Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method

Cotton (<i>Gossypium</i> spp.) is the most important fibre crop worldwide. Black root rot and Fusarium wilt are two major diseases of cotton caused by soil-borne <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> (<...

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Main Authors: Andrew Chen, Duy P. Le, Linda J. Smith, Dinesh Kafle, Elizabeth A. B. Aitken, Donald M. Gardiner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/715
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author Andrew Chen
Duy P. Le
Linda J. Smith
Dinesh Kafle
Elizabeth A. B. Aitken
Donald M. Gardiner
author_facet Andrew Chen
Duy P. Le
Linda J. Smith
Dinesh Kafle
Elizabeth A. B. Aitken
Donald M. Gardiner
author_sort Andrew Chen
collection DOAJ
description Cotton (<i>Gossypium</i> spp.) is the most important fibre crop worldwide. Black root rot and Fusarium wilt are two major diseases of cotton caused by soil-borne <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> (<i>Fov</i>), respectively. Phenotyping plant symptoms caused by soil-borne pathogens has always been a challenge. To increase the uniformity of infection, we adapted a seedling screening method that directly uses liquid cultures to inoculate the plant roots and the soil. Four isolates, each of <i>B. rouxiae</i> and <i>Fov</i>, were collected from cotton fields in Australia and were characterised for virulence on cotton under controlled plant growth conditions. While the identities of all four <i>B. rouxiae</i> isolates were confirmed by multilocus sequencing, only two of them were found to be pathogenic on cotton, suggesting variability in the ability of isolates of this species to cause disease. The four <i>Fov</i> isolates were phylogenetically clustered together with the other Australian <i>Fov</i> isolates and displayed both external and internal symptoms characteristic of Fusarium wilt on cotton plants. Furthermore, the isolates appeared to induce varied levels of plant disease severity indicating differences in their virulence on cotton. To contrast the virulence of the <i>Fov</i> isolates, four putatively non-pathogenic <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> (<i>Fo</i>) isolates collected from cotton seedlings exhibiting atypical wilt symptoms were assessed for their ability to colonise cotton host. Despite the absence of <i>Secreted in Xylem</i> genes (<i>SIX6</i>, <i>SIX11</i>, <i>SIX13</i> and <i>SIX14</i>) characteristic of <i>Fov</i>, all four <i>Fo</i> isolates retained the ability to colonise cotton and induce wilt symptoms. This suggests that slightly virulent strains of <i>Fo</i> may contribute to the overall occurrence of Fusarium wilt in cotton fields. Findings from this study will allow better distinction to be made between plant pathogens and endophytes and allow fungal effectors underpinning pathogenicity to be explored.
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spelling doaj-art-21a7d1909510498eba5c65c7f1719a8d2025-08-20T02:10:54ZengMDPI AGJournal of Fungi2309-608X2024-10-01101071510.3390/jof10100715Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening MethodAndrew Chen0Duy P. Le1Linda J. Smith2Dinesh Kafle3Elizabeth A. B. Aitken4Donald M. Gardiner5School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaNew South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Narrabri, NSW 2390, AustraliaEcosciences Precinct, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, AustraliaEcosciences Precinct, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dutton Park, QLD 4102, AustraliaSchool of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaQueensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaCotton (<i>Gossypium</i> spp.) is the most important fibre crop worldwide. Black root rot and Fusarium wilt are two major diseases of cotton caused by soil-borne <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> (<i>Fov</i>), respectively. Phenotyping plant symptoms caused by soil-borne pathogens has always been a challenge. To increase the uniformity of infection, we adapted a seedling screening method that directly uses liquid cultures to inoculate the plant roots and the soil. Four isolates, each of <i>B. rouxiae</i> and <i>Fov</i>, were collected from cotton fields in Australia and were characterised for virulence on cotton under controlled plant growth conditions. While the identities of all four <i>B. rouxiae</i> isolates were confirmed by multilocus sequencing, only two of them were found to be pathogenic on cotton, suggesting variability in the ability of isolates of this species to cause disease. The four <i>Fov</i> isolates were phylogenetically clustered together with the other Australian <i>Fov</i> isolates and displayed both external and internal symptoms characteristic of Fusarium wilt on cotton plants. Furthermore, the isolates appeared to induce varied levels of plant disease severity indicating differences in their virulence on cotton. To contrast the virulence of the <i>Fov</i> isolates, four putatively non-pathogenic <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> (<i>Fo</i>) isolates collected from cotton seedlings exhibiting atypical wilt symptoms were assessed for their ability to colonise cotton host. Despite the absence of <i>Secreted in Xylem</i> genes (<i>SIX6</i>, <i>SIX11</i>, <i>SIX13</i> and <i>SIX14</i>) characteristic of <i>Fov</i>, all four <i>Fo</i> isolates retained the ability to colonise cotton and induce wilt symptoms. This suggests that slightly virulent strains of <i>Fo</i> may contribute to the overall occurrence of Fusarium wilt in cotton fields. Findings from this study will allow better distinction to be made between plant pathogens and endophytes and allow fungal effectors underpinning pathogenicity to be explored.https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/715upland cottonpathogenicityfungal effectorsFusarium wiltblack root rot<i>Secreted in Xylem</i> effector genes
spellingShingle Andrew Chen
Duy P. Le
Linda J. Smith
Dinesh Kafle
Elizabeth A. B. Aitken
Donald M. Gardiner
Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
Journal of Fungi
upland cotton
pathogenicity
fungal effectors
Fusarium wilt
black root rot
<i>Secreted in Xylem</i> effector genes
title Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
title_full Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
title_fullStr Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
title_short Assessing the Pathogenicity of <i>Berkeleyomyces rouxiae</i> and <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>vasinfectum</i> on Cotton (<i>Gossypium hirsutum</i>) Using a Rapid and Robust Seedling Screening Method
title_sort assessing the pathogenicity of i berkeleyomyces rouxiae i and i fusarium oxysporum i f sp i vasinfectum i on cotton i gossypium hirsutum i using a rapid and robust seedling screening method
topic upland cotton
pathogenicity
fungal effectors
Fusarium wilt
black root rot
<i>Secreted in Xylem</i> effector genes
url https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/10/10/715
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