title: Quantitative and microscopic assessment of compatible and incompatible interactions between chickpea cultivars and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris races.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris, a main threat to global chickpea production, is managed mainly by resistant cultivars whose efficiency is curtailed by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris races.
  
  
  METHODS
  We characterized compatible and incompatible interactions by assessing the spatial-temporal pattern of infection and colonization of chickpea cvs. P-2245, JG-62 and WR-315 by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris races 0 and 5 labeled with ZsGreen fluorescent protein using confocal laser scanning microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two races colonized the host root surface in both interactions with preferential colonization of the root apex and subapical root zone. In compatible interactions, the pathogen grew intercellularly in the root cortex, reached the xylem, and progressed upwards in the stem xylem, being the rate and intensity of stem colonization directly related with the degree of compatibility among Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris races and chickpea cultivars. In incompatible interactions, race 0 invaded and colonized 'JG-62' xylem vessels of root and stem but in 'WR-315', it remained in the intercellular spaces of the root cortex failing to reach the xylem, whereas race 5 progressed up to the hypocotyl. However, all incompatible interactions were asymptomatic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The differential patterns of colonization of chickpea cultivars by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris races may be related to the operation of multiple resistance mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Córdoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Fernández
authors.forename: Blanca B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Landa
authors.forename: Seogchan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Rafael M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Díaz
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Navas-Cortés
mesh_terms: D029863:Cicer / Q000382:microbiology*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology