Abstract
Benzoic acid, sulfosalicylic acid and methyl salicylic acid wereevaluated for their regulatory role in inducing multiple stress tolerance inbean (Phaseolus vulgaris cv Brown Beauty) and tomato(Lycopersicum esculentum cv Romano) plants. All threemolecules were effective in inducing tolerance to heat, drought and chillingstress similar to that reported previously for salicylic and acetylsalicylicacids. Benzoic acid is effective at lower concentrations than salicylic acid orits derivatives. The benzoic acid structural portion is common to all fivemolecules and is the most likely basic functional molecular structure impartingstress tolerance in plants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bi Y.-M., Kenton P., Murr L., Darby R. and Draper J. 1995. H2O2 does not function downstream of salicylic acid in the induction of PR protein expression. Plant J. 11: 235–245.
Chen Z., Silva H. and Klesig R.F. 1993. Active oxygen species in the induction of plant systemic acquired resistance by S.A. Science 262: 1883–1886.
Conrath U., Chen Z., Rizigliano J.R. and Klessig D.F. 1995. Two inducers of plant defence responses, 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid and salicylic acid inhibit catalase activity in tobacco. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92: 7143–7147.
Dat J.F., Foyer C.H. and Scott I.M. 1998a. Changes in salicylic acid and antioxidants during induced thermotolerance in mustard seedlings. Plant Physiol. 118: 1455–1461.
Dat J.F., Lopez-Delgado H., Foyer C.H. and Scott I.M. 1998b. Parallel changes in H2O2 and catalase during thermotolerance induced by salicylic acid and heat acclimation of mustard seedlings. Plant Physiol. 116: 1351–1357.
Elstner E.F. and Heiser H.S. 1999. Activated oxygen radicals in pathology: New insights and analogies between animals and plants. Plant Physiol. 37: 167–178.
Fletcher R.A. and Hofstra G. 1988. Triazoles as potential plant protectants. In: Berg D. and Plempel M. (eds), Sterol Biosynthesis Inhibitors: Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Aspects. Ellis Horwood Ltd., Cambridge, UK, pp. 321–331.
Janda T., Szalai G., Tari T. and Paldi E. 1999. Hydroponic treatment with salicylic acid decreases the effects of chilling injury in maize (Zea mays L) plants. Planta 208: 175–180.
Kraus T.E. and Fletcher R.A. 1994. Paclobutrazol protects wheat seedlings from heat and paraquat injury. Is detoxification of active oxygen species involved? Plant Cell Physiol. 35: 45–52.
Levin A., Teneken R., Dixon R.A. and Lamb C.J. 1994. H2O2 from the oxidative burst orchestrates the plant hypersensitive disease resistance response. Cell 79: 583–593.
Lopez-Delgado H., Dat J.F., Foyer C.H. and Scott I.M. 1998. Induction of thermotolerance in potato microplants by acetylsalicylic acid and H2O2. J. Exp. Bot. 49: 713–720.
McKersie B.D., Senaratna T., Walker M.A., Kendall E.J. and Hetherington P.R. 1988. Deterioration of membranes during aging in plants: Evidence for free radical mediation. In: Nooden L.D. and Leopold A.C. (eds), Senescence and Aging in Plants. Academic press, London, pp. 442–464.
McKersie B.D., Bowley S.R. and Jones K.S. 1999. Winter survival of transgenic alfalfa over expressing superoxide dismutase. Plant Physiol. 119: 839–847.
Mur L.A.J., Naylor G., Warner S.A.J., Sugars J.M., White R.F. and Draper J. 1996. Salicylic acid potentiates defence gene expression in leaf tissues exhibiting acquired resistance to pathogen attack. Plant J. 9: 559–571.
Neuenschwander U., Vernooij B., Friedrich L., Uknes S., Kessmann H. and Ryals J. 1995. Is hydrogen peroxide a second messenger of salicylic acid in systemic acquired resistance. Plant J. 8: 227–233.
Raskin I. 1992. Role of salicylic acid in plants. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. Mol. Biol. 43: 439–463.
Ryals J.A., Neuenschwander U.H., Willits M.G., Molina A., Steiner H.Y. and Hunt M.D. 1996. Systemic acquired resistance. Plant Cell 8: 1809–1819.
Senaratna T., McKersie B.D. and Stinson R.H. 1985a. Simulation of dehydration injury by free radicals. Plant Physiol. 77: 472–474.
Senaratna T., McKersie B.D. and Stinson R.H. 1985b. Antioxidant levels in germinating soybean seed axes in relation to free radical and dehydration tolerance. Plant Physiol. 78: 168–171.
Senaratna T., McKersie B.D. and Borochov A. 1987. Desiccation and free radical mediated changes in plant membranes. J. Exp. Bot. 38: 2005–2014.
Senaratna T., McKay C.E., McKersie B.D. and Fletcher R.A. 1988. Uniconazole induced chilling tolerance in tomato and its relationship to antioxidant content. J. Plant Physiol. 133: 56–61.
Senaratna T., Touchell D., Bunn E. and Dixon K. 2000. Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) and salicylic acid induce multiple stress tolerance in bean and tomato plants. Plant Growth Regul. 30: 157–161.
Shirasu K., Nakajima H., Rajasekar V.K., Dixon R.A. and Lamb C. 1997. Salicylic acid potentiates an agonist-dependent gain control that amplifies pathogen signal in the activation of defence mechanisms. Plant Cell 9: 261–270.
Srivastava M.K. and Dwivedi U.N. 1998. Salicylic acid modulates glutathione metabolism in pea seedlings. J. Plant Physiol. 153: 404–409.
Vettakkorumakankav N.N., Falk D., Saxena P. and Fletcher R.A. 1999. A crucial role for gibberellins in stress protection of plants. Plant Cell Physiol. 40: 542–548.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Senaratna, T., Merritt, D., Dixon, K. et al. Benzoic acid may act as the functional group in salicylic acid and derivatives in the induction of multiple stress tolerance in plants. Plant Growth Regulation 39, 77–81 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021865029762
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021865029762