Article,
Piriformospora indica protects barley from root rot caused by Fusarium graminearum
JOURNAL OF PLANT DISEASES AND PROTECTION, 114 (6): 263-268 (2007)
Abstract
The beneficial endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica colonizes barley
(Hordeum vulgare L.) roots, which results in protection against
diseases and abiotic stress and eventually in higher yield. Infection
of the roots with pathogenic necrotrophic fungi of the genus Fusarium,
in contrast, leads to necrotized roots and severe reduction of root and
shoot biomass. Upon infestation with P. indica, roots were protected
from Fusarium infections as evidenced by reduced root rot symptoms.
Consistently, Fusarium quantification using quantitative polymerase
chain reaction (Q-PCR) revealed a correlation between reduced root rot
symptoms and the relative amount of fungal DNA. In vitro analysis of
the interaction of P. indica and F. graminearum under axenic culture
conditions did not reveal reciprocal growth inhibition suggesting that
retardation of Fusarium in roots is mediated by a plant response rather
than by antibiosis. Expression of pathogenesis-related genes strongly
increased in response to F. graminearum infections, but in contrast was
diminished in the presence of P. indica, indicating that PR proteins do
not play a crucial role in the P. indica-mediated resistance response
to Fusarium.
