Amino acid mutation of succinate dehydrogenase complex induced resistance to benzovindiflupyr in Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae is a rice blast pathogen that seriously threatens rice yield. Benzovindiflupyr is a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide that effectively controls many crop diseases. Benzovindiflupyr has a strong inhibitory effect on M. oryzae; however, control of rice blast by benzovindiflupyr and risk of resistance to benzovindiflupyr are not well studied in this pathogen. In this study, six benzovindiflupyr-resistant strains were obtained by domestication induced in the laboratory. The MoSdhB^H245D mutation was the cause of M. oryzae resistance to benzovindiflupyr, which was verified through succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity assays, molecular docking, and site-specific mutations. Survival fitness analysis showed no significant difference between the benzovindiflupyr-resistant and parent strains. Positive cross-resistance to benzovindiflupyr and other SDHIs and negative cross-resistance to azoxystrobin were observed. Therefore, the risk of benzovindiflupyr resistance in M. oryzae might be medium to high. It should be combined with other classes of fungicides (tebuconazole and azoxystrobin) to slow the development of resistance.