Heterothallism in Plasmopara viticola

Sexuality in the oomycete Plasmopara viticola , the causal agent of grapevine downy mildew, was studied using isolates from five populations from North America and Europe. Leaf discs of Vitis vinifera cv. 'Chardonnay' were inoculated with either individual single-sporangiophore isolates, or in all possible pairwise combinations of 25 isolates from New York State, USA. The occurrence of oospores in leaf discs indicated that the pathogen was heterothallic with two mating types, P1 and P2 in a ratio of 11 : 14 for this population. Heterothallism was confirmed when three representative isolates of each mating type from New York were coinoculated with each of 40 isolates from populations of P. viticola from Michigan, Missouri (USA), Germany and Italy. For each isolate tested, oospores formed with either test isolates of P1 or test isolates of P2 mating types, indicating that the isolates were exclusively P1 or P2 only. For these same isolates, no oospores formed as a result of self-crosses. The ratio of P1 : P2 mating types for all isolates in the study was 27 : 38, statistically equivalent to a 1 : 1 ratio according to χ² analysis ( P  = 0·68).     

Effect of water on germination of Plasmopara viticola oospores

The effect of moisture in grape leaf litter holding overwintering Plasmopara viticola oospores was investigated. Oospores were incubated under different regimes of water activity ( a_W 0·991 to 0·123) for 2 to 15 days and their ability to germinate and cause infection was determined using a sensitive leaf disk assay. Reduction of a_W caused a significant shift in the infection dynamics, with maximum effect when a_W  ≤ 0·56. Dynamics of a_W in the leaf litter under natural conditions were estimated from moisture data using a Chen-Clayton equation. Daily patterns of leaf litter moisture (M in % weight) were determined in non rainy periods between mid February and mid June, while the Chen-Clayton equation was calculated using data of a_W and M measured in both sorption and desorption conditions, at different temperatures. Water activity was highest at 08·00 hours, decreased progressively until 14·00 hours, and then increased. Water activity was favourable for oospores to develop in about 25% of the measurements, all made between 18·00 hours and 08·00 hours. A close relationship was found between vapour pressure deficit (VPD in hPa) and a_W of the leaf litter, so that when VPD is lower than 2·13 hPa there is sufficient water for oospores to develop. Results showed that leaf litter moisture due to water from the atmosphere makes oospore development possible during non rainy periods.     

Insights into the molecular mechanism of tolerance to carboxylic acid amide (CAA) fungicides in Pythium aphanidermatum

BACKGROUND: Tolerance to the oomycete‐specific carboxylic acid amide (CAA) fungicides is a poorly understood mechanism in Pythium species. The root‐rot and damping‐off causative agent Pythium aphanidermatum and the CAA fungicide mandipropamid (MPD) were used to investigate the molecular basis of CAA tolerance. RESULTS: Five genes putatively involved in carbohydrate synthesis were identified and characterised: one chitin synthase gene, PaChs, and four cellulose synthase genes PaCesA1 to PaCesA4, of which PaCesA3 encodes the MPD target enzyme. These genes were differentially expressed throughout the life cycle of P. aphanidermatum. Mycelium treated with MPD concentrations slightly affecting mycelial growth did not cause a change in PaCesA3 expression nor a strong upregulation of PaCesA homologues. The high tolerance level of P. aphanidermatum and the lack of PaCesA upregulation imply that MPD tolerance is the result of a specific amino acid configuration in the cellulose synthase 3 (CesA3) target enzyme. Indeed, P. aphanidermatum displays the amino acid L1109 which is also associated with MPD resistance in artificial mutants of Phytophthora species. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that MPD tolerance in P. aphanidermatum is not caused by compensatory mechanisms but most likely by an inherent target‐site configuration in PaCesA3 that hinders MPD binding to the enzyme pocket. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity of carboxylic acid amide (CAA) fungicides against Bremia lactucae

Four carboxylic acid amide (CAA) fungicides, mandipropamid (MPD), dimethomorph (DMM), benthiavalicarb (BENT) and iprovalicarb (IPRO) were examined for their effects on various developmental stages of Bremia lactucae, the causal agent of downy mildew in lettuce, in vitro and in planta. Spore germination in vitro or on leaf surfaces was inhibited by all CAA fungicides (technical or formulated). MPD was more effective in suppressing germination than DMM or BENT, whereas IPRO was least effective. CAA induced no disruption of F-actin microfilament organisation in germinating spores of B. lactucae. CAA applied to germinating spores in vitro prevented further extension of the germ tubes. When applied to germinated spores on the leaf surface they prevented penetration. Preventive application of CAA to intact plants inhibited infection. MPD was more effective in suppressing infection than DMM or BENT, whereas IPRO was least effective. Curative application was effective at ≤3 h post-inoculation (hpi) but not at ≥18 hpi. CAA (except IPRO) applied to upper leaf surfaces inhibited spore germination on the lower surface and hence reduced infection. CAA suppressed sporulation of B. lactucae on floating leaf discs and when sprayed onto infected plants two days before onset of sporulation. BENT and DMM were more effective in suppressing sporulation than MPD or IPRO. Epidemics of downy mildew in shade-house grown lettuce were suppressed by CAA. A single spray applied to five-leaf plants before transplanting controlled the disease for 50 days. The results suggest that CAA are effective inhibitors of spore germination and therefore should be used as preventive agents against downy mildew of lettuce caused by B. lactucae.     

Identification of Microsatellite Markers for Plasmopara viticola and Establishment of High throughput Method for SSR Analysis

The Oomycete Plasmopara viticola is the causal organism of downy mildew on grapevine (Vitis spp.). In order to set up the techniques for investigating downy mildew disease dynamics and genetic structure, co-dominant, neutral, highly reproducible and polymorphic microsatellite markers for P. viticola were developed. Five markers, two with a (TC)_n repeat (loci BER and ISA), two with a (TC)_n(AC)_n repeat (loci CES and REX) and one with a (CT)_n(CTAT)_n repeat (locus GOB), were selected. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers revealed different degrees of polymorphism within 190 oil spots (disease symptoms) collected from an infected Italian vineyard. The most polymorphic SSR marker GOB showed 43 alleles (Nei's expected gene diversity H_e = 0.89) while CES, ISA, BER and REX showed 14 (H_e = 0.71), 4 (H_e = 0.57), 3 (H_e = 0.24) and 1 allele (H_e = 0), respectively. A high throughput DNA extraction method, that allowed molecular analysis of this obligate pathogen directly in the host without any isolation procedure, was developed. The quality and quantity of oil spots did not influence the SSR analysis. Amplified SSR loci were separated by electrophoresis on a Beckman–Coulter 2000XL sequencer and automatically analysed. The objective of this study was to develop molecular biological tools and methods that allow high throughput analysis of the downy mildew populations.     

Estimating the germination dynamics of Plasmopara viticola oospores using hydro-thermal time

The effects of environmental conditions on the variability in germination dynamics of Plasmopara viticola oospores were studied from 1999 to 2003. The germination course was determined indirectly as the relative infection incidence (RII) occurring on grape leaf discs kept in contact with oospores sampled from a vineyard between March and July. The time elapsed between 1 January and the infection occurrence was expressed as physiological time, using four methods: (i) sums of daily temperatures > 8°C; (ii) hourly temperatures > 10°C; (iii) sums of hourly rates from a temperature-dependent function; or (iv) sums of these rates in hours with a rain or vapour pressure deficit ≤ 4·5 hPa (hydro-thermal time, HT). An equation of Gompertz in the form RII = exp[− a  · exp(− b  · HT)] produced an accurate fit for both separate years ( R ² = 0·97 to 0·99) and pooled data ( R ² = 0·89), as well as a good accuracy in cross-estimating new data ( r between observed and cross-estimated data were between 0·93 and 0·99, P  < 0·0001). It also accounted for a great part of the variability in oospore germination between years and both between and within sampling periods. Therefore, the equation of Gompertz (with a  = 15·9 ± 2·63 and b  = 0·653 ± 0·034) calculated over hydro-thermal time, a physiological time accounting for the effects of both temperature and moisture, produced a consistent modelling of the general relationships between the germination dynamics of a population of P. viticola oospores and weather conditions. It represents the relative density of the seasonal oospores that should have produced sporangia when they have experienced favourable conditions for germination.     

Method for rapid detection of the PvCesA3 gene allele conferring resistance to mandipropamid, a carboxylic acid amide fungicide, in Plasmopara viticola populations

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of carboxylic acid amide (CAA)‐fungicide‐resistant Plasmopara viticola populations is becoming a serious problem in the control of grapevine downy mildew worldwide. RESULTS: The authors have developed a method, which utilises PCR‐RFLP, for the rapid detection of resistance to the CAA fungicide mandipropamid in P. viticola populations. With this method, a glycine‐to‐serine substitution at codon 1105 of the cellulose synthase gene PvCesA3 of CAA‐fungicide‐resistant P. viticola was easily detected, although no resistant P. viticola was detected from 398 isolates in Japan. CONCLUSION: It is proposed that the PCR‐RFLP method is a reliable tool for the rapid detection of CAA‐fungicide‐resistant P. viticola isolates. Only 4 h was required from the sampling of symptoms to the phenotyping of fungicide resistance. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

葡萄感染霜霉病菌后几种信号物质的变化

以3个抗病性不同的酿酒葡萄品种(‘西拉’‘霞多丽’‘赤霞珠’)叶片为材料,检测霜霉病菌侵染后几种病原相关信号物质,如脱落酸(ABA)、过氧化氢(H2O2)、一氧化氮(NO)、茉莉酸(JA)和乙烯(ETH)等的变化,以探讨葡萄抵御霜霉病菌的信号转导机制。结果表明,H2O2和NO是葡萄感应霜霉病菌的早期信号分子,且抗性较强的品种‘西拉’的变化最为明显;JA和ABA是抗性较差品种‘赤霞珠’应答霜霉病的信号组分。而3个抗性不同葡萄品种的乙烯变化无明显差别。推测H2O2、NO、JA和ABA均参与了葡萄对霜霉病菌的防御反应,但不同品种间信号转导组分可能存在差异。     

Genetic Dissection of Plasmopara viticola Population from a Greek Vineyard in Two Consecutive Years

Oilspots of the Plasmopara viticola population in a Greek vineyard over 2 years were collected and the pathogen genotyped with the use of four microsatellite loci. In 2001, five samplings occurred and 327 lesions were collected, which were classified to 23 genotypes. In 2002, the 426 lesions collected in four samplings belonged to 54 genotypes. A reproducible pattern of the evolution of the epidemic was exhibited that can be described as 'predominance-of-one-clone'. In 2001, the predominant clone covered 72–92% of each sample, while in 2002 the incidence of the predominant clone was 38–90%. The remaining genotypes showed low clonal reproduction and dispersal. Oosporic infections occurred throughout the season. The severity and the diversity in 2002 were, however, higher than in 2001 and this was not in accordance with the climatic conditions, suggesting that other factors, like the epidemic of the previous year, also influence the epidemic of the disease. These results produce new concepts about the epidemiology of the pathogen.     

Temporal disease dynamics and relative importance of sexual and asexual reproduction of grape downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) in an isolated vineyard in the North Georgia Mountains,USA

The North Georgia Mountains are the southernmost region along the United States East Coast where European wine grapes (Vitis vinifera) are grown commercially. Epidemics of downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, are frequent and severe, but little is known about the epidemiology and population biology of the pathogen in this region. Disease monitoring in an experimental vineyard from 2015 to 2017 indicated that times of disease onset and progress rates were highly variable across years and cultivars. Oospores were observed microscopically, and simulation with a process-based model indicated presence of conditions favourable for oospore germination in the spring and early summer each year. A total of 409 P. viticola isolates collected over three  years were genotyped with seven microsatellite markers, revealing very high genotypic diversity, which when combined with the observation of oospores is indicative of a sexually reproducing population. Among the 409 isolates, 225 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were identified, of which 164 were detected only once and 61 were repeated (clonal). Eight MLGs (represented by 28 isolates) were detected across years, suggesting the possibility of asexual overwintering of P. viticola in this region. Across sampling dates, the percentage of isolates belonging to nonrepeated (unique) MLGs ranged from 27.3% to 63.2%. Even towards the end of the annual epidemic, the percentage of isolates in nonrepeated MLGs was still relatively high, around 30%. These MLGs may have originated from oospores germinating late during the growing season, although incomplete sampling at earlier dates and contribution by immigration cannot be fully excluded.     

H2S位于H2O2下游介导葡萄抗霜霉病过程

 以霜霉病抗性葡萄品种左优红和感病品种霞多丽为材料,研究硫化氢(H₂S)在葡萄应答霜霉病过程中的作用及其与过氧化氢(H₂O₂)的相互关系。结果表明,接种霜霉病菌后,抗性品种左优红和感病品种霞多丽叶片均出现H₂S含量的猝发、H₂S合成酶基因表达量增加、抗病相关蛋白多酚氧化酶(PPO)和β-1,3葡聚糖酶(Glu)活性显著升高现象;且H₂S清除剂次牛磺酸(HT)可以显著抑制霜霉病菌诱导的PPO和Glu活性升高,并导致葡萄的感病率和病情指数显著升高;同时外源H₂S可降低两个葡萄品种的感病率和病情指数。说明,H₂S是参与葡萄抗霜霉病过程的新的信号物质。受霜霉病菌侵染后,葡萄叶片H₂O₂含量猝发早于H₂S,并且H₂O₂清除剂抗坏血酸(AsA)可显著抑制霜霉病菌所诱导的H₂S含量的上升,而H₂S清除剂HT对霜霉病菌诱导的H₂O₂含量变化影响不显著,推测,H₂S作用于H₂O₂的下游参与葡萄抵御霜霉病过程。     

Involvement of phenolic compounds in the resistance of grapevine callus to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola)

Callus tissue of different grapevines (Vitis spp.) was inoculated withPlasmopara viticola. Short, highly-branched hyphae with necrosis, and long hyphae with heavy sporulation were observed on resistant and susceptible callus respectively. Thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric analysis showed that resistant callus contained greater quantities of gallocatechin derivatives than susceptible callus. Regression analysis between the field disease rating of each variety and its gallocatechin derivatives content indicated 92.2% correlation. Histochemical studies showed that, after infection withP. viticola, flavonoids appeared in the superficial cell walls of the callus, to a lesser degree on susceptible callus than on resistant callus. At a late stage of infection, the superficial cells of resistant callus were suberized, which did not occur in susceptible callus. This study showed that the preformed gallocatechin derivatives, the induced flavonoids and suberized superficial cells might play a role in the resistance of grapevine callus tissue to this fungus.Abbreviations CallusI Callus ofV. riparia var. Gloire de Montpellier - CallusV Callus ofV. vinifera var. Grenache - TLC Thin Layer Chromatography - var. variety - GAD Gallic acid derivatives - GD gallocatechin derivatives - RC resistant callus - SC susceptible callus     

NO和H2O2提高葡萄抗霜霉病的生理作用机制

 以对霜霉病具有不同抗性的3个葡萄品种Fredonia、西拉和赤霞珠为材料,研究一氧化氮（NO）和过氧化氢（H₂O₂）在调控葡萄抵御霜霉病菌感染过程中的生理机制。结果表明：接种葡萄霜霉病菌后3个葡萄品种叶片中NO和H₂O₂含量均有猝发现象,H₂O₂猝发早于NO,抗性强的品种Fredonia的变化快而显著;外施一定浓度的NO供体硝普钠（SNP）和H₂O₂均可减缓霜霉病菌侵染过程,降低感病率和平均病情指数,并且能够不同程度地提高抗性弱的葡萄品种赤霞珠叶片的过氧化物酶（POD）、苯丙氨酸解氨酶（PAL）、β-1,3-葡聚糖酶（Glu）和几丁质酶（Cht）活性,增强葡萄过敏性坏死反应;而NO和H₂O₂的清除剂2-4,4,5,5-苯-四甲基咪唑-1-氧-3-氧化物（cPTIO）和抗坏血酸（AsA）在一定程度上能够提高感病率和平均病情指数。推测NO和H₂O₂可以通过提高POD、PAL、Glu和Cht病程相关蛋白活性,进而增强葡萄对霜霉病的抗性。     

8种杀菌剂防治葡萄霜霉病田间药效试验

比较了8种杀菌剂对葡萄霜霉病的防治效果。结果表明:烯酰吗啉.甲霜灵30%水分散粒剂600倍液、烯酰吗啉40%悬浮剂600倍液、甲霜.锰锌72%水分散粒剂400倍液、嘧菌酯25%悬浮剂1 500倍液以及氯化十二烷基苄基铵10%水剂1 000倍液对葡萄霜霉病的防治效果良好,显著优于传统药剂三乙膦酸铝80%水分散粒剂500倍液、代森锰锌80%可湿性粉剂800倍液、丙森锌70%可湿性粉剂400倍液。其中,烯酰吗啉.甲霜灵30%水分散粒剂600倍液效果尤佳。