The resistance response of sunflower genotypes to black stem disease under controlled conditions

Phoma black stem, caused by Phoma macdonaldii, is one of the most important diseases of sunflower in the world. The sources of resistance to Phoma black stem were investigated. A total of 184 genotypes, including some recombinant inbred lines (RILs), several M6 mutant lines obtained by gamma irradiation of seed of the genotype AS 613, and other genotypes from different countries, were evaluated against an aggressive French isolate (MP6) in controlled conditions. The study was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Each replicate consisted of 10–12 seedlings. Twenty μL of spore suspension (106 pycnidiospores mL-1) were deposited on the intersection of the cotyledon petiole and the hypocotyl of sunflower plantlets at the two-leaf stage. The percentage of the area exhibiting disease symptoms was scored on the two cotyledon petioles of each of the plantlets three, five and seven days after inoculation. The disease progress rate (rd), as the slope of the regression line for disease severity against time, was also calculated. Analysis of variance detected significant differences among sunflower genotypes for disease severity 7 days after inoculation,as well as for the disease progress rate. A strong correlation (r=0.96, P<0.01) was found between disease severity 7 days after inoculation and the disease progress rate. The inbred lines F1250/03 (origin: Hungary), M5-54-1, M6-862-1 (mutant lines), SDR 18 (origin: USA) and two wild Helianthus accessions, 1012 Nebraska and 211 Illinois, (wild type) were highly resistant to Phoma black stem. These findings will assist breeders in choosing parent plants for breeding durable resistance to Phoma black stem

Biological Control of Three Fungal Diseases in Strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi

[EN] Similar to many other plant-based products, strawberries are susceptible to fungal diseases caused by various pathogen groups. In recent years, efforts have been made to combat these diseases using biological control methods, particularly the application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This study aimed to determine the effects of AMF (Funneliformis mosseae (Fm) and Gigaspora margarita (Gm)) on Rhizoctonia fragariae (Rf), Fusarium oxysporum (Fo), and Alternaria alternata (Aa), which are major pathogens for strawberry. The results showed that the effects of AMF on disease severity and plant growth varied depending on the pathogens involved. Rf caused the highest disease severity, followed by Fo and Aa, but all AMF treatments significantly reduced the disease severity compared to control treatments. The study also found that the specific AMF species and their combinations influenced plant growth responses under different pathogenic conditions. Different AMF treatments resulted in varying increases in plant fresh weight, dry weight, and length, depending on the pathogen. Moreover, the application of AMF led to increased levels of total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and phosphorus content in pathogen-infected plants compared to control treatments. Fm was more efficient than Gm in increasing these biochemical parameters. The levels of root colonization by AMF were similar among different AMF treatments, but the effects on fungal spore density varied depending on the pathogen. Some AMF treatments increased fungal spore density, while others did not show significant differences. In conclusion, our research sheds light on the differential effects of AMF species on disease severity, plant growth, and biochemical parameters in strawberry plants facing diverse pathogens. These findings underscore the potential benefits of AMF in disease management, as they reduce disease severity and bolster plant growth and defense mechanisms.This research study was financially supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Van Yuzuncu Yil University. Project number: FBA-2019-7833.Demir, S.; Durak, ED.; Günes, H.; Boyno, G.; Mulet, JM.; Danesh, YR.; Porcel, R. (2023). Biological Control of Three Fungal Diseases in Strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi. Agronomy. 13(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy1309243913

Fungi as Bioremediators

XI, 489 p. 32 illus., 6 illus. in color.online re

Genetic analysis of partial resistance to basal stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) in sunflower

Basal stem rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, is one of the major diseases of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in the world. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) implicated in partial resistance to basal stem rot disease were identified using 99 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross between sunflower parental lines PAC2 and RHA266. The study was undertaken in a completely randomized design with three replications under controlled conditions. The RILs and their parental lines were inoculated with a moderately aggressive isolate of S. sclerotiorum (SSKH41). Resistance to disease was evaluated by measuring the percentage of necrosis area three days after inoculation. QTLs were mapped using an updated high-density SSR and SNP linkage map. ANOVA showed significant differences among sunflower lines for resistance to basal stem rot (P <= 0.05). The frequency distribution of lines for susceptibility to disease showed a continuous pattern. Composite interval mapping analysis revealed 5 QTLs for percentage of necrotic area, localized on linkage groups 1, 3, 8, 10 and 17. The sign of additive effect was positive in 5 QTLs, suggesting that the additive allele for partial resistance to basal stem rot came from the paternal line (RHA266). The phenotypic variance explained by QTLs (R 2) ranged from 0.5 to 3.16%. Identified genes (HUCL02246_1, GST and POD), and SSR markers (ORS338, and SSL3) encompassing the QTLs for partial resistance to basal stem rot could be good candidates for marker assisted selection

Single sequence repeat markers associated with partial resistance in sunflower to Phoma macdonaldii

Phoma black stem of sunflower, caused by Phoma macdonaldii, occurs in many countries. The objective of the present study was to estimate the number of markers and genomic regions in sunflower associating with Phoma black stem resistance. Genetic variability among 32 sunflower genotypes, including recombinant inbred lines and their parents, M7 mutant lines developed by gamma irradiation, and some genotypes from different countries of origin, was evaluated using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Eighty-eight markers were generated at 38 SSR loci, with a mean number of alleles per locus of 2.32. Using susceptibility data of 32 sunflower genotypes against seven P. macdonaldii isolates (Darvishzadeh et al., 2007), one to four markers were associated with each of seven different P. macdonaldii isolates. To reduce the probability of false positives, a sequential Bonferroni-experiment-wise P-value was used for each marker trait association tested. The identified markers showed a promising trend, although they did not pass the more stringent bar of statistical significance, and should be studied further

Foliar Applications of ZnO and Its Nanoparticles Increase Safflower (<i>Carthamus tinctorius</i> L.) Growth and Yield under Water Stress

Foliar application or minerals is a methodology to promote growth and/or yield and to protect plants against different kinds of stresses. Currently there is a great interest in evaluating the effect of nanoparticles for enhancing the effect of these treatments. This study was performed to evaluate and compare the effect of foliar application of zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) on the growth and yield of safflower under different irrigation regimes. Foliar applications of ZnO in all concentrations (4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 g L−1) led to an increase in biomass yield, number of capitula per plant, number of seeds per capitulum, and grain yield of plants compared with control plants. The maximum increase in the studied traits was obtained with a ZnO concentration of 6, 8, and 10 g L−1. In a second round of experiments, we observed the effect of nanoparticles and found that spraying with ZnO and ZnO-NPs at a concentration of 10 g L−1 may ameliorate the deleterious effects of water deficit. The results of the present study support the idea that foliar application of ZnO improves safflower yield, especially under drought stress, and showed that using of nanoparticles increases the efficiency of the application

Genetic Diversity of <i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> Isolates in Sunflower Rhizosphere: The Application of the URP Molecular Marker

The genetic diversity of 77 Trichoderma harzianum isolates collected from sunflower rhizosphere soils in Urmia, Khoy, and Salmas in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, was evaluated by using the Universal Rice Primer (URP) molecular marker. The DNA band pattern of the isolates was developed using seven primers of this marker. These primers produced 186 gene loci, out of which 182 loci were polymorphic. Accordingly, the genetic diversity of the isolates was calculated, and their kinship relations were determined by cluster analysis using the NTSYS software package. URP-6R had the highest marker index among the studied primers, followed by URP-1F, URP-4R, and URP-25F, implying their higher efficiency in discriminating between the isolates. The results showed that the URP marker could discriminate between isolates using macroscopic morphological characteristics, such as color and colony type, potential of pigment production in the culture medium, and colony growth rate. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between the geographical distribution of the isolates and the band patterns generated by the primers except for a few cases. The results generally revealed that the URP marker was an efficient tool for determining the genetic diversity of T. harzianum

Genetic Diversity of Trichoderma harzianum Isolates in Sunflower Rhizosphere: The Application of the URP Molecular Marker

The genetic diversity of 77 Trichoderma harzianum isolates collected from sunflower rhizosphere soils in Urmia, Khoy, and Salmas in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, was evaluated by using the Universal Rice Primer (URP) molecular marker. The DNA band pattern of the isolates was developed using seven primers of this marker. These primers produced 186 gene loci, out of which 182 loci were polymorphic. Accordingly, the genetic diversity of the isolates was calculated, and their kinship relations were determined by cluster analysis using the NTSYS software package. URP-6R had the highest marker index among the studied primers, followed by URP-1F, URP-4R, and URP-25F, implying their higher efficiency in discriminating between the isolates. The results showed that the URP marker could discriminate between isolates using macroscopic morphological characteristics, such as color and colony type, potential of pigment production in the culture medium, and colony growth rate. Furthermore, there was no significant relationship between the geographical distribution of the isolates and the band patterns generated by the primers except for a few cases. The results generally revealed that the URP marker was an efficient tool for determining the genetic diversity of T. harzianum

Using Chromosomal Abnormalities and Germination Traits for the Assessment of Tritipyrum Amphiploid Lines under Seed-Aging and Germination Priming Treatments

Primary Trans Chromosomal Tritipyrum (PTCT) amphiploid is a new cereal grown in saline soil and brackish water for grain and forage production. We evaluated the tolerance to seed deterioration in 13 promising PTCT lines, assessing accelerated aging (AA) tests by using AA boxes with 100% relative humidity at 40 °C for 72 h. The (Ma/b)(Cr/b)F4 and (St/b)(Cr/b)F4) PTCT lines, more sensitive to seed aging, were primed with NaCl, Salicylic Acid (SA), and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) to increase the seed vigor of artificially aged seeds. Germination and emergence traits, biochemical parameters, and chromosomal abnormalities induced by artificial aging were measured in deteriorated and not-deteriorated seeds. The highest reduction percentages related to seed vigor were observed in (Ka/b)(Cr/b)F2 (34.52) and La(4B,4D)/b (28.15) lines, while the lowest was found in (Ma/b)(Cr/b)F4 (7.65) and (St/b)(Cr/b)F4 (7.46) lines. Seed aging also increases electrolytes, potassium, and protein leakages. Chromosomal abnormalities are caused by seed aging that interferes with chromosome behaviors during cell division. Seed priming on aged seeds revealed an increase in the germination percentage (GP) with PEG treatment, while the priming by SA showed an increase in seedling traits, such as the seedling length (SL2). In conclusion, we highlighted the potential use of different PTCT lines and the effective use of seed priming on deteriorated seed to enhance seed viability and seedling vigor as a useful tool for sustainable agriculture

Is the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus <i>Funneliformis mosseae</i> a Suitable Agent to Control Criconematid Populations?

Several studies have shown the potential of using mycorrhizal fungi in increasing the plant yield by simultaneously reducing damages caused by pathogens. Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most feared pathogens for crops. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Funneliformis mosseae as a mycorrhizal fungus on the population abundance of three world widespread species of nematodes from the family Criconematidae: Mesocriconema xenoplax, Mesocriconema antipolitanum, and Criconemides informis. Pure and highly abundant populations of each species were collected from Urmia city in Northwestern Iran, after the identification morphological and morphometric characteristics. The experiments were carried out in greenhouse conditions on three different rhizospheres of alfalfa, sugar beet, and wheat. After five months, the final population of nematodes and fungus, and the root surface on host plants inoculated and non-inoculated with the fungus F. mosseae, were evaluated. The results showed that the population of nematodes was increased in the presence of the fungus. It could be assumed that the extension of the host surface level of roots by the fungus resulted in more feeding sites for nematode activity and, consequently, higher population densities. In this study, the fungus did not seem to play a suitable role in controlling ectoparasitic nematode growth. However, since there are still many open questions about mycorrhizal fungi’s role in agriculture, more research should be conducted