Genotype-specific suppression of multiple defense pathways in apple root during infection by Pythium ultimum

• Main Authors: Yanmin Zhu, Jonathan Shao, Zhe Zhou, Robert E. Davis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Nature Publishing Group 2019-01-01
• Series: Horticulture Research
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-018-0087-1

Apple orchards: Finding genes that fight infection The discovery of genetic traits that make certain apple trees resistant to soil pathogens may help generate hardier crops. After apple orchards are replanted, some trees succumb to pathogens and fungi that have accumulated in the soil. To ensure the longevity of orchard sites, researchers want to clarify the genetic makeup of resistant trees. Yanmin Zhu at the United States Department of Agriculture in Wenatchee, US, and co-workers conducted comparative genetic analysis of two apple genotypes (one susceptible, one resistant) during infection with the plant pathogen Pythium ultimum. They found that the genotypes have multiple differentially-expressed genes. Key genes and signaling pathways in the susceptible tree’s roots were suppressed 48 h after infection when the tree was most vulnerable, whereas the resistant tree responded within 24 h, upregulating genes that strengthen roots and fight disease.