Plants establish metabolic crosstalk with Pseudomonas for enhancing herbicide-stress resistance

ABSTRACT: Although it is known that plants can recruit beneficial rhizobacteria under various stresses, the mechanisms underlying their synergistic interaction in regulating plant resistance remain poorly understood. This study demonstrates that plants establish metabolic crosstalk with Pseudomonas for enhancing herbicide-stress resistance. Exposure to nicosulfuron (Nico) triggered the significant enrichment of Pseudomonas in both the rhizosphere and endosphere of Brassica rapa var. perviridis. Notably, several Pseudomonas isolates, particularly strain RL11, effectively alleviated Nico-induced stress in B. rapa despite lacking direct degradation capabilities. This beneficial interaction involves two phases of metabolic crosstalk between B. rapa and strain RL11. In the rhizosphere, B. rapa in response to Nico stress promoted the secretion of choline and uracil in root exudates, facilitating the recruitment and colonization of strain RL11. Following colonization, strain RL11 exchanged metabolites with the host plants and released several bioactive compounds in the endosphere, particularly 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DBA), tyramine, and pantothenic acid, which helped alleviate Nico-induced stress. Notably, DBA activated B. rapa detoxification and upregulated the biosynthesis of defense metabolites (polyphenols and glucosinolates). Furthermore, DBA enhanced the resistance of both B. rapa and rice to various herbicides (isoproturon and acetochlor). Our findings provide novel insights into the synergistic interaction between stressed plants and microbes and offer new strategies for developing microbe-derived biostimulants to enhance plant stress adaptability.

INSTRUMENT(S): Liquid Chromatography MS - negative - reverse-phase, Liquid Chromatography MS - positive - reverse-phase

PROVIDER: MTBLS15622 | MetaboLights | 2026-09-12

REPOSITORIES: MetaboLights