Aphids are viral vectors in potatoes, most importantly of Potato virus Y (PVY), and insecticides are frequently used to reduce viral spread during the crop season. Aphids collected from the potato belt of New Brunswick, Canada, in 2015 and 2016 were surveyed for known and novel mutations in the Na-channel (para) gene, coding for the target of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides. Specific genetic mutations known to confer resistance (kdr and skdr) were found in great abundance in Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), which rose from 76% in 2015 to 96% in 2016. Aphids other than M. persicae showed lower frequency of resistance. In 2015, 3% of individuals contained the resistance mutation skdr, rising to 13% in 2016 (of 45 species). Several novel resistance mutations or mutations not before reported in aphids were identified in this gene target. One of these mutations, I936V, is known to confer pyrethroid resistance in another unrelated insect, and three others occur immediately adjacent and prompt similar chemical shifts in the primary protein structure, to previously characterized mutations associated with pyrethroid resistance. Most novel mutations were found in species other than M. persicae or others currently tracked individually by the provincial aphid monitoring program, which were determined by cytochrome C oxidase I (cox1) sequencing. Through our cox1 DNA barcoding survey, at least 45 species of aphids were discovered in NB potato fields in 2015 and 2016, many of which are known carriers of PVY.
S-carvone, L-menthone, peppermint and spearmint oils were tested in vitro against Fusarium coeruleum, F. sambucinum, F. avenaceum, F. oxysporum, Alternaria solani, Rhizoctonia solani, Helminthosporium solani, Phytophthora infestans (A1 and A2 mating types), Phytophthora erythroseptica, Phoma exigua and Pythium ultimum which are causal agents of major potato storage diseases. The majority of these pathogens were completely inhibited due to pure oils, although F. sambucinum, F. avenaceum, A. solani and P. exigua were not completely inhibited by one or more pure oils. Peppermint oil was the least effective among tested oils. However, R. solani, H. solani, P. erythroseptica, and P. infestans (A1 and A2 mating types) were completely inhibited for a period of 1-18 weeks by single treatments of all four pure oils. Effects of mixtures of aluminum starch octenylsuccinate (ASOS) and L-menthol or peppermint oil on F. sambucinum and R. solani were also tested in vitro for a period of over 5 weeks. Percent inhibition of F. sambucinum by single application of mixtures of ASOS and L-menthol or peppermint oil decreased over 11-13 days after treatment, while the mixtures at the same rates consistently inhibited the growth of R. solani for over 15 days. Mixtures of 10 g of ASOS and 4 g or 8 g doses of essential oils were the most effective in inhibiting pathogens growth for periods over 13 or 20 days, respectively. The antifungal effects of essential oils and their components against all tested pathogens suggest their potential use as alternative tools for controlling potato storage diseases.
The efficacy of metalaxyl-m (Ridomil Gold 480EC) and phosphite (Phostrol) applied at planting in-furrow against pink rot (Phytophthora erythroseptica) of potato (Solanum tuberosum) ‘Shepody’ and ‘Russet Burbank’ was evaluated in field trials conducted in 2005 and 2006 in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. Inoculum made from a metalaxyl-m-sensitive isolate of P. erythroseptica from New Brunswick was applied either in-furrow as a vermiculite slurry at planting or as a zoospore drench in soils adjacent to potato plants in late August. After harvest, the number and weight of tubers showing pink rot symptoms were assessed and expressed as percentages of the total tuber number and total weight of tubers. Metalaxyl-m applied in-furrow was significantly more effective against pink rot than phosphite. The mean percentage of diseased tubers as a percentage of total tuber weight was 1.5% (2005) and 1.2% (2006) for metalaxyl-m-treated plots and 9.6% (2005) and 2.8% (2006) for phosphite-treated plots, a percentage similar to that obtained in inoculated control plots with no fungicide treatment. The mean percentage of diseased tubers expressed as a percentage of the total number of tubers was 1.7% (2005) and 1.3% (2006) for metalaxyl-m-treated plots and 10.1% (2005) and 3.1% (2006) for phosphite-treated plots. Disease incidence was significantly higher using the late-season inoculation technique (respective means in 2005 and 2006 were 9.9 and 3.8% diseased tubers, by weight, and 10.6 and 3.9%, by number) than with the in-furrow inoculation method (respective means in 2005 and 2006 were 3.3 and 0.7% by weight, and 3.7 and 1.3%, by number). The potato cv. Shepody was significantly more susceptible to pink rot (9.9 and 3.3% diseased tubers, by weight, in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and 10.6 and 3.9%, by number) than Russet Burbank (respective means in 2005 and 2006 were 3.4,% and 1.2%, by weight, and 3.7,% and 1.2%, by number). Our findings indicate that metalaxyl applied in-furrow at planting is a viable option for control of pink rot caused by metalaxyl-sensitive strains of P. erythroseptica, whereas phosphite was ineffective.
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