Molecular Plant Pathology
Molecular Plant Pathology
5 years ago

The Influence of Genetics, Defensive Chemistry, and The Fungal Microbiome on Disease Outcome In Whitebark Pine Trees

Lorinda S. Bullington, Beau Larkin, Richard Sniezko, Ylva Lekberg
The invasive fungal pathogen, Cronartium ribicola, infects and kills whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) throughout western North America. Whitebark pine has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the U.S., and the loss of this species is predicted to have severe impacts on ecosystem composition and function in high elevation forests. Numerous fungal endophytes live inside whitebark pine tissues, and they may influence the severity of C. ribicola infection either directly by inhibiting pathogen growth or indirectly by inducing chemical defensive pathways in the tree. Terpenes, a form of chemical defense in pine trees, can also influence disease. In this study, we characterized fungal endophyte communities in whitebark pine seedlings before and after experimental inoculation with C. ribicola, monitored disease progression, and compared fungal community composition in susceptible vs. resistant seedlings in a common garden. We analyzed terpene composition of these same seedlings. Seed family identity or maternal genetics, influenced both terpenes and endophyte communities. Terpene and endophyte composition correlated with disease severity, and terpene concentrations differed in resistant vs. susceptible seedlings. These results suggest that the resistance to C. ribicola observed in natural whitebark pine populations is due to the combined effects of genetics, endophytes, and terpenes within needle tissue, where initial interactions between microbes and hosts take place. Tree genotype, terpene, and microbiome combinations associated with healthy trees could help predict or reduce disease severity and improve outcomes of future tree breeding programs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1111/mpp.12663

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