Crop Centre in Print
Please find the latest journal publications from the Crop Centre listed below.
For a full list of publications from the School of Life Sciences please visit the Latest Journal Publications
Shifts in diversification rates and host jump frequencies shaped the diversity of host range among Sclerotiniaceae fungal plant pathogens
Navaud O, Barbacci A, Taylor A, Clarkson JP, Raffaele S
The range of hosts that a parasite can infect in nature is a trait determined by its own evolutionary history and that of its potential hosts. Here, we investigate host range variation and diversification trends within the Sclerotiniaceae, a family of Ascomycete fungi. Our findings suggest that the emergence of broad host range fungal pathogens results largely from host jumps, as previously reported for oomycete parasites, probably combined with low speciation rates. These results have important implications for our understanding of fungal parasites evolution and are of particular relevance for the durable management of disease epidemics.
Challenges of devising nitrogen recommendation systems for open field vegetables
C.R.Rahn
Large amounts of nitrogen fertiliser are often applied to field vegetable crops to ensure the maximum yield of quality produce. To avoid unnecessary environmental pollution the amounts of nitrogen could easily be optimised. However the process of devising nitrogen recommendation systems can be complex, as crops are so diverse and can be grown in intensive and varied rotations. Further information
Preceding crop and seasonal effects influence fungal, bacterial and nematode diversity in wheat and oilseed rape rhizosphere and soil
Sally Hilton, Amanda J Bennett, Dave Chandler, Peter Mills, Gary D Bending
Crop rotation can have major influences on yield, which may be the result of changes in the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome In the current study we investigated the effect of preceding crops on wheat and oilseed rape yield, with associated changes in the rhizosphere and bulk soil communities of fungi, bacteria and nematodes using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) of rRNA genes. We conclude that overall, preceding crop had less impact on community composition than season or crop type, but that specific changes in communities at particular plant growth stages may have substantive impacts on crop growth.
The use of an electronic nose to detect early signs of soft-rot infection in potatoes
Massimo F Rutolo, John P Clarkson, James A Covington
In this paper we report on the detection of soft-rot in potatoes caused by the bacterium Pectobacterium carotovorum through the use of an array of low cost gas sensors. This disease results in significant crop losses in store (circa 5%) with associated negative financial impacts. As soft-rot is associated with a strong odour and there is forced air movement through potato stores, our aim was to investigate the potential of an array of low-cost gas sensors to detect the disease. The identified sensors offer promise for an automated in-store monitoring system
Inoculum potential of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia depends on isolate and host plant
Andrew Taylor, Emma Coventry, Claire Handy, Jon S West, Caroline S Young and John P Clarkson
The soilborne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infects many important crop plants. Central to the success of this pathogen is the production of sclerotia, which enables survival in soil and constitutes the primary inoculum. This study aimed to determine how crop plant type and S. sclerotiorum isolate impact sclerotial production and germination and hence inoculum potential. These findings, once further validated in field trials, could be used to inform future crop rotation decisions.
Handbook of Pest Management in Organic Farming - Pest Management in Organic Field vegetables in Temperate Areas
Daniel, Claudia; Collier, Rosemary; Niggli, Urs and Koller, Martin (2018) Pest Management in Organic Field vegeatables in Temperate Areas In: Vacante, Vincenzo and Kreiter, Serge (Eds.)
Preventative measures and the creation of resilient growing systems are key parts of pest management practice in organic field vegetable production.
Soil improvement, crop rotation, site selection, habitat management, variety choice, timing of plant and plant spacing are all considered before planting in order to avoid the most detrimental pest problems.
For some crops (eg. cabbage and carrot (Finch and Collier, 2000)), a holistic pest control strategy, which combines preventative and direct control measures, is available, however in lettuce production, pest management under organic conditions still relies heavily on direct pest control measures.
Due to the huge variety of vegetable crops and their associated pest insects, specific tailored approaches are necessary.
Within this chapter, strategies and methods of pest control in organic field vegetable production that are available currently are described.
Handbook of Pest Management in Organic Farming, Wallingford UK, chapter 17, pp 443-467