A total of 82 fungal isolates was obtained from wheat kernel samples affected by fusarium head blight collected from 20 locations in southern Brazil. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to characterize trichothecene mycotoxin genotypes [deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV) and two acetylated derivatives of DON]. To identify isolates that producing DON and NIV, portions of the Tri13 gene were amplified. To identify 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON) and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (15-ADON) genotypes, portions of Tri3 and Tri12 were amplified. Nearly all of the isolates studied (76/82) were of the DON/15-ADON genotype. Six of the isolates were of the NIV genotype. The DON/3-ADON genotype was not observed. Portions of three genes were sequenced from representative isolates of the NIV and DON/ 15-ADON genotypes and compared with sequences from curated reference isolates of Fusarium in GenBank. blast queries for individual gene sequences and pairwise comparisons of percentage identity and percentage divergence based on 1676 bp of concatenated DNA sequence suggested that the isolates representing the DON/15-ADON genotype were Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto and the isolates representing the NIV genotype were Fusarium meridionale . This is the first detailed report of trichothecene mycotoxin genotypes of F. graminearum and F. meridionale in Brazil.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) goosegrass [Eleusine indica(L.) Gaertn.] was recently identified in Brazil, but its resistance mechanism was unknown. This study elucidated the resistance mechanism in this species and developed a molecular marker for rapid detection of this target-site resistance trait. The resistance factor for the resistant biotype was 4.4-fold compared with the glyphosate-susceptible (GS) in greenhouse dose–response experiments. This was accompanied by a similar (4-fold) difference in the levels of in vitro andin plantashikimate accumulation in these biotypes. However, there was no difference in uptake, translocation, or metabolism of glyphosate between the GS and GR biotypes. Moreover, both biotypes showed similar values for 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) copy number and transcription. Sequencing of a 330-bp fragment of theEPSPSgene identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism that led to a Pro-106-Ser amino acid substitution in the enzyme from the GR biotype. This mutation imparted a 3.8-fold increase in the amount of glyphosate required to inhibit 50% of EPSPS activity, confirming the role of this amino acid substitution in resistance to glyphosate. A quantitative PCR–based genotyping assay was developed for the rapid detection of resistant plants containing this Pro-106-Ser mutation.

Cotton blue disease (CBD) is the viral disease which poses the greatest threat to cotton in Brazil. One efficient way of controlling this disease is by using resistant cultivars. However, the recent emergence of an atypical form of CBD (ACBD), caused by a new virus genotype capable of overcoming these resistant cultivars, is causing concern. Thus, the aims of this study were to evaluate the distribution of ACBD in the states of Mato Grosso (MT) and Goiás (GO), to determine the relationship between vector infestation level, disease incidence and yield, and to check the reaction of cotton cultivars to two viral isolates. In both cotton production areas, 1128 plots were surveyed and 6.5% showed plants with the virus, 97.3% and 2.7% with ACBD and CBD, respectively. In cultivars susceptible to ACBD, a positive linear relationship between changes in the levels of aphid infestation and incidence of viral infection was indentified, and a negative linear relationship between infestation level and yield. The maximum acceptable level of aphids up to 80 days after sowing for susceptible cultivars was approximately 15%. Although 83% of the cultivars were shown to be resistant to CBD, only 19.2% were resistant to ACBD. There was also a number of cultivars with considerable resistance to both isolates.

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IMA 5801B2RF is a medium to short season cultivar with high fiber yield potential. The genes Bt cry1Ac and cry2Ab confer resistance to Lepidoptera and cp4-epsps confers tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. The key feature of this new cultivar is resistance to ramularia leaf spot and root-knot nematode.