Abstract
The effects of mineral nutrient on banana wilt disease, which are the result of a competitive relationship between host plants and pathogens, can affect the interactions of plants with microorganisms. To investigate the mineral nutrient effect, hydroponic experiments were conducted in glasshouse containing combinations of low, medium, and high iron (Fe) and boron (B) concentrations, followed by pathogen inoculation. High Fe and B treatment significantly reduced the disease index and facilitated plants growth. With increasing Fe and B concentrations, more Fe and B accumulated in plants. High Fe and B treatment dramatically reduced the Fusarium oxysporum conidial germination rate and fungal growth compared with the other two treatments, contributing to decreased numbers of the pathogen on infected plants. Furthermore, High Fe and B treatment decreased the fusaric acid production of F. oxysporum in vitro and also increased the mannitol content of the plants, which in turn decreased the phytotoxin production of infected plants and finally reduced the disease index due to the virulence factor of phytotoxin. Taken together, these results indicate that Fe and B play a multifunctional role in reducing the severity of diseases by affecting the growth of F. oxysporum and the responses between plants and pathogens.
Highlights
Fusarium wilt of banana (Panama disease) caused by the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC) is a serious vascular disease
The results showed that the wilt disease index was almost the same among three different B concentration treatment
It was observed that high Fe concentration could reduce the severity of wilt disease without growth promotion to banana seedlings; high B concentration increased plant growth with little effect on the disease index (Table 1)
Summary
Fusarium wilt of banana (Panama disease) caused by the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC) is a serious vascular disease. F. oxysporum can produce phytotoxins such as fusaric acid (FA; 5-n-butyl-pyridine-2-carboxylic acid, C10H13NO2)[2], a well-known nonspecific toxin that disturbs the metabolism of the infected plant. Nutrients are important for the growth and development of both plants and microorganisms, which could affect the disease tolerance or resistance of plants to pathogens[9]. The interactions between plants and pathogens have been well studied[5,14], the roles of Fe and B in disease resistance and the dynamic interaction between plant nutrients and the plant–pathogen system are not well known. The present study was performed to identify safe measures to reduce the disease index of banana wilt and clarify the effect of Fe and B combinations on plant resistance
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