Heat shock-induced resistance in strawberry against crown rot fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

•Heat shock treatment at 50 °C 20 s reduced disease index of strawberry crown rot.•Heat shock treatment increased chitinase 2-1 gene expression and free SA accumulation.•Heat shock treatment did not directly reduce mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides.•Heat shock induces strawberry resistance against Colletotrichum crown rot.•Mechanisms other than SAR probably involved in heat shock-induced resistance.

This present study investigated the effects of heat shock treatments in strawberry seedlings against crown rot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Heat shock treatment at 50 °C for 20 s reduced the disease index of strawberry crown rot and increased chitinase 2-1 gene expression as well as free salycilic acid accumulation. Heat shock treatment did not reduce mycelial growth of C. gloeosporioides. BIT(2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one,1,1-dioxide) treatment could not protect strawberry seedlings against crown rot disease. This finding suggests that heat shock induces strawberry resistance against Colletotrichum crown rot and assumes that mechanisms other than SAR probably mediated the protective effect of heat shock-induced resistance.