Variation in stem infections caused by aggressive and non-aggressive isolates of Leptosphaeria maculans on Brassica napus var. oleifera

Development of stem cankers in seedlings of Brassica napus var. oleifera inoculated with Leptosphaeria maculans was studied in growth cabinets. As the pathogen progressed from the petiole into the stem, hyphae invaded parenchyma cells for the first time, initiating a necrotrophic phase which resulted in the formation of a lesion. Ultimate containment of the pathogen was associated with a sequence of host reactions including lignification, cambium formation and callose deposition at the perimeter of the lesion. Two isolates of L. maculans differed in the pattern of stem infection. One was confined to the cortex and the other passed through the leaf gap into the pith. Variation in response between cultivars Rapora, Primor and Jet Neuf modified these two colonization patterns but did not eliminate the main differences. There were qualitative and quantitative differences in host cell reactions. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to differences in resistance of the cultivars in the field.