Abstract Detail

Basic and applied approaches to improve disease resistance in plants

Sharon, Amir [1], Liang, Ma [1], Wenjun, Zhu [1], Eisner, Elad [1], Shlezinger, Neta [1].

Putting it all together: Modulation of the interplay between plant immunity and fungal virulence by environmental factors.

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic plant pathogenic fungus, capable of causing disease in a wide range of ergonomically important crop plants. Earlier paradigm of necrotrophic interactions assumed that necrotrophic pathogens cause disease simply by secretion of large amounts of hydrolytic enzymes and toxins, which destroy the plant tissue. It is now clear that necrotrophic infection is far more sophisticated and orchestrated. An array of studies showed that Botrytis infection includes an establishment phase, in which the fungus and host both aim to kill each other, and a spreading stage, which differs dramatically from the initial stage. Bona fide effectors have not (yet) been discovered in Botrytis, however it is known that the fungus manipulates the plant defense system in several ways. On the plant side, studies in Arabidopsis have shown that the jasmonate and ethylene pathways, which mediate basal defense and are associated with ISR have negative effect on disease development, while the salicylic acid pathway, which is downstream to R genes activated defense responses is probably inefficient. These discoveries advanced understanding of the interplay between necrotrophic pathogens and plants, however it is important to remember that they are derived from studies performed under artificial conditions that provide optimal conditions for infection, and that the plant species used in most cases is Arabidopsis, which is not a natural host of Botrytis. Therefore, while much has been learned about the mechanisms of plant defense and fungal pathogenicity, relatively little is known on development of infection under natural conditions, in which the interplay between the fungus and the plant is modulated by environmental changes. To start addressing this aspect, we studied the effect of humidity on both disease progression and fungal development using Botrytis and Arabidopsis wild type and mutant strains. Results of this work will be presented and discussed.

1 - Tel Aviv University, Moecular Biology and Ecology of Plants, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

Keywords:
Botrytis
Disases.

Presentation Type: Symposium Presentation
Session: SY05
Location: Salon 2/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 2:45 PM
Number: SY05004
Abstract ID:596
Candidate for Awards:None