Histological and ultrastructural characterization of the leaf infection events of Colletotrichum fructicola on Malus domestica ‘Gala’

Abstract

AbstractGlomerella leaf spot (GLS), characterized by black necrotic spots and severe defoliation, is a destructive foliar disease of apple. Widely grown cultivars such as Gala and Golden Delicious are highly susceptible to GLS. Currently, the infection biology of the causal pathogen, Colletotrichum fructicola, on apple leaves is unclear. In the present study, the penetration and colonization processes of C. fructicola were characterized on apple (cv. Gala) leaves using light and transmission electron microscopy. C. fructicola conidia produced germ tubes 4 hours post‐inoculation (hpi) and appressoria at 8 hpi. In melanized appressoria, funnel‐shaped appressorial cones formed around the penetration pore. At 12 hpi, C. fructicola produced secondary conidia. After penetration, C. fructicola began to develop infection vesicles at 36 hpi. At 48 hpi, the primary hyphae of C. fructicola were produced from infection vesicles within host epidermal cells; the host epidermal cell plasma membrane remained intact, indicating a biotrophic association. Subsequently, secondary hyphae penetrated epidermal cells and destroyed cell components, initiating necrotrophic colonization. C. fructicola also produced biotrophic subcuticular infection vesicles and hyphae. Together, these results demonstrate that C. fructicola forms special infection structures and colonizes apple leaves in a hemibiotrophic manner, involving intracellular as well as subcuticular colonization strategies. Detailed characterization of the infection process of C. fructicola on apple leaves will assist in the development of disease management strategies and provide a foundation for studies of the molecular mechanism of the C. fructicola–apple leaf interaction.