Effect of dsRNA on growth rate and reproductive potential of Monosporascus cannonballus

The effect of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) infection on growth rate and the reproductive potential of Monosporascus cannonballus was studied in 21 isolates collected in cucurbit growing areas of Spain and Tunisia. The isolates were incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) under different conditions of temperature, pH, and water potential (Ψs). They showed optimal growth temperatures over the range of 27–34 °C and perithecia formation was obtained mainly at 25 and 30 °C, although some isolates were able to produce perithecia at 35 °C. All isolates were able to produce perithecia in a broad range of pHs (4–8). Regarding the effect of Ψs, the isolates were more tolerant to grow on KCl than on NaCl. For each solute, radial growth decreased progressively as Ψs decreased and was severely limited at −5.0 to −6.0 MPa. Perithecia formation was highest at −0.5 MPa, decreased at −1.0 MPa and occurred just in some isolates at −2.0 MPa. Nine of the M. cannonballus isolates harboured dsRNA with 2–6 bands each and a size range of 1.9–18.0 Kb. Phenotypical data were subjected to multivariate factorial analysis. Most of the isolates clustered in two groups corresponding with the presence/absence of dsRNA elements. Isolates without detectable dsRNA produced more perithecia. However, isolates with dsRNA produced lower number of perithecia depending on the pH, Ψs, or solute used. These results improve our understanding of the behaviour and growth of this pathogen in soil, and can be useful to implement effective disease control.