Phenotypes conferred by wheat multiple pathogen resistance locus, SR2, include cell death in response to biotic and abiotic stresses

Linda Tabe, Sharon Samuel, Matthew Dunn, Rosemary White, Rohit Mago, Gonzalo Estavillo, Wolfgang Spielmeyer*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The wheat Sr2 locus confers partial resistance to four biotrophic pathogens: wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), leaf rust (P. triticina), stripe rust (P. striiformis f. sp. tritici), and powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici). In addition, Sr2 is linked with a brown coloration of ears and stems, termed pseudo-black chaff (PBC). PBC, initially believed to be elicited by stem rust infection, was subsequently recognized to occur in the absence of pathogen infection. The current study demonstrates that the resistance response to stem rust is associated with the death of photosynthetic cells around rust infection sites in the inoculated leaf sheath. Similarly, Sr2-dependent resistance to powdery mildew was associated with the death of leaf mesophyll cells around mildew infection sites. We demonstrate that PBC occurring in the absence of pathogen inoculation also corresponds with death and the collapse of photosynthetic cells in the affected parts of stems and ears. In addition, Sr2-dependent necrosis was inducible in leaves by application of petroleum jelly or by heat treatments. Thus, Sr2 was found to be associated with cell death, which could be triggered by either biotic or abiotic stresses. Our results suggest a role for the Sr2 locus in controlling cell death in response to stress.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1751-1759
    Number of pages9
    JournalPhytopathology
    Volume109
    Issue number10
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2019

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