Research: New pathosystem to study Fusarium head blight
The dicotyledonous model species Arabidopsis thaliana has been used to study Fusarium-host interactions but it is not ideal for model-to-crop translation. Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) has been proposed as a new monocotyledonous model species for functional genomic studies in grass species. Fusarium species cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) and other important diseases of cereals. The causal agents produce trichothecene mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON).
This study aims to assess the interaction between the most prevalent FHB-causing Fusarium species and Brachypodium distachyon (Bd) in order to develop and exploit Bd as a genetic model for FHB and other Fusarium diseases of wheat.
Results
The ability of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum to infect a range of Bd tissues was examined in various bioassays which showed that both species can infect all Bd tissues examined, including intact foliar tissues.
The ability of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum to infect a range of Bd tissues was examined in various bioassays which showed that both species can infect all Bd tissues examined, including intact foliar tissues.
DON accumulated in infected spike tissues at levels similar to those of infected wheat spikes.
Histological studies revealed details of infection, colonisation and host response and indicate that hair cells are important sites of infection.
Susceptibility to Fusarium and DON was assessed in two Bd ecotypes and revealed variation in resistance between ecotypes.
Conclusions
Bd exhibits characteristics of susceptibility highly similar to those of wheat, including susceptibility to spread of disease in the spikelets.
Bd exhibits characteristics of susceptibility highly similar to those of wheat, including susceptibility to spread of disease in the spikelets.
Bd is the first reported plant species to allow successful infection on intact foliar tissues by FHB-causing Fusarium species. DON appears to function as a virulence factor in Bd as it does in wheat.
Bd is proposed as a valuable model for undertaking studies of Fusarium head blight and other Fusarium diseases of wheat.
Author: Antoine Peraldi, Giovanni Beccari, Andy Steed, Paul Nicholson
Credits/Source: BMC Plant Biology 2011, 11:100
Credits/Source: BMC Plant Biology 2011, 11:100
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