Parasitic Plant-Host Interactions: Plant Performance and Indirect Effects on Parasite-Feeding Herbivores

SummaryPlant-pathogen interactions follow spatiotemporal developmental dynamics where gene expression in pathogen and host undergo crucial changes. It is of great interest to detect, quantify and localise where and when key genes are active or inactive. Here, we adapt single molecule FISH techniques to demonstrate presence and activity of mRNAs using phytomyxids in their plant and algal host from laboratory and field materials. This allowed to monitor and quantify the expression of genes from the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae, several species of its Brassica hosts, and of several brown algae, including the genome model Ectocarpus siliculosus, infected with the phytomyxid Maullinia ectocarpii. We show that mRNAs are localised along a spatiotemporal gradient, thus providing proof-of-concept of the usefulness of these methods. These methods are easily adaptable to any interaction between microbes and their algal or plant host, and have the potential to increase our understanding of processes underpinning complex plant-microbe interactions.

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Indirect Effects of Phenolics on Plant Performance by Altering Nitrogen Cycling: Another Mechanism of Plant–Plant Negative Interactions

Allelopathy in Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry ◽

10.1007/978-0-387-77337-7_7 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 137-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eva Castells

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Cycling ◽

Indirect Effects ◽

Plant Performance ◽

Plant Plant ◽

Negative Interactions

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Fusarium verticillioides: Advancements in Understanding the Toxicity, Virulence, and Niche Adaptations of a Model Mycotoxigenic Pathogen of Maize

Phytopathology ◽

10.1094/phyto-06-17-0203-rvw ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 108 (3) ◽

pp. 312-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Alex A. Blacutt ◽

Scott E. Gold ◽

Kenneth A. Voss ◽

Minglu Gao ◽

Anthony E. Glenn

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Fusarium Verticillioides ◽

Animal Health ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Toxin Production ◽

Economic Returns ◽

Plant Host ◽

Host Interactions ◽

Basic And Applied Research

The importance of understanding the biology of the mycotoxigenic fungus Fusarium verticillioides and its various microbial and plant host interactions is critical given its threat to maize, one of the world’s most valuable food crops. Disease outbreaks and mycotoxin contamination of grain threaten economic returns and have grave implications for human and animal health and food security. Furthermore, F. verticillioides is a member of a genus of significant phytopathogens and, thus, data regarding its host association, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and other metabolic (degradative) capabilities are consequential to both basic and applied research efforts across multiple pathosystems. Notorious among its secondary metabolites are the fumonisin mycotoxins, which cause severe animal diseases and are implicated in human disease. Additionally, studies of these mycotoxins have led to new understandings of F. verticillioides plant pathogenicity and provide tools for research into cellular processes and host–pathogen interaction strategies. This review presents current knowledge regarding several significant lines of F. verticillioides research, including facets of toxin production, virulence, and novel fitness strategies exhibited by this fungus across rhizosphere and plant environments.

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Transgenerational role of seed mycobiome – an endosymbiotic fungal composition as a prerequisite to stress resilience and adaptive phenotypes in Triticum

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-54328-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Vladimir Vujanovic ◽

M. Nazrul Islam ◽

Prasad Daida

Keyword(s):

Illumina Miseq ◽

Plant Performance ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Plant Host ◽

Stress Resilience ◽

5.8S Rrna Gene ◽

5.8S Rrna ◽

Seed Endophytes ◽

External Acquisition

AbstractIllumina-MiSeq next-generation sequencing of ITS 5.8S rRNA gene demonstrated the transgenerational transmission of fungal seed-endophytes (mycobiome) across three consecutive wheat host generations under standard-control and drought conditions in the greenhouse. Drought-stressed plants experienced a positive shift in the seed mycobiome’s composition, moderated by the external acquisition of endophytic Penicillium (E+) at the seed level. Untreated (E−) and unstressed plants harbor a maximal fungal diversity of non-equilibrium ecological communities. While fungal composition in drought-stressed E− plants experienced important fluctuation, E+ plants maintained fungal ecological communities in phase equilibrium across generations. E+ plants hosted a relatively higher abundance of Ascomycota in the 2nd and 3rd seed generations of wheat, whereas higher abundance of Basidiomycota was detected in 1st generation seeds. The dynamic response of ecological communities to environmental stress is conducive to E+ plants’ active recruitment of endosymbiotic consortia in seeds, benefiting host stress resilience and phenotype. In contrast, E− plants showed an erratic distribution of detected OTUs with an increased occurrence of phytopathogens and diminished plant performance under stress. The present study gives insight into the understanding of the seed-mycobiome composition and dynamics with the potential to improve plant host traits in an adverse environment.

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Restoring lepidopteran diversity in a tropical dry forest: relative importance of restoration treatment, tree identity and predator pressure

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.3344 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. e3344 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lizet Solis-Gabriel ◽

Wendy Mendoza-Arroyo ◽

Karina Boege ◽

Ek del-Val

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Plant Species ◽

Tropical Dry Forest ◽

Biotic Interactions ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Plant Performance ◽

Plant Host ◽

The Pacific ◽

Host Identity ◽

Restoration Strategies

Tropical dry forests (TDFs) have been widely transformed by human activities worldwide and the ecosystem services they provide are diminishing. There has been an urgent call for conservation and restoration of the degraded lands previously occupied by TDFs. Restoration experiences aim to recover species diversity and ecological functions. Different restoration strategies have been used to maximize plant performance including weeding, planting or using artificial mulching. In this investigation, we evaluated whether different restoration practices influence animal arrival and the reestablishment of biotic interactions. We particularly evaluated lepidopteran larvae diversity and caterpillar predation on plants established under different restoration treatments (mulching, weeding and control) in the Pacific West Coast of México. This study corroborated the importance of plant host identity for lepidopteran presence in a particular area. Lepidopteran diversity and herbivory rates were not affected by the restoration treatment but they were related to tree species. In contrast, caterpillar predation marks were affected by restoration treatment, with a greater number of predation marks in control plots, while caterpillar predation marks among plant species were not significantly different. This study highlights the importance of considering the introduction of high plant species diversity when planning TDF restoration to maximize lepidopteran diversity and ecosystem functioning.

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