Identification of genetic locus with resistance to take-all in the wheat-Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng introgression line H148

Take-all is a devastating soil-borne disease of wheat(Triticum aestivum L.).Cultivating resistant line is an important measure to control this disease.Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng is a valuable germplasm resource with high resistance to take-all.This study reported on a wheat-/R huashanica introgression line H148 with improved take-all resistance compared with its susceptible parent 7182.To elucidate the genetic mechanism of resistance in H148,the F_(2)genetic segregating population of H148×XN585 was constructed.The mixed genetic model analysis showed that the take-all resistance was controlled by two major genes with additive,dominant and epistasis effects.Bulked segregant analysis combined with wheat axiom 660K genotyping array analysis showed the polymorphic SNPs with take-all resistance from P.huashanica alien introgression were mainly distributed on the chromosome 2A.Genotyping of the F_(2)population using the KASP marker mapped a major QTL in an interval of 68.8-70.1 Mb on 2AS.Sixty-two genes were found in the target interval of the Chinese Spring reference genome sequence.According to the functional annotation of genes,two protein genes that can improve the systematic resistance of plant roots were predicted as candidate genes.The development of wheat-P.huashanica introgression line H148 and the resistant QTL mapping information are expected to provide some valuable references for the fine mapping of disease-resistance gene and development of take-all resistant varieties through molecular marker-assisted selection.

Understanding the lifestyles and pathogenicity mechanisms of obligate biotrophic fungi in wheat:The emerging genomics era

Obligate biotrophic fungi cause serious and widespread diseases of crop plants, but are challenging to investigate because they cannot be cultured in vitro. The two economically important groups of biotrophic fungi parasitizing wheat are the rust and powdery mildew pathogens, but their obligate biotrophic lifestyles and pathogenicity mechanisms are not well understood at the molecular level. With the advent of next generation sequencing technology, increasing numbers of pathogen genomes are becoming available. Research in plant pathology has entered a new genomics era. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the biology and pathogenesis of biotrophic fungal pathogens attacking wheat based on pathogen genomics. We particularly focus on the three wheat rust and the powdery mildew fungi in regard to genome sequencing, avirulence gene cloning, effector discovery, and pathogenomics. We predict that coordinated study of both wheat and its pathogens should reveal new insights in biotrophic adaptation, pathogenicity mechanisms,and population dynamics of these fungi that will assist in development of new strategies for breeding wheat varieties with durable resistance.

Decumbenones A–C from marine fungus <i>Aspergillus sulphureus</i>as stimulators of the initial stages of development of agricultural plants

The effect of decumbenones A (1), B (2) and C (3) from the marine-derived strain of the fungus Aspergillus sulphureus on the growth of seedling roots of buckwheat, wheat, barley and corn at the concentration range 10﹣5 - 10﹣18 M was studied. It was shown that decumbenone B had a stimulatory effect on the growth of seedling roots of buckwheat, decumbenone A—on the growth of seedling roots of spring soft wheat, decumbenone C—on the growth of seedling roots of spring barley, decumbenone A, B and C —on the growth of seedling roots of corn. The stimulatory effect for some substances was shown at ultra-low concentrations 10﹣12 - 10﹣18 M. It is possible to recommend decumbenones A, B and C for studying in field conditions as growth factors of buckwheat, wheat, barley and corn.

Brocaeloid D,a novel compound isolated from a wheat pathogenic fungus, Microdochium majus 99049

Microbes serve as the most important resource for drug discovery.During our screening for bioactive compounds from our natural products library,a pathogenic fungus,Microdochium majus strain 99049,from wheat was selected for further investigation.A new alkaloid named brocaeloid D(1),together with six previously characterized compounds(2–7)were identified.Compound 1 belongs to 4-oxoquinoline with C-2 reversed prenylation and a succinimide substructure.All the structures of these newly isolated compounds were determined by different means in spectroscopic experiments.The absolute configurations of 1 was further deduced from comparison of its CD spectrum with that of known compound 2.The bioactivities of these identified compounds were evaluated against several pathogenic microorganisms and cancer cell lines.Compounds 1–5 showed activity against HUH-7 human hepatoma cells with IC50 values of 80μg/mL.Compound 6 showed mild activity against HeLa cells(IC50=51.9μg/mL),weak anti-MTB activity(MIC=80μg/mL),and moderate anti-MRSA activity(MIC=25μg/mL),and compound 7 showed weak anti-MRSA activity(MIC=100μg/mL).

New insights in the battle between wheat and Puccinia striiformis

Wheat stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici(Pst)poses a great threat to wheat production worldwide.The rapid change in virulence of Pst leads to a loss of resistance in currently resistant wheat cultivars,which results in frequent disease epidemics.Therefore,a major focus is currently placed on investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying this rapid variation of pathogenicity and coevolving wheat resistance.Limited by the lack of a system for stable transformation of Pst and the difficulties in wheat transformation,it is not easy to generate deeper insights into the wheat-Pst interaction using established genetic methods.Nevertheless,considerable effort has been made to unravel the wheat-Pst interaction and significant progress is being made.Histology and cytology have revealed basic details of infection strategies and defense responses during wheat-Pst interactions,identified cellular components involved in wheat-Pst interactions,and have helped to elucidate their role in the infection process or in plant defense responses.Transcriptome and genome sequencing has revealed the molecular features and dynamics of the wheat-Pst pathosystem.Extensive molecular analyses have led to the identification of major components in the wheat resistance response and in Pst virulence.Studies of wheat-Pst interactions have now entered a new phase in which cellular and molecular approaches are being used.This review focuses on the cellular biology of wheat-Pst interactions and integrates the emerging data from molecular analyses with the histocytological observations.