Session Announcement: Ecology and Epidemiology

Keynote speaker: Dr. Yigal Elad
Botrytis cinerea and other Botrytis species are important pathogens of nursery plants, vegetable, ornamental, field and orchard crops. Bulbs, seeds and other propagation material also suffer infection. One intriguing phenomenon associated with Botrytis infection is the ability of this pathogen to be quiescent in the host tissue for varying periods either during the crop growing season or post-harvest. The rapid conidia germination, infection, mycelium growth and conidiation occur under a wide range of microclimate conditions and pose severe disease management problems all around the world. Moreover, the ability of B. cinerea to be active at temperature as low as 0°C makes it also an important and challenging pathogen during storage and shipment. Nevertheless, the limiting factor for epidemic outbreaks is usually the occurrence of the appropriate microclimatic conditions, rather than the amount of inoculum. The production of high numbers of conidia poses a long lasting threat to susceptible hosts. It was claimed that infection can occur only in high relative humidity conditions. Indeed, the role of water films and nutrients in germination and infection has been long recognized. However, it is interesting that the pathogen adapted itself to infect plants when no visible water film occurs. Penetration of leaves and stems, floral organs and wounds of various ages and consequences of ecological niche change in host crops will be demonstrated. Detailed studies on the precise conditions that promote infection, disease development and survival of inoculum have provided the essential epidemiological information required for the design of control strategies. For example, cultural methods have been developed that increase aeration and drying of the plant canopy to reduce the risk of Botrytis epidemics. Rational warning systems based on conditions highly conducive to conidia germination and host penetration for disease development have been developed for some crop systems.

In the Ecology and Epidemiology session, presentations will address, among others, different aspects in grapes and other crops, related to eenvironmental and nutritional factors influencing the activation and spread of quiescent infections; interdependent effects of climate and vegetative growth on grey mould incidence; infection of flowers and fruits in relation to weather conditions and fruit age; Thrips as a vector of Botrytis to flowers, systemic infection; Inoculum ecology; Predicting the seasonal risk and forecast of Botrytis infection risk; competitive colonisation of B. cinerea and other species.

Details of the speaker:

Dr. Yigal Elad
Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel;
E-Mail: elady@volcani.agri.gov.il

Biography:
1974-1977: B.S. with honors in Agriculture. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI);
1978: M.Sc. HUJI on biological control of Sclerotium rolfsii with Trichoderma harzianum;
1979-1983: Ph. D. on the mechanism of biological control of soil borne plant pathogens by Trichoderma harzianum;
1983-1984: Visiting Scientist, Colorado State University, Dept, of Botany and Plant Pathology - interaction of Pseudomonads with Fusaria;
1984 1985: researcher, HUJI, Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology on biocontrol of Pythium aphanidermatum with bacteria;
1992: Visiting scientist at IPO DLO, Wageningen, The Netherlands on suppression of infection and sporulation of Botrytis cinerea;
2002-2003: Honorary Scientific Research Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London on interaction between host plant, biocontrol agent, pathogen and indigenous microflora; 1998-2002: Head, Dept. of Plant Pathology, The Volcani Center, Israel
2002- : Head, Plant Pathology Unit, Centre for research and development of crop protection with low environment and consumer-health impact, SafeCrop, Istituto Agrario di S. Michele all'Adige IASMA, Trentino, Italy;
1998- : Convenor of the IOBC/WPRS working group of biocontrol of plant pathogens;
2006- : Scientific head of R&D Central and North Arava, Israel.
Current research priorities: Diseases of covered crops; foliar diseases; chemical, biological and integrated control; epidemiology; parasitism and physiology of the diseased plant.