Abstract
Soft rot of Chinese cabbage is a disease of great economic importance to the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of two calcium sources in different concentrations (calcium nitrate [Ca(NO3)2] at 0, 0.15 and 0.3 g l−1 and calcium chloride (CaCl2) at 0, 1 and 5 g l−1) that were applied through two methods (leaf spraying and soil drenching) on the control of soft rot. Further, it aimed to analyze calcium absorption by the plant and to determine calcium’s role in leaf and cell structure using microscopy. Ca(NO3)2 applied by both methods was effective in controlling soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, as it reduced the disease by up to 48.5 % when sprayed onto the leaves (0.15 g l−1). A significant increase in the leaf calcium content was observed only in the plants that were sprayed with higher doses of Ca(NO3)2 and CaCl2. In all of the calcium treatments, light microscopy analyses revealed an increased number of chloroplasts and improved structuring of the palisade parenchyma, while transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed an increased cell wall thickness that was especially evident for the 0.15 g l−1 Ca(NO3)2 treatment applied by leaf spraying and soil drenching.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alvarado, I. C. M., Michereff, S. J., Mariano, R. L. R., Souza, E. B., Quezado-Duval, A. M., Resende, L. V., et al. (2011). Characterization and variability of soft rot-causing bacteria in chinese cabbage in north eastern Brazil. Journal of Plant Pathology, 93(1), 173–181.
Bartz, J. A., Locascio, S. J., & Weingartner, D. P. (1992). Calcium and potassium fertilization of potatoes grown in North Florida: II effect on the bacterial soft rot potential in the tubers. American Potato Journal, 69(1), 39–50.
Biggs, A. R. (2004). Effect of inoculum concentration and calcium salts on infection of apple fruit by Botryosphaeria dothidea. Plant Disease, 88(2), 147–151.
Collier, G. F., & Huntington, V. C. (1983). The relationship between leaf growth, calcium accumulation and distribution, and tip burn development in field-grown butter head lettuce. Scientia Horticulturae, 21(2), 123–128.
Conn, S. J., Gilliham, M., & Athman, S. (2011). Cell-specific vacuolar calcium storage mediated by CAX1 regulates apoplastic calcium concentration, gas exchange, and plant productivity in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 23(1), 240–257.
Conway, W. S., Sams, C. E., Abbott, J. A., & Bruton, B. (1991). Postharvest calcium treatment of apple fruit to provide broad-spectrum protection against postharvest pathogens. Plant Disease, 75(6), 620–622.
Conway, W. S., Sams, C. E., McGuire, R. G., & Kelman, A. (1992). Calcium treatment of apples and potatoes to reduce post-harvest decay. Plant Disease, 76(4), 329–334.
Czajkowski, R., Pérombelon, M. C. M., van Veen, J. A., & van der Wolf, J. M. (2011). Control of blackleg and tuber soft rot of potato caused by Pectobacterium and Dickeya species: a review. Plant Pathology, 60(6), 999–1013.
Darrasse, A., Priou, S., Kotoujansky, A., & Bertheau, Y. (1994). PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism of a pel gene as a tool to identify Erwinia carotovora in relation to potato disease. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 60(5), 1437–1443.
Dayod, M., Tyerman, S. D., Leigh, R. A., & Gilliham, M. (2010). Calcium storage in plants and the implications for calcium biofortification. Protoplasma, 247(3–4), 215–231.
Dodd, A. N., Kudla, J., & Sanders, D. (2010). The language of calcium signaling. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 61, 593–620.
Gomes, A. M. A., Silveira, E. B., & Mariano, R. L. R. (2005). Tratamento pós-colheita com cálcio e microrganismos para controle da podridão-mole em tomate. Horticultura Brasileira, Brasília, 23(1), 108–111.
Guerra, M. L., Oliveira, J. C., Naue, C. R., Silva, C. L., & Mariano, R. L. R. (2009). Podridão-mole da alface: controle com cálcio e levedura. In: IX Jornada de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da UFRPE, 2009, Recife. Anais da Jornada de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão da UFRPE. Recife: UFRPE.
Hajhamed, A. A., El-Sayed, W. M. A., El-Yazied, A. A., & El-Ghaffar, N. Y. A. (2007). Suppression of bacterial soft rot disease of potato. Egyptian Journal Phytopathology, 35(2), 69–80.
Hauben, L., Moore, E. R. B., Vauterin, L., Steenackers, M., Mergaert, J., Verdonck, L., et al. (1998). Phylogenetic position of phytopathogens within the Enterobacteriaceae. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 21(3), 384–397.
Hyman, L. J., Toth, I. K., & Pérombelon, M. C. M. (2002). Isolation and identification. In M. C. M. Pérombelon & J. M. Van Der Wolf (Eds.), Methods for the Detection and Quantification of Erwinia carotovora subsp. Atroseptica (Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. atrosepticum) on Potatoes: a Laboratory Manual (2nd ed., pp. 66–77). Invergowrie: Scottish Crop Research Institute.
Jensen, M. A., Webster, J. A., & Straus, N. (1993). Rapid identification of bacteria on the basis of polymerase chain reaction amplified ribosomal DNA spacer polymorphisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 59(4), 945–952.
Kang, H. W., Kwon, S. W., & Go, S. J. (2003). PCR-based specific and sensitive detection of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum by primers generated from a URP-PCR fingerprinting-derived polymorphic band. Plant Pathology, 52(2), 127–133.
Kelman, A., & Dickey, R. S. (1995). Detection of Erwinia carotovora and E. chrysanthemi. In A. W. Saettler, N. W. Schaad, & D. A. Roth (Eds.), Detection of bacteria on seed and other planting material (pp. 76–91). Saint Paul: APS Press.
Lecourieux, D., Ranjeva, R., & Pugin, A. (2006). Calcium in plant defence-signalling pathoways. New Phytologist, 171(2), 249–269.
Liang, W., Wang, M., & Ai, X. (2009). The role of calcium in regulating photosynthesis and related physiological indexes of cucumber seedlings under low light intensity and suboptimal temperature stress. Scientia Horticulturae, 123(1), 34–38.
Liu, H., Liu, W., Song, S., Sun, G., & Chen, R. (2012). Effect of calcium nutrient on calcium distribution and ultrastructure of cell and chloroplast in bunching onion leaf. Applied Mechanics and Materials, 142(1), 111–115.
Mariano, R. L. R., & Silveira, E. B. (2005). Manual de práticas em fitobacteriologia. Recife, Brasil: UFRPE.
McGuire, R. G., & Kelman, A. (1984). Reduced severity of Erwinia soft rot in potato tubers with increased calcium contente. Phytopathology, 74(10), 1250–1256.
McGuire, R. G., & Kelman, A. (1986). Calcium in potato tuber cell walls in relation to tissue maceration by Erwinia carotovora pv. atroseptica. Phytopathology, 76(4), 401–406.
Mello, M. R. F., Silveira, E. B., Viana, I. O., Guerra, M. L., & Mariano, R. L. R. (2011). Uso de antibióticos e leveduras Para controle da podridão-mole em couve-chinesa. Horticultura Brasileira, 29(1), 78–83.
Ngadze, E. (2012). Identification and control of potato soft rot and blackleg pathogens in Zimbabwe. Resource document. PhD. Tese. University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. http://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/27770/Complete.pdf?sequence=8.
Ni, L., Guo, L., Custers, J. B. M., & Zhang, L. (2010). Characterization of calla lily soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum ZT0505: bacterial growth and pectatelyase activity under different conditions. Journal of Plant Pathology, 92(2), 421–428.
Palta, J. P. (2010). Improving potato tuber quality and production by targeted calcium nutrition: the discovery of tuber roots leading to a new concept in potato nutrition. Potato Research, 53(4), 267–275.
Park, S. K. (1969). Studies in the relationship between Ca nutrient and soft rot disease in Chinese cabbage. Research Report to Rural Development Administration, 12(1), 63–70.
Pérombelon, M. C. M. (1992). Potato blackleg: epidemiology, host-pathogen interaction and control. Netherlands Journal of Plant Pathology, 98(2), 135–146.
Pérombelon, M. C. M., & Kelman, A. (1980). Ecology of the soft rot erwinias. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 18(1), 361–387.
Rabelo, G. R., Marques, J. B. C., Zottich, U., Dias, G. B., Miguel, E. C., Gomes, V. M., et al. (2011). Leaf structure, microanalysis and characterization of the latex protein profile of Pachystroma longifolium (Nees) I. M. Jonhst. (Euphorbiaceae) in a seasonally dry Atlantic Forest. Acta Botânica Brasílica, 25(1), 150–159.
Ren, J., Petzoldt, R., & Dickson, M. H. (2001). Genetics and population improvement resistance to bacterial soft rot Chinese cabbage. Euphytica, 117(3), 197–207.
Rico, A., Jones, R., & Preston, G. M. (2009). Adaptation to the plant apoplast by plant pathogenic bacteria. In R. W. Jackson (Ed.), Plant pathogenic bacteria: Genomis and molecular biology (pp. 63–89). Norfolk: Caister Academic Press.
Rios, J. J., Lochlainn, S. Ó., Devonshire, J., Graham, N. S., Hammond, J. P., King, G. J., et al. (2012). Distribution of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in the leaves of Brassica rapa under varying exogenous Ca and Mg supply. Annals of Botany, 109(6), 1081–1089.
Rocha, A. G., & Vothknecht, U. C. (2012). The role of calcium in chloroplast - an intriguing and unresolved puzzle. Protoplasma, 249(4), 957–966.
Rodrigues, R. C. (2010). Métodos de análises bromatológicas de alimentos: Métodos físicos, químicos e bromatológicos. Resource document. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária. http://ainfo.cnptia.embrapa.br/digital/bitstream/item/40059/1/documento-306.pdf. Accessed 03 July 2015.
Sattelmacher, B. (2001). The apoplast and its significance for plant mineral nutrition. New Phytologist, 149(2), 167–192.
Schober, B. M., & Vermeulen, T. (1999). Enzymatic maceration of witloof chicory by the soft rot bacteria Erwinia carotovocra subsp. carotovora: the effect of nitrogen and calcium treatments of the plant on pectic enzyme production and disease development. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 105(4), 341–349.
Silva, A. M. F., Mariano, R. L. R., Michereff, S. J., Silveira, E. B., & Medeiros, F. H. V. (2007). Levantamento da intensidade da podridão-mole em alface e couve-chinesa em Pernambuco. Caatinga, 20(2), 84–93.
Singh, B. P., Tandon, D. K., & Kalra, S. K. (1993). Changes in postharvest quality of mangoes affected by pre harvest application of calcium salts. Scientia Horticulturae, 54(3), 211–219.
Storey, R., & Leigh, R. A. (2004). Processes modulating calcium distribution in citrus leaves. An investigation using X-ray microanalysis with strontium as a tracer. Plant Physiology, 136(3), 3838–3848.
Sugimoto, T., Watanabe, K., Yoshida, S., Aino, M., Furiki, M., Shiono, M., et al. (2010). Field application of calcium to reduce Phytophthora stem rot of soybean, and calcium distribution in plants. Plant Disease, 94(7), 812–819.
Vanjildorj, E., Song, S. Y., Yang, Z. H., Choi, J. E., Noh, Y. S., Park, S., et al. (2009). Enhancement of tolerance to soft rot disease in the transgenic chinese cabbage (Brassicarapa L. ssp. pekinensis) inbred line, Kenshin. Plant Cell Reports, 28(10), 1581–1591.
White, P. J., & Broadley, M. R. (2003). Calcium in plants. Annals of Botany, 92(4), 487–511.
Yamazaki, H., & Hoshina, T. (1995). Calcium nutrition affects resistance of tomato seedlings to bacterial wilt. Hortscience, 30(1), 91–93.
Zhu, L., Xie, H., Chen, S., & Ma, R. (2010). Rapid isolation, identification and phylogenetic analysis of Pectobacterium carotovorum ssp. Journal of Plant Pathology, 92(2), 479–483.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq) for awarding a scholarship to Kátia C. S. Felix and a research fellowship to Rosa L. R. Mariano and Elineide B. Souza. We also thank the Foundation for Science and Technology of the State of Pernambuco (Fundação de Amparo à Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco - FACEPE) for providing financial support (APQ 0583-5.01/08).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
da Silva Felix, K.C., da Silva, C.L., de Oliveira, W.J. et al. Calcium-mediated reduction of soft rot disease in Chinese cabbage. Eur J Plant Pathol 147, 73–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-016-0980-0
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-016-0980-0