Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Virulence and Genetic Diversity of Puccinia spp., Causal Agents of Rust on Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in the USA

Journal Article · · Pathogens

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is an important cellulosic biofuel grass native to North America. Rust, caused by Puccinia spp. is the most predominant disease of switchgrass and has the potential to impact biomass conversion. In this study, virulence patterns were determined on a set of 38 switchgrass genotypes for 14 single-spore rust isolates from 14 field samples collected in seven states. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variation was also assessed in 720 sequenced cloned amplicons representing 654 base pairs of the elongation factor 1-α gene from the field samples. Five major haplotypes were identified differing by 11 out of the 39 SNP positions identified. STRUCTURE, Principal Coordinate Analysis, and phylogenetic analyses divided the rust population into two genetic clusters. Virginia and Georgia had the highest and lowest rust genetic diversity, respectively. Only nine accessions showed a differential disease response between the 14 isolates, allowing the identification of eight races, differing by 1–3 virulence factors. Overall, the results suggested clonal reproduction of the pathogen and a North–South differentiation via local adaptation. However, similar haplotypes and races were also recovered from several states, suggesting migration events, and highlighting the need to further investigate the switchgrass rust population structure and evolution in the USA.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
2519268
Journal Information:
Pathogens, Journal Name: Pathogens Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 14; ISSN 2076-0817; ISSN PATHCD
Publisher:
MDPI AGCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Switzerland
Language:
English

References (80)

Nuclear pre-mRNA Processing in Plants book January 2008
Production of teliospores by some races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici in detached wheat and barley leaves journal January 1978
Quantitative trait locus mapping combined with variant and transcriptome analyses identifies a cluster of gene candidates underlying the variation in leaf wax between upland and lowland switchgrass ecotypes journal March 2021
Potential oversummering and overwintering regions for the wheat stripe rust pathogen in the contiguous United States journal June 2013
A set of polymorphic nuclear intron markers for conservation genetics and phylogeography of Euphorbia species (Pedilanthus clade) journal January 2008
Post-glacial evolution of Panicum virgatum: centers of diversity and gene pools revealed by SSR markers and cpDNA sequences journal July 2011
New insight into the species diversity and life cycles of rust fungi (Pucciniales) affecting bioenergy switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the Eastern and Central United States journal October 2018
Characterization of the Rust Fungus, Puccinia emaculata, and Evaluation of Genetic Variability for Rust Resistance in Switchgrass Populations journal October 2012
Natural Variation in Lignin and Pectin Biosynthesis-Related Genes in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and Association of SNP Variants with Dry Matter Traits journal February 2020
Eukaryotic protein elongation factors journal November 1990
Amplification and Direct Sequencing of Fungal Ribosomal RNA Genes for Phylogenetics book January 1990
Will Stem Rust Destroy the World's Wheat Crop? book January 2008
Switchgrass selection as a “model” bioenergy crop: A history of the process journal June 2010
Potential ecological impacts of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) biofuel cultivation in the Central Great Plains, USA journal August 2011
Multilocus genotyping and molecular phylogenetics resolve a novel head blight pathogen within the Fusarium graminearum species complex from Ethiopia journal November 2008
Reduction in the sex ability of worldwide clonal populations of Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici journal October 2010
Sexual structures and recombination of the wheat rust fungus Puccinia striiformis on Berberis vulgaris journal September 2014
Worldwide population structure of the wheat rust fungus Puccinia striiformis in the past journal February 2016
Himalayan mountains imposing a barrier on gene flow of wheat yellow rust pathogen in the bordering regions of Pakistan and China journal January 2023
Detection and phylogenetic relationships of Puccinia emaculata and Uromyces graminicola (Pucciniales) on switchgrass in New York State using rDNA sequence information journal May 2016
Identification and characterization of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) for population studies of Puccinia novopanici journal August 2017
Evolutionary relationships among species of Puccinia and Uromyces (Pucciniaceae, Uredinales) inferred from partial protein coding gene phylogenies journal February 2007
Anthracnose disease of switchgrass caused by the novel fungal species Colletotrichum navitas journal December 2009
Genomic variability as a driver of plant–pathogen coevolution? journal April 2014
A modified protocol for rapid DNA isolation from plant tissues using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide journal December 2006
Genomic mechanisms of climate adaptation in polyploid bioenergy switchgrass journal January 2021
The SplitsTree App: interactive analysis and visualization using phylogenetic trees and networks journal September 2024
Rust fungi on Panicum journal January 2017
Epidemiology and control of stripe rust [ Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ] on wheat journal September 2005
First report of the southern corn rust pathogen Puccinia polysora on Zea mays in North Dakota journal October 2021
DnaSP, DNA polymorphism analyses by the coalescent and other methods journal December 2003
GenAlEx 6.5: genetic analysis in Excel. Population genetic software for teaching and research--an update journal July 2012
Statistical method for testing the neutral mutation hypothesis by DNA polymorphism. journal November 1989
Statistical tests of neutrality of mutations. journal March 1993
Inference of Population Structure Using Multilocus Genotype Data journal June 2000
MEGA X: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis across Computing Platforms journal May 2018
Front Matter book January 2010
First Report of Leaf Spot caused by Bipolaris oryzae on Switchgrass in Tennessee journal December 2013
Rust (Puccinia emaculata) Management and Impact on Biomass Yield in Switchgrass journal February 2022
First Report of the Head Smut Fungus Tilletia maclaganii Affecting Switchgrass in Texas journal March 2019
First Report of Rust Disease Caused by Puccinia emaculata on Switchgrass in Georgia journal March 2021
First Report of Puccinia emaculata Infection on Switchgrass in Virginia journal March 2013
First Report of Southern Rust (Puccinia polysora) on Corn (Zea mays) in Michigan journal August 2022
First Report of Tilletia pulcherrima Bunt on Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in Texas journal December 2008
First Report of Rust on Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) Caused by Puccinia emaculata in Tennessee journal December 2008
First Report of Rust Caused by Puccinia emaculata on Switchgrass in Arkansas journal March 2010
First Report of Bipolaris oryzae Causing Leaf Spot of Switchgrass in Mississippi journal May 2010
Races of Puccinia graminis in the United States During 1995 journal March 1997
Virulence Phenotypes of Puccinia triticina in the South Atlantic States in 1999 journal March 2002
Evidence for Increased Aggressiveness in a Recent Widespread Strain of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Causing Stripe Rust of Wheat journal January 2009
Local adaptation of both plant and pathogen: an arms-race compromise in switchgrass rust preprint June 2024
StructureSelector: A web‐based software to select and visualize the optimal number of clusters using multiple methods journal October 2017
Emerging wild virus of native grass bioenergy feedstock is well‐established in the Midwestern USA and associated with premature stand senescence journal February 2022
Wheat leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina journal August 2008
Detecting the number of clusters of individuals using the software structure: a simulation study journal July 2005
Rates of evolution of avirulence phenotypes and DNA markers in a northwest European population of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici journal September 2007
Geographic limits of a clonal population of wheat yellow rust in the Mediterranean region journal October 2009
Genetic diversity of the wheat yellow rust population in Pakistan and its relationship with host resistance journal January 2011
Lr34 multi‐pathogen resistance ABC transporter: molecular analysis of homoeologous and orthologous genes in hexaploid wheat and other grass species journal December 2010
Molecular phylogeography of Apalone spinifera (Reptilia, Trionychidae) journal March 2008
Geographic variation in the genetic basis of resistance to leaf rust between locally adapted ecotypes of the biofuel crop switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) journal April 2020
Genome‐wide association study identifies an NLR gene that confers partial resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice journal December 2019
Thermal generalist behaviour of invasive Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici strains under current and future climate conditions journal March 2018
Aerial Dispersal of Pathogens on the Global and Continental Scales and Its Impact on Plant Disease journal July 2002
Gene Flow in Plant Pathosystems journal September 1993
Natural variation in genes potentially involved in plant architecture and adaptation in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) journal June 2018
Divergent and convergent modes of interaction between wheat and Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici isolates revealed by the comparative gene co-expression network and genome analyses journal April 2017
Assessment of drought tolerance of 49 switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) genotypes using physiological and morphological parameters journal September 2015
Southern corn rust caused by Puccinia polysora Underw: a review journal October 2021
Correction: Maintenance of divergent lineages of the Rice Blast Fungus Pyricularia oryzae through niche separation, loss of sex and post-mating genetic incompatibilities journal November 2022
Isolation and Diversity Analysis of Resistance Gene Homologues from Switchgrass journal April 2013
Teleutospore formation of leaf rust, Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici on young seedling of wheat journal January 1965
Convergence Analysis of Rust Fungi and Anther Smuts Reveals Their Common Molecular Adaptation to a Phytoparasitic Lifestyle journal April 2022
Yellow Rust Epidemics Worldwide Were Caused by Pathogen Races from Divergent Genetic Lineages journal June 2017
Identification of southern corn rust resistance QTNs in Chinese summer maize germplasm via multi-locus GWAS and post-GWAS analysis journal September 2023
Evaluation of stripe rust resistance and genome-wide association study in wheat varieties derived from the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas journal April 2024
Genetic Resistance of Switchgrass to Rust Evaluated in a Composite Upland × Lowland Population in Lab and Field Settings journal December 2022
Evaluation of Wheat Germplasm for Resistance to Leaf Rust (Puccinia triticina) and Identification of the Sources of Lr Resistance Genes Using Molecular Markers journal July 2021
Molecular Mechanisms of the Co-Evolution of Wheat and Rust Pathogens journal April 2023
Variation in Telial Formation of Puccinia striiformis in the United States journal January 2019

Similar Records

Local adaptation of both plant and pathogen: an arms‐race compromise in switchgrass rust
Journal Article · Sun Jun 22 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · New Phytologist · OSTI ID:2574354

Related Subjects