Besides stem canker severity, oilseed rape host genotype matters for the production of Leptosphaeria maculans fruiting bodies

Abstract

For fungal cyclic epidemics on annual crops, the pathogen carry-over is an important step in designing disease control strategies. However, it remains particularly difficult to estimate and predict. Plant resistance affects the pathogen development within the epidemics but we lack data on the inter-annual transmission of inoculum. We addressed this question by considering Leptosphaeria maculans on 15 oilseed rape genotypes in field during 4 growing seasons. Stem canker severity of host genotypes was visually scored at harvest while the number of fruiting bodies produced on incubated stubble was quantified using an automated image analysis framework. Our results confirm that higher severity at harvest leads to higher fruiting body production and is significantly affected by host genotype and Nitrogen supply. Most interestingly, we show that the production of fruiting bodies is significantly and substantially affected by host genotype, independently of severity at harvest. Tracking individual stems through incubation, we confirm for the first time that the oilseed rape genotype has a direct effect, not only through disease severity. While the genericity of this finding should be investigated on other fungi, this major effect of genotype on inoculum carry-over should be taken into account in models of varietal deployment strategies.