Methyl jasmonate induces defense responses in grapevine and triggers protection against Erysiphe necator.
Grapevine is subject to a number of diseases that affect yield and wine quality. To limit the excessive use of phytochemicals in the vineyard, alternative strategies have to be developed. Plant treatment with signaling molecules like elicitors stimulates their natural defense mechanisms. To improve grapevine tolerance against fungal pathogens, Vitis vinifera plants were treated with a natural exogenous elicitor, methyl jasmonate (MeJA). MeJA-treated leaves (Cabernet Sauvignon foliar cuttings) reacted by increasing transcript levels coding pathogenesis-related proteins (acidic class IV chitinase, serine protease inhibitor, polygalacturonase-inhibiting protein, and beta-1,3-glucanase) and coding enzymes involved in phytoalexin biosynthesis (one phenylalanine ammonia lyase and one stilbene synthase). This was correlated with the accumulation of stilbenes (antimicrobial compounds). The eliciting activity of MeJA was confirmed by enhanced tolerance of grapevine foliar cuttings and vineyard against powdery mildew (75% and 73%, respectively). On the basis of these original results, MeJA can therefore act as an efficient elicitor in an alternative strategy of grapevine protection.
Belhadj
Assia
A
Laboratoire de Mycologie et Biotechnologie Végétale, EA 3675, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, UFR Sciences Pharmaceutiques, 146 rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France.
Saigne
Cassandrine
C
Telef
Nadège
N
Cluzet
Stéphanie
S
Bouscaut
Jérôme
J
Corio-Costet
Marie-France
MF
Mérillon
Jean-Michel
JM
D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005658:Fungi; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D054883:Oxylipins; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D010935:Plant Diseases; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027843:Vitis / Q000378:metabolism*
D000085:Acetates; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D017931:DNA Primers; D054883:Oxylipins; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; C072239:methyl jasmonate