Characterization of Cryphonectria parasitica From Native Chestnut Trees in Kaz Mountain (Mount Ida)

Year 2018, , 38 - 45, 30.04.2018

Hilal Özkılıç Zerrin Kozma Burcu Pekdemir Birgül Gülnar

https://doi.org/10.13002/jafag4357

Abstract

Cryphonectria parasitica is a causal agent of chestnut blight worldwide and it dramatically affects natural chestnut trees in Kaz Mountain (Mount Ida). Different biological control approaches have been proposed to constrain the disease. The pathogen has mating system with two alternate idiomorphs which may increase pathogen genetic variability due the recombination events. In this study, C. parasitica isolates were diagnosed with partial sequencing of Translation Elongation Factor-1α (Ef-1α) gene, tested for their pathogenicity, evaluated for their mating types, and the isolates of Trichoderma sp. which were isolated from the same lesion where some isolates of C. parasitica were obtained were investigated for antagonistic effect on C. parasitica. It was not detected any mutation in sequenced part of Ef-1α gene. All the isolates were confirmed as pathogen in in vitro assays by inoculation to apple fruit. Only one mating type (Mat1-1) was detected for some of the isolates. Trichoderma sp. isolates were suppressed in vitro growth rate of C. parasitica. Both C. parasitica and Trichoderma sp. caused necrotic symptoms on the fruits once they were inoculated on apple, but, Trichoderma sp. did not affect lesion development caused by C. parasitica. Overall results present that wild chestnut trees in Kaz Mountain are under threat of chestnut blight pathogens having similar aggressiveness and genetic identity and, isolates of Trichoderma sp. obtained in this study should be assessed by in vivo experiments for their biocontrol ability against to C. parasitica.

Keywords

Chestnut blight, Ef-1α gene, pathogenicity, mating type

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