The importance of non‐penetrated papillae formation in the resistance response of triticale to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis)

Triticale is the intergeneric hybrid between wheat and rye. With the expansion of the triticale growing area, powdery mildew has emerged and become a significant disease on this new host. Recent research demonstrated that this ‘new’ powdery mildew on triticale has emerged through a host range expansion of powdery mildew of wheat. Moreover, isolates sampled from triticale still infect their previous host, wheat, but isolates sampled from wheat hardly infect triticale. Race‐specific and adult‐plant resistance have been identified in triticale cultivars. The main objective of this study was to characterize the cellular basis of powdery mildew resistance in triticale. Commonalities with resistance responses in other cereals such as wheat, barley and oat are discussed. A detailed comparative histological study of various resistance responses during cross‐inoculation of either virulent or avirulent wheat and triticale isolates on both hosts was carried out. The present data provide evidence that for incompatible interactions, the formation of non‐penetrated papillae is the predominant resistance response, while the hypersensitive response (HR) acts as a second line of defence, to cut the fungus off from nutrients, if penetration resistance fails. It is not clear yet what causes the slower growth and reduced colony size of triticale isolates when inoculated on wheat. Possibly, post‐penetration resistance mechanisms, other than HR, are switched on during these (semi‐) compatible interactions. Molecular studies on gene expression and gene function of defence‐related genes might reveal further insights into the genetic basis of these resistance responses.     

Effect of early infection on pathotype frequencies in barley powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) populations in field plots

A field experiment with barley powdery mildew ( Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei ) was designed in order to study how the time of arrival of inoculum in the field influenced pathotype frequencies in the resulting populations. Three isolates belonging to pathotypes that were absent or rare in the local aerial inoculum were used to inoculate field plots of winter barley cv. Plaisant. Two successive inoculations with different combinations of the three isolates were performed with an approximately two-generation delay, and frequencies of inoculated pathotypes were assessed four and nine generations after the first inoculation. Pathotypes of the first inoculated isolates generally persisted throughout the period of sampling; this is described as an 'early arrival' effect. During the epidemics the inoculated isolates were not replaced by isolates from the natural airborne inoculum. Pathotype frequencies depended mainly on the time of arrival of inoculum in the plot, but frequencies also depended on the isolate that had been inoculated. The most frequent isolate, GL1, belonged to the clonal lineage dominant in powdery mildew populations on winter barley in the north of France. These results confirmed that the composition of a powdery mildew population in a field is largely determined by the composition of the initial inoculum.     

50个小麦生产及后备品种(系)的抗白粉病基因推导

为明确我国小麦品种(系)中抗白粉病基因的组成,利用25个不同毒性的小麦白粉菌菌株对50个小麦生产及后备品种(系)进行抗白粉病基因推导,结果表明,参试的50个小麦品种(系)中有8个小麦品种(系)对供试的25个菌株全部感病,5个品种含有抗病基因Pm8,2个品种含有Pm4a,9个品种含有Pm2+6,4个品种含有Pm2,22个品种(系)可能含有供试基因之外的其他抗性基因或新基因。此研究结果可为小麦抗病育种以及品种利用提供依据。     

Recent evolution of multiple resistance of Blumeria (Erysiphe) graminis f.sp. tritici to selected DMI and morpholine fungicides in France

Fungicides inhibiting sterol biosynthesis are frequently used for powdery mildew control and can be subdivided into sterol demethylation inhibitors (DMIs) and morpholines with different modes of action. Whereas fungicide resistance to DMIs (Rdmi) and morpholines (Rmor) has been continuously monitored, there are no data available on the combination of Rdmi and Rmor, which led us to ask whether multiple resistance to triadimenol (Rtria), representing DMIs and to fenpropimorph (Rfen), representing the morpholines, evolved in France from 1993 to 1996. The method used allowed testing of both chemicals simultaneously, with the same inoculum. In 1993, the resistance factor of the mean (RFM) of the French wheat mildew population was 9·59 for Rtria and 5·11 for Rfen. Resistance increased, leading to RFMs of close to 14 for Rtria and 8 for Rfen at the end of the study. From the analysis of single colony isolates (SCI) that are genetically uniform, the presence of multiple resistance and its increase were evident and in line with the results of bulk isolates. Covariance of resistance to both chemicals was close to one. In contrast to the increase of Rfen, the use of morpholines decreased. These effects are supposed to result from multiple selection due to the use of mixtures of DMIs and morpholines that have been favoured in recent years. Fungicide sensitivity is, in general, not normally but lognormally distributed in a population. A new way to evaluate and describe lognormal data is presented. It is easy and convenient to use and provides solutions for current problems in the literature with lognormal distributions. Multiple resistance, its evolution and persistance are discussed in relation to fungicide use and to implications for anti-resistance strategies. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of cold‐induced changes in physical and chemical leaf properties on the resistance of winter triticale (×Triticosecale) to the fungal pathogen Microdochium nivale

This study showed that several mechanisms of the basal resistance of winter triticale to Microdochium nivale are cultivar‐dependent and can be induced specifically during plant hardening. Experiments and microscopic observations were conducted on triticale cvs Hewo (able to develop resistance after cold treatment) and Magnat (susceptible to infection despite hardening). In cv. Hewo, cold hardening altered the physical and chemical properties of the leaf surface and prevented both adhesion of M. nivale hyphae to the leaves and direct penetration of the epidermis. Cold‐induced submicron‐ and micron‐scale roughness on the leaf epidermis resulted in superhydrophobicity, restricting fungal adhesion and growth, while the lower permeability and altered chemical composition of the host cell wall protected against tissue digestion by the fungus. The fungal strategy to access the nutrient resources of resistant hosts is the penetration of leaf tissues through stomata, followed by biotrophic intercellular growth of individual hyphae and the formation of haustoria‐like structures within mesophyll cells. In contrast, a destructive necrotrophic fungal lifestyle occurs in susceptible seedlings, despite cold hardening of the plants, with the host epidermis, mesophyll and vascular tissues being digested and becoming disorganized as a result of the low chemical and mechanical stability of the cell wall matrix. This work indicates that specific genetically encoded physical and mechanical properties of the cell wall and leaf tissues that depend on cold hardening are factors that can determine plant resistance against fungal diseases.     

Relationship between the extent of colonization by Verticillium dahliae and symptom expression in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) genotypes resistant to verticillium wilt

Eleven strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) genotypes from the University of California breeding programme known to be resistant to verticillium wilt were inoculated with Verticillium dahliae. Individual plants were given a resistance score based on the severity of visual symptoms, and the extent of colonization was quantified as the percentage of petioles not colonized by the pathogen. Both resistance scores and the percentage of pathogen‐free petioles decreased significantly from May to June (P < 0·05) during each of two growing seasons, indicating a progression of both colonization and symptom expression. Even the most resistant genotypes had plants with some infected petioles, and manifested some symptoms of verticillium wilt. Significant (P < 0·05) genotypic variance was detected for the percentage of pathogen‐free petioles, but not for resistance score. The percentage of pathogen‐free petioles had a strongly positive genotypic correlation (r_g = 0·77, P < 0·01) with resistance score, indicating that about 60% of the genotypic variation for visual symptoms in this set of resistant genotypes was explained by the extent of colonization of individual plants by V. dahliae. Conversely, the genotypic correlation between the percentage of pathogen‐free petioles and the resistance score for plants sampled in May (r_g = 0·74, P < 0·01) was smaller than that for plants harvested in July (r_g = 0·93, P < 0·01). Together, these results suggest that the overall performance of strawberry genotypes in the presence of V. dahliae can be enhanced by both resistance and tolerance, but that tolerance may be less stable over the course of a season. Distinguishing between these two mechanisms may require evaluations that supplement visual assessments of resistance.