Infection of Phytophthora palmivora Isolates on Arabidopsis thaliana.

Phytophthora palmivora, a hemibiotrophic oomycete, causes diseases in several economically important tropical crops, such as oil palm, which it is responsible for a devastating disease called bud rot (BR). Despite recent progress in understanding host resistance and virulence mechanisms, many aspects remain unknown in P. palmivora isolates from oil palm. Model pathosystems are useful for understanding the molecular interactions between pathogens and hosts. In this study, we utilized detached leaves and whole seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 to describe and evaluate the infection process of three P. palmivora isolates (CPPhZC-05, CPPhZC-04, CPPhZOC-01) that cause BR in oil palm. Two compatible isolates (CPPhZC-05 and CPPhZOC-01) induced aqueous lesions at 72 h post-inoculation (hpi), with microscopic visualization revealing zoospore encysting and appressorium penetration at 3 hpi, followed by sporangia generation at 72 hpi. In contrast, an incompatible isolate (CPPhZC-04) exhibited cysts that could not penetrate tissue, resulting in low leaf colonization. Gene expression of ten P. palmivora infection-related genes was quantified by RT-qPCR, revealing overexpression in compatible isolates, but not in the incompatible isolate. Additionally, key genes associated with salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) in Arabidopsis exhibited regulation during interaction with the three isolates. These findings demonstrate that P. palmivora can infect Arabidopsis Col-0, and variability is observed in the interaction between Arabidopsis-Col-0 and P. palmivora isolates. Establishing this pathosystem is expected to enhance our understanding of P. palmivora's pathology and physiology.

Brevipalpus yothersi Baker (Tenuipalpidae) development in sweet orange plants is influenced by previous mite infestation and the presence of shelters.

Citrus leprosis is the most important viral disease affecting citrus. The disease is caused predominantly by CiLV-C and is transmitted by Brevipalpus yothersi Baker mites. This study brings some insight into the colonization of B. yothersi in citrus [(Citrus × sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae)] previously infested by viruliferous or non-viruliferous B. yothersi. It also assesses the putative role of shelters on the behavior of B. yothersi. Expression of PR1 and PR4 genes, markers of plant defense mechanisms, were evaluated by RT-qPCR to correlate the role of the plant hormonal changes during the tri-trophic virus-mite-plant interplay. A previous infestation with either non-viruliferous and viruliferous mites positively influenced oviposition and the number of adult individuals in the resulting populations. Mite populations were higher on branches that had received a previous mite infestation than branches that did not. There was an increase in the expression of PR4, a marker gene in the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway, in the treatment with non-viruliferous mites, indicating a response from the plant to their feeding. Conversely, an induced expression of PR1, a marker gene in the salicylic acid (SA) pathway, was observed mainly in the treatment with viruliferous mites, which suggests the activation of a plant response against the pathogen. The earlier mite infestation, as well as the presence of leprosis lesions and a gypsum mixture as artificial shelters, all fostered the growth of the B. yothersi populations after the second infestation, regardless of the presence or absence of CiLV-C. Furthermore, it is suggested that B. yothersi feeding actually induces the JA pathway in plants. At the same time, the CiLV-C represses the JA pathway and induces the SA pathway, which benefits the mite vector.

Influence of Climatic Variables on Incidence of Whitefly-Transmitted Begomovirus in Soybean and Bean Crops in North-Western Argentina.

Over the last 20 years, begomoviruses have emerged as devastating pathogens, limiting the production of different crops worldwide. Weather conditions increase vector populations, with negative effects on crop production. In this work we evaluate the relationship between the incidence of begomovirus and weather before and during the crop cycle. Soybean and bean fields from north-western (NW) Argentina were monitored between 2001 and 2018 and classified as moderate (≤50%) or severe (>50%) according to the begomovirus incidence. Bean golden mosaic virus (BGMV) and soybean blistering mosaic virus (SbBMV) were the predominant begomovirus in bean and soybean crops, respectively. Nearly 200 bio-meteorological variables were constructed by summarizing climatic variables in 10-day periods from July to November of each crop year. The studied variables included temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, wind (speed and direction), pressure, cloudiness, and visibility. For bean, high maximum winter temperatures, low spring humidity, and precipitation 10 days before planting correlated with severe incidence. In soybeans, high temperatures in late winter and in the pre-sowing period, and low spring precipitations were found to be good predictors of high incidence of begomovirus. The results suggest that temperature and pre-sowing precipitations can be used to predict the incidence status [predictive accuracy: 80% (bean) and 75% (soybean)]. Thus, these variables can be incorporated in early warning systems for crop management decision-making to reduce the virus impact on bean and soybean crops.

Enfermedad del desgaste en praderas de Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) y su relación con el perfil metabólico / Wasting disease in Thalassia testudinum (Hydrocharitaceae) meadows and its relationship with metabolic profile

Resumen Introducción: Los protistas del género Labyrinthula causan la denominada "Enfermedad del desgaste" en el pasto marino, Thalassia testudinum. Desde el 2008 los monitoreos en el Caribe colombiano han mostrado variación espacial y temporal en la incidencia de la enfermedad, pero sin la alta mortalidad observada en otras regiones del mundo. Objetivo: Analizar algunos parámetros epidemiológicos en T. testudinum y comparar metabolitos entre plantas sanas e infectadas. Métodos: Registramos la severidad, incidencia y prevalencia de esta enfermedad en el Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona e Isla de Providencia, y analizamos muestras de agua y sedimentos. Además, aplicamos cromatografía líquida y de gases, junto con espectrometría de masas, a extractos metanólicos de muestras de hojas y rizomas de brotes sanos e infectados. Resultados: Las praderas se encontraban en buen estado, a pesar de la escasez de brotes de fanerógamas marinas en Tayrona y una alta incidencia (15 %) y severidad (355 %) de la enfermedad en Providencia. Las plantas infectadas tenían niveles más bajos de fenoles, flavonoides y azúcares. Las flavonas sulfatadas con aglicona luteolina y diosmetina, los esteroles (sitosterol y estigmasterol) y las oxilipinas volátiles se acumularon en las hojas (3-hidroxi-2-isopentanona) y los ácidos isopentanoico y octadecatrienoico en los rizomas. Conclusiones: Estos pastos marinos colombianos tienen producción diferencial de metabolitos. Probablemente como una defensa exitosa, aún a niveles bajos de severidad (0.1 %) e incidencia (1 %) de la enfermedad.

Abstract Introduction: Protists of the genus Labyrinthula cause the so-called "Wasting Disease" in seagrass, Thalassia testudinum. Monitoring in the Colombian Caribbean since 2008 has shown spatial and temporal variation in the disease's incidence, but without the high mortality observed in other regions of the world. Objective: To analyze some epidemiological parameters in T. testudinum and to compare metabolites between healthy and infected plants. Methods: We recorded severity, incidence and prevalence of this disease in Tayrona National Natural Park and Providencia Island, and we analyze water and sediment samples. Additionally, we applied gas and liquid chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry, to methanolic extracts from leaf and rhizome samples of healthy and infected shoots. Results: The meadows were in good condition, despite the scarce seagrass shoots in Tayrona and a high incidence (15 %) and severity (35.5 %) of the disease in Providencia. Infected plants had lower levels of phenols, flavonoids and sugars. Sulphated flavones with aglycone luteolin and diosmetin, sterols (sitosterol and stigmasterol) and volatile oxylipins are accumulated in leaves (3-hydroxy-2-isopentanone) and isopentaenoic and octadecatrienoic acids in rhizomes. Conclusions: These Colombian seagrasses have differential production of metabolites. Probably as a successful defense, even at low levels of severity (0.1 %) and incidence (1 %) of the disease.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici interaction. A review / Interacción entre tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) y Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici. Una revisión

ABSTRACT The interaction between plants and pathogens is a very dynamic and complex relationship that also includes a high degree of specificity, and it is precisely this last characteristic which triggers such important responses in the survival of one or the other. The pathosystem formed by tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) has been the subject of multiple studies due to the importance of the vegetable worldwide and for the economic and ecological impact of the fungus responsible for the vascular wilt disease in tomato, causing losses that go up to 100%. One way to find alternatives for the management of any pathosystem is to know the actors involved and the mechanisms that govern the interaction through technological and scientific advances that clearly show how the interaction develops on a genetic level. This review collects the information from different scientific sources with focus on the knowledge of the fungus, tomato cultivation and plant defense applied to this pathosystem, as well as the molecular mechanisms.

RESUMEN La interacción entre plantas y patógenos es una relación muy dinámica y compleja, que conlleva un alto grado de especificidad y es esta última característica, la que desencadena respuestas tan importantes en la supervivencia de uno u otro. El patosistema formado por tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) y Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) ha sido objeto de múltiples estudios, debido a la importancia de la hortaliza, a nivel mundial y por el impacto económico y ecológico del hongo, responsable de la marchitez vascular, provocando pérdidas que llegan hasta el 100%. Una forma de encontrar alternativas para el manejo de cualquier patosistema es conocer los actores involucrados y los mecanismos que rigen la interacción, a través de avances tecnológicos y científicos, que muestren, claramente, cómo se desarrolla la interacción, a nivel genético. Esta revisión recoge la información de fuentes científicas con énfasis en el conocimiento del hongo, el cultivo del tomate y la defensa vegetal, aplicada a este patosistema, así como los mecanismos moleculares.

Dichorhaviruses Movement Protein and Nucleoprotein Form a Protein Complex That May Be Required for Virus Spread and Interacts in vivo With Viral Movement-Related Cilevirus Proteins.

Brevipalpus-transmitted viruses (BTVs) belong to the genera Dichorhavirus and Cilevirus and are the main causal agents of the citrus leprosis (CL) disease. In this report, we explored aspects related to the movement mechanism mediated by dichorhaviruses movement proteins (MPs) and the homologous and heterologous interactions among viral proteins related to the movement of citrus leprosis-associated viruses. The membrane-spanning property and topology analysis of the nucleocapsid (N) and MP proteins from two dichorhaviruses revealed that the MPs are proteins tightly associated with the cell membrane, exposing their N- and C-termini to the cytoplasm and the inner part of the nucleus, whereas the N proteins are not membrane-associated. Subcellular localization analysis revealed the presence of dichorhavirus MPs at the cell surface and in the nucleus, while the phosphoproteins (P) were located exclusively in the nucleus and the N proteins in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Co-expression analysis with the MP, P, and N proteins showed an interaction network formed between them. We highlight the MP capability to partially redistribute the previously reported N-P core complex, redirecting a portion of the N from the nucleus to the plasmodesmata at the cell periphery, which indicates not only that the MP might guide the intracellular trafficking of the viral infective complex but also that the N protein may be associated with the cell-to-cell movement mechanism of dichorhaviruses. The movement functionality of these MPs was analyzed by using three movement-defective infectious systems. Also, the MP capacity to generate tubular structures on the protoplast surface by ectopic expression was analyzed. Finally, we evaluated the in vivo protein-protein interaction networks between the dichorhavirus MP and/or N proteins with the heterologous cilevirus movement components, which suggest a broad spectrum of interactions, highlighting those among capsid proteins (CP), MPs, and Ns from citrus leprosis-associated viruses. These data may aid in understanding the mixed infection process naturally observed in the field caused by distinct BTVs.

Impact of climate change and early development of coffee rust - An overview of control strategies to preserve organic cultivars in Mexico.

Coffee is one of the most important commercial traded commodities in the international market, as well as the most popular beverage around the world. In Mexico, organic coffee cultivation (specifically, Arabica coffee crops) is a highly demanded that generates up to 500,000 employments in 14 federal entities. Among various coffee producers, Chiapas, Veracruz, and Oaxaca are responsible of 80% of the total coffee production in the country. Currently, Mexico is the leading producer of organic coffee in the world. However, there have been a slow recovery due to the large production losses since 2012, caused by earlier and highly aggressive outbreaks of coffee leaf rust (CLR), in the country, where the infectious agent is known as Hemileia vastatrix (HV). This phenomenon is becoming frequent, and climate change effects could be the main contributors. This spontaneous proliferation was generated in Mexico, due to the precipitation and temperature variability, during the last decade. As result, in Mexico, the biological interaction between coffee crops and their environment has been harmed and crucial characteristics, as crop yield and quality, are particularly being affected, directly by the negative effects of the greenhouse phenomenon, and indirectly, through diseases as CLR. Therefore, this review discusses the contribution of climate change effects in the early development of CLR in Mexico. The focus is also given on possible schemes and actions taken around the world as control measures to adapt the vulnerable coffee varieties to tackle this challenging issue.

Detection and Identification of Phytoplasmas in the 16SrIV-A, -B, and -D Subgroups in Palms in Tabasco, Mexico.

The 16SrIV-A phytoplasmas are associated with the devastating disease lethal yellowing (LY) of palms. In Tabasco (Mexico), the death of Cocos nucifera, Adonidia merrillii, and Attalea butyracea palms have been suspected to be associated with LY based on symptomatology. Samples from the trunk of both symptomatic and nonsymptomatic palms were collected in three different environments: two species of palms within a rural zone and the other within an urban zone. DNA was extracted to perform a nested PCR with phytoplasma primers P1/P7-LY16SF/R16R2. A 1,345-bp fragment was amplified from the DNA extracted from each of the 29 LY-symptomatic palms sampled. Phytoplasma identification was achieved by amplicon sequencing and virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. Three 16SrIV phytoplasma subgroups were detected: 16SrIV-A in C. nucifera, 16SrIV-B in A. merrillii, and 16SrIV-D in C. nucifera, A. merrillii, and A. butyracea. Phylogenetic analysis showed also that the three phytoplasma strains found in the palm species clustered with phytoplasmas reported in the literature in the three subgroups identified. This is the first report of phytoplasmas associated with these palm species in Tabasco.

Phylodynamics of sunflower chlorotic mottle virus, an emerging pathosystem.

Distribution and epidemiological patterns of sunflower chlorotic mottle virus (SCMoV) in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) growing areas in Argentina were studied from 2006 to 2017. The virus was detected exclusively in the Pampas region (Entre Ríos, Santa Fe, Córdoba, La Pampa and Buenos Aires provinces). Phylodynamic analyses performed using the coat protein gene of SCMoV isolates from sunflower and weeds dated the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) back to 1887 (HPD95% = 1572-1971), which coincides with the dates of sunflower introduction in Argentina. The MRCA was located in the south of Buenos Aires province and was associated with sunflower host (posterior probability for the ancestral host, ppah = 0.98). The Bayesian phylodynamic analyses revealed the dispersal patterns of SCMoV, suggesting a link between natural host diversity, crop displacement by human activities and virus spread.

Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans as a Phytopathogenic Model to Study the Immune System of Sorghum bicolor.

Herbaspirillum rubrisubalbicans is the causal agent of red stripe disease (RSD) and mottle stripe disease of sorghum and sugarcane, respectively. In all, 63 genotypes of Sorghum bicolor were inoculated with H. rubrisubalbicans, with 59 showing RSD symptoms. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population identified several QTL associated with variation in resistance to RSD. RNA sequencing analysis identified a number of genes whose transcript levels were differentially regulated during H. rubrisubalbicans infection. Among those genes that responded to H. rubrisubalbicans inoculation were many involved in plant-pathogen interactions such as leucine-rich repeat receptors, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, calcium-binding proteins, transcriptional factors (ethylene-responsive element binding factor), and callose synthase. Pretreatment of sorghum leaves with the pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) molecules flg22 and chitooctaose provided protection against subsequent challenge with the pathogen, suggesting that PAMP-triggered immunity plays an important role in the sorghum immunity response. These data present baseline information for the use of the genetically tractable H. rubrisubalbicans-sorghum pathosystem for the study of innate immunity and disease resistance in this important grain and bioenergy crop. Information gained from the use of this system is likely to be informative for other monocots, including those more intractable for experimental study (e.g., sugarcane).

Critical yield-point model to estimate damage caused by brown spot and powdery mildew in barley / Modelo do ponto crítico para estimar danos causados pela mancha-marrom e oídio em cevada

Barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.) is the second most important winter crop in Southern Brazil. The excessive rainfall in this region during the crop-growing season increases the frequency and intensity of foliar fungal diseases. The research aimed to determine the damage function equations (DFE) for the multiple pathosystem of barley brown spot and powdery mildew based on the relationship between grain yield and diseases intensity at different 'BRS Cauê' cultivar growth stages (GS) during 2009 and 2010 growing seasons in Southern Brazil. The experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and four replicates. The disease gradients were generated by strobilurins and triazols fungicides rates and number of applications on barley cv. Cauê. The fungicide applications and disease incidence and severity assessments were performed at the 22, 31, 39, 45 and 56 plant GS. The DFE were obtained by variance analysis and linear regression between grain yield and diseases intensity. Significant and negative DFE were obtained and the damage coefficients (DC) varied from 29.48 to 100.08 (2009) and from 36.08 to 113.57kg ha-1 (2010) for incidence, and from 219.5 to 6,276.6 (2009) and 102.3 to 5,292.5kg ha-1 (2010) for severity. The largest damage coefficients were obtained when diseases assessments were made on GS 22 and 31 on both growing seasons evaluated. DFE were used to calculate the economic damage threshold (EDT) as a criterion to indicate the fungicide application moment to control the diseases in cultivars similar to 'BRS Cauê' in Southern Brazil.(AU)

A cevada (Hordeum vulgaris L.) é a segunda mais importante cultura de inverno no Sul do Brasil. Nessa região, o excesso de chuvas durante a estação de crescimento da cultura favorece o aumento na frequência e intensidade de doenças foliares. O trabalho objetivou determinar as equações de função de dano (EFD) para o patossistema múltiplo mancha-marrom e oídio da cevada pela relação entre rendimento de grãos e intensidade foliar das doenças em diferentes estádios fenológicos da cultivar de cevada 'BRS Cauê', nas safras 2009 e 2010 no sul do Brasil. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados com nove tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de diferentes doses e número de aplicações dos fungicidas triazóis e estrobilurinas para gerar os gradientes de intensidade das doenças. As aplicações de fungicidas e as avaliações da incidência e severidade foliar foram realizadas nos estádios fenológicos (EF) 22, 31, 39, 45 e 56. As equações foram obtidas pela análise de variância e regressão linear entre rendimento de grãos e intensidade das doenças. As EFD foram significativas e negativas e os coeficientes de danos variaram de 29,48 a 100,08kg ha-1 (2009) e 36,08 a 113,57kg ha-1 ( 2010) para a incidência e de 219,5 a 6.276,6kg ha-1 ( 2009) e 102,3 a 5.292,5kg ha-1 (2010). Os maiores coeficientes de dano foram obtidos nos estádios EF 22 e 31em ambas as safras. As EFD foram usadas para calcular o limiar de dano econômico, que é um critério que indica o correto momento de aplicação de fungicidas para o controle das doenças em cultivares similares a 'BRS Cauê' no sul do Brasil.(AU)

Critical yield-point model to estimate damage caused by brown spot and powdery mildew in barley / Modelo do ponto crítico para estimar danos causados pela mancha-marrom e oídio em cevada

Barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.) is the second most important winter crop in Southern Brazil. The excessive rainfall in this region during the crop-growing season increases the frequency and intensity of foliar fungal diseases. The research aimed to determine the damage function equations (DFE) for the multiple pathosystem of barley brown spot and powdery mildew based on the relationship between grain yield and diseases intensity at different 'BRS Cauê' cultivar growth stages (GS) during 2009 and 2010 growing seasons in Southern Brazil. The experiments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and four replicates. The disease gradients were generated by strobilurins and triazols fungicides rates and number of applications on barley cv. Cauê. The fungicide applications and disease incidence and severity assessments were performed at the 22, 31, 39, 45 and 56 plant GS. The DFE were obtained by variance analysis and linear regression between grain yield and diseases intensity. Significant and negative DFE were obtained and the damage coefficients (DC) varied from 29.48 to 100.08 (2009) and from 36.08 to 113.57kg ha-1 (2010) for incidence, and from 219.5 to 6,276.6 (2009) and 102.3 to 5,292.5kg ha-1 (2010) for severity. The largest damage coefficients were obtained when diseases assessments were made on GS 22 and 31 on both growing seasons evaluated. DFE were used to calculate the economic damage threshold (EDT) as a criterion to indicate the fungicide application moment to control the diseases in cultivars similar to 'BRS Cauê' in Southern Brazil.

A cevada (Hordeum vulgaris L.) é a segunda mais importante cultura de inverno no Sul do Brasil. Nessa região, o excesso de chuvas durante a estação de crescimento da cultura favorece o aumento na frequência e intensidade de doenças foliares. O trabalho objetivou determinar as equações de função de dano (EFD) para o patossistema múltiplo mancha-marrom e oídio da cevada pela relação entre rendimento de grãos e intensidade foliar das doenças em diferentes estádios fenológicos da cultivar de cevada 'BRS Cauê', nas safras 2009 e 2010 no sul do Brasil. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados com nove tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos de diferentes doses e número de aplicações dos fungicidas triazóis e estrobilurinas para gerar os gradientes de intensidade das doenças. As aplicações de fungicidas e as avaliações da incidência e severidade foliar foram realizadas nos estádios fenológicos (EF) 22, 31, 39, 45 e 56. As equações foram obtidas pela análise de variância e regressão linear entre rendimento de grãos e intensidade das doenças. As EFD foram significativas e negativas e os coeficientes de danos variaram de 29,48 a 100,08kg ha-1 (2009) e 36,08 a 113,57kg ha-1 ( 2010) para a incidência e de 219,5 a 6.276,6kg ha-1 ( 2009) e 102,3 a 5.292,5kg ha-1 (2010). Os maiores coeficientes de dano foram obtidos nos estádios EF 22 e 31em ambas as safras. As EFD foram usadas para calcular o limiar de dano econômico, que é um critério que indica o correto momento de aplicação de fungicidas para o controle das doenças em cultivares similares a 'BRS Cauê' no sul do Brasil.