Root Growth and Defense Response of Seedlings against Fusarium oxysporum in Sand Culture and In Vitro—A Comparison of Two Screening Approaches for Asparagus Cultivars

Two rapid asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) screening methods, in sand culture and vitro, were tested to evaluate the response of young seedlings against F. oxysporum f. sp. asparagi (isolate Foa1). Root morphological parameters evaluated correlated with symptomatology expression defense-related genes at 5 7 dpi. In cultivation, Foa1-inoculated cultivars showed no visible disease symptoms on their roots until Two-factorial ANOVA statistics found significant interaction between treatments for most root but some differences cultivars. The vitro high susceptibility according differed greatly length primary cultivars, surface area higher upon Foa1 inoculation. changes very different among induction PR1, POX, PAL dpi all only two cultivation. method, although more artificial, seemed be reliable than cultivation since fungus was able develop well medium. sand-filled pots, may have been hindered its development, even though a considerable amount inoculated. addition, fungal growth easily trackable tubes, while results after pulling out pots 12