Spray-induced gene silencing as a potential tool to control rubber tree powdery mildew disease

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

Cao X., Han Q. and West, J. S. 2024. Spray-induced gene silencing as a potential tool to control rubber tree powdery mildew disease. Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology. 129, p. 102182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102182

AuthorsCao X., Han Q. and West, J. S.
Abstract

Powdery mildew of rubber tree, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Erysiphe quercicola, is a serious disease
that occurs in all rubber tree growing regions. The disease is mainly controlled by fungicides. Here, an alternative
means for powdery mildew control by spraying double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA), which target E. quercicola genes,
was investigated. First, we demonstrated that the conidia of E. quercicola can take-up environmental dsRNA.
Furthermore, the spraying of dsRNA targeting E. quercicola genes can effectively reduce both the expression of
the target gene of the pathogen and the rubber tree powdery mildew severity. The reduction in disease severity
was up to 50 % compared to water-treated leaves. These results suggest that Spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS)
of the pathogen genes will provide an additional tool to control rubber tree powdery mildew as well as a method
to study the function of genes of E. quercicola.

KeywordsRubber tree powdery mildew; Erysiphe quercicola; Spray-induced gene silencing; dsRNA
Year of Publication2024
JournalPhysiological and Molecular Plant Pathology
Journal citation129, p. 102182
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102182
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmpp.2023.102182
Open accessPublished as non-open access
FunderNational Natural Science Foundation of China
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Funder project or code31972212
Growing Health [ISP]
Resilient Farming Futures
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online13 Nov 2023
Publication process dates
Accepted11 Nov 2023
ISSN0885-5765
PublisherElsevier

Permalink - https://repository.rothamsted.ac.uk/item/98z22/spray-induced-gene-silencing-as-a-potential-tool-to-control-rubber-tree-powdery-mildew-disease

Restricted files

Publisher's version

Under embargo indefinitely

Accepted author manuscript

Under embargo until 13 May 2025

Supplemental file

Under embargo until 13 May 2025 (2 files)

59 total views
1 total downloads
0 views this month
0 downloads this month