Project description:Lack of resistance to pink snow mould (Microdochium nivale) is seen as a major constraint for adaptation of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) at higher latitudes. Plants generally become more resistant to snow moulds after cold acclimation, and almost all investigations of genetic variation in resistance have been performed using cold acclimated plants. However, there may be variation in resistance mechanisms that are functioning independently of cold acclimation. In this study our aim was to identify candidate genes involved in such resistance mechanisms. We first characterized variation in resistance to M. nivale among non-acclimated plants of eight genotypes from the Norwegian cultivar Fagerlin and selected one resistant and one susceptible genotype for transcriptome analysis. Total RNA was extracted from leaf blade tissue of plants exposed to three different treatments: non-inoculated and non-incubated plants, non-inoculated plants after four days of incubation, and inoculated plants after four days of incubation. cDNA libraries were prepared and paired-end sequencing performed using Illumina Hiseq 2000. Transcriptome profiles, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicate that defence response related genes are differentially expressed between incubated non-inoculated and incubated inoculated conditions both within resistant and susceptible genotypes. A significant up-regulation of defence related genes as well as genes involved in cell wall cellulose metabolic processes and aryl-alcohol dehydrogenase (NADP+) activity was observed in the resistant genotype. The candidate genes identified in this study might be potential molecular marker resources for breeding perennial ryegrass cultivars with improved resistance to pink snow mould.