Plant integrity: An important factor in plant-pathogen interactions

• Published in: Plant signaling & behavior Vol. 8; no. 1; p. e22513
• Main Authors: Orłowska, Elżbieta, Llorente, Briardo, Cvitanich, Cristina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.01.2013; Landes Bioscience
• Subjects: above- and below-ground interactions; aerial parts; anti-infective agents; auxin; cultivars; Disease Resistance; herbivores; Herbivory; Host-Pathogen Interactions; host-pathogen relationships; hypersensitive response; Indoleacetic Acids; leaves; meristems; Mini Review; oomycetes; pathogen; pathogens; Phytophthora infestans; Plant Diseases - microbiology; plant integrity; Plant Roots; plant signaling; Plant Stems; Plants - microbiology; potatoes; roots; shoots; Solanum tuberosum; systemic resistance; plant integrity; systemic resistance; auxin; oomycetes; plant signaling; pathogen; roots; above- and below-ground interactions
• ISSN: 1559-2316; 1559-2324; 1559-2324
• DOI: 10.4161/psb.22513

The effect of plant integrity and of aboveground-belowground defense signaling on plant resistance against pathogens and herbivores is emerging as a subject of scientific research. There is increasing evidence that plant defense responses to pathogen infection differ between whole intact plants and detached leaves. Studies have revealed the importance of aboveground-belowground defense signaling for plant defenses against herbivores, while our studies have uncovered that the roots as well as the plant integrity are important for the resistance of the potato cultivar Sarpo Mira against the hemibiotrophic oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Furthermore, in the Sarpo Mira-P. infestans interactions, the plant's meristems, the stalks or both, seem to be associated with the development of the hypersensitive response and both the plant's roots and shoots contain antimicrobial compounds when the aerial parts of the plants are infected. Here, we present a short overview of the evidence indicating the importance of plant integrity on plant defense responses.