Ethylene production during Alternaria infections on potato plants and its antagonistic role in virulence of different Alternaria species

Alternaria species are notorious pathogens of solanaceous crops and are known to produce a plethora of toxins. Nevertheless, the involvement of toxins or other virulence factors in Alternaria infections on potato plants has never been investigated. In view of this, we analysed whether different Alternaria species produced host- and non-host-specific toxins in vitro and in vivo. Secondly, we assessed if ethylene (ETH) is involved in potato plant infections, as was previously demonstrated in tomato. Although many toxins were detected in vitro, no toxins were present before symptom appearance in potato leaves. Isolates that made large conidia (A. solani) produced up to six times more ETH in vitro than isolates with small conidia (A. arborescens) in the presence of the ETH precursor alpha-keto-gamma-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA). In contrast, on potato leaf discs, an inverse relation was found between ETH emission and conidia size after correcting the data according to fungal DNA content, suggesting a role for ETH in symptom development rather than initiation. Moreover, application of a plant ETH biosynthesis inhibitor, 2-aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG), resulted in a 60% reduction in necrosis after inoculation with a large-conidia isolate, whereas a 35% increase in necrosis was observed after inoculation with a small-conidia isolate. Finally, it was concluded that toxin production is not essential for symptom development of Alternaria on potato and that ETH (either from the plant and/or the fungus) is a crucial factor in symptom development by A. solani, whereas its role was found to be antagonistic for A. arborescens.