Journal
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
Volume 12, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.788584
Keywords
nut gray necrosis (NGN); Fusarium tricinctum species complex; hazelnut (Corylus avellana L; ); genomics; hybrid assembly
Categories
Funding
- European Commission [774571]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In the summer of 2019, a study on hazelnut orchards in Italy revealed symptoms of nut gray necrosis, caused by the Fusarium lateritium. However, further analysis using genome sequencing showed that the actual causative agent was the F. tricinctum species complex. This study highlights the diversity of Fusarium species that can infect hazelnuts, leading to the same symptoms, and provides insights into the genetic features and control strategies for this pathogen.
In summer 2019, during a survey on the health status of a hazelnut orchard located in the Tuscia area (the province of Viterbo, Latium, Italy), nuts showing symptoms, such as brown-grayish spots at the bottom of the nuts progressing upward to the apex, and necrotic patches on the bracts and, sometimes, on the petioles, were found and collected for further studies. This syndrome is associated with the nut gray necrosis (NGN), whose main causal agent is Fusarium lateritium. Aiming to increase knowledge about this fungal pathogen, the whole-genome sequencing of a strain isolated from symptomatic hazelnut was performed using long Nanopore reads technology in combination with the higher precision of the Illumina reads, generating a high-quality genome assembly. The following phylogenetic and comparative genomics analysis suggested that this isolate is caused by the F. tricinctum species complex rather than F. lateritium one, as initially hypothesized. Thus, this study demonstrates that different Fusarium species can infect Corylus avellana producing the same symptomatology. In addition, it sheds light onto the genetic features of the pathogen in subject, clarifying facets about its biology, epidemiology, infection mechanisms, and host spectrum, with the future objective to develop specific and efficient control strategies.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available