Shedding light on the Cannabis/powdery mildew interaction
D. JOLY (1), N. Pépin (1), F. Sormany (1), A. Roy (2), N. Haché (2) (1) Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada; (2) OrganiGram Inc., Moncton, NB, Canada

Being the most commonly used illegal drug in Canada and worldwide, the biology of Cannabis species interactions with microbial pathogens are scarce, despite its cultivation as a source of fiber, food and medicine. The dramatic increase in the number of medical marijuana consumers has raised concerns about the ability of the limited number of licensed producers to meet demand. Efforts to reduce crop losses due to diseases thus offer tremendous opportunities for increasing production, and also securing a continuous access to medical marijuana. Among diseases affecting Cannabis grown for medical purposes, powdery mildew is a recurring issue, with indoor growth rooms providing a perfect germination tank for fungi. In order to gain insight into the identity of powdery mildew species affecting Cannabis, sequence comparisons have been made with isolates from hops (Humulus lupulus, the closest relative of Cannabis). On the host side, a genome-wide analysis of the Mildew resistance Locus O (MLO) gene family has been conducted, and follow-up studies are investigating whether loss-of-function mutations in one or more of these candidate genes leads to powdery mildew resistance. Transcriptome dynamics of the infection process at 18 hours, 3 and 8 days after inoculation have been investigated by deep RNA-sequencing to reveal Candidate Secreted Effector Proteins (CSEPs).

Abstract Number: P11-366
Session Type: Poster