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Fox, K. M.; Cother, E. J.; Ash, Gavin

doi:10.1071/ap99033

Cited by 10 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 4 publications

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“…It has been shown that severe infestation with a pathogen reduces seed size and weight. Smaller infected seeds are less likely to be used as planting materials and are less likely to germinate and develop into an infected host plant (Hewett 1975;Cunfer & Johnson 1981;Doohan et al 1999;Fox et al 1999;Argyris et al 2003;Rashid 2005;Bergum et al 2008). This thus establishes that greater aggressiveness of the pathogen decreases the probability of successful vertical transmission.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary bi-stability in pathogen transmission mode

et al. 2010

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Many pathogens transmit to new hosts by both infection (horizontal transmission) and transfer to the infected host's offspring (vertical transmission). These two transmission modes require specific adaptations of the pathogen that can be mutually exclusive, resulting in a trade-off between horizontal and vertical transmission. We show that in mathematical models such trade-offs can lead to the simultaneous existence of two evolutionary stable states (evolutionary bi-stability) of allocation of resources to the two modes of transmission. We also show that jumping between evolutionary stable states can be induced by gradual environmental changes. Using quantitative PCR-based estimates of abundance in seed and vegetative parts, we show that the pathogen of wheat, Phaeosphaeria nodorum, has jumped between two distinct states of transmission mode twice in the past 160 years, which, based on published evidence, we interpret as adaptation to environmental change. The finding of evolutionary bi-stability has implications for human, animal and other plant diseases. An ill-judged change in a disease control programme could cause the pathogen to evolve a new, and possibly more damaging, combination of transmission modes. Similarly, environmental changes can shift the balance between transmission modes, with adverse effects on human, animal and plant health.

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