Transmission of Fusarium boothii mycovirus via protoplast fusion causes hypovirulence in other phytopathogenic fungi

There is increasing concern regarding the use of fungicides to control plant diseases, whereby interest has increased in the biological control of phytopathogenic fungi by the application of hypovirulent mycoviruses as a possible alternative to fungicides. Transmission of hypovirulence-associated double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses between mycelia, however, is prevented by the vegetative incompatibility barrier that often exists between different species or strains of filamentous fungi. We determined whether protoplast fusion could be used to transmit FgV1-DK21 virus, which is associated with hypovirulence on F. boothii (formerly F. graminearum strain DK21), to F. graminearum, F. asiaticum, F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, and Cryphonectria parasitica. Relative to virus-free strains, the FgV1-DK21 recipient strains had reduced growth rates, altered pigmentation, and reduced virulence. These results indicate that protoplast fusion can be used to introduce FgV1-DK21 dsRNA into other Fusarium species and into C. parasitica and that FgV1-DK21 can be used as a hypovirulence factor and thus as a biological control agent.     

Biological Control of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. asparagi by Applying Non-pathogenic Isolates of F . oxysporum

Root rot severity of asparagus plants grown in sterilized field soil inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f . sp . asparagi (Foa) was reduced by more than 50% when the soil was precolo nized by each of 13 non - pathogenic (np) isolates of F. oxysporum originating from asparagus roots or field soils . In a greenhouse experiment , application of six np isolates to naturally infested field soil was followed by a 23 - 49% decrease of disease severity , depending on the isolate . One of them , Fo47 originating from Fusarium suppressive soil in France , was applied to field plots infested with Foa . Foa root rot was not suppressed in asparagus plants grown for 1 year in these plots . Pathogenic and np isolates extensively colonized the root surface and isolates of both types infected the roots of asparagus plants grown in sterilized field soil , with significant differences among the np isolates . Inoculation of sterilized field soil with np isolates reduced germination of Foa chlamydospores by 43 - 64% depending on the isolate used . It is concluded that np isolates of F. oxysporum can suppress asparagus root rot caused by Foa in naturally infested field soil . The differences for root colonization capacity among the np isolates imply that selection for this trait might reveal isolates that perform better under field conditions .     

Differentiation of Fusarium oxysporum from Fusarium solani by growth and pigmentation on media containing sugar alcohols

The growth and pigmentation of 99 strains of Fusarium , mainly of Fusarium oxysporum and F. solani , on ammonium salts agar containing either mannitol, sorbitol or xylitol as sole source of carbon is described. After 7–14 d incubation strains of F. oxysporum could be distinguished from F. solani by both their pigmentation and the size and shape of conidiogenous cells. The application of these media to routine screening of isolates is discussed.     

Induced Resistance in Cucumbers against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum and Rhizoctonia solani AG2–2 by Infection of the Cotyledons

Localized infection in cucumber cotyledons with Colletotrichum lagenarium induced resistance against infection after challenge inoculation with Rhizoctonia solani AG2–2 and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum in the roots. The plants were unprotected in soil that was infested heavily with R. solani or in contact with the mycelium, and induced resistance was not observed. Wounding of the root also negated the effect of induced resistance to F. oxysporum .     

Fusarium rot in cucumber greenhouses of Jiroft region

The present work was done to identify Fusarium species that cause Fusarium rot in greenhouse cucumber crop in Jiroft region (Kerman, Iran), in 2006–2007. During these years, a vast sampling was done from several greenhouses of Jiroft. The plants with rot symptoms as well as the soil samples of greenhouse were transferred to lab. The isolates of plants and soil samples were detached by direct isolation of the infected tissue and soil suspension methods, respectively. Totally 120 isolates were obtained, which were classified into the following six species according to their morphological and physiological characteristics: Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium solani, Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium monoliforme, Fusarium sambucinum, Fusarium subglutinans. It is the first time that three of these taxons, i.e. F. culmorum, F. monoliforme and F. subglutinan are reported in cucumber of Iran. Pathogenesis studies of the isolates were done by mycelium placement and spore suspension injection methods in sterile soil under greenhouse conditions. Then the disease symptoms were investigated.     

A viral gene confers hypovirulence-associated traits to the chestnut blight fungus.

A viral double-stranded (ds)RNA associated with reduced virulence (hypovirulence) and the accompanying biological control of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, was shown recently to contain two contiguous coding domains designated ORF A and ORF B. We report here that transformation of an isogenic virulent, dsRNA-free C. parasitica strain with a cDNA copy of ORF A conferred traits similar to those exhibited by the dsRNA-containing hypovirulent strain: characteristics included reduced pigmentation, reduced laccase accumulation and suppressed conidiation. However virulence was not reduced, indicating an apparent uncoupling of associated traits from hypovirulence. These results establish a direct cause and effect relationship between a viral dsRNA genetic element present in a hypovirulent C. parasitica strain and specific phenotypic traits. They demonstrate further that these traits are not the result of a general reaction of the fungus to the presence of the replicating viral RNA, but are caused by a specific viral coding domain.     

Infectivity of Chlamydospores vs Microconidia of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici on Tomato

The effect of nature of inoculum on disease induced by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici on tomato was tested. Chlamydospores produced in soil 30 days after inoculation induced a more severe disease than microconidia indicating a higher inoculum potential of chlamydospores.
The method proposed produces easily an inoculum of F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici which infects the plants consistently and induces a relatively high disease severity.     

Thyreophagus corticalis as a vector of hypovirulence in Cryphonectria parasitica in chestnut stands

The natural spread of hypovirulence in Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr. occurs in chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill) stands and orchards in Italy and other European countries, leading to spontaneous recovery of the diseased trees. Little is known about how hypovirulence spreads in chestnut stands but various corticolous mite species frequently detected on chestnut cankers could be one of the many factors playing a role in the spread. Artificial virulent cankers created in inoculation field tests and treated with Thyreophagus corticalis (Acari, Sarcoptiformes, Acaridae) raised on hypovirulent cultures showed similar growth to those treated with mycelia of the hypovirulent strain over 18 months of inoculation. Cultures re-isolated from virulent cankers treated with mites were found to contain hypovirus like those derived from pairings of virulent and hypovirulent strains. Viral dsRNA could be carried externally and/or ingested by mites from the hypovirulent mycelia and then transmitted to the mycelia of virulent strains, causing their conversion. In a laboratory study, all fecal pellets collected from mites reared on hypovirulent and virulent strains grown on semi-selective media gave rise to colonies of C. parasitica with similar morphological characters and virulence to the original cultures. Field inoculation of stump sprouts with the resulting colonies revealed that mite digestive tract passage did not alter the virulence of the studied strains. These results are of interest for the biological control of chestnut blight.     

A PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis approach to assess Fusarium diversity in asparagus

In North America, asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) production suffers from a crown and root rot disease mainly caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. asparagi and F. proliferatum. Many other Fusarium species are also found in asparagus fields, whereas accurate detection and identification of these organisms, especially when processing numerous samples, is usually difficult and time consuming. In this study, a PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) method was developed to assess Fusarium species diversity in asparagus plant samples. Fusarium-specific PCR primers targeting a partial region of the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) gene were designed, and their specificity was tested against genomic DNA extracted from a large collection of closely and distantly related organisms isolated from multiple environments. Amplicons of 450 bp were obtained from all Fusarium isolates, while no PCR product was obtained from non-Fusarium organisms. The ability of DGGE to discriminate between Fusarium taxa was tested over 19 different Fusarium species represented by 39 isolates, including most species previously reported from asparagus fields worldwide. The technique was effective to visually discriminate between the majority of Fusarium species and/or isolates tested in pure culture, while a further sequencing step permitted to distinguish between the few species showing similar migration patterns. Total genomic DNA was extracted from field-grown asparagus plants naturally infested with different Fusarium species, submitted to PCR amplification, DGGE analysis and sequencing. The two to four bands observed for each plant sample were all affiliated with F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum or F. solani, clearly supporting the reliability, sensitivity and specificity of this approach for the study of Fusarium diversity from asparagus plants samples.     

Phylogeny and pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum isolates from cottonseed imported from Australia into California for dairy cattle feed

A unique biotype of the Fusarium wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. f.sp. vasinfectum (Atk) Sny. & Hans., found in Australia in 1993 is favored by neutral or alkaline heavy soils and does not require plant parasitic nematodes to cause disease. This makes it a threat to 4-6 million acres of USA Upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) that is grown on heavy alkaline soil and currently is not affected by Fusarium wilt. In 2001-2002, several shiploads of live cottonseed were imported into California for dairy cattle feed. Thirteen F. oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum isolates and four isolates of a Fusarium spp. that resembled F. oxysporum were isolated from the imported cottonseed. The isolates, designated by an AuSeed prefix, formed four vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) all of which were incompatible with tester isolates for 18 VCGs found in the USA. Isolate AuSeed14 was vegetatively compatible with the four reference isolates of Australian biotype VCG01111. Phylogenetic analyses based on EF-1α, PHO, BT, Mat1-1, and Mat1-2 gene sequences separated the 17 seed isolates into three lineages (race A, race 3, and Fusarium spp.) with AuSeed14 clustering into race 3 lineage or race A lineage depending on the genes analyzed. Indel analysis of the EF-1α gene sequences revealed a close evolutionary relationship among AuSeed14, Australian biotype reference isolates, and the four Fusarium spp. isolates. The Australian seed isolates and the four Australian biotype reference isolates caused disease with root-dip inoculation, but not with stem-puncture inoculation. Thus, they were a vascular incompetent pathotype. In contrast, USA race A lineage isolates readily colonized vascular tissue and formed a vascular competent pathotype when introduced directly into xylem vessels. The AuSeed14 isolate was as pathogenic as the Australian biotype, and it or related isolates could cause a severe Fusarium wilt problem in USA cotton fields if they become established.     

三江平原地区大豆根腐病病株上镰孢菌的分离鉴定

为了明确引起三江平原地区大豆根腐病的镰孢菌(Fusarium)种类及优势种群,对该地区大豆根腐病样本进行了采集。通过组织分离和形态学鉴定,共鉴定出6种镰孢菌,分别为木贼镰孢(F.equiseti)、尖孢镰孢(F.oxysporum)、芬芳镰孢(F.redolens)、半裸镰孢(F.semitectum)、腐皮镰孢(F.solani)和拟轮枝镰孢(F.verticillioides)。其中尖孢镰孢(F.oxysporum)的分离频率最高,达16.67%。对6种镰孢菌的形态学特征进行了描述。     

Comparison between Rosellinia necatrix isolates from soil and diseased roots in terms of hypovirulence

The white root rot fungus, Rosellinia necatrix, is a devastating soil-borne pathogen of many plant species. Biocontrol with the hypovirulence factor is promising, but disease symptoms, signs or culture morphology of the pathogen cannot be reliably used as markers for hypovirulence in this fungus. We attempted to obtain hypovirulent isolates from soil rather than from diseased roots, based on the hypothesis that hypovirulent isolates were more likely to persist in soil as saprobes. Sixteen isolates, belonging to eight mycelial compatibility groups (MCGs), were obtained from soil in two active and one abandoned Japanese pear orchards. Comparison of these isolates based on clonality revealed that six MCGs were commonly recovered from both diseased roots and soil and two MCGs exclusively from soil. No MCG was found in more than one orchard. With two exceptions, isolates within the same MCG were similar in virulence, competitive saprophytic ability (CSA) and mycelial growth rate whether or not they carried dsRNA. The two exceptional isolates recovered from soil had multiple dsRNA segments that caused hypovirulence, weakened CSA and restricted mycelial growth on nutrient-rich media. They belonged to different MCGs, each including dsRNA-free isolates. Isolates from soil contained various dsRNAs (44%), including the hypovirulence factor, more frequently than isolates from diseased roots in the same fields (25%), which is much higher than the proportion of isolates with dsRNA from diseased roots (19%) in a total of 424 isolates from Japan examined so far. These results suggest that isolation of R. necatrix from soil is an effective method to obtain isolates with dsRNAs, including the hypovirulence factor.     

Control of chestnut blight by the use of hypovirulent strains of the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica in northwestern Spain

Chestnut blight is controlled in Europe by using Cryphonectria hypovirus CHV1, a non-encapsulated RNA virus. The chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, is weakened by the virus, and healing tissue growth occurs in the host tree. Transmission of this cytoplasmic hypovirus is restricted by the incompatibility system of the fungus, so that the hypovirus can be transmitted only between isolates of the same or closely related vegetative compatibility (vc) types. Hypovirulent isolates of C. parasitica (all of the French subtype CHV1-F1) from Castilla y León (NW Spain) were compared with virulent isolates in both laboratory (cut stems) and field inoculations (in two orchards in the province of León and one orchard in the province of Zamora). The tests were performed with the most common vc types in the region, EU1 and EU11. The cut stem assay revealed that the hypovirulent isolates of vc type EU1 did not reduce the growth of virulent cankers. By contrast, four hypovirulent strains H1, H4, H5 and H6 (all vc type EU11) reduced the growth of virulent isolates in the cut stem assay. Field tests showed that hypovirulent isolates of EU1 and EU11 were effective in reducing canker in both orchards in León with all treatments tested; however, in Zamora, where only EU11 was tested, all the treatments failed except H1, which was able to reduce growth of the canker eighteen months after the inoculation. The development of hypovirulence suggests that hypovirus subtype F1 is well adapted in the province of León. Both naturally extended and inoculated hypoviruses appear to have reduced the incidence of the canker, thus improving chestnut stands. However, the inoculations were not as effective in the orchards in Zamora. This indicates that the disease could be controlled in Castilla y León by inoculation of trees with hypovirulent strains, but that more tests should be done in provinces where the hypovirus is still not present.     

河北省苹果园根际土壤中疑似致病镰孢菌种类

为了解引起河北省苹果再植病害的病原菌,在河北省10个地区苹果园中采集土壤样品,在实验室进行病原菌的诱集分离培养,根据形态和分子特征对主要病原菌进行种类鉴定。结果表明,在分离得到的293株真菌中,有116株镰孢菌,为分离频率最高的真菌。在形态学鉴定的基础上,对供试镰孢菌进行了分子鉴定。在基于核糖体基因内转录间隔区（rDNA-ITS）序列与翻译延长因子1α（EF-1α）序列片段构建的系统发育树中,代表菌株分别与GenBank登记的所属菌株聚于同一群。研究结果明确了河北省苹果再植病害的疑似致病镰孢菌,包括：尖孢镰孢Fusarium oxysporum、木贼镰孢F. equiseti、锐顶镰孢F. acuminatum、层出镰孢F. proliferatum和茄腐镰孢F. solani。     

生防菌根系定殖竞争作用对西瓜枯萎病发病机理的影响

【目的】西瓜枯萎病是由西瓜专化型尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.niveum)引起的一种常见的毁灭性土传病害,对镰刀菌同属非致病性菌株与致病性菌株存在的竞争作用进行研究,有助于获得新的具有生防效果的菌株,从而拓宽西瓜枯萎病生物防治的手段。【方法】利用选择性培养基和稀释平板计数法对温室盆栽试验中西瓜根际和非根际土壤及植物组织中非致病性轮枝镰刀菌菌株(Fusarium verticillioides XA)与致病性尖孢镰刀菌(Fusarium oxysporum LD)进行计数,确定其在西瓜植株根际和组织中的定殖情况。【结果】将从田间西瓜枯萎病发病植株根部分离获得的菌株XA和LD接入健康土壤中,接种菌株XA既不会引起西瓜枯萎病发病症状,也不会影响西瓜植株生物量,但接种菌株LD导致严重发病症状。与单接种LD处理相比较,双接种(XA+LD)处理地上部鲜重和地上部干重都分别增加了151.2%和110%。XA菌株能成功定殖于西瓜根系,但在茎基部没有检测到。在接种菌株LD的处理中植物组织和土壤中致病性镰刀菌的数量达到(1.58 4.85)×104CFU/g。与单接种LD处理相比,双接种菌株XA和LD处理植物茎基部、根系、根际土壤和土体土壤致病性镰刀菌的数量分别下降63.3%、66.1%、3.3%和24.4%,根系、根际土壤和土体土壤非致病性镰刀菌的数量增加到(0.35 3.84)×104CFU/g;双接种处理对西瓜枯萎病的防效达57.8%。【结论】非致病性轮枝镰刀菌菌株XA可有效降低致病性尖孢镰刀菌LD对西瓜植株的定殖侵染能力,对西瓜枯萎病具有一定的生防效果。     

我国部分地区蔬菜镰孢菌的分离及鉴定

对采自我国6省18市（县）的蔬菜根茎样本进行了组织分离和形态学鉴定,共鉴定出镰孢菌10个种.其中尖镰孢（Fusarium oxysporum）为优势茵,占镰孢菌总量的73.42％,其他种类的镰孢菌为锐顶镰孢(F.acuminatum)、弯角镰孢（F.camptoceras）、蓝色镰孢（F.coeruleunm）、木贼镰...     

Fungal root endophytes from natural vegetation in Mediterranean environments with special reference to Fusarium spp

Surveys (in 2002 and 2003) were performed for fungal endophytes in roots of 24 plant species growing at 12 sites (coastal and inland soils, both sandy soils and salt marshes) under either water or salt stress in the Alicante province (Southeast Spain). All plant species examined were colonized by endophytic fungi. A total of 1830 fungal isolates were obtained and identified by morphological and molecular [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and translation elongation factor-1alpha gene region (TEF-1alpha) sequencing] techniques. One hundred and forty-two fungal species were identified, belonging to 57 genera. Sterile mycelia were assigned to 177 morphospecies. Fusarium and Phoma species were the most frequent genera, followed by Aspergillus, Alternaria and Acremonium. Fungal root endophytic communities were influenced by the soil type where their respective host plants grew, but not by location (coastal or inland sites). Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus fumigatus and Alternaria chlamydospora contributed most to the differences found between endophytic communities from sandy and saline soils. Host preference was found for three Fusarium species studied. Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium solani were especially isolated from plants of the family Leguminosae, while Fusarium equiseti showed a preference for Lygeum spartum (Gramineae). In some cases, specificity could be related to intra-specific variability as shown by sequencing of the TEF-1alpha in the genus Fusarium.     

应用PCR-RFLP和巢式PCR检测黄瓜尖镰孢菌

以3株黄瓜尖镰孢菌(Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.cucumarinum)、23株镰孢菌属(Fusariumspp.)真菌和分离自土壤的20株真菌、6株细菌和7株放线菌为材料,采用化学裂解法提取总DNA,进行PCR-RFLP和巢式PCR检测,试验证明PCR-RFLP程序不能完全区分Fusarium属内不同种,而巢式PCR对黄瓜尖镰孢菌具有特异性.运用优化的PCR-RFLP和巢式PCR检测程序对染病黄瓜组织进行了检测,结果表明,两种方法均可在接种发病早期(未显症时)检测出黄瓜枯萎病菌,PCR-RFLP在感病品种接种后3d即可检测到病原菌,而巢式PCR在接种后5d才能检测到病原菌.     

我国东北地区玉米穗腐镰孢菌的种类及其分离频率

从辽宁、吉林、黑龙江三省采集的43份玉米病穗上共分离获得327株镰孢菌,根据形态特征鉴定属于7个种,其分离频率分别为半裸镰孢菌(Fusarium semitecturrt)37.77%,尖孢镰孢菌(F.oxysporum)3.51%,拟轮枝镰孢菌(F.verticillioides)3.57%,克鲁克威尔镰孢菌(F.c...