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The reproductive potential of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is affected by selection for virulence against major resistance genes from tomato and pepper

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Abstract

The emergence of virulent root-knot nematode populations, able to overcome the resistance conferred by some of the resistance genes (R-genes) in Solanaceous crops, i.e., Mi(s) in tomato, Me(s) in pepper, may constitute a severe limitation to their use in the field. Research has been conducted to evaluate the durability of these R-genes, by comparing the reproduction of several laboratory-selected and wild virulent Meloidogyne incognita isolates, on both susceptible and resistant tomatoes and peppers. We first show that the Me1 R-gene in pepper behaves as a robust R-gene controlling avirulent and virulent Me3, Me7 or Mi-1 isolates. Although the reproductive potential of the virulent isolates was highly variable on susceptible and resistant plants, we also confirm that virulence is highly specific to a determined R-gene on which selection has occurred. Another significant experimental result is the observation that a reproductive fitness cost is associated with nematode virulence against Mi-1 in tomato and Me3 and Me7 in pepper. The adaptative significance of trade-offs between selected characters and fitness-related traits, suggests that, although the resistance can be broken, it may be preserved in some conditions if the virulent nematodes are counter-selected in susceptible plants. All these results have important consequences for the management of plant resistance in the field.

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Acknowledgements

This research was carried out with the financial support from the European Commission (FP6-NoE ENDURE), and from the French Ministère de l’Agriculture de l’Alimentation et de la Pêche (MAAP, convention N° C06/03).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA PACA, UMR1301 INRA/UNSA/CNRS, Interactions Biotiques et Santé Végétale, BP167, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France

    Caroline Djian-Caporalino, Ariane Fazari, Nathalie Marteu & Philippe Castagnone-Sereno

  2. CNR, Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Sergio Molinari & Aurelio Ciancio

  3. INRA PACA, UR1052, Génétique et Amélioration des Fruits et Légumes, 84143, Montfavet, France

    Alain Palloix

  4. INRA PACA, UE1254, Lutte Biologique, BP167, 06903, Sophia Antipolis, France

    Nicolas Ris

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  1. Caroline Djian-Caporalino
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  2. Sergio Molinari
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  3. Alain Palloix
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  8. Philippe Castagnone-Sereno
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Correspondence to Caroline Djian-Caporalino.

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Djian-Caporalino, C., Molinari, S., Palloix, A. et al. The reproductive potential of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is affected by selection for virulence against major resistance genes from tomato and pepper. Eur J Plant Pathol 131, 431–440 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-011-9820-4

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