The test tube culture method for multiplication of Polymyxa betae was applied to isolate and multiply P. graminis, the vector of wheat yellow mosaic virus.To isolate P. graminis from infested soil, wheat was cultured in test tubes（25mm diameter, 12 cm long）with a draining hole and filled with infested soil and quartz sand at a ratio of 1:1 or 1:4（v/v）. Test tubes with seedlings were flooded with nutrient solution every other day or for six hours per day at 13℃. The isolates of P. graminis significantly multiplied in seedlings of susceptible cultivars（Hokushin, Horoshiri-komugi and Taisetsu-komugi）inoculated with resting spores（3×10³ sporosori / plant）by the test tube method, using sterilized quartz sand.

In Iwate Prefecture, the incidence of black root rot of cucumber caused by Phomopsis sclerotioides has been increasing. To prevent this disease, several Cucurbitaceae plants were examined as the resistant rootstocks for grafting to cucumber plants. Among Cucurbitaceae plants used in this study, several cultivars（Atom, Naga-tougan and Okinawakogata-tougan）of Benincasa hispida was found to be effective. However, the Atom cultivar showed inadequate adaptability for grafting to cucumber plants.

Damping-off of broccoli（Brassica oleracea var. italica）was found in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in September 2008. Fungal isolates frequently isolated from diseased plants were identified to be Rhizoctonia solani Kühn on the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics, and were subdivided into AG-4 HG-I by anastomosis and PCR tests. Because it has not been reported as a pathogen causing damping-off of broccoli except for R. solani AG2-2 ⅢB,we propose R. solani AG-4 HG-I as another pathogen.

Since 2007, Phytophthora rot of asparagus（Asparagus officinalis L.）caused by Phytophthora sp. has been observed in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Symptoms of the disease were first observed in early June as soft rot of spears. Isolates produced oogonia and amphigynous oospores of 24 to 30μm diameter.Mycelial growth was optimum at 25℃with no growth above 35℃. This is the first report on the incidence of Phytophthora rot of asparagus in Fukushima Prefecture.

The effect of the rice ripening stage on the occurrence of white-spotted rice grains caused by Trigonotylus caelestialium and Stenotus rubrovittatus was examined. The number of white-spotted rice grains per panicle did not differ significantly between the 2 bug species and also between 2 rice varieties, but a significant difference was observed among the 3 ripening stages. The numbers of affected grains at 31 and 40 days after heading were more than the number noted at 22 days. More grains were affected by T. caelestialium at 31 days than at 40 days while more grains were affected by S. rubrovittatus at 40days than at 31 days. These results suggest that the occurrence of white-spotted rice grains is affected by the ripening stage and that this stage may differ between the 2 bug species.

To establish the forecasting used pheromone trap and analyze the ecology of Pleuroptya ruralis, pheromone trap catches of P. ruralis in the soybean fields and the colonies of Boehmeria silvestrii were compared with the beating method（counting the number of adult looking by beating on foodplants leaves）.In the soybean fields, the peak incidence of overwintering generation adults occurred clearer than beating method. In the one soybean field the pheromone trap catches and the number of beating method showed similar trends. But it was different in another field. The first generation adult catches emerged by soybean during mid-August to mid-September was very few compared with the beating method. This result suggests that the copulation activity of males are low. The pheromone trap catches in the colonies of B. silvestrii occurred in the mid-July, during mid-September to late October.