Pattern-triggered immunity in blue and white seed cultivars of Papaver somniferum

Papaver somniferum (poppy) is a traditional ingredient in Central and Eastern European cuisine and an important oilseed crop of the region. Since the main threat to stable poppy yield is pathogen infection, a detailed understanding of its defence mechanism is essential. The first robust layer of plant immunity, which plays a crucial role in combating pathogens, is pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Here, we provide the first comprehensive insights into PTI in poppy. We selected four poppy varieties used in the food industry and investigated their response to various previously described peptide elicitors. Among all tested peptides, flg22 induced the most robust reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, as well as triggering putative mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation and seedling growth inhibition in all selected cultivars. We identified PsWRKY22 and PsPR2 as candidate marker genes suitable for monitoring poppy PTI responses. The tested poppy cultivars have low levels of salicylic acid. Callose accumulation was triggered by wounding but not by flg22. When studying PTI in plants, wounding is a challenge that needs to be considered, as it can obscure potential PTI responses. Our findings highlight conserved aspects of poppy immunity and the challenges of studying its PTI. The established pipeline facilitates improving our understanding of poppy immunity and has the potential for widespread application in breeding and improving selection for broad-spectrum disease resistance provided by enhanced PTI.