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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wenatchee, Washington » Physiology and Pathology of Tree Fruits Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303415
Title: Differential molecular response of apple rootstocks to replant disease causing soil-borne pathogens

Author
item Shin, Sung
item Fazio, Gennaro
item Norelli, John
item Mazzola, Mark
item Zhu, Yanmin

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/30/2014
Publication Date: 6/24/2014
Citation: Shin, S.B., Fazio, G., Norelli, J.L., Mazzola, M., Zhu, Y. 2014. Differential molecular response of apple rootstocks to replant disease causing soil-borne pathogens. Proceedings of 7th International Rosaceae Genomics Conference. 70.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A diversity of soil-borne fungal pathogens cause apple “replant diseases” (ARD) with a range of symptoms from diminished productivity to tree death. The molecular mechanisms behind host resistance to these necrotrophic pathogens in perennial root tissues are unknown. It is known from other pathosystems that various plant hormones are involved in the plant response to pathogens. To understand the molecular responses in the root tissues of apple rootstocks during apple replant disease (ARD) causing pathogen infection, ARD susceptible apple rootstocks (M9 and M26) and ARD tolerant rootstocks (G41 and G935) were compared for their differential responses on a transcriptional level. ARD-causing pathogens such as Cylindrocarpon, Rhizoctonia solani AG-5, Phytophthora cactorum and Pythium ultimum were used for infection to the tissue culture generated seedlings. Gene family members in the biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways associated with plant hormones ethylene (ET) and jasmonic acid (JA) were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) in apple root tissues during the ARD pathogen infection. RNA-Seq technology is also being used to identify potential novel pathways and genes specific to the root tissues of rosaceous tree crops which are activated in response to the infection from soil-borne necrotrophic fungal pathogens.