Postbloom fruit drop: histopatology of Colletotrichum acutatum

Author(s)

João Paulo Rodrigues Marques

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2012-08-09

Examining board members

Beatriz Appezzato da Gloria; Aristéa Alves Azevedo; Adriana Hissae Hayashi; Geraldo José da Silva Junior; Marcel Bellato Sposito

• Advisor: Beatriz Appezzato da Gloria

Abstract

The postbloom fruit drop (PFD) is a disease caused by Colletotrichum acutatum responsible for causing great damage to citrus crops in Brazil. The disease appears only in flower buds 8 mm in length or greater, leading to orange lesions in petals, necrotic lesions on the stigma, promoting the young fruit drop and the retention of the calyx and peduncle, which is called buttons. In this context, this study aimed to: observe the fungus penetration mode into the host Citrus sinensis \'Valência\' and the later stages of colonization; study the presence of preformed structural and chemical factors to explain why the fungus cannot infect floral buds with less than 8 mm in length; characterize anatomically the symptom \"buttons\" and injured stigmas; investigate the ultrastructural changes in tissues of inoculated petals; analyze whether there is the establishment of a quiescent infection in leaf tissues, analyze pollen grains after inoculation in vivo and in vitro with the fungus. Healthy buds, petals and stigmas with and without lesions, were processed and analyzed using conventional light and electron microscopy techniques. Leaves and pollen grains were also inoculated and analyzed with light microscopy. It was developed a new staining method for fungal-infected plant tissues. The resistance of flower buds smaller than 8mm may be associated with preformed structural and chemical barriers. These buttons display the apex with interspersed papillae, with crystals in mesophyll and substomatic chamber and oil cavities, which are located very close to each other on the abaxial surface. In 8mm and 12mm flower buds, the papilas in the apex become weakly interspaced, the crystals are not observed and there is the increase of the distance between the oil cavities. The papillose cells are osmophores. In the symptom \"button\", it is noted in the abscission of the ovary, an installation of wound meristem. There is also the lignification in the pith of receptacle and pedicel that can be associated with the retention of these structures in the plant. In infected petals, it was found that C. acutatum can penetrate intra and intercelullar or via stomata. The fungus may grow subcuticular and intramural and colonize all tissues of petal. The new staining technique developed has proved very useful for histopathological analysis. The fungus is closely associated with vascular tissues. The acervulli occur on both surfaces of petals. The cuticle in the later stages of the lesion is altered, i.e., there is loss of striated ornamentation and increased deposition of lipophilic material. The synthesis of lipophilic materials involves rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum and plastids. Vesicles from dictyosomes and multivesicular bodies were observed throughout the cell wall and are associated with the deposit of lipophilic material in the cuticle. There is the formation of protective layer over the stigma damaged area. The fungus shows chemotropism and grows toward the pollen infecting it 24 hours after inoculation. It is suggested that C. acutatum can use pollen grains for dispersal. After 48 hours of inoculation, the leaves have germinated conidia with appressoria. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/00425-6 - Postbloom fruit drop of citrus: histopathology of Colletotrichum acutatum
• Grantee: João Paulo Rodrigues Marques
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate