PLANTS AND

FUNGI
ENZYMES

PROBLEM

ENZYMES THAT
ARE IN FUNGI
CAUSE DAMAGES
ON THE CELULAR
WALL OF PLANTS

Why is plant pathology

important?
Food quantity
Food quality
Agronomic practices tillage, pesticide
use
Diversity and stability of ecosystems
beauty

Fungal pathogenicity on
plants
Plant

pathogens can be biotrophic (rusts

and smuts) or necrotrophic
(opportunistic)
Necrotrophs can display high levels of
host specificity, e. g. Magnaporthe grisea
Increasingspecialization
Biotroph
Obligateparasite

Necrotroph
Strong
Facultativeparasite

Increasinghostrange
Saprotroph
Weak
Facultativeparasite

Symptom types -- Necrosis

When a living organism's cells or tissues die or

degenerate, the condition is called necrosis. In
a plant, necrosis causes leaves, stems and
other parts to darken and wilt. Necrosis
weakens the plant and makes it more
susceptible to other diseases and pests. Some
plant diseases caused by a specific agent have
the word "necrosis" in their name, such as
tomato pith necrosis. However, necrosis is
typically considered a symptom rather than a
disease.

Symptom types -- necrosis

Blumeriella on plum Alternaria solani early blight of potato

Symptom types Wilt

Refers to the loss of rigidity of non-woody parts
of plants. This occurs when the turgor pressure in
non-lignified plant cells falls towards zero, as a
result of diminished water in the cells.
The rate of loss of water from the plant is greater
than the absorption of water in the plant.
The process of wilting modifies the leaf angle
distribution of the plant (or canopy) towards
more erectophile conditions.

Symptom types Wilt

Ophiostoma novo-ulmi

Panama disease:
Fusarium
oxysporum f.sp.
cubense

Symptom types
Hormone Induced
Etiolation Bakanae
of rice
Fusarium moniliforme = Gibberella fujikuroi
gibberellins

Symptom types
Hormone Induced

Synchytrium
endobioticum
Taphrina
deformans

Symptom types Abscission

Abscission

(from the Latin ab,

meaning away, meaning to cut)
It is a term used in several areas of
biology to mean shedding of various
parts of an organism.
In plant sciences, it most commonly
refers to the process by which a
plant drops one or more of its parts,
such as a leaf, fruit, flower, or seed.

Symptom types Abscission

Hemileia vastatrix

Symptom types
sterilization

Ustilago maydis
Claviceps purpurea ergot

Interactions between Plants

and their Pathogens

In humans, the skin forms the first

line of defense against infection. In
plants, this outer defense layer is
the cuticle, a layer of waxy
material above the epidermis. This
stops
many
would-be
plant
pathogens from getting in on the
act.
However, there is a weak spot in
the plants defense. In order to
exchange carbon dioxide and
oxygen for photosynthesis, plants
have pores on their leaf surface
called stomata. These pores are
ideal back-door entrances for
fungal pathogens to get in.
Other fungi have an enzyme called
CUTINASE which seems to cut
up the cuticle so the fungi can get
in.

Top view (point to activate).

Side view (point to activate).

Interactions between
Plants and their Pathogens

the next lines of defence are molecules called

phytoanticipins. These are ready-made and act
in a general way against the fungi.
an example of a phytoanticipin is the saponin,
this is found in tomatoes, and is toxic to most
fungal pathogens, as it mixes with the fats in
fungal cell membranes and causes the cells to
leak.
But fungi have a massive biochemical toolkit,
and some fungi have developed an enzyme
that can break down the saponin and as a
result, they can grow on the plants.

Interactions between
Plants and their Pathogens

The next part of the plants defense against fungi is

structural. Plant cell walls are characterized by being rigid,
and full of cellulose and other polysaccharides.
When a plant is infected by a fungus that grows as hyphae
the cell wall can thicken dramatically to form a papilla,
which grows around the invading hyphae, preventing them
from going any further.
However, the fungi have enzymes capable of breaking
down the cellulose-based papillae, so plants often add
lignin, the brown wood polymer. This is difficult for most
fungi to break down, as many decomposer fungi know.
Lignin is made of many phenolic compounds, similar to the
type we use as antiseptics, and these tend to saturate the
area around the invading fungus, often killing it.

Interactions between
Plants and their Pathogens

The
plant
produce
molecules
called
phytoalexins.
These molecules often act in a similar way to
antibiotics, by inhibiting fungal enzymes and
blocking
the
synthesis
of
important
molecules in the invading fungus.
Some phytoalexins however activate some
of the hosts own enzymes, such as
CHITINASE, which breaks down the fungal
cell wall.

Host resistance and basic

compatibility
Most

plants are not attacked by the vast

majority of potential pathogens
Preformed defenses
Potential pathogens secrete chemicals
during growth that can be detected

How to fight fungal crops

Using:
The non-systemic fungicides or
contact
Systemic fungicides
Bacteria to protect crops from
fungal

Using -- Fungicides
Fungicides

are biocidal chemical compounds or

biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi
or fungal spores.
Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture,
resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, and
profit.
Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to
fight fungal infections in animals.
Chemicals used to control oomycetes, which are
not fungi, are also referred to as fungicides as
oomycetes use the same mechanisms as fungi
to infect plants.

Using Fungicides
Non-Systemic fungicides or contact
The

no contact or systemic fungicides

remain on the surface of the sheet and drop
the fungal spores can not 'sprout',
introduced into it.
Should always be applied before symptoms
appear, in seasons with favorable conditions
for infection to occur, often with high
humidity and mild temperatures.
If the fungus has entered (infected), these
products do not do anything because they
are preventive.

Using Fungicides
Non-Systemic fungicides or contact

Using
Fungicides Systemic fungicides
Systemic

fungicides, unlike contact

fungicides ,not remain on the
surface of the sheet; but penetrate
into the plant and, because of sap,
are distributed within.
It has curative effects occur after
infection.

Using
Fungicides Systemic fungicides

Effectiveness of certain bacteria

to protect crops from fungi, what
and how they act.
Wheat

is one of the most important crops worldwide. It has

been part of global economic development and is, par
excellence, the most widely cultivated cereal.
A recent study published by the U.S. Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) found that a number of bacteria could help
protect crops from wheat and barley of possible pests and
plant ills. There are a number of bacteria that benefit from
plant roots of wheat and barley for its development.
In addition, these bacteria could also be beneficial to
protect these crops, as reported by U.S. specialists. The
research focuses on the potential of bacteria to control the
growth of decay-causing fungi in the roots of wheat and
barley plants

The bacteria
responsible
The benefits associated with these bacteria in
plants are of the genus Pseudomonas and a
total of 11 strains are included. The main
function is to prevent bacteria growth of two
kinds of fungi, Pythium and Rhizoctonia,
primarily responsible for diseases in wheat and
barley. These two fungi are able to grow in moist,
cool
soilsfunction
withoutis involving
The main
to prevent a problem
bacterial growth in two kinds of
fungi, Pythium and Rhizoctonia

Role of bacteria

Bacteria with the ability to prevent fungal growth

(Pseudomonas) may secrete enzymes and
different biochemical with great power to help
keep in check the growth of fungi. Also, some
strains of this bacterium helping plants to
protect themselves and stimulating an immune
response against external adverse problems.
Also help produce substances similar to
hormones that stimulate the growth of both
shoot and root, something that helps the plant to
overcome the damage caused by fungi possible.

Results

For the study,

greenhouse tests were
made using five different
strains of bacteria and
the results show a
significant reduction,
from 50% to 92% of the
rot caused by the fungus.
It has studied both the
wheat and barley. In both
cases, the response has
been excellent.

RESULTS

In fungal plant pathogenesis, enzymes are playing a crucial

role and they are involved in the external and internal
interactions. To restrict the development of fungal pathogens,
the plants formed many defense mechanisms. They built
mechanical barriers from lignin, suberin, callose and produced
a lot of antimicrobial compounds with low molecular weight
like phenols, alkaloids and others. Enhanced production of
some enzymes and their activity increasing is one of the most
important processes in plant defense. These enzymes occur
frequently in many isoforms and are involved in synthesis of
defense substances or have a direct antimicrobial activity.
Most natural fungicides are just as effective as chemical
pesticides and fungicides but dont have the risks that are
associated with chemical products. While chemical fungicides
and pesticides may be the most effective pest control for
farmers, experts agree that whenever possible you should use
natural pest control methods to minimize the health risks to
you, your family, your neighbors, and your pets.