Plants and plant pathogens are subject to continuous co-evolutionary pressure for dominance, and the outcomes of these interactions can substantially impact agriculture and food security1–3. In virus– plant interactions, one of the major mechanisms for plant antiviral immunity relies on RNA silencing, which is often suppressed by co-evolving virus suppressors, thus enhancing viral pathogenicity in susceptible hosts1. In addition, plants use the nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NB-LRR) domain-containing resistance proteins, which recognize viral effectors to activate effector-triggered immunity in a defence mechanism similar to that employed in non-viral infections2,3. Unlike most eukaryotic organisms, plants are not known to activate mechanisms of host global translation suppression to fight viruses1,2. Here we demonstrate in Arabidopsis that the constitutive activation of NIK1, a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK) identified as a virulence target of the begomovirus nuclear shuttle protein (NSP)4–6, leads to global translation suppression and translocation of the downstream component RPL10 to the nucleus, where it interacts with a newly identified MYB-like protein, L10-INTERACTING MYB DOMAIN-CONTAINING PROTEIN (LIMYB), to downregulate translational machinery genes fully. LIMYB overexpression represses ribosomal protein genes at the transcriptional level, resulting in protein synthesis inhibition, decreased viral messenger RNA association with polysome fractions and enhanced tolerance to begomovirus. By contrast, the loss of LIMYB function releases the repression of translation-related genes and increases susceptibility to virus infection. Therefore, LIMYB links immune receptor LRR-RLK activation to global translation suppression as an antiviral immunity strategy in plants.

Blast, caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae, is a major disease of the wheat crop in the Brazilian Cerrado and represents a potential threat to world wheat production. However, information about the wheat-P. oryzae interaction is still limited. In this work, the activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and the concentrations of superoxide (O₂(-)), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as the electrolyte leakage (EL) were studied in wheat plants 'BR 18' and 'BRS 229', which are susceptible and partially resistant, respectively, to leaf blast at the vegetative growth stage, during the infection process of P. oryzae. The blast severity in BRS 229 was 50% lower than in BR 18 at 96 h after inoculation (hai). The activities of SOD, POX, APX, and GST increased for both cultivars in the inoculated plants compared with noninoculated plants and the increases were more pronounced for BRS 229 than for BR 18 at 96 hai. The GR and CAT activities only increased in inoculated plants from BRS 229 at 96 hai. For BR 18, the GR activity was not influenced by plant inoculation, and the CAT activity was lower in inoculated plants. The GPX activity only increased in inoculated plants from BR 18 at 48 and 72 hai. The P. oryzae infection increased the O₂(-), H₂O₂, and MDA concentrations and EL. However, the greater increases of the SOD, POX, APX, GST, GR, and CAT activities for BRS 229 compared with BR 18 contributed to the lower O₂(-), H₂O₂, and MDA concentrations and EL verified in the former. These results show that a more efficient antioxidative system in the removal of excess of reactive oxygen species generated during the infection process of P. oryzae limits the cellular damage caused by the fungus, thus contributing to greater wheat resistance to blast.

Coffea arabica cultivars Catuaí 44 and IAPAR 59, susceptible and resistant, respectively, to the root knot nematode Meloidogyne exigua, were grown in pots containing Si-deficient soil amended with either calcium silicate (+Si) or calcium carbonate ()Si). There was an increase of 152 and 100%, respectively, in Si content of root tissue of cvs Catuaí 44 and IAPAR 59 in the +Si compared to the )Si treatment, but no significant difference between Si treatments for calcium content. Plants, assessed 150 days after inoculation (d.a.i.) showed that the number of galls (NG) and number of eggs (NE) significantly decreased by 16AE8 and 28AE1% respectively, for susceptible cv. Catuaí 44 in the presence of Si, whilst both NG and NE were significantly lower for cv. IAPAR 59 compared to the susceptible cultivar regardless of Si treatments. In a separate experiment, biochemical assays were carried out 5 and 10 d.a.i. There was no significant difference between Si treatments and cultivars for concentration of total soluble phenolics. The concentration of lignin-thioglycolic acid (LTGA) derivatives significantly increased by 11AE5% in roots of nematode-inoculated plants of susceptible cv. Catuaí supplied with Si. In roots of inoculated plants of resistant cv. IAPAR 59, the increase was 23 and 10%, respectively, for treatments with and without silicon. Peroxidase (POX), polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activities significantly increased in roots of inoculated plants compared with roots of non-inoculated plants, regardless of cultivar or Si treatment. In +Si treatments at 10 d.a.i., POX activity in roots of nematode-inoculated plants of cvs Catuaí 44 and IAPAR 59 increased by 39AE9 and 31AE3%, respectively; PPO increased by 54AE9 and 56AE1%; and PAL activity was also higher at 26AE6 and 62AE9%. It was concluded that supplying Si to coffee plants increases root resistance against M. exigua by decreasing its reproductive capacity.Keywords: Coffea arabica, host resistance, lignin, phenolics, root-knot nematode IntroductionThe root-knot nematode Meloidogyne exigua is one of the most serious agronomic constraints affecting coffee (Coffea arabica) production in Brazil. This nematode causes typical rounded galls, mostly on newly formed roots, which are initially white to yellowish brown and turn dark brown as the root becomes older (Campos & Villain, 2005). Egg masses are produced either in the cortex beneath the root epidermis or less commonly protruding outside the cortex. Severe weakening of coffee trees is caused by M. exigua, and yield losses arising from its parasitism range from 10 to 20% (Bertrand et al., 1997). However, depending on the nematode biotype and the region where the coffee is grown, for example in Rio de Janeiro state, yield losses can be up to 45% (Barbosa et al., 2004). The main C. arabica cultivars available to growers are susceptible to M. exigua (Campos & Villain, 2005), which has a great reproductive capacity and is widely disseminated among the Arabica coffee production areas in Br...

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This study aimed to determine the effect of jasmonic acid (JA), Acibenzolar-S-Methyl (ASM) and calcium silicate (a source of soluble silicon, Si), on the potentiation of soybean resistance to Asian soybean rust (ASR). The ASR severity was significantly reduced on plants sprayed with ASM or supplied with Si in comparison to plants sprayed with JA or deionized water. For chitinases (CHI), significant differences in activity between non-inoculated and inoculated plants sprayed with deionized water or with ASM occurred at 72 hours after inoculation (hai), at 24 and 72 hai when sprayed with JA and at 141 hai when supplied with Si. For β-1,3-glucanases (GLU), significant differences in activity between non-inoculated and inoculated plants sprayed with deionized water occurred at 24, 48 and 141 hai, but not until 72 for plants sprayed with ASM. For phenylalanine ammonia-lyases (PAL), significant differences in activity between non-inoculated and inoculated plants occurred only for plants sprayed with ASM at 72 and 141 hai. In conclusion, the ASR symptoms can be mild on plants sprayed with ASM or supplied with Si and that this amelioration likely involved the defense enzymes.Key words: Glycine max, Asian soybean rust, induction of resistance, mechanisms of host defense.Indutores de resistência e silício na atividade de enzimas de defesa na interação soja-Phakopsora pachyrhizi ResumoEste estudo objetivou determinar o efeito do ácido jasmônico (AJ), do Acibenzolar-S-Metil (ASM) e do silicato de cálcio (fonte de silício solúvel, Si) na potencialização da resistência da soja à ferrugem asiática (FA). A severidade da FA foi significativamente reduzida nas plantas pulverizadas com ASM ou supridas com Si em comparação com as plantas pulverizadas com água deionizada ou AJ. Para a atividade das quitinases (QUI), diferenças significativas entre plantas não inoculadas e inoculadas que foram pulverizadas com água destilada ou ASM ocorreram às 72 horas após a inoculação (hai); às 24 e 72 hai para plantas pulverizadas com AJ e às 141 hai quando supridas com Si. Para β-1,3-glucanases (GLU), diferenças significativas entre plantas inoculadas e não inoculadas que foram pulverizadas com água deionizada ocorreram às 24, 48 e 141 hai, mas não ocorreram até as 72 hai para plantas pulverizadas com ASM. Para fenilalanina amônia-liases (PAL), houve diferença significativa na atividade entre plantas inoculadas e não inoculadas somente para aquelas pulverizadas com ASM as 72 e 141 hai. Em conclusão, os sintomas da FA podem ser reduzidos em plantas pulverizadas com ASM ou em plantas supridas com Si, em parte, pela participação das enzimas de defesa estudadas.Palavras-chave: Glycine max, ferrugem asiática, indução de resistência, mecanismos de defesa do hospedeiro.

This study investigated the effect of silicon (Si) on resistance of bean plants (cv. ‘Peróla’) to anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, grown in a nutrient solution containing 0 (−Si) or 2 mmol Si L−1 (+Si). The concentration of Si in leaf tissue and the incubation period increased by 55.2% and 14.3%, respectively, in +Si plants in relation to −Si plants. The area under anthracnose progress curve and the severity estimated by the software QUANT significantly decreased by 32.9% and 27%, respectively, for +Si plants. Si did not affect the concentration of total soluble phenolics. Chitinases activity was higher in the advanced stages of infection by C. lindemuthianum for leaves of −Si plants. β‐1,3‐Glucanase activity increased after C. lindemuthianum infection, but it was not enhanced by Si. Peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase activities had no apparent effect on the resistance of bean plants to anthracnose, regardless of the presence of Si. The increase in lignin concentration as well as on the phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase and lipoxygenase activities were important for the resistance of +Si plants against anthracnose. The results of this study suggest that Si may increase resistance to anthracnose in bean plants by enhancing certain biochemical mechanisms of defence as opposed to just acting as a physical barrier to penetration by C. lindemuthianum.

Frogeye leaf spot, caused by Cercospora sojina, is one of the most important leaf diseases of soybean worldwide. Silicon (Si) is known to increase the resistance of several plant species to pathogens. The cultivars Bossier and Conquista, which are susceptible and resistant, respectively, to frogeye leaf spot, supplied and nonsupplied with Si were examined for the activities of defense enzymes and the concentrations of total soluble phenolics (TSP) and lignin-thioglycolic acid (LTGA) derivatives at 8, 14, and 16 days after inoculation (dai) with C. sojina. The importance of cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDE) to the infection process of C. sojina and the effect of Si on their activities were also determined. Soybean plants were grown in hydroponic culture containing either 0 or 2 mM Si (-Si and +Si, respectively) and noninoculated or C. sojina inoculated. Severity of frogeye leaf spot was higher in cultivar Bossier plants than cultivar Conquista and also in the +Si plants compared with their -Si counterparts. Except for the concentrations of TSP and LTGA derivatives, activities of defense enzymes and the CWDE did not change for +Si noninoculated plants regardless of the cultivar. The activities of lipoxygenases, phenylalanine ammonia-lyases, chitinases, and polyphenoloxidases as well as the activities of CWDE decreased for the +Si inoculated plants. The results from this study demonstrated that defense enzyme activities decreased in soybean plants supplied with Si, which compromised resistance to C. sojina infection.

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