Abstract
A spray inoculation of the first leaf of 2-leaf stage cucumber plants with a non-pathogenic isolate of Alternaria cucumarina or Cladosporium fulvum before a challenge inoculation with the pathogen Sphaerotheca fuliginea induced systemic resistance to powdery mildew on leaves 2–5. Systemic resistance was expressed by a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on each leaf of the induced plants, as compared with water-sprayed plants. Systemic resistance was evident when a prior inoculation with each of the inducing fungi was administered 1, 3 or 6 days before the challenge inoculation with S. fuliginea. Increasing the inoculum concentration of A. cucumarina or C. fulvum enhanced the systemic protection and provided up to 71.6% or 80.0% reduction, respectively, in the number of colonies produced on upper leaves, relative to controls. Increasing the inoculum concentration of S. fuliginea used for challenge inoculation, increased the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on both induced and non-induced plants. Pre-treated plants, however, were still better protected than controls, indicating that the level of systemic protection was related to the S. fuliginea inoculum concentration. The induction of systemic resistance against powdery mildew by biotic agents, facilitates the development of a wide range of disease management tools.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dean RA and Kuć J (1986) Induced systemic protection in cucumbers: effects of inoculum density on symptom development caused by Colletotrichum lagenarium in previously infected and uninfected plants. Phytopathology 67: 186-189
Durner J, Shah J and Klessig DF (1997) Salicylic acid and disease in plants. Trend Plant Sci 2: 266-274
Fought L and Kuć J (1996) Lack of specifiin pextracts and chemicals as inducers of systemic resistance in cucumber plants to anthracnose. J Phytopathol 144: 1-6
Gregersen Per L and Smedegaard V (1989) Induction of resistance in barley against Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordei after preinoculation with the saprophytic fungus, Cladosporium macrocarpum. J Phytopathol 124: 128-136
Hammerschmidt R and Smith Becker J (1997) Acquired resistance to disease in plants. Hort Rev 19: 248-289
Kuć J (1987) Plant immunization and its applicability for disease control. In: Chet I (ed) Innovative Approaches to Plant Disease Control (pp 255-274) J Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York
Mucharromah E and Kuć J (1991) Oxalates and phosphates induce systemic resistance against diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses in cucumber. Crop Prot 10: 265-270
Penninckx IAMI, Eggermont K, Terras FRG, Thomma BPHJ, de Samblanx GW, Buchala A, Metraux JP, Manners JM and Broekaert WF (1996) Pathogen-induced systemic activation of a plant defence gene in Arabidopsis follows a salicylic acid-independent pathway. Plant Cell 8: 2309-2323
Pieterse CMJ, van Wees SCM, Hoffland E, van Pelt JA and van Loon LC (1996) Systemic resistance in Arabidopsis induced by biocontrol bacteria is independent of salicylic acid accumulation and pathogenesis-related gene expression. Plant Cell 8: 1225-1237
Pieterse CMJ, van Wees SCM, van Pelt JA, Knoester M, Laan R, Gerrits H, Weisbeek PJ and van Loon LC (1998) A novel signaling pathway controlling induced systemic resistance in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 10: 1571-1580
Reuveni R and Reuveni M (1998) Foliar fertilizer therapy-a concept in integrated pest management. Crop Prot 17: 111-118
Reuveni M, Agapov V and Reuveni R (1993) Induction of systemic resistance to powdery mildew and growth increase in cucumber by phosphates. Biol Agric Hort 9: 305-315
Reuveni R, Reuveni M and Agapov V (1996) Foliar sprays of NPK fertilizers induce systemic protection against Puccinia sorghi and Exserohilum turcicum and growth response in maize. Eur J Plant Pathol 102: 339-348
Reuveni R, Dor G, Raviv M, Reuveni M and Tuzun S (2000) Systemic resistance against Sphaerotheca fuliginea in cucumber plants exposed to phosphate in hydroponics system, and its control by foliar spray of mono-potassium phosphate. Crop Protect 19: 355-361
Schaffrath U, Freydle E and Dudler R (1997) Evidence for different signalling pathways activated by inducers of acquired systemic resistance in wheat. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 10: 779-783
Sticher L, Mauch-Mani B and Metraux J-P (1997) Systemic acquired resistance. Annu Rev Phytopathol 35: 235-270
Thomma BPH, Eggermont K, Penninckx IAMA, Mauch-Mani B, Vogelsang T, Bammue PBA and Broekaert WF (1998) Separate jasmonate-dependent and salicylate-independent defence response pathways in Arabidopsis are essential for resistance to distinct microbial pathogens. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 95: 1507-1511
Tuzun S and Kloepper J (1995) Potential application of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to induce systemic disease resistance. In: Reuveni R (ed) Novel Approaches to Integrated Pest Management (pp 115-128)CRCPress, Boca Raton, Florida
Van Loon LC, Bakker PAHM and Pieterse CMJ (1998) Systemic resistance induced by rhizosphere bacteria. Annu Rev Phtopathol 36: 453-483
Vishwanath, Kolte SJ, Singh MP and Awasthi RP (1999) Induction of resistance in mustard (Brassica juncea) against Alternaria black spot with an avirulent Alternaria brassica isolate-D. Eur J Plant Pathol 105: 217-220
Wei G, Kloepper JW and Tuzun S (1991) Induction of systemic resistance of cucumber to Colletotricum orbiculare by select strains of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Phytopathology 81: 1598-1512
Ye XS, Strobel N and Kuć J (1995) Induced systemic resistance (ISR): activation of natural defense mechanisms for plant disease control as part of integrated pest management (IPM). In: Reuveni R (ed) Novel Approaches to Integrated Pest Management (pp 95-113) CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reuveni, M., Reuveni, R. Prior Inoculation with Non-pathogenic Fungi Induces Systemic Resistance to Powdery Mildew On Cucumber Plants. European Journal of Plant Pathology 106, 633–638 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008799105366
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008799105366