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Salicylic acid suppression of clubroot in broccoli (Brassicae oleracea var. italica) caused by the obligate biotroph Plasmodiophora brassicae

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Abstract

The obligate soil-borne biotroph Plasmodiophora brassicae has a significant economic impact on Brassicaceae crops. The pathogen severely disrupts the roots by inducing the production of galls which leads to malformation and reduced growth of the roots and a reduced ability to take up water and nutrients. Control of P. brassicae is difficult because it has a number of survival and dissemination strategies that involve both motile and resting stages that need to be targeted by any control agent. We investigated, under controlled conditions and in glasshouse and field experiments, the potential of salicylic acid (SA), a key phytohormone, that is required for defence against certain biotic and abiotic stresses, to reduce infection by P. brassicae in broccoli (Brassicae oleracea var. italica). Under controlled conditions in a growth cabinet exogenous application of SA to roots resulted in its transport systemically to the leaves where it promoted the up-regulation of the pathogenesis related genes PR-1 and PR-2 in an SAR-like response as early as 24 h post-treatment. Concentrations of SA >20 mM reduced significantly both shoot and root weights when applied exogenously but lower concentrations had little measureable effect on plant growth. When SA was applied to plants above 5 mM there was a significant reduction (25–65 %) in gall formation 6 weeks post-inoculation with P. brassicae, indicating that the pathogen was being controlled by the addition of SA. A combination of SA and JA was also shown to reduce severity (25–35 %) of disease associated with P. brassicae. These findings indicate that there may be SA inducible mechanisms in B. oleracea that if fine-tuned could provide enhanced resistance to clubroot disease.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the Department of Primary Industries Victoria and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) using the vegetable levy and matched funds from the Australian Government. DAL was supported by a Deakin University—Department of Primary Industries postgraduate scholarship. The authors thank DPI Victoria for providing access to and use of facilities and Benjamin Jewell for assistance with glass house and field trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds, Victoria, 3217, Australia

    David A. Lovelock, Xavier A. Conlan & David M. Cahill

  2. Department of Primary Industries, Private bag 15, Ferntree Gully DC, Victoria, 3156, Australia

    Caroline E. Donald

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  1. David A. Lovelock
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  2. Caroline E. Donald
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  3. Xavier A. Conlan
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  4. David M. Cahill
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Correspondence to David A. Lovelock.

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Lovelock, D.A., Donald, C.E., Conlan, X.A. et al. Salicylic acid suppression of clubroot in broccoli (Brassicae oleracea var. italica) caused by the obligate biotroph Plasmodiophora brassicae . Australasian Plant Pathol. 42, 141–153 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-012-0167-x

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