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