1
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Zajączkowska U, Dmitruk D, Sekulska-Nalewajko J, Gocławski J, Dołkin-Lewko A, Łotocka B. The impact of mechanical stress on anatomy, morphology, and gene expression in Urtica dioica L. PLANTA 2024; 260:46. [PMID: 38970646 PMCID: PMC11227470 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION Mechanical stress induces distinct anatomical, molecular, and morphological changes in Urtica dioica, affecting trichome development, gene expression, and leaf morphology under controlled conditions The experiments were performed on common nettle, a widely known plant characterized by high variability of leaf morphology and responsiveness to mechanical touch. A specially constructed experimental device was used to study the impact of mechanical stress on Urtica dioica plants under strictly controlled parameters of the mechanical stimulus (touching) and environment in the growth chamber. The general anatomical structure of the plants that were touched was similar to that of control plants, but the shape of the internodes' cross section was different. Stress-treated plants showed a distinct four-ribbed structure. However, as the internodes progressed, the shape gradually approached a rectangular form. The epidermis of control plants included stinging, glandular and simple setulose trichomes, but plants that were touched had no stinging trichomes, and setulose trichomes accumulated more callose. Cell wall lignification occurred in the older internodes of the control plants compared to stress-treated ones. Gene analysis revealed upregulation of the expression of the UdTCH1 gene in touched plants compared to control plants. Conversely, the expression of UdERF4 and UdTCH4 was downregulated in stressed plants. These data indicate that the nettle's response to mechanical stress reaches the level of regulatory networks of gene expression. Image analysis revealed reduced leaf area, increased asymmetry and altered contours in touched leaves, especially in advanced growth stages, compared to control plants. Our results indicate that mechanical stress triggers various anatomical, molecular, and morphological changes in nettle; however, further interdisciplinary research is needed to better understand the underlying physiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Zajączkowska
- Department of Forest Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Dominika Dmitruk
- Department of Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Sekulska-Nalewajko
- Institute of Applied Computer Science, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 18/22, 90-924, Lodz, Poland
| | - Jarosław Gocławski
- Institute of Applied Computer Science, Lodz University of Technology, Stefanowskiego 18/22, 90-924, Lodz, Poland
| | - Alicja Dołkin-Lewko
- Department of Forest Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-776, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Łotocka
- Department of Botany, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787, Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Clark J, Bennett T. Cracking the enigma: understanding strigolactone signalling in the rhizosphere. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:1159-1173. [PMID: 37623748 PMCID: PMC10860530 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The rhizosphere is a complex physical and chemical interface between plants and their underground environment, both biotic and abiotic. Plants exude a large number of chemicals into the rhizosphere in order to manipulate these biotic and abiotic components. Among such chemicals are strigolactones, ancient signalling molecules that in flowering plants act as both internal hormones and external rhizosphere signals. Plants exude strigolactones to communicate with their preferred symbiotic partners and neighbouring plants, but at least some classes of parasitic organisms are able to 'crack' these private messages and eavesdrop on the signals. In this review, we examine the intentional consequences of strigolactone exudation, and also the unintentional consequences caused by eavesdroppers. We examine the molecular mechanisms by which strigolactones act within the rhizosphere, and attempt to understand the enigma of the strigolactone molecular diversity synthesized and exuded into the rhizosphere by plants. We conclude by looking at the prospects of using improved understanding of strigolactones in agricultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jed Clark
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Tom Bennett
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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3
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Phillips N, Remedios SW, Nikolaidou A, Baracskai Z, Adamatzky A. No ultrasounds detected from fungi when dehydrated. ULTRASONICS 2023; 135:107111. [PMID: 37598499 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2023.107111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Many organisms (including certain plant species) can be observed to emit sounds, potentially signifying threat alerts. Sensitivity to such sounds and vibrations may also play an important role in the lives of fungi. In this work, we explore the potential of ultrasound activity in dehydrating fungi, and discover that several species of fungi do not emit sounds (detectable with conventional instrumentation) in the frequency range of 10kHz to 210kHz upon dehydration. Over 5 terabytes of ultrasound recordings were collected and analysed. We conjecture that fungi interact via non-sound means, such as electrical or chemical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Phillips
- Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
| | - Samuel W Remedios
- Department of Computer Science, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna Nikolaidou
- Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Zlatko Baracskai
- Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew Adamatzky
- Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK
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4
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Darwish E, Ghosh R, Bentzer J, Tsardakas Renhuldt N, Proux-Wera E, Kamal N, Spannagl M, Hause B, Sirijovski N, Van Aken O. The dynamics of touch-responsive gene expression in cereals. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 116:282-302. [PMID: 37159480 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Wind, rain, herbivores, obstacles, neighbouring plants, etc. provide important mechanical cues to steer plant growth and survival. Mechanostimulation to stimulate yield and stress resistance of crops is of significant research interest, yet a molecular understanding of transcriptional responses to touch is largely absent in cereals. To address this, we performed whole-genome transcriptomics following mechanostimulation of wheat, barley, and the recent genome-sequenced oat. The largest transcriptome changes occurred ±25 min after touching, with most of the genes being upregulated. While most genes returned to basal expression level by 1-2 h in oat, many genes retained high expression even 4 h post-treatment in barley and wheat. Functional categories such as transcription factors, kinases, phytohormones, and Ca2+ regulation were affected. In addition, cell wall-related genes involved in (hemi)cellulose, lignin, suberin, and callose biosynthesis were touch-responsive, providing molecular insight into mechanically induced changes in cell wall composition. Furthermore, several cereal-specific transcriptomic footprints were identified that were not observed in Arabidopsis. In oat and barley, we found evidence for systemic spreading of touch-induced signalling. Finally, we provide evidence that both the jasmonic acid-dependent and the jasmonic acid-independent pathways underlie touch-signalling in cereals, providing a detailed framework and marker genes for further study of (a)biotic stress responses in cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essam Darwish
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Plant Physiology Section, Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ritesh Ghosh
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Johan Bentzer
- ScanOats Industrial Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Division of Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Nikos Tsardakas Renhuldt
- ScanOats Industrial Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Division of Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Estelle Proux-Wera
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Bioinformatics Infrastructure Sweden, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm University, Box 1031, SE-17121, Solna, Sweden
| | - Nadia Kamal
- PGSB - Plant Genome and Systems Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Manuel Spannagl
- PGSB - Plant Genome and Systems Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Bettina Hause
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Weinberg 3, D06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Nick Sirijovski
- ScanOats Industrial Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, Division of Pure and Applied Biochemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Olivier Van Aken
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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5
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Hall RM, Markovic D, Kaul HP, Wagentristl H, Urban B, Durec N, Renner-Martin K, Ninkovic V. Talking Different Languages: The Role of Plant-Plant Communication When an Invader Beats up a Strange Neighborhood. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3298. [PMID: 37765461 PMCID: PMC10534427 DOI: 10.3390/plants12183298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Communication through airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and root exudates plays a vital role in the multifarious interactions of plants. Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemesiifolia L.) is one of the most troublesome invasive alien species in agriculture. Below- and aboveground chemical interactions of ragweed with crops might be an important factor in the invasive species' success in agriculture. In laboratory experiments, we investigated the contribution of intra- and interspecific airborne VOCs and root exudates of ragweed to its competitiveness. Wheat, soybean, and maize were exposed to VOCs emitted from ragweed and vice versa, and the adaptation response was measured through plant morphological and physiological traits. We observed significant changes in plant traits of crops in response to ragweed VOCs, characterized by lower biomass production, lower specific leaf area, or higher chlorophyll contents. After exposure to ragweed VOCs, soybean and wheat produced significantly less aboveground dry mass, whereas maize did not. Ragweed remained unaffected when exposed to VOCs from the crops or a conspecific. All crops and ragweed significantly avoided root growth toward the root exudates of ragweed. The study shows that the plant response to either above- or belowground chemical cues is highly dependent on the identity of the neighbor, pointing out the complexity of plant-plant communication in plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rea Maria Hall
- Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria; (H.-P.K.); (B.U.); (N.D.); (K.R.-M.)
- Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dimitrije Markovic
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden;
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Hans-Peter Kaul
- Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria; (H.-P.K.); (B.U.); (N.D.); (K.R.-M.)
| | - Helmut Wagentristl
- Experimental Farm Groß-Enzerdorf, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 2301 Groß-Enzersdorf, Austria;
| | - Bernhard Urban
- Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria; (H.-P.K.); (B.U.); (N.D.); (K.R.-M.)
- Institute of Botany, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nora Durec
- Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria; (H.-P.K.); (B.U.); (N.D.); (K.R.-M.)
| | - Katharina Renner-Martin
- Institute of Agronomy, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria; (H.-P.K.); (B.U.); (N.D.); (K.R.-M.)
- Institute of Mathematics, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Velemir Ninkovic
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden;
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6
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Mahal HF, Barber-Cross T, Brown C, Spaner D, Cahill JF. Changes in the Amount and Distribution of Soil Nutrients and Neighbours Have Differential Impacts on Root and Shoot Architecture in Wheat ( Triticum aestivum). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2527. [PMID: 37447087 DOI: 10.3390/plants12132527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants exhibit differential behaviours through changes in biomass development and distribution in response to environmental cues, which may impact crops uniquely. We conducted a mesocosm experiment in pots to determine the root and shoot behavioural responses of wheat, T. aestivum. Plants were grown in homogeneous or heterogeneous and heavily or lightly fertilized soil, and alone or with a neighbour of the same or different genetic identity (cultivars: CDC Titanium, Carberry, Glenn, Go Early, and Lillian). Contrary to predictions, wheat did not alter relative reproductive effort in the presence of neighbours, more nutrients, or homogenous soil. Above and below ground, the plants' tendency to use potentially shared space exhibited high levels of plasticity. Above ground, they generally avoided shared, central aerial space when grown with neighbours. Unexpectedly, nutrient amount and distribution also impacted shoots; plants that grew in fertile or homogenous environments increased shared space use. Below ground, plants grown with related neighbours indicated no difference in neighbour avoidance. Those in homogenous soil produced relatively even roots, and plants in heterogeneous treatments produced more roots in nutrient patches. Additionally, less fertile soil resulted in pot-level decreases in root foraging precision. Our findings illustrate that explicit coordination between above- and belowground biomass in wheat may not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habba F Mahal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Tianna Barber-Cross
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Charlotte Brown
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Dean Spaner
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P5, Canada
| | - James F Cahill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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7
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Wheeldon CD, Hamon-Josse M, Lund H, Yoneyama K, Bennett T. Environmental strigolactone drives early growth responses to neighboring plants and soil volume in pea. Curr Biol 2022; 32:3593-3600.e3. [PMID: 35839764 PMCID: PMC9616727 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.06.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There has been a dramatic recent increase in the understanding of the mechanisms by which plants detect their neighbors,1 including by touch,2 reflected light,3 volatile organic chemicals, and root exudates.4,5 The importance of root exudates remains ill-defined because of confounding experimental variables6,7 and difficulties disentangling neighbor detection in shoot and roots.8-10 There is evidence that root exudates allow distinction between kin and non-kin neighbors,11-13 but identification of specific exudates that function in neighbor detection and/or kin recognition remain elusive.1 Strigolactones (SLs), which are exuded into the soil in significant quantities in flowering plants to promote recruitment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF),14 seem intuitive candidates to act as plant-plant signals, since they also act as hormones in plants,15-17 with dramatic effects on shoot growth18,19 and milder effects on root development.20 Here, using pea, we test whether SLs act as either cues or signals for neighbor detection. We show that peas detect neighbors early in the life cycle through their root systems, resulting in strong changes in shoot biomass and branching, and that this requires SL biosynthesis. We demonstrate that uptake and detection of SLs exuded by neighboring plants are needed for this early neighbor detection, and that plants that cannot exude SLs are outcompeted by neighboring plants and fail to adjust growth to their soil volume. We conclude that plants both exude SLs as signals to modulate neighbor growth and detect environmental SLs as a cue for neighbor presence; collectively, this allows plants to proactively adjust their shoot growth according to neighbor density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara D Wheeldon
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Maxime Hamon-Josse
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Hannah Lund
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Kaori Yoneyama
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan; Japan Science and Technology, PRESTO, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Tom Bennett
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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8
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Brenya E, Pervin M, Chen ZH, Tissue DT, Johnson S, Braam J, Cazzonelli CI. Mechanical stress acclimation in plants: Linking hormones and somatic memory to thigmomorphogenesis. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:989-1010. [PMID: 34984703 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A single event of mechanical stimulation is perceived by mechanoreceptors that transduce rapid transient signalling to regulate gene expression. Prolonged mechanical stress for days to weeks culminates in cellular changes that strengthen the plant architecture leading to thigmomorphogenesis. The convergence of multiple signalling pathways regulates mechanically induced tolerance to numerous biotic and abiotic stresses. Emerging evidence showed prolonged mechanical stimulation can modify the baseline level of gene expression in naive tissues, heighten gene expression, and prime disease resistance upon a subsequent pathogen encounter. The phenotypes of thigmomorphogenesis can persist throughout growth without continued stimulation, revealing somatic-stress memory. Epigenetic processes regulate TOUCH gene expression and could program transcriptional memory in differentiating cells to program thigmomorphogenesis. We discuss the early perception, gene regulatory and phytohormone pathways that facilitate thigmomorphogenesis and mechanical stress acclimation in Arabidopsis and other plant species. We provide insights regarding: (1) the regulatory mechanisms induced by single or prolonged events of mechanical stress, (2) how mechanical stress confers transcriptional memory to induce cross-acclimation to future stress, and (3) why thigmomorphogenesis might resemble an epigenetic phenomenon. Deeper knowledge of how prolonged mechanical stimulation programs somatic memory and primes defence acclimation could transform solutions to improve agricultural sustainability in stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Brenya
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mahfuza Pervin
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Zhong-Hua Chen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David T Tissue
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Scott Johnson
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Janet Braam
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Christopher I Cazzonelli
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
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9
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Bebre I, Marques I, Annighöfer P. Biomass Allocation and Leaf Morphology of Saplings Grown under Various Conditions of Light Availability and Competition Types. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11030305. [PMID: 35161289 PMCID: PMC8839049 DOI: 10.3390/plants11030305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plant growth is almost always limited by light availability and competition. However, plants are generally plastic and can change their morphology and biomass allocation to optimize growth under suboptimal conditions. We set up a controlled pot experiment with three light availability levels (10%, 20%, and 50%) to study the effect of light and competition on the biomass allocation and leaf morphology in monospecific and mixed pots of recently planted European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) saplings using a quantile regression model. Specific leaf area (SLA) showed the strongest reaction and increased with decreasing light availability. Woody aboveground mass fraction (AMF) increased with decreasing light availability, but the effect of light on biomass allocation was less pronounced than on SLA. The SLA, woody AMF, and root mass fraction (RMF) of the two conifer species and European beech varied greatly, with European beech having a higher SLA and RMF than the two conifer species. The associated effect of plant size on biomass allocation was small, and the strength of the association was not meaningful on a practical level. The competitor’s effect on biomass allocation was minor overall and only present for some species, suggesting that species’ functional dissimilarity does not greatly affect allocational patterns in early tree development stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ieva Bebre
- Spatial Structures and Digitization of Forests, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Isa Marques
- Spatial Data Science and Statistical Learning, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 3, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Peter Annighöfer
- Forest and Agroforest Systems, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany;
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10
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Ghosh R, Barbacci A, Leblanc-Fournier N. Mechanostimulation: a promising alternative for sustainable agriculture practices. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:2877-2888. [PMID: 33512423 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plants memorize events associated with environmental fluctuations. The integration of environmental signals into molecular memory allows plants to cope with future stressors more efficiently-a phenomenon that is known as 'priming'. Primed plants are more resilient to environmental stresses than non-primed plants, as they are capable of triggering more robust and faster defence responses. Interestingly, exposure to various forms of mechanical stimuli (e.g. touch, wind, or sound vibration) enhances plants' basal defence responses and stress tolerance. Thus, mechanostimulation appears to be a potential priming method and a promising alternative to chemical-based priming for sustainable agriculture. According to the currently available method, mechanical treatment needs to be repeated over a month to alter plant growth and defence responses. Such a long treatment protocol restricts its applicability to fast-growing crops. To optimize the protocol for a broad range of crops, we need to understand the molecular mechanisms behind plant mechanoresponses, which are complex and depend on the frequency, intervals, and duration of the mechanical treatment. In this review, we synthesize the molecular underpinnings of plant mechanoperception and signal transduction to gain a mechanistic understanding of the process of mechanostimulated priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritesh Ghosh
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, Laboratoire de Physique et Physiologie intégratives de l'Arbre en environnement Fluctuant (PIAF), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Adelin Barbacci
- Université de Toulouse, INRAE, CNRS, Laboratoire des Interactions Plantes Micro-organismes (LIPM), 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Nathalie Leblanc-Fournier
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, Laboratoire de Physique et Physiologie intégratives de l'Arbre en environnement Fluctuant (PIAF), 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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11
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Bilas RD, Bretman A, Bennett T. Friends, neighbours and enemies: an overview of the communal and social biology of plants. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:997-1013. [PMID: 33270936 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants were traditionally seen as rather passive actors in their environment, interacting with each other only in so far as they competed for the same resources. In the last 30 years, this view has been spectacularly overturned, with a wealth of evidence showing that plants actively detect and respond to their neighbours. Moreover, there is evidence that these responses depend on the identity of the neighbour, and that plants may cooperate with their kin, displaying social behaviour as complex as that observed in animals. These plant-plant interactions play a vital role in shaping natural ecosystems, and are also very important in determining agricultural productivity. However, in terms of mechanistic understanding, we have only just begun to scratch the surface, and many aspects of plant-plant interactions remain poorly understood. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the field of plant-plant interactions, covering the communal interactions of plants with their neighbours as well as the social behaviour of plants towards their kin, and the consequences of these interactions. We particularly focus on the mechanisms that underpin neighbour detection and response, highlighting both progress and gaps in our understanding of these fascinating but previously overlooked interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roza D Bilas
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Amanda Bretman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Tom Bennett
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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12
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Agasicles hygrophila attack increases nerolidol synthase gene expression in Alternanthera philoxeroides, facilitating host finding. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16994. [PMID: 33046727 PMCID: PMC7552398 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73130-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbivorous insects use plant volatile compounds to find their host plants for feeding and egg deposition. The monophagous beetle Agasicles hygrophila uses a volatile (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonanetriene (DMNT) to recognize its host plant Alternanthera philoxeroides. Alternanthera philoxeroides releases DMNT in response to A. hygrophila attack and nerolidol synthase (NES) is a key enzyme in DMNT biosynthesis; however, the effect of A. hygrophila on NES expression remains unclear. In this study, the A. philoxeroides transcriptome was sequenced and six putative NES genes belonging to the terpene synthase-g family were characterized. The expression of these NES genes was assayed at different times following A. hygrophila contact, feeding or mechanical wounding. Results showed that A. hygrophila contact and feeding induced NES expression more rapidly and more intensely than mechanical wounding alone. This may account for a large release of DMNT following A. hygrophila feeding in a previous study and subsequently facilitate A. hygrophila to find host plants. Our research provides a powerful genetic platform for studying invasive plants and lays the foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the interaction between A. philoxeroides and its specialist A. hygrophila.
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Markovic D, Colzi I, Taiti C, Ray S, Scalone R, Gregory Ali J, Mancuso S, Ninkovic V. Airborne signals synchronize the defenses of neighboring plants in response to touch. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:691-700. [PMID: 30380091 PMCID: PMC6322579 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Plants activate defense-related pathways in response to subtle abiotic or biotic disturbances, changing their volatile profile rapidly. How such perturbations reach and potentially affect neighboring plants is less understood. We evaluated whether brief and light touching had a cascade effect on the profile of volatiles and gene expression of the focal plant and a neighboring untouched plant. Within minutes after contact, Zea mays showed an up-regulation of certain defense genes and increased the emission of specific volatiles that primed neighboring plants, making them less attractive for aphids. Exposure to volatiles from touched plants activated many of the same defense-related genes in non-touched neighboring plants, demonstrating a transcriptional mirroring effect for expression of genes up-regulated by brief contact. Perception of so-far-overlooked touch-induced volatile organic compounds was of ecological significance as these volatiles are directly involved in plant-plant communication as an effective trigger for rapid defense synchronization among nearby plants. Our findings shed new light on mechanisms of plant responses to mechanical contact at the molecular level and on the ecological role of induced volatiles as airborne signals in plant-plant interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrije Markovic
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Ilaria Colzi
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Cosimo Taiti
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Swayamjit Ray
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Romain Scalone
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jared Gregory Ali
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Stefano Mancuso
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Velemir Ninkovic
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Correspondence:
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Douma JC, Anten NPR. Touch and plant defence: volatile communication with neighbours. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:371-374. [PMID: 30615187 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob C Douma
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg, 6708PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Niels P R Anten
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg, 6708PB Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Ninkovic V, Rensing M, Dahlin I, Markovic D. Who is my neighbor? Volatile cues in plant interactions. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2019; 14:1634993. [PMID: 31267830 PMCID: PMC6768235 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2019.1634993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important challenges for individual plants is coexistence with their neighbors. To compensate for their sessile lifestyle, plants developed complex and sophisticated chemical systems of communication among each other. Site-specific biotic and abiotic factors constantly alter the physiological activity of plants, which causes them to release various secondary metabolites in their environments. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the most common cues that reflect a plant's current physiological status. In this sense, the identity of its immediate neighbors may have the greatest impact for a plant, as they share the same available resources. Plants constantly monitor and respond to these cues with great sensitivity and discrimination, resulting in specific changes in their growth pattern and adjusting their physiology, morphology, and phenotype accordingly. Those typical competition responses in receivers may increase their fitness as they can be elicited even before the competition takes place. Plant-plant interactions are dynamic and complex as they can include many different and important surrounding cues. A major challenge for all individual plants is detecting and actively responding only to "true" cues that point to real upcoming threat. Such selective responses to highly specific cues embedded in volatile bouquets are of great ecological importance in understanding plant-plant interactions. We have reviewed recent research on the role of VOCs in complex plant-plant interactions in plant-cross kingdom and highlighted their influence on organisms at higher trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velemir Ninkovic
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- CONTACT Velemir Ninkovic Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Merlin Rensing
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Iris Dahlin
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dimitrije Markovic
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Elhakeem A, Markovic D, Broberg A, Anten NPR, Ninkovic V. Aboveground mechanical stimuli affect belowground plant-plant communication. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195646. [PMID: 29718944 PMCID: PMC5931455 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants can detect the presence of their neighbours and modify their growth behaviour accordingly. But the extent to which this neighbour detection is mediated by abiotic stressors is not well known. In this study we tested the acclimation response of Zea mays L. seedlings through belowground interactions to the presence of their siblings exposed to brief mechano stimuli. Maize seedling simultaneously shared the growth solution of touched plants or they were transferred to the growth solution of previously touched plants. We tested the growth preferences of newly germinated seedlings toward the growth solution of touched (T_solution) or untouched plants (C_solution). The primary root of the newly germinated seedlings grew significantly less towards T_solution than to C_solution. Plants transferred to T_solution allocated more biomass to shoots and less to roots. While plants that simultaneously shared their growth solution with the touched plants produced more biomass. Results show that plant responses to neighbours can be modified by aboveground abiotic stress to those neighbours and suggest that these modifications are mediated by belowground interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Elhakeem
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dimitrije Markovic
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Anders Broberg
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Niels P. R. Anten
- Centre for Crop Systems Analysis, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Velemir Ninkovic
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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Tomas-Grau RH, Requena-Serra FJ, Hael-Conrad V, Martínez-Zamora MG, Guerrero-Molina MF, Díaz-Ricci JC. Soft mechanical stimulation induces a defense response against Botrytis cinerea in strawberry. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:239-250. [PMID: 29032427 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-017-2226-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Genes associated with plant mechanical stimulation were found in strawberry genome. A soft mechanical stimulation (SMS) induces molecular and biochemical changes in strawberry plants, conferring protection against Botrytis cinerea. Plants have the capacity to induce a defense response after exposure to abiotic stresses acquiring resistance towards pathogens. It was reported that when leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana were wounded or treated with a soft mechanical stimulation (SMS), they could resist much better the attack of the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea, and this effect was accompanied by an oxidative burst and the expression of touch-inducible genes (TCH). However, no further work was carried out to better characterize the induced defense response. In this paper, we report that TCH genes were identified for first time in the genomes of the strawberry species Fragaria ananassa (e.g. FaTCH2, FaTCH3, FaTCH4 and FaCML39) and Fragaria vesca (e.g. FvTCH2, FvTCH3, FvTCH4 and FvCML39). Phylogenetic studies revealed that F. ananassa TCH genes exhibited high similarity with the orthologous of F. vesca and lower with A. thaliana ones. We also present evidence that after SMS treatment on strawberry leaves, plants activate a rapid oxidative burst, callose deposition, and the up-regulation of TCH genes as well as plant defense genes such as FaPR1, FaCHI2-2, FaCAT, FaACS1 and FaOGBG-5. The latter represents the first report showing that TCH- and defense-induced genes participate in SMS-induced resistance in plants, bringing a rational explanation why plants exposed to a SMS treatment acquired an enhance resistance toward B. cinerea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Hernán Tomas-Grau
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Fernando José Requena-Serra
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Verónica Hael-Conrad
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Martín Gustavo Martínez-Zamora
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - María Fernanda Guerrero-Molina
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Juan Carlos Díaz-Ricci
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Química Biológica "Dr. Bernabé Bloj", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, UNT, Chacabuco 461, T4000ILI, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
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18
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Subrahmaniam HJ, Libourel C, Journet EP, Morel JB, Muños S, Niebel A, Raffaele S, Roux F. The genetics underlying natural variation of plant-plant interactions, a beloved but forgotten member of the family of biotic interactions. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 93:747-770. [PMID: 29232012 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 12/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite the importance of plant-plant interactions on crop yield and plant community dynamics, our understanding of the genetic and molecular bases underlying natural variation of plant-plant interactions is largely limited in comparison with other types of biotic interactions. By listing 63 quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and global gene expression studies based on plants directly challenged by other plants, we explored whether the genetic architecture and the function of the candidate genes underlying natural plant-plant interactions depend on the type of interactions between two plants (competition versus commensalism versus reciprocal helping versus asymmetry). The 16 transcriptomic studies are unevenly distributed between competitive interactions (n = 12) and asymmetric interactions (n = 4, all focusing on response to parasitic plants). By contrast, 17 and 30 QTL studies were identified for competitive interactions and asymmetric interactions (either weed suppressive ability or response to parasitic plants), respectively. Surprisingly, no studies have been carried out on the identification of genetic and molecular bases underlying natural variation in positive interactions. The candidate genes underlying natural plant-plant interactions can be classified into seven categories of plant function that have been identified in artificial environments simulating plant-plant interactions either frequently (photosynthesis, hormones), only recently (cell wall modification and degradation, defense pathways against pathogens) or rarely (ABC transporters, histone modification and meristem identity/life history traits). Finally, we introduce several avenues that need to be explored in the future to obtain a thorough understanding of the genetic and molecular bases underlying plant-plant interactions within the context of realistic community complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cyril Libourel
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Etienne-Pascal Journet
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
- AGIR, Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPT, INP-EI PURPAN, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Jean-Benoît Morel
- BGPI, INRA, CIRAD, SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Stéphane Muños
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Andreas Niebel
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Sylvain Raffaele
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Fabrice Roux
- LIPM, Université de Toulouse, INRA, CNRS, Castanet-Tolosan, France
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