2.11 Pathogen infection of tea plants treated with AsODNs
C. sinensis (SCZ) leaves showing no signs of disease and insect
damage were used in experiments. The target gene of each treated tea
leaf was silenced using the gene suppression method described above.
Briefly, AsODN- CsTPS1/1 -AS, AsODN-CsTPS1 , and
AsODN-CsTPS1 -AS solution was injected into the tea leaves
of different treatments. The treated tea leaves were then immediately
inoculated with mycelial discs (5 mm
diameter) of Neopestalotiopsis sp. and C. gloeosporioides .
In the control treatment, each treated tea leaf was injected with the
same volume of sODN solution and immediately inoculated with mycelial
discs of the two pathogens. All treated tea plants were cultured in a
greenhouse at 25 ± 3°C with 70 ± 5% relative humidity and a 16/8 hr
(day/night) photoperiod. Treated tea leaves were collected for analysis
after 72 h when they showed signs of disease. There were six biological
replicates for each treatment.
2.12 WGA staining and microscopic observation of pathogenic