Fernández-Aparicio M, Flores F, Rubiales D
Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, CSIC, Córdoba, Spain.
Ann Bot. 2009 Feb;103(3):423-31. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcn236. Epub 2008 Dec 1.
The long co-existence of broomrapes and their hosts within the same environment has culminated in a strong adaptation and effective parasitism. As a first step of specialization in the parasitic process, seed receptors of parasitic plant species vary in their ability to recognize compounds released by their hosts. This work aims to investigate potential patterns for the reception requirements needed to activate germination within Orobanche and Phelipanche species.
Induction of the germination of seeds of nine Orobanche and Pheliphanche species by root exudates of 41 plant species was studied and subjected to biplot multivariate analysis.
A high level of specialization in root exudate recognition was found in Orobanche densiflora, O. gracilis and O. hederae, which germinated almost exclusively in contact with root exudates from the plants they infect in nature. At the opposite extreme, Phelipanche aegyptiaca, P. ramosa and O. minor were highly generalist, germinating when in contact with the root exudates of most plant species. Orobanche crenata, O. cumana and O. foetida showed intermediate behaviour.
A universal germination stimulant for all broomrape species has not being identified to date. The synthetic stimulant GR24 is active against most of the weedy broomrape species, but fails with the non-weedy species tested in this study and with the very recent weedy species O. foetida. In addition, germination behaviour of broomrape species depends on the crop plant tested. Weedy broomrapes with a broad host spectrum respond better to the different exudates released by a wide range of crops and wild species than do non-weedy broomrapes, which have a narrow host spectrum and are more restricted to their host range. Root exudates of many plant species were active in stimulating germination of seeds of Orobanche and Phelipanche species for which they are not described as hosts, representing interesting examples of potential trap crops.
列当属植物与其寄主在同一环境中长期共存,最终形成了强大的适应性和有效的寄生关系。作为寄生过程中特化的第一步,寄生植物种子受体识别寄主释放化合物的能力各不相同。本研究旨在探究列当属和肉苁蓉属植物种子萌发所需的潜在识别模式。
研究了41种植物的根系分泌物对9种列当属和肉苁蓉属植物种子萌发的诱导作用,并进行了双标多元分析。
在密花列当、纤细列当和常春藤叶列当种子中发现了对根系分泌物识别的高度特化现象,它们几乎只在接触到自然环境中被其寄生的植物根系分泌物时才会萌发。与之相反,埃及列当、分枝列当和小列当则具有高度的通用性,接触到大多数植物的根系分泌物时都会萌发。齿裂列当、向日葵列当和恶臭列当表现出中间行为。
目前尚未确定一种适用于所有列当属植物的通用萌发刺激物。合成刺激物GR24对大多数杂草性列当属植物有效,但对本研究中测试的非杂草性列当属植物以及最近发现的杂草性植物恶臭列当无效。此外,列当属植物的萌发行为取决于所测试的作物。与寄主范围狭窄、对寄主范围限制更大的非杂草性列当属植物相比,寄主范围广泛的杂草性列当属植物对多种作物和野生植物释放的不同分泌物反应更好。许多植物的根系分泌物能有效刺激列当属和肉苁蓉属植物种子的萌发,而这些植物并非它们的寄主,这代表了潜在诱捕作物的有趣例子。