Septoria tritici blotch is the most destructivefungal disease of wheat grown in the tropics. Between three quarters and one and a half billion Euros are lost in France, Germany and the UK due to this disease, with another billion dollars spent on chemical control. A breakthrough in understanding the aggressiveness of this pathogen was achieved by researchers from the University of Exeter.
A multi-disciplinary approach was used to understand the formation of the plant-invasive form of the pathogen. The hyphal stage is when the fungus enters wheat leaves via natural openings. The team discovered that a combination of moderate temperatures and molecule from the wheat leaf initiate the formation of the plant- infecting hyphae. Preparing the pathogen for a plant attack is part of the change.
The development of a novel and sophisticated "molecular tool" gave the researchers the ability to perform a visual genetic screen that aimed to identify the drivers of the fungus. Surprisingly, this approach revealed the existence of a "master Regulator" in other organisms. The research shows that the same light conditions that open the plant's stomata can cause the emergence of the hypha.
A crucial target for the development of new control strategies against Septoria tritici is found in the discovery of one "master regulator" for the wheat pathogen.
The core of the Septoria tritici blotch fungus was the focus of our approach. Professor Gero Steinberg said that having identified the factor that controls formation of the pathogen gives hope for developing ways to protect our wheat crops.
According to Professor Gurr, wheat is grown over more land area than any other crop. The disease causes huge losses of the crop in the tropics. The identification of a very significant target in our quest to ensure global food security is described in this research.
The paper is in a journal.
More information: Sreedhar Kilaru et al, Zymoseptoria tritici white-collar complex integrates light, temperature and plant cues to initiate dimorphism and pathogenesis, Nature Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33183-2 Journal information: Nature Communications
All Rights Reserved © 2024
