Alnus Glutinosa Threatened by Alder Phytophthora: a Histological Study of Roots
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pathogens Article Alnus glutinosa Threatened by Alder Phytophthora: A Histological Study of Roots Corina Nave 1 , Juliette Schwan 2, Sabine Werres 1 and Janett Riebesehl 1,* 1 Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)–Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany; [email protected] (C.N.); [email protected] (S.W.) 2 Julius Kühn Institute (JKI)–Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for National and International Plant Health, Messeweg 11/12, 38104 Braunschweig, Germany; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Alder dieback remains a major problem in European alder stands and its spread continues to threaten their existence. The causal agent of this disease is the so-called alder Phytophthora species complex, which includes the hybrid Phytophthora ×alni and its parental species P. uniformis and P. ×multiformis. Little is known about the survival of these Phytophthora species in alder. The aim of our investigations was to find out whether, and if so where, the pathogen survives. The subject of these studies was alder roots. Therefore, artificial infection studies and histological studies with P. ×alni and P. uniformis were carried out on seedlings of black alder (Alnus glutinosa). These histological studies revealed oogonia and oospores of P. ×alni and P. uniformis in different parts of the root tissue. Keywords: clade 7; plant pathology; thin sections Citation: Nave, C.; Schwan, J.; Werres, S.; Riebesehl, J. Alnus Glutinosa Threatened by Alder 1. Introduction Phytophthora: A Histological Study of Common alder, also known as black alder (Alnus glutinosa ([L.] GAERTN.), is a very Roots. Pathogens 2021, 10, 977. common tree species in Europe. Its occurrence ranges from the Mediterranean in the south https://doi.org/10.3390/ and Ireland in the west to mid-Scandinavia in the north and western Siberia in the east. It is pathogens10080977 adapted to moderate to cold climates and prefers to grow in stands tied to water [1]. In this context, it plays a key role in the bank stabilization of water bodies. It also benefits aquatic Academic Editor: Paolo Gonthier ecosystems in numerous ways, including its ability to fixate nitrogen and its importance to various species as a source of food and shelter [2]. Black alders are almost unique in their Received: 17 June 2021 role and cannot be easily replaced by any other tree species [3–7]. Accepted: 28 July 2021 Since the early 1990s, dieback in the genus Alder has been observed throughout Published: 3 August 2021 Europe. The first record of this issue was in the United Kingdom in 1993, followed by other European countries before it was detected in Germany in 1998—e.g., [8–11]. The disease Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral primarily occurs near flowing waters. Affected alders show dead bark areas and mucilage with regard to jurisdictional claims in flow at the base of the trunk due to cambium necrosis, as well as severe crown thinning published maps and institutional affil- before death. In this process, the alders often die within about three years of infection [12]. iations. The disease is caused by the Phytophthora alni species complex, which consists of P. ×alni (Brasier and S. A. Kirk) Husson, Ioos and Marçais, nothosp. nov.; P. uniformis (Brasier and S. A. Kirk) Husson, Ioos and Aguayo, comb. nov.; and P. ×multiformis (Brasier and S. A. Kirk) Husson, Ioos and Frey, nothosp. nov. [13,14]. P. ×alni is the result of Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. a hybridization event between P. uniformis and P. ×multiformis [14–16] and is the most Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. aggressive of the three oomycetes [17]. The alder Phytophthora is extensively distributed in This article is an open access article Central Europe [5]. These alders belong to clade 7 in DNA-based phylogenies, according distributed under the terms and to the key of Waterhouse [18], and are root pathogens, like most representatives in this conditions of the Creative Commons group [19]. Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ These are host-specific pathogens on alder trees, that, like all Phytophthora species, are 4.0/). perfectly adapted to water. Their zoospores are considered the main dispersal organs, and Pathogens 2021, 10, 977. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080977 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/pathogens Pathogens 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 12 Pathogens 2021, 10, 977 2 of 11 These are host-specific pathogens on alder trees, that, like all Phytophthora species, theyare perfectly are able toadapted actively to swimwater. toTheir host zoospores plants with are theconsidered help of the their main two dispersal flagella [organs,20]. They areand also they able are to able form to actively oospores swim [12]. to With host these plants resting with the spores, help of the their pathogens two flagella can survive[20]. forThey years are even also withoutable to form a host oospores plant—e.g., [12]. inWith the these soil [ 21resting]. spores, the pathogens can survive for years even without a host plant—e.g., in the soil [21]. There has been no previous evidence of oospores in the roots of alder trees, let alone There has been no previous evidence of oospores in the roots of alder trees, let alone the presence of the pathogen in this tissue in general. Therefore, inoculation experiments the presence of the pathogen in this tissue in general. Therefore, inoculation experiments with P. ×alni and P. uniformis were carried out on black alder seedlings and the roots were with P. ×alni and P. uniformis were carried out on black alder seedlings and the roots were subsequently examined histologically. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether subsequently examined histologically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathogens are present in the roots after inoculation, which tissues they colonize, and whether the pathogens are present in the roots after inoculation, which tissues they colo- whether they are able to form resting spores. The results show that both species are capable nize, and whether they are able to form resting spores. The results show that both species ofare penetrating capable of thepenetrating roots; spreading the roots; inspreading the tissue; in the and tissue; forming and oogonia,forming oogonia, oospores, oo- and sporangia.spores, and sporangia. 2. Results 2. Results At the end of the inoculation studies, several root samples were taken per category (0 At the end of the inoculation studies, several root samples were taken per category to(0 4) to and 4) and examined examined histologically. histologically. The The results results for for the the health health status status andand levellevel of damage of theof plantsthe plants are are not not presented presented here. here. 2.1. Non-Inoculated Alders (Negative Controls) 2.1. Non-Inoculated Alders (Negative Controls) The roots of the non-inoculated plants showed healthy tissue with normally developed The roots of the non-inoculated plants showed healthy tissue with normally devel- cells.oped No cells. foreign No foreign structures, structures, such assuch mycelium as mycelium or spores or spores of oomycetous of oomycetous or fungal or fungal origin, couldorigin, be could found. be The found. cells The were cells stained were middlestained middle to light to blue, light except blue, forexcept the epidermis.for the epider- These cellsmis. showed These cells a brown showed to yellowa brown coloration to yellow coloration (Figure1). (Figure 1). FigureFigure 1. Thin1. Thin sections sections of of non-inoculated non-inoculated roots roots fromfrom AlnusAlnus glutinosa.. Epidermis Epidermis (e), (e), cortex cortex (c), (c), and and vascular vascular cylinder cylinder (vc). (vc). (A),(A longitudinal), longitudinal section. section. (B (),B), cross-section. cross-section. 2.2.2.2. Alders Alders Inoculatedinoculated with Phytophthora ×alni×alni TheThe roots roots from from the the plants plants of of category category 0 (Figure0 (Figure2A–C)—i.e., 2A–C)—i.e., plants plants without without symptoms— symp- weretoms—were found to found have someto have cells some of thecells vascular of the va cylinderscular cylinder (vc) stained (vc) stained blue to blue green toor green brown (Figureor brown2A). (Figure In the peripheral2A). In the peripheral area of the area cortex, of the an cortex, oogonium an oogonium with an oospore with an insideoospore was detectedinside was intracellularly. detected intracellularly. Mycelium was Mycelium also seen was adjacently also seen (Figureadjacently2A). (Figure The cross-section 2A). The ofcross-section another sample of another showed sample an oogonium showed an intercellularly. oogonium intercellularly. All cells showed All cells a middle showed to darka bluemiddle coloration to dark (Figureblue coloration2B). Figure (Figure2C shows 2B). Fi agure part 2C of shows the roots a part where of the the roots cutting where process the damagedcutting process the cells. damaged Nevertheless, the cells. Neverthele oogonia (stainedss, oogonia blue) (stained and hyphalblue) and swelling hyphal swell- (stained yellow)ing (stained are visible yellow) within are visible the cells within (Figure the cells2C). (Figure 2C). 2 Pathogens 2021, 10, 977 3 of 11 Pathogens 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 4 of 12 Figure 2. Thin sections of roots from Alnus glutinosa inoculated with Phytophthora ×alni three weeks after inoculation. (A) Figure 2. Alnus glutinosa Phytophthora ×alni Thinplant sections health status of rootscategory from (phsc) 0, longitudinal section,inoculated intracellular with oogonium with oospore in thethree cortex weeks (black arrow). after inoculation. (A) plant health(B) Phsc status 0, cross category-section, intercellular (phsc) 0, longitudinaloogonium (black section, arrow). ( intracellularC) Phsc 0, longitudinal oogonium section, with several oospore intracellular in theoogo- cortex (black arrow). (B) Phscnia (black 0, cross-section, arrows), and hyphal intercellular swellings oogonium (red arrows).