Plant Disease Severity Research Articles

Relationships between Microsclerotia Content and Hyperspectral Reflectance Data in Soybean Tissue Infected by Macrophomina phaseolina

Alternative methods are needed to assess the severity of charcoal rot disease [Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid] in soybean [Glycine max (L.)] plant tissue. The objective of this study was to define the relationship between light reflectance properties and microsclerotia content of soybean stem and root tissue. Understanding that relationship could lead to using spectral reflectance data as a tool to assess the severity of charcoal rot disease in soybean plants, thus reducing human bias associated with qualitative analysis of soybean plant tissue and cost and time issues connected with quantitative analysis. Hyperspectral reflectance measurements (400-2490 nm) were obtained with a non-imaging spectroradiometer of non-diseased and charcoal rot diseased ground stem and root tissue samples of six soybean genotypes (“Clark”, “LD00-3309”, “LG03- 4561-14”, “LG03-4561-19”, “Saline”, and “Y227-1”). Relationships between the reflectance measurements and tissue microsclerotia content were evaluated with Spearman correlation (rs) analysis (p < 0.05). Moderate (rs = ±0.40 to ±0.59), strong (rs = ±0.60 to ±0.79), and very strong (rs = ±0.80 to ±1.00) negative and positive statistically significant (p < 0.05) monotonic relationships were observed between tissue spectral reflectance values and tissue microsclerotia content. Near-infrared and shortwave-infrared wavelengths had the best relationships with microsclerotia content in the ground tissue samples, with consistent results obtained with near-infrared wavelengths in that decreases in near-infrared spectral reflectance values were associated with increases in microsclerotia content in the stem and root tissue of the soybean plants. The findings of this study provided evidence that relationships exist between tissue spectral reflectance and tissue microsclerotia content of soybean plants, supporting spectral reflectance data as a means for assessing variation of microsclerotia content in soybean plants. Future research should focus on the modelling capabilities of the selected wavelengths and on the feasibility of using these wavelengths in machine learning algorithms to differentiate non-diseased from charcoal rot diseased tissue.

Methyl jasmonate induced defense responses increase resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 in banana

Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, is a severe banana (Musa spp.) root disease, currently threatening banana production worldwide. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has been recognized for its ability to induce systemic defense against various pathogens. In this study, we treated banana plantlets with 1.5mM exogenous MeJA. The effects of treatment on the level of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, total phenols (TP), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide radicals (O2−), malondialdehyde (MDA), as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase (CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), plus disease incidence (DI) and disease severity (DS) were investigated. The results demonstrated that MeJA regulated the contents of H2O2 and O2−, and decreased MDA in banana roots. Meanwhile, plantlets treated with MeJA exhibited considerably higher chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and TP contents, and higher activities of SOD, POD, PPO, CAT and PAL. In addition, MeJA treatment dramatically reduced disease incidence (DI) and disease severity (DS) of banana plants compared to control. The higher activities of scavenger antioxidant enzymes account for the reduction of cellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is of vital importance for maintaining cell membrane integrity. The accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins, chitinases and β-1,3-glucanase, as well as total phenols and PAL activity in the treated roots also indicated that MeJA triggered key enzymes of secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways, suggesting that MeJA was involved in the activation of a disease-related defense system.

Effectiveness of different elicitors in inducing resistance in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) against pathogen infection

The excessive application of pesticides for agricultural production in Malaysia has raised quite some concern about environmental safety and sustainability. To reduce environmental impact of pesticide overuse, there is an increasing interest in using different elicitors to induce disease resistance in crop. Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), which is an important vegetable cum spice crop in Malaysia, was used to compare the effectiveness of two natural elicitors (jasmonic acid and salicylic acid) with conventional pesticide application as control. The experimental results indicated that pesticide-treated plants showed rapid reduction in disease severity after application while elicitors perform slowly and its effectiveness increase gradually over time. Among the tested elicitors, jasmonic acid was found most effective regarding disease severity and yield of chilli compared with salicylic acid. Although used elicitors was not best performing treatment compared with conventional pesticide, some physiological parameters (relative chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthesis rate) and disease severity in chilli plants treated with jasmonic acid was very close to conventional pesticide. Therefore, jasmonic acid could be a potential elicitor for inducing disease resistance in chilli and salicylic acid may not an appropriate elicitor for chilli.

Leaf endophytes and Populus genotype affect severity of damage from the necrotrophic leaf pathogen, Drepanopeziza populi

Fungal leaf endophytes—nonpathogenic microfungi that live within plant leaves—are ubiquitous in land plants. Leaf endophytes and host plant genotypes may interact to determine plant disease severity. In a greenhouse inoculation experiment, we found that leaf endophyte species and Populus angustifolia genotypes both affected disease outcomes in plants inoculated with the necrotrophic leaf pathogen Drepanopeziza populi. Contrary to many studies showing endophytes conferring defense, all plant genotypes inoculated with the endophyte Penicillium sp. prior to inoculation with the pathogen D. populi were characterized by greater pathogen symptom severity than plants inoculated with the pathogen only. We quantified defense gene expression via qRT–PCR, but found no evidence that increased pathogen damage was related to differential expression of the assayed genes. A second endophyte, Truncatella angustata, which was previously found to reduce symptom severity of the biotrophic pathogen Melampsora in Populus trichocarpa, did not affect symptom severity of the necrotrophic pathogen D. populi or defense gene expression. Overall, our study highlights the variable effects of endophytes on pathogen symptom severity, and illustrates that plant genotypic variation can remain important for disease outcomes even in the presence of endophytes altering disease. Additional work is needed to elucidate the mechanism by which fungal leaf endophytes alter disease in their host plants.

Assessment of tolerance for reducing yield losses in field pea caused by Aphanomyces root rot

Conner, R. L., Chang, K. F., Hwang, S. F., Warkentin, T. D. and McRae, K. B. 2013. Assessment of tolerance for reducing yield losses in field pea caused by Aphanomyces root rot. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 473–482. Aphanomyces root rot, caused by Aphanomyces euteiches Drechs., is a serious disease of peas (Pisum sativum) that can severely reduce seed yield, and few effective control measures are available. The development of pea cultivars with tolerance or partial resistance to Aphanomyces root rot is generally considered to be one of the best options to reduce yield loss. A 4-yr field study was conducted at disease-free sites and at an Aphanomyces root rot site to compare the responses of cultivars and lines in the presence and absence of Aphanomyces root rot, identify breeding lines with tolerance and to evaluate the effects of tolerance on plant growth, disease severity and yield. At the Aphanomyces root rot site, a second test was established in which the phosphite fungicide Phostrol™ was applied as a soil drench treatment to the pea cultivars and lines. Aphanomyces root rot reduced seedling emergence, biomass production and yield in the susceptible pea genotypes. However, line 00-2067 consistently produced relatively high yields at all the field sites. At the Aphanomyces root rot site, yield was closely associated with plant vigour and shoot weight. Small, but significant, differences (P&lt;0.05) in disease severity were observed between susceptible cultivars and tolerant lines indicating that the lines producing high yields at the Aphanomyces root rot site are tolerant rather than partially resistant. The root/shoot weight ratio was very low in the tolerant lines, indicating that even though their root systems were reduced and severely damaged by root rot, they were still able to produce high yields under favourable conditions for the disease. Drench application of the fungicide Phostrol™ did not significantly reduce root rot severity or improve the performance of any of the pea cultivars or lines.

Genome-wide association mapping reveals genetic architecture of durable spot blotch resistance in US barley breeding germplasm

Spot blotch, an economically important disease of both barley and wheat, is caused by Cochliobolus sativus (anamorph: Bipolaris sorokiniana). The disease has been reported in many regions of the world, but is particularly severe on barley in the Upper Midwest region of the USA and adjacent areas of Canada. For over 50 years, spot blotch has been effectively controlled through the deployment of durable resistance in six-rowed malting cultivars. To characterize loci conferring spot blotch resistance in US barley germplasm, we employed an association mapping approach using 3,840 breeding lines and cultivars. Three quantitative trait loci (QTL), Rcs-qtl-1H-11_10764, Rcs-qtl-3H-11_10565 and Rcs-qtl-7H-11_20162, were found to confer both seedling and adult plant resistance. Together, these three QTL comprise the Midwest Six-rowed Durable Resistant Haplotype (MSDRH), which is present in all Midwest six-rowed cultivars released since the 1960s. Each QTL alone only partially reduced disease levels, but combining all three together reduced the seedling infection response and adult plant disease severity by 47 and 83 %, respectively. The identified MSDRH will be valuable for marker-assisted selection of breeding lines to deploy spot blotch resistance and can also be incorporated into genomic selection as one of the disease resistance traits.

Potential of biotic inducers on disease severity and variation of Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus in cucumber plants

Six bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus polymyxa, Bacillus circulans, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens 2 and Pseudomonas fluorescens 8) and one fungal isolate (Trichoderma harzianum) were tested for their ability to protect Cucumis sativus L. cv. Beith Alpha against the disease development of Cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV). Seed treatment with individual bacterial and fungal liquid cultures significantly and consistently reduced the disease severity (DS) of infected cucumber plants, after 14 days from CMV inoculation onto cotyledons. All seven biotic inducers reduced the CMV infection at the range of 16.6–39% and 0–46.5% under sterilised and non-sterilised soils, respectively. The effect of treatment with each biotic inducer has a significant difference in the percentage of CMV DS. In sterilised soil, B. circulans has a low percentage of DS (42%), while P. fluorescens 8 has a high DS percentage (62.9%). In non-sterilised soil, the low DS percentage was 30% for T. harzianum, while P. putida had the highest DS percentage (70%). On the other hand, CMV variability on Chenopodium amaranticolor revealed that all biotic treatments differed according to the local lesion number, similarity and morphology.

Early detection of squash silverleaf and chemical control of Bemisia tabaci using imidacloprid

Squash silverleaf induced by the geographical variant Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is an economically important disease of Cucurbita pepo L. in tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. Therefore, both early detection of disease severity and judicious use of insecticides are important for minimizing economic losses. Therefore, the aims of this study were to use chlorophyll fluorescence to detect squash silverleaf early and determine the best protocol for imidacloprid application. The results showed that chlorophyll fluorescence was positively correlated with disease severity of whitefly-infested plants. Foliar spraying was suitable for application to control MEAM1 in the high risk region because it could be rapidly implemented against whitefly infestations and because it has a high knockdown rate. Soil application was slow-acting but had a long-lasting effect and was suitable for implementation during the initial stage of a whitefly outbreak. Considering the overall insect control potential and the risks to the environmental contamination and human health, 0.3 g L−1 imidacloprid is the recommended concentration using the two application methods.

ISR meets SAR outside: additive action of the endophyte Bacillus pumilus INR7 and the chemical inducer, benzothiadiazole, on induced resistance against bacterial spot in field-grown pepper.

Induced resistance has been recognized as an attractive tool for plant disease management in modern agriculture. During the last two decades, studies on chemically- and biologically elicited induced resistance have revealed previously unknown features of the plant defense response including defense priming. As a biological trigger for induced resistance, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a group of root-associated bacteria that can reduce plant disease severity and incidence, and augment plant growth and yield under greenhouse and field conditions. We evaluated the potential of an endophytic PGPR, Bacillus pumilus INR7, to induce systemic resistance against bacterial spot caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria in pepper. Trials in the greenhouse showed significantly less symptom development in pepper plants inoculated with strain INR7 compared to a water treatment. Furthermore, a single dipping treatment with INR7 before transplantation of pepper plants into the field elicited an induced systemic resistance response against bacterial spot caused by artificially infiltration of X. axonopodis pv. vesicatoria and even against naturally occurring bacterial spot disease. We identified an additive effect on induced resistance after administration of a combination treatment composed of strain INR7 with a chemical inducer, benzothiadiazole (BTH) in the field. The combination treatment stimulated expression of pepper defense marker genes CaPR1, CaTin1, and CaPR4 to a greater extent than did treatment with either agent alone. Similar experiments conducted with tobacco revealed no additive effects under field conditions. Interestingly, co-application of plants with INR7 lifted the growth repressing effect of BTH. Application of BTH onto pepper and tobacco did not affect rhizosphere colonization but supported a higher population density inside plant roots when compared to water-treated control plants. Our results indicate that PGPR can be used in combination with BTH for increased induced resistance capacity under field conditions.

Axenic culture of plant pathogenic phytoplasmas

Phytoplasmas are microorganisms associated with severe plant diseases affecting diverse agrarian activites worldwide. Since their discovery, conclusive proof of their pathogenicity is lacking due to failure to culture these organisms. This has also hindered studies on their biology, biochemistry and physiology, although significant taxonomic progress has been achieved from study of the 16S ribosomal gene and full genomic sequencing of four phytoplasma strains. The inability to fulfil Koch’s postulates severely restricts the understanding of the roles of these organisms in plant diseases and in plant/insect/phytoplasma interactions. Here we show that specific commercial media support axenic growth of phytoplasmas under defined conditions; the identity of the organisms was confirmed by PCR/RFLP analyses and sequencing of phytoplasma-specific genes. We have demonstrated for the first time that phytoplasmas, similarly to mycoplasmas, can grow independently from their host(s). This should assist reduction of the socio-economic impact of phytoplasma diseases worldwide through improved pathogen detection and consequently better management of the diseases they cause. Knowledge of mechanisms underlying the autonomous life of phytoplasmas, that are among the smallest living organisms, should also provide important information about basic mechanisms of life.

Fertilization affects severity of disease caused by fungal plant pathogens

Commercial fertilizers are commonly applied in farming to maximize crop yield. Lifting nutrient limitation to plant growth when water and light conditions are sufficient may permit plants to grow to the maximum of their ability; however, plant ability to resist pathogen infections is also modified. A meta‐analysis was conducted on 57 articles to identify the way plant disease severity of fungal pathogen‐induced infection is modified following fertilization, and the key regulators of such an effect. The analysis largely focused on N fertilization events in order to minimize the effect of heterogeneity that could result from differences in the way different nutrient fertilizers are able to modify plant disease severity. Fungal pathogen identity and fungal pathogen lifestyle were the main significant regulators affecting the extent of the modification of plant disease resistance following N fertilization, whereas contradictory results were obtained with the susceptibility of plant species. No differences were detected between pot or field experiments and following artificial or natural infection. Although in the vast majority of instances N fertilization increased disease severity, characteristic plant species and fungal pathogens could be identified for which disease severity following N fertilization declined. It is concluded that the potential of some plant species such as Solanum spp. to show reduced disease severity following N fertilization requires further investigation, as in such cases N fertilization could potentially be used as an additional means of suppressing fungal pathogens.

Antifungal activity of some actinomycetes isolated from Riyadh soil, Saudi Arabia: An evaluation for their ability to control Alternaria caused tomato blight in green house pot trial)

A collection of 105 strains of actinomycetes isolated from the soils of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were evaluated for their ability to inhibit plant pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus flavus in vitro. About 61.90% isolates were able to inhibit the growth of A. alternata, followed by 61.8, 52.24 and 50.9% inhibiting A. flavus, F. oxysporum and A. niger respectively. Subsequently, these isolates were tested for their ability to control Alternaria blight on tomato plant (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) grown in sterilized peat moss soil. Broth and crude extract of all except, DS-8(32), DS-6(48) and DS-6(33) isolates of actinomycetes have shown effect on plant disease severity. Over all analysis of data showed that strain AS-2(29) was the most effective isolate.Broth and crude extract of this strain had shown maximum zone of inhibition against F. oxysporum (11 and 18 mm respectively) and A. alternata (15 and 17 mm respectively). Plants treated with this strain were healthy and green and only a few older leaves showed the blight symptom and growth was found at par with control plants. However, strain DS-6(33) has not shown any antifungal activity and plants succumbed to infection of A. alternata, whereas, broth of DS-8(24) and DS-1(23) showed strong antifungal activity against A. alternata (20 and 19 mm zone of inhibition). However, crude extract of these strains has not shown any antifungal activity and plants treated with these strains were healthy and only older leaves were blighted. Extract but not broth of DS-1(20) showed strong antifungal activity against F. oxysporum and A. alternata (15 and 16 mm respectively) and the growth of the plant was similar to that of the control plants in pot trial strains varied in their antifungal activity against one or both plant pathogenic fungi. Based on the cultural, morphological and physiological characteristics, most of the strains were identified as the different isolates of the genus Streptomyces. In the further study, Streptomyces species as biological control agents would be offered a much needed alternative to the use of synthetic agrochemicals. Key words: Actinomycetes, screening antifungal activity, A. alternata, green house pot trial, scanning electron microscope, tomato blight disease.

Photosynthesis and sugar concentration are impaired by the defective active silicon uptake in rice plants infected with Bipolaris oryzae

The effect of soluble silicon (Si) on photosynthetic parameters and soluble sugar concentrations was determined in leaves of rice cv. Oochikara and mutant plants of Oochikara defective in active Si uptake [low silicon 1 (lsi1)]. Plants were grown in hydroponic culture amended with 0 (−Si) or 2 mm Si (+Si), under either low or high photon flux density (PFD) and with or without inoculation with Bipolaris oryzae, the causal agent of brown spot of rice. Leaf Si concentration increased by 141 and 435% in +Si cv. Oochikara and by 119 and 251% in +Si lsi1 mutant plants under high and low PFD, respectively, compared with −Si plants. Plant biomass accumulation was improved by Si regardless of PFD, especially plants for cv. Oochikara. Brown spot severity was highest in −Si plants for cv. Oochikara and lsi1 mutant plants under low PFD. In the presence of Si, disease severity in plants grown under both low and high PFD was reduced, except for lsi1 mutant plants under high PFD. Plant inoculation reduced the photosynthetic parameters measured regardless of plant material or Si supply. A decrease of net carbon assimilation rate (A) of inoculated plants under low PFD compared with non‐inoculated plants was associated with damage in the photosynthetic apparatus, except for +Si cv. Oochikara in which stomatal restriction [low water vapour conductance (gs)] contributed to A reduction. Under high PFD, damage to the photosynthetic apparatus of inoculated plants was the main reason for the reduction in A for +Si and −Si lsi1 mutant plants. In addition, for −Si cv. Oochikara, a reduction in gs contributed to reduced A. However, for +Si cv. Oochikara, gs was the limiting factor for A. Inoculated plants of +Si cv. Oochikara had higher A values than +Si lsi1 mutant plants, regardless of environmental conditions. Soluble sugars were not detected in leaf tissues of plants under low PFD. For high PFD, Si improved the hexose concentration in non‐inoculated plants at 144 h after inoculation (hai) for lsi1 mutant plants and from 96 hai onwards for cv. Oochikara compared with −Si plants. However, plant inoculation reduced hexose concentration compared with non‐inoculated plants, mainly in +Si plants, regardless of plant material. Sucrose concentration increased in leaves of cv. Oochikara in the presence of Si whether inoculated or not. For +Si lsi1 mutant plants, sucrose concentration increased only at 48 hai compared with −Si plants, whether inoculated or not. The results of this study show that a minimum Si concentration is needed in leaf tissues of rice plants to avoid the negative impact of B. oryzae infection on photosynthesis and sugar concentration. High leaf Si concentration resulted in an increased soluble sugar concentration and together, but in independent ways, soluble sugar and Si reduced brown spot severity of rice.

Plant-beneficial effects of Trichoderma and of its genes

Trichoderma (teleomorph Hypocrea) is a fungal genus found in many ecosystems. Trichoderma spp. can reduce the severity of plant diseases by inhibiting plant pathogens in the soil through their highly potent antagonistic and mycoparasitic activity. Moreover, as revealed by research in recent decades, some Trichoderma strains can interact directly with roots, increasing plant growth potential, resistance to disease and tolerance to abiotic stresses. This mini-review summarizes the main findings concerning the Trichoderma-plant interaction, the molecular dialogue between the two organisms, and the dramatic changes induced by the beneficial fungus in the plant. Efforts to enhance plant resistance and tolerance to a broad range of stresses by expressing Trichoderma genes in the plant genome are also addressed.

Field assessment of calcium, copper and zinc ions on plant recovery and disease severity following infection of Huanglongbing (HLB) disease

The effect of Ca, Cu and Zn ions on plant recovery and disease severity following infection of huanglongbing disease was carried out at a commercial citrus orchards belonging to Lembaga Pertubuhan Peladang (LPP) Terengganu, situated at Durian Mentangau, Dungun, Terengganu. Application of Zn or Cu ions in combination with Ca was able to delay disease incidence and severity of hunglongbing disease. These treatments (C/Ca/Cu and C/Ca/Zn) also showed slightly reduction of AUDPC value on infected citrus trees. In general, analysis of macronutrients and micronutrients content in citrus leaves showed significantly different at the beginning of the study (0 to 6 months after treatment) but no significant different were observed at the end of the study period (6-9 months after treatment) as noted on Mg, P, Ca and Zn analysis. Results for specific leaf area showed no significant different among treatment as observed in leaf area, total leaf length and total leaf width. However, specific leaf area was increased gradually in all treatments over the period of the study. The overall results of field trial showed that infected citrus trees treated with combination of Ca and Zn ions at 600 and 10 ppm, respectively resulted in significant increase (P≤0.05) in terms of fruit production and total soluble solid (TSS) content only. Key words: Huanglongbing, candidatus liberibacter asiaticus, field assessment, micronutrients and macronutrients.

Real-time PCR for the quantification of fungi in planta.

Methods enabling quantification of fungi in planta can be useful for a variety of applications. In combination with information on plant disease severity, indirect quantification of fungi in planta offers an additional tool in the screening of plants that are resistant to fungal diseases. In this chapter, a method is described for the quantification of DNA from a fungus in plant leaves using real-time PCR (qPCR). Although the method described entails quantification of the fungus Verticillium dahliae in lettuce leaves, the methodology described would be useful for other pathosystems as well. The method utilizes primers that are specific for amplification of a β-tubulin sequence from V. dahliae and a lettuce actin gene sequence as a reference for normalization. This approach enabled quantification of V. dahliae in the amount of 2.5 fg/ng of lettuce leaf DNA at 21 days following plant inoculation.

PENGARUH INFESTASI VERTICILLIUM LECANII TERHADAP KEPARAHAN PENYAKIT KARAT DAUN KOPI PADA TANAMAN DAN KETERJADIAN KOLONINYA PADA DAUN

Effect of infestation of Verticillium lecanii on the severity of coffee leaf rust on plants and the incidence of its colony on coffee leaves. V. lecanii often antagonizes H. vastatrix on lesions caused by the pathogen on coffee leaves in the field. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy of V. lecanii to control disease severity on coffee plants in a green house and to compare the incidence of V. lecanii colonies on coffee leaves naturally infested by V. lecanii in the field and that in the leaves with additional infestation in the laboratory. For efficacy test and additional infestation in the laboratory, conidia were harvested from YMPD medium. Suspension with 107 conidia ml-1 was sprayed into coffee foliage until both surfaces of the leaves were saturated with the suspension. After the leaves were air dried, they were sprayed with urediospores (104 ml-1). The results show that disease severity in plants treated with V. lecanii and control plants was not significantly different (P &lt; 0.05), except that obtained at the fourth week when disease severity on the treated plants was significantly lower that that in control plants. The number of V. lecanii colonies on coffee leaves naturally infested with the biocontrol agent was not increased by additional infestation with V. lecanii conidia in the laboratory.

Fusarium sambucinum isolate FS-94 induces resistance against fusarium wilt of tomato via activation and priming of a salicylic acid-dependent signaling system

The wheat rhizosphere-inhabiting nonpathogenic Fusarium sambucinum isolate FS-94 protected tomato from Fusarium wilt (F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) in laboratory experiments. Seed soaking or immersion of seedling roots in a FS-94 spore suspension prior to inoculation with the pathogen delayed the appearance of wilt symptoms and significantly reduced disease severity in plants of a susceptible tomato cultivar. Quantification of fungal ergosterol in infected tomato showed that protection against wilt agent was related to limitation of the pathogen growth in plants exposed to FS-94. Incubation of tomato seedlings in a FS-94 spore suspension for 48 or 72 h led to plant protection and increased the salicylic acid (SA) concentration in their roots, suggesting that this isolate was involved in a plant-mediated mode of action and induced resistance. Soaking tomato seeds in the spore suspension did not induce SA accumulation in seedling roots, but nevertheless resulted in a significant reduction in wilt severity when the seedlings were challenged with the pathogen. In response to pathogen attack, the SA content in susceptible seedlings grown from FS-94-treated seeds started to increase within 1 day and remained elevated for 72 h. This suggests that F. sambucinum isolate FS-94 primed a SA-dependent signaling system in tomato.

Comparison of screening methods to evaluate the response of St. Augustine grass to Magnaporthe oryzae

The objective of this study was to develop a reliable and high throughput screening method to evaluate the response of St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) genotypes to the grey leaf spot (GLS) caused by Magnaporthe oryzae infection. Whole plant, detached stolon and detached leaf assays under growth chamber conditions were compared to field conditions on eight commercial and nine advanced breeding lines of St. Augustine grass. Disease was assessed using two variables, lesion size (LS) and overall plant disease severity (SEV). LS and SEV were highly correlated for field and growth chamber screening methods using the whole plant assay (LS r2 = 0·79; SEV r2 = 0·83; P ≤ 0·001), the detached stolon assay (LS r2 = 0·75; SEV r2 = 0·72; P ≤ 0·001), and the detached leaf assay (LS r2 = 0·46; SEV r2 = 0·60; P ≤ 0·001). Genotypic variation for resistance in 17 St. Augustine grass genotypes was identified using all screening methods for LS (P &lt; 0·05) and SEV (P &lt; 0·05). The rank‐sum method was used to classify St. Augustine grass genotypes into highly resistant (HR), resistant (R), moderately resistant (MR), moderately susceptible (MS), susceptible (S) and highly susceptible (HS) classes based on the rank‐sum values of LS and SEV. Two introduced African polyploids used as parents, and two F1 interploid progeny obtained using an in vitro embryo rescue technique, were classified as highly resistant (HR), or resistant (R), across all screening methods.

Comparative genome-scale metabolic modeling of actinomycetes: The topology of essential core metabolism

Actinomycetes are highly important bacteria. On one hand, some of them cause severe human and plant diseases, on the other hand, many species are known for their ability to produce antibiotics. Here we report the results of a comparative analysis of genome-scale metabolic models of 37 species of actinomycetes. Based on in silico knockouts we generated topological and genomic maps for each organism. Combining the collection of genome-wide models, we constructed a global enzyme association network to identify both a conserved “core network” and an “essential core network” of the entire group. As has been reported for low-degree metabolites in several organisms, low-degree enzymes (in linear pathways) turn out to be generally more essential than high-degree enzymes (in metabolic hubs).