Do plant pathogens prefer seedlings? Variation in age-specific infectivity across pathogen genotypes

Across plant and animal species, juveniles are generally more susceptible to infectious pathogens than adults. A growing body of research has explored how age-specific resistance evolves and why juvenile susceptibility is maintained in host populations. From the less well-studied pathogen's perspective, juvenile susceptibility means that most pathogens infect juvenile hosts more readily than adult hosts. In the present study, we investigated whether this pattern of age-specific infectivity varied across pathogen genotypes within a fungal pathogen species (Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae) infecting a plant host (Silene latifolia). We inoculated four host genotypes with each of five pathogen genotypes at two different host ages (seedling and adult). We found significant interactions between pathogen genotype and host age, indicating variation in age-specific infectivity and suggesting that this important epidemiological trait can evolve in response to selection. Furthermore, we found that significant pathogen × host genotype interactions determine infection risk for juvenile hosts and vegetative adults, whereas infection risk for reproductive adults is primarily determined by the main effects of pathogen and host genotypes. This suggests that specific immunological interactions may be the main determinants of resistance for juveniles and non-reproductive adults. By contrast, more general resistance mechanisms, such as physical barriers, may be the primary resistance mechanisms in reproductive adults. This article is part of the theme issue 'Wild plant pathosystems'.