Study of gene expression resistance in oilseed rape against Pythium root rot caused by Pythium spp. fungi

Background. Pythium root rot (PRR), caused by multiple Pythium spp., is one of the most significant root diseases affecting Brassica crops. The use of chemical pesticides against PRR is an inappropriate due to the associated health and environmental risks to humans. Therefore, employing biotic and abiotic resistance elicitors presents a successful alternative for managing PRR in Brassica napus. Materials and methods. Bacillus subtilis, Chenopodium album water extract, Salicylic acid, and Ayzox fungicide were used to analyze their effects on resistance genes involved in responses of B. napus to PRR. Three genes associated with plant defense, the JA signaling marker (VSP2), the ET signaling marker (PR-4), and the SA signaling marker (PR-5)- were examined for gene expression by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results. The results showed that plants inoculated with biotic and abiotic elicitors exhibited a reduction in the damping off, and the symptoms in these plants were less severe compared to those plants that were not inoculated with elicitors and were infected with PRR. The results of qPCR demonstrated that the expression levels of the VSP2 and PR-4 genes increased in plants infected with Pythium spp., while the expression levels of the PR-5 gene increased in the leaves of plants treated with abiotic elicitors. Conclusion. This study suggests that the biotic and abiotic elicitors used in the experiments are environmentally friendly agents and effective methods for protecting susceptible B. napus from Pythium spp.