ARS | Publication request: Basis for inhibition of Pyrenophora teres by Laetisaria arvalis, a scanning and transmission electron microscopic study

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 20, 2011
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Citation: Lartey, R.T., Ghoshroy, K., Caesar, T., Evans, R.G., Ghoshroy, S. 2012. Basis for inhibition of Pyrenophora teres by Laetisaria arvalis, a scanning and transmission electron microscopic study. American Phytopathological Society Abstracts. 101:S98.

Technical Abstract: The broadly occurring foliar disease of barley, net blotch is caused by Pyrenophora teres, an ascomycete and could result in significant yield loss under heavy disease pressure. The basidiomycete, Laetisaria arvalis has been reported to have biological control activity over some plant pathogens. In a preliminary experiment, L. arvalis inhibited growth of P. teres on agar plates. The observation however, did not elucidate the mechanisms of the P. teres inhibition by L. arvalis. This research was initiated to utilize electron microscopy techniques to examine the interaction between L. arvalis and P. teres to study the basis for previously observed inhibition. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to examine the interaction of the two fungi. To date, our microscopy data indicated structural changes of the hyphae in both P. teres and L. arvalis as the fungi interact. Additional examination of interacting colonies of the two fungi growing on agar shows loss of structural integrity in P. teres hyphae, whereas the L. arvalis hyphae remain intact. This includes the formation of large perforations in P. teres hyphae over time indicating possible degradation of P. teres hyphae resulting in its growth inhibition. This observation strongly confirms the likely inhibition of P. teres by L. arvalis. Additional experiments are in progress to better understand this interaction at the subcellular level to serve as basis for the development a biological control system of P. teres with L. arvalis.