Rootstock-enhanced gray mold resistance through phytohormonal crosstalk and transcriptional reprogramming.
Yadav V, Wang H, Zhang F, Gruda NS, Zhang C
Grafting
Choosing the right rootstock when planting or grafting grapevines can give the whole plant a built-in immune boost — without spraying a drop of fungicide.
Scientists discovered that the underground rootstock a grapevine is grafted onto can change how well the above-ground vine fights disease. When grapevines were grafted onto a rootstock called Kober 5BB, the leafy top part produced more protective chemicals and switched on more disease-fighting genes when attacked by gray mold. This shows that the root system is quietly talking to the rest of the plant, helping it prepare for threats.
Key Findings
Heterografted grapevines showed significantly elevated antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase) compared to self-grafted controls during early Botrytis infection.
Rootstock grafting raised concentrations of three key defense hormones — salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and methyl jasmonate — in the scion tissue.
A pathogenesis-related protein gene was upregulated 34-fold (log2FC = 5.10) and a jasmonic acid pathway gene 3-fold (log2FC = 1.57) in grafted scions, while both were suppressed in self-grafted controls.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Grafting grapevines onto a specific rootstock (Kober 5BB) boosts the scion's ability to fight off gray mold, a fungus that devastates harvests. The rootstock communicates with the upper vine through hormonal signals, triggering stronger antioxidant defenses and activating disease-fighting genes.
Abstract Preview
Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease in grapevines (Vitis vinifera), resulting in substantial yield and quality losses. While 'Kober 5BB (Vitis berlandieri × Vitis riparia) is widely used as a...
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