Articles
EVALUATION OF TOLERANCE OF COLLETOTRICHUM ACUTATUM IN STRAWBERRY PLANTS TRANSFORMED WITH TRICHODERMA-DERIVED GENES
Article number
738_46
Pages
383 – 388
Language
English
Abstract
Trichoderma is a fungus commonly used as a biocontrol agent under field conditions.
The biocontrol capacity seems to rely mainly on the expression of hydrolytic enzymes e.g, chitinases and glucanases, which affect cell wall degradation of fungal pathogens.
Transformation of agronomically important crops such as potato and apple with Trichoderma-derived genes increases the fungal tolerance of transgenic material.
In this investigation, strawberry plants, cv.
Camarosa, were transformed with either a chitinase, chit-42, or a β-1,3-glucanase gene, both from Trichoderma, under the control of the 35S constitutive promoter.
Six chit-42-transgenic lines were selected showing different chitinase activity; however, only three of them showed a significantly lower number of lesions in the crown than the non transformed control plants, following controlled infection with Colletotrichum acutatum. Moreover, no correlation could be found between the level of chitinase activity and the tolerance to this fungus.
In relation to the plants transformed with the β-1,3-glucanase gene, out of 8 transgenic lines evaluated, 3 of them showed a lower degree of anthracnose crown rot and 2 of them had a significantly lower number of lesions in infected petioles than in non transformed controls.
Evaluation of the transgenic lines is now in progress under screenhouse conditions.
The biocontrol capacity seems to rely mainly on the expression of hydrolytic enzymes e.g, chitinases and glucanases, which affect cell wall degradation of fungal pathogens.
Transformation of agronomically important crops such as potato and apple with Trichoderma-derived genes increases the fungal tolerance of transgenic material.
In this investigation, strawberry plants, cv.
Camarosa, were transformed with either a chitinase, chit-42, or a β-1,3-glucanase gene, both from Trichoderma, under the control of the 35S constitutive promoter.
Six chit-42-transgenic lines were selected showing different chitinase activity; however, only three of them showed a significantly lower number of lesions in the crown than the non transformed control plants, following controlled infection with Colletotrichum acutatum. Moreover, no correlation could be found between the level of chitinase activity and the tolerance to this fungus.
In relation to the plants transformed with the β-1,3-glucanase gene, out of 8 transgenic lines evaluated, 3 of them showed a lower degree of anthracnose crown rot and 2 of them had a significantly lower number of lesions in infected petioles than in non transformed controls.
Evaluation of the transgenic lines is now in progress under screenhouse conditions.
Authors
J.A. Mercado, C. Martín-Pizarro, L. Pascual, M.A. Quesada, F. Pliego-Alfaro, B. de los Santos, F. Romero, J. Galvez, M. Rey, G. de la Viña, A. Llobell, E.-M. Yubero-Serrano, J. Muñoz-Blanco, J.L. Caballero
Keywords
Fragaria × ananassa, anthracnose resistance, transgenic plants, hydrolytic enzymes
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