Abstract
The effect of mineral nutrition on wilt diseases has been previously reported in many herbaceous hosts, though such an effect on Verticillium wilt in olive (Olea europaea L.; VWO), caused by Verticillium dahliae, is still uncertain. Field observations reveal that nitrogen (N) excess or imbalances of N-potassium (K) favour VWO epidemics. However, this has yet to be demonstrated. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influences of nutritional imbalances of N and K in V. dahliae infection of olive. To this end, adjusted treatments with N excess (↑N+↑Na), K deficiency (↓K) and their combination (↑N+↑Na+↓K) were evaluated on the viability of V. dahliae microsclerotia (MS), as well as on disease development in olive plants. In parallel, the potential indirect effect of the treatments on the viability of conidia and MS of V. dahliae was evaluated through the stimuli of root exudates. Treatments ↑N+↑Na and ↑N+↑Na+↓K decreased MS germination and disease progress, whereas ↓K significantly increased both parameters. Root exudates from treated plants increased the conidia germination of V. dahliae but reduced the MS germination. The results of this study will be the basis for planning further research towards a better understanding of the effect of mineral nutrition on VWO.
Highlights
The effect of mineral nutrition on Verticillium wilt diseases has already been reported in many herbaceous hosts, resulting in either a decrease or an increase in wilt symptoms [1].there is a substantial lack of knowledge on the influence of mineral nutrition in the development of Verticillium wilt of olive (VWO; Olea europaea L.), which is considered the most serious disease of this woody crop in the Mediterranean basin [2,3,4]
We must remember to consider the conclusions of this study as a first approach, opening up new paths to be explored towards a better understanding of how mineral nutrition affects VWO development, e.g., comparing both NO3 − and NH4 + forms of N, even more K-deficient treatments, the effect of NaCl, and longer exposure to treatments
N excess or N-K imbalances decrease the germination of V. dahliae MS or the disease progression in olive plants inoculated with the pathogen, whereas K deficiency increases both parameters
Summary
There is a substantial lack of knowledge on the influence of mineral nutrition in the development of Verticillium wilt of olive (VWO; Olea europaea L.), which is considered the most serious disease of this woody crop in the Mediterranean basin [2,3,4]. MS serve as resistance structures, but are the primary inoculum of the pathogen They germinate due to the biochemical stimuli from host root exudates, giving rise to infectious hyphae that penetrate the roots of the plants and grow into the xylem vessels [1,5]. The biology of the pathogen suggests that important attention should be paid to elucidating the effect of soil mineral nutrition into its life cycle in olive tree, and in the infection process in this woody host
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