Effects of UV-B radiation intensity and timing on epidemiological components of wheat stripe rust

Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is an important wheat disease worldwide that is greatly influenced by environmental conditions. Ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation is one important environmental factor affecting the occurrence and epidemiology of wheat stripe rust. Investigating UV-B radiation effects on the epidemiology of stripe rust may be conducive to monitoring and predicting this disease. In this study, wheat seedlings were exposed to UV-B radiation during different periods under laboratory conditions and radiation effects on epidemiological components of wheat stripe rust were investigated. Results showed that incubation period was shortened, and the infection efficiency, sporulation quantity and disease index increased when UV-B radiation was performed only pre-inoculation. When the UV-B radiation was performed only post-inoculation or both pre- and post-inoculation, the incubation period was prolonged, and the infection efficiency, sporulation quantity and disease index were reduced. When healthy wheat seedlings were inoculated using urediospores collected from wheat leaves irradiated by UV-B only post-inoculation or both pre- and post-inoculation, infection efficiency, sporulation quantity and disease index were also reduced. However, in the latter, the disease incubation period did not differ under varying UV-B radiation intensities compared to that when wheat leaves were not treated with UV-B radiation. Overall, the effects of direct exposure of wheat plants to UV-B radiation with different intensities in different periods on epidemiological components of wheat stripe rust were systematically explored, and the results suggest that the effects of UV-B radiation increased gradually with the increase of UV-B radiation intensity. This information provides a basis for monitoring and predicting this disease as well as for conducting further studies on pathogen virulence variation.