Improved control of septoria tritici blotch in durum wheat using cultivar mixtures

AbstractMixtures of cultivars with contrasting levels of resistance can suppress infectious diseases in wheat, as demonstrated in numerous field experiments. Most studies focused on airborne pathogens in bread wheat, while splash-dispersed pathogens have received less attention, and no studies have been conducted in durum wheat. We conducted a two-year field experiment in Tunisia, to evaluate the performance of cultivar mixtures with varying proportions of resistance (0–100%) in controlling the polycyclic, splash-dispersed disease Septoria tritici blotch (STB) in durum wheat. To measure STB severity, we used a high-throughput method based on digital image analysis of 3074 infected leaves collected from 42 and 40 experimental plots during the first and second years, respectively. This allowed us to quantify pathogen reproduction on wheat leaves and to acquire a large dataset that exceeds previous studies with respect to accuracy and precision. Our analyses show that introducing only 25% of a disease-resistant cultivar into a pure stand of a susceptible cultivar provides a substantial reduction of almost 50% in disease severity compared to the susceptible pure stand. However, comprising the resistant component of two cultivars instead of one did not further improve disease control, contrary to predictions of epidemiological theory. Susceptible cultivars can be agronomically superior to resistant cultivars or be better accepted by growers for other reasons. Hence, if mixtures with only a moderate proportion of the resistant cultivar provide a similar degree of disease control as resistant pure stands, as our analysis indicates, such mixtures are more likely to be accepted by growers.

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Quantitative inheritance of resistance to Septoria tritici blotch in durum wheat in Tunisia

Chilean journal of agricultural research ◽

10.4067/s0718-58392014000100006 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 35-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Samia Berraies ◽

Karim Ammar ◽

Mohamed Salah Gharbi ◽

Amor Yahyaoui ◽

Salah Rezgui

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Inheritance Of Resistance ◽

Quantitative Inheritance

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Genome-Wide Association Study of Septoria tritici Blotch Resistance in Ethiopian Durum Wheat Landraces

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2017.01586 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Yosef G. Kidane ◽

Bogale N. Hailemariam ◽

Dejene K. Mengistu ◽

Carlo Fadda ◽

Mario Enrico Pè ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Association Study ◽

Durum Wheat ◽

Genome Wide Association Study ◽

Genome Wide Association ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Wheat Landraces ◽

Durum Wheat Landraces

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Management of septoria tritici blotch using cultivar mixtures

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-01-21-0069-re ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rose Kristoffersen ◽

Lars Bonde Eriksen ◽

Ghita Cordsen Nielsen ◽

Johannes Ravn Jørgensen ◽

Lise Nistrup Jørgensen

Keyword(s):

Disease Severity ◽

Control Strategy ◽

Integrated Control ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Yield Increase ◽

Disease Pressure ◽

Cultivar Mixture ◽

Cultivar Mixtures ◽

Ipm Strategy

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) is among the most devastating diseases in European wheat production. In recent years, there has been increased interest in using cultivar mixtures as part of an integrated control strategy against diseases. This study investigated different cultivar mixtures for their ability to control STB across three years and at seven trial sites in Denmark with a range of fungicide strategies, yielding a total of 194 individual cultivar mixture combinations. The mixtures were composed of two, three or four cultivars which were either similar or contrasting in their susceptibility to STB. Across all trials, the cultivar mixtures reduced disease severity significantly, by 14% compared to the component cultivars grown in monoculture. The reductions were larger when the disease pressure was high and when the mixtures included more cultivars. Mixtures composed of four cultivars reduced disease severity significantly, by 24%. Across all trials, cultivar mixtures significantly increased yield by 2% compared to the component cultivars grown in monoculture. The yield increase was significant for plots treated with one or two fungicide applications, and cultivar mixtures increased yield significantly, by 4.4% in untreated plots. The yield increase was smaller for mixtures with a high proportion of resistant cultivars. Based on the results from this study, cultivar mixtures can contribute positively to an IPM strategy, by reducing disease severity for STB and increasing yield. The most pronounced benefits from cultivar mixtures were found in fields with moderate to low fungicide input, under conditions with high disease pressure, when combining four cultivars with varying susceptibilities.

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Behavior of Spanish durum wheat genotypes against Zymoseptoria tritici: resistance and susceptibility

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2021193-17953 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. e1002-e1002

Author(s):

Rafael Porras ◽

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Agronomic Traits ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Zymoseptoria Tritici ◽

Sources Of Resistance ◽

Breeding Lines ◽

Wheat Genotypes ◽

Commercial Cultivars ◽

Growth Chambers

Aim of study: Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici, is one of the most important wheat diseases worldwide, affecting both bread and durum wheat. The lack of knowledge about the interaction of durum wheat with Z. tritici, together with limited resources of resistant durum wheat material, have both led to a rising threat for durum wheat cultivation, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin. In Spain, STB has increased its incidence in the last few years, leading to higher costs of fungicide applications to control the disease. Therefore, identification of new sources of resistance through wheat breeding stands out as an efficient method of facing STB. Area of study: The experimental study was conducted in growth chambers at the IFAPA facilities in Córdoba (Spain). Material and methods: The percentage of necrotic leaf area, the disease severity, and the pycnidium development through image analysis were evaluated from 48 durum wheat Spanish accessions (breeding lines and commercial cultivars) in growth chambers against an isolate of Z. tritici from Córdoba. Main results: Two breeding lines and six commercial cultivars showed resistant responses by limiting STB development through the leaf or its reproduction ability, while the other 40 accessions presented a susceptible response. Research highlights: Provided these resources of resistance in Spanish durum wheat genotypes, future breeding programs could be developed, incorporating both agronomic traits and resistance to STB.

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SNP-Based Genetic Structure of Tunisian Durum Wheat Landraces and Distribution of the Resistance to Septoria Tritici Blotch

10.21203/rs.3.rs-957863/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maroua Ouaja ◽

Bochra Bahri ◽

Sahbi Ferjaoui ◽

Maher Medini ◽

Udupa M. Sri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Structure ◽

Durum Wheat ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Zymoseptoria Tritici ◽

Mediterranean Populations ◽

Population Structure Analysis ◽

Wheat Landraces ◽

Durum Wheat Landraces

Abstract Background: Septoria tritici blotch (STB) has marked durum wheat production worldwide. This fungal disease is until today a challenge for farmers, researchers and breeders all united in the aim of reducing its damage and improving wheat resistance. Tunisian durum wheat landraces were reported to be valuable genetic resources for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and are therefore prominently deployed in breeding programs to develop new varieties adapted to fungal diseases as STB and to climate change constraints overall.Results: A total of 366 local durum wheat accessions were assessed for resistance to two virulent Tunisian isolates of Zymoseptoria tritici Tun06 and TM220 under field conditions. Population structure analysis of the durum wheat accessions, performed with 286 polymorphic SNPs (PIC >0.3) covering the entire genome, identified three genetic subpopulations (GS1, GS2 and GS3) with 22% of admixed genotypes. Interestingly, all of the resistant genotypes were among GS2 or admixed with GS2. Conclusions: This study revealed the population structure and the genetic distribution of the resistance to Z. tritici in the Tunisian durum wheat landraces. The grouping pattern of accessions appear to be associated, to some extent, with the geographical pattern of the landraces. We suggested that GS2 accessions were mostly introduced from eastern Mediterranean populations, unlike GS1 and GS3 that originated from the west. Resistant GS2 accessions belonged to landraces Taganrog, Sbei glabre, Richi, Mekki, Badri, Jneh Khotifa and Azizi. Furthermore, we suggested that admixture contributed to transmit STB resistance from GS2 resistant landraces to initially susceptible landraces such as Mahmoudi (GS1), but also resulted in the loss of resistance in the case of GS2 suscpetible Azizi and Jneh Khotifa accessions.

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Control of Septoria tritici blotch by winter wheat cultivar mixtures: Meta-analysis of 19 years of cultivar trials

10.1101/658575 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Rose Kristoffersen ◽

Lise Nistrup Jørgensen ◽

Lars Bonde Eriksen ◽

Ghita Cordsen Nielsen ◽

Lars Pødenphant Kiær

Keyword(s):

Disease Control ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Farming Systems ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Pure Stand ◽

Data Set ◽

The Impact ◽

Cultivar Mixtures ◽

Better Than

AbstractWheat is the most commonly grown cereal crop in Europe and in major parts the most yield limiting disease is Septoria tritici blotch (STB). Currently, the control of the disease depends on cultivar resistance and significant input of fungicides. The impact of using mixtures of elite cultivars as an alternative was investigated through a meta-analysis based on trial data from the Danish national cultivar testing. The cultivar testing includes a four-way cultivar mixture every year and in these trials STB severity and yield have been monitored at multiple locations between 1995 and 2017. Results from 19 years of cultivar testing trials provided a data set for 406 trials from which the effect of mixtures was evaluated. The meta-analysis revealed that cultivar mixtures reduced STB severity with 10.6% and increased yields with 1.4% across all trials. The effects were greatest in untreated trials where STB severity was reduced with 17% and yields increased with 2.4%. The mixtures did not only perform better than the average of their component cultivars grown as pure stand, they also performed better than the average of the four most grown cultivars in a given year. No relationship was found between disease pressure or location and the performance of the mixtures. The mixtures included in the cultivar testing were not designed to control STB and the results are therefore perceived as a baseline to the attainable disease control from mixtures. The use of cultivar mixtures is relevant for low input farming systems, but can also contribute to disease control in intensive farming systems. Cultivar mixtures have the potential to minimise dependency on fungicides as an important element in integrated pest management.

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Tramesan Elicits Durum Wheat Defence Against the Septoria Leaf Blotch Complex

10.20944/preprints202003.0090.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

VALERIA Scala ◽

Chiara Pietricola ◽

valentina farina ◽

marzia beccaccioli ◽

slaven zjalic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Animal Health ◽

Septoria Tritici Blotch ◽

Septoria Tritici ◽

Animal Cells ◽

Zymoseptoria Tritici ◽

Septoria Leaf Blotch ◽

Leaf Blotch ◽

Wheat Field

The Septoria Leaf Blotch Complex (SLBC), caused by the two ascomycetes Zymoseptoria tritici and Parastagonospora nodorum, can reduce global yearly yield of wheat by up to 50%. In the last decade in Italy, SLBC incidence has increased; notably, durum wheat has proven to be more susceptible than common wheat. Field fungicide treatment can efficiently control these pathogens, but it leads to the emergence of resistant strains and adversely affects human and animal health, and the environment. Our previous studies indicated that active compounds produced by Trametes versicolor can restrict the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi and the biosynthesis of their secondary metabolites (e.g. mycotoxins). Specifically, we identified Tramesan: a 23 KDa -heteropolysaccharide secreted by T. versicolor that acts as a pro-antioxidant molecule in animal cells, fungi, and plants. Foliar-spraying of Tramesan (3.3 µM) in SLBC-susceptible varieties of durum significantly diminished symptoms of Stagonospora Nodorum Blotch (SNB) and Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB) by 75% and 65%, respectively. Tests were conducted under controlled conditions as well as in field. We show that Tramesan elicits wheat defence against SNB and STB augmenting the synthesis of defence-related hormones, notably JA and SA, that in turn switch on the expression of markers of defence (PR1, PR4 inter alia). In field experiments, yield of durum wheat plants treated with Tramesan was similar to that of untreated ones. The results suggest the use of Tramesan for protecting durum wheat against SLBC.

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