A model system for rapid selection for resistance and investigation of resistance mechanisms in Fusarium wilt of oil palm

Abstract

Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp elaeidis) is the most serious disease of oil palm in Africa. Control measures are dependent upon breeding for resistance, but the lack of a rapid screen for resistance and lack of understanding of the underlying resistance mechanisms has constrained breeding programmes. A novel petiole infusion technique is reported that exploits the ability of the majority of petiole cells to express disease resistance or susceptibility. A clear correlation was found between disease resistance or susceptibility of six clones and external symptoms and fungal colonization in petioles. Antifungal compounds accumulated in resistant but not in susceptible clones in response to inoculation; there was also some evidence of preformed antifungal compounds in resistant clones. Further investigation of resistance mechanisms can be undertaken using this model system. The use of this novel technique, both as a potential rapid replacement for current nursery selection methods (time reduced from 8 months to 8 days) and as an assessment of resistance in individual field palms, is discussed.*

Evaluation of Malaysian oil palm progenies for susceptibility, resistance or tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis and defence‐related gene expression in roots

“…Mepsted et al . () demonstrated accumulation of unidentified antifungal compounds in xylem fluid in the petioles of a Foe‐resistant clone compared to a susceptible clone and Cooper et al . () reported that this coincided with occlusion of fungal infected vessels by gels and tyloses.…”

Chromatographic Characterization and Phytotoxic Activity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis and Saprophytic Strain Toxins

“…It was suggested that fusaric acid isolated from culture filtrates of F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Surico and Graniti, 1977; H. B. Lazrek, unpublished results), and from other Fusarium strains (Mepsted et al., 1995; Porter et al., 1995; Sutherland and Pegg, 1995), played an important role in the early stage of date palm infection by F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Bouizgarne et al., 2004).…”

“…Some of them have been chemically and biologically well characterized, such as fusaric acid and its derivatives that were isolated from culture filtrates of F. oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis , F. moniliforme (Mepsted et al., 1995; Porter et al., 1995), and of F. oxysporum f. sp. albedinis (Surico and Graniti, 1977; H. B. Lazrek, unpublished results).…”

Control Approaches against Vascular Wilt Disease of Elaeis guineensis Jacq. Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis.

“…This technique allows a nondestructive assessment of the resistance of individual palms in only a few days, with the possibility of using the selected palm as a parent for breeding. The petiole technique which has been tested in the field is also useful for investigating the production of antifungal compounds in the oil palm (Pepsted et al, 1995;Corley & Tinker, 2003;Flood, 2006). It could be interesting to envisage the use of antagonistic micro organisms or fungicidal plant extracts against vascular wilt since these approaches have proven their efficiency on other plants like ground nuts (Ambang et al, 2008).…”