Botryotinia fuckeliana

About: Botryotinia fuckeliana is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 141 publications have been published within this topic receiving 4607 citations.

Botrytis cinerea: the cause of grey mould disease

Abstract: Introduction: Botrytis cinerea (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana) is an airborne plant pathogen with a necrotrophic lifestyle attacking over 200 crop hosts worldwide. Although there are fungicides for its control, many classes of fungicides have failed due to its genetic plasticity. It has become an important model for molecular study of necrotrophic fungi. Taxonomy: Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botryotinia. Host range and symptoms: Over 200 mainly dicotyledonous plant species, including important protein, oil, fibre and horticultural crops, are affected in temperate and subtropical regions. It can cause soft rotting of all aerial plant parts, and rotting of vegetables, fruits and flowers post-harvest to produce prolific grey conidiophores and (macro)conidia typical of the disease. Pathogenicity: B. cinerea produces a range of cell-wall-degrading enzymes, toxins and other low-molecular-weight compounds such as oxalic acid. New evidence suggests that the pathogen triggers the host to induce programmed cell death as an attack strategy. Resistance: There are few examples of robust genetic host resistance, but recent work has identified quantitative trait loci in tomato that offer new approaches for stable polygenic resistance in future.

Rflp markers show genetic recombination in botryotinia fuckeliana (botrytis cinerea) and transposable elements reveal two sympatric species

Abstract: Molecular markers revealed that Botryotinia fuckeliana (the teleomorph of Botrytis cinerea), a haploid, filamentous, heterothallic ascomycete, contained a large amount of intrapopulation genetic variation. The markers were used to determine the mode of reproduction and the population structure of this fungus. We did not detect any differentiation between isolates from different organs, collection dates, varieties of grape, or locations in the Champagne region of France, but two unexpected sympatric populations were identified. One group of isolates (transposa) contained the transposable elements Boty and Flipper; the other (vacuma) did not. These groups differed from one another for all the other markers. RFLP markers showed that there was genetic recombination in both groups of isolates. We conclude that there are two sympatric populations of B. fuckeliana in Champagne. One species (transposa) seems to be local and well adapted, while the other one (vacuma) is presumably a heterogeneous migrant population.

Infection Strategies of Botrytis cinerea and Related Necrotrophic Pathogens

Abstract: Botrytis cinerea Persoon: Fries (known as “grey mould fungus”) causes serious preand post-harvest diseases in at least 235 plant species (Jarvis, 1977), including a range of agronomically important crops, such as grapevine, tomato, strawberry, cucumber, bulb flowers and ornamental plants. Graminaceous monocots are generally considered as poor hosts for grey mould. Disease control frequently relies on chemicals, although efforts to develop biological control strategies are increasingly successful (e.g. Kohl et al., 1995; Elad, 1996) and biocontrol agents are marketed. The name of the asexual stage or anamorph, Botrytis cinerea, is preferred to the name of the teleomorph, Botryotinia fuckeliana (de Bary) Whetzel (XIth International Botrytis Symposium, 1996, Wageningen, The Netherlands). The teleomorph has rarely been detected in the field during the last century, but molecular population studies recently provided clear evidence that sexual reproduction occurs more frequently than previously anticipated (Giraud et al., 1997). The pathogen is a typical necrotroph, inducing host cell death resulting in serious damage to plant tissues, culminating in rot of the plant or the harvested product. There are extensive descriptions of microscopic and biochemical studies on infection mechanisms (reviewed by Staples and Mayer, 1995). Comprehensive insight in the infection process, however, is hampered by the fact that various groups used different fungal strains and different host species for their studies.

Sexual behaviour and mating system of Botryotinia fuckeliana, teleomorph of Botrytis cinerea.

Abstract: Summary: Analysis of 213 field isolates of Botrytis cinerea and 240 ascospore isolates of its sexual form Botryotinia fuckeliana indicated that sexual compatibility of this fungus is controlled by a single mating type gene with two alleles. Most isolates were heterothallic, that is, they were self-sterile and able to produce ascospore progeny when crossed with reference strains carrying the mating type gene MAT1-1 or MAT1-2. About 16% of the field isolates and 6% of the ascospore progeny were homothallic, that is, self fertile and compatible with both MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 strains. Both mating types are widespread in nature. The close association of MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 field isolates on various hosts in several regions of Italy shows that sexual reproduction and meiotic recombination might be an important source of genetic variation in this pathogenic fungus.