(397) Atypical Disease Response to Hop Powdery Mildew

Abstract

Open-pollinated hop seeds (Humulus lupulus var. lupuloides E. Small, H. l. var. pubescensE. Small, H.l. var. neomexicanusNelson and Cockerell, and H.l. var. lupulusL.) were collected from the United States, Canada, and Kazakhstan and screened for resistance to hop powdery mildew (Podosphaeramacularis Braun & Takamatus). A total of 2108 seedlings were repeatedly inoculated with high levels of P. macularis. Under greenhouse conditions, most seedlings exhibited a compatible disease response typical of susceptible hosts with sporulating colonies covering both leaf surfaces. Three genotypes from hop seed native to Emba, Kazakhstan, remained uninfected in greenhouse assays. Further experimentation of those genotypes in growth chambers at 18 °C revealed that they demonstrated an atypical disease response. Six days after inoculation, necrotic lesions on the adaxial leaf surfaces were visually apparent. Microscopic examination showed areas of collapsed epidermal cells, collapsed hyphae, and golden-brown discolorations extending out from the center of the infection. These symptoms contrasted those of a hypersensitive response in which fungal growth is restricted by the collapse of epidermal cells in advance of the fungus. The infection frequency of Kazakhstani genotypes was intermediate compared to H.l. cultivars Symphony (susceptible) and Nugget (resistant) after exposure to three preinoculation temperature regimes. These genotypes could represent a new source of polygenic resistance to hop powdery mildew, and could broaden hop germplasm available to global breeding programs.