Using Molecular Tools To Decipher the Complex World of Plant Resistance Inducers: An Apple Case Study

Abstract

Exogenous application of plant resistance inducers (PRIs) able to activate plant defenses is an interesting approach for new integrated pest management practices. The full integration of PRIs into agricultural practices requires methods for the fast and objective upstream screening of efficient PRIs and optimization of their application. To select active PRIs, we used a molecular tool as an alternative to methods involving plant protection assays. The expressions of 28 genes involved in complementary plant defense mechanisms were simultaneously determined by quantitative real-time PCR in PRI-treated tissues. Using a set of 10 commercial preparations and considering the pathosystem apple/Erwinia amylovora, this study shows a strong correlation between defense activation and protection efficiency in controlled conditions, thus enabling the easy identification of promising PRIs in fire blight protection. Hence this work clearly highlights the benefits of using a molecular tool to discriminate nonactive PRI preparations and provides useful molecular markers for the optimization of their use in orchard.

Surfactin Protects Wheat against Zymoseptoria tritici and Activates Both Salicylic Acid- and Jasmonic Acid-Dependent Defense Responses

“…However, fitness benefits have been observed on primed plants in the field under high disease pressures as the energy of the plant remains devoted to its development until a biotic stress actually occurs [27,28]. In the present case, we used H 2 O 2 to mimic a biotic stress comparable to a Z. tritici infection, as described by Dugé de Bernonville et al [24]. Hydrogen peroxide is indeed a reactive oxygen species (ROS) which acts as a central player in the transduction of stress signals in the plant [29,30].…”

“…The recognition of an elicitor by the plant triggers a cascade of defense mechanisms leading to induced resistance. We thus investigated the expression of 23 defense genes of wheat in treated versus untreated plants by using an innovative biomolecular tool developed by INRA [23,24]. Such tests provided useful information regarding the defense signaling pathways preferentially triggered in the plant by surfactin.…”

Induced resistance during the interaction pathogen x plant and the use of resistance inducers

“…The full integration of PRIs into agricultural practices requires methods for the fast and objective upstream screening of efficient PRIs and optimization of their application (Bernonville et al, 2014). The induction of resistance has been extensively studied in order to develop new alternatives in disease control, particularly to develop measures that will minimise the impact to the environment and to man.…”

Plant Resistance Inducers against Pathogens in Solanaceae Species—From Molecular Mechanisms to Field Application

“…Several transcript biomarkers associated with IR have been proposed. In a commendable effort by Bernonville et al [170] used 28 transcript markers to screen for novel PRIs and found correlation between the level of defense activation and protection efficiency in controlled conditions. These types of biomarker approaches have future potential and could also be used to identify genotypes with strong capacity for IR in Solanaceae .…”