Can the grey mould disease of the grape-vine be controlled by yeast?

Botrytis cinerea has been found to be highly pathogenic to 'Chardonnay' and 'Pinot noir' cultivars of the grape-vine producing the characteristic grey mould symptoms within 7 days of inoculation to the vitro-plants. The yeast Pichia anomala (strain FY-102), isolated from apple skin, was found to be antagonistic to B. cinerea as it completely inhibited the appearance of the grey mould symptoms when grown together. The yeast was responsible for morphological changes such as coagulation and leakage of the cytoplasm of B. cinerea. The pathogen, when applied together with P. anomala, failed to bring about the grey mould symptoms on the grape-vine, suggesting that the yeast could control the expression of this disease. An account of the interaction between B. cinerea and P. anomala, as well as the sequences of the complete ITS region of the ribosomal DNA of the yeast are described here.     

Pythium contiguanum nomen novum (syn. Pythium dreschleri Paul), its antagonism to Botrytis cinerea, ITS1 region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA, and its comparison with related species

Pythium drechsleri Paul was described as a new species from soil samples taken in a salt-marsh of Arzew, Algeria [Paul, B. (1988) Une nouvelle espèce de Pythium isolée d'une saline de l'ouest Algérien. Cryptogam. Mycol. 9, 325-333]. The name of the fungus, P. drechsleri, is a nomen invalidum, as it is a later homonym of P. drechsleri Rajgopalan and Ramakrishnan [Rajagopalan, S. and Ramakrishnan, K. (1971) Phycomycetes in agricultural soils with special reference to the Pythiaceae. Madras Univ. J. Sect. B 37,38, 100-117]. A new name, Pythium contiguanum is now being given to P. drechsleri Paul. This species is characterised by its contiguous inflated type of sporangia, smooth-walled oogonia and mostly monoclinous antheridia. Although the fungus is not known to be a pathogen, it has a very well developed appressorial system comprised of both sickle shaped and coiled appressoria. Morphological features, its antagonism towards the grape-vine pathogen Botrytis cinerea, together with the sequences of the ITS1 region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA and its comparison with related species are given here.     

Characterisation of a new species of Pythium isolated from a wheat field in northern France and its antagonism towards Botrytis cinerea causing the grey mould disease of the grapevine

A new species, Pythium bifurcatum, isolated from soil samples taken from a wheat field in Lille in northern France is described here. The oomycete occurred thrice out of 50 samples. The type specimen is F-91, which is a slow-growing saprophyte living on vegetable debris and which can be recognised by its antheridial as well as oogonial characteristics, which are different from other known species of Pythium. When grown together with Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of the grey mould disease of the grapevine, Pythium bifurcatum shows a pronounced antagonism and suppresses its growth. Morphological features of this new species, its antagonism to B. cinerea, the sequences of the ITS region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA, and its comparison with related species are discussed in this article.     

Characterisation of Pythium paroecandrum and its antagonism towards Botrytis cinerea, the causative agent of grey mould disease of grape

Pythium paroecandrum (B-30), an oomycete, was isolated from soil samples taken from a wheat field in Genlis in the Burgundy region of France and was found to check the growth and development of Botrytis cinerea, a serious grapevine pathogen. The oomycete is a fast-growing organism, living on vegetable debris, and can be recognised by its catenulate hyphal swellings, catenulate oogonia, and monoclinous antheridia. When grown together with B. cinerea, the causal agent of the grey mould disease of the grapevine, P. paroecandrum shows a pronounced antagonism and suppresses its growth and its aptitude to provoke the grey mould symptoms. Morphological features of this oomycete, its antagonism to B. cinerea, the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of its nuclear ribosomal DNA, and its comparison with related species are discussed in this article.     

番茄灰霉病拮抗内生放线菌的筛选、鉴定及其活性评价

对安徽省淮北市番茄植株根、茎、叶中内生放线菌进行了分离、筛选,并测定了其抑菌活性。结果表明:番茄根、茎和叶中的内生放线菌的数量分别为5.66×104、0.67×104和0.39×104CFU.g-1鲜重。根据分离部位和表型特征,从健康番茄植株体内分离到93株内生放线菌,通过对峙实验,筛选到7株对番茄灰霉病菌有拮抗作用的菌株,占所分离内生放线菌总数的7.5%。来自根组织中的菌株HNU-EA27的抑菌效果最佳,抑菌圈直径达28.3mm。根据形态特征、培养特征、生理生化特性、细胞壁组分和16SrDNA序列分析,将菌株HNU-EA27鉴定为毒三素链霉菌(Streptomyces toxytricini)。室内测定菌株HNU-EA27发酵滤液对灰霉病菌菌丝生长及分生孢子萌发的抑制作用,结果表明:菌株HNU-EA27发酵滤液可以抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发,且浓度越高,抑制能力越强;当发酵滤液浓度为30%时则完全抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发。盆栽防效试验结果表明:30%菌株HNU-EA27发酵滤液对番茄灰霉病的预防与治疗效果分别为80.6%和73.8%,均高于50%多菌灵可湿性粉剂600倍液。本研究表明,菌株HNU-EA27是防治番茄灰霉病潜在的优良生防菌株,具有良好的开发应用价值。     

Enhancement of in vitro growth and resistance to gray mould of Vitis vinifera co-cultured with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

The potential of a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas sp. (strain PsJN), to stimulate the growth and enhancement of the resistance of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) transplants to gray mould caused by Botrytis cinerea has been investigated. In vitro inoculation of grapevine plantlets induced a significant plant growth promotion which made them more hardy and vigorous when compared to non-inoculated plantlets. This ability increased upon transplanting. When grown together with B. cinerea, the causal agent of gray mould, significant differences of aggressiveness were observed between the inoculated and non-inoculated plants. The presence of bacteria was accompanied by an induction of plant resistance to the pathogen. The beneficial effect from this plant-microbe association is being postulated.     

Genetic engineering of Streptococcus gordonii for the simultaneous display of two heterologous proteins at the bacterial surface

A new species Pythium canariense (CI-07), isolated from soil samples taken in the San Nicolas region of the Canary islands (Gran Canaria, Spain), is being described here. This species is characterised by its spherical to pyriform, intercalary to catenulate sporangia, smooth-walled terminal oogonia supplied with monoclinous and diclinous antheridia which at times are branched and wrap around the female gametangia. The fungus has an antagonistic effect on Botrytis cinerea, the grey mould fungus. Morphological features are being given here together with the sequence of the complete internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA of the fungus, its comparison with related species, and some aspects of its antagonistic behaviour with B. cinerea.     

番茄灰霉病拮抗内生细菌的筛选、鉴定及其活性

对安徽省淮北市番茄植株根、茎、叶中内生细菌及其数量进行了调查和筛选,并测定了其抑菌活性。结果表明,番茄根、茎和叶中的内生细菌的数量分别为5.69×105、5.16×105和2.83×105CFU.g-1鲜重。根据分离部位和表型特征,从健康番茄植株体内分离到267株内生细菌,通过对峙实验,筛选到11株对番茄灰霉病菌有拮抗作用的菌株,占所分离内生细菌总数的4.12%。来自茎组织中的菌株XF136的抑菌效果最佳,抑菌带宽度达32.2mm。根据形态特征、生理生化特性、(G+C)mol%和16SrDNA序列分析,将菌株XF136鉴定为解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens)。室内测定菌株XF136发酵滤液对灰霉病菌菌丝生长及分生孢子萌发的抑制作用,结果表明,菌株XF136发酵滤液可以抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发,且浓度越高,抑制能力越强;当发酵滤液浓度为20%时则完全抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发。盆栽防效试验结果表明,10%菌株XF136发酵滤液对番茄灰霉病防治效果与50%多菌灵600倍液相当,20%发酵滤液对番茄灰霉病的防治效果高于50%多菌灵600倍液。本研究表明,菌株XF136是防治番茄灰霉病潜在的优良生防菌株,具有良好的开发应用价值。     

The nature of tobacco resistance against Botrytis cinerea depends on the infection structures of the pathogen

To protect themselves, plants have evolved an armoury of defences in response to pathogens and other stress situations. These include the production of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and the accumulation of antimicrobial molecules such as phytoalexins. Here we report that resistance of tobacco to Botrytis cinerea is cultivar specific. Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana but not N. tabacum cv. Xanthi or cv. samsun is resistant to B. cinerea . This resistance is correlated with the accumulation of the phytoalexin scopoletin and PR proteins. We also show that this resistance depends on the type of B. cinerea stage. Nicotiana tabacum cv. Petit Havana is more resistant to spores than to mycelium of B. cinerea . This reduced resistance of N. tabacum cv. Petit Havana to the mycelium compared with spores is correlated with the suppression of PR proteins accumulation and the capacity of the mycelium, not the spores, to metabolize scopoletin. These data present an important advance in understanding the strategies used by B. cinerea to establish its disease on tobacco plants.     

陕西省烟草灰霉病病原及云芝多糖对其防治研究

采用形态学观察和分子鉴定方法对2011年在陕西省发生的一种烟草未知病害的病原菌进行鉴定。从病叶组织分离纯化得到病原菌,通过致病性测定以及人工接种后再分离病菌,证明编号LJL007的菌株为该病的致病菌。依据病原菌的形态学和培养特征,将菌株LJL007鉴定为灰葡萄孢Botrytis cinerea Pers.,其有性型为富氏葡萄孢盘菌Botryotinia fuckeliana Whetzel。通过核糖体DNAITS序列分析,分离菌株LJL007序列(登录号:HM17900)与富氏葡萄孢盘菌序列(登录号:HM849615)同源性达100%,进一步证明该病原菌是灰葡萄孢Botrytis cinerea。云芝多糖在离体条件下,对灰葡萄孢的菌丝生长和孢子萌发均无直接抑制作用。云芝多糖对烟草灰霉病有较好预防保护作用,其预防效果可达56.29%。云芝多糖可显著提高烟草体内几丁质酶和β-1,3-葡聚糖酶活性,其活性峰值分别比对照提高56.89%和429.83%,说明云芝多糖可诱导植物产生抗病性。     

Characterisation of the yeast Pichia membranifaciens and its possible use in the biological control of Botrytis cinerea, causing the grey mould disease of grapevine

Pichia membranifaciens strain FY-101, isolated from grape skins, was found to be antagonistic to Botrytis cinerea, the causal organism of the grey mould disease of the grapevine. When grown together on solid as well as liquid media, the yeast brings about the inhibition of this parasitic fungus, coagulation and leakage of its cytoplasm, and suppression of its ability to produce the characteristic grey mould symptoms on the grapevine plantlets. In vitro experiments confirm that this yeast can be used as a biological control organism against B. cinerea. An account of the molecular characterisation of P. membranifaciens (complete sequence of the ITS region of its ribosomal DNA, GenBank accession No. AF 270935), as well as the interaction between B. cinerea and the yeast, are given here.     

Licensed to kill: the lifestyle of a necrotrophic plant pathogen

Necrotrophic plant pathogens have received an increasing amount of attention over the past decade. Initially considered to invade their hosts in a rather unsophisticated manner, necrotrophs are now known to use subtle mechanisms to subdue host plants. The gray mould pathogen Botrytis cinerea is one of the most comprehensively studied necrotrophic fungal plant pathogens. The genome sequences of two strains have been determined. Targeted mutagenesis studies are unraveling the roles played in the infection process by a variety of B. cinerea genes that are required for penetration, host cell killing, plant tissue decomposition or signaling. Our increasing understanding of the tools used by a necrotrophic fungal pathogen to invade plants will be instrumental to designing rational strategies for disease control.     

Control of the phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea using adipic acid monoethyl ester

The in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of adipic acid monoethyl ester (AAME) on the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea has been studied. This chemical effectively controlled this important phytopathogen, inhibited spore germination and mycelium development at non-phytotoxic concentrations. The effectiveness of AAME treatment is concentration-dependent and influenced by pH. Spore germination in the presence of AAME is stopped at a very early stage, preventing germ tube development. In addition, cytological changes such as retraction of the conidial cytoplasm in the fungus are observed. AAME was also found to act on membrane integrity, affecting permeability without exhibiting lytic activity, as described previously for other antifungal compounds. Polyamine content in the mycelium of B. cinerea was also affected in response to AAME treatment, resulting in putrescine reduction and spermine accumulation similar to a number of antifungal agents. Microscopic observation of treated conidia after inoculation on tomato leaves suggested that inhibited spores are not able to attach to and penetrate the leaf. Finally, AAME completely suppressed the grey mould disease of tomato fruits under controlled inoculation conditions, providing evidence for its efficacy in a biological context and for the potential use of this chemical as an alternative fungicide treatment.     

番茄灰霉菌拮抗放线菌LA-5的筛选及鉴定

利用稀释涂布法从番茄根际土壤中分离放线菌,并以番茄灰霉菌为靶标,利用对峙培养法和牛津杯法筛选拮抗放线菌,得到一株具有较强抑菌活性的放线菌LA-5.通过培养特征、生理生化特性及基于16S rDNA 序列系统进化分析,将菌株LA-5初步鉴定为链霉菌.复筛结果显示,LA-5发酵滤液对番茄灰霉菌孢子萌发及菌丝生长均有明显的抑制作用,其中100倍发酵滤液对孢子萌发抑制率和菌丝生长抑制率均在50%以上;受抑制菌落呈白色,气生菌丝萎缩稀疏,菌丝纤细、分支明显减少.离体防效试验显示,菌株LA-5发酵原液对番茄灰霉病防效可达83.4%.该菌株有望开发为防治番茄灰霉病的生防菌株.     

Plant signalling components EDS1 and SGT1 enhance disease caused by the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea

* Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic fungus that causes grey mould on a wide range of food plants, especially grapevine, tomato, soft fruits and vegetables. This disease brings about important economic losses in both pre- and postharvest crops. Successful protection of host plants against this pathogen is severely hampered by a lack of resistance genes in the hosts and the considerable phenotypic diversity of the fungus. * The aim of this study was to test whether B. cinerea manipulates the immunity-signalling pathways in plants to restore its disease. * We showed that B. cinerea caused disease in Nicotiana benthamiana through the activation of two plant signalling genes, EDS1 and SGT1, which have been shown to be essential for resistance against biotrophic pathogens; and more interestingly, virus-induced gene silencing of these two plant signalling components enhanced N. benthamiana resistance to B. cinerea. Finally, plants expressing the baculovirus antiapoptotic protein p35 were more resistant to this necrotrophic pathogen than wild-type plants. * This work highlights a new strategy used by B. cinerea to establish disease. This information is important for the design of strategies to improve plant pathogen resistance.     

Partition of the Botrytis cinerea complex in France using multiple gene genealogies

In micro-organisms biodiversity is often underestimated because relevant criteria for recognition of distinct evolutionary units are lacking. Phylogenetic approaches have been proved the most useful in fungi to address this issue. Botrytis cinerea, a generalist fungus causing gray mold, illustrates this problem. It long has been thought to be a single variable species. Recent population genetics studies have shown that B. cinerea is a species complex. However conflicting partitions were proposed. To identify the most relevant partitions within the B. cinerea complex we used a multiple-gene genealogies approach. We sequenced portions of four nuclear genes, of which genealogies congruently clustered into two well supported groups corresponding to Groups I and II previously described, indicating that they represent phylogenetic species. Estimates of migration rates and genetic differentiation showed that these groups had been isolated for a long time, without detectable gene flow. This was confirmed by the high number of polymorphic sites fixed within each group. The genetic diversity was lower within Group I, as revealed by DNA polymorphism and vegetative incompatibility tests. Groups I and II exhibited phenotypic differences in their phenology, host range, size of asexual spores and vegetative compatibility. All these morphological and molecular aspects suggest that B. cinerea Groups I and II may be different cryptic species, isolated for a long time. Phylogenies and molecular analyzes of variance revealed no genetic structure according to the other suggested partitions for the B. cinerea complex (i.e., among host plants, between strains with and without transposable elements, nor between strains responsible for noble rot and gray mold. This suggests that recombination regularly occurs, or occurred until recently, within B. cinerea Group II. This also was supported by recombination rates at each locus. Multiple-gene genealogies showed their utility by providing a relevant partition criterion for the B. cinerea complex.     

Wounding of Arabidopsis leaves causes a powerful but transient protection against Botrytis infection

Physical injury inflicted on living tissue makes it vulnerable to invasion by pathogens. Wounding of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, however, does not conform to this concept and leads to immunity to Botrytis cinerea , the causal agent of grey mould. In wounded leaves, hyphal growth was strongly inhibited compared to unwounded controls. Wound-induced resistance was not associated with salicylic acid-, jasmonic acid- or ethylene-dependent defence responses. The phytoalexin camalexin was found to be involved in this defence response as camalexin-deficient mutants were not protected after wounding and the B. cinerea strains used here were sensitive to this compound. Wounding alone did not lead to camalexin production but primed its accumulation after inoculation with B. cinerea , further supporting the role of camalexin in wound-induced resistance. In parallel with increased camalexin production, genes involved in the biosynthesis of camalexin were induced faster in wounded and infected plants in comparison with unwounded and infected plants. Glutathione was also found to be required for resistance, as mutants deficient in γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase showed susceptibility to B. cinerea after wounding, indicating that wild-type basal levels of glutathione are required for the wound-induced resistance. Furthermore, expression of the gene encoding glutathione- S -transferase 1 was primed by wounding in leaves inoculated with B. cinerea . In addition, the priming of MAP kinase activity was observed after inoculation of wounded leaves with B . cinerea compared to unwounded inoculated controls. Our results demonstrate how abiotic stress can induce immunity to virulent strains of B. cinerea , a process that involves camalexin and glutathione.     

Elevated genetic variation within virulence-associated Botrytis cinerea polygalacturonase loci

Botrytis cinerea, or gray mold, is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen of hundreds of plant species. The genetic diversity of B. cinerea may contribute to its broad host range; however, the level and structure of genetic variation at pathogenesis-associated loci has not been described. B. cinerea possesses six distinct cell-wall-degrading polygalacturonases (PGs), enzymes of demonstrated importance to pathogenesis and interaction with host plant defenses. Sequencing a collection of 34 B. cinerea isolates at three PG-encoding loci, BcPG1, BcPG2, and BcPG3, revealed limited evidence of host-mediated genetic subdivision within loci, yet suggested differences in the action of evolutionary forces among loci. BcPG1 and BcPG2 are highly polymorphic, particularly when compared with previously published data from nonpathogenicity loci, whereas BcPG3 is relatively conserved. Sequence variation at BcPG1 and BcPG2 did not appear to be associated with virulence on Arabidopsis leaves; however, BcPG2 variation showed a statistically significant association with growth rate on pectin. Rather than providing evidence for host-mediated genetic subdivision at individual PG loci, our data support specialization among PGs and the potential diversification of PGs interacting directly with host defenses.     

源自不同寄主的灰葡萄孢生物学特性的比较研究

本研究以分离自番茄、辣椒、草莓、葡萄的灰葡萄孢Botrytis cinerea为供试菌株,从生长温度、pH适应性、碳源、氮源营养利用等方面对不同寄主来源的灰葡萄孢菌株的生物学性状进行了比较研究。结果表明,5个不同寄主来源的灰葡萄孢菌株的菌丝生长温度范围相同,均为0-35℃;但它们的最适生长温度和分生孢子致死温度存在差异,来自和县番茄菌株HX12最适生长温度为20℃,分生孢子致死温度为47℃ 10min,其余最适生长温度均为25℃,分生孢子致死温度均为48℃ 10min;不同菌株在相同温度下的生长速率有显著差异。pH对不同寄主来源灰葡萄孢菌株菌丝生长的影响存在差异,来自长丰辣椒的菌株LJ菌丝在pH2-9的范围内均能生长,以在pH3-6.5时生长较快,pH6时最快;其余4个菌株在pH2-12的范围内均能生长,以在pH3-9时生长较快,pH6左右最快。不同碳源、氮源营养对灰葡萄孢菌株菌丝生长和分生孢子产生均有显著影响,不同寄主来源的菌株间在碳源、氮源营养利用差异均极显著。在相同碳源、氮源营养条件下,不同寄主来源的菌株的线性生长、菌丝干重和分生孢子产量均有显著差异。