Dual impact of ambient pH on the virulence of Phytophthora nicotianae and resistance in tobacco

Here, we demonstrate that acidic ambient pH was more conducive to the growth and pathogenicity of P. nicotianae by promoting sporulation and mycelial bulges under laboratory conditions. In tobacco plants, acidic ambient pH increased susceptibility to the pathogen, whereas alkaline pH reduced disease severity. Transcriptome analysis with tobacco plants under different pH regimes for 4 weeks showed that genes involved in the plant-pathogen interaction, oxidative phosphorylation and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway were differentially expressed.