Abstract
Huanglongbing (HLB) reduces the growth and development of citrus and induces changes in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, limonoids, and polyamines. Likewise, infected plants have a deficient absorption of nutrients such as zinc, potassium, manganese, and copper. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different rootstocks on morphology and mineral changes of Citrus limon and Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia plants inoculated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. In a greenhouse of the Experimental Station-Autonomous University of Tamaulipas, the Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacteria were inoculated to Citrus limon plants (growing on Citrus volkameriana, Citrus macrophylla, and Citrus aurantium rootstocks) and Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia (growing on Citrus volkameriana and Citrus aurantium rootstocks). The experiment was established under a completely randomized design with 45 graft/rootstock repetitions. In each graft/rootstock combination, the plant height and stem diameter were determined using a tape measurer and a Vernier, respectively. In addition, the nutrient content of foliar samples was determined by an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. In both citrus species, the C. aurantium rootstock promoted a higher concentration of the bacteria. On the other hand, the rootstock that showed the best agronomical results after inoculation with the bacteria was C. volkameriana, presenting the least variation in mineral content and conferring greater plant height (15%) and stem diameter (23%). In contrast, the presence of Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus decreased S content and increased Cu concentration in C. lemon plants. Similarly, plants infected with C. sinensis presented higher Fe content. Finally, in both species, no significant differences were observed for Mn, P, and Zn concentration.
Highlights
One of the factors that reduce citrus production is the presence of different diseases, among them, Huanglongbing disease (HLB), which is one of the biggest problems in citrus worldwide, reduces production up to 50%, and in advanced stages of infection, may cause death of trees [1,2].Globally, every year, the HLB causes losses of billions of dollars in the citrus industry [3]
The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in minerals and morphology of Citrus limon and Citrus sinensis plants inoculated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus grown on different rootstocks
Italian lemon (Citrus limon) and Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis) rootstocks were grown under a completely randomized design
Summary
One of the factors that reduce citrus production is the presence of different diseases, among them, Huanglongbing disease (HLB), which is one of the biggest problems in citrus worldwide, reduces production up to 50%, and in advanced stages of infection, may cause death of trees [1,2].Globally, every year, the HLB causes losses of billions of dollars in the citrus industry [3]. In different citrus areas around the world, HLB is caused by different strains of Candidatus Liberibacter; Agronomy 2020, 10, 1564; doi:10.3390/agronomy10101564 www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy. The Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) [5]. Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus interferes with protein mobilization and causes cell death and phloem necrosis [1]. Within the primary infection process, the bacterium reaches the roots through the phloem [6]. A dark material appears in the roots between the plasma membrane and cell walls. As this material accumulates, the roots show a decline and a low starch content [7].
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