Abstract:
Potato scab disease is caused by several different Streptomyces species. Potato yield and market value decreased due to the infection. Therefore, this research aims to study the morphology and pathogenicity of Streptomyces isolated from potato scabs, as well as to identify and detect pathogenic genes. From the experimental results, it was found that potato tubers showing scab lesions were collected from seven different areas in Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces. The pure culture was isolated on water agar (WA). A total of 55 isolates were isolated. The study of morphological characteristics can be divided into 3 types according to the arrangement of the spores, namely 52 isolates of rectiflexibiles, 2 isolates of spiral, and 1 isolate of fragmenting branched. The pathogenicity test on potato slices revealed that only 37 isolates, or 67% of all isolates, were capable of infecting potato tissue. The lesion severity varied and could be categorized into two levels: very severe level (++) with 16 isolates and mild level (+) with 21 isolates. Therefore, virulent pathogens were selected from these tests to be utilized during the inoculation of potato tubers under realistic conditions, totaling 5 isolates: MM-609, F-301, M-131, P-317 and S-10. The 105 days of inoculation on potato tubers showed that the F-301 and M-609 isolates caused the tubers to develop dark brown scaly lesions on the skin. As for M-131, P-317, and S-10 isolates, it was found that after inoculation on potato tubers, no scabs were found on the surface compared to the control. Based on 16s rDNA-specific primers, 5 isolates were identified as Streptomyces. But only F-301 (PQ517112) and MM-609 (PQ517113) are pathogenic potato scab. These isolates were identified as Streptomyces europaeiscabiei strain CFBP 4497 (NR116533), with a 99.19-99.78% identity. The non-pathogenic potato scab isolates M-131 (PV000770) and S-10 (PV000771) showed 98.64-99.14% similarity to Streptomyces flavofuscus strain NBRC 100768 (NR112591). P-317 (PV000772) showed 97.07% similarity to Streptomyces antibioticalis strain SL-4 (NR178326). The detection of pathogenic genes, it was found that the nucleotide of pathogenic potato scab (F-301 and MM-609) consisted of 3 virulence-promoting genes: nec1, txtAB, and tomA. However, nucleotide of nonpathogenic potato scab (M-131, S-10 and P-317) were found only 1-2 virulence-promoting genes: nec1 and txtAB. The presence of Streptomyces europaeiscabiei causing potato scab in Thailand has never been reported before.