Survival of the fittest: how the rice microbial community forces Sarocladium oryzae into pathogenicity

The fungus Sarocladium oryzae (Sawada) causes rice sheath rot and produces the phytotoxins cerulenin and helvolic acid. Both toxins show antimicrobial activity but only helvolic acid production in the rice sheath correlates with virulence. Sarocladium oryzae isolates that differ in their toxin production were used to study their interaction with the rice culturable bacterial endophyte community. The diversity and community structure was defined in the edge of sheath rot lesions, followed by a null model-based co-occurrence analysis to discover pairwise interactions. Non-random pairs were co-cultured to study the nature of the interactions and the role of the toxins herein. Compared to healthy sheaths, endophyte diversity strongly increased when infected with the least virulent S. oryzae isolates producing low amounts of toxins. Virulent S. oryzae isolates did not affect diversity but caused strong shifts in species composition. The endophyte community of healthy rice plants was dominated by B. cereus. This bacterium was enriched in lesions produced by low-virulent S. oryzae isolates and caused hyphal lysis. Contrarily, helvolic acid producers eliminated this bacterium from the sheath endosphere. We conclude that S. oryzae needs to produce antibiotics to defend itself against antagonistic rice endophytes to successfully colonize and infect the rice sheath.

Auxin, Abscisic Acid and Jasmonate Are the Central Players in Rice Sheath Rot Caused by Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae

Sheath rot is an emerging rice disease that causes severe yield losses worldwide. The main causal agents are the toxin producers Sarocladium oryzae and Pseudomonas fuscovaginae. The fungus S. oryzae produces helvolic acid and cerulenin and the bacterium P. fuscovaginae produces cyclic lipopeptides. Helvolic acid and the lipopeptide, fuscopeptin, inhibit membrane-bound H⁺-ATPase pumps in the rice plant. To manage rice sheath rot, a better understanding of the host response and virulence strategies of the pathogens is required. This study investigated the interaction of the sheath rot pathogens with their host and the role of their toxins herein. Japonica rice was inoculated with high- and low-helvolic acid-producing S. oryzae isolates or with P. fuscovaginae wild type and fuscopeptin mutant strains. During infection, cerulenin, helvolic acid and the phytohormones abscisic acid, jasmonate, auxin and salicylic acid were quantified in the sheath. In addition, disease severity and grain yield parameters were assessed. Rice plants responded to high-toxin-producing S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae strains with an increase in abscisic acid, jasmonate and auxin levels. We conclude that, for both pathogens, toxins play a core role during sheath rot infection. S. oryzae and P. fuscovaginae interact with their host in a similar way. This may explain why both sheath rot pathogens cause very similar symptoms despite their different nature.

How do novel and conventional agri-food wastes, co-products and by-products improve soil functions and soil quality?

Agriculture is estimated to generate about 700 million tons of waste annually in the EU. Novel valorization technologies are developing continuously to recover and recycle valuable compounds and nutrients from waste materials. To close the nutrient loop, low-value agri-food wastes, co-products and by-products (AFWCBs) produced during the valorization process, need to be returned to the soil. However, knowledge on their reaction in soils that is needed to allow efficient and environmentally sound recycling is largely lacking. To this end, we set up a series of laboratory incubation experiments using 10 AFWCBs including insect frass residues made from three different feedstocks, anaerobic digestates from two feedstocks, potato-pulp, rice bran compost, duckweed and two reference crop residues (wheat straw and sugar beet) and measured net N release, C mineralization, dehydrogenase activity (DHA), microbial biomass C (MBC) and community structure. The suppressing potential of frasses and digestates against Rhizoctonia solani was determined using bean. The digestates released the highest net mineral N (50-70%) followed by rice bran compost (55%) and duckweed (30%), while frass made from general food waste and potato-pulp immobilized N like the reference straw for 91 days after incubation. All AFWCBs except digestates significantly increased MBC compared to the control while frasses, potato-pulp and duckweed increased DHA. Frasses and digestates significantly suppressed the development of Rhizoctonia solani in bean plants. AFWCBs from emerging valorizing technologies have the potential to improve microbial activities, C sequestration and may play a significant role in closing the nutrient loop.

Bacillus velezensis as antagonist towards Penicillium roqueforti s.l. in silage: in vitro and in vivo evaluation

AIMS

The present study was conducted to evaluate the antagonistic effect of Bacillus velezensisNRRL B-23189 towards Penicillium roqueforti s.s. and Penicillium paneum (designated together as P. roqueforti s.l.) in silage conditions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Corn silage conditions were simulated in vitro, and the impact of B. velezensis culture supernatant or cell suspension on P. roqueforti s.l. growth and roquefortine C production was evaluated. The antagonism was promising, but growth of B. velezensis in corn silage infusion was poor. Additionally, an in vivo experiment was carried out with mini-silos containing a mixture of perennial ryegrass and white clover inoculated with P. roqueforti s.l. The applied B. velezensis cell suspension was unsuccessful in reducing P. roqueforti s.l. numbers, but did not compromise the silage acidification.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the antagonism observed in vitro was promising, the applied B. velezensis cell suspension could not live up to the expectations in vivo.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

To our knowledge, the present study is the first one evaluating the antagonistic properties of B. velezensis towards toxigenic moulds in silage conditions, offering a good base for further research.

Interactions between the oomycete Pythium arrhenomanes and the rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola in aerobic Asian rice varieties

BACKGROUND

Aerobic rice fields are frequently infested by pathogenic oomycetes (Pythium spp.) and the rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola. Here, the interaction between Pythium arrhenomanes and Meloidogyne graminicola was studied in rice roots of two aerobic rice varieties. In different experimental set-ups and infection regimes, plant growth, rice yield, Pythium colonization, as well as establishment, development and reproduction of M. graminicola were studied.

RESULTS

In this study, it is shown that the presence of P. arrhenomanes delays the establishment, development and reproduction of M. graminicola compared to single nematode infected plants. The delay in establishment and development of M. graminicola becomes stronger with higher P. arrhenomanes infection pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that P. arrhenomanes antagonizes M. graminicola in the rice root and that the plant benefits from this antagonism as shown by the yield data, especially when either of the pathogens is present in high levels.

Does release of encapsulated nutrients have an important role in the efficacy of xylanase in broilers?

The non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) in cell walls can act as a barrier for digestion of intracellular nutrients. This effect is called "cage effect." Part of the success of fibrolytic enzymes in broiler feed is assumed to be attributed to cage effect reduction. Further, changes in viscosity and potential prebiotic action should also be considered. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the relative importance of the cage effect in xylanase efficacy in broilers. Using a 2×2 factorial design, 24 pens with 30 Ross 308 male chicks were fed corn-soy based diets consisting of normal and freeze-thawed (5 d at -18°C) corn, both with and without xylanase. The freeze-thaw method was used to eliminate the cage effect, whereas a corn-based diet was used to exclude viscosity effects. Body weights (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined at d 13, 26, and 39. A balance study was executed at the end of the growing phase. These birds were euthanized at d 34 (non-fasted) to determine the viscosity of digesta, blood metabolites, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition. During the finisher period, there was a significant interaction between enzyme supplementation and freeze-thawing for FCR, in which FCR was improved by freeze-thawed corn and tended to be improved by normal corn+enzyme compared with the control group. The improvement in performance (finisher period) of freeze-thawed corn and xylanase coincided with increased gut absorption of glucose (based on postprandial plasma concentrations) and increased number of Clostridiumcluster IV in the caecum, and agreed with the higher gut villus height. In addition, xylanase inclusion significantly increased the postprandial plasma glycine and triglycerides concentration, and led to elevated bacterial gene copies of butyryl CoA:acetate CoA-transferase, suggesting a prebiotic effect of xylanase addition through more than just the cage effect reduction. The applied model managed to rule out viscosity by using corn, and it was possible to isolate the cage effect by freeze-thawing the dietary corn.

The endophyte Verticillium Vt305 protects cauliflower against Verticillium wilt

AIMS

To investigate the interaction between cauliflower and the isolate VerticilliumVt305, obtained from a field suppressive to Verticillium wilt of cauliflower, and to evaluate the ability of VerticilliumVt305 to control Verticillium wilt of cauliflower caused by V. longisporum.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Single and combined inoculations of VerticilliumVt305 and V. longisporum were performed on cauliflower seedlings. Symptom development was evaluated, and fungal colonization was measured in the roots, hypocotyl and stem with real-time PCR. No symptoms were observed after single inoculation of VerticilliumVt305, although it colonized the plant tissues. Pre-inoculation of VerticilliumVt305 reduced symptom development and colonization of plant tissues by V. longisporum.

CONCLUSIONS

VerticilliumVt305 is an endophyte on cauliflower plants and showed effective biological control of V. longisporum in controlled conditions.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This work can contribute to the development of a sustainable control measure of V. longisporum in Brassicaceae hosts, which is currently not available. Additionally, this study provides evidence for the different roles of Verticillium species present in the agro-ecosystem.

qPCR Assays for the Detection of Cylindrocladium buxicola in Plant, Water, and Air Samples

Cylindrocladium buxicola (syn. C. pseudonaviculatum; teleomorph Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is an important fungal pathogen of Buxus spp. Although widespread in Western Europe, this pathogen has only recently been introduced into North America, where it represents a significant threat to the U.S. and Canadian boxwood industries. Trade of latently infected nursery stock is an important mode of long-distance dissemination and introduction of this pathogen but no methods for detection of latently infected material are available. Also, the pathways for short-distance dispersal of C. buxicola have not been adequately studied. Improved detection methods of this pathogen in air and water samples would benefit future research in this area. We have developed real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of C. buxicola based on the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS) and the β-tubulin 2 gene (TUB). Using a TaqMan probe conjugated with a 3' minor groove binding group (TaqMan MGB probe), the ITS-based assay could reliably detect as little as 10 fg of genomic DNA or 20 copies of cloned target DNA and was approximately 70 times more sensitive than the SYBR Green TUB-based assay. The ITS-based assay provided good but not complete specificity, and is well suited for epidemiological studies. The TUB-based assay, however, proved to be fully specific and can be used for diagnostics. We developed and optimized sample processing and DNA extraction methods for detection of latently present C. buxicola in boxwood plants and quantification of conidia in water and air samples. C. buxicola could be detected in 20 g of plant material, of which only 1 ppm of the tissue was infected, in 10-ml water samples containing as low as 1 conidium/ml, and on Melinex tape pieces representing 12 h of air sampling containing 10 or more conidia. The applicability of the techniques to plant, water, and air samples of practical size was demonstrated.

Evaluation of Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Triticale Seedlings and Adult Plants

Triticale (×Triticosecale) is the intergeneric hybrid between the female parent wheat and the male parent rye. With the expansion of the triticale growing area, powdery mildew emerged on this new host and has become a significant disease on triticale. Recent research demonstrated that this "new" powdery mildew on triticale has emerged through a host range expansion of powdery mildew of wheat. Moreover, this expansion occurred recently and multiple times at different locations in Europe. An effective and environmentally sensitive approach to controlling powdery mildew involves breeding crop plants for resistance. The main goal of this study was to identify the presence of powdery mildew resistance in commercial triticale cultivars. First, the avirulence (AVR) genes and gene complexity carried by this new powdery mildew population on triticale were characterized. Virulence was identified for all the resistance genes evaluated in the present study, and virulence frequencies higher than 50% were recorded on the genes Pm3f, Pm5b, Pm6, Pm7, Pm8, and Pm17. Using molecular markers, the presence of resistance genes Pm3f and Pm17 was identified in certain triticale cultivars. The triticale cultivars were also evaluated for the presence of quantitative resistance at adult plant growth stages in a 2-year field experiment. Despite the high disease pressure, cultivars highly resistant at the adult-plant growth stages were identified. Because 'Grenado' also showed effective race-specific resistance, this cultivar could be of high value for breeding for durable resistance to powdery mildew. Altogether, this study reveals valuable information on the presence of powdery mildew resistance in commercial triticale cultivars, which can be used in breeding programs in triticale. Additionally, this study underscores the need to broaden the base of powdery mildew resistance in triticale through introgression and deployment of new sources of mildew resistance, including quantitative resistance.

Overexpression of arginase in Arabidopsis thaliana influences defence responses against Botrytis cinerea

Arabidopsis possesses two arginase-encoding genes, ARGAH1 and ARGAH2, catalysing the catabolism of arginine into ornithine and urea. Arginine and ornithine are both precursors for polyamine biosynthetic pathways. We observed an accumulation of ARGAH2 mRNA in Arabidopsis upon inoculation with the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Transgenic lines displaying either overexpression of ARGAH2 or simultaneous silencing of both Arabidopsis arginase-encoding genes were created and their resistance to B. cinerea infection evaluated. Overexpression of arginase resulted in changes in amino acid accumulation, while polyamine levels remained largely unaffected. Silencing lines were affected in both amino acid and putrescine accumulation. Arabidopsis plants overexpressing the arginase gene were less susceptible to B. cinerea, whereas silencing lines remained as susceptible as the wild type. We discuss how arginase might interact with plant defence mechanisms. These results provide new insights into amino acid metabolic changes under stress.

Comparing systemic defence-related gene expression changes upon migratory and sedentary nematode attack in rice

Complex defence signalling pathways, controlled by different hormones, are known to be involved in the reaction of plants to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stress factors. Here, we studied the differential expression of genes involved in stress and defence responses in systemic tissue of rice infected with the root knot nematode (RKN) Meloidogyne graminicola and the migratory root rot nematode Hirschmanniella oryzae, two agronomically important rice pathogens with very different lifestyles. qRT-PCR revealed that all investigated systemic tissues had significantly lower expression of isochorismate synthase, a key enzyme for salicylic acid production involved in basal defence and systemic acquired resistance. The systemic defence response upon migratory nematode infection was remarkably similar to fungal rice blast infection. Almost all investigated defence-related genes were up-regulated in rice shoots 3 days after root rot nematode attack, including the phenylpropanoid pathway, ethylene pathway and PR genes, but many of which were suppressed at 7 dpi. Systemic shoot tissue of RKN-infected plants showed similar attenuation of expression of almost all studied genes already at 3 dpi, with clear attenuation of the ethylene pathway and methyl jasmonate biosynthesis. These results provide an interesting starting point for further studies to elucidate how nematodes are able to suppress systemic plant defence mechanisms and the effect in multitrophic interactions.

Detection of Multiple Verticillium Species in Soil Using Density Flotation and Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Wet sieving of soil samples, followed by plating on semi-selective medium and microscopic analysis, is the most commonly used technique to quantify microsclerotia-forming Verticillium species in soil. However, the method is restricted to small samples, does not allow easy differentiation between species, and takes several weeks to complete. This study describes an alternative method to test 100-g soil samples for three Verticillium species (V. tricorpus, V. dahliae, and V. longisporum) using density flotation-based extraction of microsclerotia followed by new real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Primers for these real-time PCR assays were designed to the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer for V. tricorpus and the β-tubulin gene for V. dahliae + V. longisporum and V. longisporum. Tests with artificially and naturally infested soils showed that the new method is reproducible and sensitive (0.1 to 0.5 microsclerotia/g soil), allows differentiation among the three species, and can be completed in one day. The results of the new method and the wet-sieving method were highly correlated for V. tricorpus (R² = 0.78), but not for V. dahliae/V. longisporum, probably due to the loss of germinability of V. dahliae/V. longisporum microsclerotia during prolonged dry storage of the soil.

N-Acylhomoserine lactone quorum-sensing signalling in antagonistic phenazine-producing Pseudomonas isolates from the red cocoyam rhizosphere

Forty fluorescent Pseudomonas strains isolated from white and red cocoyam roots were tested for their ability to synthesize N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (acyl-HSLs). Remarkably, only isolates from the red cocoyam rhizosphere that were antagonistic against the cocoyam root rot pathogen Pythium myriotylum and synthesized phenazine antibiotics produced acyl-HSLs. This supports the assumption that acyl-HSL production is related to the antagonistic activity of the strains. After detection, the signal molecules were identified through TLC-overlay and liquid chromatography-multiple MS (LC-MS/MS) analysis. In our representative strain, Pseudomonas CMR12a, production of the signal molecules could be assigned to two quorum-sensing (QS) systems. The first one is the QS system for phenazine production, PhzI/PhzR, which seemed to be well conserved, since it was genetically organized in the same way as in the well-described phenazine-producing Pseudomonas strains Pseudomonas fluorescens 2-79, Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1391 and Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30-84. The newly characterized genes cmrI and cmrR make up the second QS system of CMR12a, under the control of the uncommon N-3-hydroxy-dodecanoyl-homoserine lactone (3-OH-C12-HSL) and with low similarity to other Pseudomonas QS systems. No clear function could yet be assigned to the CmrI/CmrR system, although it contributes to the biocontrol capability of CMR12a. Both the PhzI/PhzR and CmrI/CmrR systems are controlled by the GacS/GacA two-component regulatory system.

Biosurfactants are involved in the biological control of Verticillium microsclerotia by Pseudomonas spp

AIMS

To examine the effect of previously described bacterial antagonists on the viability of Verticillium microsclerotia in vitro and to elucidate the possible modes of action of bacterial strains in the suppression of Verticillium microsclerotia viability.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A microplate assay was developed to test the suppressive effect of well-defined Pseudomonas spp. on the viability of Verticillium microsclerotia in vitro. Experiments using phenazine- and biosurfactant-deficient mutants indicated that biosurfactants and phenazine-1-carboxylic acid play a role in the suppression of microsclerotia viability by Pseudomonas spp. In addition, microsclerotia colonization tests revealed that Pseudomonas spp. are able to colonize the surface of the microsclerotia, but not the inner matrix. Growth response curves showed that the population levels of Pseudomonas spp. increased when they were in the vicinity of Verticillium microsclerotia, indicating that Pseudomonas spp. may utilize nutrients from the microsclerotia for their growth.

CONCLUSIONS

Pseudomonas spp. seem to be good candidates for Verticilllium microsclerotia biocontrol. Biosurfactant production is one of the main mechanisms involved in their mode of action.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This line of work may contribute to a better understanding of biological control agents and their working mechanisms.

Characterization of CMR5c and CMR12a, novel fluorescent Pseudomonas strains from the cocoyam rhizosphere with biocontrol activity

AIM

To screen for novel antagonistic Pseudomonas strains producing both phenazines and biosurfactants that are as effective as Pseudomonas aeruginosa PNA1 in the biocontrol of cocoyam root rot caused by Pythium myriotylum.

MATERIAL AND RESULTS

Forty pseudomonads were isolated from the rhizosphere of healthy white and red cocoyam plants appearing in natural, heavily infested fields in Cameroon. In vitro tests demonstrated that Py. myriotylum antagonists could be retrieved from the red cocoyam rhizosphere. Except for one isolate, all antagonistic isolates produced phenazines. Results from whole-cell protein profiling showed that the antagonistic isolates are different from other isolated pseudomonads, while BOX-PCR revealed high genomic similarity among them. 16S rDNA sequencing of two representative strains within this group of antagonists confirmed their relatively low similarity with validly described Pseudomonas species. These antagonists are thus provisionally labelled as unidentified Pseudomonas strains. Among the antagonists, Pseudomonas CMR5c and CMR12a were selected because of their combined production of phenazines and biosurfactants. For strain CMR5c also, production of pyrrolnitrin and pyoluteorin was demonstrated. Both CMR5c and CMR12a showed excellent in vivo biocontrol activity against Py. myriotylum to a similar level as Ps. aeruginosa PNA1.

CONCLUSION

Pseudomonas CMR5c and CMR12a were identified as novel and promising biocontrol agents of Py. myriotylum on cocoyam, producing an arsenal of antagonistic metabolites.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Present study reports the identification of two newly isolated fluorescent Pseudomonas strains that can replace the opportunistic human pathogen Ps. aeruginosa PNA1 in the biocontrol of cocoyam root rot and could be taken into account for the suppression of many plant pathogens.

Molecular detection of Puccinia horiana Henn. the causal agent of Chrysanthemum white rust

Chrysanthemum white rust is one of the most important foliar diseases of pot chrysanthemum and is a quarantine pathogen in many countries. Under conducive environmental conditions, it has the potential to completely destroy susceptible cultivars. This is mainly avoided through frequent preventive fungicide applications. As part of a research program to develop a disease warning system, a molecular detection method was developed. To determine the nucleotide sequence of the nuclear rDNA-ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region of P. horiana, 56 isolates were collected between 2003 and 2006 from diseased commercial chrysanthemum plants from different national and international geographical areas. DNA was isolated from the basidiospores or teliospores from several isolates and the rDNA-ITS region was cloned and sequenced. Based on the limited variability in rDNA-ITS sequence between these isolates, several primer pairs were designed and tested for detection through conventional and real-time PCR. Specificity of detection was cross-checked against a variety of other fungi (saprophytes and other rusts) that may occur in the same environment, and against DNA of healthy chrysanthemum leaves. Using the best primers, the PCR-based methods successfully detected all the P. horiana isolates tested, while no signal was observed with other rust species up to 1 ng non target genomic DNA template. The limit of detection of P. horiana DNA in conventional, nested and real-time PCR was 10 pg, 10 fg and 10 fg, respectively. The DNA extraction method and PCR template concentration were optimized to maximize the recoverability of the pathogen from infected plant tissue. Using the optimized real-time PCR method, the pathogen could be detected in washed plant tissue, 9 hours after inoculation. Hence, this method allows detection of the P. horiana in any part of its latent stage and will also serve as a tool for studying the biology and epidemiology of the pathogen.

Pseudomonads associated with midrib rot and soft rot of butterhead lettuce and endive

During the past ten years, bacterial soft rot and midrib rot of glasshouse-grown butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) and field-grown endive (Cichorium endivia L.) has become increasingly common in the region of Flanders, Belgium. Severe losses and reduced market quality caused by bacterial rot represent an important economical threat for the production sector. Symptoms of midrib rot are a brownish rot along the midrib of one or more inner leaves, often accompanied by soft rot of the leaf blade. Twenty-five symptomatic lettuce and endive samples were collected from commercial growers at different locations in Flanders. Isolations of dominant bacterial colony types on dilution plates from macerated diseased tissue extracts yielded 282 isolates. All isolates were characterized by colony morphology and fluorescence on pseudomonas agar F medium, oxidase reaction, and soft rot ability on detached chicory leaves. Whole-cell fatty acid methyl esters profile analyses identified the majority of isolates (85%) as belonging to the Gammaproteobacteria, which included members of the family Enterobacteriaceae (14%) and of the genera Pseudomonas (73%), Stenotrophomonas (9%), and Acinetobacter (3%). Predominant bacteria were a diverse group of fluorescent Pseudomonas species. They were further differentiated based on the non-host hypersensitive reaction on tobacco and the ability to rot potato slices into 4 phenotypic groups: HR-/P- (57 isolates), HR-/P+ (54 isolates), HR+/P (16 isolates) and HR+/P+ (35 isolates). Artificial inoculation of suspensions of HR-, pectolytic fluorescent pseudomonads in the leaf midrib of lettuce plants produced various symptoms of soft rot, but they did not readily cause symptoms upon spray inoculation. Fluorescent pseudomonads with phenotype HR+ were consistently isolated from typical dark midrib rot symptoms, and selected isolates reproduced the typical midrib rot symptoms when spray-inoculated onto healthy lettuce plants.

Influence of climatic conditions on white tip disease (Phytophthora porri) in leek (Allium porrum)

In leek, one of the major vegetable crops in Belgium, Phytophthora porri causes the so-called white tip disease. During the growing seasons of 1999, 2000 and 2001 the incidence of the white tip disease and the role of environmental conditions in the appearance were investigated on several non-treated leek fields in Flanders (Belgium). The first symptoms of white tip disease on leek where recorded in July and the disease progressed until March. Lesions appeared after an incubation period of 91 to 204 DD (degree days above -3 degrees C) (t0) and were diagnostic at 120 DD. The obtained data confirmed a disease increase corresponding with an amount of rainfall of more than 20 l/m2 in 4 days in the period t = t0-92 to t = t0-154 DD. A good correlation was found between the daily disease increase on one hand and the leaf wetness, relative humidity and temperature (negative correlation) on the other hand. Daily disease increase only weakly correlated with rainfall. Based on these results recommendations can be made (for further studies) to develop a model, combining several of the climatic factors, to predict infection periods with high risk on disease increase in the production of leek.

Verticillium wilt of cauliflower in Belgium

Since several years commercial cauliflower in Belgium is severely affected by a vascular wilt disease. Plants wilt and a vascular discoloration of the cauliflower stems can be observed. The pathogen causes significant yield and quality losses. The first objective of this study was to isolate and characterise the causal agent of this disease. Verticillium species could be isolated out of the vascular tissue of symptomatic cauliflower plants. Morphological and physiological characteristics indicated that the isolates from cauliflower could be identified as the new and brassica-related species V. longisporum. Secondly, the susceptibility of several cauliflower cultivars to V. longisporum was evaluated by way of field experiments in naturally infested soil. At harvest, vascular discoloration was evaluated by a visual score. These experiments pointed to considerable differences between cultivars in their susceptibility to V. longisporum. The final goal of this study was to find a way to control the wilt disease on cauliflower. A field experiment showed that vascular discoloration of cauliflower was significantly reduced when soil was incorporated with broccoli residues, two Brassica green manures (B. juncea or B. nigra) or two commercial biological products based on Talaromyces flavus or Trichoderma sp..

Genetic analysis of resistance to blast in the Vietnamese rice cultivar 'Chiembac'

The resistance to rice blast disease in the Vietnamese traditional rice cultivar 'Chiembac' was studied. The blast resistance spectrum in 'Chiembac' and 15 rice differentials carrying different known resistance genes was identified using 25 Pyricularia grisea isolates derived from 15 AFLP lineages from the North, Center and South of Vietnam. None of the differential lines carrying a single resistance gene could effectively control all tested Vietnamese blast isolates. 'Chiembac' showed a different resistance pattern compared to that of the differential lines. A cross between 'Chiembac' and 'CR203', an improved rice cultivar, was made and the F2 population was used for characterization and mapping of the resistance genes in 'Chiembac'. Genetic analysis showed that the resistance against two representative isolates from two predominant lineages, VT7 and 12, in 'Chiembac' was controlled by the single dominant genes Pi-VT7 and Pi-I2. The resistance gene Pi-VT7 was closely linked to Pi-I2 and was mapped to chromosome 12 using the framework mapping population 'IR64' x 'Azucena' of 124 double haploid progenies. The resistance to the Vietnamese blast isolate VT7 in 'IR64' was also studied. The latter was controlled by one locus with major effect located on chromosome 12 and mapped closely to the AFLP marker NIN080, which was also tightly linked to the resistance gene Pi-VT7 in 'Chiembac'. Thus, the resistance locus Pi-VT7 and the resistance locus in 'IR64' probably belong to a cluster of resistance genes.

The SA-dependent defense pathway is active against different pathogens in tomato and tobacco

The importance of salicylic acid (SA) in plant defense against pathogen attack has been elaborately documented. Benzothiadiazole (BTH, BION), a chemical analogue of SA, also induces resistance through the SA-dependent pathway. We investigated the role of SA in both basal defense and induced resistance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) against Oidium neolycopersici (a biotrophic pathogen) and Botrytis cinerea (a necrotrophic pathogen). A comparison of NahG transgenic tomato and tobacco (unable to accumulate SA) to their respective wild types revealed that in both crops, SA was not involved in basal defense against O. neolycopersici. SA also played no role in the basal defense of tobacco against B. cinerea but NahG tomato plants were significantly more sensitive to B. cinerea than wild type plants. Activation of the SA-dependent defense pathway via BTH resulted in induced resistance against B. cinerea in tomato but not in tobacco. In contrast, BTH induced resistance against O. neolycopersci in tobacco but not in tomato. Microscopic analysis revealed that BTH treatment could prevent penetration of the odium germ tube through the epidermal cell wall of tobacco leaves whereas penetration was successful on tomato leaves, irrespective of BTH treatment. We conclude that even in two related plant species such as tomato and tobacco, the SA-dependent defense pathway does not trigger the same defense responses. It also means that the outcome of a BTH treatment cannot be predicted and has to be tested for each plant-pathogen combination.

Functional expression of Cf9 and Avr9 genes in Brassica napus induces enhanced resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans

The tomato Cf9 resistance gene induces an Avr9-dependent hypersensitive response (HR) in tomato and transgenic Solanaceae spp. We studied whether the Cf9 gene product responded functionally to the corresponding Avr9 gene product when introduced in a heterologous plant species. We successfully expressed the Cf9 gene under control of its own promoter and the Avr9 or Avr9R8K genes under control of the p35S1 promoter in transgenic oilseed rape. We demonstrated that the transgenic oilseed rape plants produced the Avr9 elicitor with the same specific necrosis-inducing activity as reported for Cladosporium fulvum. An Avr9-dependent HR was induced in Cf9 oilseed rape upon injection of intercellular fluid containing Avr9. We showed Avr9-specific induction of PR1, PR2, and Cxc750 defense genes in oilseed rape expressing CJ9. Cf9 x Avr9 oilseed rape did not result in seedling death of the F1 progeny, independent of the promoters used to express the genes. The F1 (Cf9 x Avr9) plants, however, were quantitatively more resistant to Leptosphaeria maculans. Phytopathological analyses revealed that disease development of L. maculans was delayed when the pathogen was applied on an Avr9-mediated HR site. We demonstrate that the CJ9 and Avr9 gene can be functionally expressed in a heterologous plant species and that the two components confer an increase in disease resistance.

RT-PCR using redundant primers to detect the three viruses associated with carrot motley dwarf disease

A method was developed for detecting and distinguishing the viruses associated with carrot motley dwarf (CMD) disease, i.e. Carrot mottle umbravirus (CMoV), Carrot red leaf virus (CRLV) and the virus known as carrot red leaf virus-associated RNA (CRLVaRNA). Redundant primers were made that targeted the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene in all available sequences of umbraviruses and in a subset of polerovirus genomes, and specific and redundant primers were made to target the same gene in CRLVaRNA. By using these primers in RT-PCR reactions, cDNAs were amplified from total RNA isolated from Belgian parsley with CMD disease. The cDNAs were sequenced and an analysis of this data showed that the plants contained all three viruses. RT-PCR assays were optimized for the simultaneous detection of the three viruses in infected parsley and chervil plants and in individual viruliferous aphids. This is the first report of a natural infection of CRLVaRNA in a plant other than carrot and the first report of this virus outside the USA. The study also confirmed that the umbravirus in parsley with CMD disease is CMoV, and that this virus is distinct from carrot mottle mimic umbravirus (CMoMV), which is also associated with CMD, but apparently not in Europe.

Effect of dissemination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degradation plasmids on 2,4-D degradation and on bacterial community structure in two different soil horizons

Transfer of the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degradation plasmids pEMT1 and pJP4 from an introduced donor strain, Pseudomonas putida UWC3, to the indigenous bacteria of two different horizons (A horizon, depth of 0 to 30 cm; B horizon, depth of 30 to 60 cm) of a 2,4-D-contaminated soil was investigated as a means of bioaugmentation. When the soil was amended with nutrients, plasmid transfer and enhanced degradation of 2,4-D were observed. These findings were most striking in the B horizon, where the indigenous bacteria were unable to degrade any of the 2,4-D (100 mg/kg of soil) during at least 22 days but where inoculation with either of the two plasmid donors resulted in complete 2,4-D degradation within 14 days. In contrast, in soils not amended with nutrients, inoculation of donors in the A horizon and subsequent formation of transconjugants (10(5) CFU/g of soil) could not increase the 2,4-D degradation rate compared to that of the noninoculated soil. However, donor inoculation in the nonamended B-horizon soil resulted in complete degradation of 2,4-D within 19 days, while no degradation at all was observed in noninoculated soil during 89 days. With plasmid pEMT1, this enhanced degradation seemed to be due only to transconjugants (10(5) CFU/g of soil), since the donor was already undetectable when degradation started. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of 16S rRNA genes showed that inoculation of the donors was followed by a shift in the microbial community structure of the nonamended B-horizon soils. The new 16S rRNA gene fragments in the DGGE profile corresponded with the 16S rRNA genes of 2,4-D-degrading transconjugant colonies isolated on agar plates. This result indicates that the observed change in the community was due to proliferation of transconjugants formed in soil. Overall, this work clearly demonstrates that bioaugmentation can constitute an effective strategy for cleanup of soils which are poor in nutrients and microbial activity, such as those of the B horizon.

Bean Anthracnose: Virulence of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum Isolates from Burundi, Central Africa

The diversity of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is a major limiting factor in control of anthracnose on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and race characterization of this pathogen is an important tool in breeding programs. Race characterization has been carried out on isolates from North, Central, and South America; Europe; and Asia, but little or no information exists on the diversity of C. lindemuthianum in Africa. In this work, 12 isolates from the major bean-growing areas of Burundi, Central Africa, were characterized. Their virulence was tested on 12 bean differential cultivars (1) and on 4 bean cultivars commonly grown in Burundi: 2 from local germ plasm (Muyinga-1 and Urubonobono) and 2 from Colombia (A 321 and Calima). Detached unifoliate bean leaves from 8-day-old plants were placed on a humid surface in trays and sprayed until runoff with a suspension of 10⁶ spores ml^-1. Trays covered with transparent plastic sheets to keep a minimum relative humidity of 92% were incubated at 20°C. Seven days after inoculation, symptoms were evaluated for severity on a scale of 1 to 9. Leaves scored as 1 to 3 were considered resistant. Races were characterized according to a numerical binary system (1). Nine races were identified: 9, 69, 87, 384, 385, 401, 448, 449, and 485. Seven of these races (9, 69, 87, 384, 401, 448, and 485) were described for the first time in Africa. Races 401 and 485 have not yet been reported in the literature. The most susceptible differential cultivars were Michelite, PI 207262, To, and Mexico 222. Muyinga-1, Urubonobono, and A 321 were sensitive to nine, six, and five races, respectively. There is a high diversity of C. lindemuthianum in Burundi, and the local germ plasm tested is very susceptible to the characterized races. Breeding programs in Burundi should focus on lines and cultivars, such as Tu, AB 136, G 2333, and Calima, that are resistant to all the races characterized in this study. Reference: (1) M. A. Pastor-Corrales. Phytopathology 81:694, 1991.

Nanogram amounts of salicylic acid produced by the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 activate the systemic acquired resistance pathway in bean

Root colonization by specific nonpathogenic bacteria can induce a systemic resistance in plants to pathogen infections. In bean, this kind of systemic resistance can be induced by the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 and depends on the production of salicylic acid by this strain. In a model with plants grown in perlite we demonstrated that Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2-induced resistance is equivalent to the inclusion of 1 nM salicylic acid in the nutrient solution and used the latter treatment to analyze the molecular basis of this phenomenon. Hydroponic feeding of 1 nM salicylic acid solutions induced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in roots and increased free salicylic acid levels in leaves. Because pathogen-induced systemic acquired resistance involves similar changes it was concluded that 7NSK2-induced resistance is mediated by the systemic acquired resistance pathway. This conclusion was validated by analysis of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity in roots and of salicylic acid levels in leaves of soil-grown plants treated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The induction of systemic acquired resistance by nanogram amounts of salicylic acid is discussed with respect to long-distance signaling in systemic acquired resistance.

Salicylic Acid Produced by the Rhizobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 Induces Resistance to Leaf Infection by Botrytis cinerea on Bean

ABSTRACT Selected strains of nonpathogenic rhizobacteria can induce a systemic resistance in plants that is effective against various pathogens. In an assay with bean plants, we investigated which determinants of the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 are important for induction of resistance to Botrytis cinerea. By varying the iron nutritional state of the bacterium at inoculation, it was demonstrated that induced resistance by P. aeruginosa 7NSK2 was iron-regulated. As P. aeruginosa 7NSK2 produces three siderophores under iron limitation, pyoverdin, pyochelin, and salicylic acid, we investigated the involvement of these iron-regulated metabolites in induced resistance by using mutants deficient in one or more siderophores. Results demonstrated that salicylic acid production was essential for induction of resistance to B. cinerea by P. aeruginosa 7NSK2 in bean and did not exclude a role for pyochelin. A role for pyoverdin, however, could not be demonstrated. Transcriptional activity of salicylic acid and pyochelin biosynthetic genes was detected during P. aeruginosa 7NSK2 colonization of bean. Moreover, the iron nutritional state at inoculation influenced the transcriptional activity of salicylic acid and pyochelin biosynthetic genes in the same way as it influenced induction of systemic resistance to B. cinerea.

The sss gene product, which affects pyoverdin production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2, is a site-specific recombinase

Pyoverdin production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 7NSK2 was induced by Zn(II) in the presence of iron. A mutant was isolated in which Zn(II) no longer induced pyoverdin production. The sss gene which was inactivated in this mutant was cloned and sequenced. Its protein sequence showed 50% identity to the XerC protein of Escherichia coli, which is a member of the lambda integrase family of site-specific recombinases. An open reading frame was found upstream of sss whose protein sequence showed strong identity to DapF, the diaminopimelate epimerase. In E. coli, xerC is part of a multicistronic unit that also contains dapF. The sss gene of P. aeruginosa could restore site-specific recombination at cer in an E. coli xerC mutant and the E. coli xerC gene could complement a genomic sss mutation in P. aeruginosa.

Detection and differentiation of microbial siderophores by isoelectric focusing and chrome azurol S overlay

Siderophores are microbial, low molecular weight iron-chelating compounds. Fluorescent Pseudomonads produce different, strain-specific fluorescent siderophores (pyoverdines) as well as non-fluorescent siderophores in response to low iron conditions. We present an isoelectric focusing method applicable to unpurified as well as to purified pyoverdine samples where the fluorescent siderophores are visualized under UV illumination. Siderophores from different Pseudomonas sp., amongst which are P. aeruginosa, P. fluorescens and P. putida, including egg yolk, rhizospheric and clinical isolates as well as some derived Tn5 mutants were separated by this technique. Different patterns could be observed for strains known to produce different siderophores. The application of the chrome azurol S assay as a gel overlay further allows immediate detection of non-fluorescent siderophores or possibly degradation products with residual siderophore activity. The method was also applied to other microbial siderophores such as deferrioxamine B.

Zinc affects siderophore-mediated high affinity iron uptake systems in the rhizosphere Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2

Zinc concentrations ranging between 0.1 and 1 mM only slightly reduced maximal growth of wild-type Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 in iron-limiting casamino acid medium, but had a clear negative effect on the growth of mutant MPFM1 (pyoverdin negative) and especially mutant KMPCH (pyoverdin and pyochelin negative). Production of pyoverdin by wild-type strain 7NSK2 was significantly increased in the presence of 0.5 mM zinc and could not be repressed by iron even at a concentration of 100 microM. Siderophore detection via isoelectrofocusing revealed that mutant KMPCH did not produce any siderophores, while mutant MPFM1 overproduced a siderophore with an acidic isoelectric point, most likely pyochelin. Pyochelin production by MPFM1 was stimulated by the presence of zinc in a similar way as pyoverdin for the wild-type. Analysis of outer membrane proteins revealed that three iron regulated outer membrane proteins (IROMPs) (90, 85 and 75 kDa) were induced by iron deficiency in the wild-type, while mutants were found to have altered IROMP profiles. Zinc specifically enhanced the production of a 85 kDa IROMP in 7NSK2, a 75 kDa IROMP in MPFM1 and a 90 kDa IROMP in KMPCH.

Marking the rhizopseudomonas strain 7NSK2 with a Mu d(lac) element for ecological studies

The mini Mu element Mu dII1681, which contains the lac operon genes and a kanamycin resistance gene, was inserted in the chromosome of plant growth-beneficial Pseudomonas aeruginosa 7NSK2 to construct a marked strain (MPB1). In MPB1, beta-galactosidase is permanently expressed under the culture conditions used. The MPB1 strain could be recovered with an efficiency of about 100% from a sandy loam soil on 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside medium containing sebacic acid and kanamycin. The limit of detection is about 10 CFU/g of soil. A detailed comparison was made between the wild-type strain 7NSK2 and the Mu dII1681-containing MPB1 strain. The results showed that no genes essential for growth, siderophore production, survival in sterile and nonsterile conditions, plant growth stimulation, or root colonization had been damaged in the MPB1 strain, which means that MPB1 can reliably be used for ecological studies in soil. MPB1 survived well at 4 or 28 degrees C but died off relatively rapidly in air-dried soil or at subzero temperatures. In these conditions, however, the MPB1 strain did not completely disappear from the soil but survived at a very low level of about 100 CFU/g of soil for more than 3 months. This observation stresses the need for very sensitive counting methods for ecological studies and for the evaluation of released microorganisms. Maize was inoculated with MPB1 via seed inoculation or soil inoculation. Upon seed inoculation, only the upper root parts were effectively colonized, while soil inoculation resulted in a complete colonization of the root system.