Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium pseudograminearum caused the 2010 head blight epidemics in Australia

Wheat crops in southeast Queensland (Qld) and northern New South Wales (NSW) were infected with fusarium head blight (FHB)‐like symptoms during the 2010–11 wheat growing season. Wheat crops in this region were surveyed at soft dough or early maturity stage to determine the distribution, severity, aetiology and toxigenicity of FHB. FHB was widespread on bread wheat and durum, and Fusarium graminearum and/or F. pseudograminearum were diagnosed from 42 of the 44 sites using species‐specific PCR primers directly on spikelets or from monoconidial cultures obtained from spikelets. Stem base browning due to crown rot (CR) was also evident in some samples from both states. The overall FHB and CR severity was higher for NSW than Qld. Deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration of immature grains was more than 1 mg kg^?1 in samples from 11 Qld and 14 NSW sites, but only 13 of 498 mature grain samples sourced from the affected areas had more than 1 mg kg^?1 DON. DON concentration in straw also exceeded 1 mg kg^?1 in eight Qld and all but one NSW sites but this was not linked to DON concentration of immature grains. The proportion of spikelets with positive diagnosis for F. graminearum and/or F. pseudograminearum and weather‐related factors influenced DON levels in immature grains. The average monthly rainfall for August–November during crop anthesis and maturation exceeded the long‐term monthly average by 10–150%. Weather played a critical role in FHB epidemics for Qld sites but this was not apparent for the NSW sites, as weather was generally favourable at all sites.     

Piriformospora indica reduces fusarium head blight disease severity and mycotoxin DON contamination in wheat under UK weather conditions

Piriformospora indica (Sebacinaceae) is a cultivable root endophytic fungus. It colonizes the roots of a wide range of host plants. In many settings colonization promotes host growth, increases yield and protects the host from fungal diseases. Evaluation was made of the effect of P. indica on fusarium head blight (FHB) disease of winter (cv. Battalion) and spring (cv. Paragon, Mulika, Zircon, Granary, KWS Willow and KWS Kilburn) wheat and consequent contamination by the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) under UK weather conditions. Interactions of P. indica with an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Funneliformis mosseae), fungicide application (Aviator Xpro) and low and high fertilizer levels were considered. Piriformospora indica application reduced FHB disease severity and incidence by 70%. It decreased mycotoxin DON concentration of winter and spring wheat samples by 70 and 80%, respectively. Piriformospora indica also increased aboveground biomass, 1000‐grain weight and total grain weight. Piriformospora indica reduced disease severity and increased yield in both high and low fertilizer levels. The effect of P. indica was compatible with F. mosseae and foliar fungicide application. Piriformospora indica did not have any effects on plant tissue nutrients. These results suggest that P. indica might be useful in biological control of Fusarium diseases of wheat.     

Extended survival of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici urediniospores: implications for biosecurity and on‐farm management

Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), the causal organism of stem rust, is of global importance across wheat‐growing countries. However, some epidemics commence without the obvious presence of ‘alternate’ or ‘green bridge’ hosts, suggesting urediniospores can survive in the absence of suitable host plants for many weeks. Testing a range of inert material types, including metals, plastics, fabrics and woods, highlighted a significant effect of material type and temperature on urediniospore viability (P < 0.001), with urediniospores remaining attached and viable on these materials (aluminium, paper, rubber, all fabric and all woods) for up to 365 days at 23/8 °C day/night. At 36/14 °C day/night, urediniospore viability was retained for a maximum of 300 days on denim and jute. Furthermore, at 45/15 °C day/night, urediniospores remained viable for a maximum of 180 days on cotton and jute. The frequency of recovery of attached urediniospores was also dependent upon the material type, with significant differences between materials in their abilities to retain urediniospores after washing (P < 0.001). Urediniospores recovered even after 300 or 365 days from the lower two temperature regimes successfully initiated infections of wheat seedlings. Results confirm the potential importance of inert materials as long‐term carriers of viable Pgt urediniospores, highlighting risks of spread of new pathotypes and strains across wheat‐growing regions, the significant biosecurity implications for contaminated carrier materials, and its likely survival across seasons without a host.     

Spot blotch disease of wheat: the current status of research on genetics and breeding

The spot blotch disease of wheat is caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, which is an anamorph (teleomorph Cochliobolus sativus). The disease mainly occurs in warm, humid wheat‐growing regions, and the Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) of South Asia is a hotspot. Significant progress has been made in recent years in characterizing the host–pathogen interaction. The study of the pathogen's life cycle and diversity have been an active area of research. A number of resistance sources have also been identified, characterized and used for breeding. Although immunity has not been observed in any genotype, cultivars displaying a relatively high level of resistance have been developed and made available to farmers. Further progress will require regular use of marker‐assisted breeding, genomic selection, gene editing and transgenic interventions. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about genetic and breeding efforts on the wheat–B. sorokiniana pathosystem and discusses ways in which emerging tools can be used for future research to understand the mechanism involved in infection and for developing cultivars exhibiting a high level of resistance.     

Spatiotemporal changes in fungal growth and host responses of six yellow rust resistant near-isogenic lines of wheat

The objective of the present study was to investigate to what extent the macroscopic phenotype of incompatible host–pathogen interactions reflects differences in fungal development and host responses at the histological level. This was done by conventional and advanced microscopic analysis of six wheat near-isogenic lines differing by individual R genes and inoculated with an avirulent isolate of Puccinia striiformis. Wheat line AvocetYr15 had the lowest macroscopic infection type (IT) 0–1, in which fungal growth was stopped at early stages due to extensive expression of a hypersensitive response (HR) at all time points (4, 8 and 16 days post-inoculation, dpi) without any sign of haustorial bodies. AvocetYr5 and AvocetYr1 had IT 1, in which most fungal colonies developed secondary hyphae. Many colonies were encased by HR at 16 dpi, more extensively in AvocetYr1 than AvocetYr5. In AvocetYr6 (IT 2), HR was expressed after the formation of secondary hyphae at 4 dpi, after which fungal growth and HR increased simultaneously until most colonies became encased by HR. AvocetYr27 (IT 2–3) and AvocetYr17 (IT 4–5) showed similar fungal growth and HR at 4 dpi, where HR was only weakly expressed in a few host cells. Encasement of secondary and runner hyphae increased significantly in AvocetYr27, but at 16 dpi, HR was often circumvented by large, intermingled fungal colonies in both lines. No resistance responses were observed in Avocet S (susceptible control). The very different histological patterns conferred by the six R genes suggests differences in the timing of the host–pathogen recognition and onset of host defence pathways.     

Testing and modelling the potential of three diploid plants in Poaceae as a new pathosystem to investigate the interactions between cereal hosts and cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae)

Cereal cyst nematode (CCN), Heterodera avenae, is one of the most important pathogens of wheat worldwide, and causes significant yield losses. Research on CCN–wheat interactions is hampered by the lack of an effective model pathosystem. This study investigated the potential of the model cereal Brachypodium distachyon (Bd21‐3) and diploid wheat 2A (G1812) and 2D (AL8/78) as model hosts for CCN. Nematode infection analysis showed that although some CCN penetrated Bd21‐3 roots, these nematodes failed to develop to the later developmental stages or form cysts, indicating B. distachyon is not a host for CCN. A strong burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within Bd21‐3 roots infected with CCN was induced 3 days after infection and the expression of seven ROS‐producing genes was significantly increased. In contrast, CCN completed its life cycle in both diploid wheat 2A and 2D, and formed normal syncytia in these hosts. Although CCN developmental processes within both diploid wheat 2A and 2D were very similar to those in the susceptible control, the number of cysts formed on diploid wheat 2D was less than those formed on diploid wheat 2A and the susceptible control, indicating that diploid wheat 2A was a more suitable host for CCN than 2D. This is the first report of a potential new pathosystem for CCN–host interactions using diploid wheat.     

Comparative population structure and trichothecene mycotoxin profiling of Fusarium graminearum from corn and wheat in Ontario,central Canada

Fusarium graminearum causes fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and gibberella ear rot (GER) of corn in Canada and also contaminates grains with trichothecene mycotoxins. Very little is known about trichothecene diversity and population structure of the fungus from corn in Ontario, central Canada. Trichothecene genotypes of F. graminearum isolated from corn (n = 452) and wheat (n = 110) from 2010 to 2012 were identified. All the isolates were deoxynivalenol (DON) type. About 96% of corn isolates and 98% of wheat isolates were 15‐acetyl deoxynivalenol (15ADON) type. The fungal population structures from corn (n = 313) and wheat (n = 73) were compared using 10 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers. The fungal populations and subpopulations categorized based on host, cultivar groups, years and geography showed high gene (H = 0.818–0.928) and genotypic (GD = 0.999–1.00) diversity. Gene flow was also high between corn and wheat population pairs (Nm = 8.212), and subpopulation pairs within corn (Nm = 7.13–23.614) or wheat (Nm = 19.483) populations. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that isolates from both hosts were F. graminearum clade 7. These findings provide baseline data on 3‐acetyl deoxynivalenol (3ADON) and 15ADON profiles of F. graminearum isolates from corn in Canada and are useful in evaluating mycotoxin contamination risks in corn and wheat grains. Understanding the fungal genetic structure will assist evaluation and development of resistant cultivars/germplasm for FHB on wheat and GER on corn.     

Species composition,toxigenic potential and pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum species complex isolates from southern Brazilian rice

This study aimed to assess the extent and distribution of Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) diversity in rice seeds produced in southern Brazil. Four species and two trichothecene genotypes were detected among 89 FGSC isolates, based on a multilocus genotyping assay: F. asiaticum (69·6%) with the nivalenol (NIV) genotype, F. graminearum (14·6%) with the 15‐acetyldeoxynivalenol (ADON) genotype, and F. cortaderiae (14·6%) and F. meridionale (1·1%), both with the NIV genotype. Seven selected F. asiaticum isolates from rice produced NIV in rice‐based substrate in vitro, at levels ranging from 4·7 to 84·1 μg g^?1. Similarly, two F. graminearum isolates from rice produced mainly 15‐ADON (c. 15–41 μg g^?1) and a smaller amount of 3‐ADON (c. 6–12 μg g^?1). One F. meridionale and two F. cortaderiae isolates did not produce detectable levels of trichothecenes. Two F. asiaticum isolates from rice and two from wheat (from a previous study), and one F. graminearum isolate from wheat, were pathogenic to both crops at various levels of aggressiveness based on measures of disease severity in wheat spikes and rice kernel infection in a greenhouse assay. Fusarium asiaticum and the reference F. graminearum isolate from wheat produced NIV, and deoxynivalenol and acetylates, respectively, in the kernels of inoculated wheat heads. No trichothecene was produced in kernels from inoculated rice panicles by any of the isolates. These findings constitute the first report of FGSC composition in rice outside Asia, and confirm the dominance of F. asiaticum in rice agroecosystems.     

Effect of host and non‐host crops on Plasmodiophora brassicae resting spore concentrations and clubroot of canola

Plasmodiophora brassicae, causal agent of clubroot of crucifers, poses a serious threat to Canadian canola production. The effects of fallow (F) periods and bait crops (clubroot‐susceptible canola (B) and perennial ryegrass (R)) on clubroot severity and P. brassicae resting spore populations were evaluated in five sequences: R–B, B–R, R–F, B–F and F–F. Both host and non‐host bait crops reduced clubroot severity in a subsequent crop of a susceptible canola cultivar compared with fallow. Resting spore and P. brassicae DNA concentrations decreased in all treatments, but were lowest for the R–B and B–R bait crop sequences. In addition, two studies were conducted in mini‐plots under field conditions to assess the effect of rotation of susceptible or resistant canola cultivars on clubroot severity and P. brassicae resting spore populations. One study included three crops of susceptible canola compared with a 2‐year break of oat–pea, barley–pea, wheat–wheat or fallow–fallow. The other study assessed three crops of resistant canola, two crops of resistant canola with a 1‐year break, one crop of resistant canola and a 2‐year break, and a 3‐year break with barley followed by a susceptible canola. The rotations that included non‐host crops of barley, pea or oat reduced clubroot severity and resting spore concentrations, and increased yield, compared with continuous cropping of either resistant or susceptible canola. Growing of a susceptible canola cultivar contributed 23–250‐fold greater gall mass compared with resistant cultivars.     

Effect of lodging on the level of mycotoxins in wheat,barley, and rice infected with the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium graminearum</Emphasis> species complex

Lodging is one possible risk factor that leads to increased cereal mycotoxin contamination, but few reports have been published on the subject. We examined the effects of lodging on the level of deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) contamination in wheat, barley, and rice infected with the Fusarium graminearum species complex. Case-control and intervention studies were applied to test the hypothesis that lodging increases the level of mycotoxin contamination. A total of 66 grain samples were collected from each field in 12 Japanese prefectures from 2002 to 2006. Each sample set consisted of grains from lodged and nonlodged plants. The concentration of DON + NIV in lodged plants was significantly higher than in nonlodged plants. All samples of wheat and barley were contaminated with DON and NIV; however, most of the lodged rice samples were contaminated only with NIV. In intervention trials to investigate the effects of lodging duration, a small area of wheat inoculated with the pathogen was completely lodged by trampling. Even with 5 days of lodging, the levels of DON + NIV in wheat grain at harvest increased by 27–51% compared to nonlodged control plots. For rice, half of each plot area was completely lodged by trampling 20 days before harvest. The level of NIV in lodged rice grain was significantly higher than that in nonlodged rice at optimum and delayed harvests, because lodging significantly increased the level of Fusarium mycotoxins in the three crops. Thus, practices (e.g., rational use of fertilizers) to avoid lodging should reduce the risk of mycotoxin contamination. This is the first epidemiological study on the effect of lodging on mycotoxin production by the F. graminearum species complex in wheat, barley, and rice.     

Spatiotemporal variation in airborne sporangia of Phytophthora infestans: characterization and initiatives towards improving potato late blight risk estimation

This study investigated the value of using real‐time monitoring of Phytophthora infestans airborne inoculum as a complement to decision support systems (DSS). The experiment was conducted during the 2010, 2011 and 2012 potato production seasons in two locations in New Brunswick, Canada. Airborne sporangia concentrations (ASC) of P. infestans were monitored using 16 rotating‐arm spore samplers placed 3 m above the ground. The first cases of late blight (2010 and 2011) were detected 6–7 days after the first ASC peak, and all samplers captured their first sporangia within the same week (at 3‐ and 9‐day periods). The cumulative ASC curve and the risk curves from two DSS (PLANT‐Plus and Pameseb Late Blight) had the same shape but different magnitudes. In both locations, the negative binomial distribution fitted the data better than the Poisson distribution, which is indicative of heterogeneity, and based on Taylor's power law, the heterogeneity increased with increasing ASC. Therefore, the present results suggest that spore‐sampling network devices may be a suitable approach for early detection of incoming inoculum and, when combined with DSS, represent a potential aid for targeting the optimal time to apply a disease‐control product. In this context, cumulative ASC can be a counterweight to the DSS risk estimate: a high risk combined with significant ASC will trigger fungicide spraying. Moreover, spore sampling can be used to assess the efficiency of management strategies by means of examining the area under the inoculum progress curve.     

Fusarium graminearum as a dry rot pathogen of potato in the USA: prevalence,comparison of host isolate aggressiveness and factors affecting aetiology

A 2004–2005 survey of potatoes from stores in the north‐central potato‐producing region of the USA showed that the predominant causes of dry rot were Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium sambucinum. Isolates of F. graminearum originally isolated from potato tubers with dry rot (n = 15), wheat kernels with scab (n = 15), and sugarbeet tap roots with decay (n = 5) were tested for aggressiveness to potato tubers. There were no significant differences in aggressiveness among isolates of F. graminearum, regardless of original host, as measured by their ability to cause dry rot. These findings may have implications for survival of F. graminearum inoculum since potatoes, wheat and sugarbeets are frequently used in crop rotation in the region. Fusarium graminearum required larger wounds for infection of potato tubers than F. sambucinum. Plug‐removal injury, simulating a stolon‐removal injury, resulted in equal incidence of dry rot caused by the two Fusarium species, whereas abrasion and bruising injury were sufficient for infection and dry rot development by F. sambucinum, but not F. graminearum. A change in harvest practices from vine‐killing prior to harvest to mechanical vine‐killing on the day of harvest may be a factor affecting the onset of dry rot caused by F. graminearum, since this process often causes large wounds at the stem end of the tubers when the stolon is forcibly removed.     

Pathotypic and genetic diversity in the population of Rhizoctonia solani AG1‐IA causing rice sheath blight in China

Sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1‐IA, is one of the most serious diseases of rice. In this study, a total of 175 isolates of R. solani AG1‐IA were collected from five rice‐growing regions in China. Pathogenicity tests revealed that all isolates were virulent to five cultivars with different levels of resistance at the rice seedling stage in the greenhouse. There was considerable variation in aggressiveness, and the isolates were classified into three pathotypes based on disease severity, with moderately virulent isolates prevalent in the population. Forty‐three haplotypes were identified based on ITS sequencing, and 39 haplotypes were distinct among isolates. There were high levels of haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity within the populations of R. solani AG1‐IA. High gene flow (Nm = 1·63–5·22) was detected, consistent with relatively low differentiation between pairs of populations. Five populations were divided into two distinct clusters by the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA), and no spatial population differentiation was discernible. The majority (97·8%) of genetic diversity was distributed among isolates within populations, with only 2·2% of the genetic diversity attributed to differences among populations. The star‐like shape of the haplotype network provided evidence of signatures of population expansion in recent history. No significant relationships were found between the genetic diversity and aggressiveness or geographic origin among populations of R. solani AG1‐IA. These results highlight that the population characteristics of R. solani AG1‐IA should be taken into account in evaluating the germplasm resistance of rice cultivars to sheath blight.     

Quantifying resistance to Plasmodiophora brassicae in Brassica hosts

Plasmodiophora brassicae causes clubroot of crucifers. A quantitative PCR (qPCR)‐based protocol was developed to measure P. brassicae DNA in the roots of susceptible, intermediately susceptible, intermediately resistant and resistant Brassica hosts, and the non‐host wheat, at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 42 days post‐inoculation (dpi). The final reaction of each plant genotype was recorded as an index of disease at 42 dpi. Plasmodiophora brassicae DNA showed an increase in susceptible and moderately resistant hosts from 5 to 42 dpi, in contrast to a decrease in a highly resistant host and the non‐host wheat over the same period. Index of disease was significantly positively correlated with the amount of P. brassicae DNA in the roots at 5, 15, 20 and 42 dpi in one experiment, and at 10, 15, 20 and 42 dpi in a repeated experiment. Significant positive correlations also existed between the amounts of P. brassicae DNA in the roots at 42 dpi and those at 5, 10, 15 and 20 dpi in one experiment, and those at 10, 15 and 20 dpi in a repeated experiment. The results generated by the qPCR assay were validated by microscopic examination of roots inoculated with P. brassicae. The qPCR‐based protocol developed in this study allows for the accurate quantification of P. brassicae DNA in host root tissues as early as 5 dpi, and may serve as a useful tool to evaluate pathogen proliferation and development in the roots.     

Population dynamics of Rhizoctonia,Oculimacula, and Microdochium species in soil,roots, and stems of English wheat crops

This study aimed to elucidate the population dynamics of Rhizoctonia, Oculimacula, and Microdochium species, causing the stem base disease complex of sharp eyespot, eyespot, and brown foot rot in cereals. Pathogen DNA in soil, roots, and stem fractions, and disease expression were quantified in 102 English wheat fields in two seasons. Weather data for each site was collected to determine patterns that correlate with assessed diseases. Oculimacula spp. (66%) and R. solani AG 2-1 (63%) were most frequently detected in soil, followed by R. cerealis (54%) and Microdochium spp. (33%). Oculimacula spp. (89%) and R. cerealis (56%) predominated on roots and soil but were not associated with root rot symptoms, suggesting that these species used soil and roots for survival and as inoculum source. M. nivale was more frequently detected than M. majus on stems up to GS 21–30 and co-occurred on plant samples with O. acuformis. O. yallundae had higher DNA concentration than O. acuformis at the lower 5 cm basal region at GS 37–45. R. cerealis predominated in the upper 15 cm above the base beyond stem extension. Brown foot rot by Microdochium spp. was favoured by cool and wet autumns/winters and dominated in English wheat. Eyespot and sharp eyespot disease index by Oculimacula spp. and R. cerealis, respectively, correlated with wet/humid springs and summers. Results suggested that stem base pathogens generally coexisted; however, their abundance in time and space was influenced by favourable weather patterns and host development, with niche differentiation after stem extension.     

The effect of post‐harvest storage conditions on the development of black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes) on potato in crops grown for different durations

The effects of post‐harvest curing and storage temperature on severity of black dot, caused by Colletotrichum coccodes, were investigated for potato crops grown for different crop durations (days from 50% emergence to harvest) in soils that posed a low, medium and high risk of disease. In field trials over four growing seasons (2005–8), black dot severity at harvest increased with increasing crop duration, within the range 103–146 days from 50% emergence to harvest (P < 0.05). In field trials over three growing seasons (2006–8), black dot severity on tubers at harvest increased significantly with increasing soil inoculum in each year, within the range 43–4787 pg C. coccodes DNA/g soil (P < 0.05). Storage trials were conducted to measure the influence of accumulated post‐harvest temperature on black dot. In 2005, no difference in black dot severity was observed on tubers stored for 20 weeks at 2.5 and 3.5 °C. In 2006 (but not 2007), increasing the duration of curing after harvest from 4 to 14 days increased black dot severity on tubers from 8.9 to 11.2% (P < 0.01) in long duration crops (>131 days after 50% emergence) grown under high (>1000 pg C. coccodes DNA/g soil) soil inoculum. The number of days of curing did not affect disease severity for shorter duration crops grown at high soil inoculum, or on crops grown at medium or low (100–1000 and <100 pg C. coccodes DNA/g soil, respectively) soil inoculum concentrations. Soil inoculum and crop duration together provided a reasonable prediction of black dot severity at harvest and after a 20‐week storage period.     

Diversity of virulence phenotypes among annual populations of wheat leaf rust in Israel from 1993 to 2008

Leaf rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia triticina, is the most common rust disease of wheat in wheat‐producing areas worldwide. The Israeli population of wheat leaf rust has been consistently monitored since 1993. A total of 840 single urediniospore isolates from Triticum aestivum (567), T. dicoccoides (119) and T. durum (154) were analysed during 1993–2008. The structure of the pathogen population has changed to a large extent since 1993. The annual populations of P. triticina were separated into two distinct groups: 1993–1999 and 2000–2008. Differentiation among the annual pathogen populations, as well as between the overall populations of the 1990s and 2000s, could be mainly attributed to the following forces: (i) migration of leaf rust urediniospores from neighbouring regions; and (ii) selection pressure of new yellow rust‐resistant wheat cultivars that have been introduced into Israel since 1997. Genetic multiplicity of wild emmer contributes to P. triticina variability in Israel. Leaf rust populations collected from common wheat, wild emmer and durum wheat differed. The population that originated from T. durum was rather stable during the years of the survey, whereas that from T. aestivum changed significantly from the 1990s to the 2000s. Diversity within the annual populations of P. triticina was highest in 1994 when many new pathotypes and associations between virulences were observed. Single‐step derivatives of the new pathotypes became dominant after 2000. Significant changes in virulence frequency to a number of Lr genes (e.g. Lr2a, Lr15, Lr17, Lr21, Lr26) were also registered in 2000–2008.     

Investigation of rice blast development in susceptible and resistant rice cultivars using a gfp‐expressing Magnaporthe oryzae isolate

In this study, an isolate of Magnaporthe oryzae expressing the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp) was used to monitor early events in the interaction of M. oryzae with resistant rice cultivars harbouring a blast resistance (R) gene. In the resistant cultivars Saber and TeQing (Pib gene), M. oryzae spores germinated normally on the leaf surface but produced morphologically abnormal germ tubes. Germling growth and development were markedly and adversely affected in leaves of these resistant cultivars. Penetration of host cells was never seen, supporting the idea that disruption of germling development on the leaf surface might be one of the resistance mechanisms associated with Pib function. Thus, this particular R gene appeared to function in the absence of host penetration by the fungal pathogen. Confocal laser scanning microscopy of M. oryzae‐infected susceptible rice cultivars showed the dimorphic growth pattern that is typically observed during the biotrophic and necrotrophic stages of leaf colonization in susceptible cultivars. The suitability of the gfp‐expressing M. oryzae isolate for further research on R‐gene function and identification of resistant genotypes in rice germplasm collections is discussed.     

Evidence that wheat cultivars differ in their ability to build up inoculum of the take‐all fungus,Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici,under a first wheat crop

The effect of wheat cultivar on the build‐up of take‐all inoculum during a first wheat crop was measured after harvest using a soil core bioassay in field experiments over five growing seasons (2003–2008). Cultivar differences in individual years were explored by analysis of variance and a cross‐season Residual Maximum Likelihood (REML) variance components analysis was used to compare differences in those cultivars present in all years. Differences between cultivars in the build‐up of inoculum were close to or at significance in two of the five trial years (2004 P < 0·05; 2006 P < 0·07), and current commercially listed cultivars were represented at both extremes of the range. In 2007 and 2008, when environmental conditions were most favourable for inoculum build‐up, differences were not significant (P < 0·3). In 2005 the presence of Phialophora spp. at the trial site restricted the build‐up of take‐all inoculum under all cultivars. The cross season REML variance components analysis detected significant differences (range: 3·4–47·8% roots infected in the soil core bioassay; P < 0·01) between the nine cultivars present in all years (excluding 2005). This is the first evidence of relatively consistent differences between hexaploid wheat cultivars in their interactions with the take‐all fungus, and this could give an indication of those cultivars that could be grown as a first wheat crop, in order to reduce the risk of damaging take‐all in a second wheat crop. This phenomenon has been named the take‐all inoculum build‐up (TAB) trait.     

Arabidopsis thaliana,an experimental host for tomato yellow leaf curl disease‐associated begomoviruses by agroinoculation and whitefly transmission

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease is one of the most devastating viral diseases affecting tomato crops worldwide. This disease is caused by several begomoviruses (genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae), such as Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), that are transmitted in nature by the whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci. An efficient control of this vector‐transmitted disease requires a thorough knowledge of the plant–virus–vector triple interaction. The possibility of using Arabidopsis thaliana as an experimental host would provide the opportunity to use a wide variety of genetic resources and tools to understand interactions that are not feasible in agronomically important hosts. In this study, it is demonstrated that isolates of two strains (Israel, IL and Mild, Mld) of TYLCV can replicate and systemically infect A. thaliana ecotype Columbia plants either by Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated inoculation or through the natural vector Bemisia tabaci. The virus can also be acquired from A. thaliana‐infected plants by B. tabaci and transmitted to either A. thaliana or tomato plants. Therefore, A. thaliana is a suitable host for TYLCV–insect vector–plant host interaction studies. Interestingly, an isolate of the Spain (ES) strain of a related begomovirus, Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV‐ES), is unable to infect this ecotype of A. thaliana efficiently. Using infectious chimeric viral clones between TYLCV‐Mld and TYLCSV‐ES, candidate viral factors involved in an efficient infection of A. thaliana were identified.