Substrate and Plant Genotype Strongly Influence the Growth and Gene Expression Response to Trichoderma afroharzianum T22 in Sugar Beet

Abstract

Many strains ofTrichodermafungi have beneficial effects on plant growth and pathogen control, but little is known about the importance of plant genotype, nor the underlying mechanisms. We aimed to determine the effect of sugar beet genotypic variation onTrichodermabiostimulation. The effect ofTrichoderma afroharzianumT22 on sugar beet inbred genotypes were investigated in soil and on sterile agar medium regarding plant growth, and by quantitative reverse transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis for gene expression. In soil, T22 application induced up to 30% increase or decrease in biomass, depending on plant genotype. In contrast, T22 treatment of sterile-grown seedlings resulted in a general decrease in fresh weight and root length across all sugar beet genotypes. Root colonization of T22 did not vary between the sugar beet genotypes. Sand- and sterile-grown roots were investigated by qRT-PCR for expression of marker genes for pathogen response pathways. Genotype-dependent effects of T22 on, especially, the jasmonic acid/ethylene expression markerPR3were observed, and the effects were further dependent on the growth system used. Thus, both growth substrate and sugar beet genotype strongly affect the outcome of inoculation withT. afroharzianumT22.

Keywords

Beta vulgaris; gene expression; growth stimulation; inbred genotypes; pathogen response pathways; Trichoderma afroharzianum

Published in

Plants
2020, volume: 9, number: 8, article number: 1005
Publisher: MDPI

SLU Authors

• Marttila, Salla

  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network

UKÄ Subject classification

Botany

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9081005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/108161