31 da cultivar Maravilha e 19 de seis linhagens elites. Os patótipos internacionais IC-1 e IB-9, e os patótipos brasileiros BD-16 foram identificados como mais freqüentes entre os isolados coletados da cultivar Primavera. Os isolados da cultivar Maravilha pertenceram a quatro patótipos internacionais e a 11 patótipos brasileiros com predominância de IB-9, IB-49, BB-1 e BB-21, respectivamente. Enquanto as linhagens CNA s 8711 e CNA s 8983 apresentaram reações de resistência para todos os isolados oriundos da cultivar Maravilha, CNA s 8983 mostrou reação suscetível para três isolados de Primavera, pertencentes ao patótipo IC-1. A maioria dos isolados que apresentaram reações compatíveis com a cultivar Primavera foram incompatíveis com a cultivar Maravilha e vice-versa. As avaliações no campo mostraram diferenças significativas entre as linhagens com relação à área sob curva de progresso da brusone nas folhas. Os isolados de P. grisea que apresentaram reações diferenciais nas linhagens podem ser utilizados para a piramidação de genes em novas cultivares de arroz de terras altas.Termos pa...