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Airborne signalling by methyl salicylate in plant pathogen resistance

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A Correction to this article was published on 17 April 1997

Abstract

Methyl salicylate, a volatile liquid, also known as oil of winter-green, is made by a number of plants1–9. Here we show that methyl salicylate is a major volatile compound produced by tobacco plants inoculated with tobacco mosaic virus. Methyl salicylate is synthesized from salicylic acid, a non-volatile chemical signal required for the establishment of acquired resistance10 and local and systemic induction of antimicrobial pathogenesis-related proteins11. Methyl salicylate acts by being converted back to salicyclic acid. We conclude that methyl salicylate may function as an airborne signal which acitvates disease resistance and the expression of defence-related genes in neighbouring plants and in the healthy tissues of the infected plant.

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Author notes

  1. Paul Silverman

    Present address: Abbott Agricultural Research Center, Plant Science Department, Long Grove, Illinois, 60067, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. AgBiotech Center, Cook College, Rutgers University, PO Box 231, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903-0231, USA

    Vladimir Shulaev, Paul Silverman & Ilya Raskin

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  1. Vladimir Shulaev
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  2. Paul Silverman
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  3. Ilya Raskin
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Shulaev, V., Silverman, P. & Raskin, I. Airborne signalling by methyl salicylate in plant pathogen resistance. Nature 385, 718–721 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/385718a0

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