Evaluation of Wheat Resistance to Snow Mold Caused by Microdochium nivale (Fr) Samuels and I.C. Hallett under Abiotic Stress Influence in the Central Non-Black Earth Region of Russia

Abstract

Microdochium nivale is one of the most harmful fungal diseases, causing colossal yield losses and deteriorating grain quality. Wheat genotypes from the world collection of the N.I. Vavilov Institute (VIR) were evaluated for fifty years to investigate their resistance to biotic stress factors (M. nivale). Between 350 to 1085 of winter wheat genotypes were investigated annually. Ten out of fifty years were identified as rot epiphytotics (1978, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2021). The wheat collection was investigated by following the VIR methodological requirements and CMEA unified classification of Triticum aestivum L. The field investigations were carried out in the early spring during fixed-route observations and data collection was included on the spread and development degree of the disease, followed by microbiological and microscopic pathogen identifications. The observations revealed that the primary reason for pink snow mold to infect the wheat crops was abiotic stress factors, such as thawed soil covered in snow that increased the soil temperature by 1.0–4.6 °C above normal. Under these conditions, the plants kept growing, quickly exhausting their carbohydrate and protein resources, thus weakening their immune systems, which made them an easy target for different infections, mainly cryophilic fungi, predominantly Microdochium nivale in the Moscow region. In some years, the joint effect of abiotic and biotic stresses caused crop failure, warranting the replanting of the spring wheat. The investigated wheat genotypes exhibited variable resistance to pink snow mold. The genotypes Mironovskaya 808 (k-43920) from Ukraine;l Nemchinovskaya 846 (k-56861), from Russia; Novobanatka (k-51761) from Yugoslavia; Liwilla (k-57580) from Poland; Zdar (UH 7050) from the Czech Republic; Maris Plowman (k-57944) from the United Kingdom; Pokal (k-56827) from Austria; Hvede Sarah (k-56289) from Denmark; Moldova 83 (k-59750) from Romania; Compal (k-57585) from Germany; Linna (k-45889) from Finland and Kehra (k-34228) from Estonia determined the sources, stability and tolerance to be used in advanced breeding programs.

Environmentally Friendly Wheat Farming: Biological and Economic Efficiency of Three Treatments to Control Fungal Diseases in Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under Field Conditions

“…This is probably due to the top dressing by nitrogen (N) carried out at the tillering stage of wheat. In this growth stage, the plants become weakened due to the long period spent under the snow cover, which subjects them to an easy target for different infections, mainly cryophilic fungi, as demonstrated by Temirbekova et al (2022) [48]. Moreover, the form of applied nitrogen may play a crucial role in disease management [49].…”

Fungal Pathogens Associated with Crown and Root Rot in Wheat-Growing Areas of Northern Kyrgyzstan

“…The high field incidence and isolation frequency of Fusarium culmorum and the presence of F. pseudograminearum , F. tricinctum , and M. nivale in the surveyed fields may be especially important if they result in Fusarium head blight, which begins at anthesis and spreads until grain harvest, contaminating grain with mycotoxins [ 30 , 31 , 60 , 84 , 85 ]. Bipolaris sorokiniana is the causative agent of wheat diseases such as common root rot, spot blotch, seedling blight, and black point, attacking all wheat organs, such as roots, crowns, stems, leaves, and kernels [ 26 ].…”

First genome-scale insights into the virulence of the snow mold causal fungus Microdochium nivale

“…Our study presents the first genome-scale analysis of the pink snow mold causal agent, M. nivale . In northern countries (with prolonged snowy winters), this disease often reaches the epiphytotic level and, in some years, during wintering and early spring growth, may lead to almost total loss of winter cereals (the most important staple food crops) and also cause severe damage to forage and turf grasses (Dubas et al 2011 ; Ponomareva et al 2021 ; Temirbekova et al 2022 ). The demand for M. nivale -related studies is constantly growing, not only because this disease has progressed in the northern countries during the past decade and its management is a serious challenge, but also because M. nivale adapts well to less snowy areas, expanding its geography and causing other types of diseases throughout the vegetative season (Tronsmo et al 2001 ; Gagkaeva et al 2017 ; 2019 ; Ponomareva et al 2021 ).…”