@Article{phyton.2025.064850,
AUTHOR = {Hong Zhang, Ying Zhu, Xingyu Li, Zhonghua Liu, Guoliang Li, Zhaomiao Lin, Yongxiang Qiu, Yongqing Xu, Shimin Lyu, Jiyang Wang, Sixin Qiu},
TITLE = {Early Spatiotemporal Dynamic of Green Fluorescent Protein-Tagged <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>batatas</i> in Susceptible and Resistant Sweet Potato},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {94},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {8},
PAGES = {2479--2498},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v94n8/63677},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {Vascular wilt caused by <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>batatas</i> (Fob) is a devastating disease threatening global sweet potato production. To elucidate Fob’s pathogenicity mechanisms and inform effective control strategies, we generated a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Fob strain to track infection dynamics in sweet potato susceptible cultivar Xinzhonghua and resistant cultivar Xiangshu75-55, respectively. Through cytological observation, we found in the susceptible Xinzhonghua, Fob predominantly colonized stem villi, injured root growth points, and directly invaded vascular bundles through stem wounds. Spore germination peaked at 2–3 h post-inoculation (hpi), followed by cyclical mycelial expansion and sporulation within vascular tissues with sustaining infection. In contrast, the resistant Xiangshu75-55 exhibited strong suppression of Fob: spores rarely germinated in vascular bundles or on trichomes by 3 hpi, and mature hyphae were absent in stems at 24 hpi. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) confirmed significantly higher Fob biomass in Xinzhonghua than in Xiangshu75-55 by 16 hpi. Additionally, transcriptional profiling revealed distinct pathogen-host interactions during the compatible and incompatible reactions. In Xinzhonghua, Fob virulence genes <i>FobPGX1</i>, <i>FobICL1</i>, <i>FobCTF2</i>, <i>FobFUB5</i> and <i>FobFUB6</i> were upregulated within 16 hpi. Conversely, host defense genes <i>IbMAPKK9</i>, <i>IbWRKY61</i>, <i>IbWRKY75</i>, <i>IbSWEET10</i>, <i>IbBBX24</i> and <i>IbPIF4</i> were activated in Xiangshu75-55 during the same period. This study provides spatiotemporal cytological and molecular insights into Fob pathogenicity and host resistance, offering a foundation for early disease detection and improved <i>Fusarium</i> wilt management in sweet potato.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2025.064850}
}