Mofo branco: métodos de avaliação de suscetibilidade e expressão de genes relacionados à defesa em plantas de soja

Abstract

The White mold, caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is one of the most importante disease that affect the soybean crop. The management is based on integrated practices as by applying pesticides, crop rotation and the usage of less susceptible genotypes. However, there is not a high level resistance genotype commercially available. The inconsistency of results from field trials has been the major obstacle in the selection of resistant material. For this reason, a great variety of methods have been used in laboratory to assess the soybean genotypes resistance to S. sclerotioroum. Then, the objective of this study was to evaluate different methods used to assess sensitivity levels and if they stimulate equal responses in soybean genotypes, in terms of susceptibility. Four methods were applied (oxalic acid, stem test, straw test and by appliyng spores) to four soybean gentypes. The completely randomized design was used. Experiments were conducted in triplicates, with seven replications each. The sensitivity to the oxalic acid was assessed by using a wilting score key, it was measured the size of lesion (cm) for the stem and straw test, and for the ascospore method, the severity of disease symptoms was assessed. The rank of genotypes was used to compare methods as well as the analysis of gene expression of some genes related to soybean defence. All method were shown to simulate similar responses to the soybean genotypes, in terms of susceptibility. The susceptibility level of genotypes did not change when submitted to the different methods. Also, it was shown that there is a correlation among the methods results, although the degree which it occurs is different. The methods AO and Ascospore were the ones that demonstrated lower correlation (Spearman coefficient: 0,498), whereas the stem and straw test were shown to have the highest correlation levels (Spearman coefficient: 0,877). Furthermore, it was noticed similarity in the stimuli caused in soybean plants by the different methods due to either the contact with fungus or the pathogenicity fator (oxalic acid) to express genes from PR-5 group.