Further identification of races of Cladosporium fulvum (Fulvia fulva) on tomato originating from the Netherlands France and Poland

Races ofCladosporium fulvum, which can overcome the resistance of the genes Cf₂, Cf₄, Cf₅, Cf₈, Cf₉ and Cf₁₁ have appeared in the Netherlands, France and Poland. Known isolates from the Netherlands and France and three new isolates from Poland have been investigated for the presence of virulence genes using a set of genotypes carrying resistance genes Cf₂ to Cf₁₁.Several Dutch isolates of races, earlier designated as 2.4, 2.4.5 and 2.4.5.9, were found to break down the resistance gene Cf₁₁. These races must therefore be designated as 2.4.11, 2.4.5.11 and 2.4.5.9.11 respectively. In the new Polish isolates virulence genes, overcoming the resistance genes Cf₂, Cf₄, Cf₈, Cf₉ and Cf₁₁ were found. Since all races able to grow on genotypes with Cf₄, could also grow on genotypes carrying Cf₈, it was impossible to discriminate between the genes Cf₄ and Cf₈. These Polish isolates were designated as races 4.11, 2.4.11 and 2.4.9.11. The consequences of the occurrence of these races for tomato breeding are discussed.Samenvatting Fysio's vanCladosporium fulvum, die de resistentie-genen Cf₂, Cf₄, Cf₅, Cf₈, Cf₉ en Cf₁₁ kunnen doorbreken, zijn in Nederland, Frankrijk en Polen opgetreden. Met behulp van een groep genotypen, die de resistentie genen Cf₂ tot en met Cf₁₁ dragen, zijn Nederlandse, Franse en enkele nieuwe Poolse isolaten onderzocht op de aanwezigheid van virulentiegenen. Enkele Nederlandse isolaten, eerder aangeduid met 2.4, 2.4.5. en 2.4.5.9, bleken het resistentie-gen Cf₁₁ te kunnen doorbreken. Deze moeten daarom aangeduid worden als respectievelijk 2.4.11, 2.4.5.11 en 2.4.5.9.11. In de nieuwe Poolse isolaten werd virulentie gevonden voor Cf₂, Cf₄, Cf₈, Cf₉ en Cf₁₁. Alle fysio's die op genotypen met Cf₄ konden groeien, groeiden ook op genotypen met Cf₈. Daarom kon geen ondersheid gemaakt worden tussen Cf₄ en Cf₈. De Poolse isolaten behoren tot de fysio's 4.11, 2.4.11 en 2.4.9.11. De gevolgen van het voorkomen van deze fysio's voor de tomateveredeling worden besproken.     

Race 2.5.9, a new race of Cladosporium fulvum (fulvia fulva) and sources of resistance in tomato

Samenvatting Cladosporium fulvum staat bekend om zijn vermogen zich snel aan te passen aan nieuw geïntroduceerde resistentiegenen. Die laatste jaren bleven tomaterassen met C5 resistentie in de praktijk resistent. Deze rassen zijn zelfs resistent tegen het complexe fysio 2.4.5 door het bezit van Cf9 of een ander resistentie-gen. Een fysio 2.4.5.9 trad weliswaar op bij proeven op het IVT (Wageningen), maar werd nooit in de praktijk gevonden.In 1985 werd in Frankrijk het ras Rianto F1 in een praktijkteelt aangetast. Een isolaat vanC. fulvum van dit C5-resistente ras bleek fysio 2.5.9 te zijn. Een deel van de thans bij onderzoek gebruikte resistentiebronnen, zoals Bulgaria no. 1, Japan 74S en Japan 76S, is resistent voor dit nieuwe fysio.Het optreden van dit nieuwe fysio onderstreept de wenselijkheid ten minste twee nieuwe resistentiegenen in nieuwe rassen te gebruiken ter verbetering van de duurzaamheid van de resistentie.     

A dominant avirulence gene in Orobanche cumana triggers Or5 resistance in sunflower

Orobanche cumana is a weed that grows as a root parasite on sunflower. In general, the O. cumana–sunflower parasitic system is regarded to follow the gene‐for‐gene model, although this has never been demonstrated at the genetic level in O. cumana. The Or5 dominant gene in sunflower confers resistance to O. cumana race E, but not to race F. The objective of this research was to study the inheritance of avirulence/virulence in crosses between plants of O. cumana lines classified as races E and F. Four race E and three race F lines were developed, from which four race E × race F cross‐combinations were made, in three cases including reciprocals. In all cases, F₁ seeds did not have the ability to parasitise sunflower line P‐1380 carrying the Or5 gene, indicating dominance of race E avirulence allele(s). Five F₂ populations comprising a total of 387 F_2:3 families were evaluated on sunflower line P‐1380. In all cases, one‐fourth of the F_2:3 families did not possess the ability to parasitise P‐1380 plants, suggesting that race E avirulence and race F virulence on P‐1380 are allelic and controlled by a single locus. This study demonstrated the gene‐for‐gene interaction in the O. cumana–sunflower parasite system and provided useful information to identify genes involved in O. cumana virulence. The approach followed in this research can contribute to define precisely races of the parasite on the basis of the presence of avirulence genes.     

A biochemical mechanism for the gene-for-gene resistance of tomato to Cladosporium fulvum

Model experiments were carried out with the tomato varieties Moneymaker (no resistance genes), Leaf Mould Resister No. 1 (resistance gene Cf 1), Vetomold (resistance gene Cf 2) and V 473 (resistance genes Cf 1 and Cf 2) and various physiological races ofCladosporium fulvum. Leaking of³²P from labelled leaf disks, was obtained on infiltration with high molecular weight excretion products from incompatible races ofC. fulvum but not with those from compatible races. These products were obtained by Sephadex G-25 gel filtration of culture filtrates.The observations are in line with our hypothesis that the gene-for-gene relation existing between tomato andC. fulvum is based on interaction of specific fungal excretion products with specific receptors in the host which may be located in the cell membrane. The presence of these fungal compounds is supposed to be controlled by four avirulence genes (A₁, A₂, A₃ and A₄) and that of the receptors by the four resistance genes (Cf 1, Cf 2, Cf 3 and Cf 4). Results obtained from experiments with tomatoes Cf 1, Cf 2 and Cf 1 Cf 2 suggest that leakage followed by the hypersensitivity reaction occurs whenC. fulvum races possessing a specific avirulence allele penetrate into a host carrying the corresponding resistance allele.It is not yet clear why growth ofC. fulvum is stopped when leakage of the host tissue resulting in the hypersensitive reaction takes place. No compound toxic toC. fulvum is present or is formed in homogenates of tomato leaves.Samenvatting Modelproeven werden uitgevoerd met de tomatenvariëteiten Moneymaker (geen resistentiegenen), Leaf Mould Resister No. 1 (resistentiegen Cf 1), Vetomold (resistentiegen Cf 2), V 473 (resistentiegen Cf 1 en Cf 2) en verschillende fysiologischen rassen vanCladosporium fulvum. Bladponsjes van radioactief gemerkte bladeren (gemerkt met³²P) werden geïnfiltreerd en geïncubeerd met cultuurfiltraatfracties (fractionering over Sephadex G-25) vanC.fluvum. Waargenomen werd dat ponsjes, behandeld met cultuurfiltraat van een niet compatibeleC.fulvum, een grotere uitlek van radioactief gemerkt materiaal te zien gaven dan in de, gevallen waarin een compatibele schimmel werd gebruikt.Deze waarnemingen stemden overeen met onze hypothese dat de gen-om-gen relatie die bestaat tussen tomaten enC.fulvum, gebaseerd, is op een interactie van specifieke schimmelprodukten met specifieke receptoren in de plantencellen, mogelijk in de membranen. De produktie van de specifieke stoffen door de schimmel zou worden bepaald door vier avirulentiegenen (A₁, A₂, A₃ en A₄), en de aanwezigheid van de specifieke receptoren in de plantencel door de vier resistentiegenen Cf 1, Cf 2, Cf 3 en Cf 4.De waarnemingen, verkregen uit de proeven met de tomaten Cf 1, Cf 2 en Cf 1 Cf 2, doen vermoeden dat de uitlek een gevolg is van een overgevoeligheidsreactie die optreedt, indien een fysio vanC.fulvum, dat een specifiek avirulentie allel bezit, een gastheer binnendringt die beschikt over een bijpassend resistentie allel.Het is tot nu toe niet duidelijk waarom de groei vanC.fulvum stopt indien, uitlek op gaat treden als gevolg van de overgevoeligheidsreactie. In homogenaten van tomatenbladeren werd geen stof gevonden die de groei vanC.fulvum remt.     

Carbohydrate composition of apoplastic fluids isolated from tomato leaves inoculated with virulent or avirulent races of Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Fulvia fulva)

Inoculation of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) with virulent races ofCladosporium fulvum (compatible interactions), resulted in substantial changes of the carbohydrate composition of apoplastic fluids isolated from the leaves, during the course of the infection process. In addition to a decrease in the concentration of the translocation sugar sucrose, a transient accumulation of the hexoses glucose and fructose and an accumulation of the polyol mannitol were observed. The latter coincided with a rising level of mannitol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that reduces fructose to mannitol. Only minor changes were detected in the carbohydrate composition of apoplastic fluids isolated from leaves of uninoculated control plants or plants inoculated with avirulent races ofC. fulvum (incompatible interactions). The fungal metabolite mannitol was not detected in apoplastic fluids isolated from the latter plants.These results suggest that, upon colonization of the intercellular spaces by virulent races ofC. fulvum, apoplastic sucrose is hydrolyzed by a host and/or fungal invertase and the resulting hexoses, glucose and fructose, are converted into mannitol by the fungus. In incompatible tomato-C. fulvum interactions a functional nutritional relationship between plant and fungus is prevented by plant defense responses, which might explain why in these interactions the carbohydrate composition of apoplastic fluids is similar to that of uninoculated control plants.Samenvatting Inoculatie van tomaat (Lycopersicon esculentum) met virulente fysio's vanC. fulvum (compatibele interacties), leidde tot aanzienlijke veranderingen in de koolhydraatsamenstelling van apoplastische vloeistoffen die uit de bladeren werden geïsoleerd in de loop van het infectieproces. Naast een sterke daling van de concentratie van de transportsuiker saccharose, vond er ophoping van de hexoses glucose en fructose en de polyol mannitol plaats. De accumulatie van mannitol ging gepaard met een toename in de activiteit van mannitol dehydrogenase, een enzym dat fructose reduceert tot mannitol. In de koolhydraatsamenstelling van apoplastische vloeistoffen geïsoleerd uit bladeren van niet geïnoculeerde controleplanten, of planten geïnoculeerd met avirulente fysio's vanC. fulvum (incompatibele interacties), werden slechts kleine veranderingen waargenomen. De schimmelmetaboliet mannitol kon niet worden aangetoond in de apoplastische vloeistoffen die uit deze planten werden geïsoleerd.Deze resultaten suggereren dat bij de kolonisatie van de intercellulaire ruimtes door virulente fysio's vanC. fulvum, saccharose uit de apoplast wordt gehydrolyseerd door invertase afkomstig van de plant of de schimmel waarna de ontstane hexoses, glucose en fructose, door de schimmel worden omgezet in mannitol. Bij incompatibele tomaatC. fulvum interacties wordt een functionele voedingsrelatie tussen plant en schimmel voorkomen door het optreden van afweerreacties van de plant, hetgeen kan verklaren waarom in deze interacties de koolhydraatsamenstelling van apoplastische vloeistoffen vergelijkbaar is met die van niet geïnoculeerde controleplanten.     

The first report on the occurrence race 9 of the tomato leaf mold pathogen Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Passalora fulva) in Cuba

Leaf mold caused by the fungus Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Passalora fulva) has been a serious disease in greenhouse tomatoes in Cuba, but less damage is seen in outdoor grown plants. This study was conducted to identify races of the causal agent of tomato leaf mold. A total of 36 single conidial isolates obtained from different provinces in Cuba and the reference strain race 0 were inoculated on a differential set of tomato cultivars carrying different Cf resistance genes. Further, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed using Avr9 gene-specific primers. As result, all isolates could overcome the Cf-9 resistance gene only, but not resistance genes Cf-2, Cf-4 and Cf-5 and must therefore be coined race 9. Race identity was also confirmed by PCR analysis, which showed that the Avr9 gene was not amplified in any of 36 single conidial isolates studied proving that they all lack this gene. This is the first report of the occurrence of race 9 of C. fulvum in Cuba. Pyramiding other Cf genes in hybrid of tomato may provide a more durable level of resistance to C. fulvum.

     

Races of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> isolated from potato in Hokkaido,Japan

The virulence of 29 isolates of Phytophthora infestans collected in potato fields in Hokkaido, Japan, in 2013 and 2014, was tested for race identification. Thirteen different races were identified, each of which had five to eight virulence factors. All of the isolates caused a virulent reaction against plants with R1 and R7, and most of the isolates caused a virulent reaction against plants with R3, R4, R10, and R11. On the other hand, no isolate was virulent against plants with R9. These results demonstrate that the current Japanese P. infestans population is more complex than the population in the 1990s from the viewpoint of race.     

A light and scanning-electron microscopic study of infection of tomato plants by virulent and avirulent races of Cladosporium fulvum

Infection of tomato plants byCladosporium fulvum Cooke was studied using light and scanning-electron microscopy. Races 1.2.3 and 4 ofCladosporium fulvum were used, whereas tomato cultivars, carrying the Cf2 gene (susceptible to race 1.2.3 and immune to race 4) and the Cf4 gene (immune to race 1.2.3 and susceptible to race 4) served as differentials. No differences were observed in growth between compatible and incompatible combinations during germination, subsequent formation of runner hyphae and stomatal penetration. Runner hyphae did not show directional growth towards stomata. Penetration usually occurred on the third or fourth day after inoculation. In compatible combinations the fungus grew intercellularly, often in close contact with spongy mesophyll cells. Under optimal conditions it did not cause visible damage to plant cells during early stages of infection. Under suboptimal conditions in winter, the host cells often reacted with callose deposition, but growth of the fungus did not appear to be inhibited. Ten to twelve days after inoculation conidiophores emerged through the stomata and produced conidia. In incompatible combinations fungal growth was arrested one to two days after penetration and confined to stomata and surrounding cells. Very soon the host cells, in contact with the fungus, deposited extensive amounts of callose. Later these cells turned brown and collapsed. At the surface of the host cells, contacted by fungal hyphae, abundant extracellular material could be observed by scanning-electron microscopy. Removing the epidermis of leaves before inoculation delayed the resistant response. On stripped leaves the rate of fungal growth was equal for both interactions up to ten days after inoculation, but the incompatible combination lacked sporulation.     

云南水稻白叶枯病菌生理小种初析

从云南省 5个地州14个县市的水稻白叶枯病标本中分离水稻白叶枯病菌菌株 ,选择具有区域代表性的菌株 5 1株 ,利用已知抗病基因的近等基因系 ,在孕穗期应用剪叶法接种明确其生理小种。鉴定结果表明 ,云南省水稻白叶枯病菌小种复杂多样 ,共有 14种类型 ,暂定为YN1～YN14 ,优势生理小种为YN3、YN8、YN11,其中YN3分布在红河、德宏等 4个县市 ;YN8小种分布在大理等地区 ,小种的分布可能受地理区域的影响     

Infection by Magnaporthe oryzae chrysovirus 1 strain A triggers reduced virulence and pathogenic race conversion of its host fungus, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnaporthe oryzae</Emphasis>

Magnaporthe oryzae chrysovirus 1 strain A (MoCV1-A) is associated with an impaired growth phenotype of its host fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. In this report, we assayed the virulence and pathogenicity of MoCV1-A-infected and MoCV1-A-free M. oryzae on rice plants. MoCV1-A infection did not affect virulence-associated fungal traits, such as conidial germination and appressorium formation. However, after punch inoculation of leaves on rice plants, MoCV1-A-infected strain formed smaller lesions than the MoCV1-A-free strain did on all rice varieties tested, showing that MoCV1-A infection resulted in reduced virulence of host fungi in rice plants. In contrast, after spray inoculation of rice seedlings, in some cases, MoCV1-A-infected and MoCV1-A-free strains caused different lesion types (resistance to susceptible, or vice versa) on individual international differential rice varieties. However, we did not find any gain/loss of the fungal avirulence genes by PCR, suggesting that MoCV1-A infection can convert the pathogenicity of the host M. oryzae from avirulence to virulence, or from virulence to avirulence, depending on the rice variety. We also confirmed the correlation of these race conversion events and invasive hyphae growth of the fungi in a leaf sheath inoculation assay. These data suggested that MoCV1-A infection generally confers hypovirulence to the fungal host and could be a driving force to generate physiological diversity, including pathogenic races.     

Frequency of Avirulence Alleles in Field Populations of Leptosphaeria maculans in Europe

This paper describes the first large-scale Europe-wide survey of avirulence alleles and races of Leptosphaeria maculans. Isolates were collected from the spring rape cultivar Drakkar, with no known genes for resistance against L. maculans, at six experimental sites across the main oilseed rape growing regions of Europe, including the UK, Germany, Sweden and Poland. Additionally in Poland isolates were collected from cv. Darmor, which has resistance gene, Rlm9. In total, 603 isolates were collected during autumn in 2002 (287 isolates from Germany and the UK) and 2003 (316 isolates from Poland and Sweden). The identity of alleles at eight avirulence loci was determined for these isolates. No isolates had the virulence allele avrLm6 and three virulence alleles (avrLm2, avrLm3 and avrLm9) were present in all isolates. The isolates were polymorphic for AvrLm1, AvrLm4, AvrLm5 and AvrLm7 alleles, with virulence alleles at AvrLm1 and AvrLm4 loci and avirulence alleles at AvrLm7 and AvrLm5 loci predominant in populations. Virulent avrLm7 isolates were found at only one site in Sweden. Approximately 90% of all isolates belonged to one of two races (combinations of avirulence alleles), Av5-6-7 (77% of isolates) or Av6-7 (12%). Eight races were identified, with four races at frequencies less than 1%. The study suggested that Rlm6 and Rlm7 are still effective sources of resistance against L. maculans in oilseed rape in Europe. The results are comparable to those of a similar survey done in France in autumn 2000 and 2001.     

Early defence responses induced by AVR9 and mutant analogues in tobacco cell suspensions expressing the Cf-9 resistance gene

The interaction between the fungal leaf pathogen Cladosporium fulvum and its only host, tomato, fits the gene-for-gene model. In tomato, the Cf-9 resistance gene product mediates specific recognition of the fungal avirulence gene product AVR9, resulting in a hypersensitive response and resistance. Cf9 tomato leaves respond with necrosis after injection with AVR9, whereas Cf9 tomato cell suspensions do not show defence responses after treatment with AVR9. Here we report on early defence responses induced in Cf-9 transgenic tobacco leaves and Cf-9 transgenic tobacco cell suspensions after treatment with synthesized AVR9 and mutant analogues R08K, F10A and F21A. The necrosis-inducing activity of the AVR9 peptides increased in the order F21A, F10A, AVR9, R08K. An oxidative burst was induced at a much lower AVR9 peptide concentration as compared to medium alkalization and necrosis. Interestingly, the mutant peptide F21A failed to induce necrosis and medium alkalization but did induce an oxidative burst. In all assays, the relative differential activities of the AVR9 peptides were similar to those observed in Cf9 tomato leaves. Both AVR9 and F21A activated a MAP kinase in Cf-9 transgenic tobacco cell suspensions. AVR9 also induced specific cell death in these suspensions. The relation between the induction of early defence responses and necrosis is discussed.     

A Near-Isogenic Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Strain with a Novel Combination of Avirulence Characteristics

ABSTRACT A novel Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici strain (F1-27) was obtained from protoplast fusions between race 1 Fol004 (putative avirulence genotype A1a2a3) and race 2 Fol007 (a1A2A3). Bioassays using different tomato cultivars revealed new virulence characteristics for F1-27 that were mitotically stable. The corresponding avirulence genotype for F1-27 was assigned a1A2a3. Despite their distinction in avirulence genotype, molecular analysis revealed that parent Fol007 and F1-27 were near-isogenic strains. The electrophoretic karyotype of F1-27 was identical to that observed for Fol007. Foxy-amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) marker analysis showed that all Fol007-specific bands were present in F1-27. In addition, 11 new F1-27-specific Foxy insertions were identified. Segregation of both virulence and these new Foxy-AFLP markers was observed in a backcross between F1-27 and its parent Fol007. One marker was found to cosegregate with the a3 allele. The nature of the genetic change in this strain is discussed.     

Relationship between Avirulence Genes of the Same Family in Rice Blast Fungus Magnaporthe grisea

A genetic cross between rice-field isolates of Magnaporthe grisea produced progeny segregating for avirulence/ virulence on six rice cultivars among nine race differentials, while on three other cultivars, Shin 2 (Pik-s), Aichi Asahi (Pia) and Ishikari Shiroke (Pii), parental and progeny isolates were all virulent. Based on segregation ratios in 115 progeny isolates, avirulence on Kanto 51 (Pik), Yashiro-mochi (Pita), Fukunishiki (Piz) and Toride 1 (Piz-t) is under monogenic control. On Tsuyuake (Pik-m) and Pi No. 4 (Pita-2), however, a disproportionate ratio in the segregation was observed, suggesting that avirulence on these two cultivars is controlled by two or more genes. Assuming that the avirulence gene AvrPik-m consists of at least two genes, AvrPik-m1 and AvrPik-m2, each of which functions in the whole gene AvrPik-m, and that one of AvrPik-m1 and AvrPik-m2 is AvrPik, we could account for the disproportion in the avirulence/virulence segregation of the progeny. This hypothesis would also be consistently applied for avirulence gene AvrPita-2. There seem to be two types of the avirulence genes : AvrPik-m, that is comprised of the tightly linked genes, AvrPik-ml (=AvrPik) and AvrPik-m2, and AvrPita-2, that is comprised of the loosely linked genes AvrPita-2A (=AvrPita) and AvrPita-2B. As one possible explanation of the rice resistant reaction to blast, multiple specificity was suggested for the first time for the blast fungus. On the contrary, the avirulence genes AvrPiz and AvrPiz-t were inherited independently, despite the corresponding genes for resistance (Piz and Piz-t) being located at the same locus. The cross of rice blast isolates (races 447 and 337) produced only 25 kinds of races in the progeny, although theoretically about 64 kinds of races should be produced if six avirulence genes segregated independently. Because no progeny are with AvrPik (or AvrPita) and without AvrPik-m (or AvrPita-2), the number of races theoretically should be 36 at most. A number of strains, such as races 377 and 737, with a single avirulence gene were obtained from this cross. These strains may be valuable for analysis of resistance genes in rice plant. Received 19 August 2002/ Accepted in revised form 11 November 2002     

Resistance evaluation of differentials and commercial wheat cultivars to stripe rust (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Puccinia striiformis</Emphasis>) infection in hot spot regions of Canada

Stripe rust of wheat, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is one of the most important diseases of wheat in Canada. This study presents the results from resistance evaluation of Yr genes and western Canadian wheat cultivars from different milling classes, to natural infection in southern Alberta and British Columbia which are considered hot spots of stripe rust occurrence in Canada, due to proximity to Pacific Northwest of the United States where stripe rust epidemics are frequent. Genes Yr1, Yr5, Yr15, and YrSP were effective in all environments; Yr17 and Yr28, which were earlier reported ineffective to existing stripe rust races at the seedling stage in Canada, were effective at adult plant stages in most of the environments because of warmer climates in southerly locations, a favourable condition for expression of the genes. Yr17 is common in winter wheat cultivars and only reported spring wheat cultivar carrying it is CDC Stanley, which can serve as donor parent in breeding programs. Gene Yr24/26 was not very effective in western prairies although reported as effective in eastern prairies. Residual resistance from combination of defeated genes (Yr3, Yr7, Yr9, Yr27) in some supplementary differentials was observed. Most cultivars carry slow-rusting, pleiotropic adult-plant resistance gene Yr18 and some Yr29, which were effective in some locations. These genes failed to provide complete protection under high disease pressure. Seedling and adult plant resistance genes Yr5, Yr15, Yr17 and Yr18, Yr36, respectively could be good targets for resistance breeding. Stacking adult plant resistance genes with seedling resistance genes can provide durable resistance to stripe rust.     

A putative RNA silencing component protein FoQde-2 is involved in virulence of the tomato wilt fungus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f. sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">lycopersici</Emphasis>

RNA silencing pathways in filamentous fungi are composed of multiple component proteins and known to be involved in vegetative growth, virulence or sexual reproduction. We found that the tomato wilt fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol), carries four homologues genes of Qde-2, an argonaute protein gene and one of the main component protein genes in Neurospora crassa. Gene targeting revealed that FoQde-2, one of the Qde-2 homologues in Fol, is involved in virulence to tomato but not in vegetative growth.     

Genetics of specific resistance in pea (Pisum sativum) cultivars to seven races of Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi

Seven races of Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi were distinguished using eight differential cultivars of pea (Pisum sativum). Segregation among F₂ populations of crosses between differential cultivars sequentially inoculated with races of P.s. pv. pisi provided evidence for four and possibly six putative resistance(R)/avirulence(A) gene pairs. R1, R2 and R3 are dominant resistance alleles at single loci, R4 is a dominant allele at a single locus which exhibits variable expression possibly dependent on genetic background. There is evidence that R3 and R4 are at linked loci. Homology tests provided proof of the occurrence of the alleles R2, R3 and R4 in more than one cultivar. Two other alleles, R5 and R6, were postulated to explain the observed segregation ratios in certain crosses.
It can be inferred that P.s. pv. pisi races 2, 3 and 4 each carry a different single a virulence gene, race 6 carries no apparent avirulence genes, and race 7 carries at least A2, A3 and A4. Race 1 carries Al, A3, A4 and possibly A6; race 5 carries A2, A4 and possibly A5 and A6.     

The inheritance of virulence of Phytophthora infestans to potato

Of 31 matings between isolates of P. infestans from several countries, six yielded enough progeny for analysis of inheritance of the virulence phenotype. Virulence was determined in vitro after inoculation of detached leaflets of nine differential lines of potato, each carrying a different gene for resistance. Parents of three matings carried an isozyme marker (glucosephosphate isomerase) which allowed the hybridity of most progeny to be confirmed. Apparently non-hybrid progeny from all three matings were probably selfs or apomicts; these were discarded. The inheritance of virulence in two sib-cross and one backcross family was determined. Patterns of inheritance in F₁ and F₂ indicated the presence of a gene-for-gene interaction in which alleles of a single locus in the pathogen conditioned virulence or avirulence on each differential. Although the hypothesis that avirulence alleles were dominant and virulence alleles were recessive was supported by many of the data, unexpected segregations were obtained. Alternative hypotheses to explain the latter included low aggressiveness in a proportion of the progeny, a second locus inhibiting avirulence in one parent, a different locus in each parent determining avirulence/virulence on one R-gene, and dominance of some alleles determining virulence. Avirulent field isolates appeared to be heterozygous ( A vravr ) rather than homozygous ( Avr Avr ) at avirulence loci. A somatic segregation from avirulence to virulence at three avirulence loci was postulated for one parental isolate. Evidence for linkage of these three loci suggested that the observed somatic segregation resulted from mitotic crossing-over.