Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) have recently become an important alternative crop in different ecological regions of Argentina. In surveys, a new disease characterized by leaf spots and twig and shoot blight has been observed on plants cultivated in Arrecifes, Mercedes, and San Pedro (provinces of Buenos Aires) and Concordia (province of Entre Ríos) since July 2004. Spots initially appear brown, circular, 1 to 2 mm in diameter, and irregularly distributed on the leaves and they eventually coalesce. Fruiting twig and shoot blight developed from the tips toward the base. Affected plants of cvs. O'Neal and Reveille were distributed randomly in the field and with a low incidence (average of 2%). The objective of this work was to identify the causal agent of this disease. Symptomatic plant material was surface disinfested with 0.2% NaOCl for 1 min and 70% ethanol for 1 min, washed once with sterile distilled water, blotted dry with paper towels, and plated on potato dextrose agar. Colonies were initially white, becoming light to dark gray with the onset of sporulation with black, sphaerical to subsphaerical conidia that measured 14 to 19 × 12 to 16 μm. These characteristics agree with published descriptions of Nigrospora sphaerica (Sacc.) Mason (1,4). To evaluate pathogenicity, all leaves, petioles, and stems of seven healthy potted plants of cv. O'Neal were punctured with flamed needles and sprayed with a suspension of 1 × 108 spores of the fungus per milliliter of sterile distilled water. Another seven nonwounded plants were sprayed with the spore suspension. Seven plants similarly injured and seven nonwounded plants were sprayed with sterile distilled water and served as controls. Each plant was covered with a water-sprayed polyethylene bag and maintained in a controlled environment chamber at 20°C with a 12-h photoperiod. The bags were removed after 3 days. All wounded inoculated plants began to show disease symptoms similar to those observed in the field 20 days after inoculation. Controls and nonwounded inoculated plants remained symptomless. The pathogen was reisolated from diseased tissues fulfilling Koch's postulates. N. sphaerica is a well-known saprophyte on many plant species but has been mentioned as pathogen on many hosts (2,3). To our knowledge, this is the first reference of N. sphaerica as a wound pathogen of blueberry. In the field, the fungus would have gained access to the plant through wounds caused by insects or frost after a long-term wetness duration. References: (1) M. B. Ellis. Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. CMI, Kew, Surrey, UK, 1971. (2) D. F. Farr et al. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1989. (3) D. F. Farr et al. Fungal Databases. Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory. Online publication. ARS, USDA. 2007. (4) E. W. Mason. Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc. 12:152, 1927.

Since 2003, a new field disease has been observed on several cultivars of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in Buenos Aires (Baradero, Colonia Urquiza, Lima, Mercedes, and San Pedro), Entre Ríos (Concordia, Gualeguaychú, and Larroque), and Córdoba (Capilla del Monte and La Cumbre). Infected flowers turned brown to tan with a water-soaked appearance and shriveled up. Blighted flowers typically did not produce fruits; even an entire cluster of berries could be aborted. A chlorotic area, that later became necrotic and turned light brown, developed when leaves were in contact with blighted flowers. A watery rot developed on fruit occasionally before harvest but more generally after harvest. Infected tender green twigs also became blighted, with leaf tissue becoming brown to black. Older twigs and stems were also blighted. Abundant, gray mycelium with conidial masses developed on all affected tissues under moist conditions. Sections of infected leaves, twigs, stems, flowers, and fruits were surfaced sterilized with 0.2% NaOCl, plated on 2% potato dextrose agar (pH 7), and incubated at 22°C. Pure cultures formed a whitish dense mycelial mat and turned gray after 72 h. Conidia were ellipsoid, hyaline, nonseptate, and formed on botryose heads. They ranged from 5.8 to 9 × 8.1 to 13.7 μm (average 8.6 × 10.2 μm). Black, round, and irregular microsclerotia developed on 7-day-old cultures with an average size of 1.1 × 1.7 mm. Morphological characteristics agree with those described for Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr (1). Pathogenicity was tested on 10 12-month-old potted blueberry plants cv. O'Neal by spraying a suspension of 1 × 106 conidia per ml of sterile distilled water. Ten plants used as controls were sprayed with sterile distilled water. Each plant was covered with a transparent polyethylene bag for 48 h and incubated at 20 ± 2°C in humid chambers for 15 days. Lesions similar to those observed in the fields developed after 4 days and asexual fructifications developed after 5 days. The same pathogen was reisolated from the lesions, thus completing Koch's postulates. Water-treated plants remained symptomless. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a disease caused by B. cinerea on blueberry in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Entre Ríos provinces of Argentina. References: (1) M. V. Ellis and J. M. Waller. Sclerotinia fuckeliana (conidial state: Botrytis cinerea) No. 431 in: Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria. CMI, Kew, Surrey, UK, 1974.

ResumenEl consumo de alimentos ricos en compuestos bioactivos conteniendo proteína vegetal de alta calidad, como los frutos secos, ha incrementado debido a la necesidad de un estilo de vida saludable. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue evaluar la caracterización físico-química, contenido de fenoles totales, taninos y capacidad antioxidante de la cáscara y grano de la nuez pecana (Carya Illinoinensis) variedad Western Schley en año de elevada producción denominado "on" (2013) y en un año poco productivo denominado "off" (2014). La caracterización físico-química se determinó por la Asociación de Químicos Analíticos Oficiales (AOAC) el contenido de compuestos fenólicos por el método de Folin-Ciocalteu, la actividad antioxidante por el método DPPH radical (1,1-difenil-1,2-picrihidrazil) y los taninos condensados por la prueba de la vainillina. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron que los compuestos presentes en la cáscara y grano fueron afectados por los ciclos productivos "on" y "off", existiendo diferencias significativas en varios de los parámetros estudiados. El grano presentó un alto valor calórico y un elevado contenido de lípidos. En el año poco productivo "off" se obtuvo la mayor concentración de compuestos en la cáscara, con 167,07 mg g -1 de fenoles, 373,08 mg g -1 de capacidad antioxidante y 690,15 mg g -1 de taninos. El grano es rico como alimento energético y compuestos bioactivos que proporcionan una alta actividad antioxidante y beneficios para la salud. La alta concentración de fitoquímicos en las cáscaras indica que las pecanas pueden ser una buena fuente de antioxidantes y pueden ser utilizadas como materia prima para la futura aplicación en la industria farmacéutica y alimentaria. Abstract Physico-chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the pecan fruit in high ("on") and lowproductive conditions ("of")The consuming of foods containing high levels of bioactive compounds containing with quality vegetable protein, such as nuts, has increased in the last years due to the need of a healthy lifestyle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical characterization, content of total phenols, condensedFlores-Córdova et al.tannins and antioxidant capacity of the shell and grain of the pecan (Carya illinoinensis) variety Western Schley in a high productive year (called "on") (2013) and in a low-productive year (called "off") (2014). The physicochemical characterization was determined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), the content of phenolic compounds was evaluated using the Folin-Ciocalteu method, the antioxidant activity was evaluated using the radical DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-1,2-picrihidrazil) method, and the condensed tannins were determined using the vanillin test. The results showed significant differences in the compounds found in the shell and edible portion between the years "on" and "off". The edible kernel had a high calorific value and high content of lipids. During the low productive year, the concentration of compounds found in the sell was highe...