Acibenzolar-S-methyl Induces the Accumulation of Defense-related Enzymes in Apple and Protects from Fire Blight

Acibenzolar-S-methyl (Novartis) is a chemical inducer of systemic acquired resistance in several annual plants. The ability of this novel chemical to induce resistance was studied in a perennial plant (apple) affected by fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora. Acibenzolar-S-methyl (100 and 200mg/l active ingredient) protected Golden Delicious seedlings, scions and trees from artificial infection when applied before inoculation. The protection of apple seedlings was similar to the protection obtained with the standard for fire blight control, plantomycin (100mg/l streptomycin sulfate), applied immediately before inoculation. The mean levels of control in scions in the greenhouse and in trees in orchards were approximately 69% and 50%, respectively. The protection of apple seedlings was constantly associated with the activation of two families of defense-related enzymes, peroxidases and -1,3-glucanases. Accumulation of both enzymes was induced locally in treated leaves and systemically, especially for -1,3-glucanases, in upper untreated leaves, and was sustained for at least 17 days. These results suggest that acibenzolar-S-methyl promotes induced systemic resistance in apple by increasing defense-related compounds. This chemical could provide a new approach of control of fire blight but its practical use needs further investigation.     

Pathogenicity, Electrophoretic Characterisation and In planta Detection of the Cocoyam Root Rot Disease Pathogen, Pythium myriotylum

Cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), an important staple food crop for many people in the tropics and subtropics, suffers great losses from a root rot disease which is most probably caused by Pythium myriotylum, although it has been claimed that a complex of three root pathogens is needed to cause the disease. In this study, we compared two Pythium isolates from diseased cocoyam roots, CRPm and Bokwai, with other putative P. myriotylum isolates from culture collections and from Cameroonian soil, with respect to host range and isozyme patterns. Pathogenicity was tested on tomato, bean, cowpea, tobacco and cocoyam. CRPm and Bokwai were only pathogenic to tobacco and cocoyam. On cocoyam, these isolates caused typical symptoms within 48h on 100% of the inoculated plantlets. Only two other isolates of P. myriotylum from culture collections were moderately to weakly pathogenic to cocoyam. Isolates of P. myriotylum were very variable in their pathogenicity to bean, cowpea, tomato and tobacco. Isozyme patterns of - and -esterases were used to differentiate CRPm and Bokwai from all other isolates. Unlike the other P. myriotylum strains, cocoyam isolates were unable to grow at 37°C. Malate dehydrogenase isozyme bands originating from CRPm were consistently detected in CRPm-infected cocoyam roots grown in vitro and in vivo. These findings indicate that CRPm can penetrate cocoyam roots and cause disease in the absence of other root pathogens. This study also indicates that P. myriotylum from cocoyam developed a certain degree of host specialisation.     

Fungal and plant gene expression during synchronized infection of tomato leaves by Botrytis cinerea

An inoculation procedure was developed to obtain efficient and synchronous infection on detached tomato leaves by Botrytis cinerea. In spray-inoculated leaves incubated at 20 °C, the infection process consisted of three phases: the formation of primary necrotic lesions (until 20 hpi), a quiescent phase (20-72 hpi), and the expansion of a proportion of the primary lesions (from 72 hpi onwards), resulting in full tissue maceration. At 4 °C, the infection progressed slowly but steadily without inducing necrotic responses in the host. The actin and -tubulin genes of B. cinerea were cloned, characterized and used as probes on blots containing RNAs from leaves at various stages of the infection. The genes displayed a similar expression pattern throughout the infection and the hybridization signal reflected the amount of fungal biomass. The actin mRNA accumulated to higher levels than the -tubulin mRNA. Tomato PR protein mRNAs (chitinase, -1,3-glucanase and PR-1) were induced during the infection, albeit with different kinetics and to different levels. At 20 °C, -1,3-glucanase and PR-1 mRNAs were induced more rapidly than chitinase mRNAs. At 4 °C, mRNAs encoding extracellular -1,3-glucanase and intracellular, as well as extracellular chitinase were hardly induced.     

The β-tubulin Gene is a Useful Target for PCR-based Detection of an Albino Ophiostoma piliferum Used in Biological Control of Sapstain

The potential of Cartapip, an albino Ophiostoma piliferum, as a biocontrol agent against sapstain in logs has been tested in Germany. To detect the albino strain in field-tested wood, the usefulness of the -tubulin gene as a target region for developing PCR-based assays was evaluated with 102 strains of O. piliferum and 31 strains of other wood-inhabiting species. A partial -tubulin gene sequence of O. piliferum strains from different geographic origins was amplified by PCR and analyzed by restriction enzyme digestions and DNA sequencing. Variation in size and nucleotide sequences was found in intron regions indicating that intraspecific variation is present in the -tubulin gene. Consequently, -tubulin gene-derived PCR methods using PCR–RFLP patterns generated by HinfI and SpeI and sequence-specific primers Cat1 and Cat2, were developed and their specificity for Cartapip was accessed with field-tested logs and lumber. The -tubulin gene-based PCR methods were found to be valuable tools for rapid and reliable identification of Cartapip in field-tested logs and lumber in Germany. Specificity tests against other wood-inhabiting species and wild type O. piliferum strains from diverse nations showed that the Cat1 and Cat2 primers have potential to be used in other European countries, New Zealand, Alberta and British Columbia.     

Characterisation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phoma tracheiphila</Emphasis> by RAPD-PCR,microsatellite-primed PCR and ITS rDNA sequencing and development of specific primers for <Emphasis Type="Italic">in planta</Emphasis> PCR detection

Thirty six isolates of Phoma tracheiphila from Italy, the causal agent of the mal secco disease on Citrus species, were characterised by different molecular tools in comparison with representative isolates of other phytopathogenic Phoma species. These included analysis of the distribution of RAPD and microsatellite markers and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear rRNA genes. The results obtained with 12 RAPD primers (92 markers) and 7 microsatellite primers (56 markers) suggest that Italian isolates of P. tracheiphila are genetically homogeneous, leading to identical patterns upon amplification with all the tested primers. Accordingly, ITSI-5.8S-ITS2 sequences were highly conserved (98–100% identity along a 544-characters alignment) among all the isolates of P. tracheiphila. A neighbor-joining analysis of ITS sequences of P. tracheiphila in comparison with those of other Phoma species, as well as with alignable sequences from anamorphic and teleomorphic taxa retrieved in BLAST searches, revealed a close relationship between P. tracheiphila and Leptosphaeria congesta. A pair of P. tracheiphila-specific primers was designed on the consensus sequence (555 residues) obtained from the alignment of the newly generated P. tracheiphila ITS sequences. A PCR-based specific assay coupled to electrophoretic separation of amplicons made it possible to detect P. tracheiphila in naturally infected Citrus wood tissue collected from both symptomatic and symptomless plants. The limit of detection was 10 pg of genomic DNA and 5 fg of the ITS target sequence.     

PCR-based Assays to Assess Wheat Varietal Resistance to Blotch (Septoria Tritici and Stagonospora Nodorum) and Rust (Puccinia Striiformis and Puccinia Recondita) Diseases

A multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay was developed to detect and quantify four fungal foliar pathogens in wheat. For Septoria tritici (leaf blotch) and Stagonospora nodorum (leaf and glume blotch), the -tubulin gene was used as the target region. Diagnostic targets for Puccinia striiformis (stripe or yellow rust) and P. recondita (brown rust) were obtained from PCR products amplified with -tubulin primer sequences. Final primer sets were designed and selected after being tested against several fungi, and against DNA of infected and healthy wheat leaves. For detection of the four pathogens, PCR products of different sizes were amplified simultaneously, whereas no products were generated from wheat DNA or other non-target fungi tested. The presence of each of the diseases was wheat tissue- and cultivar specific. Using real-time PCR measurements with the fluorescent dye SYBR Green I, PCR-amplified products could be quantified individually, by reference to a standard curve generated by adding known amounts of target DNA. Infection levels for each of the diseases were measured in the flag leaf of 19 cultivars at Growth Stage (GS) 60–64 in both 1998 and 1999. The infection levels for the cultivars were ranked, and showed, with a few exceptions, a good correlation with the NIAB Recommended List for winter wheat, which is based on visual assessment of symptoms. With PCR, the presence of the different pathogens was accurately diagnosed and quantification of pre-symptomatic infection levels was possible. Although sampling and DNA detection methods need further optimisation, the results show that multiplex PCR and quantitative real-time PCR assays can be used in resistance screening to measure the interaction between different pathogens and their hosts at different growth stages, and in specific tissues. This should enable an earlier identification of specific resistance mechanisms in both early-stage breeding material and field trials.     

Suitability of Ten Plant Baits for the Rapid Detection of Pathogenic Pythium Species in Hydroponic Crops

Ten types of plant baits were tested in the laboratory to assess their capacity to detect pathogenic Pythium species. These were orange tree leaves, tomato leaves, pepper leaves, geranium leaves, Bermuda grass leaves, pine needles, immature carnation petals, hemp-seed cotyledons, pepper and cucumber fruits. The Pythium spp. tested were P. aphanidermatum, P. irregulare and Pythium group F from hydroponic market garden crops in the Poniente region of Almería (south-east Spain). The test consisted of observing the velocity at which five baits were colonized and the day of colonization of the first bait. Results indicated that the slowest baits to be infected were immature carnation petals and pine needles. These two, together with Bermuda grass leaves, were also the baits infected in lowest number, such that practically no further infection was produced in the baits after the fifth day of contact with the inoculated water. The other plant baits tested were equally suitable for detection of Pythium spp. over the first two days, although only orange leaves and hemp-seed cotyledons were infected on the first day.     

A Botrytis cinerea Putative 3-keto Reductase Gene (ERG27) that is Homologous to the Mammalian 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase type 7 gene (17β-HSD7)

Botrytis cinerea (anamorph of Botryotinia fuckeliana) is a filamentous ascomycete that causes grey mould on grapevine. We had previously described two distinct populations, named HydR1 and non-HydR1, that comprise two distinct genetic entities based on genetic polymorphism, natural resistance towards the fungicide hydroxyanilide fenhexamid, and vegetative incompatibility between them. Here, we used PCR to isolate the 3-keto reductase gene ERG27 by virtue of sequence homology with Saccharomyces cerevisiae ERG27. The gene product was longer than the yeast's enzyme but possessed the main characteristic features of reductases. It displayed striking homology with mammalian 17-HSD7, therefore confirming the hypothesis of a common function between Erg27p like protein and 17-HSD7 in sterol biosynthesis (i.e. cholesterol, ergosterol). On the other hand, we analysed the polymorphism of the B. cinerea gene product and found a dozen of amino-acid differences between strains of HydR1 and non-HydR1 types that could underlie HydR1 natural resistance to fenhexamid. First, this polymorphism analysis showed that HydR1 strains form a homogeneous group distinct from the non-HydR1 group of strains. These results support our hypothesis that HydR1 and non-HydR1 strains constitute two different species. Second, Erg27p like protein sequence analysis showed that a high resistant phenotype to fenhexamid, HydR3, found in treated populations of non-HydR1 strains, had two mutations (usually found in mammalian 17-HSD7) that could be useful as population markers.     

Interactions between Plasmopara helianthi, Glomus mosseae and Two Plant Activators in Sunflower Plants

Interactions between Plasmopara helianthi, Glomus mosseae and two plant activators DL--amino-n-butyric acid (BABA) and CGA 245704 (acibenzolar-S-methyl (BTH)) in sunflower plants susceptible to downy mildew were studied in four experiments using different methods of treatment and pathogen inoculation. Both chemicals were applied as soil drenches and foliar sprays, whereas P. helianthi infection was obtained by root and cotyledon inoculations of the seedlings. Soil drenches at the rates of 50 and 100mgkg^–1 soil of BABA and BTH given 1 and 3 days before P. helianthi inoculation, respectively to mycorrhizal plants, provided moderate protection against the pathogen (about 50–55%). Morphological changes and decrease in mycorrhizal colonization in roots of BTH-treated plants and in BTH-treated mycorrhizal plants were also observed. Delay in the emergence and reduction of the root systems were more evident at the highest concentration but decreased with time. These effects were absent with the BABA treatment.Foliar spray treatment of BABA and BTH, applied at 4000 and 200µgml^–1, respectively (1 day post-inoculation) to mycorrhizal plants provided good protection (about 80%) against P. helianthi foliar infections. No effects on mycorrhizal colonization or on root systems were observed. In vitro tests on the effect of the compounds on the mycorrhizal fungus showed that the germination of G. mosseae sporocarps increased with BABA treatment whereas it was greatly inhibited by BTH treatment.     

Characterization of a New Nepovirus Infecting Apricot in Southeastern France: Apricot Latent Ringspot Virus

A pathogen was transmitted from apricot trees showing symptoms of viral infection to GF305 peach seedlings which reacted by stunting, shortened internodes and chlorotic mottling. The agent was transmitted to cherry, apricot, peach and plum by grafting and to several herbaceous hosts by mechanical inoculation. Isometric nepovirus-like particles of 30–31 nm diameter extracted from infected Chenopodium quinoa sedimented as two peaks in sucrose gradients. These particles contained two single stranded RNAs of approximately 5.9 and 7.9 kb, and a single coat protein subunit of 53.7 kDa. No cross-reactions were observed with a number of nepoviruses infecting fruit trees. Inoculation of purified particles to herbaceous or woody hosts reproduced the same symptoms caused by the original isolate. Sequencing of a 2.2 kbp cDNA clone covering the 3 end of the small genomic RNA identified an open reading frame encoding a 317 aa N-truncated protein exhibiting significant similarities with the coat protein of nepoviruses. The 1257 nt long 3 non-coding region showed up to about 65% homology to the equivalent region of members of the subgroup C of nepoviruses. The properties of this pathogen do not match those of any previously described nepovirus. It should therefore be considered as a new member of the subgroup C of nepoviruses, for which the name of Apricot latent ringspot virus (ALRSV) is proposed.The nucleotide sequence reported in this work has been deposited in the EMBL databank under the accession number AJ278875.     

Correlation between field disease and latent infection by Glomerella cingulata of strawberry plants as revealed by a simple diagnostic method using ethanol immersion

Leaves of strawberry plants growing in fields were collected and assayed by ethanol immersion treatment (SDEI) to detect latent infection by Glomerella cingulata and Dendrophoma obscurans. SDEI revealed that 83% of the plants in growers fields were latently infected by G. cingulata and 58% by D. obscurans. In such fields, only 0.8%–2.5% of the plants later became wilted or died because of G. cingulata. When the latently infected plants from naturally infested fields were kept under optimal conditions for disease development for 5 weeks, 70.0%–83.3% of them wilted or died from G. cingulata. However, only 5.6%–6.7% of the plants diagnosed by SDEI as being without latent infection wilted or died. The results indicate the importance of selecting healthy plants, suggesting that SDEI is an effective method for detecting latent infection and reducing losses from G. cingulata.     

Purification of lily symptomless virus. Use and value of antisera against intact and pyrrolidine-degraded virus for testing lilies and tulips

Lily symptomless virus (LSV) was purified by clarification with chloroform, precipitation with polyethylene glycol and NaCl, and differential centrifugation. The influence of the source material and some buffers on virus yields were determined.Antisera were prepared against intact and pyrrolidine degraded LSV. It was concluded that intact and degraded LSV have very few antigenic determinants in common or none at all. The sensitivities of the micro-precipitin test and the single immunodiffusion drop test were about the same, but lower than that of electron microscopy.In the testing of lilies for LSV the most reliable results in leaves were obtained during the period from two weeks after flowering until close to the end of the growing season, and in leaves growing at a level about one-fourth of the distance from the top of the stem. In contrast to secondary infections, primary infections were detected more successfully in stored bulbs than in leaves taken from plants in the preceding growing season.In the testing of tulips, LSV was detected better in flowers than in leaves. Detection of primary infections was almost impossible. Except for those with a pink flower, experimentally infected tulips remained symptomless.Samenvatting Het symptoomloos lelievirus (LSV) were gezuiverd door klaring met chloroform, precipitatie met polyethyleenglycol en NaCl en differentieel centrifugeren. Het effect van het uitgangsmateriaal en enkele buffers op de virusopbrengst werd nagegaan.Antisera werden bereid tegen intact en met pyrrolidine afgebroken LSV. Geconcludeerd were dat intact en afgebroken LSV geen of slechts enkele antigene determinanten gemeenschappelijk hebben.De gevoeligheid van de microprecipitatietoets en de enkele immuno-diffusiedruppeltoets is ongeveer gelijk. Met het elektronenmicroscoop kunnen echter lagere virusconcentraties worden aangetoond.Het toetsen van lelies op LSV gaf de betrouwbaarste resultaten met bladeren die op ongeveer driekwart hoogte van de stengel groeien en in de periode tussen 2 weken na de bloei en vrijwel het einde van het groeiseizoen worden geplukt. Primaire infecties konden, in tegenstelling tot secundaire infecties, beter worden vastgesteld aan bolmateriaal tijdens de bewaring dan aan bladeren in het voorafgaande groeiseizoen.Bij het toetsen van tulpen werd het LSV met grotere zekerheid vastgesteld in bloemen dan in bladeren. Het vaststellen van primaire infecties was bijna niet mogelijk. Na infectie van tulpen met LSV vertoonden alleen die met een rose bloemkleur symptomen.     

Sexual mating preferences in vitro and in planta among Japanese isolates of Phytophthora infestans

The sexual preferences of Japanese isolates of Phytophthora infestans were determined by mating on agar, in broth, or in plants. The influence of their sexual preference was confirmed in the host tissues. Three wild-type isolates and a -glucuronidase (GUS) transformant were co-cultured to identify the origin of antheridia and oogonia. Japanese A1 isolate had a unique sexual preference compared with foreign isolates. It produced self-fertile oospores with about 40% of total gametangia but tended to form antheridia on V-8 agar medium. In addition, oospores were formed in plants, but their sexual preference could not be reflected in vitro.     

Conventional PCR and Real-time Quantitative PCR Detection of Helminthosporium Solani in Soil and on Potato Tubers

Silver scurf is an economically important blemish disease of potato caused by the fungus Helminthosporium solani. Two sets of PCR primers, Hs1F1/Hs2R1 (outer) and Hs1NF1/Hs2NR1 (nested) were designed to unique sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) regions of H. solani. Nested PCR was used to increase the specificity and sensitivity of single round PCR. Each primer set amplified a single product of 447 bp and 371 bp respectively, with DNA from 71 European and North American isolates of H. solani, and the specificity of primers was confirmed by the absence of amplified product with DNA from other fungal and bacterial plant pathogens. A simple and rapid procedure for direct extraction of DNA from soils and potato tubers was modified and developed to yield DNA of a purity and quality suitable for PCR within 3 h. The sensitivity of PCR for the specific detection of H. solani in seeded soils was determined to be 1.5 spores g^–1 of soil. H. solani was also detected by PCR in naturally infested soil and from peel and peel extract from infected and apparently healthy tubers. Specific primers and a TaqMan fluorogenic probe were designed using the original primer sequences to perform real-time quantitative (TaqMan) PCR. The same levels of sensitivity for specific detection of H. solani in soil and tubers were obtained during first round mboxTaqMan-based PCR as with conventional nested PCR and gel electrophoresis. This rapid and quantitative PCR assay allows an accurate estimation of tuber and soil contamination by H. solani, thus providing a tool to study the ecology of the organism and to serve as a crucial component for disease risk assessments.