Research Projects

Abstract

Among the most devastating vascular fungal diseases worldwide is Verticillium wilt, caused by ascomycete filamentous fungi of the Verticillium genus. Ten species are currently identified within the Verticillium sensu stricto genus (Verticillium albo-atrum, Verticillium alfalfae, Verticillium dahliae, Verticillium isaacii, Verticillium klebahnii, Verticillium longisporum, Verticillium nonalfalfae, Verticillium nubilum, Verticillium tricorpus, and Verticillium zaregamsianum) (Inderbitzin et al. 2011). The wide host range of the pathogen, its long-term survival in soil, and its ability to persist without a host make controlling Verticillium wilt highly challenging. Some mycoviruses infecting plant pathogenic fungi have been shown to reduce their host's ability to cause disease in plants (Ghabrial and Suzuki 2009; Kyrychenko et al. 2018; Kotta-Loizou 2021). This phenomenon is known as hypovirulence or mycovirus-mediated attenuation. The objectives of the research project are to determine the presence of mycoviruses in nine Verticillium species and to determine their potential for biological control of Verticillium wilt disease. 

External link to Researchers Open in new window

UL BF:

• Vanja Miljanić (57117)
• Nataša Štajner (19184)
• Jernej Jakše (16379)
• Ester Stajič (38120)
• Tjaša Cesar (50811)
• Helena Volk (37428)

​IHPS

• Sebastjan Radišek (20162)
• Tanja Guček (36371)
• Maja Dobrajc  (51925)

The phases of the project and their realization

The research project aims to investigate the mycoviruses infecting plant pathogenic fungi from the Verticillium genus and their potential for biological control. The project will include isolates with a diverse virulence range of nine plant-pathogenic fungal species within  Verticillium sensu stricto genus: Verticillium dahliae, Verticillium albo-atrum, Verticillium alfalfae, Verticillium isaacii, Verticillium klebahnii, Verticillium longisporum, Verticillium nubilum, Verticillium tricorpus, and Verticillium zaregamsianum,  obtained from different infected host plants (artichoke, potato, tomato, pepper, cucumber, cabbage, cauliflower, olive, cotton, alfalfa, hop, catalpa, chrysanthemum, mint, linden, petunia, Galinsoga) and different geographic locations. The study will be organized into three main work packages, which include: (WP1) isolation of dsRNA from mycelium, library preparation, high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatic analysis, and validation of in silico results using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing; (WP2) the impact of mycoviruses on virulence will be confirmed through (i) curing infected strains (hyphal tips, protoplast regeneration experiment); (ii) transferring the virus through hyphal anastomosis to virus-free strains or transfection of fungus protoplasts with purified viral particles; (WP3) by conducting a pathogenicity test on different host plants.    

Project partners

• SHIRB - THE SLOVENIAN INSTITUTE OF HOP RESEARCH AND BREWING