DisplayTitle

Long-Term Induction of Defense Gene Expression in Potato by Pseudomonas sp. LBUM223 and Streptomyces scabies

First, third, and fifth authors: Université de Moncton, Department of Biology, Moncton, NB, Canada; second author: Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; and fourth author: Potato Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fredericton, NB, Canada.

Streptomyces scabies is a causal agent of common scab of potato, which generates necrotic tuber lesions. We have previously demonstrated that inoculation of potato plants with phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA)- producing Pseudomonas sp. LBUM223 could significantly reduce common scab symptoms. In the present study, we investigated whether LBUM223 or an isogenic phzC– mutant not producing PCA could elicit an induced systemic resistance response in potato. The expression of eight defense-related genes (salicylic acid [SA]-related ChtA, PR-1b, PR-2, and PR-5; and jasmonic acid and ethylene-related LOX, PIN2, PAL-2, and ERF3) was quantified using newly developed TaqMan reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays in 5- and 10-week-old potted potato plants. Although only wild-type LBUM223 was capable of significantly reducing common scab symptoms, the presence of both LBUM223 and its PCA-deficient mutant were equally able to upregulate the expression of LOX and PR-5. The presence of S. scabies overexpressed all SA-related genes. This indicates that (i) upregulation of potato defense-related genes by LBUM223 is unlikely to contribute to common scab's control and (ii) LBUM223's capacity to produce PCA is not involved in this upregulation. These results suggest that a direct interaction occurring between S. scabies and PCA-producing LBUM223 is more likely involved in controlling common scab development.