High-Throughput Fluorescence Microscopy Using Aniline Blue Staining to Study the Maize-Exserohilum turcicum...

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Mycology
• Microscopy

Background:

• Northern corn leaf blight, caused by *Exserohilum turcicum*, is a significant fungal disease impacting maize yield globally.
• Microscopy is crucial for studying plant-fungal interactions at a cellular level, aiding pathology and genetics research.
• Understanding host resistance and pathogen aggressiveness requires detailed analysis of disease development stages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient, cost-effective protocol for staining *E. turcicum* in maize leaves.
• To enable visualization of fungal structures using fluorescence microscopy for pathology studies.
• To provide quantitative data on fungal components like conidia, hyphae, and appressoria.

Main Methods:

• Inoculation of maize leaves with *E. turcicum*.
• KOH treatment of leaf tissues.
• Aniline blue staining to visualize glucans in plant and fungal cell walls.
• Fluorescence microscopy for sample imaging.

Main Results:

• Successful staining and visualization of *E. turcicum* fungal structures on maize leaves.
• Generation of quantitative data on conidia, hyphae, and appressoria.
• Demonstration of the protocol's efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol offers an efficient and inexpensive method for studying maize-fungal interactions.
• Aniline blue staining combined with fluorescence microscopy facilitates high-throughput analysis of Northern corn leaf blight.
• This technique enhances the understanding of pathogenesis and host-pathogen dynamics in maize.