• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.11-15
• /
• 2001

Root rot of Cucurbitaceae plants, caused by Monosporascus cannonballus, is one of the recently described diseases in Korea. The distribution and pathogenicity of M. cannonballus were examined by field and in vitro experiments. Root rot caused by M. cannonballus occurred on melon, oriental melon, watermelon and cucumber plants. In two years of disease survey, the disease occurred at 10 and 32 fields in 1997 and 1998, respectively, which were located at Kimhae, Chinju, and Namhae in Kyeongnam province, at Kwangyang in Chonnam province, at Kwangju city, and at Yeoju and Inchon in Kyeonggi province. The disease progress in a melon field at Namhae was not observed until the middle stage of plant growth, but rapidly increased at the fruit maturing stage, resulting in more than 50% yield loss. Isolation rate of M. cannonballus was 36.7% from wilted hosts. Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizoctonia solani were also frequently isolated. In vitro test, seedlings wilted after 7∼14 days of inoculation, and perithecia were formed in infected roots 21 days later. Two cucumber cultivars, Baekbong and Eunhwa, were resistant to the disease.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.175-180
• /
• 1994

The fungal pathogen Monosporascus annonballus was first isolated in Korea from the rotted roots of bottle gourd stocks of collapsed watermelon plants in fields near Chochiwon, Choongnam province in July, 1993. Perithecia of M. cannonballus were dark brown to black, globose, 220~570 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diam. and had many asci. Asci are hyaline, clavate to pyriform, and 50~120$\times$35~570 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in size. Ascospores were aseptate, dark brown to black, globose, 25~45$\times$30~50 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in diam, and borne singly in each ascus. The fungus grew in the temperature range of 4 to 34$^{\circ}C$, best at 3$0^{\circ}C$. The optimum pH for growth was 6.8. Mycelial growth rate of M. cannonballus was 25.5mm/day on PDA at 26$^{\circ}C$. Perithecia began to form after 20-day-growth on PDA and produced mature asci after 30 days or later. In the greenhouse inoculation tests, the fungus developed water-soaked lesions on roots of bottle gourd seedlings and was then reisolated from the lesions. Severed damages on watermelon plants by M. cannonballus are greatly concerned in Korea, since no stocks used for watermelon cultivation have reported to be resistant to the fungus.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.245-249
• /
• 2002

Monosporascus cannonballus, a soilborne ascomycetes is recently described in Korea that causes root rot/vine decline of cucurbits. The effect of Monosporascus root rot disease on photosynthetic activity and growth was studied on oriental melon plants. At harvest stage, photosynthetic activity of diseased oriental melon plants was lower and stomatal resistance was higher than healthy plants, while xylem exudates were not observed in diseased plants. There was no difference in mineral contents of the leaves and stems between diseased and healthy plants. Leaf area, fresh and dry weights, and fruit weights of the plants were markedly decreased in diseased plants compared to those of healthy plants.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.16-19
• /
• 2001

The cultural caracteristics of Monosporascus cannonballus causing root rot of Cucurbitaceae plants were examined in vitro, and population density of the fungal ascospores were measured and compared aoming diferent host species and soil depths. Potato-dextrose agar(PDA) was the most appropriate medium for the mycelial growth and perithecial formation among the 5 media tested. Corn-meal agar(CMA), oat-meal agar (OMA) and V-8 juice agar were moderate media for the mycelial growth and perithecial formation, whereas water agar(WA) was poor medium. Perithecia were not formed on WA. Optimum temperature for the formation of perithecia was about 25 to 30$^{\circ}C$. distribution of ascospores in the infested fields was variable amount the curcubitaceae plants and within the same plant species, ranging from 1.7 to 14.6 ascospores in 20 g of soil, but no ascospore was detected in the uninfested field soils. Ascospores were distributed more at 20cm of soil depth than at 10cm or 30cm of soil depth.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2001

A root rot/vine decline disease occurred naturally on bottle gourd-stocked watermelon, melon, oriental melon and squash grown in greenhouses, but not on these plants grown in fields. Self-rooted watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin and luffa were also proven to be hosts of the pathogen by artificial inoculation in this experiment. The pathogen was identified as Monosporascus cannonballus by comparing microscopic characteristics of fungal structures with those of previously identified fungal strains. Our field investigations showed that the temperature and electric conductivity of soil in infected greenhouses were higher and the soil moisture content was lower than in noninfected greenhouses. To investigate soil-environmental factors affecting disease development, greenhouse trials and inoculation experiments were conducted. The host plants inoculated and grown under conditions of high soil temperature and electrical conductivity ($35\pm2^{\circ}$, 3.2-3.5 mS) and with low soil moisture content (pF 3.0-4.5) were most severely damaged by the fungal disease. Since plants growing in greenhouses ae usually exposed to such environmental conditions, this may be the reason why the monosporascus root rot/vine decline disease has occurred only on cucurbits cultivated in greenhouses but not in field conditions.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.32 no.5
• /
• pp.614-622
• /
• 2014

Melons (Cucumis melo L.) are generally grafted onto Cucurbita rootstocks to manage soilborne pathogens such as Monosporascus root rot and v ine decline (MRR/VD) and Fusarium wilt. However, g rafting onto Cucurbita rootstocks reportedly results in the reduction of fruit quality. In this study, the resistance to MRR/VD, yield, and fruit quality of melons grafted onto melon rootstocks were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Eight melon rootstocks (R1 to R8) were used and the inodorus melon 'Homerunstar' was used as scion. Melon rootstocks R1 to R6 were selected based on resistance to MRR/VD under greenhouse conditions. Non-grafted 'Homerunstar' and plants grafted onto squash interspecific hybrid 'Shintozwa' rootstock (Cucurbita maxima D. ${\times}$ C. moschata D.) served as controls. Grafted melons were cultivated in the greenhouse infested with Monosporascus cannonballus during two growing seasons (summer and autumn). The responses to MRR/VD, yield, and fruit quality differed depending on the rootstocks and growing season. The melons grafted onto 'Shintozwa' exhibited less severe disease symptoms and higher survival rates than non-grafted melons in both seasons. While the melon rootstocks in the summer cultivation did not increase the survival rate compared to non-grafted melons, the melon rootstocks R1 and R2 in the autumn cultivation led to higher survival rates. The melon rootstocks resistant to MRR/VD increased the percentage of marketable fruits and marketable yields. Grafting onto the melon rootstocks caused little or no reduction of fruit quality such as low calcium content, fruit softening, and vitrescence, especially in lower-temperature autumn season. Accordingly, these results suggest that grafting onto the melon rootstocks may increase the tolerance to MRR/VD and the marketable yield without a reduction of fruit quality.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.289-296
• /
• 2010

Lectins are carbohydrate-binding and a cell-agglutinating proteins, and are concerted with a plants defence mechanism. In particular, chitin-binding lectins in locular fluid of cherry tomato fruit seemed to have a role in defending plants against fungi. The antifungal activity using lectin isolated from locular fluid of cherry tomato fruit was measured in the plant pathogen Cladosporium cucumerinum, Monosporascus cannonballus, Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Amoung the four strains, a potent antifungal activity was detected in Cladosporium cucumerinum and Monosporascus cannonballus, not in Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizoctonia solani. The molecular weight of this lectin isolated as double protein bands by SDS-PAGE was calculated to be 87 kDa and 47 kDa from the relative mobilities compared with those of reference molecular weight markers. The isolated lectin agglutinated human red blood cells (A, B, AB, O) treated with trypsin, and the most activity was found at B. The optimal temperature of isolated lectin was at $30^{\circ}C$. For the thermal stability, lectin was stable at $20-80^{\circ}C$. The optimal pH of this lectin was at 7.2, and showed complete loss below pH 9.0.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.30-35
• /
• 2009

This study was carried out to determine the causal agents of soil-borne fungal diseases that pose a threat to the muskmelon production in Cheong Yang, Korea and to investigate the potential effects of hot water drenching and three fumigant (metam sodium, dazomet and methyl bromide) on these diseases. As the agents of the diseases, Monosporascus cannonballus, Didymella sp., Fusarium sp., Phytophthora sp., were detected. Hot water and the fumigants were treated on two successive cropping seasons of melon. Soil temperature was measured at 0, 10, 20 and 30 cm soil depth. In 2005, soil sterilization by hot-water was more effective significantly to control of the diseases than by fumigant. yield was the highest in hot-water sterilized plot as $39\;ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$. Dazomet ($50\;g/m^2$) treated plot was followed as $23\;ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$. In 2006, hot water sterilized plot showed higher yields than non-treated plots ($14.8\;ton{\cdot}ha^{-1}$). But the other three fumigant contained Dazomet ($50\;g/m^2$) were no difference (P<0.05) in yield.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.65.2-65
• /
• 2003

To protect the plant against several soil-borne pathogens, we are currently constructing disease-resistant transgenic root stock for the growth of cucurbitaceae vegetable plants, watermelon and gourd. We made a watermelon cDNA library from Cladosporium cucumerinum-Infected leaves for substractive hybriazation and differential screening. We isolated the several pathogen inducible cDNA clones, such as caffeoyl-CoA-methyltransferase, LAA induced protein, receptor-like kinase homolog, hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein, catalase, calmodulin binding protein, mitochondrial ATPase beta subunit, methyl tRNA synthetase and WRKY transcription factors. We previously obtained CaMADS in pepper and galactinol synthase ( CsGolS) in cucumber that were confirmed to be related with disease-resistance. CaMADS and CsGolS2 were transformed into the inbred line 'GO701-2' gourd, the inbred line '6-2-2' watermelon and the Kong-dye watermelon by Agrobacterium tumerfaciens LBA4404. Plant growth regulators (zeatin, BAP and IAA) were used for shoot regeneration and root induction for optimal condition. Putative transgenic plants were selected in medium containing 100mg/L kanamycin and integration of the CaMADS and CsGO/S2 into the genomic DNA were demonstrated by the PCR analysis. We isolated major soil-borne pathogens, such as Monosporascus cannonballus, Didymella bryoniae, Cladosporium cuvumerinum from the cultivation area of watermelon or root stock, and successfully established artificial inoculation method for each pathogen. This work was supported by a grant from BioGreen 21 program, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.219-225
• /
• 2008

For the production of an antifungal compound, one strain (I-8) was selected from approximately 400 strains isolated from various soil samples. The optimum carbon source, nitrogen source and pH culture conditions for the production of the antifungal compound were investigated. ISP No. 2 medium (yeast extract 0.4%, malt extract 1% and dextrose 0.4%, at pH 8) was determined to be the optimum medium. Strain I-8 showed broad antifungal activity against the plant pathogenic fungi tested, including Sclerotinia sclerotiorum KACC 41065, as well as cellulase and chitinase activities in an agar plate assay. The extraction of antifungal compounds was performed using ethyl ether and ethyl acetate. In a culture broth of strain I-8, the ethyl acetate extract exhibited effective growth inhibition against 14 of the 20 phytopathogenic fungi tested. By mixing the ethyl acetate extract from I-8 with the ethyl ether extract from the fungus 13-16, which shows specific antifungal activity against Colletotrichum orbiculare KACC 40808, the antifungal activity of I-8 against phytopathogenic fungi was confirmed to be slightly increased. Strain I-8 showed strong growth inhibition against 16 phytopathogenic strains in agar plate tests.