EPWS 310 - Plant Pathology
Lectures - Fall 2002
Disease Control
The best means of disease control,
particularly against biotrophic pathogens is resistant varieties. Varieties
that already have resistance to the pathogen(s) are least expensive, most
effective, and environmentally safest.
A. Genes and Disease
Some plant genes code for the resistant
mechanisms we have discussed.
The pathogen has genes that code for
virulence mechanism. The occurrence and interaction of specific genes for
virulence in the pathogen and of specific genes for susceptibility in the host
that determine the initiation and development of disease.
The gene or genes for virulence in the
pathogen are usually specific for one or a few related kinds of host plants.
Also, the genes that make a host plant susceptible to a particular pathogen are
present only in that one host and possibly a few related kinds of host plants.
2. Compatible (disease resulting)
interaction
Why are some pathogens virulent to several
hosts?
Examples- Phymatotrichum omnivorum-- attacks 2000 different species
Puccinia graminis var. tritici --attacks wheat only
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici--attacks tomato only
3. Resistance is the rule,
susceptibility the exception
4. Introducing a new resistance gene
A resistance gene confers resistance to the
different races of a pathogen. However, it has been observed that once a new
resistance gene is in a plant population, new virulent races often occur.
*How did this new population of pathogens
acquire the new gene for virulence?
B. Stages of Variations in
Pathogens
Species - the entire population of an organism on earth, for
example a fungal pathogen, has certain morphological characteristics in common
and makes up the species of the pathogen.
Some of the individuals within this species
attack only wheat or barley or oats. These groups are called varieties or
special forms (formae specialist).
Within these varieties or f. sp. there are
races that attack only certain host
plant varieties.
An offspring of a race that can suddenly attack a new
variety or can cause severe symptoms on a variety that it could barely infect
before - called a variant or Biotype. Each race may consist of several biotypes
C. Types of Plant Resistance to
Pathogens
Each
kind of plant is a non-host to the vast majority of known plant pathogens.
Non-host are immune (non-host resistance).
1. True resistance - Disease resistance that is genetically controlled by the
presence of one, a few, or many genes. The host and pathogen are incompatible
with one another due to chemical recognition or other defense mechanisms.
2 kinds of true resistance:
1. Horizontal resistance-
Many genes (multigene resistance) control
horizontal resistance.
2. Vertical resistance- very resistant to some races and very susceptible to
others.
*usually
controlled by one or a few genes. (monogenic or oligogenic)
2. Apparent resistance- susceptible plants that do not become infected.
a. Disease escape-lack all parts of disease triangle.
B. Tolerance to disease is the ability o f plants to produce a good
crop even when they are infected with a pathogen.
The Gene- for-gene concept - for each gene
that confers resistance in the host there is a corresponding gene in the
pathogen that confers virulence to the pathogen, and vice versa.