Effects of Ph Gene-Associated versus Induced Resistance to Tobacco Cyst Nematode in Flue-Cured Tobacco

Effects of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR)-inducing compound acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and the plant-growth promoting rhizobacterial mixture Bacillus subtilis A13 and B. amyloliquefaciens IN937a (GB99+GB122) were assessed on the reproduction of a tobacco cyst nematode (TCN- Globodera tabacum solanacearum) under greenhouse conditions. Two sets of two independent experiments were conducted, each involving soil or root sampling. Soil sample experiments included flue-cured tobacco cultivars with (Ph(p)+: NC71 and NC102) and without (Ph(p)-: K326 and K346) a gene (Ph(p)) suppressing TCN parasitism. Root sample experiments examined TCN root parasitism of NC71 and K326. Cultivars possessing the Ph(p) gene (Ph(p)+) were compared with Ph(p)- cultivars to assess the effects of resistance mediated via Ph(p) gene vs. induced resistance to TCN. GB99+GB122 consistently reduced nematode reproductive ratio on both Ph(p)+ and Ph(p)- cultivars, but similar effects of ASM across Ph(p)- cultivars were less consistent. In addition, ASM application resulted in leaf yellowing and reduced root weight. GB99+GB122 consistently reduced nematode development in roots of both Ph(p)+ and Ph(p)- cultivars, while similar effects of ASM were frequently less consistent. The results of this study indicate that GB99+GB122 consistently reduced TCN reproduction in all flue-cured tobacco cultivars tested, while the effects of ASM were only consistent in Ph(p)+ cultivars. Under most circumstances, GB99+GB122 suppressed nematode reproduction more consistently than ASM compared to the untreated control.