Epidemiological etiology of Erysiphe sp. and putative viral and phytoplasma-like symptoms in Ayocote bean (Phaseolus coccineus)
Authors: Armenta-Cárdenas María José , Ávila-Alistac Norma , Zúñiga-Romano María del Carmen , Acevedo- Sánchez Gerardo , Muñoz-Alcalá Alfonso , Gómez-Mercado Rene , Coria-Contreras Juan José , Gutiérrez-Esquivel Diana , Cruz-Izquierdo Serafín , García-González Ivonne , Bibiano-Nava Oscar , Mora-Aguilera Gustavo 
Published: February 2024

Introduction/Objective. Ayocote bean (Phaseolus coccineus) has potential as a source of resistance in breeding programs because it exhibits greater tolerance to plant pathogens than P. vulgaris. However, its sanitary characterization is insipient; therefore, the purpose of this work was to carry out an etiological-epidemiological diagnosis, with emphasis on presumptive symptoms of viral and phytoplasmic organisms, and a typical fungal signs of powdery mildew. Materials and Methods. A plot (50 x 62 m) of flowering Ayocote bean was selected. It was divided into 80 (8 x 10) quadrats (6 x 6 m) and 720 subquadrats (2 x 2 m). From 25 plants with powdery-mildew-type leaf symptoms, mycelium was collected with adhesive tape for light microscopy observation and taxonomic identification. Length-width measurements were made on 60 conidia. Pure mycelium collected in situ and ex situ from 1-5 leaflets/plant was used for genomic analysis by PCR with universal primers ITS1 and ITS4. Samples were sequenced in Macrogen Inc. Korea. A total of 63 plants and 121 trifoliate leaves with viral and phytoplasmic symptoms were collected by direct sampling. In 88/121 samples, genomic analysis was performed by PCR with universal primers for Potyvirus (1), Begomovirus (2), and Phytoplasmas (1). Sequence editing and analysis were performed in SeqAssem and BLASTn/GenBank. Phylogenetic constructions were developed in Mega 11 with MUSCLE, Maximum Likelihood (ML), and HKY substitution model (1000-Bootstrap). Putative powdery mildew severity (%), flower damage (%), Macrodactylus sp. adult density, and plant vigor (%) were evaluated in 80 quadrats (3subquadrats/quadrat) with App-Monitor®v1.1 configured with a 5-class scale. In GoldenSurfer® v10, Kriging geostatistical analysis was performed to determine the spatial interrelationship between these variables. Results. Erysiphe vignae was identified as associated with powdery mildew of P. coccineus. The fungus, with hyaline, ovoid to ellipsoid conidia measuring 31.74 ± 0.3419 μm x 15.11 ± 0.1579 μm, without the presence of fibrosin bodies, had 100% genomic homology. This is the first report in Mexico. With average July-August temperature and relative humidity of 16.3 °C (±5.8) and 92.8 % (±10.7), respectively, powdery mildew leaf incidence and severity were 65.3 and 22.7 % (±16.9, range: 0 - 66.5 %), respectively. The most inductive focus (60-80 % severity) had an aggregate e 4-quadrat pattern (96 m2, lag = 4 and σ2-s = 450). Inoculum dispersal was significantly associated with dominant North-South winds and plant vigor (lag = 4 and σ2-s = 470). Flower damage was inconclusive in its spatial association with powdery mildew and Macrodactylus sp. suggesting uncorrelated events. No Potyvirus, Begomovirus, or Phytoplasmas were detected associated with yellowing, leaf distortion, mosaic, internode shortening, and other symptoms observed in situ. This confirms the relative tolerance/resistance reported for P. coccineus. Conclusion. E. vignae (Erysiphales: Erysiphaceae) associated with P. coccineus is reported for the first time in Mexico with moderate to intense epidemic level, which indicates its susceptible condition to this fungus. However, negative results for Potyvirus, Begomovirus, and Phytoplasmas, validate the apparent tolerance/resistance of P. coccineus to these organisms.