The fungal endophyte Penicillium olsonii ML37 reduces Fusarium head blight by local induced resistance in wheat spikes
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The fungal endophyte Penicillium olsonii ML37 is a biocontrol agent of Fusarium head blight in wheat (caused by Fusarium graminearum), which has shown a limited direct inhibition of fungal growth in vitro. We used RNA-seq and LC-MS/MS analyses to elucidate metabolic interactions of the three-way system Penicillium–wheat–Fusarium in greenhouse experiments. We demonstrated that P. olsonii ML37 colonises wheat spikes and transiently activates plant defence mechanisms, as pretreated spikes show a faster and stronger expression of the defence metabolism during the first 24 h after pathogen inoculation. This effect was transient and the expression of the same genes was lower in the pathogen-infected spikes than in those infected by P. olsonii alone. This response to the endophyte includes the transcriptional activation of several WRKY transcription factors. This early activation is associated with a reduction in FHB symptoms and significantly lower levels of the F. graminearum metabolites 15-acetyl-DON and culmorin. An increase in the Penicillium-associated metabolite asperphanamate confirms colonisation by the endophyte. Our results suggest that the mode of action used by P. olsonii ML37 is via a local defence activation in wheat spikes, and that this fungus has potential as a novel biological alternative in wheat disease control.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 345 |
Journal | Journal of Fungi |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 4 |
Number of pages | 17 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- asperphenamate, biological control, culmorin, endophyte, Fusarium head blight, induced resistance, mycotoxin, Penicillium olsonii, RNA-seq, specialised metabolite
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