Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy
Chestnut blight is the major disease of chestnuts (<i>Castanea</i> spp.) cultivated worldwide for the production of edible nuts. The disease is caused by the pathogenic fungus <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i>, which infects trees by means of airborne propagules penetrating thr...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/644 |
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| author | Guglielmo Lione Francesca Brescia Luana Giordano Paolo Gonthier |
| author_facet | Guglielmo Lione Francesca Brescia Luana Giordano Paolo Gonthier |
| author_sort | Guglielmo Lione |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chestnut blight is the major disease of chestnuts (<i>Castanea</i> spp.) cultivated worldwide for the production of edible nuts. The disease is caused by the pathogenic fungus <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i>, which infects trees by means of airborne propagules penetrating through fresh wounds on stems and branches. The aims of this study were to (I) assess the temporal propagule deposition patterns of <i>C. parasitica</i> in the Alpine district of North Western Italy, (II) test and model the effects of seasonality and climate on the above patterns, and (III) investigate the spatial distribution of propagule deposition at the within-site scale. A two-year-long spore trapping experiment was conducted in three chestnut orchards. Approximately 1300 samples were collected and processed with a species-specific qPCR assay to quantitatively assess the propagule deposition of <i>C. parasitica</i>. Results showed that <i>C. parasitica</i> can release propagules all over the year, though with significant seasonal peaks in the spring and fall (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Large propagule loads were significantly correlated (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with an increasing number of rainy days of the week (days providing 1–10 mm/day of water). Models predicting periods at high risk of infection based on climate and seasonality were fitted and successfully validated (<i>p</i> < 0.05). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:31:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c22b26e652724c82bbea741d1a59e96d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:31:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-c22b26e652724c82bbea741d1a59e96d2023-11-23T09:39:30ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722022-04-0112564410.3390/agriculture12050644Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western ItalyGuglielmo Lione0Francesca Brescia1Luana Giordano2Paolo Gonthier3Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, I-10095 Grugliasco, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, I-10095 Grugliasco, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, I-10095 Grugliasco, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Torino, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, I-10095 Grugliasco, ItalyChestnut blight is the major disease of chestnuts (<i>Castanea</i> spp.) cultivated worldwide for the production of edible nuts. The disease is caused by the pathogenic fungus <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i>, which infects trees by means of airborne propagules penetrating through fresh wounds on stems and branches. The aims of this study were to (I) assess the temporal propagule deposition patterns of <i>C. parasitica</i> in the Alpine district of North Western Italy, (II) test and model the effects of seasonality and climate on the above patterns, and (III) investigate the spatial distribution of propagule deposition at the within-site scale. A two-year-long spore trapping experiment was conducted in three chestnut orchards. Approximately 1300 samples were collected and processed with a species-specific qPCR assay to quantitatively assess the propagule deposition of <i>C. parasitica</i>. Results showed that <i>C. parasitica</i> can release propagules all over the year, though with significant seasonal peaks in the spring and fall (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Large propagule loads were significantly correlated (<i>p</i> < 0.05) with an increasing number of rainy days of the week (days providing 1–10 mm/day of water). Models predicting periods at high risk of infection based on climate and seasonality were fitted and successfully validated (<i>p</i> < 0.05).https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/644aerobiology<i>Castanea</i>epidemiologyfungimodellingspore trapping |
| spellingShingle | Guglielmo Lione Francesca Brescia Luana Giordano Paolo Gonthier Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy Agriculture aerobiology <i>Castanea</i> epidemiology fungi modelling spore trapping |
| title | Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy |
| title_full | Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy |
| title_short | Effects of Seasonality and Climate on the Propagule Deposition Patterns of the Chestnut Blight Pathogen <i>Cryphonectria parasitica</i> in Orchards of the Alpine District of North Western Italy |
| title_sort | effects of seasonality and climate on the propagule deposition patterns of the chestnut blight pathogen i cryphonectria parasitica i in orchards of the alpine district of north western italy |
| topic | aerobiology <i>Castanea</i> epidemiology fungi modelling spore trapping |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/12/5/644 |
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