Metabolite profiles of Populus in response to pathogen stress

Populus canker is a widespread disease that seriously affects the growth and productivity of trees, and may even cause tree death. To assess the metabolic changes in Populus in response to pathogen stress, Populus stems infected or not with Dothiorella gregaria were analyzed by GC-MS. A total of 4, 051 features were detected and 44 metabolites were identified to be changed significantly in Populus upon infection. The identified responsive metabolites include saccharides, alcohols, organic acids, and amino acids and some secondary metabolites and most of the metabolites were detected at increased levels. Responsive metabolites were investigated about their metabolism pathway and the corresponding metabolic networks were further constructed. To our knowledge, this is the first study to identify the metabolite profiles of Populus in response to pathogen stress. The results extend our understanding of the mechanisms involved in the defense of Populus against pathogens and provide a basis for further research on plant defenses.