Host – parasite relationships between the fungus Leptosphaerulina crassiasca and peanut

Abstract

The mode of penetration and infection of the peanut leaf by Leptosphaerulina crassiasca were studied by means of light and electron microscopy. The attachment of the multicellular ascospores to the leaf surface was by a mucilagenous sheath that covered the ascospores at maturity. This sheath expanded rapidly in moisture and it extended along the germ tube as it elongated. Two types of germ tubes appeared to be formed, a short one and a relatively long one. Short germ tubes were not delimited by septa, and they penetrated the cuticle and host epidermal cell wall directly without appressorium formation. Penetration occurred 2–6 h after inoculation. The wall was breached by a relatively broad infection hypha that expanded in width inside the host cell wall. The lack of mechanical rupture at the infection site indicated that penetration may involve enzymatic activity. Intracellular hyphae were present in the epidermal cells, but only intercellular hyphae occurred in the palisade and spongy mesophyll tissues. The intercellular hyphae were frequently appressed to the outer surface of the host cell wall. Infected areas rarely exceeded 1 mm in diameter, and they were only sparsely colonized by hyphae of the pathogen. Host cells in the vicinity of hyphae underwent senescence and death. One to 2 months after inoculation, pseudothecia formed in the dead tissues of detached leaves. In some instances the presence of penetration hyphae by short germ tubes induced the formation of a papilla inside the host cell wall, which either restricted growth of the infection hypha or resulted in the death of the germ tube and the cell from which it arose. Long germ tubes were delimited by simple septa and they terminated in an appressorium; however, details of their behavior were not studied. Key words: Arachis hypogaea, Ascomycotina, Dothideales, leaf scorch, pepper spot.