Fungal Genomics & Biology
Open Access
ISSN: 2165-8056
ISSN: 2165-8056
José Ruiz-Herrera
Unit Irapuato CINVESTAV National Polytechnic Institute,
Carretera Irapuato-León, GTO
Mexico
Research Article
Infection of Zea mays by Haploid Strains of Ustilago maydis
Author(s): Domingo Martínez Soto and José Ruiz-Herrera*
Domingo Martínez Soto and José Ruiz-Herrera*
Ustilago maydis is the fungus causative of common smut in maize and teozintle. Under natural conditions, the dikaryon formed by mating of sexually compatible strains, penetrates the host plant, and induces the typical disease symptoms: chlorosis, increased synthesis of anthocyanins and formation of galls full of teliospores. In the older literature it was indicated that, under normal conditions, the haploid forms of the fungus were also capable to invade the host tissues, although the symptoms observed were almost nil.
Since previous data from our lab showed that that haploid strains of the fungus were able to infect non-natural hosts under axenic conditions, in the present communication we proceeded to determine whether haploid strains caused more serious symptoms when infecting maize plants under axenic conditions. It was .. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2165-8056.1000141