Effect of salicylic acid on Fusarium graminearum, the major causal agent of fusarium head blight in wheat

ABSTRACT: Salicylic acid (SA) is one of the key signal molecules in regulating plant resistance to diverse pathogens. It is predominantly associated with resistance against biotrophic and hemibiotrophic pathogens, and triggering systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in Arabidopsis. However, whether and how SA directly affects Fusarium graminearum and how SA influences the defence efficiency of wheat against fusarium head blight (FHB) are still poorly understood. Previous experiments have shown that the growth of F. graminearum mycelia and the germination of spores were significantly inhibited, and eventually stopped by increasing amounts of SA in both liquid and solid media cultures. Co-inoculation of SA and Fg spores has led to reduced FHB symptoms in the very susceptible Triticum aestivum cultivar ‘Roblin’. To better understand the effect of SA on F. graminearum mycelial growth, we have compared the expression profiles of SA-treated and untreated F. graminearum liquid cultures after 8 and 24 h of treatment, using an F. graminearum custom-commercial microarray. The microarray analysis suggests that F. graminearum can metabolize SA through two pathways, the gentisate and catechol pathways that are present in many fungal species. Additional experiments have confirmed the capacity of F. graminearum to metabolize SA. Our results demonstrate that, although F. graminearum has the capacity to metabolize SA, SA has a significant and direct impact on F. graminearum through a reduction in efficiency of germination and growth at higher concentrations.

ORGANISM(S): Fusarium graminearum

PROVIDER: GSE24636 | GEO | 2011/12/15

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA132471

REPOSITORIES: GEO