Multiplex qPCR assay for simultaneous quantification of CYP51‐S524T and SdhC‐H152R substitutions in European populations of Zymoseptoria tritici

Hellin, Pierre [UCL] Duvivier, M. Clinckemaillie, A. Bataille, C. Legrève, Anne [UCL] Heick, T.M. Jørgensen, L.N. Andersson, B. Samils, B. Rodemann, B. Berg, G. Kildea, S. et al.[show all]

Demethylation inhibitor (DMI) and succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides are currently relied upon for the control of septoria tritici blotch (STB) in European wheat fields. However, multiple mutations have occurred over time in the genes encoding the targeted proteins that have led to a practical loss of fungicide efficacies. Among the different amino acid substitutions in Zymoseptoria tritici associated with resistance to these fungicides, S524T in CYP51 (DMI target) and H152R in SdhC (SDHI target) are regarded as conferring the highest resistance factors to DMI and SDHI, respectively. To facilitate further studies on the monitoring and selection of these substitutions in Z. tritici populations, a multiplex allele-specific quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay allowing for estimation of both allele frequencies in bulk DNA matrices was developed. The assay was then used on complex DNA samples originating from a spore trap network set up in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, and Ireland in 2017 and 2018, as well as on leaf samples with symptoms. The S524T allele was present in all field samples and its proportion was significantly higher in Ireland than in Belgium, whereas the proportion of H152R was only sporadically present in both countries. The frequency of S524T varied greatly in the airborne inoculum of all four countries; however, the H152R allele was never detected in the airborne inoculum. The method developed in this study can be readily adopted by other laboratories and used for multiple applications including resistance monitoring in field populations of Z. tritici.