Growth and movement of secondary plasmodia of Plasmodiophora brassicae in turnip suspension-culture cells

Growth of secondary plasmodia of the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae was studied in dual culture of P. brassicae and turnip suspension cells. Suspension culture of P. brassicae-infected turnip cells was achieved by using P. brassicae-infected callus in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0·1 mg 2,4-D L−1 and 0·02 mg kinetin L−1. The shape of secondary plasmodia in suspension cells was spherical-to-subspherical. A few young plasmodia divided and became numerous spherical, small plasmodia which eventually formed a plasmodial cluster. The plasmodia fused and became vegetative plasmodia. Infected cells were significantly larger than noninfected cells. Secondary plasmodia moved within transformed turnip suspension host cells by cytoplasmic streaming of the host cells. Secondary plasmodia divided in synchrony with the transformed turnip cells.