Reaction of brazilian cotton genotypes to white mold depends on pathogen aggressiveness and incubation conditions

• Published in: Bioscience journal Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 1555 - 1574
• Main Authors: Pestana, Jeferson Rodrigo, Morais, Tâmara Prado de, Nogueira, Ana Paula Oliveira, Juliatti, Fernando Cezar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Uberlândia 01-11-2018
• Subjects: Genetic diversity; Gossypium hirsutum L; Physiological specialization; Resistance; Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
• ISSN: 1981-3163; 1981-3163
• DOI: 10.14393/BJ-v34n6a2018-41391

The expansion of cotton crop into irrigated and high lands of Brazilian Cerrado, despite the possibility of increasing fiber yield, led to the occurrence of diseases previously considered secondary, such as white mold [Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary]. Host genetic resistance is of extreme importance in integrated strategies to manage this disease. Resistance of Brazilian cotton genotypes, challenged with different strains of S. sclerotiorum, under two incubation conditions for disease progress was evaluated. In addition, possible correlation between oxalic acid and straw test methods to rank the genotypes was evaluated. Artificial inoculation was done when cotton plants reached the V2 phenological stage with fungi isolated from naturally infected soybean (ScS) or cotton (ScC) commercial crops. Control plants were inoculated with culture medium. After inoculation, plants were kept for one week either in a growth chamber or in greenhouse and evaluated for disease symptoms and severity. The oxalic acid test consisted of stem submersion of rootless cotton plants in a 2-cm layer of 20 or 40 mM solutions for 20, 44 or 68 h. A wilting scale was used to distinguish genotype's sensibility to the acid. The data were submitted to individual, joint, and multivariate analysis, grouping cotton genotypes by the Scott-Knott's test (p < 0.05), the hierarchical UPGMA and the non-hierarchical Tocher methods. Difference in aggressiveness between strains was identified, in which ScC led to greater disease severity. This result suggests a possible physiological specialization of S. sclerotiorum to different hosts. It was observed that the growth chamber environment provided more adequate conditions for S. sclerotiorum infection, thus allowing better selection of resistant cotton genotypes. UPGMA and Tocher grouping methods further confirmed that the evaluated genotypes differ from each other in resistance to white mold. No correlation between oxalic acid and straw test methods was observed.