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A Hydroponic Co-cultivation System for Simultaneous and Systematic Analysis of Plant/Microbe Molecular Interactions and Signaling
Published on: July 22, 2017
Plant-pathogen interactions and elevated CO2: morphological changes in favour of pathogens
Janice Ann Lake1, Ruth Nicola Wade
1Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK. j.a.lake@sheffield.ac.uk
Journal of Experimental Botany
|May 28, 2009
Summary
Elevated carbon dioxide levels increase plant pathogen aggressiveness by altering leaf characteristics. This enhanced susceptibility poses a significant threat to agriculture and natural ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Environmental Science
- Plant Physiology
Background:
- Global crop losses due to pests and pathogens are substantial, impacting food security.
- Climate change, driven by elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2), may accelerate plant pathogen evolution and virulence.
- A knowledge gap exists regarding plant-pathogen interactions under eCO2 and the mechanisms of increased pathogen aggressiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of eCO2 on plant pathogen aggressiveness.
- To explore changes in plant leaf epidermal characteristics under eCO2 post-infection.
- To understand the mechanistic basis of enhanced pathogen aggression.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana L. and the pathogen Erysiphe cichoracearum.
- Exposed plants to elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) conditions.
- Analyzed changes in leaf epidermal features such as stomatal density, guard cell length, and trichome numbers.
Main Results:
- Plant pathogen aggressiveness was significantly increased under eCO2.
- eCO2 altered leaf epidermal characteristics, increasing stomatal density, guard cell length, and trichome numbers on newly developed leaves post-infection.
- These epidermal changes create a positive feedback loop, enhancing susceptibility to further pathogen attack.
Conclusions:
- eCO2 promotes plant pathogen aggressiveness by modifying plant susceptibility mechanisms.
- Induced changes in leaf epidermis under eCO2 facilitate pathogen infection and spread.
- Understanding these responses is crucial for predicting and mitigating agricultural and ecological impacts of climate change.
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