The conserved global regulator VeA is necessary for symptom production and mycotoxin synthesis in maize seedlings by Fusarium verticillioides

The veA or velvet gene is necessary for biosynthesis of mycotoxins and other secondary metabolites in Aspergillus species. In addition, veA has also been demonstrated to be necessary for normal seed colonization in Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The present study shows that veA homologues are broadly distributed in fungi, particularly in Ascomycetes. The Fusarium verticillioides veA orthologue, FvVE1, is also required for the synthesis of several secondary metabolites, including fumonisin and fusarins. This study also shows that maize plants grown from seeds inoculated with FvVE1 deletion mutants did not show disease symptoms, while plants grown from seeds inoculated with the F. verticillioides wildtype and complementation strains clearly showed disease symptoms under the same experimental conditions. In this latter case, the presence of lesions coincided with accumulation of fumonisins in the plant tissues, and only these plant tissues had elevated levels of sphingoid bases and their 1-phosphate derivatives, indicating inhibition of ceramide synthase and disruption of sphingolipid metabolism. The results strongly suggest that FvVE1 is necessary for pathogenicity by F. verticillioides against maize seedlings. The conservation of veA homologues among ascomycetes suggests that veA could play a pivotal role in regulating secondary metabolism and associated pathogenicity in other fungi.     

Effects of planting date and environmental factors on fusarium ear rot symptoms and fumonisin B1 accumulation in maize grown in six North American locations

Fusarium ear rot, primarily caused by Fusarium verticillioides, causes losses in grain yield and quality and can result in contamination of grain by mycotoxins, primarily fumonisin B₁. Disease severity and fumonisin B₁ contamination vary considerably among maize‐growing regions and from year to year. A 2 year field study was conducted in six locations in the USA, to evaluate the roles of planting date, maize hybrid, rainfall, temperature and insect pests in the variation in fusarium ear rot symptoms and fumonisin B₁ contamination. Grain samples were inspected to determine percentage of kernels with fusarium ear rot symptoms, categorized as ‘moulded’ or ‘starburst’; grain was also analysed by ELISA for fumonisin B₁. Hybrid and planting date frequently had significant effects (P ≤ 0·05) on fusarium ear rot and fumonisin B₁ contamination. Earlier planting consistently resulted in lower ear rot severity, fumonisin B₁ levels and insect damage. Mould symptoms were highly correlated with thrips populations (Frankliniella occidentalis) (r = 0·78) and with fumonisin B₁ concentration (r = 0·89). The starburst symptom was not as closely correlated with thrips (r = 0·33) or fumonisin B₁ (r = 0·18). A multiple linear regression model identified highly significant effects on fumonisin B₁ for thrips, lower average daily precipitation after flowering, and location. These results strengthen the evidence that locations with high populations of ear‐infesting thrips and dry conditions after pollination have an increased risk of fumonisin contamination, and suggest that high fumonisin levels are much more likely in visibly moulded kernels compared to those with ‘starburst’ symptoms.     

应用PCR技术检测玉米中的禾谷镰刀菌

本实验通过用PCR方法来实现对禾谷镰刀菌的快速检测,经对霉变玉米样品、玉米茎腐病组织及玉米穗腐病标本的检测,证明该方法是一种高效、灵敏的方法,具有重要的实际应用价值.     

Composition and toxigenic potential of the Fusarium graminearum species complex from maize ears,stalks and stubble in Brazil

A large collection (n = 539) of Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) isolates was obtained from Brazilian maize, and collections formed according to geography and maize part: (i) kernel (n = 110) from south and south‐central Brazil; (ii) stalk (n = 134) from Paraná state (south); and (iii) stubble (n = 295) from Rio Grande do Sul state (south). Species composition, identified using a multilocus genotype approach, was assessed separately in each collection due to differences in geographic sampling. Overall, three species were found: F. meridionale (Fmer; 67% prevalence) with the nivalenol (NIV) genotype, F. graminearum (Fgra; 19%) with the 15‐acetyl (A) deoxynivalenol (DON) genotype, and F. cortaderiae (Fcor; 14%) with the NIV (49/74) or the 3‐ADON (25/74) genotype. In kernels, Fmer was spread across all locations and Fgra and Fcor were found mostly at high elevation (>800 m a.s.l.). The majority (97·8%) of stalk isolates was assigned to Fmer; three were assigned to Fgra. In the stubble, Fmer was less dominant (53%), with a shift towards Fcor as the most frequent species at high elevation sites (>600 m a.s.l.). No differences in the mycelial growth rate were observed among isolates from each species grown at 15°C. Fgra grew faster at 25°C and Fmer showed the widest range of variation across the isolates at both temperatures. The survey data suggest that Fmer may outcompete other species on ears and stalks in comparison to stubble. Additional sampling that controls for other factors, as well as direct testing of aggressiveness on ears and stalk tissue, will be needed to fully evaluate this hypothesis.     

Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto和F.asiaticum在玉米秸秆和水稻秸秆上子囊壳形成的比较

为探究麦田前茬作物玉米秸秆和水稻秸秆上中国小麦赤霉病菌的两个优势种Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto (F.graminearum)和F.asiaticum子囊壳形成和发育成熟过程的差异,分别选择3株F.graminearum菌株(SE81,3-ADON型;LcA-2,15-ADON型;HX5-1,NIV型)和2株F.asiaticum菌株(M4A,3-ADON型;M31-2,NIV型),用其孢子悬浮液接种玉米秸秆和水稻秸秆,放置于花泥和地表两种环境条件下,比较接种不同菌株秸秆上子囊壳的形成和发育成熟情况及5个菌株对‘郑麦366’(高感小麦赤霉病品种)的致病力。结果表明：花泥环境下产生子囊壳的速度要快于地表,以玉米秸秆为载体子囊壳产生速度比水稻秸秆快且多数密度大,3个F.graminearum菌株(SE81、LcA-2和HX5-1)在同种秸秆相同环境下比2个F.asiaticum菌株(M4A和M31-2)产生子囊壳的速度快且子囊壳密度大。5个菌株在不同环境的不同秸秆上产生的子囊壳的成熟度均无规律,接种‘郑麦366’后其病情指数间有极显著差异(P<...     

A natural two-nucleotide deletion affirms role for NADPH oxidase in pathogenicity and perithecium formation in Fusarium graminearum species complex

Members of the Fusarium graminearum species complex are known to cause head blight of wheat. A natural nonpathogenic mutant, strain Fa0233007, was found in the strain collection of the Japanese F. graminearum species complex. In addition, this strain cannot form perithecia. Complete linkage of these deficiencies in the progenies obtained from crossing a wild-type strain and the mutant strain suggested that a single genomic locus was responsible for deficiencies in both traits. The locus was mapped to chromosome 1 using sequence-tagged markers. An NADPH oxidase gene (NoxA, FGSG00739) was identified in the mapped region, and a 2-bp deletion that results in premature termination of the open reading frame was detected in the gene. Both pathogenicity and perithecium formation were recovered by FGSG00739 complementation in the mutant strain.     

玉米穗腐病和茎基腐病镰孢菌间相关性的RAPD分析

 利用随机扩增多态性DNA (RAPD)技术对玉米穗腐病和茎基腐病镰孢菌之间的相互关系进行了研究,证实了引起2种病害的串珠镰孢菌同源性很高,在遗传上具有较高的相似性,病菌不易受地域或环境和寄生部位选择作用的影响,同一类型的串珠镰孢菌可以是穗腐病和茎腐病的共同病原菌。禾谷镰孢菌间的遗传变异性很强,易受地域、环境和寄生部位选择作用的影响,出现明显的分化现象,穗腐病和茎基腐病可以由同一禾谷镰孢菌分化类型侵染所致,也可由不同分化类型侵染所致。     

生防菌与茄病镰刀菌在黄瓜根际动态变化

应用荧光定量PCR和稀释分离法检测了枯草芽孢杆菌Bacillus subtilis和木霉菌Trichoderma spp.与茄病镰刀菌Fusariumsolani f.sp.cucurbitae在黄瓜根际动态变化及其对黄瓜根腐病的防治效果。结果表明,施用500×木霉菌肥、100×枯草芽孢杆菌7d后对黄瓜根腐病的防效分别为100%和92.5%,14和28d的防效分别为96.71%、86.76%和85.35%、79.24%;100×枯草芽孢杆菌初始拷贝数为130787 copys/μL,7d内枯草芽孢杆菌拷贝数下降到51161 copys/μL,14和28d时数量开始上升到295139和680556 copys/μL。木霉菌肥的变化趋势与枯草芽孢杆菌相同;用枯草芽孢杆菌和木霉菌肥防治黄瓜根腐病后,茄病镰刀菌变化趋势一致,初始拷贝数分别为2.61和15.34 copys/μL,7d内茄病镰刀菌DNA拷贝数增加明显,100×枯草芽孢杆菌和木霉菌DNA拷贝数分别为11.22和20.9 8copys/μL,之后茄病镰刀菌数量保持平稳。经过稀释分离法分离2种生防菌和茄病镰刀菌的数量,变化趋势与荧光定量PCR检测趋势相似。因此使生防菌快速定殖是提高其对土传病害防治效果的重要因素之一。     

Evaluation of selected commercial oilseed rape cultivars for early vigour,weed suppression and yield in southern New South Wales

The potential of oilseed rape to suppress weed growth while maintaining optimal yield and quality is not well understood under field conditions in Australia. This study, conducted in Condobolin and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales (NSW), during 2015 and 2016, examined a diverse range of commercial oilseed rape cultivars for their inherent ability to suppress weeds and maintain yields when in competition with natural weed infestations, with and without pre-emergent herbicide treatment. Cultivar differences were observed in oilseed rape canopy architecture and yield; however, early-season biomass, light interception, leaf area index and visual vigour ratings exhibited both year and location interactions. Cultivars with the highest biomass, light interception, leaf area indices and visual vigour were typically also the most weed-suppressive, in particular GT-50 and Hyola 600RR. Although crop and weed biomass accumulation differed significantly among cultivars for both location and year, weed biomass was inversely related to cultivar biomass in both years and locations. Hybrid Hyola and GT-50 cultivars exhibited up to 50% less weed biomass while maintaining consistently high levels of dry crop biomass. In addition, pre-emergent herbicide applications reduced weed infestation and contributed to higher crop yield in both locations and years. Given the consistent aboveground competitive ability of certain oilseed rape cultivars, our study demonstrated that diverse cultivar-dependent competitive traits such as early growth vigour, biomass production, absorption of photosynthetically active radiation and production and retention of crop residue significantly impacted weed establishment and total weed biomass. Our findings suggest that cultivar selection offers potential as a tool for maintaining suitable grain yield in the presence of weeds while potentially delaying the development of herbicide resistance through efficacious weed suppression.     

Retrotransposon-like elements in the genome of Verticillium dahliae may be used as DNA markers for fungal species and pathotypes

Using differential hybridization, two DNA fragments, VDf35 and VDf90, specific to Verticillium dahliae, were isolated. These fragments contained truncated open reading frames (ORFs) homologous to the gypsy-type retrotransposon. The ORFs of VDf35 and VDf90 were pol and gag homologs, respectively. In addition, VDf90 had a pol homolog without an ORF sequence. The pol homologs in VDf35 and VDf90 were similar to each other, and these two DNA fragments had completely identical sequences. Genomic Southern analysis revealed that numerous copies of these homologs existed in V. dahliae, suggesting that V. dahliae carries a gypsy-like retroelement. Genomic Southern and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis also indicated that a large number of these homologs exist in V. longisporum as well as in V. dahliae, but only a few were present in V. albo-atrum. No homolog was found in either V. nigrescens or V. tricorpus. The uneven distribution of these homologs of the retroposon-like elements among Verticillium species suggested a close genetic kinship between V. dahliae and V. longisporum. PCR primers designed from VDf35 showed species- or pathotype-specific amplification. Therefore, this sequence may be useful as a DNA marker to identify species and pathotypes of V. dahliae. This is the first report on a retrotransposon-like sequence in the genome of phytopathogenic Verticillium species.The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession numbers AB095264 (VDf90) and AB095265 (VDf35)     

The G-protein subunits FGA2 and FGB1 play distinct roles in development and pathogenicity in the banana fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense

The soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense causes banana (Musa spp.) vascular wilt. Here, we examine the roles of G-protein α and β subunit genes fga2 and fgb1 in F. oxysporum development and pathogenicity. Deletion of either or both genes led to increased heat resistance, lower cAMP levels, and enhanced pigmentation, whereas phenotypic defects of colony morphology and reduced conidiation were seen in Δfgb1 and Δfga2/Δfgb1 deletion strains but not in Δfga2. Conversely, Δfgb1 retained greater virulence against banana, suggesting that FGA2 regulates fungal virulence whereas FGB1 modulates both development and virulence, potentially via the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A pathway.