Infection process of Stagonosporopsis tanaceti in pyrethrum seed and seedlings

Ray blight disease of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) is caused by Stagonosporopsis tanaceti, with infected seed being a major means of transmission of this fungal pathogen. The infection process of S. tanaceti in pyrethrum seed and seedlings was determined. Infection hyphae only infected the outer and inner layers of the seed coat and not the embryo of naturally infected pyrethrum seed. During the process of germination of infected seed, S. tanaceti from the seed coat infected the developing embryo and cotyledon, resulting in pre‐ and post‐emergence death, depending on the level of infection in the seed coat. Pre‐emergence death occurred due to disintegration of the infected embryo, which was replaced by hyphae and extracellular anthocyanin‐like material (EAM) at 7 days after incubation (dai). Post‐emergence death occurred after both epidermal and cortical tissues of infected cotyledons at the crown/hypocotyl region disintegrated due to colonization by hyphae. Moreover, most of the tissues of the vascular bundles and cortical tissues contained heavy depositions of EAM at 10–14 dai. In 6‐week‐old infected seedlings, hyphae were confined to the epidermis and the cortical tissues at the crown/hypocotyl regions; the vascular bundles of both infected and uninfected regions, and cortical tissues of the uninfected regions of the seedlings were completely free from infection hyphae and EAM. These findings provide a better understanding of the early stages of the disease cycle of S. tanaceti and will lead to improved control measures for seedborne infection using seed treatments.