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Ultrastructural Histopathology of Infection and Colonization of Maize by Stenocarpella maydis (= Diplodia maydis )
Author(s) -
Bensch M. J.,
Staden J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of phytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0434
pISSN - 0931-1785
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0434.1992.tb01313.x
Subject(s) - appressorium , biology , conidium , hypha , colonization , germination , inoculation , incubation , ultrastructure , botany , penetration (warfare) , microbiology and biotechnology , horticulture , biochemistry , operations research , engineering
The mode of penetration and colonization of stalk, shank and leaf sheath tissues of maize by Stenocarpella maydis (= Diplodia maydis ) was determined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) observations. Detached plant tissues, inoculated with a conidial suspension and examined by SEM at various intervals, showed that S. maydis conidia germinated on all plant material types after 5 h incubation at 30 °C. After 72 h incubation, appressoria had formed at the hyphal tips. Similar observations were recorded on plants inoculated in the glasshouse except that germination was delayed by 7 days after inoculation. TEM studies showed that penetration was affected by a penetration hypha which resulted in the inter‐ and intracellular colonization of the plant tissues. Colonization was accompanied by degradation of cell walls suggesting that host colonization is facilitated by enzyme activity.