Powdery mildew is a widespread disease in rapeseed due to a lack of resistant germplasm. We compared the foliar epidermal features and transcriptomic responses between the resistant (R) and susceptible (S) plants among the two parents and progenies of Brassica carinata × B. napus. The amount of cuticular wax and callose deposition on the R plants was much lower than that on the S plants; hence, these chemicals are not all essential to pre-penetration resistance, although the cuticular wax on the R plants had more needle-like crystals. A total of 1049 genes involved in various defense responses were expressed differentially among the R/S plants. The expression levels of two well-known susceptibility genes, MLO6 and MLO12, were much lower in the R plant, indicating an important role in PM resistance. A set of genes related to wax biosynthesis (KCS6, LACS2, CER and MAH1), cell wall modification (PMR5, PMEI9, RWA2, PDCB1 and C/VIF2), chloroplast function (Chlorophyllase-1, OEP161, PSBO1, CP29B and CSP41b), receptor kinase activity (ERECTA, BAK1, BAM2, LYM1, LYM3, RLK902, RLP11, ERL1 and ERL2), IPCS2, GF14 lambda, RPS4 and RPS6 were highly expressed in the R plants. In the S plants, most highly expressed genes were involved in later defense responses, including CERK1, LYK4, LIK1, NIMIN-1, CHITINASE 10, PECTINESTERASE, CYP81F2 and RBOHF and the genes involved in salicylic acid-dependent systemic acquired resistance and hypersensitive responses, indicating the occurrence of severe fungal infection. The results indicate that some uncertain pre-penetration defenses are pivotal for high resistance, while post-penetration defenses are more important for the S plant survival.
Keywords: Mildew Locus O; callose; cuticular wax; pre-penetration defense; rapeseed; transcriptome.