Biomass Reducing Potential and Prospective Fungicide Control of a New Leaf Blight of Miscanthus × giganteus Caused by Leptosphaerulina chartarum

Abstract

During a multistate survey (2009) of diseases of perennial grasses under consideration as biofuel feedstocks, a new leaf blight of Miscanthus × giganteus caused by Leptosphaerulina chartarum was observed on 100 % of the plants evaluated in research plots near Lexington, Kentucky. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the effect of L. chartarum on M.×giganteus biomass and to identify effective foliar fungicides against the disease. Eleven broad-spectrum fungicides were tested with rates typically used in agronomic crops. Fungicides tested included active ingredients from five different chemical groups, demethylation inhibitors (prothioconazole, tebuconazole, cyproconazole, propiconazole, tetraconazole, flutriafol, and metconazole), quinone outside inhibitors (pyraclostrobin), succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (boscalid), methyl benzimidazole carbamates (thiophanate-methyl), and chloronitriles (chlorothalonil). Infection by L. chartarum significantly lowered aboveground biomass by an average of 33 %. Application of cyproconazole, flutriafol, tebuconazole, or prothioconazole significantly reduced disease severity, with cyproconazole and flutriafol ranking best at an average of 29 % disease control. However, no fungicide treatment resulted in biomass loss abatement. Greater rates or a combination of fungicides might be needed to achieve adequate control.

Characterization of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Tobacco Endophytic Fungi Leptosphaerulina chartarum and Curvularia trifolii and Their Contributions to Phylogenetic Implications in the Pleosporales

“…Alamo, etc. [7][8][9][10]. However, of note, the fruiting bodies of this fungus have also been reported to cause facial eczema in some animals (i.e., sheep, cattle, goats, and deer) as a consequence of the liver damage caused by a mycotoxin (sporidesmin) [11][12][13].…”

The Eurotiomycete Apinisia graminicola as the causal agent of a leaf spot disease on the energy crop Miscanthus x giganteus in Northern Germany

“…Disease symptoms of a leaf spot disease were similar to those caused by S. tainanensis (Pusz and Pląskowska 2010), but covered a smaller relative leaf area. Compared to other fungal pathogens with an observed or potential capacity of an epidemic outbreak on M. giganteus leaves, associated with biomass reduction, like P. chartarum (Ahonsi et al 2013) and C. heterostrophus (Falter and Voigt 2014), respectively, we would not expect severe epidemic outbreaks and significant biomass losses caused by A. graminicola infection based on our current knowledge. However, our infection assay data clearly indicated that higher temperature would support severity of A. graminicola infection of M. giganteus leaves, which we have previously reported also for the plant pathogenic fungi S. nodorum and S. tainanensis (Falter and Voigt 2014).…”

“…Pusz and Pląskowska (2010) identified Stagonospora tainanensis as a M. giganteus leaf pathogen, which could reduce biomass yields; and Pithomyces chartarum is the causal agent of M. giganteus leaf blight with a biomass-reducing potential that might exceed that of S. tainenesis (Ahonsi et al 2010;Ahonsi et al 2013). In our recent study (Falter and Voigt 2014), we were able to show the biomass-reducing potential of Bipolaris sorokiniana, Cochliobolus heterotrophus, Stagonospora macropycnidia, and Stagonospora nodorum, which we identified as M. giganteus leaf pathogens and which have been well described pathogens of crops (Bakonyi et al 1998;Oliver et al 2012;Ullstrup 1972).…”

Modifying lignin to improve bioenergy feedstocks: strengthening the barrier against pathogens?†

“…have been identified in sugarcane (Dixon et al, 2010) and switchgrass (Gustafson et al, 2003; Wadl et al, 2011). Fungal leaf blights caused by Leptosphaerulina chartarum (Ahonsi et al, 2013) and Leptosphaeria sp . (O’Neill and Farr, 1996) have been identified in Miscanthus × giganteus or related Miscanthus species.…”