Resistance to Dutch elm disease reduces presence of xylem endophytic fungi in Elms (Ulmus spp.).

ABSTRACT: Efforts to introduce pathogen resistance into landscape tree species by breeding may have unintended consequences for fungal diversity. To address this issue, we compared the frequency and diversity of endophytic fungi and defensive phenolic metabolites in elm (Ulmus spp.) trees with genotypes known to differ in resistance to Dutch elm disease. Our results indicate that resistant U. minor and U. pumila genotypes exhibit a lower frequency and diversity of fungal endophytes in the xylem than susceptible U. minor genotypes. However, resistant and susceptible genotypes showed a similar frequency and diversity of endophytes in the leaves and bark. The resistant and susceptible genotypes could be discriminated on the basis of the phenolic profile of the xylem, but not on basis of phenolics in th

SUBMITTER: Martin JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3585289 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature