Phytophthora capsici is a highly destructive pathogen of crops. Although chemical pesticides are the most widely used strategy to counter phytopathogens, they have been inefficient to combat P. ...capsici and have produced significant environmental and health problems. Therefore, sustainable alternatives to control soilborne pathogens, such as the inhibitory effect of self‐extracellular DNA (eDNA), have been proposed. This inhibition phenomenon has been attributed to the action of self‐eDNA as a damage‐associated molecular pattern (DAMP). Here, we describe the effect of self‐eDNA on P. capsici zoospore germination rate, antioxidant enzymes activity and MAPK gene expression. Also, the effect of P. capsici eDNA on the protection of chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum) plants against P. capsici was investigated. The results highlight that P. capsici can sense 2–500 µg/ml self‐eDNA and induce stress‐related responses like SAK1 gene expression, and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Moreover, in vitro zoospore germination rate was suppressed with self‐eDNA concentrations ranging from 50 to 500 µg/ml. Interestingly, drench applications of P. capsici eDNA at 60 and 100 µg/ml on chilli pepper plants did not show any protective effect against the phytopathogen, whereas 2 µg/ml of P. capsici eDNA drench application showed a lower percentage of plants with symptoms and lower disease severity. Moreover, phenols and total flavonoids were increased in chilli pepper plants, therefore inducing plant immunity. This study showed that self‐eDNA acts as a DAMP in P. capsici and provides insight into the use of eDNA for the protection of crops of agronomic interest.
This study showed that self‐eDNA acts as a DAMP in P. capsici inducing stress‐related responses, giving an insight into the use of self‐eDNA in field‐like conditions against the phytopathogen.
Agriculture needs to decrease the use of agrochemicals due to their high toxicity and adopt new strategies to achieve sustainable food production. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) and plant ...growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been proposed as viable strategies to obtain better crop yields with less environmental impact. Here, we describe the effect of silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) on survival, antioxidant enzymatic activity, phosphate solubilization capacity, and gibberellin production of Bacillus cereus-Amazcala (B.c-A). Moreover, the effect of the co-application of SiO2-NPs and B.c-A on seed germination, physiological characteristics, and antioxidant enzymatic activity of chili pepper plants was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that SiO2-NPs at 100 ppm enhanced the role of B.c-A as PGPB by increasing its phosphate solubilization capacity and the production of GA7. Moreover, B.c-A catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were increased with SiO2-NPs 100 ppm treatment, indicating that SiO2-NPs act as a eustressor, inducing defense-related responses. The co-application of SiO2-NPs 100 ppm and B.c-A improved chili pepper growth. There was an increase in seed germination percentage, plant height, number of leaves, and number and yield of fruits. There was also an increase in CAT and PAL activities in chili pepper plants, indicating that bacteria–NP treatment induces plant immunity.
Current research in basic and applied knowledge of plant science has aimed to unravel the role of the interaction between environmental factors and the genome in the physiology of plants to confer ...the ability to overcome challenges in a climate change scenario. Evidence shows that factors causing environmental stress (stressors), whether of biological, chemical, or physical origin, induce eustressing or distressing effects in plants depending on the dose. The latter suggests the induction of the “hormesis” phenomenon. Sustainable crop production requires a better understanding of hormesis, its basic concepts, and the input variables to make its management feasible. This implies that acknowledging hormesis in plant research could allow specifying beneficial effects to effectively manage environmental stressors according to cultivation goals. Several factors have been useful in this regard, which at low doses show beneficial eustressing effects (biostimulant/elicitor), while at higher doses, they show distressing toxic effects. These insights highlight biostimulants/elicitors as tools to be included in integrated crop management strategies for reaching sustainability in plant science and agricultural studies. In addition, compelling evidence on the inheritance of elicited traits in plants unfolds the possibility of implementing stressors as a tool in plant breeding.
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•A big challenge in current plant production is to cope with climate change.•Environmental hormesis must be included in plant science research.•Plant biostimulants/elicitors are current agrochemicals sometimes displaying hormesis.•Controlled elicitation strategies including hormetic scenarios must be designed.•Plant biostimulation using controlled management of stressors is proposed as a tool for sustainable agriculture.
The immune response against pathogens, both in plants and animals, relies on a complex recognition system of danger signs. This system is based on the recognition of exogenous molecules termed ...Microbe- or Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (MAMPs/PAMPs), and endogenous signals called “Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns” (DAMPs). This review will focus on DAMPs, which are molecules with a normal physiological state inside the cell, but at the time of damage or infection are usually released to the extracellular media, indicating cell damage. DAMPS are represented by a wide range of molecules consisting in small peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, cell wall fragments, extracellular ATP (eATP), extracellular DNA (eDNA) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Here we review plant DAMPs types and a new approach in eDNA use as biotechnological molecules for plant disease prevention. In particular, self-eDNA has gained importance due to its function of growth inhibition observed over a wide variety of organisms, this function is being studied as a new strategy for biological control to obtain highly pathogen-specific products, without wasting time and research resources. On the other hand, eDNA, as other DAMPs, could act as an immune response elicitor, which could conduce to a new approach for the protection of crops against pests.
Agriculture needs to decrease the use of agrochemicals due to their high toxicity and adopt new strategies to achieve sustainable food production. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) and plant ...growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been proposed as viable strategies to obtain better crop yields with less environmental impact. Here, we describe the effect of silica nanoparticles (SiO
-NPs) on survival, antioxidant enzymatic activity, phosphate solubilization capacity, and gibberellin production of
-Amazcala (
-A). Moreover, the effect of the co-application of SiO
-NPs and
-A on seed germination, physiological characteristics, and antioxidant enzymatic activity of chili pepper plants was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that SiO
-NPs at 100 ppm enhanced the role of
-A as PGPB by increasing its phosphate solubilization capacity and the production of GA7. Moreover,
-A catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were increased with SiO
-NPs 100 ppm treatment, indicating that SiO
-NPs act as a eustressor, inducing defense-related responses. The co-application of SiO
-NPs 100 ppm and
-A improved chili pepper growth. There was an increase in seed germination percentage, plant height, number of leaves, and number and yield of fruits. There was also an increase in CAT and PAL activities in chili pepper plants, indicating that bacteria-NP treatment induces plant immunity.
Agriculture needs to decrease the use of agrochemicals due to their high toxicity and adopt new strategies to achieve sustainable food production. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) and plant ...growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) have been proposed as viable strategies to obtain better crop yields with less environmental impact. Here, we describe the effect of silica nanoparticles (SiOsub.2 -NPs) on survival, antioxidant enzymatic activity, phosphate solubilization capacity, and gibberellin production of Bacillus cereus-Amazcala (B.c-A). Moreover, the effect of the co-application of SiOsub.2 -NPs and B.c-A on seed germination, physiological characteristics, and antioxidant enzymatic activity of chili pepper plants was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The results indicated that SiOsub.2 -NPs at 100 ppm enhanced the role of B.c-A as PGPB by increasing its phosphate solubilization capacity and the production of GA7. Moreover, B.c-A catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were increased with SiOsub.2 -NPs 100 ppm treatment, indicating that SiOsub.2 -NPs act as a eustressor, inducing defense-related responses. The co-application of SiOsub.2 -NPs 100 ppm and B.c-A improved chili pepper growth. There was an increase in seed germination percentage, plant height, number of leaves, and number and yield of fruits. There was also an increase in CAT and PAL activities in chili pepper plants, indicating that bacteria–NP treatment induces plant immunity.
