The role of phytohormones in relation to bakanae disease development and symptoms expression

Fusarium proliferatum, the causal agent of bakanae disease was found to be up-regulated gibberellic acids (GAs) in bakanae diseased rice plants and thereby contributing to the different types of symptoms observed associated with the disease. The up- and down regulation of GAs, IAA and ABA were studied in susceptible (MR 211) and resistant (BR3) varieties artificially inoculated with F. proliferatum at different times after inoculation. The increase in GAs including fungiproduced GA3 and IAA were higher in inoculated MR 211 rice plants (GAs = 26%, IAA = 40.39%) as compared to resistant BR3 (GAs = 19%, IAA = 4.27%), 7 days after inoculation (disease score 1, S-1) in whole plant sample analysis. The increase were higher in both roots and leaves but not in the stem, thus the main symptom observed as stunting of the susceptible plants at disease score 1. However, 14 days after inoculation (disease score 3, S-3), both phytohormones were observed to increase in whole plant sample analysis as well as in all plant parts sampled. This increasing effect was found associated with elongation of internodes and chlorosis of leaves in susceptible plants of MR 211. As the symptoms progressed to disease score 5 (S-5, after 21 days of inoculation) susceptible plants of MR 211 were started to collapse and lodged due to over elongation, and finally dead followed by a decrease in GAs and IAA but an increase in ABA. In resistant variety BR3, marginal up regulation of GAs and IAA were observed only at 21 days after inoculation in stems with no typical symptom of bakanae disease.