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Identification and pathogenicity of Phytophthora species in pear commercial orchards in Argentina

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Abstract

ʻBartlettʼ pear cultivar accounts for 40% of the pear production area of Río Negro and Neuquén provinces, Argentina. During fall and spring 2014–2016, symptoms associated with Phytophthora rots were observed in declining commercial orchards. The aims of this survey were: (i) to identify the Phytophthora species associated with these irrigated commercial orchards, using different isolation strategies; and (ii) to investigate the pathogenic potential of Phytophthora isolates on pear fruit and tree. Several strategies were used to isolate Phytophthora spp. from soil/roots and collar rot. Fifty-two isolates were grouped by morphological and cultural characters, corresponding mainly to P. cactorum and other species of Clade 6. P. cactorum was the main species obtained from collar wood and root/soil by fruit bating. The identity of the species was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcriber spacers (ITS, ITS1, and ITS4 primers) and comparison with sequences available in GenBank and Phytophthora Database (http://phytophthoradb.org). Sequences of P. inundata, P. rosacearum, P. lacustris, P. termophila and P.cactorum were deposited in GenBank. Pathogenicity tests were made for each species on 1-year-old shoots and fruit of ʻBartlettʼ and ʻd’Anjouʼ cultivars, and then on 2-year-old rootstock roots of ʻBartlettʼ cultivar. All Phytophthora species were pathogenic, with different levels of severity among isolates. P. cactorum was the most aggressive species on pear rootstock roots and 1-year-old shoots.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by Secretaría de Ciencia y Técnica de la Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Argentina. We thank Agronomic Engineer Patricio Torres and the producers who made this research study possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fitopatología, Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria (IBAC), Centro de Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue (CITAAC) CONICET- Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, Argentina

    Aixa Daihana Sanchez, María Cristina Sosa, María Cecilia Lutz & Gastón Alejandro Carreño

  2. CITAAC CONICET- Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Neuquén, Argentina

    Maria Julia Ousset

  3. Fitopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Mendoza, Mendoza, Argentina

    Gabriela Susana Lucero

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  1. Aixa Daihana Sanchez
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  2. María Cristina Sosa
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  3. María Cecilia Lutz
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  4. Gastón Alejandro Carreño
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Correspondence to María Cristina Sosa.

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Sanchez, A.D., Sosa, M.C., Lutz, M.C. et al. Identification and pathogenicity of Phytophthora species in pear commercial orchards in Argentina. Eur J Plant Pathol 154, 811–822 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-019-01705-2

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