Mycologist, Volume 16, Part 3 August 2002

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Biotic Interactions in Plant-PathogenAssociations edited by M. J. Jeger and N. J. Spence(2001). Pp. 353. ISBN 0-85199-512-8 (hardback).CABI Publishing, Wallingford, U.K. Price £60; $110.DOI: 10.1017/S0269915X02213075

Biotic interactions are ubiquitous and can influence theoutcome of plant-pathogen associations in bothpositive and negative ways. This book contains the keypapers from a conference of the same name held inDecember 1999 and jointly organised by the BritishSociety for Plant Pathology and the virology group ofthe Association of Applied Biology. The 17 chapterscover a range of interactions: (i) within-taxoninteractions; (ii) interactions with fungi; (iii) inter-actions with prokaryotes; (iv) biological control,within-taxon; (v) biological control, across-taxa; (vi)complex diseases and diseases of complex aetiology;and (vii) methodology and modelling. The brief was toget away from the dogma of plant diseases being causedby single agents, and to address the genetical,physiological and ecological interactions from thepoint-of-view of a series of particular topics.

The first two chapters (Jeger: Biotic Interactions andplant-pathogen associations and Spence: Virus-vectorinteractions in plant virus disease transmission andepidemiology) set the scene. Specific chapters then dealwith a range of diverse topics ranging from shortupdates on the Functional consequences and maintenanceof vegetative incompatibility in fungal populations(Hoekstra) through to more comprehensive overviewsincluding Mutualism and antagonism: ecologicalinteractions among bark beetles, mites and fungi (Klepzig etal.). The wide-ranging brief means there is somethingfor everyone in this volume but, as a consequence,individuals will also find sections that are not of directrelevance to them. Nevertheless, the editors havecompiled a concentration of interesting chapters alldealing with the main topic of the symposium.

Fungal endophytes get a chapter dedicated to theirinfluence on plant resistance to nematodes (Cook &Lewis: Fungal endophytes and nematodes of agricultural andamenity grasses). This ably demonstrates how oneapparently unconnected interaction can have importantconsequences on the outcome of another. NextMcGonigle & Hyakumachi review the literature onFeeding on plant-pathogenic fungi by invertebrates. Theycompare this with grazing on non-pathogenicequivalents and interestingly conclude that the

pathogenic forms are eaten in preference. Three chaptersthen deal with interactions of bacteria with plants: Plantinteractions with endophytic bacteria (Hallman), Arechitinolytic bacteria really beneficial to plants? (de Boer &van Veen) and The use of avirulent mutants of Ralstoniasolanacearum to control bacterial wilt disease (Smith &Saddler), who suggest there is underexploited potentialhere for biocontrol. That such potential can be realised isdemonstrated in the next chapter, Diversity andinteractions among strains of Fusarium oxysporum, byAlabouvette et al., who have pioneered the application inbiocontrol. The complexity of biotic interactions couldexplain why a broad, yet in-depth knowledge is requiredto exploit these phenomena in managing plant diseases.

Cross-protection using less virulent virus strains onthe other hand is less complex and has been exploitedsince 1929. Lecoq & Raccah review the current statusand limitations of this approach. Plant pathogen-herbivoreinteractions and their effects on weeds (Hatcher & Paul) isthe next topic tackled and this tri-partite interaction isechoed in the next two chapters. The first by Kissconsiders the role of hyperparasites in host plant-parasitic fungi relationships’ and demonstrates howfungal-fungal interactions provide an additional layer toalready complex pathosystems. The next chapter doesthe same for fungal-nematode interactions (Hillocks: Theimplications for plant health of nematode-fungal interactionsin the root zone). Despite a plethora of misspelt Latinnames this chapter focuses on the common theme ofextrapolating pot experiments to the field.

Van der Putten brings many of the preceding topicstogether in an excellent chapter on Interactions ofplants, soil pathogens and their antagonists in naturalecosystems. He emphasizes how the study of naturalecosystems can shed light on how biotic interactionscan influence plant community development. Two finalchapters use specific examples to deal with morequantitative aspects of the subject. Hughes et al. reviewthe Development of methods and models and theirapplication to disease problems in the perennial citrus cropsystem, whilst Holt & Colvin consider Observation andtheory of whitefly-borne virus disease epidemics.

Overall the book provides a vital reference source forthose ecologists, plant pathologists and agriculturalistswho need to begin to understand the complexity ofbiotic interactions and their influence on plant disease.It is a daunting task, not for the faint-hearted!

Peter Jeffries