Three hundred ninety one (391) spring wheat introductions from Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediteranean areas were screened for resistance to races C17, C20, C25, C49, C53 and C57 of Puccinia qraminis tritici; races 1, 5, 9, 15 and bulks 1, 4 and l0 of Puccinia recondita; races T2, T10, T13 and T39 of Ustilago tritici and to 6 isolates of Drechslera tritici-repentis prevalent in western Canada. Of the 34 introductions resistant to P. graminis tritici, 15 were genetically studied using F2 segregation data derived from the progeny of the crosses involving resistant introductions, their corresponding near isogenic lines and stem rust universal suscepts. Eleven of these were found to carry single Sr genes for resistance, notably, Sr30, Sr13 and Sr15. Of the 70 introductions resistant to P. recondita, 28 were studied and 9 were found to carry known Lr genes for resistance, notably Lr10 and the genes present in RL6057 and RL6061. Twenty two introductions are believed to carry either 1 or 2 unidentified dominant, recessive, partially dominant and/or complementary genes for resistance to either stem or leaf rust. Five introductions were immune and 6 highly resistant to the 4 races of U. tritici. Sixty-nine introductions were resistant to D. tritici-repentis . These were arbitrarily classified into 10 'phenotypic classes' according to their reactions to the 6 isolates used.

Sporisorium reilianum is a basidiomycetous fungus that causes head smut in sorghum and maize. Infection requires the formation of a dikaryon between spores of compatible mating type and leads to a change from yeast-like to hyphal growth within the host plant. This switch is controlled through mating type loci. Among forty four different sorghum isolates of S. reilianum (SRS), including five different pathotypes, only three compatible pairs were detected, leading to the establishment of haploid cultures with three different “a locus” mating types, as verified by mRNA expression. Amino acid sequence comparison showed that the pheromone gene components of the a mating type loci of sorghum isolates (SRS) are highly similar to those of maize isolates (SRZ). Genetic diversity was measured using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) to compare isolates collected from the same and different hosts. AFLP analysis showed polymorphism both within and between SRS and SRZ isolates, with isolates from each host tending to show greater similarity. However, the study did not reveal patterns that could be associated with pathotype of sorghum isolates. A recent outbreak of sorghum downy mildew in Texas has led to the discovery of both metalaxyl fungicide resistance and a new pathotype, P6, in the causal organism, Peronosclerospora sorghi. To identify sources of resistance against P6, a total of 336 sorghum lines (245 mini-core lines from ICRISAT, India, 67 elite accessions from KSU, Kansas and 24 accessions from Texas) were used in a greenhouse study. Fifty two mini-core and 20 accessions from Kansas and 13 from Texas were recorded with ≤10% infection and characterized as resistant for further confirmation. Out of the 52 resistant mini-core accessions, 20 were photo-insensitive and showed 0 % infection. Eleven out of 20 from Kansas showed 0% infection. To quantify the genetic diversity among resistant accessions a high throughput ABI Prism 3100 DNA sequencing system was used for DNA fingerprinting with 60 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers representing all 10 sorghum linkage groups. Analysis of SSR patterns showed high diversity among the resistant sorghum accessions that were collected from different geographical regions and include the five defined races of Sorghum bicolor. Accessions that are not closely related were most likely to represent unique sources of genetic resistance to P. sorghi.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Of the 372 chicks 35% showed smut. The P1 matings clean male X clean females gave 11.4% smutty progeny, clean male X smutty females gave 30.2% smutty progeny. The smutty male X clean females gave 45.2% while smutty male X smutty females gave 69.4% smutty progeny. Of the chicks that had black heads or necks 76% showed smut as adults, but there was no relationship found between shade or down and smut in adult undercolor. Chicks with black in wings gave 47.6% smutty adults, while only 19% of the non-black were smutty as adults. From the results obtained in this experiment smut depends upon two independent pairs or autosomal genes. At one locus there is "E" gene for the extension or black throughout the feathers, or "e", recessive allele which gives no color. At the other locus is gene "Y", for red color in the under-cola; or its recessive allele "y" which gives no color. Birds of genotypes Y/Y E/E, Y/Y E/e, Y/Y e/e, Y/y E/E, Y/y E/e, Y/y e/e, and y/y e/e give no smut. Those with genotypes y/y E/E and y/y E/e have smut. The amount of smut depends upon whether the gene "E" is in the E/E or E/e condition. Some chickens with genotype Y/y E/E may show smut since the epistatic condition is weakened when gene "Y" is in the heterozygous condition. Theoretically, the most desirable genotype for producers of broilers and processors would be y/y e/e since the under-color would be white. However, this is not the color called for in the Standard. Nevertheless, breeders should select that type of bird that will satisfy his customers. Selecting birds homozygous for "e" would be a breeder's best insurance against having smut. This, however, is not easy to do. Selecting for lighter colors, both surface and undercolor, would be the best way since black helps to make the shade somewhat darker. Lighter colored birds are not as likely to have "E" at all. It was noted in both field observation and actual experiment that those birds that had smut, laid fewer eggs during a seven month period. The P1 smutty females averaged 108.4 eggs; the P1 clean females averaged 130 eggs. The smutty females of the observed flock averaged 109 eggs; the clean females of the observed flock averaged 156 eggs. On the basis of this experiment and the author's field observation it is concluded that: 1. Smut in this strain of New Hampshires is caused by the interaction or two genes, one a recessive allele of "Y", red under-color, and the other a dominant allele "E", the extension ot black throughout the feathers, 2. Although a higher percent of those chicks showing black in the wings have smut as adults, one can't be sure whether smut will show or not. 3. A high percent or those chicks having black on head or neck will have smut as adults (76%). 4. Hens of this strain that have no smut will usually lay more eggs than smutty hens during a given period. 5. It is necessary to check for smut much more often than usually done to accomplish any great improvement. 6. Progeny testing is the best procedure to follow in attempts to control smut. / M.S.

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

This thesis presents a more in-depth understanding of the interaction between the pathogenic fungus Sporisorium scitamineum and sugarcane, a disease known as \"cane smut\". The development of a long structure like a \"whip\" from the meristem of infected plants is the main characteristic of the disease, allowing the effective dispersion of teliospores in the field. Infected plants have a reduced sucrose content and juice quality, leading to considerable economic losses. In the first chapter, the gene expression profile of the pathogen during its development in planta - in the first moments of infection and after the emission of the whip - and in vitro was evaluated using the RNAseq technique. Were analyzed genes preferentially expressed in each condition, differentially expressed in comparison to its growth in vitro, and expressed only during interaction. The results allowed the identification of some potential pathogenicity mechanisms, active effectors and gene clusters expressed only during interaction. In the second chapter, the transient expression technique was used to determine the target cell compartment of some of the candidate effectors and to establish a viable protocol for the study of S. scitamineum proteins. The four putatively secreted genes most expressed during the initial moments of the interaction were fused to the gene encoding the fluorescent green protein (Citrine) and expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. The results of confocal microscopy and westernblots indicated an accumulation of each candidate protein in the membrane, cytosol and/or nucleus, in addition to the occurrence of post-translational modifications. These data offer new study opportunities for the identification of plant proteins that interact with such effectors. In the third chapter, the transcriptional responses of sugarcane in the first moments of a compatible interaction and after the development of the whip were analyzed using again the data obtained from the dual RNAseq cane-smut. Among the main responses, was identified an increase in MADS-type transcription factors expression, indicating that the whip development may use a route similar to flowering, whose signaling seems to start as early as the colonization. In addition, whip development is accompanied by increased transcription of genes involved in energetic pathways, and hormones synthesis and signaling pathways. Genes encoding RGAs were differentially expressed and may be related to pathogen effector\'s recognition. In the fourth chapter, the metabolic profile of sugarcane was evaluated during disease progression, confirming that in the meristem of infected plants carbon allocation is channeled to energetic pathways, besides the regulation of several amino acids and changes in plant cell composition in response to whip development. Metabolomics approach also allowed the identification of a probable mycotoxin derived from S. scitamineum. The results obtained in this study contributed to increase the understanding of the interaction between S. scitamineum and sugarcane that is characterized by high complexity and specialization to the host, and can be used in a way to help the characterization of resistant varieties and contribute to the improvement of sugarcane with resistance to smut. / Esta tese apresenta uma compreensão mais aprofundada da interação entre o fungo patogênico Sporisorium scitamineum e a cana-de-açúcar, doença conhecida como \"carvão da cana\". O desenvolvimento de uma longa estrutura similar a um \"chicote\" a partir do meristema de plantas infectadas é a principal característica da doença, permitindo a efetiva dispersão dos teliósporos no campo. As plantas doentes apresentam um teor reduzido de sacarose e qualidade do sumo, levando a perdas econômicas consideráveis. No primeiro capítulo, o perfil de expressão gênica do patógeno durante o seu desenvolvimento in planta - nos primeiros momentos da infecção e após a emissão do chicote - e in vitro foi avaliado utilizando a técnica RNA-Seq. Foram analisados os genes preferencialmente expressos em cada condição, diferencialmente expressos em relação ao crescimento em meio de cultura, ou expressos apenas durante a interação. Os resultados permitiram a elaboração de hipóteses sobre os mecanismos de patogenicidade, sobre os genes candidatos a efetores ativos e a identificação de agrupamentos de genes expressos apenas durante a interação. No segundo capítulo, para determinar o compartimento celular alvo de alguns dos efetores candidatos e estabelecer um protocolo viável para o estudo de proteínas de S. scitamineum foi utilizada a técnica de expressão transiente. Os quatro genes mais expressos durante os momentos iniciais da interação que fazem parte do secretoma do fungo foram fusionados ao gene que codifica a proteína verde fluorescente (Citrina) e expressos em Nicotiana benthamiana. Os resultados de microscopia confocal e westernblots indicaram um acúmulo de cada uma das proteínas candidatas na membrana, citosol e/ou núcleo, além da ocorrência de modificações pós-traducionais. Esses dados oferecem novas oportunidades de estudo para a identificação de proteínas vegetais que interagem com tais efetores. No terceiro capítulo, as respostas transcricionais da cana-de-açúcar nos primeiros momentos de uma interação compatível e após o desenvolvimento do chicote foram analisadas utilizando novamente os dados obtidos a partir do dual RNAseq cana-carvão. Entre as principais respostas da cana destacou-se um aumento da expressão de genes que codificam fatores de transcrição do tipo MADS, indicando que o desenvolvimento do chicote pode usar uma rota semelhante à do florescimento, cuja sinalização parece iniciar logo nos primeiros momentos de colonização. Além disso, o desenvolvimento do chicote é acompanhado pelo aumento da transcrição de genes envolvidos em vias energéticas, e vias de síntese e sinalização hormonal. Genes que codificam para RGAs foram diferencialmente expressos e podem estar relacionados ao reconhecimento de efetores. No quarto capítulo, foi avaliado o perfil metabólico da cana-de-açúcar durante a progressão da doença, confirmando que no meristema de plantas infectadas ocorre um aumento da alocação de carbono em vias energéticas, além da regulação de vários aminoácidos e mudanças em relação à composição da parede celular em resposta ao desenvolvimento do chicote. A abordagem metabólica também permitiu a identificação de uma provável micotoxina derivada de S. scitamineum. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo contribuíram para aumentar a compreensão da interação entre S. scitamineum e a cana-de-açúcar que se caracteriza pela alta complexidade e especialização ao hospedeiro, e poderão ser utilizados de forma a auxiliar a caracterização de variedades resistentes e contribuir para o melhoramento da cana-de-açúcar com resistência ao carvão.

O carvão é uma das doenças mais importantes da cana-de-açúcar. Grande parte dos Programas de Melhoramento Genético dessa cultura utiliza inoculações artificiais para selecionar e caracterizar as variedades quanto a sua resistência a doenças. Assim o conhecimento das condições favoráveis para infecção torna-se indispensável. Neste trabalho foram estudadas as condições que afetam a infecção de gemas pelo fungo Sporisorium scitamineum. Do ponto de vista do hospedeiro foi avaliada a incidência de chicotes para diferentes idades das gemas e das brotações das variedades NA56-79, SP71-1406 e SP84-2066. As gemas mais novas mostraram-se mais suscetíveis que as medianas e velhas, porém na variedade mais suscetível, a SP84-2066, não houve diferenças na taxa de infecção das gemas mais novas e velhas. Gemas sem prébrotação e com pré-brotação de 1 dia foram infectadas pelo fungo enquanto que gemas pré-brotadas com 4, 6, 8 e 10 dias não foram infectadas. Para o patógeno, foi avaliada a concentração de teliósporos para a inoculação. As concentrações de 1x106 e 1x 108 foram as únicas que produziram sintomas e sinais, não diferindo a incidência da doença entre elas. Como condições de pós inoculação foram testadas as variáveis temperatura de 25, 28 e 32 °C, umidade de 65, 80 e 95% e períod o de incubação de 24, 48 e 96 horas. Foram realizados dois experimentos em tempos diferentes, sendo que no primeiro foram utilizadas as variedades NA56-79, SP71-1406 e SP84-2066 e no segundo, além das citadas, foram acrescentadas as variedades SP79-2312 e IAC66-6. O tratamento de 28°C, 65% de umidade por um período de 24 horas foi o que promoveu maior índice de infecção, para todas as variedades, exceto a SP84-2066 que foi favorecida por umidade de 95%. Além desses parâmetros foi avaliado o método de inoculação por aspersão de teliósporos e do ferimento seguido por aspersão de teliósporos. A inoculação por ferimento proporcionou maior índice de infecção para as variedades NA56-79, RB72-454, IAC66-6, SP70-1143, mas não teve interferência nas variedades SP79-1011, SP80-185 e SP86-155. Um segundo objetivo do trabalho foi validar um método de diagnose precoce para o carvão. Para isto foram desenvolvidos iniciadores específicos para a detecção de S. scitamineum. Esses iniciadores foram avaliados quanto a sua especificidade e sensibilidade e demonstraram bons resultados. Para a validação prática, plantas de 12 variedades inoculadas tiveram suas folhas amostradas aos 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135 e 150 dias após o plantio. Todas as plantas que apresentaram o chicote puderam ser diagnosticadas precocemente com o método criado. As datas de diagnóstico precoce foram de no mínimo 30 dias e no máximo 120 dias antes do aparecimento do sintoma/sinal. Este é um método que pode ser incorporado para os testes de quarentena reduzindo a permanência de plantas na casa de vegetação e reduzindo os custos de manutenção dessas plantas. / Smut is one of the most important diseases of sugarcane. Most part of genetic breeding programs from this culture use artificial inoculation in order to select and characterize the varieties regarding their resistance to diseases. Therefore knowledge of favorable conditions for infection becomes indispensable. This work studied conditions that affect bud infection by the fungus Sporisorium scitamineum. From the standpoint of the host it was assessed the whip incidence for different bud ages and shoot of the varieties NA56-79, SP71-1406 and SP84-2066. The younger buds were more susceptible than median and older ones, but in the susceptible variety, SP84-2066, there were no differences in the younger and older bud infection rates. Buds with and without shoots of 1 day were infected with the fungus while pre-sprouting buds with 4, 6, 8 and 10 days were not infected. For the pathogen it was evaluated teliospore concentration for inoculation. The concentrations 1x106 and 1x 108 were the only ones that produced symptoms and signs, not differing disease incidence among them. As pos-inoculation conditions the variables tested were temperature of 25, 28 and 32 °C, humidity of 65, 80 and 95% and incubation period of 24, 48 and 96 hours. Two experiments were performed at different times, the first one were used NA56-79, SP71- 1406 and SP84-2066 varieties and the second one, besides those mentioned, it was added SP79-2312 and IAC66-6 varieties. The treatment of 28 °C, 65% humidity and for a period of 24 hours was the one that promoted the highest infection rate, for all varieties, except for SP84-2066 that was favored by 95% of humidity. Besides these parameters, it was evaluated the inoculation method by teliospore spraying and wound followed by teliospore spraying. Inoculation by wounding provided higher infection rate for the NA56-79, RB72-454, IAC66-6, SP70-1143 varieties, however it had no interference in SP79-1011, SP80-185 and SP86-155 varieties. A second objective was to validate a method of early diagnosis of smut. Thus, it was developed specific primers to detect S. scitamineum. These primers were evaluated for their specificity and sensibility and showed good results. To practice validation, plants of 12 varieties inoculated had their leaves sampled at 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135 and 150 days after planting. All the plants that presented whip could be early diagnosed by the created method. The dates of premature diagnosis were of at least 30 days and a maximum of 120 days before symptom/sign onset. This method can be incorporated for quarantine tests, reducing permanence of plant in greenhouse and reducing maintenance costs of these plants and varieties selection.

A ferrugem e o carvão estão entre as principais doenças da cana-de-açúcar, visto que são consideradas em todos os Programas de Melhoramento Genético (PMG), tanto na seleção de genitores resistentes quanto no comportamento das progênies. Quando a cultura está distribuída em grandes extensões tornam-se importante conhecer a amplitude da variação patogênica na população dos agentes causais. Diante a importância de obter variedades com resistência efetiva e duradoura, o objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a ocorrência e caracterizar, no Estado de São Paulo, a variabilidade patogênica de Puccinia melanocephala e Ustilago scitaminea. Coletaram-se 12 populações de cada patógeno em 3 regiões canavieiras, Piracicaba, Jaú e Ribeirão Preto. Para os experimentos de ferrugem usaram-se 3 variedades de comportamento conhecido frente à doença, SP70-1143, SP91-1397 e R570, suscetível, intermediária e resistente, respectivamente. Plantas com 20 dias de desenvolvimento foram inoculadas com suspensões de 104 esporos viáveis/mL de cada população, e colocadas em câmara de crescimento a 20 ºC e 12 h de fotoperiodo. Após 14 dias foram avaliados os sintomas na folha +1, quantificando severidade medida em porcentagem de área foliar afetada e incidência, medida em número de pústulas/cm2. Para carvão utilizaram-se 3 variedades de reação conhecida, SP84-2066, suscetível, Co421 intermediária e SP71-8210 resistente. Inocularam-se gemas de cada variedade com suspensões de 1,7 x 106 esporos viáveis/mL das populações. Após do desenvolvimento em casa de vegetação, as plantas foram transplantadas no campo instalando-se um ensaio em delineamento de blocos casualizados com 4 repetições. As avaliações foram realizadas a cada 14 dias durante o ciclo de cana-planta, determinando-se a incidência da doença segundo as porcentagens acumuladas de touceiras doentes por parcelas, obtendo-se também a área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença. Para ferrugem verificou-se que houve diferenças significativas de agressividade entre as populações estudadas. Duas populações de Jaú, J3 e J4, destacaram-se pela maior agressividade em todas as variedades. Além disso, as populações de Jaú mostraram também virulência diferenciada em relação às demais populações. As populações de U. scitaminea apresentaram diferentes níveis de agressividade, porém não houve alterações de virulência entre as populações estudadas. Segundo os parâmetros observados, uma população de Piracicaba e duas de Jaú comportaram-se como as mais agressivas. Dessa forma, ficou comprovada que, tanto para P. melanocephala como para U. scitaminea, existe uma considerável variabilidade patogênica entre as populações destes agentes causais no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Os PMG que submetem os materiais a inoculações artificiais com esporos de ferrugem e carvão em alguma etapa do programa necessitam considerar a variação na agressividade dos patógenos determinada neste estudo. / Rust and smut are among the most important diseases of sugarcane, being considered in every breeding program both in parent selection as well as in evaluating progeny behavior. When the crop is distributed to large extensions, it becomes very important to know the amplitude of the pathogenic variation in the population of the causal agent. Considering the importance of obtaining varieties with effective and long lasting resistance, the objective of the present study was to verify the occurrence, in the state of São Paulo, of pathogenic variability in Puccinia melanocephala and Ustilago scitaminea. Twelve populations of each pathogen were collected from three sugarcane producing regions: Piracicaba, Jaú and Ribeirão Preto. For the rust experiments three varieties of known behavior to the disease were used, SP70-1143, SP91-1397 and R570, susceptible, intermediate, and resistant, respectively. Twenty day-old plants were inoculated with 104 viable spores/mL suspensions of each population, and incubated at 20 ºC with 12 h photoperiod. Fourteen days later, symptoms were evaluated in the leaf +1, quantifying severity as the percentage of the leaf area affected and incidence as the number of pustules/cm2. For smut, three varieties with know response to the disease were used, SP84-2066, susceptible, Co421, intermediate and SP71-8210, resistant. Buds of each variety were inoculated with 1,7 x 106 viable spores/mL of each population. After growth in the greenhouse the plants were transplanted to the field in a random block trial with 4 repetitions. Disease was monitored every fourteen days during the plant cane cycle, determining the incidence according to the accumulated percentage of diseased stools per plot, also obtaining the area below the disease progression curve. For rust, it was observed that the populations showed different levels of aggressiveness. Two populations from Jaú, named J3 and J4, behaved as the most aggressive in the three varieties. Moreover, populations from Jaú showed different virulence among studied populations. The populations of U. scitaminea showed distinct aggressiveness levels, however it was not observed changes in the virulence among tested populations. According to the evaluated parameters, one population from Piracicaba and two from Jaú behaved as the most aggressive ones. Thus, it was showed that a considerable pathogenic variability exists among Brazilian populations of both pathogens. The sugarcane breeding programs that perform artificial inoculations with rust and smut spores at some stage in the program must take into consideration the variability in the aggressiveness of the pathogens determined in this study.