Ka. Spanos et al., IN-VITRO EXPRESSION OF RESISTANCE RESPONSES TO SEIRIDIUM SPECIES IN MICROPROPAGATED SHOOTS OF CUPRESSUS-SEMPERVIRENS AND CHAMAECYPARIS-LAWSONIANA, Canadian journal of botany, 75(7), 1997, pp. 1103-1109
Wounded and nonwounded micropropagated shoots of Cupressus semperviren
s and Chamaecyparis lawsoniana were inoculated in vitro with the canke
r-causing pathogens Seiridium cardinale (Wag.) Sutton & Gibson, Seirid
ium cupressi (Guba) Boeswinkel and Seiridium unicorne (Cke & Ell.) Sut
ton. Seiridium cardinale was significantly more pathogenic on Cupressu
s sempervirens than on Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Murr.) Parlatore, irr
espective of the presence of wounds on the shoots. On wounded shoots,
both S. cupressi and S. unicorne caused significantly larger lesions o
n Chamaecyparis lawsoniana than on Cupressus sempervirens by 20 days a
fter inoculation. Superficial wounding of shoots prior to inoculation
caused a significant increase in the lengths of lesions and numbers of
shoots girdled by the pathogens on both hosts. These results broadly
correlate with known virulence of the three pathogens on these two hos
t tree species in field and glasshouse tests. Using histological metho
ds, penetration of fungal hyphae through stomatal pores of both shoots
and leaves into the substomatal cavity and the mesophyll space was ob
served. Penetration directly through the cuticle was also seen. Defenc
e-related responses, including accumulation of oxidized polyphenolic c
ompounds and deposition of lignin and suberin in cell walls, were dete
cted in inoculated tissues. These responses occurred predominantly in
the epidermis, including stomatal guard cells, and the hypodermis and
were particularly marked in Chamaecyparis lawsoniana inoculated with S
. cardinale. The possible utility of these methods in the study and de
tection of host genotypes resistant to Seiridium spp. is discussed.