Effective distance of volatile cues for plant–plant communication in beech

AbstractPlants perceive and respond to volatile signals in their environment. Herbivore-infested plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which can initiate systemic defense reactions within the plant and contribute to plant-plant communication. Here, for Ipomoea batatas (sweet potato) leaves we show that among various herbivory-induced plant volatiles, (E)-4,8–dimethyl–1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) had the highest abundance of all emitted compounds. This homoterpene was found being sufficient for a volatile-mediated systemic induction of defensive Sporamin protease inhibitor activity in neighboring sweet potato plants. The systemic induction is jasmonate independent and does not need any priming-related challenge. Induced emission and responsiveness to DMNT is restricted to a herbivory-resistant cultivar (Tainong 57), while a susceptible cultivar, Tainong 66, neither emitted amounts comparable to Tainong 57, nor showed reaction to DMNT. This is consistent with the finding that Spodoptera larvae feeding on DMNT-exposed cultivars gain significantly less weight on Tainong 57 compared to Tainong 66. Our results indicate a highly specific, single volatile-mediated plant-plant communication in sweet potato.

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Specificity of Plant-Plant Communication for Baccharis salicifolia Sexes but Not Genotypes

Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America ◽

10.1002/bes2.1481 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 100 (1) ◽

pp. e01481

Author(s):

Xoaquín Moreira ◽

Colleen S. Nell ◽

Maria M. Meza-Lopez ◽

Sergio Rasmann ◽

Kailen A. Mooney

Keyword(s):

Plant Communication ◽

Plant Plant ◽

Baccharis Salicifolia

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UV-C-Induced alleviation of transcriptional gene silencing through plant–plant communication: Key roles of jasmonic acid and salicylic acid pathways

Mutation Research/Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis ◽

10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2016.04.003 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 790 ◽

pp. 56-67 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Wei Xu ◽

Ting Wang ◽

Shaoxin Xu ◽

Fanghua Li ◽

Chenguang Deng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Salicylic Acid ◽

Jasmonic Acid ◽

Gene Silencing ◽

Transcriptional Gene Silencing ◽

Plant Communication ◽

Uv C ◽

Plant Plant

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Belowground plant-plant signaling of root infection by nematodes

10.1101/2020.08.19.254987 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Peihua Zhang ◽

Dries Bonte ◽

Gerlinde B. De Deyn ◽

Martijn L. Vandegehuchte

Keyword(s):

Infected Plant ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Plant Signaling ◽

Plant Communication ◽

Split Root ◽

Root Shoot Ratio ◽

Split Root System ◽

Tolerance Response ◽

Root Feeding ◽

Plant Plant

AbstractCommunication between plants mediated by herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds has been extensively studied aboveground. However, the role of root herbivory in belowground plant-plant communication is much less understood. We here investigated whether root herbivores can trigger plant roots to emit warning signals to neighbouring plants that are not yet in direct contact with them.We used a split-root system and infected half of the roots of Agrostis stolonifera plants with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne minor) and left the other half uninfected. As a control, we grew plants without nematodes in separate pots. Leachates from each split-root soil compartment and from soils with control plants were applied to separate pots with A. stolonifera plants, of which biomass allocation and morphological traits were measured one month after leachate addition.Plants receiving leachates from the soil with the nematode-free roots of the nematode-infected plants showed a significantly larger total biomass, more root branches, and deeper rooting than plants receiving leachates from the soil with the nematode-infected roots or from soil with control plants. Plants were taller and the root/shoot ratio was higher in plants receiving leachates from soil with the nematode-free roots than in plants receiving leachates from soil with nematode-infected roots. Shoot tiller number was higher in plants receiving leachates from either soil of the nematode-infected plants than in plants receiving control leachates.Our results suggest that an overcompensation response was triggered by systemically induced root-derived compounds from nematode-free roots of a plant locally infected with root-feeding nematodes. Signals from directly attacked roots of the same nematode-infected plant only caused receiver plants to develop more shoot tillers, possibly for future stolon development to grow away from the infected area. This may indicate an anticipatory tolerance response to root feeders that are still distant and an additional generalized escape response to root feeding.

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