Location and timing govern tripartite interactions of fungal phytopathogens and host in the stem canker species complex

BACKGROUND: Leptosphaeria maculans “brassicae” (Lmb) and Leptosphaeria biglobosa “brassicae” (Lbb) make up a species complex involved in the stem canker (blackleg) disease of rapeseed (Brassica napus). They coinfect rapeseed together, from the early stage of infection on leaves to the final necrotic stage at the stem base, and both perform sexual crossings on plant residues. L. biglobosa is suggested to be a potential biocontrol agent against Lmb, but there has been no mechanistic investigation of the different types of interactions that may occur between the plant and the two fungal species. RESULTS: We investigated the bi- or tripartite interaction mechanisms by (i) confronting Lmb and Lbb in culture conditions or during cotyledon infection, with different timing and/or spore concentration regimes, (ii) performing RNA-Seq experiments in vitro or on the kinetics of infection of cotyledons infected by Lmb and/or Lbb to evaluate the transcriptomic activity and the plant response when both fungal species are inoculated together. Lbb infection of B. napus cotyledons was typical of a necrotrophic behavior, with a very early setup of one pathogenicity program and very limited colonization of tissues. This contrasted with the complex succession of pathogenicity programs of the hemibiotroph Lmb. During simultaneous co-infection by both species, Lmb was strongly impacted in its growth and transcriptomic dynamics both in vitro and in planta, while Lbb was unaffected by the presence of Lmb. However, the drastic inhibition of Lmb growth by Lbb was ineffective in the case of delayed inoculation with Lbb or a lower amount of spores of Lbb compared to Lmb. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that Lmb growth inhibition by Lbb is the result of a combination of factors that may include competition for trophic resources, the generation by Lbb of an environment unsuitable for the lifecycle of Lmb or/and the effect on Lmb of plant defense responses induced by Lbb. It indicates that growth inhibition occurs in very specific conditions (i.e., co-inoculation at the same place of an equal amount of inoculum) that are unlikely to occur in the field where their coexistence does not prevent any species from completing their life cycle. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-023-01726-8.