Identification and Quantification of Ascospores as the Primary Inoculum for Collar Rot of Greenhouse-Produced Tobacco Seedlings

Temporal Dynamics of Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Seed Alfalfa Fields of Southern Alberta, Canada

Blossom blight of seed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), caused by the fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a potentially devastating disease on the Canadian Prairies in moist growing seasons. Monitoring the airborne spore concentrations of these pathogens could facilitate disease forecasting in the region. Nineteen seed alfalfa fields in southern Alberta, Canada were assessed throughout the growing seasons of 2014 and 2015. Trace levels of blossom blight symptoms were found in both years; however, plated floret and pod samples indicated that, overall, B. cinerea increased over the growing season whereas S. sclerotiorum decreased. In both seasons, Burkard 7-day volumetric spore samplers collected daily aerosol samples, and weather stations recorded environmental variables in three fields. Conidia and ascospores collected were quantified each day with a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Spore quantification indicated that both B. cinerea and S. sclerotiorum numbers remained low in July and increased in August. Both species had multiple days with high spore discharge, with seasonal maxima of 21,137 conidia and 2,265 ascospores. Exploratory model development indicated that spore discharge of both fungi is associated with environmental stressors such as large changes in relative humidity or high temperatures on preceding days.

A multiplex PCR assay for the detection and quantification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea

Traditional culture methods for identifying the plant fungal pathogens Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary and Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr. are slow and laborious. The goal of this study was to develop a multiplex real-time PCR (qPCR) assay to detect and quantify DNA from S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea. A primer set (SsIGS_5) for S. sclerotiorum was designed that targeted the intergenic spacer (IGS) regions of the ribosomal DNA. Addition of a probe to the assay increased its specificity: when the primer/probe set was tested against 21 fungal species (35 strains), amplification was detected from all S. sclerotiorum strains and no other species. For qPCR, the SsIGS_5 primer and probe set exhibited a linear range from 7·0 ng to 0·07 pg target DNA (R(2)  = 0·99). SsIGS_5 was then multiplexed with a previously published primer/probe set for B. cinerea to develop a high-throughput method for the detection and quantification of DNA from both pathogens. When multiplexed, the sensitivity and specificity of both assays were not different from individual qPCR reactions. The multiplex assay is currently being used to detect and quantify S. sclerotiorum and B. cinerea DNA from aerosol samples collected in commercial seed alfalfa fields.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

A primer and probe set for the quantification of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum DNA in a PCR assay was developed. The probe-based nature of this assay signifies an improvement over previous assays for this species by allowing multiplex reactions while maintaining high sensitivity. The primer/probe set was used in a multiplex real-time PCR assay for the quantification of S. sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea DNA, enabling rapid analysis of environmental samples. In crops susceptible to both pathogens, this multiplex assay can be used to quickly quantify the presence of each pathogen.

High genetic diversity, phenotypic uniformity, and evidence of outcrossing in sclerotinia sclerotiorum in the columbia basin of washington state

ABSTRACT Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the causal agent of potato stem rot, is prevalent and poorly managed on potatoes in the Columbia Basin of Washington. Because of the ubiquitous nature of the fungus and high crop diversity within the Columbia Basin, understanding the population structure and the potential for outcrossing of the pathogen would be helpful in developing disease management strategies. The population structure of S. sclerotiorum in the Columbia Basin from potato was examined using microsatellite markers and mycelial compatibility. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 92% of the variability among 167 isolates was found within subpopulations, with limited, yet statistically significant impact of the collection date, but not the year or location of collection. Linkage disequilibrium and index of association analyses noted a potential for outcrossing in two locations, which was substantiated by the discovery of recombinant ascospores in three field-generated apothecia from the 12 apothecia examined. Microsatellite haplotypes were not correlated with mycelial compatibility groups. This high haplotypic diversity did not seem to impact pathologically important phenotypes. Greenhouse inoculations of potato plants exhibited no significant differences in aggressiveness on potato stems. Moreover, in vitro studies of response to fungicides and temperature stimuli yielded no significant differences among studied isolates. These findings illustrate the potential for outcrossing in warm temperate regions of North America, where a diversity of crops are planted simultaneously and in neighboring fields. This study also indicates that the unsatisfactory management of potato stem rot is likely not directly attributable to genetic factors, but to gaps in agricultural practices.

Development of Sclerotinia Stem Rot in Potato Fields in South-Central Washington

Sclerotinia stem rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a recurrent disease on potato in the Columbia Basin of Washington. The role of ascospores in association with disease onset and stem rot incidence in commercial fields and the role of flower blossoms on plant infection were investigated in 10 fields over 2 years. Ascospores of S. sclerotiorum were detected on a semiselective medium over several weeks, with a peak in number of ascospores near initial full bloom. A high proportion of blossoms at initial full bloom were contaminated with S. sclerotiorum prior to blossom fall in most fields. Stem lesions occurred after row closure and blossom drop, and were associated with mycelial mats growing from contaminated blossoms that had dropped on plant stems in the plant canopy or blossoms that dropped on the ground and stems contacting the ground. Incidence of Sclerotinia stem rot was reduced significantly when blossoms were removed from plants before blossom drop. Flower blossoms were shown to be a paramount bridge between airborne ascospores of S. sclerotiorum and stem infection in the potato canopy.

Using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms to Assess Temporal Variation and Estimate the Number of Ascospores that Initiate Epidemics in Field Populations of Mycosphaerella graminicola

ABSTRACT Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) and DNA fingerprints were used to assess temporal variation and estimate the effective population size of the wheat pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola over a 6-year period. In each year, the fungal population was founded by ascospores originating from outside the sampled fields. A total of 605 fungal isolates were included in this study. Our results indicate that the genetic structure of these M. graminicola populations were stable over the 6-year period. The common alleles at each RFLP locus were present at similar frequencies each year. More than 99% of gene diversity was distributed within populations sampled from the same year and less than 1% was attributed to differences among years. The lack of population differentiation among collections taken in different years indicated that the effective size of the source population was sufficiently large that genetic drift was insignificant in this location. It also suggests that the initial colonists from ascospore founder populations were a fair reflection of the source population. We estimate that the effective sizes of these field populations ranged from 3,400 to 700,000 individuals, depending on the size of the field sampled and assumptions about mutation rates. Estimates of the number of ascospores initiating epidemics of leaf blotch disease in each field plot and factors that contribute to the large effective population size of M. graminicola are discussed.

Factors that Affect Development of Collar Rot on Tobacco Seedlings Grown in Greenhouses

Collar rot, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is an important disease of tobacco transplants produced under greenhouse conditions. Factors that affect the development of the disease were studied, including age of seedlings, presence of an external source of nutrients (leaf extract), clipping (leaf removal) practices, exposure to low temperature, and leaf injury caused by heat and a chemical. Flue-cured tobacco seedlings, cultivar K-326, were grown in polystyrene cell trays floating on a nutrient solution. Trays were maintained in a phytotron growth chamber with a 28/18°C day/night temperature regime. Seedlings were inoculated with ascospores of S. sclerotiorum at the desired stage of growth by placing mature apothecia in the growth chamber and inducing ascospore release and deposition. Disease incidence was determined by examining seedlings for the presence of stem lesions over the next 15 to 21days. Seedlings between 35 and 53 days old were more susceptible to collar rot than younger or older seedlings. Inoculum efficiency was highest and disease was most severe when an external source of nutrients was present on leaf surfaces. Clipping of leaf tips did not increase disease, but if the leaf pieces created by clipping were left on seedlings, collar rot development was enhanced compared with treatments where debris was removed. Heat and chemical injuries that resulted in necrotic tissue provided highly susceptible infection courts for ascospores of S. sclerotiorum, but exposure to low temperature, which caused no visible injury, did not enhance infection. Adoption of cultural practices that minimize accumulation of leaf debris and eliminate factors that cause necrotic injury on leaves should greatly reduce the severity of collar rot of tobacco seedlings.

Evaluation of Wounds as a Factor to Infection of Cabbage by Ascospores of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

A semi-selective medium was used to examine the aerobiology of ascospores of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in five commercial cabbage fields in eastern North Carolina. Ascospores were present in all five fields from 26 September to 30 November. However, numbers of ascospores varied greatly depending on location, sampling date, and time. In general, peak ascospore deposition occurred between 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M., with the number of colonies recovered ranging from 3 to 55/dish (9 cm in diameter). Peak ascospore numbers at all locations were found from mid- to late October, but a second, smaller peak was also evident at each location in late November. Information obtained was employed to evaluate the role of wounding in infection of cabbage by ascospores of S. sclerotiorum in controlled environmental chambers. A method for production and release of ascospores of S. sclerotiorum was employed in controlled-environment chambers for the inoculation of cabbage plants with one of three representative foliar wounds: a bruise, a cut, or a non-lethal freeze. Wounding treatments were applied to 7-week-old cabbage plants, misting was added to maintain continuous leaf wetness, and ascospores were released from apothecia twice daily for four consecutive days. Spore trapping with a semi-selective medium indicated that inoculum was evenly distributed within the chambers and deposition was similar to levels recorded in the field. At 31 days after inoculation, disease incidence ranged from 0% on the control to 96% on the freeze treatments. Freeze-treated plants showed the highest disease severity throughout the entire incubation period. Mean area under the disease progress curve of severity values were 0, 0.2, 34 and 60 for the control, cut, bruise, and freeze treatments, respectively. Results indicate that freeze and bruise injuries are important factors associated with infection of cabbage by S. sclerotiorum.