The quick and the deadly: Growth versus virulence in a seed bank pathogen

Susan E. Meyer; Thomas Stewart; Suzette Clement

Treesearch

The quick and the deadly: Growth versus virulence in a seed bank pathogen

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Susan E. Meyer, Thomas Stewart, Suzette Clement

Year:

2010

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

New Phytologist. 187: 207-216.

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Abstract

We studied the relationship between virulence (ability to kill nondormant Bromus tectorum seeds) and mycelial growth index in the necrotrophic seed pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda. Seed pathosystems involving necrotrophs differ from those commonly treated in traditional evolution-of-virulence models in that host death increases pathogen fitness by preventing germination, thereby increasing available resources. Because fast-germinating, nondormant B. tectorum seeds commonly escape mortality, we expected virulence to be positively correlated with mycelial growth index.

Keywords

Bromus tectorum, cheatgrass, Drechslera campanulata, necrotrophic pathogenesis, Pyrenophora semeniperda (black fingers of death), seed bank pathogen, virulence evolution

Citation

Meyer, Susan E.; Stewart, Thomas E.; Clement, Suzette. 2010. The quick and the deadly: Growth versus virulence in a seed bank pathogen. New Phytologist. 187: 207-216.