Fig. 4

Silencing of TaSTP13 in wheat–Pst interactions using the BSMV-VIGS system. a Mild chlorotic mosaic symptoms on BSMV-inoculated wheat leaves at 9–12 dpi; BSMV and photobleaching were evident in plants infected by BSMV:TaPDS. b Disease phenotypes of the fourth leaves pre-inoculated with BSMV:GFP, BSMV:TaSTP13-as1, and BSMV:TaSTP13-as2 at 14 dpi challenged with the Pst pathotype CYR31. c Relative transcript levels of TaSTP13 in knock-down plants and control wheat leaves. RNA samples were isolated from the fourth leaves of wheat infected with BSMV:GFP, BSMV:TaSTP13-as1, and BSMV:TaSTP13-as2 at 48, 72 and 120 hpi with CYR31. The TaEF1α gene was used as an internal control. d Fungal and wheat biomass ratio measured via total DNA content at 14 dpi by absolute quantification using the internal reference Pst gene, PstEF1, and the wheat gene, TaEF1α. Values represent mean ± SD of three independent samples. Asterisks indicate a significant difference (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01) from BSMV:GFP. Differences were assessed using Student’s t-test