A potential mating-type biomarker to detect pathogenic Ganoderma species

Aims@#The basal stem rot disease in oil palm is caused by the pathogenic Ganoderma boninense, which is infectious after mating and forming dikaryotic hyphae. This study was aimed to generate a mating-type biomarker for the detection of pathogenic Ganoderma species.@*Methodology and results@#Mating-type region of Ganoderma was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and primers flanking the mating-type region of other basidiomycetes. Amplified fragments were sequenced and were identified as the Ganoderma pheromone receptor gene of matB locus called the gprb2 gene. Using this biomarker, the pheromone receptor gene was detected in a total of 107 pathogenic Ganoderma spp. while the gene was not detected in the non-pathogenic Ganoderma lucidum. Phylogenetic tree analyses of the gene fragment encoding the partial amino acid sequence of gprb2 showed clades of close evolutionary relationship among the 107 pathogenic Ganoderma spp. Phylogenetic analyses using deduced amino acid sequences of the Ganoderma pheromone receptor b2 gene, gprb2 with homologous pheromone receptors of other basidiomycetous fungi revealed high conservation of this pheromone receptor within their respective taxonomy.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#A potential mating-type biomarker was successfully identified that could detect pathogenic Ganoderma spp. The research findings will be helpful in oil palm screening to detect pathogenic Ganoderma spp. and gain further insight into the role of the mating-type loci of Ganoderma towards its pathogenesis in causing the basal stem rot disease of oil palm.

Stem Rot of Garlic (Allium sativum) Caused by Sclerotium rolfsii

Stem rot disease was found in garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultivated from 2008 to 2010 in the vegetable gardens of some farmers in Geumsan-myon, Jinju City, Gyeongnam province in Korea. The initial symptoms of the disease were typical water-soaked spots, which progressed to rotting, wilting, blighting, and eventually death. White mycelial mats had spread over the lesions near the soil line, and sclerotia had formed over the mycelial mats on the stem. The sclerotia were globoid in shape, 1~3 mm in size, and tan to brown in color. The optimum temperature for growth and sclerotia formation on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium was 30degrees C. The diameter of the hyphae ranged from approximately 4 to 8 microm. Typical clamp connection structures were observed in the hyphae of the fungus, which was grown on PDA medium for 4 days. On the basis of the mycological characteristics and pathogenicity of the fungus on the host plants, the causal agent was identified as Sclerotium rolfsii Saccardo. This is the first report of stem rot disease in garlic caused by S. rolfsii in Korea.