Isolation and characterization of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum isolates from the rhizosphere of healthy banana plants

One of the most serious diseases of banana is fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense ( Foc ). The objectives of this study were to isolate and identify nonpathogenic F. oxysporum strains from soils suppressive to banana wilt, and to determine the diversity of these isolates. More than 100 Fusarium strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of banana plants and identified to species level. Pathogenicity testing was carried out to confirm that these isolates were nonpathogens of banana. A PCR-based RFLP analysis of the intergenic spacer region of the ribosomal RNA operon was used to characterize the nonpathogens. The isolates were also compared with isolates of Foc from South Africa and the known biological control isolate of F. oxysporum , Fo47. The species-specific primers FOF1 and FOR1, in addition to morphological features, were used to confirm the identity of F. oxysporum isolates included in the PCR-RFLP analysis. Twelve different genotypes could be distinguished, identified by a six-letter code allocated to each isolate following digestion with the restriction enzymes Hae III, Hha I, Hin fI, Msp I, Rsa I and Scrf I. Eleven of these included nonpathogenic F. oxysporum isolates, and these groups could all be distinguished from the genotype that included Foc . Fo47 was included in one of the genotype groups consisting of nonpathogenic F. oxysporum isolates from South Africa.     

Implication of Systemic Induced Resistance in the Suppression of Fusarium Wilt of Tomato by Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS417r and by Nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum Fo47

Fluorescent pseudomonads and nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum have been shown to suppress fusarium wilts. This suppression has been related to both microbial antagonism and induced resistance.The aim of the present study was to assess the relative importance of systemic induced resistance in the suppression of fusarium wilt of tomato in commercial-like conditions by a reference strain of each type of microorganism (P. fluorescens WCS417r and nonpathogenic F. oxysporum Fo47). The spatial separation of the pathogen and the biocontrol strains excluded any possible microbial antagonism and implicated the involvement of the systemic induced resistance; whereas the absence of any separation between these microorganisms allowed the expression of both mechanisms. Since systemic induced resistance has often been associated with the synthesis of PR-proteins, their accumulation in tomato plants inoculated with WCS417r or with Fo47 was determined.The analysis of the results indicates that the suppression of fusarium wilt by P. fluorescens WCS417r was ascribed to systemic induced resistance without any detection of the PR-proteins tested (PR-1 and chitinases). In contrast, the suppression achieved by nonpathogenic F. oxysporum Fo47 appeared to be mainly ascribed to microbial antagonism but also to a lesser extent to systemic induced resistance. This induced resistance could be related to the accumulation of PR-1 and chitinases.The possible relationship between the ability of Fo47 to suppress fusarium wilt more efficiently than WCS417r and its ability to show both mechanisms is discussed.     

Gene genealogies support Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris as a monophyletic group

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Foc), the causal agent of fusarium wilt of chickpea, consists of two pathotypes (yellowing and wilting) and eight races (races 0, 1B/C, 1A and 2–6) of diverse geographical distribution. Six Foc isolates, one each of races 0, 1B/C, 1A, 4, 5 and 6, representing the two pathotypes and the geographical range of the pathogen, showed identical sequences in introns of the genes for translation elongation factor 1α ( EF1 α), β-tubulin, histone 3, actin and calmodulin. Eleven additional Foc isolates representative of all races, pathotypes and geographical range, and three isolates of F. oxysporum (Fo) nonpathogenic to chickpea were further analysed for sequence variation in the EF1 α gene. All isolates pathogenic to chickpeas shared an identical EF1 α gene sequence, which differed from that shared by the three Fo isolates nonpathogenic to chickpea. EF1 α gene sequences from the 17 Foc isolates and the three Fo isolates were compared with 24 EF1 α gene sequences in GenBank from isolates of 11 formae speciales of F. oxysporum by parsimony analysis. Foc isolates formed a grouping distinct from other formae speciales and nonpathogenic isolates. These results indicate that F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is monophyletic.     

Characterization of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum attacking melon under natural conditions in Greece

A severe root and stem rot disease of melon was observed during the 2001 growing season on four glasshouse crops in Heraklio, Greece. A total of 43 isolates of F. oxysporum , obtained in Crete from glasshouse-grown melon and showing fusarium wilt or root and stem rot symptoms, were characterized by pathogenicity and vegetative compatibility. The majority of these isolates was also fingerprinted via amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) analysis. Of the total number of isolates, 22 were identified by pathogenicity tests as F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis , 20 as F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum , while one isolate was nonpathogenic on cucumber, melon, sponge gourd and pumpkin. All 22 isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis were assigned to vegetative compatibility group (VCG) 0134, and all 20 isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum to VCG 0260. Isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum were incompatible with isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis. AFLP fingerprinting allowed for the clustering of the isolates of the two formae speciales of F. oxysporum along two separate phenetic groups: f. sp. melonis to AFLP major haplotype I, and f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum to AFLP major haplotype II. Overall, pathogenicity, vegetative compatibility grouping and AFLP analysis were correlated and effectively distinguished isolates of F. oxysporum from melon. This appears to be the first report of natural infection of melon by F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-cucumerinum worldwide.     

Suppression of fusarium wilt of radish by co-inoculation of fluorescentPseudomonas spp. and root-colonizing fungi

In an earlier study, treatment of radish seed with the bacteriumPseudomonas fluorescens WCS374 suppressed fusarium wilt of radish (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.raphani) in a commercial greenhouse [Leemanet al., 1991b, 1995a]. In this greenhouse, the areas with fusarium wilt were localized or expanded very slowly, possibly due to disease suppressiveness of the soil. To study this phenomenon, fungi were isolated from radish roots collected from the greenhouse soil. Roots grown from seed treated with WCS374 were more abundantly colonized by fungi than were roots from nonbacterized plants. Among these were several species known for their antagonistic potential. Three of these fungi,Acremonium rutilum, Fusarium oxysporum andVerticillium lecanii, were evaluated further and found to suppress fusarium wilt of radish in a pot bioassay. In an induced resistance bioassay on rockwool,F. oxysporum andV. lecanii suppressed the disease by the apparent induction of systemic disease resistance. In pot bioassays with thePseudomonas spp. strains, the pseudobactin-minus mutant 358PSB^– did not suppress fusarium wilt, whereas its wild type strain (WCS358) suppressed disease presumably by siderophore-mediated competition for iron. The wild type strains of WCS374 and WCS417, as well as their pseudobactin-minus mutants 374PSB^– and 417PSB^– suppressed fusarium wilt. The latter is best explained by the fact that these strains are able to induce systemic resistance in radish, which operates as an additional mode of action. Co-inoculation in pot bioassays, ofA. rutilum, F. oxysporum orV. lecanii with thePseudomonas spp. WCS358, WCS374 or WCS417, or their pseudobactin-minus mutants, significantly suppressed disease (except forA. rutilum/417PSB^– and all combinations with 358PSB^–), compared with the control treatment, if the microorganisms were applied in inoculum densities which were ineffective in suppressing disease as separate inocula. If one or both of the microorganism(s) of each combination were applied as separate inocula in a density which suppressed disease, no additional suppression of disease was observed by the combination. The advantage of the co-inoculation is that combined populations significantly suppressed disease even when their individual population density was too low to do so. This may provide more consistent biological control. The co-inoculation effect obtained in the pot bioassays suggests that co-operation ofP. fluorescens WCS374 and indigenous antagonists could have been involved in the suppression of fusarium wilt of radish in the commercial greenhouse trials.Abbreviations CFU colony forming units - KB King's B - PGPR plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria - CQ colonization quotient     

大蕉枯萎病病原菌鉴定及TEF-1α序列分析

 近年来,大蕉枯萎病在广东省东莞市发生严重,为了有效控制病害发生蔓延,生产上急需明确大蕉枯萎病的病原。本研究收集了我国华南地区的12株大蕉枯萎病病原菌及19株包括1号及4号生理小种的单孢菌株,以来源于澳大利亚的1号、2号、3号和亚热带4号生理小种以及4株非病原尖孢镰孢菌作对照,通过病原菌形态鉴定、致病性测定、4号小种(Foc 4)及热带4号小种(TR4)的分子特异检测、以及基于翻译延伸因子(TEF-1α)序列的系统发育分析,对大蕉枯萎病病原菌进行鉴定。同时,对我国华南地区不同来源的香蕉枯萎病病原菌的遗传发育关系及致病性分化情况进行了研究。结果表明:(1)引起大蕉枯萎病的病原菌主要是1号生理小种或者是与1号生理小种亲缘关系较近的一个新的系统发育谱系,该谱系可能为 1 号生理小种变异演化而来;(2)大蕉枯萎病病原菌对大蕉和粉蕉都有较强的致病力,但不能侵染香蕉;我国的1号小种存在一定的分化,其中有一个类群只能感染粉蕉,另一个类群既能感染粉蕉也能感染大蕉;(3)大蕉与粉蕉枯萎病的病原菌在致病性及遗传发育关系上都存在一定的交叉和分化。     

香蕉枯萎病拮抗菌贝莱斯芽胞杆菌的筛选鉴定及其生物学特性

香蕉枯萎病是目前香蕉产业面临的毁灭性病害,目前尚无特别有效的防治药剂.为发掘香蕉枯萎病的生防菌资源,本研究通过初筛和复筛获得两株对香蕉枯萎病菌具有较强拮抗活性的菌株Blz67和Blz02.依据形态学观察及生理生化测试结果,并结合16S rRNA和gyrA基因序列分析,将两株拮抗菌鉴定为贝莱斯芽胞杆菌Bacillus v...     

Siderophore-mediated competition for iron and induced resistance in the suppression of fusarium wilt of carnation by fluorescent Pseudomonas spp

The mechanisms of suppression of fusarium wilt of carnation by two fluorescentPseudomonas strains were studied.Treatments of carnation roots withPseudomonas sp. WCS417r significantly reduced fusarium wilt caused byFusarium oxysporum f. sp.dianthi (Fod). Mutants of WCS417r defective in siderophore biosynthesis (sid^–) were less effective in disease suppression compared with their wild-type. Treatments of carnation roots withPseudomonas putida WCS358r tended to reduce fusarium wilt, whereas a sid^– mutant of WCS358 did not.Inhibition of conidial germination of Fod in vitro by purified siderophores (pseudobactins) of bothPseudomonas strains was based on competition for iron. The ferrated pseudobactins inhibited germination significantly less than the unferrated pseudobactins. Inhibition of mycelial growth of Fod by bothPseudomonas strains on agar plates was also based on competition for iron: with increasing iron content of the medium, inhibition of Fod by thePseudomonas strains decreased. The sid^– mutant of WCS358 did not inhibit Fod on agar plates, whereas the sid^– mutants of WCS417r still did. This suggests that inhibition of Fod by WCS358r in vitro was only based on siderophore-mediated competition for iron, whereas also a non-siderophore antifungal factor was involved in the inhibition of Fod by strain WCS417r.The ability of thePseudomonas strains to induce resistance against Fod in carnation grown in soil was studied by spatially separating the bacteria (on the roots) and the pathogen (in the stem). Both WCS417r and its sid^– mutant reduced disease incidence significantly in the moderately resistant carnation cultivar Pallas, WCS358r did not.It is concluded that the effective and consistent suppression of fusarium wilt of carnation by strain WCS417r involves multiple mechanisms: induced resistance, siderophore-mediated competition for iron and possibly antibiosis. The less effective suppression of fusarium wilt by WCS358r only depends on siderophore-mediated competition for iron.     

Plant defence reactions against fusarium wilt in chickpea induced by incompatible race 0 of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris and nonhost isolates of F. oxysporum

Germinated seeds of 'kabuli' chickpea cv. ICCV 4 were inoculated with a conidial suspension of the incompatible race 0 of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris (Foc) or of nonhost F. oxysporum resistance 'inducers', and 3 days later were challenged by root dip with a conidial suspension of highly virulent Foc race 5. Prior inoculation with inducers delayed the onset of symptoms and/or significantly reduced the final amount of fusarium wilt caused by race 5. However, the extent of disease suppression varied with the nature of the inducing agent; the nonhost isolates of F. oxysporum were more effective at disease suppression than the incompatible Foc race 0. Inoculation with the inducers gave rise to synthesis of maackiain and medicarpin phytoalexins in inoculated seedlings; these did not accumulate in plant tissues but were released into the inoculum suspension. Inoculation with inducers also resulted in accumulation of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and peroxidase activities in plant roots. These defence-related responses were induced more consistently and intensely by nonhost isolates of F. oxysporum than by incompatible Foc race 0. The phytoalexins and, to a lesser extent, the antifungal hydrolases, were also induced after challenge inoculation with Foc race 5. However, in this case the defence responses were induced in both preinduced and noninduced plants infected by the pathogen. It is concluded that the suppression of fusarium wilt in this study possibly involved an inhibitory effect on the pathogen of preinduced plant defences, rather than an increase in the expression of defence mechanisms of preinduced plants following a subsequent challenge inoculation.     

Sequence variation in the putative effector gene SIX8 facilitates molecular differentiation of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), causal agent of fusarium wilt of banana, is among the most destructive pathogens of banana and plantain. The development of a molecular diagnostic capable of reliably distinguishing between the various races of the pathogen is of key importance to disease management. However, attempts to distinguish isolates using the standard molecular loci typically used for fungal phylogenetics have been complicated by a poor correlation between phylogeny and pathogenicity. Among the available alternative loci are several putative effector genes, known as SIX genes, which have been successfully used to differentiate the three races of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. In this study, an international collection of Foc isolates was screened for the presence of the putative effector SIX8. Using a PCR and sequencing approach, variation in Foc‐SIX8 was identified which allowed race 4 to be differentiated from race 1 and 2 isolates, and tropical and subtropical race 4 isolates to be distinguished from one another.     

Comparative analysis of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum populations associated with banana on a farm in Minas Gerais,Brazil

Fusarium wilt is one of the most devastating diseases on banana. The causal agent, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is genetically diverse and its origin and virulence are poorly understood. In this study, pathogenic Foc isolates and nonpathogenic F. oxysporum isolates from Minas Gerais in Brazil were compared using EF‐1α and IGS sequences. This allowed the examination of the origin and evolutionary potential of Foc in a country outside the region of origin of the banana plant. Two different sequence types were found among Foc isolates. One appeared to be of local origin because it was identical to the sequence type of the largest group of nonpathogenic isolates. To explore if the ‘local’ Foc isolates had acquired pathogenicity either independently through coevolution with the host, or through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of pathogenicity genes from other, probably introduced, Foc isolates, the presence and sequence of putative SIX effector genes were analysed. Homologues of SIX1, SIX3 and SIX8 were found. SIX1 sequences were identical and exclusively found in all pathogenic isolates, while variable ratios of sequences of multicopy gene SIX8 were found among nonpathogenic and different pathogenic isolates. This observation supports the HGT hypothesis. Horizontal transfer of genes between isolates of F. oxysporum has important implications for the development of reliable diagnostic tools and effective control measures. Full genome sequencing is required to confirm HGT and to further unravel the virulence mechanisms of forma specialis cubense.     

Effects of timing and method of application of Penicillium oxalicum on efficacy and duration of control of Fusarium wilt of tomato

The effects of timing and method of application of Penicillium oxalicum on the control of fusarium wilt of tomato were investigated. Application of P. oxalicum to tomato seedlings in seedbeds reduced disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici in a growth chamber by 45–49% and in glasshouse experiments by 22–69%. Disease suppression was maintained for 60–100 days after inoculation with the pathogen in the glasshouse. No disease reduction was observed in tomato plants where P. oxalicum was applied to seeds. Treatment with P. oxalicum did not affect the population of F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici in the rhizosphere.     

钾肥与生物有机肥配施防治香蕉枯萎病效果初探

通过盆栽试验研究了生物有机肥与氯化钾和硫酸钾配施防治香蕉枯萎病的效果。试验结果表明,两种肥料配施促进了香蕉苗生长,降低了香蕉枯萎病病情指数,提高了防病效果,生物有机肥与KCl和K2SO4配施防病效果比单施生物有机肥分别高60%和90%。利用T-RFLP分析土壤细菌DNA多样性,生物有机肥与钾肥配施提高了细菌三个遗传多样性指数,增加了土壤中芽胞杆菌种类。FAME分析也发现生物有机肥以及与钾肥配施促进革兰氏阳性细菌和放线菌繁殖,抑制革兰氏阴性细菌和真菌生长。生物有机肥与钾肥配施,优势互补,改善了土壤微生物群落结构,有利于提高防病效果。     

Evaluating the potential of soil management to reduce the effect of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense in banana (Musa AAA)

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) causes Fusarium wilt in banana (Musa AAA). Foc Race 1 devastated the subgroup Gros Michel during the first half of the...     

Control of Fusarium Wilt of Radish by Combining Pseudomonas putida Strains that have Different Disease-Suppressive Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Biological control of soilborne plant pathogens in the field has given variable results. By combining specific strains of microorganisms, multiple traits antagonizing the pathogen can be combined and this may result in a higher level of protection. Pseudomonas putida WCS358 suppresses Fusarium wilt of radish by effectively competing for iron through the production of its pseudobactin siderophore. However, in some bioassays pseudobactin-negative mutants of WCS358 also suppressed disease to the same extent as WCS358, suggesting that an, as yet unknown, additional mechanism may be operative in this strain. P. putida strain RE8 induced systemic resistance against fusarium wilt. When WCS358 and RE8 were mixed through soil together, disease suppression was significantly enhanced to approximately 50% as compared to the 30% reduction for the single strain treatments. Moreover, when one strain failed to suppress disease in the single application, the combination still resulted in disease control. The enhanced disease suppression by the combination of P. putida strains WCS358 and RE8 is most likely the result of the combination of their different disease-suppressive mechanisms. These results demonstrate that combining biocontrol strains can lead to more effective, or at least, more reliable biocontrol of fusarium wilt of radish.     

棉花枯萎病拮抗放线菌K5的分离与鉴定

从扬州地区土壤中分离到207株放线菌,以棉花枯萎病菌为目标菌,采用抑菌带法测定,筛选到9株有拮抗活性菌株,占所分离总数的4.3%.其中K5对棉花枯萎病菌的拮抗作用最强,抑茜带宽为8mm,同时对其它病菌也有一定的拮抗作用.盆栽试验结果表明菌株K5对棉花枯萎病防治效果达46.5%,与多菌灵相当.通过对菌株K5的形态观察、培养特征、生理生化反应和16S rDNA测定,将其鉴定为玫瑰产色链霉菌Streptomyces roseochromogenus.     

Benomyl-resistant Fusarium-isolates in ecological studies on the biological control of fusarium wilt in carnation

Ecological properties and stability of benomyl resistance of three benomyl-resistant mutants of nonpathogenicFusarium-isolates antagonistic to fusarium wilt in carnation, and three benomyl-resistant mutants of a pathogenic isolate ofFusarium oxysporum f.sp.dianthi were evaluatedin vitro and in glasshouse experiments. The benomyl resistance of the nonpathogenic mutants was stable under all conditions tested, also after a 1000-fold increase of the population in sterilized soil. Mutants of the pathogen were stable during allin vitro tests, but after proliferation in carnation stems only part of the population was benomyl resistant.Compared to the wild type, mutants of the pathogen were less pathogenic, also if thein vitro propeties were similar. Colonization of carnation by benomyl-resistant nonpathogenicFusarium in the presence of the pathogen showed that the antagonistic effect correlated with the presence of the nonpathogenic isolates within the carnation stem. The wild types and two of the mutant nonpathogenicFusarium-isolates controlled fusarium wilt in the susceptible cultivar Lena for 50% or more.UV-induced benomyl resistance appeared to be a valuable marker to distinguish between differentFusarium isolates and to study the population dynamics, but intensive screening of the mutants is a prerequisite since alterations in antagonism and pathogenicity can occur.     

香蕉枯萎病菌RAPD分析及4号生理小种的快速检测

 用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)技术,对采自广东、广西的香蕉和粉蕉上的30个香蕉枯萎病菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cubense)菌株和3个其它尖孢镰刀菌专化型的菌株进行比较及聚类分析。在遗传相似系数0.67时,可将供试菌株划分为3个RAPD群(RGs),其中香蕉枯萎病菌4号生理小种(FOC4)共15个菌株属于RGⅠ,1号生理小种(FOC1)共15个菌株属于RGⅡ,供试的其它尖孢镰刀菌专化型的3个菌株则属于RGⅢ。这说明香蕉枯萎病菌和供试3个其它专化型菌株与致病性间存在明显的相关性。1号生理小种内菌株间的遗传分化大于4号生理小种内菌株间的遗传分化。从90条RAPD随机引物中筛选出2条引物可产生4号生理小种的RAPD标记2个。将这2个RAPD标记电泳切胶回收、克隆及测序,并根据这2个特异片段序列设计SCAR上下游特异引物,通过对30个菌株的PCR扩增检验,其中一个RAPD标记成功地转化为SCAR标记,初步建立了以此为基础的4号生理小种快速检测技术,其检测灵敏度为2 ng新鲜菌丝。对采自不同地区的显症样品、吸芽、室内接种未显症的香蕉苗以及发病的香蕉植株不同部位进行检测,能够准确灵敏地鉴定出4号生理小种,从而为香蕉枯萎病菌的快速检测及防治奠定了基础。同时,快速检测结果发现,田间发病植株果柄的各部位及果实内并没有枯萎病菌的存在。     

Functional analysis of the G-protein α subunits FGA1 and FGA3 in the banana pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense

The asexual fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is the causal agent of fusarium wilt in bananas (Musa spp.). This fungus poses a threat to banana production throughout the world. Here, two Foc genes, fga1 and fga3, were functionally characterized. These genes encode proteins homologous to the G-protein α subunits GPA1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and MAGC from Magnaporthe grisea, respectively. The deletion of fga1 leads to a phenotypic defect in colony morphology and reductions in vegetative growth, conidiation and pathogenicity against the banana plant (Musa spp. cv. Brazil), which was not observed for the Δfga3 deletion mutant. Intriguingly, both Δfga1 and Δfga3 deletion mutants showed declines in intracellular cyclic AMP levels and increases in heat resistance, suggesting that FGA1 regulates growth, development, pathogenicity, and heat resistance, whereas FGA3 modulates heat resistance, potentially through the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A pathway. These findings offer insights into the roles of the G-protein α subunits in the development and pathogenicity of the fungus Foc.