ISHS Acta Horticulturae 494: II International Symposium on Chestnut
CHESTNUT BLIGHT AND THE HYPOVIRULENCE IN THE CARPATHIAN-BASIN |
| Author: | L. Radócz |
| Keywords: | chestnut blight, VCGs, hypovirulence, conversion, biological control |
| Abstract:
During the last few years destruction of Hungarian chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) populations by the fungus chestnut blight /Cryphonectria parasitical has increased. One main aspect of this research is to use hypovirulent strains of the pathogen as a biological control agent against this parasite. A total of 38 isolates (randomly selected from more than 300 isolates) of this pathogen (from 19 observed chestnut stands, in south- and west-Hungary) was examined for virulence, classification of vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) and for the presence of hipovirulence-associated dsRNA. Up to now 13 VCGs were found in Hungarian chestnut stands. Long dsRNA fragments (of 6,2x106 molecular weight) were found in the cytoplasm of 10 Hungarian hypovirulent isolates. These dsRNAs were also similar in their electrophoretic characteristics. These hypovirulent strains demonstrated reduced virulence. Virulence of each in vitro converted isolate was also analysed. These converted isolates showed the same level of reduced virulence than the hypovirulent ones. | |
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