Abstract

Blue mould, caused by Penicillium expansum, is one of the most economically damaging postharvest diseasesof pome fruits, although it may affect a wider host range, including sweet cherries and table grapes. Severalreports on the role of mycotoxins in plant pathogenesis have been published, but few focussed on theinfluence of mycotoxins on the variation in host preference amongst producing fungi. In the present studythe influence of the host on P. expansum pathogenicity/virulence was investigated, focussing mainly on therelationship with patulin production. Three P. expansum strain groups, originating from apples, sweet cherries,and table grapes (7 strains per host) were grown on their hosts of isolation and on artificial media derivedfrom them. Strains within each P. expansum group proved to be more aggressive and produced more patulinthan the other two groups under evaluation when grown on the host from which they originated. Table grapestrains were the most aggressive (81% disease incidence) and strongest patulin producers (up to 554 ?g/g).The difference in aggressivenessamongst strainswas appreciable only in the presence of a living host, suggestingthat the complex pathogen-host interaction significantly influenced the ability of P. expansum to cause thedisease. Incidence/severity of the disease and patulin production proved to be positively correlated, supportingthe role of patulin as virulence/pathogenicity factor. The existence of genetic variation amongst isolates wasconfirmed by the High Resolution Melting method that was set up herein, which permitted discrimination ofP. expansum from other species (P. chrysogenum and P. crustosum) and, within the same species, amongst thehost of origin. Host effect on toxin production appeared to be exerted at a transcriptional level.

Autore Pugliese

• Solfrizzo Michele

Tutti gli autori

• S.M. Sanzani ; C. Montemurro ; V. Di Rienzo ; M. Solfrizzo ; A. Ippolito

Titolo volume/Rivista

International journal of food microbiology

Anno di pubblicazione

2013

ISSN

0168-1605

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

Non Disponibile

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile