Interaction between sugarcane and Colletotrichum falcatum causing red rot: Understanding disease resistance at transcription level

Plant extracts and antifungal microorganisms were tested singly and in combination for biocontrol of sugarcane red rot disease ( Colletotrichum falcatum ) using two sugarcane ( Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars, CoC671 and CoC92061, in pot and field experiments. Leaf extracts of Abrus precatorius and Bassia latifolia and the rhizome extract of Curcuma longa reduced Colletotrichum falcatum mycelial growth by 80%, 58%, and 57%, respectively. Although sugarcane- planting materials (setts) treated individually with either Pseudomonas fluorescens Md1 or A. precatorius in pot experiments had the lowest incidences of red rot, 20.1% and 24.2%, respectively, none of the plant extracts were effective in the field. In contrast, when the two varieties were tested separately in two field locations, the setts treated with A. precatorius in combination with a spray or soil application of P. fluorescens Md1 had the lowest incidence of red rot in both locations, e.g., 3.1% and 3.4% incidence for CoC92061 in one location, and had a similar response to the chemical control. The results suggest the applicability of plant-based extracts for the suppression of sugarcane red rot disease in the field as an environment-friendly tool in combination with antagonists.

Download Full-text

Characterization and Expression Analysis of Resistance Gene Analogues in Elite Sugarcane Genotypes

Protein and Peptide Letters ◽

10.2174/0929866528666210129153025 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

Author(s):

Aqsa Parvaiz ◽

Ghulam Mustafa ◽

Muhammad Sarwar Khan ◽

Muhammad Amjad Ali

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Disease Resistance ◽

Resistance Gene ◽

Critical Role ◽

Colletotrichum Falcatum ◽

Resistance Response ◽

Sequence Characterization ◽

Dna And Rna ◽

Disease Resistant ◽

Cellular Dna

Background: Resistance Gene Analogues (RGAs) are an important source of disease resistance in crop plants and have been extensively studies for their identification, tagging and mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs). Tracking these RGAs in sugarcane can be of great help for the selection and screening of disease resistant clones. Objective: In the present study expression of different Resistance Gene Analogues (RGAs) was assessed in indigenous elite sugarcane genotypes which include resistant, highly resistant, susceptible and highly susceptible to disease infestation. Methods: Total cellular DNA and RNA were isolated from fourteen indigenous elite sugarcane genotypes. PCR, semi-quantitative RT PCR and real time qPCR analyses were performed. The resultant amplicons were sequence characterized, chromosomal localization and phylogenetic analysis were performed. Result: All of the 15 RGA primers resulted in amplification of single or multiple fragments from genomic DNA whereas only five RGA primers resulted in amplification from cDNA. Sequence characterization of amplified fragments revealed 86-99% similarity with disease resistance proteins indicating their potential role in disease resistance response. Phylogenetic analysis also validated these findings. Further, expression of RGA-012, RGA-087, RGA-118, RGA-533 and RGA-542 appeared to be upregulated and down regulated in disease resistant and susceptible genotypes, respectively, after inoculation with Colletotrichum falcatum. Conclusion: RGAs are present in most of our indigenous genotypes. Anyhow, differential expression of five RGAs indicated that they have some critical role in disease resistance. So, the retrieved results can not only be employed to devise molecular markers for the screening of disease resistant genotypes but can also be used to develop disease resistant plants through transgenic technology.

Download Full-text