1Tamilnadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu (India)
ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500 030, Telangana (India)
*E-mail: sujatha.parvathy@icar.gov.in, hiisuj1@gmail.com
Online published on 10 August, 2016.
Botryotinia ricini (Godfrey) Whetzel, the gray mold pathogen of castor, inflicts serious crop losses in short periods. The present study was aimed at to develop a season-independent screening technique for gray mold in castor. Conidia from in vitro-raised pure culture of the anamorph Amphobotrys ricini were sprayed on separated mature as well as immature capsules of 4 castor genotypes (DCS 9, RG 2787, RG 3309 and RG 3216 R), placed in glass petriplates and incubated at 22–24ºC for 7 days. Genotype DCS-9 was highly susceptible to the disease, while genotype RG 3216 R exhibited least susceptibility. Immature capsules were more susceptible to disease than mature capsules. RNA degradation occurred in treated samples 2 days after treatment and control gene (UBQ) expression was unaffected till 4 hr postinoculation. Thus a reproducible, lab-based, season-independent, screening technique using petri-plates and severed castor capsules was developed for differential gene expression analysis of candidate genes involved in early infection and elucidating host-pathogen interactions in castor gray mold.
Amphobotrys ricini, Botryotinia ricini, castor, gene expression, gray mold disease, sporulation, susceptible
