Interactive Gene Expression Patterns of Susceptible and ResistantLens ervoidesRecombinant Inbred Lines and the NecrotrophAscochyta lentis

Ascochyta lentisis a foliar pathogen ofLensspecies and is of worldwide importance in cultivated lentil production. High levels of resistance were identified in the wild speciesLens ervoides. This resistance was explored through histopathology, qPCR estimation of fungal biomass and transcriptome sequencing in a susceptible and a resistant recombinant inbred line (RIL) ofL. ervoidesinfected with an aggressive isolate ofA. lentis. Necrotrophic growth was delayed in the resistant RIL compared to accelerated necrotrophy ofA. lentisin the susceptible RIL. Analysis of the fungal secretome indicated that the early activation of cell wall-degrading enzymes contributed to increased virulence ofA. lentis. On the host side, gene co-expression analysis revealed that the invasion byA. lentiscaused mRNA, DNA and protein decay in infected plants regardless of the level of resistance in the host. The resistant RIL exhibited a stronger gene co-expression in lipid localization and sulfur processes, and cellular responses to nutrients and stimuli than the susceptible RIL. In addition, differential gene analysis revealed that the repression of both, gibberellin signaling and cell death associated with the hypersensitive response (HR), were associated with enhancedA. lentisresistance.