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Structural requirements of strigolactones for germination induction and inhibition of Striga gesnerioides seeds

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Structure–activity relationship studies of strigolactones and Striga gesnerioides seed germination revealed strict structural requirements for germination induction and a new function of the plant hormones as germination inhibitors.

Abstract

Stereoisomers of the naturally occurring strigolactones, strigol, sorgolactone, orobanchol, sorgomol and 5-deoxystrigol, 36 in total, were prepared and screened for the ability to induce and/or inhibit the germination of Striga hermonthica and Striga gesnerioides seeds collected from mature plants that parasitized on sorghum and cowpea, respectively. All of the compounds induced S. hermonthica seed germination, albeit displayed differential activities. On the other hand, only a limited number of the compounds induced significant germination in S. gesnerioides, thus indicating strict structural requirements. Strigolactones inducing high germination in S. gesnerioides induced low germination in S. hermonthica. Strigolactones with the same configuration at C3a, C8b and C2′ as that in 5-deoxystrigol (9a) induced high germination of S. hermonthica seeds, but most of them inhibited the germination of S. gesnerioides. The differential response of S. gesnerioides to strigolactones may play an important role in the survival of the species. However, the compounds could be used as means of control if mixed cropping of cowpea and sorghum is adopted.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Prof. Abdel Gabar Babiker for critical reading of the manuscript. This study was supported by grants from JST/JICA, Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS) and Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Japan (Nos. 23405023 and 24658111).

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  1. Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe, 657-8501, Japan

    Saki Nomura, Hitomi Nakashima, Masaharu Mizutani, Hirosato Takikawa & Yukihiro Sugimoto

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  1. Saki Nomura
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  2. Hitomi Nakashima
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  3. Masaharu Mizutani
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  4. Hirosato Takikawa
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  5. Yukihiro Sugimoto
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Correspondence to Yukihiro Sugimoto.

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Communicated by P. Kumar.

A contribution to the Special Issue: Plant Hormone Signaling.

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Nomura, S., Nakashima, H., Mizutani, M. et al. Structural requirements of strigolactones for germination induction and inhibition of Striga gesnerioides seeds. Plant Cell Rep 32, 829–838 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-013-1429-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-013-1429-y

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