The present paper deals with experiments on the effect of light on lesion development in cucumber downy mildew, caused by
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. et Curt.) Rostow.
1. Infected cucumber leaves kept in darkness for 5 to 8 days after inoculation showed a marked decrease in lesion development. Dark treatment for 2 days befor inoculation, however, gave no effect to lesion development.
2. As the period of darkness during which infected leaves were kept after inoculation was prolonged, the lesion development was proportionately checked. Especially, the lesion development was remarkably suppressed when kept in darkness for 3 or more days after inoculation.
3. Lesion development was affected by the light intensity of from 0 to 0.35cal/cm
2/min, provided by mercury lamps, when exposed after inoculation. Lesion area decreased with the decrease of light intensity. The rate of decrease was more conspicuous in the light intensity range below the light compensation point of cucumber leaf, 0.05cal/cm
2/min.
4. Effect of photosynthetic inhibitors on lesion development was examined. Solutions of photosynthetic inhibitors linuron (3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea) and simazine (2-chloro-4, 6-bisethylamino-1, 3, 5-triazine) were sprayed onto the upper surface of infected leaves 2 days after inoculation, or of healthy leaves.
By the application of linuron, conspicuous decrease in lesion area in infected leaf and also conspicuous reduction of photosynthesis in healthy leaf were observed. As the concentration of linuron was increased from 10 to 50ppm, the inhibition of lesion development and of photosynthesis increased, the inhibition being more pronounced at 30ppm and above. Linuron showed no effect on conidial germination at the concentration of 30ppm. Simazine inhibited neither lesion development in infected leaf nor photosynthesis in healthy leaf.
From these results it was concluded that the lesion development in cucumber downy mildew is closely dependent on the photosynthesis of the host plant.
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