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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus alleviates alfalfa leaf spots caused by Phoma medicaginis revealed by RNA‐seq analysis
Author(s) -
Li Y.,
Duan T.,
Nan Z.,
Li Y.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.14387
Subject(s) - biology , chitinase , phenylalanine ammonia lyase , leaf spot , jasmonic acid , fungus , phenylpropanoid , botany , plant disease resistance , phoma , salicylic acid , gene , biosynthesis , peroxidase , biochemistry , enzyme
Abstract Aims One of the major limitations to the production of alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) is the fungus Phoma medicaginis , which infects alfalfa and causes leaf spots. This study aims to understand alfalfa’s response to P. medicaginis infection, the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) and the effect of AMF on plant–pathogen interactions. Methods and Results Transcriptome analysis (RNA‐seq) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in alfalfa infected by P. medicaginis and colonized by AMF Rhizophagus intraradices . AMF ameliorated the effects of P. medicaginis infection on alfalfa by reducing leaf spot incidence and disease index by 39·48 and 56·18% respectively. Inoculation with pathogen and AMF induced the activity of defence pathways, including peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase activities and jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid concentration. Plants showed differential expression of P. medicaginis resistance‐related genes, including genes belonging to pathogenesis‐related (PR) proteins, chitinase activity, flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, glutathione metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism and photosynthesis. Inoculation with AMF led to changes in the expression of genes involved in PR proteins, chitinase activity, phenylalanine metabolism and photosynthesis. Conclusion The physiological and transcriptional changes caused by P. medicaginis infection in non‐mycorrhizal and mycorrhizal alfalfa provides crucial information for understanding AMF’s association with pathogenic systems. Significance and Impact of the Study This study showed that AMF alleviated alfalfa leaf spots demonstrating that AMF can serve as a biocontrol strategy for alfalfa disease management.