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Responses to infection by Melampsora pinitorqua and Diplodia sapinea in Scots pine
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  • Matilda Stein Åslund,
  • Michael Reichelt,
  • Ke Zhang,
  • Carles castanyo,
  • Jan Stenlid,
  • Jonathan Gershenzon,
  • Malin Elfstrand
Matilda Stein Åslund
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Institutionen for skoglig mykologi och vaxtpatologi

Corresponding Author:matilda.stein.aslund@slu.se

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Michael Reichelt
Max-Planck-Institut fur chemische Okologie
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Ke Zhang
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Institutionen for skoglig mykologi och vaxtpatologi
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Carles castanyo
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Institutionen for skoglig mykologi och vaxtpatologi
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Jan Stenlid
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Institutionen for skoglig mykologi och vaxtpatologi
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Jonathan Gershenzon
Max-Planck-Institut fur chemische Okologie
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Malin Elfstrand
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet Institutionen for skoglig mykologi och vaxtpatologi
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Abstract

Diplodia sapinea causes Diplodia tip blight (DTB) and is recognised as an opportunistic necrotrophic pathogen affecting conifers. While DTB is associated with abiotic stress, the impact of biotic stress in the host on D. sapinea’s lifestyle shift is unknown. Observed co-occurrences of D. sapinea and Melampsora pinitorqua, causing pine twisting rust on Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris), instigated an investigation into their interaction with and influence on the defence mechanisms of the host. We hypothesised that M. pinitorqua infections predispose the trees to D. sapinea by stressing the host and altering the shoot metabolites. Trees in a pine plantation in central Sweden were sampled over time to study pathogen biomass and host metabolites. The symptoms of both pathogens were consistent over years, and the preceding season’s symptoms affected the metabolic starting points pre-infection and M. pinitorqua’s proliferation. Symptoms of M. pinitorqua altered shoot metabolites more than fungal biomass, with co-symptomatic trees exhibiting elevated M. pinitorqua biomass. D. sapinea’s biomass pre-symptoms was independent of previous disease symptoms and infection by M. pinitorqua. Some trees showed tolerance to M. pinitorqua, with delayed rust infections and minimal DTB symptoms. This trait may improve the resilience of pine plantations, but more work is needed.
Submitted to Plant, Cell & Environment
06 Jun 2024Assigned to Editor
06 Jun 2024Submission Checks Completed
06 Jun 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
09 Jun 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
18 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
08 Aug 20241st Revision Received
09 Aug 2024Submission Checks Completed
09 Aug 2024Assigned to Editor
09 Aug 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Aug 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
14 Sep 20242nd Revision Received
16 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
16 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
17 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
18 Sep 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Accept