Agriculture

Research Conducted at Corvinus University Has Provided New Information about Forestry

  2012 MAY 10 - (VerticalNews.com) -- According to the authors of a study from Budapest, Hungary, "Monilinia is a well-known pathogen of fruit trees affecting fruit production all over the world. Three species of the Monilinia genus are particularly important with regard to fruit trees and ornamentals, causing serious blossom and twig blight and brown rot in fruits: Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia fructigena, and Monilinia laxa."

  "In this study, Monilinia isolates were compared and identified using classical and molecular methods. Morphological and culture characteristics were determined and pathogenicity testing performed. In addition, internal transcribed spacer regions and a genomic sequence with unknown function were analyzed and compared with sequence data from other Monilinia species in an international database. Four Monilinia/Monilia species were identified: M. fructicola, Monilia polystroma, M. fructigena, and M. laxa. M. fructicola was isolated from imported peach fruits. M. polystroma was first reported from Hungary and Europe on apple shoots and fruits. M. fructigena was identified on tea-rose hybrid pseudofruits, which is the first occurrence of this pathogen on this host. M. laxa causes brown rot of grapes, which has only been reported in New Zealand. Substitutions and insertions were detected when comparing M. laxa, M. fructigena, and M. polystroma sequences. In the genomic sequence with unknown function, three repetitive sequence motifs were identified in different numbers, depending on species and isolate," wrote M. Petroczy and colleagues, Corvinus University.

  The researchers concluded: "On the phylogram produced in this analysis, the Hungarian M. polystroma isolate (UFT) and M. polystroma reference isolates localized at a different branch than the closely related M. fructigena isolates and other Monilinia species."

  Petroczy and colleagues published the results of their research in Trees-Structure and Function (Monilinia species in Hungary: morphology, culture characteristics, and molecular analysis. Trees-Structure and Function, 2012;26(1):153-164).

  For additional information, contact M. Petroczy, Corvinus Univ Budapest, Fac Hort Sci, Dept. of Plant Pathol, H-1118 Budapest, Hungary.

  The publisher of the journal Trees-Structure and Function can be contacted at: Springer, 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA.

  Keywords: City:Budapest, Country:Hungary, Region:Europe, Forestry

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Agriculture editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2012, VerticalNews Agriculture via VerticalNews.com.