Cell wall traits as potential resources to improve resistance of durum wheat against Fusarium graminearum

Abstract

BackgroundFusarium graminearum, one of the causal agents of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB, scab), leads to severe losses in grain yield and quality due to the production of mycotoxins which are harmful to human and livestock. Different traits for FHB resistance in wheat were identified for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) while the sources of FHB resistance in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. Durum), one of the cereals most susceptible to F. graminearum infection, have not been found. New lines of evidence indicate that content and composition of cell wall polymers affect the susceptibility of the wall to degrading enzymes produced by pathogens during infection and can play a role in the outcome of host-pathogen interactions. The objective of our research is to identify potential cell wall biochemical traits linked to Fusariosis resistance to be transferred from a resistant common wheat to a susceptible durum wheat line.ResultsA detailed analysis of cell wall composition in spikes isolated from a highly resistant common wheat accession “02-5B-318”, a breeding line derived from the FHB-resistant Chinese cv. Sumai-3 and a high susceptible durum wheat cv. Saragolla was performed. Significant differences in lignin monolignols composition, arabinoxylan (AX) substitutions and pectin methylesterification were found between resistant and susceptible plants. We isolated and characterized a pectin methylesterase gene WheatPME1, which we found being down regulated in the FHB-resistant line and induced by fungal infection in the susceptible wheat.ConclusionsOur results indicate cell wall traits differing between the FHB sensitive and resistant wheat genotypes, possibly related to FHB-resistance, and identify the line 02-5B-318R as a potential resource of such traits. Evidence suggests that WheatPME1 is involved in wheat response to F. graminearum.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-014-0369-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The cotton laccase gene GhLAC15 enhances Verticillium wilt resistance via an increase in defence‐induced lignification and lignin components in the cell walls of plants

“…During infection, pathogens produce CWDEs, such as pectinases, xylanases and cellulases, to degrade cell wall polysaccharides to penetrate and colonize the host tissues (Wanyoike et al, 2002;Yang et al, 2012). The role of cell wall components in plant resistance has been reported in different species (Barros-Riosa et al, 2011;Lionetti et al, 2015). New lines of evidence have suggested that the content and composition of cell wall polymers affect the susceptibility of cell walls to CWDEs and play important roles in the outcome of host-pathogen interactions (Blümke et al, 2014;Cantu et al, 2008;Pogorelko et al, 2013).…”

“…For example, enhancing the G-lignin level by genetic manipulation of the monolignol pathway in Arabidopsis led to a reduction, not an increase, in R-mediated immunity to a hemibiotrophic bacterial pathogen (Goujon et al, 2003;Quentin et al, 2009). In wheat, a higher S-lignin content is regarded as a cell wall biochemical trait related to Fusarium resistance (Lionetti et al, 2015). No genetic studies have been reported providing insights into the role of G-or S-lignin in CWAassociated defence against V. dahliae attack.…”

Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium spp. on grain of spring wheat cultivars grown in Poland

“…Durum wheat is said to be susceptible mostly to F. graminearum (G. zeae). It was suggested by Lionetti et al (2015) that content and composition of cell wall polymers affect susceptibility to the wall-degrading enzymes produced by F. graminearum during infection, which affects the outcome of host-pathogen interactions. This fungus was not found in cv.…”

Behaviour of durum wheat cultivars towards deoxynivalenol content: A multi-year assay in Italy

“…Several studies have been so far successfully carried out to identify traits involved in FHB resistance in soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); whereas the sources of FHB resistance in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) have not been fully identified yet (Buerstmayr et al, 2009(Buerstmayr et al, , 2012Jauhar and Peterson, 2009;Lionetti et al, 2015;Ruan et al, 2012). Durum wheat is by far more FHB-susceptible than soft wheat, and its susceptibility to FHB disease and mycotoxin accumulation in kernels is of particular concern in Italy because of its key role in pasta production (Bottalico and Perrone, 2002; This work aims at examining the behaviour of several durum wheat cultivars grown in a multi-year period in Italy in relation to deoxynivalenol content detected in kernels.…”