Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T01:58:21.798Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Plant Growth Response to the Phytotoxin Viridiol Produced by the Fungus Gliocladium virens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Richard W. Jones
Affiliation:
Dep. Plant Pathol., Univ. California, 147 Hilgard Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
W. Thomas Lanini
Affiliation:
Univ. California, 216 Robbins Hall, Davis, CA 95616
Joseph G. Hancock
Affiliation:
Dep. Plant Pathol., Univ. California, 147 Hilgard Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

Abstract

Gliocladium virens, when grown on peat moss amended with sucrose and ammonium nitrate and then applied to soil, resulted in root necrosis. Herbicidal activity was correlated with fungal production of the phytotoxin viridiol. Viridiol had a wide spectrum of activity; it was particularly effective against annual composite species but was less effective in monocot control. Emergence of most weeds was reduced >90% at application rates of 8.7% (of total volume) or less. Treated seedling dry weights were drastically reduced. Applications of 4.5% reduced root and shoot weight of redroot pigweed by 93 and 98%, respectively. Crops were affected at higher treatment levels; however, the toxicity was readily avoided by applying the mycoherbicide out of the root zone of the crop, instead applying it between the seed and the soil surface. Viridiol production, which confers herbicidal activity, was detected 3 days after incorporation of the fungus-peat mixture. Viridiol production peaked on days 5 and 6 at approximately 25 μg viridiol/100 ml soil, based upon an application rate of 11%, then declined to undetectable levels by the end of 2 weeks.

Type
Special Topics
Copyright
Copyright © 1988 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Greaves, M. P. and Sargent, J. A. 1986. Herbicide-induced microbial invasion of plant roots. Weed Sci., Suppl. 1. 34:5053.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Howell, C. R. 1982. Effect of Gliocladium virens on Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, and damping-off of cotton seedlings. Phytopathology 72:496498.Google Scholar
3. Howell, C. R. and Stipanovic, R. D. 1984. Phytotoxicity to crop plants and herbicidal effects on weeds of viridiol produced by Gliocladium virens . Phytopathology 74:13461349.Google Scholar
4. Jones, R. W. and Hancock, J. G. 1987. Conversion of viridin to viridiol by viridin-producing fungi. Can. J. Microbiol. 33:963966.Google Scholar
5. Mitchell, J. K., Taber, R. A., and Pettit, R. E. 1986. Establishment of Dicyma pulvinata in Cercosporidium personatum leaf spot of peanuts: Effect of spray formulation, inoculation time, and hours of leaf wetness. Phytopathology 76:11681171.Google Scholar
6. TeBeest, D. O. and Templeton, G. E. 1985. Mycoherbicides: Progress in the biological control of weeds. Plant Dis. 69:610.Google Scholar