Brassinosteroids: under biotic stress

Genome-wide transcriptome analysis using RNA-Seq of Lilium longiflorum revealed valuable genes responding to biotic stresses. WRKY transcription factors are regulatory proteins playing essential roles in defense processes under environmental stresses, causing considerable losses in flower quality and production. Thirty-eight WRKY genes were identified from the transcriptomic profile from lily genotypes, exhibiting leaf blight caused by Botrytis elliptica. Lily WRKYs have a highly conserved motif, WRKYGQK, with a common variant, WRKYGKK. Phylogeny of LlWRKYs with homologous genes from other representative plant species classified them into three groups- I, II, and III consisting of seven, 22, and nine genes, respectively. Base on functional annotation, 22 LlWRKY genes were associated with biotic stress, nine with abiotic stress, and seven with others. Sixteen unique LlWRKY were studied to investigate responses to stress conditions using gene expression under biotic and abiotic stress treatments. Five genes—LlWRKY3, LlWRKY4, LlWRKY5, LlWRKY10, and LlWRKY12—were substantially upregulated, proving to be biotic stress-responsive genes in vivo and in vitro conditions. Moreover, the expression patterns of LlWRKY genes varied in response to drought, heat, cold, and different developmental stages or tissues. Overall, our study provides structural and molecular insights into LlWRKY genes for use in the genetic engineering in Lilium against Botrytis disease.

Download Full-text

Proteomics and Metabolomics Studies on the Biotic Stress Responses of Rice: an Update

Rice ◽

10.1186/s12284-021-00461-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kieu Thi Xuan Vo ◽

Md Mizanor Rahman ◽

Md Mustafizur Rahman ◽

Kieu Thi Thuy Trinh ◽

Sun Tae Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Biotic Stress ◽

Defense Mechanisms ◽

Defense Responses ◽

Global Changes ◽

Biotic Stresses ◽

Novel Proteins ◽

Stress Agent ◽

Global Food ◽

Shed Light

AbstractBiotic stresses represent a serious threat to rice production to meet global food demand and thus pose a major challenge for scientists, who need to understand the intricate defense mechanisms. Proteomics and metabolomics studies have found global changes in proteins and metabolites during defense responses of rice exposed to biotic stressors, and also reported the production of specific secondary metabolites (SMs) in some cultivars that may vary depending on the type of biotic stress and the time at which the stress is imposed. The most common changes were seen in photosynthesis which is modified differently by rice plants to conserve energy, disrupt food supply for biotic stress agent, and initiate defense mechanisms or by biotic stressors to facilitate invasion and acquire nutrients, depending on their feeding style. Studies also provide evidence for the correlation between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photorespiration and photosynthesis which can broaden our understanding on the balance of ROS production and scavenging in rice-pathogen interaction. Variation in the generation of phytohormones is also a key response exploited by rice and pathogens for their own benefit. Proteomics and metabolomics studies in resistant and susceptible rice cultivars upon pathogen attack have helped to identify the proteins and metabolites related to specific defense mechanisms, where choosing of an appropriate method to identify characterized or novel proteins and metabolites is essential, considering the outcomes of host-pathogen interactions. Despites the limitation in identifying the whole repertoire of responsive metabolites, some studies have shed light on functions of resistant-specific SMs. Lastly, we illustrate the potent metabolites responsible for resistance to different biotic stressors to provide valuable targets for further investigation and application.

Download Full-text

Gene Pool of Winter Wheat from the World Collection of N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry (VIR) for Biotic Stress Resistance

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10050514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 514

Author(s):

Sulukhan Temirbekova ◽

Ibrahim Jafarov ◽

Ivan Kulikov ◽

Yuliya Afanaseva ◽

Elena Kalashnikova

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Stress Resistance ◽

Biotic Stress ◽

Gene Pool ◽

Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus ◽

Economic Damage ◽

Head Blight ◽

World Collection ◽

Methodological Guidelines ◽

The Ideal

This paper presents the results of the 50 year-long research into the winter wheat gene pool from the VIR world collection in the Moscow region to assess biotic stress resistance following N.I. Vavilov’s concept of the ‘ideal variety’, proposed in 1935. The Federal Scientific Selection and Technology Center for Horticulture and Nursery was responsible for the field studies of winter wheat, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology and Russian State Agrarian University—Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy—for phytopathological studies. The wheat collection was studied in compliance with the VIR Methodological Guidelines using the International COMECON list of descriptors for the genus Triticum L. Resistance against the enzyme–mycotic depletion of seeds (EMDS) was tested using original techniques. It was found that annual brown rust and powdery mildew attacks in the collection’s winter wheat samples caused no significant economic damage. One case of Septoria head and leaf blotch, two cases of Fusarium head blight, one case of root rot, one case of barley yellow dwarf virus, 20 cases of EMDS, and three cases of 3rd-degree EMDS, i.e., seed germination in an ear, were recorded. The parent material resistant to the biotic stresses of the region was selected for breeding. Domestic breeders have created outstanding wheat varieties close to the ‘ideal’ as noted by N.I. Vavilov.

Download Full-text

Meta-QTL analysis and identification of candidate genes for quality, abiotic and biotic stress in durum wheat

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91446-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jose Miguel Soriano ◽

Pasqualina Colasuonno ◽

Ilaria Marcotuli ◽

Agata Gadaleta

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Abiotic Stress ◽

Durum Wheat ◽

Candidate Genes ◽

Biotic Stress ◽

Qtl Analysis ◽

Complex Traits ◽

Genetic Basis ◽

Agronomic Traits ◽

Plant Performance

AbstractThe genetic improvement of durum wheat and enhancement of plant performance often depend on the identification of stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) and closely linked molecular markers. This is essential for better understanding the genetic basis of important agronomic traits and identifying an effective method for improving selection efficiency in breeding programmes. Meta-QTL analysis is a useful approach for dissecting the genetic basis of complex traits, providing broader allelic coverage and higher mapping resolution for the identification of putative molecular markers to be used in marker-assisted selection. In the present study, extensive QTL meta-analysis was conducted on 45 traits of durum wheat, including quality and biotic and abiotic stress-related traits. A total of 368 QTL distributed on all 14 chromosomes of genomes A and B were projected: 171 corresponded to quality-related traits, 127 to abiotic stress and 71 to biotic stress, of which 318 were grouped in 85 meta-QTL (MQTL), 24 remained as single QTL and 26 were not assigned to any MQTL. The number of MQTL per chromosome ranged from 4 in chromosomes 1A and 6A to 9 in chromosome 7B; chromosomes 3A and 7A showed the highest number of individual QTL (4), and chromosome 7B the highest number of undefined QTL (4). The recently published genome sequence of durum wheat was used to search for candidate genes within the MQTL peaks. This work will facilitate cloning and pyramiding of QTL to develop new cultivars with specific quantitative traits and speed up breeding programs.

Download Full-text

Agro-Nanotechnology as an Emerging Field: A Novel Sustainable Approach for Improving Plant Growth by Reducing Biotic Stress

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11052282 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 2282

Author(s):

Masudulla Khan ◽

Azhar U. Khan ◽

Mohd Abul Hasan ◽

Krishna Kumar Yadav ◽

Marina M. C. Pinto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Crop Yield ◽

Biotic Stress ◽

Crop Production ◽

Plant Disease ◽

Yield Loss ◽

Growth Parameters ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

High Yield ◽

Plant Disease Management

In the present era, the global need for food is increasing rapidly; nanomaterials are a useful tool for improving crop production and yield. The application of nanomaterials can improve plant growth parameters. Biotic stress is induced by many microbes in crops and causes disease and high yield loss. Every year, approximately 20–40% of crop yield is lost due to plant diseases caused by various pests and pathogens. Current plant disease or biotic stress management mainly relies on toxic fungicides and pesticides that are potentially harmful to the environment. Nanotechnology emerged as an alternative for the sustainable and eco-friendly management of biotic stress induced by pests and pathogens on crops. In this review article, we assess the role and impact of different nanoparticles in plant disease management, and this review explores the direction in which nanoparticles can be utilized for improving plant growth and crop yield.

Download Full-text