Contaminated irrigation water constitutes one of the main sources of plant pathogens that can cause disease and lead to potentially significant production losses in forest nurseries. Recycling of contaminated irrigation water increases the risk of spreading diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate a simple slow sand filtration treatment of irrigation water as a method for eradicating fungal and bacterial pathogens in eucalypt cutting nurseries. Pilot filter units were constructed from PVC pipes containing a 80 cm high layer of sand with grain size varying from 0.50 to 0.75 mm, drainage layers of 10 cm of fine gravel (4 mm) followed by a 15 cm layer of coarse gravel (8 mm), connected to a water outlet. The PVC pipe had space for a 150 mm water column above the sand layer and the filter had a flow rate of 100 to 300 L m-2 h-1. Eradication of the bacterial pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum, and the fungal pathogens Cylindrocladium candelabrum and Botrytis cinerea through the use of the filter was evaluated. Detection of bacteria in filter-treated irrigation water was performed through the micro drop method followed by PCR of colonies, while fungal pathogens were detected using a castorbean leaf biological bait method. Evaluations were performed daily 35 times for R. solanacearum, 25 times for C. candelabrum and 18 times for B. cinerea during a period of 12 months. After the last evaluation period, samples from various depths of the sand layer in the filters were taken and analyzed for the presence of the plant pathogens. The slow sand filters were able to remove B. cinerea and C. candelabrum spores with 100% efficiency while eradication of R. solanacearum colonies reached up to 99.6%. Colonies of Trichoderma sp. were found predominantly on the all filter layers. The results of this study show that slow sand filters are efficient for recycled water in eucalypt nurseries, especially in eradicating fungal pathogens.

Objetivou-se, neste estudo, determinar os efeitos da posição da folha, superfície foliar e os sítios de entrada, assim como ferimentos, lesões de outros patógenos ou aberturas naturais sobre a infecção de Quambalaria eucalypti em Eucalyptus spp. Para isso, realizaram-se inoculações artificiais em folhas de mudas seminais de Eucalyptus globulus e dois clones híbridos de Eucalyptus (UFV-100 – E. grandis x E. urophylla e UFV-101 - E. saligna x E. maidenii). E. globulus foi mais suscetível à infecção que os clones UFV-100 e UFV-101. Os ferimentos artificiais favoreceram a penetração do patógeno. Entretanto, lesões velhas causadas por Cylindrocladium pteridis e Puccinia psidii não foram sítios de entrada de Q. eucalypti. Não foram observadas diferenças na germinação de esporos e colonização entre folhas em expansão e completamente expandidas. Q. eucalypti penetrou em folhas com ferimentos. Contudo não foi possível observar a penetração direta através da epiderme. Folhas jovens foram mais suscetíveis à infecção de Q. eucalypti que folhas completamente expandidas no terço superior da planta. A infecção ocorreu preferencialmente na superfície abaxial da folha.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of leaf position, surface, and the need for entry sites, such as wounds, other pathogen lesions or natural openings, to promote infection of Quambalaria eucalypti in Eucalyptus spp. We carried out a series of artificial inoculations in wounded and unwounded leaves from seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus and two hybrid clones (UFV-100 - E. grandis x E. urophylla and UFV-101 - E. saligna x E. maidenii). E. globulus was more susceptible to infection than clones UFV-100 and UFV-101. Artificial wounds greatly favored pathogen penetration. However, old lesions caused by Cylindrocladium pteridis and Puccinia psidii did not provide infection sites for Q. eucalypti. Differences in fungal spore germination and leaf surface colonization were not observed between expanding and fully expanded leaves. Q. eucalypti penetrated through the wounded leaves and we didn't observe direct penetration thought the epidermis. Stomata neither attracted nor repelled germ tube and somatic hyphae. Young expanding leaves were more susceptible to Q. eucalypti infection than fully expanded leaves located in the upper third of the plant. Infection took place preferentially on the abaxial leaf surface.

Avaliou-se o risco do reaproveitamento de água não tratada, originária do efluente do minijardim clonal, da casa de vegetação, da casa de sombra, das áreas de crescimento e rustificação a céu aberto de um viveiro clonal de eucalipto, quanto ao potencial de disseminação de inóculo de Botrytis cinerea e Cylindrocladium candelabrum. Avaliou-se também a presença de inóculo desses fungos em brita usada como cobertura do piso das áreas do viveiro. Para a detecção dos patógenos, empregaram-se discos de folhas de mamoneira (Ricinus communis) como isca. Análises periódicas evidenciaram que ambos os patógenos são constantemente veiculados na água não tratada, proveniente das diferentes fases da propagação clonal e sobre a brita, sendo C. candelabrum mais freqüentemente constatado. A composição e a concentração de sais de três soluções nutritivas, expressa em valores de condutividade elétrica (0, 0,5, 1,0, 1,5, 2,0, 2,5 e 3,0 mS.cm-1), não afetaram significativamente a germinação de conídios.

The risk posed by reuse of untreated water for irrigation, collected from the effluents of mini-hedges, greenhouses, shade houses, growing and hardening areas of a eucalyptus cutting nursery, was evaluated in relation to the dissemination of Botrytis cinerea and Cylindrocladium candelabrum. The presence of inocula of these fungi was also evaluated on gravel used as soil cover. For pathogen detection, leaf discs of castor bean (Ricinus communis) were employed as biological bait. Periodical analyses of water samples, collected in the nursery effluents, and of gravel, showed that both pathogens are frequently disseminated in the water of the effluents and the gravel used as soil cover, although C. candelabrum is most common. The composition and salt concentration of three nutrient solutions, expressed in electric conductivity values (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mS.cm-¹) did not affect conidial germination of these two fungi.

A incidência da murcha bacteriana, causada por Ralstonia solanacearum, em viveiros clonais de eucalipto, no período de abril a setembro de 2005, resultou no descarte de cerca de 553.991 minicepas, 6.837.691 propágulos na fase de enraizamento e 11.266.819 mudas, nos Estados da Bahia, do Espírito Santo, do Maranhão, de Minas Gerais e do Pará, totalizando um prejuízo estimado em, no mínimo, seis milhões de reais (US$ 2,7 milhões). Em minijardim clonal, a doença caracteriza-se por necrose foliar, escurecimento anelar ou completo do lenho, murcha e morte de minicepas. Os sintomas na parte aérea são similares à morte gradual de minicepas submetidas a podas drásticas ou com sistema radicular malformado. Na fase de enraizamento, miniestacas infectadas podem apresentar arroxeamento das nervuras do limbo foliar e podridão. No campo, a doença caracteriza-se por bronzeamento e necrose foliar, desfolha basal, ascendente escurecimento interno do lenho e morte da planta, geralmente a partir do quarto mês após o transplantio. Os sintomas geralmente se agravam em árvores com enovelamento de raízes e afogamento de coleto. A etiologia da doença foi confirmada por meio de testes de exsudação, microscopia de varredura, isolamento da bactéria, análises de PCR/RFLP, reação de hipersensibilidade (HR) em mudas de fumo, testes de patogenicidade em plântulas de eucalipto e tomate e re-isolamento da bactéria. Como o sistema de produção de mudas clonais de eucalipto é altamente favorável à multiplicação bacteriana e na falta de conhecimento sobre a resistência genética e de outras estratégias de controle da doença, é essencial evitar a introdução da bactéria em viveiros.

The occurrence of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in eucalyptus clonal hedges in the Brazilian states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Maranhão, Minas Gerais and Pará, from April to September, 2005 resulted in loss of 553,991 rooted cuttings, 6,837,691 cuttings at rooting stage and 11,266,819 cuttings, with a total loss estimated to be at least six million reais (US$ 2.7 M). In clonal minihedges, the disease is characterized by foliar necrosis, annular or complete wood darkening, wilt and death of rooted-cuttings. Leaf symptoms are similar to those observed during the gradual death of rooted-cuttings subjected to drastic pruning or with malformed root systems. In the rooting phase, infected minicuttings can present redning of leaf blade veins and cutting rot. In the field, the disease is characterized by leaf browning and necrosis, basal leaf loss, internal wood darkening and plant death, with onset generally occurring four months after transplant. Disease severity is generally higher in trees with entangled roots and overplanting. The causal agent of the disease was confirmed through exudate tests, scanning electron microscopy, bacterial isolation, PCR/RFLP analyses, hypersensitive reactions (HR) in tobacco seedlings, pathogenicity tests in eucalyptus and tomato plantlets and reisolation of the bacteria. The production of cuttings offers a highly favorable environment for bacterial multiplication. This, combined with the lack of knowledge on genetic resistance and other disease control strategies, makes it essential to avoid introduction of this bacterium in clonal nurseries.