Effect of indole-3-butyric acid on phytoplasmas in infected Catharanthus roseus shoots grown in vitro

Abstract

Phytoplasmas are noncultivable bacteria usually maintained in Catharanthus roseus shoots grown in vitro on MS medium with benzylaminopurine. The aim of our research was to examine the influence of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on C. roseus shoots infected with three different phytoplasma strains. Supplement of IBA in the medium supported plant growth, photosynthesis and remission of symptoms in all phytoplasma-infected shoots, but had no effect on the presence of EY-C and SA-I phytoplasma strains in tested tissue. However, HYDB phytoplasma was undetectable in approximately half of the tested shoots grown on the medium with IBA. After 1 year of IBA treatment, HYDB-infected periwinkle shoots were retransferred to the medium supplemented with benzylaminopurine. Some of the shoots showing remission of symptoms during the IBA treatment permanently escaped the infection and remained negative when tested for phytoplasma presence. This is the first report on the differential influence of plant growth regulators on phytoplasma-infected C. roseus shoots.

Phytoplasma Genomes: Evolution Through Mutually Complementary Mechanisms, Gene Loss and Horizontal Acquisition

“…Such growth and developmental abnormalities are suggestive of profound perturbations in plant hormone balance. Phytoplasmal infection also causes impaired amino acid and carbohydrate translocation, and inhibited photosynthesis (Lepka et al 1999;Bertamini et al 2002a, b;Curković-Perica et al 2007). Studies have revealed that phytoplasma infection suppresses auxin signaling and biosynthesis (Hoshi et al 2009).…”

Ancient, recurrent phage attacks and recombination shaped dynamic sequence-variable mosaics at the root of phytoplasma genome evolution

“…In infected plants, phytoplasmas colonize sieve cells of phloem tissue and typically induce disease symptoms involving impaired amino acid and carbohydrate translocation, disrupted hormonal balance, and rapid senescence (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). In their natural insect vectors, phytoplasmas traverse the intestinal wall, circulate in hemolymph, and multiply in tissues including salivary glands, where phytoplasma cells are incorporated into saliva injected into plants during inoculation (8).…”

Physiology and biochemistry of leaf bleaching in prematurely aging maple (Acer saccharinum L.) trees. II. Functional and molecular adjustment of PSII

“…Numbers of reports have revealed that changes in chlorophylls content and photosynthetic performance can be considered as very sensitive indicators for different biotic and abiotic stresses as well as developmental processes in higher plants (MUNNE-BOSCH 2008, TAKAHASHI andMURATA 2008, ]URKOVI]- PERICA et al 2007, FULGOSI et al 2005, PFANNSCHMIDT 2003, MITTLER 2002. Bleaching is often caused by disturbance in mineral nutrition.…”