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Infection Process and Pathogenic Mechanism of Phomopsis asparagi, the Asparagus Stem Blight Pathogen

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Abstract

The infection process was explored by light and electron microscopy techniques, as well as bioassays assessing phytotoxins and cell wall-degrading enzymes. We found that germ tubes of asparagus stem blight fungus were produced at 0-24 h after culture on dextrose agarose medium, and mycelia were formed at 24-48 h. Then, mycelia grew and spread continuously, making incursions into host tissues after 4 days. The conidial fructification began to form after 8 days. Subsequently, pycnidia were produced after about 12 days, with conidia released after about 16 days. Interestingly, through culture, extraction and bioassay of phytotoxin culture filtrates, no overt damage of asparagus tissues was found. As for cell wall-degrading enzymes, PG showed the highest activity, followed by Cx and PMG; PGTE and PMTE displayed the lowest activities. Finally, we demonstrated that permeable reducing sugars and relative electric conductivity in the culture increased after incubation in cell wall-degrading enzyme solutions, in an enzyme concentration dependent manner.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31460456), the Science and Technology Project of Jiangxi Province (Grant No. 20151BBF60067), the Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists of Jiangxi Province (Grant No. 20142BAB214022), the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest from the Ministry of Agriculture of China (Grant No. 201003074) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2011CB111603). The infection observation was supported by Pro. W.G. Miao in Hainan University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang, 330200, China

    Ying-Qing Yang, Bo Lan, Yan-Li Jian, Dong-Dong Chang, Shun-Liang Zhang & Xiang-Min Li

  2. College of Accounting, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Yan-Li Jian

  3. College of Biological Science and Engineering, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045, China

    Dong-Dong Chang

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  1. Ying-Qing Yang
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  2. Bo Lan
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  3. Yan-Li Jian
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  4. Dong-Dong Chang
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  5. Shun-Liang Zhang
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  6. Xiang-Min Li
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Correspondence to Xiang-Min Li.

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Yang, YQ., Lan, B., Jian, YL. et al. Infection Process and Pathogenic Mechanism of Phomopsis asparagi, the Asparagus Stem Blight Pathogen. Phytoparasitica 44, 11–18 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-015-0499-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-015-0499-5

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