Selection of Nitrate-nonutilizing Mutants of Hypoxylon atropunctatum, A Fungal Pathogen on Oak Species

  • Chun, Se-Chul (Pathogen Research Division, National Plant Quarantine Service) ;
  • Fenn, P. (Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas)
  • Published : 2000.01.01

Abstract

Latent infections of healthy-appearing oaks of Hypoxylon atropunctatum complicates field studies by interfering with inoculation experiments to follow pathogenesis, fungal development and reproduction of this canker rot fungus. Mutants with unique and easily scorable phenotypes would be useful for inoculation studies. There is a broad range in the capacity of wild-type isolates to utilize nitrate as a sole nitrogen sources. Several types of nitrate-nonutilization mutants (nit1, Nit3, NitM) were selected from nitrate-utilizing wild-type isolates. Also, a few mutants of Hypoxylon atropunctatum were selected that could only grow poorly on basal medium supplemented with various nitrogen sources and even on yeast extract agar. These unknown mutants need to be characterized further. Nit mutants of Hypoxylon atropunctatum were readily selected, grew well and were recovered after inoculation into oak stems. These results suggest that nit mutants could be useful for inoculation studies in trees that contain latent infections.

Keywords