A novel Arabidopsis pathosystem reveals cooperation of multiple hormonal response-pathways in host resistance against the global crop destroyer Macrophomina phaseolina

Abstract

Dubbed as a “global destroyer of crops”, the soil-borne fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Mp) infects more than 500 plant species including many economically important cash crops. Host defenses against infection by this pathogen are poorly understood. We established interactions between Mp and Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) as a model system to quantitatively assess host factors affecting the outcome of Mp infections. Using agar plate-based infection assays with different Arabidopsis genotypes, we found signaling mechanisms dependent on the plant hormones ethylene, jasmonic acid and salicylic acid to control host defense against this pathogen. By profiling host transcripts in Mp-infected roots of the wild-type Arabidopsis accession Col-0 and ein2/jar1, an ethylene/jasmonic acid-signaling deficient mutant that exhibits enhanced susceptibility to this pathogen, we identified hundreds of genes potentially contributing to a diverse array of defense responses, which seem coordinated by complex interplay between multiple hormonal response-pathways. Our results establish Mp/Arabidopsis interactions as a useful model pathosystem, allowing for application of the vast genomics-related resources of this versatile model plant to the systematic investigation of previously understudied host defenses against a major crop plant pathogen.

Phytohormone Priming of Tomato Plants Evoke Differential Behavior in Rhizoctonia solani During Infection, With Salicylate Priming Imparting Greater Tolerance Than Jasmonate

“…Our report was corroborated by another group with transcriptome analysis using the same pathosystem (Yan et al, 2021). Later, in a similar report by Schroeder et al, 2019, with Arabidopsis as host, the pathogen evoked mainly SA-mediated defense response in early phases which shifted to JA/ET alone in the later phases. Our finding that CHS1 and CHS2 has been increased in SA-primed plants in response to infection is similar to the observations made by Campos et al, 2003 on the hemibiotrophic pathogen Colletotrichum sp.…”

Macrophomina phaseolina: General Characteristics of Pathogenicity and Methods of Control

“…Additionally, ET or JA mutants showed an enhanced susceptibility to M. phaseolina. These observations suggested that ET and JA signaling pathways are important for protection against M. phaseolina in Arabidopsis (Schroeder et al, 2019).…”

Trichoderma viride Controls Macrophomina phaseolina through its DNA disintegration and Production of Antifungal Compounds

“…The fungus Macrophomina phaseolina is a noxious pathogen that infects more than 500 host plant species belonging to about 100 families globally (Schroeder et al 2019). The pathogen has a wide geographical distribution, and is commonly found in Europe, Africa, Asia, South and North America (Zimudzi et al 2017).…”