Characterization of a Host-Specific Toxic Activity Produced by Bipolaris cookei, Causal Agent of Target Leaf Spot of Sorghum

Target leaf spot (TLS) of sorghum, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Bipolaris cookei, can cause severe yield loss in many parts of the world. We grew B. cookei in liquid culture and observed that the resulting culture filtrate (CF) was differentially toxic when infiltrated into the leaves of a population of 288 diverse sorghum lines. In this population, we found a significant correlation between high CF sensitivity and susceptibility to TLS. This suggests that the toxin produced in culture may play a role in the pathogenicity of B. cookei in the field. We demonstrated that the toxic activity is light sensitive and, surprisingly, insensitive to pronase, suggesting that it is not proteinaceous. We identified the two sorghum genetic loci most associated with the response to CF in this population. Screening seedlings with B. cookei CF could be a useful approach for prescreening germplasm for TLS resistance.