Characterization of Pyrenophora avenae Isolated from Discolored Black Oat Seeds in Korea

 Jung-Hye Choi, Jeomsoon Kim, Hyeonheui Ham, Theresa Lee, Ju-Young Nah, Hyo-Won Choi, Young Kee Lee, Sung Kee Hong**   

1Microbial Safety Team, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Wanju 55365, Korea
2Crop Protection Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Wanju 55365, Korea

Abstract

In January 2017, discolored black oat seeds were found in the storage depot of a farmhouse in Jeongeup. Pyrenophora sp. was detected in 45% of the oat seeds surveyed. All Pyrenophora sp. isolates obtained from the seeds were identified as Pyrenophora avenae based on the sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA regions and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) gene and validated by morphological and cultural characterization. A phylogenetic tree constructed using the ITS and GPDH sequences showed that the Korean isolates of P. avenae comprise of four genetically distinct groups. Pathogenicity test validated that the fungus is an infectious agent responsible for discolored black seeds and leaf blotch in oat plants. This is the first study report that P. avenae causes leaf blotch disease of oat in Korea.

Acknowledgements

This study was carried out with the support of “Research Program for Agricultural Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ012485)”, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1. Comparison between healthy oat seeds (A) and black discolored grains (B).