Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exogenous Methyl Jasmonate Treatment Induces Defense Response Against Fusarium culmorum in Wheat Seedlings

  • Published:
Journal of Plant Growth Regulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Fusarium crown and root rot (FCRR) pathogen Fusarium culmorum (Fc) is a hemibiotrophic pathogen, with a short biotrophic phase preceding necrotropism. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has been identified as a vital growth regulator, and in the current study MeJA (200 μM) was applied at 2 days post Fc-inoculation (2 dpi) to compare wheat responses to F. culmorum challenge with responses induced by treatment with the plant defense signaling molecule during the necrotrophic stage. Our results show that a chemically induced protection significantly reduced necrotic symptoms in wheat cultivars over a 3 week period after inoculation. The activities of defense enzymes consisting of SOD, CAT, POX, PPO, LOX and PAL as well as total phenols and callose content, were enhanced earlier and to higher levels in tolerant cv Sumai3. In contrast to pathogen infection, there was not a general trend of an enhancement in cv Sumai3 following chemical treatment. In addition, MeJA significantly decreased the level of H2O2 contents and lipid peroxidation in all wheat cultivars studied. These results suggest that inducing JA dependent defense signaling after pathogen challenge may increase the resistance to FCRR by stimulating enzymatic activities and accumulation of phenolic compounds. This study apparently provides the first evidence of physiological and biochemical responses in wheat following MeJA treatment during the necrotrophic stage of infection. Based on the results, it can be concluded that there was a positive correlation between the wheat resistance levels and time of chemical treatment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abeles FB, Biles CL (1991) Characterization of peroxidase in lignifying peach fruit endocarp. Plant Physiol 95:269–273

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Aebi H (1974) Catalase. In: Bergmeyer HU (ed) Methods of enzymatic analysis. Academic Press, New York, pp 673–677

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Badawi GH, Yamauchi Y, Shimada E, Sasaki R, Kawano N, Tanaka K (2004) Enhanced tolerance to salt stress and water deficit by overexpressing superoxide dismutase in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) chloroplasts. Plant Sci 66:919–928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell E, Mullet JE (1993) Characterization of an Arabidopsis lipoxygenase gene responsive to methyl jasmonate and wounding. Plant Physiol 103:1133–1137

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bi JL, Felton GW (1995) Foliar oxidative stress and insect herbivory: primary compounds, secondary metabolites and reactive oxygen species as components of induced resistance. J Chem Ecol 21:1511–1530

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford MM (1976) A dye binding assay for protein. Anal Biochem 72:248–254

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Broukanloui Madloo P, Behboudi K, Tohidfar M, Salehi Jouzani Gh, Ahmadzadeh M (2013) Response of some important Iranian wheat cultivars to Fusarium culmorum under genetic diversity of indigenous bio-control agent Fluorescent pseudomonas spp. Aust J Crop Sci 7(7):1003–1009

    Google Scholar 

  • Constabel CP, Barbehenn R (2008) Defensive roles of polyphenol oxidase in plants. In: Schaller A (ed) Induced plant resistance to herbivory. Springer, New York, pp 253–270

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Desmond OJ, Edgar CI, Manners JM, Maclean DJ, Schenk PM, Kazan K (2006) Methyl jasmonate induced gene expression in wheat delays symptom development by the crown rot pathogen Fusarium pseudograminearum. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 67:171–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devi PUM, Reddy PS, Rani NU, Reddy K, Reddy MN, Reddanna P (2000) Lipoxygenase metabolites of α-linolenic acid in the development of resistance in Pigeon pea, Cajanus cajan (L.) mill sp, seedlings against Fusarium udum infection. Eur J Plant Pathol 106(9):857–865

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ding L, Xu H, Yi H, Yang L, Kong Z, Zhang L, Xue S, Jia H, Ma Z (2011) Resistance to hemi-biotrophic F. graminearum infection is associated with coordinated and ordered expression of diverse defense signaling pathways. PLoS ONE 6(4):e19008. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019008

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Giannopolitis CN, Ries SK (1977) Superoxide dismutases I. Occurrence in higher plants. Plant Physiol 59(2):309–314

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Grossman S, Zakut R (1979) Determination of the activity of lipoxygenase (lipoxidase). Methods Biochem 25:303–329

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hahlbrock K, Scheel D (1989) Physiology and molecular biology of phenylpropanoid metabolism. Ann Rev Plant Soil 40(1):347–369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heath RL, Packer L (1986) Photoperoxidation in isolated chloroplasts. Arch Biochem Biophys 125:189–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helepciuc FE, Mitoi ME, Manole-Paunescu A, Aldea F, Brezeanu A, Cornea CP (2014) Induction of plant antioxidant system by interaction with beneficial and/or pathogenic microorganisms. Rom Biotech Lett 19:9366–9375

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaiti F, Verdeil JL, Hadrami I (2009) Effect of jasmonic acid on the induction of polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase activities in relation to date palm resistance against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. albedinis. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 74:84–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jalalpour Z, Shabani L, Afghani L, Sharifi M, Amini SA (2014) Stimulatory effect of methyl jasmonate and squalestatin on phenolic metabolism through induction of LOX activity in cell suspension culture of yew. Turk J Biol 38:76–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kavitha R, Umesha S (2008) Regulation of defense-related enzymes associated with bacterial spot resistance in tomato. Phytoparasitica 36(2):144–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kohler A, Schwindling S, Conrath U (2002) Benzothiadiazole-induced priming for potentiated responses to pathogen infection, wounding, and infiltration of water into leaves require the NPR1/NIM1 gene in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol 128(3):1046–1056

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lee DH, Lee CB (2000) Chilling stress-induced changes of antioxidant enzymes in the leaves of cucumber: in gel enzyme activity assays. Plant Sci 159(1):75–85

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li L, Steffens JC (2002) Overexpression of polyphenol oxidase in transgenic tomato plants results in enhanced bacterial disease resistance. Planta 215:239–247

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li G, Yen Y (2008) Jasmonate and ethylene signaling pathway may mediate Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat. Crop Sci 48:1888–1896

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madadkhah E, Lotfi M, Nabipour A, Rahmanpour S, Banihashemi Z, Shoorooei M (2012) Enzymatic activities in roots of melon genotypes infected with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis race 1. Sci Hortic 135:171–176

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Makandar R, Nalam VJ, Lee H, Trick HN, Dong Y, Shah J (2012) Salicylic acid regulates basal resistance to Fusarium head blight in wheat. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 25(3):431–439

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mhaske SD, Mahatma MK, Jha S, Singh P, Ahmad T (2013) Polyamine metabolism and lipoxygenase activity during Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ricini-castor interaction. Physiol Mol Biol Plants 19:323–331

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammadi M, Kazemi H (2002) Changes in peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities in susceptible and resistant wheat heads inoculated with Fusarium graminearum and induced resistance. Plant Sci 162:491–498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Motallebi P, Alkadri D, Pisi A, Nipoti P, Tonti S, Niknam V, Hashemi M, Prodi A (2015a) Pathogenicity and mycotoxin chemotypes of Iranian Fusarium culmorum isolates on durum wheat, and comparisons with Italian and Syrian isolates. Phytopathol Med 54(3):437–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Motallebi P, Niknam V, Ebrahimzadeh H, Tahmasebi Enferadi S, Hashemi M (2015b) The effect of methyl jasmonate on enzyme activities in wheat genotypes infected by the crown and root rot pathogen Fusarium culmorum. Acta Physiol Plant 37:237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Motallebi P, Niknam V, Ebrahimzadeh H, Hashemi M, Pisi A, Prodi A, Tonti S, Nipoti P (2015c) Methyl jasmonate strengthens wheat plants against root and crown rot pathogen Fusarium culmorum infection. J Plant Growth Regul 34(3):624–636

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ochoa-Alejo N, Gómez-Peralta JE (1993) Activity of enzymes involved in capsaicin biosynthesis in callus tissue and fruits of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum). J Plant Physiol 141(2):147–152

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petti C, Reiber K, Ali SS, Berney M, Doohan FM (2012) Auxin as a player in the biocontrol of Fusarium head blight disease of barley and its potential as a disease control agent. BMC Plant Biol 12:224

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Raymond J, Pakariyathan N, Azanza JL (1993) Purification and some properties of polyphenol oxidases from some flowers seed. Phytochem 34:927–931

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Samia M, Khallal EL (2007) Induction and modulation of resistance in tomato plants against Fusarium wilt disease by bioagent fungi (Arbuscular mycorrhiza) and/or hormonal elicitors (jasmonic acid and salicylic acid) changes in the antioxidant enzymes, phenolic compounds and pathogen related-proteins. Aust J Basic Appl Sci 1(4):717–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherm B, Balmas V, Spanu F, Pani G, Delogu G, Pasquali M, Migheli Q (2013) Fusarium culmorum: causal agent of foot and root rot and head blight on wheat. Mol Plant Pathol 14(4):323–341

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swain T, Hillis WE (1959) The phenolic constituents of Prumus domestica and quantitative analysis of phenolic constituents. J Sci Food Agric 10:63–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomma B, Eggermont K, Broekaert WF, Cammue BPA (2000) Disease development of several fungi on Arabidopsis can be reduced by treatment with methyl jasmonate. Plant Physiol Biochem 38:421–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ton J, Mauch-Mani B (2004) β-amino-butyric acid-induced resistance against necrotrophic pathogens is based on ABA-dependent priming for callose. Plant J 38(1):119–130

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Velikova V, Yordanov I, Edreva A (2000) Oxidative stress and some antioxidant systems in acid rain-treated bean plants: protective role of exogenous polyamines. Plant Sci 151(1):59–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verhagen BWM, Glazebrook J, Zhu T, Chang HS, Van-Loon LC, Pieterse CMJ (2004) The transcriptome of rhizobacteria induced systemic resistance in Arabidopsis. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 17:895–908

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Walters D, Cowley T, Mitchell A (2002) Methyl jasmonate alters polyamine metabolism and induces systemic protection against powdery mildew infection in barley seedlings. J Exp Bot 53:747–756

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wasternack C, Hause B (2002) Jasmonates and octadecanoids: signals in plant stress responses and development. Prog Nucl Acid Res Mol Biol 72:165–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wegener M (1992) Optimierung Von Saatgutpillierungen mit mikrobiellen antagonisten zur biologischen Bekampfung Von Fusarium culmorum in weizen. Diplomarbeit, Universitat Gottingen

  • Xu J, Duan X, Yang J, Beeching JR, Zhang P (2013) Enhanced reactive oxygen species scavenging by overproduction of superoxide dismutase and catalase delays postharvest physiological deterioration of cassava storage roots. Plant Physiol 161:1517–1528

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zeyen RJ, Carver TL, Lyngkjaer MF (2002) Epidermal cell papillae. In: Belanger RR, Bushnell WR, Dik AJ, Carver TLW (eds) The powdery mildews: a comprehensive treatise. APS Press, St Paul, pp 107–125

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a Grant from University of Tehran. We thank the staff of School of Biology for their assistance in this experiment. We would like to thank Dr. Jutta Ludwig-Müller and the reviewing editor for critical reading of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Biology, and Center of Excellence in Phylogeny of Living Organisms, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, 14155-6455, Tehran, Iran

    Parastoo Motallebi, Vahid Niknam & Hassan Ebrahimzadeh

  2. Department of Plant Pathology, Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran

    Majid Hashemi

  3. National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NIGEB), Shahrak-e-Pajoohesh, 15th Km, Tehran-Karaj Highway, 14965-161, Tehran, Iran

    Sattar Tahmasebi Enferadi

Authors
  1. Parastoo Motallebi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vahid Niknam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hassan Ebrahimzadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Majid Hashemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sattar Tahmasebi Enferadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Parastoo Motallebi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Motallebi, P., Niknam, V., Ebrahimzadeh, H. et al. Exogenous Methyl Jasmonate Treatment Induces Defense Response Against Fusarium culmorum in Wheat Seedlings. J Plant Growth Regul 36, 71–82 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-016-9620-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-016-9620-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation