Effects of 15% CO2 on the susceptibility of Phaseolus vulgaris to Colletotrichum lindemuthianum
Changes in the nature of the interaction between Phaseolus vulgaris and a compatible race of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum were obtained by treatment of inoculated plants with 15% CO2 in air. A shift towards resistance, manifested by the appearance of flecks similar to those which develop in a natural incompatible interaction, occurred on plants placed in CO2 during the early stages of fungal penetration and maintained there until symptoms appeared. With such treatment, almost complete reversal of the interaction was obtained when the density of infection sites was sufficiently great to give coalescent necrosis in controls that were not CO2-treated. A lesser effect occurred when CO2 treatment was begun at later stages of development of the interaction. Histological studies showed that the rate of colonization of host cells by hyphae of the fungus was reduced in the presence of 15% CO2. These results indicate that CO2 may change the nature of the interaction to one of resistance by selectively slowing down the growth of the fungus while allowing a defense response of the host to develop to a degree where it can prevent further spread of fungal hyphae.