This study was designed to isolate and characterize endophytic bacteria from sunflower (Helianthus annuus) grown under irrigation and water stress (drought) conditions, to analyze growth of isolated bacteria under drought condition, and to evaluate the ability of bacteria isolated from plants cultivated under drought to produce jasmonates (JAs) and abscisic acid (ABA). Bacteria were isolated from soil samples collected when sunflower plants were at the end of the vegetative stage. A total of 29 endophytic strains were isolated from plants grown under irrigation or drought condition. Eight strains (termed SF1 through SF8) were selected based on nitrogen-fixing ability. All eight strains showed positive catalase and oxidase activities; five strains (SF2, SF3, SF4, SF5, SF7) solubilized phosphates; none of the strains produced siderophores. Strains SF2, SF3, SF4, and SF5, the ones with the highest phosphate solubilization ability, strongly inhibited growth of the pathogenic fungi Verticillum orense and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum but had less inhibitory effect on Alternaria sp. Among the eight strains, SF2 showed 99.9% sequence homology with Achromobacter xiloxidans or Alcaligenes sp., while the other seven showed 99.9% homology with Bacillus pumilus. Strains SF2, SF3, and SF4 grown in control medium produced jasmonic acid (JA), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), and ABA. These three strains did not differ in amount of JA or OPDA produced. ABA content was higher than that of JA, and production of both ABA and JA increased under drought condition. The characteristics of these isolated bacterial strains have technological implications for inoculant formulation and improved growth of sunflower crops.

These authors contributed equally to this work. SUMMARYWe studied the role of Arabidopsis thaliana TCP15, a member of the TEOSINTE BRANCHED1-CYCLOIDEA-PCF (TCP) transcription factor family, in gynoecium development. Plants that express TCP15 from the 35S CaMV promoter (35S:TCP15) develop flowers with defects in carpel fusion and a reduced number of stigmatic papillae. In contrast, the expression of TCP15 fused to a repressor domain from its own promoter causes the development of outgrowths topped with stigmatic papillae from the replum. 35S:TCP15 plants show lower levels of the auxin indoleacetic acid and reduced expression of the auxin reporter DR5 and the auxin biosynthesis genes YUCCA1 and YUCCA4, suggesting that TCP15 is a repressor of auxin biosynthesis. Treatment of plants with cytokinin enhances the developmental effects of expressing TCP15 or its repressor form. In addition, treatment of a knock-out double mutant in TCP15 and the related gene TCP14 with cytokinin causes replum enlargement, increased development of outgrowths, and the induction of the auxin biosynthesis genes YUCCA1 and YUCCA4. A comparison of the phenotypes observed after cytokinin treatment of plants with altered expression levels of TCP15 and auxin biosynthesis genes suggests that TCP15 modulates gynoecium development by influencing auxin homeostasis. We propose that the correct development of the different tissues of the gynoecium requires a balance between auxin levels and cytokinin responses, and that TCP15 participates in a feedback loop that helps to adjust this balance.

The phytohormones are pivotal chemical messengers produced within the plant that regulate its growth and development, and responses to environmental stimuli. Drought and salinity are adverse environmental factors that disturb the plant hormonal balance. Accordingly, these hormonal fluctuations modify the cellular dynamic and hence they play a central role in regulating plant growth responses to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. The present review gives an update about the alterations of endogenous phytohormones such as abscisic acid (ABA), auxins (Aux), cytokinins (CKs), ethylene (ET), gibberellins (GAs), jasmonates (JAs), salicylic acid (SA), brassinosteroids (BRs), strigolactones (SLs) and nitric oxide (NO) that occur as part of the adaptative responses of plant against drought and salt stresses. Better understanding of the endogenous hormonal changes during the plant response to both abiotic stresses will contribute, in part, to the development of stress-tolerant plants.

This study shows that stink bug damage induces seed defences, which is perceived early by MPKs that may activate defence metabolic pathways in developing seeds of field-grown soybean. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Endophytic bacterial strains SF2 (99.9% homology with Achromobacter xylosoxidans), and SF3 and SF4 (99.9% homology with Bacillus pumilus) isolated from sunflower grown under irrigation or drought were selected on the basis of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) characteristics. Aims of the study were to examine effects of inoculation with SF2, SF3, and SF4 on sunflower cultivated under water stress, to evaluate salicylic acid (SA) production by these strains in control medium or at Ψa = -2.03 MPa, and to analyze effects of exogenously applied SA, jasmonic acid (JA), bacterial pellets, and bacterial supernatants on growth of pathogenic fungi Alternaria sp., Sclerotinia sp., and Verticillum sp. Growth response to bacterial inoculation was studied in two inbred lines (water stress-sensitive B59 and water stress-tolerant B71) and commercial hybrid Paraiso 24. Under both water stress and normal conditions, plant growth following inoculation was more strongly enhanced for Paraiso 24 and B71 than for B59. All three strains produced SA in control medium; levels for SF3 and SF4 were higher than for SF2. SA production was dramatically higher at Ψa = -2.03 MPa. Exogenously applied SA or JA caused a significant reduction of growth for Sclerotinia and a lesser reduction for Alternaria and Verticillum. Fungal growth was more strongly inhibited by bacterial pellets than by bacterial supernatants. Our findings indicate that these endophytic bacteria enhance growth of sunflower seedlings under water stress, produce SA, and inhibit growth of pathogenic fungi. These characteristics are useful for formulation of inoculants to improve growth and yield of sunflower crops.