Plants know where it hurts: root and shoot jasmonic acid induction elicit differential responses in Brassica oleracea.

ABSTRACT: Plants respond to herbivore attack by rapidly inducing defenses that are mainly regulated by jasmonic acid (JA). Due to the systemic nature of induced defenses, attack by root herbivores can also result in a shoot response and vice versa, causing interactions between above- and belowground herbivores. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions. We investigated whether plants respond differently when roots or shoots are induced. We mimicked herbivore attack by applying JA to the roots or shoots of Brassica oleracea and analyzed molecular and chemical responses in both organs. In shoots, an immediate and massive change in primary and secondary metabolism was observed. In roots, the JA-induced response was less extensive and qualitatively different f

SUBMITTER: Tytgat TO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3679124 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature