title: Spatial and temporal dynamics of the colonization of Pinus radiata by Fusarium circinatum, of conidiophora development in the pith and of traumatic resin duct formation.
abstract: · Fusarium circinatum causes pitch canker disease in a wide range of pine trees, including Pinus radiata, with devastating economic consequences. · To assess the spatial and temporal dynamics of growth of this pathogen in radiata pine, we examined the process of infection using both real-time PCR to quantify fungal biomass inside the plant host, and confocal microscopy using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged strain of F. circinatum. · Pathogen growth exhibited three distinct phases: an initial exponential increase in fungal biomass, concomitant with pathogen colonization of the cortex and phloem; a slowdown in fungal growth coincident with sporulating hyphae deep within the host; and stabilization of the fungal biomass when the first wilting symptoms appeared. The number of resin ducts in the xylem was found to increase in response to infection and the fungus grew inside both constitutive and traumatic resin ducts. · These results indicate that conidiation may contribute to the spatial or temporal dissemination of the pathogen. Moreover, the present findings raise the intriguing possibility that the generation of traumatic resin ducts may be of more benefit to the fungus than to the plant.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, c/Barrio Sarriena s/n, E-48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martín-Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departament of Plant Production and Protection, Neiker-Tecnalia, Granja Modelo de Arkaute, Apto 46, E-01080, Vitoria, Alava, Spain.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Espinel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, c/Barrio Sarriena s/n, E-48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
authors.forename: Joseba
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez-Zabala
authors.affiliation: Departament of Plant Production and Protection, Neiker-Tecnalia, Granja Modelo de Arkaute, Apto 46, E-01080, Vitoria, Alava, Spain.
authors.forename: Amaia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortíz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, c/Barrio Sarriena s/n, E-48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González-Murua
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, c/Barrio Sarriena s/n, E-48940, Leioa, Vizcaya, Spain.
authors.forename: Miren K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Duñabeitia
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005670:Fusarium / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D028223:Pinus / Q000382:microbiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000382:microbiology; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development*; D052584:Xylem / Q000382:microbiology*