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Advance In The Battle Against Gray Mold
Scientists have identified a cluster
of genes responsible for the
toxins produces by “gray
mold,” a fungus that kills
plants by producing two main
plant toxins. The devastating
plant disease kills almost 200
different food and ornamental
plants including tomatoes, strawberries and roses.
Gray mold, which contains the toxins botrydial and
botcinic acid, covers infected plants with fuzzy gray spores
that can ultimately kill plants. Conventional fungicides
have been found to be ineffective in destroying the fungus,
which can easily spread to other plants.
The scientists identified five genes involved in producing
the enzymes that are responsible for making the toxins
produced by the fungus. They found that inactivating one
of the genes blocked the gene cluster’s abili ty to make the
toxin.
The finding could help the development of new, more
effective fungicides or other resistance strategies that
target the toxins.
(Source: American Chemical Society. "Advance In The Battle Against 'Gray
Mold'." ScienceDaily 21 December 2008. 27 January 2009 http://www.
sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2008/12/081215151106.htm)
Remediated Water Expands Irrigation Options
Scientists have found that recycled water is a safe and
effective alternative for irrigation of public land and may
solve the water shortage problem. Test are being run on
the effects of using reclaimed water of public land in arid
regions of the United States.
Although the quality of reclaimed water is harder to
assess in winter due to an increase in the water’s salt
content, soil and water samples collected since 2006
have not shown a single pathogenic strain of E. coli. The
samples were taken from a municipal park that was being
irrigated with reclaimed water. There was a small increase
in soil salinity but not enough to
harm plant growth.
The samples were also
tested for carbamazepine, an
epilepsy drug that has been
detected in trace amounts in
drinking water. Research has
shown that natural organic
matter found in soil can prevent
this drug from leaching beyond
the root zone.
(Source: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2009/090112.htm)
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MAXIMUM YIELD USA - March 2009
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