Analysis of mechanisms of action of carotenoids in plant resistance to herbivores

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25292037
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plant protection science
• Research Institution: National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: Seo Shigemi 国立研究開発法人農業生物資源研究所, 国立研究開発法人農業生物資源研究所 植物・微生物間相互作用研究ユニット, 主席研究員 (80414910)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: カロテン関連物質 / 病害虫抵抗性 / プラントアクティベーター / シグナル伝達 / ジャスモン酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Plant activators are known as chemicals that protect crops from diseases by activating the plant's immune system. The use of the chemicals has been paid attention, as a new technology for overcoming drug resistant pathogens. Most of the previously identified plant activators target plant diseases. However, plant activators for herbivores are limited. We isolated a substance that induces resistance against multiple herbivores and identified it as loliolide, a monoterpene lactone. Microarray analysis identified a cell wall-type invertase gene as one of the loliolide-responsive tomato genes. Quantification analysis of endogenous loliolide indicated that levels were increased in tomato leaves after feeding by Spodoptera litura. These results suggest that tomato produces loliolide in response to herbivore attack, which results in induction of defense-related genes such as invertases.

Free Research Field

植物保護