ARS | Publication request: Research solutions in a non-model system: developing tools to understand Sugar Beet-Fusarium Oxysporum interactions

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 15, 2011
Publication Date: June 15, 2011
Citation: Kuwitzky, B.E., Covey, P.A., Webb, K.M. 2011. Research solutions in a non-model system: developing tools to understand Sugar Beet-Fusarium Oxysporum interactions. Meeting Abstract. APS North Central Division Meeting.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium yellows of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. betae (Fob), is a problem for sugar beet production throughout the United States and Europe. Little is known about how Fob infects sugar beet roots to elicit disease symptoms. Additionally, a high rate of non-pathogenic F. oxysporum (Fo) are also commonly recovered from symptomatic plants. The ability to better understand pathogenicity will be beneficial for future experiments during the Fob/sugar beet pathosystem. The major objective of this project was to generate fluorescently labeled Fo and Fob isolates, using an Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation, with both a green fluorescent protein (ZsGreen) and red fluorescent protein (rfp) for use in in-situ microscopy methodologies to view biology of Fob and Fo interaction with sugar beet roots and to characterize the mode of infection for pathogenic isolates. Twelve Fob and Fo isolates were successfully transformed with ZsGreen. Of these, one Fo and one Fob isolate were tested for pathogenicity with no changes due to transformation event detected. Confirmation of putative rfp transformants is currently underway. Transgenic isolates were used to observe in-situ plant-fungi interactions under a UV microscope. This research developed new tools that can now be used to characterize early stage infection process during Fusarium yellows in sugar beet.