Effect of a new fungicide, thiophanate-methyl (Th-M) on the infection process of three fungi,
Pyricularia oryzae, Colletotrichum lagenarium and
Sphaerotheca fuliginea was investigated microscopically.
Th-M inhibited almost completely the development of hyphae of
P. oryzae and
C. lagenarium in host cells, whereas spore germination and appressorium formation were scarcely inhibited on the host treated with 500ppm Th-M. The growth of germ tube of
S. fuliginea spore was also inhibited on 50ppm Th-M-treated cucumber leaves. Moreover, the swelling or breakage of spore and the distortion of germ tube of
P. oryzae spore when directly contacted with 500ppm Th-M. On the other hand, the rice leaf sheath cells treated with Th-M revealed normal convex plasmolysis and the epidermal cell wall of treated cucumber leaves never showed morphological abnormality.
Methyl 2-benzimidazolecarbamate (MBC), a metabolite of Th-M also inhibited the development of invaded hyphae, but no difference between the effects of Th-M and MBC was observed in the infection process. It could be concluded that these acted characteristically rather in the process of penetration than in spore germination and appressorium formation on host cells.
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