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DEVOLOPING A METHOD TO QUALITATIVELY DESCRIBE HAUSTORIA OF NOTHOPASSALORA PERSONATA IN INFECTED PLANT TISSUE**

Abstract

Nothopassalora personata causes late leaf spot disease in peanut (Arachis hypogaea), which results in premature defoliation and substantial yield loss. A common method of reducing late leaf spot disease is through the use of fungicides, however this can be quite expensive and is sometimes unavailable. Because of this, peanut cultivars are bred for traits that demonstrate resistance to late leaf spot. Resistant cultivars in other pathosystems of fungi are able to combat infections by restricting intracellular haustoria. One way to observe these intracellular haustoria is through the use of a scanning electron microscope. In this study, two cultivars of peanut will be compared; one resistant and one susceptible. A detached leaf assay will be conducted to establish disease on peanut leaves and petioles. Sections will be taken from both the petiole and the leaf and will be prepared for scanning electron microscopy using standard methods. Scanning electron micrographs of intracellular haustoria will be processed using ImageJ to compute the percentage of cell area occupied with haustoria, to see if halting intracellular haustoria is a mechanism for resistance in peanuts. Results of this experiment will be presented.

Acknowledgements

Emily G. Cantonwine, James Nienow

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