In: Sydowia 74, (2022): 251-267; ISSN 0082-0598, DOI 10.12905/0380.sydowia74-2021-0251, Published online on January 21, 2022

Comparative analysis of putative pathogenesis-related
gene expression in potato associated with defense
responses to Rhizoctonia solani

Reza Hejazi1, Mehdi Nasr Esfahani*, Mojdeh Maleki **& Ezzatollah Sedaghatfar

Department of plant pathology, Varamin-pishva branch, Islamic Azad University, Varamin, Iran
Department of Plant Protection Research, Isfahan Agricultural Natural Resources Research Education Center (AREEO),
Isfahan, Iran
Department of Plant Pathology, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran

* e-mails: mne2011@gmail.com / m.nasr@areeo.ac.ir, ** mojdehmaleki@yahoo.com

Hejazi R., Nasr Esfahani M., Maleki M. & Sedaghatfar E. (2022) Comparative analysis of putative pathogenesis-related gene
expression in potato associated with defense responses to Rhizoctonia solani. – Sydowia 74: 251–262.
The polyphagous necrotrophic plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG3-PT (basidiomycetous teleomorph Thanatephorus cucumeris)
is also an important fungal pathogen of potato (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanaceae) world-wide. Host resistant sources
are the most recommenced, durable environmentally friendly method for managing the disease. Three resistant and three susceptible
potato genotypes out of 92 potato genotypes screened for resistance against R. solani AG3-PT under field conditions were
subjected to bio-genetic assays using PR-5, Glub2, pcht28, PR-1b, ERF4, PAL1, PIN2, LOX1 genes and ef1a as a housekeeping
gene, and antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase
(CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL1) analysis. Resistance susceptibility of the selected potato genotypes were confirmed
under greenhouse conditions. Biomass parameters in susceptible genotypes decreased significantly compared to resistant
genotypes. Gene expression enzyme activities increased in resistant potato genotypes inoculated with Rhizoctonia solani AG3-
PT compared to susceptible controls, i.e. non-inoculated genotypes. Changes in expression levels of genes increased most in
pcht28 (8.41 fold), followed by PR-1b (6), ERF4 (5), and PR-5 (5). Antioxidant enzyme activities increased most in SOD (10 fold),
followed by PAL1 (4), PPO (3) POX (3). Production of potato cultivars resistant to R. solani will be possible based on changes in
biomass, gene expression level, and enzyme production rate.

Keywords: antioxidant, biomass, cDNA, gene expression, RNA, qPCR, Solanum tuberosum.