Growth under Visible Light Increases Conidia and Mucilage Production and Tolerance to UV-B Radiation in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Colletotrichum acutatum

Author(s)

de Menezes, Henrique D. ^[1] ; Massola, Jr., Nelson S. ^[2] ; Flint, Stephan D. ^[3] ; Silva, Jr., Geraldo J. ^[4] ; Bachmann, Luciano ^[5] ; Rangel, Drauzio E. N. ^[6] ; Braga, Gilberto U. L. ^{[1, 7]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut Ribeirao Preto, Dept Anal Clin Toxicol & Bromatol, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Fitopatol & Nematol, Escola Super Agr Luiz de Queiroz, Piracicaba - Brazil

^[3] Univ Idaho, Dept Forest Rangeland & Fire Sci, Moscow, ID 83843 - USA

^[4] Fundo Def Citricultura, Dept Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Araraquara - Brazil

^[5] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras Ribeirao Preto, Dept Fis, Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[6] Univ Vale Paraiba, Inst Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, Sao Jose Dos Campos - Brazil

^[7] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut Ribeirao Preto, Res Support Ctr Nat & Synthet Prod, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Photochemistry and Photobiology; v. 91, n. 2, p. 397-402, MAR-APR 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 15

Abstract

Light conditions can influence fungal development. Some spectral wavebands can induce conidial production, whereas others can kill the conidia, reducing the population size and limiting dispersal. The plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum acutatum causes anthracnose in several crops. During the asexual stage on the host plant, Colletototrichum produces acervuli with abundant mucilage-embedded conidia. These conidia are responsible for fungal dispersal and host infection. This study examined the effect of visible light during C.acutatum growth on the production of conidia and mucilage and also on the UV tolerance of these conidia. Conidial tolerance to an environmentally realistic UV irradiance was determined both in conidia surrounded by mucilage on sporulating colonies and in conidial suspension. Exposures to visible light during fungal growth increased production of conidia and mucilage as well as conidial tolerance to UV. Colonies exposed to light produced 1.7 times more conidia than colonies grown in continuous darkness. The UV tolerances of conidia produced under light were at least two times higher than conidia produced in the dark. Conidia embedded in the mucilage on sporulating colonies were more tolerant of UV than conidia in suspension that were washed free of mucilage. Conidial tolerance to UV radiation varied among five selected isolates. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/15204-8 - Mechanistic study of the photodynamic inactivation of human and plant pathogenic fungi
• Grantee: Gilberto Úbida Leite Braga
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/06374-1 - Visible light during growth enhances conidial tolerance to different stress conditions in fungi
• Grantee: Drauzio Eduardo Naretto Rangel
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants