Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biological control of Verticillium-wilted cotton plants

摘要

The interaction of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomus etunicatum, Glomus intraradices, and Glomus versiforme) with a wilt-causing soil-borne pathogen, Verticillium dahliae, was studied in cotton. It was found that establishment by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi reduced disease index. In diseased cotton plants colonised by G. etunicatum, the disease index was less than other diseased mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal ones. In diseased cotton plants, chlorophyll content was lower than others. Three Glomus species significantly increased content of sugar and protein in shoot and root. Pathogen-infected plants had higher proline concentration in shoot and root than healthy plants. On the other hand, the increased content of proline as stress sensor showed that Verticillium accelerates senescence and reduces yield. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of mycorrhiza can alleviate the pathogenesis effects of V. dahliae partly, and also there is a competitive interaction between the pathogenic and symbiotic fungi.