Microwounding is a pivotal factor for the induction of actin-dependent penetration resistance against fungal attack.

Induced penetration resistance is triggered by failed penetration attempts of nonpathogenic fungi. The resistance mechanism is an important nonhost reaction in plants that can block the invasion of filamentous pathogens such as fungi and oomycetes. However, it remains unclear whether the mechanical stimuli accompanying fungal penetration play a role in induced penetration resistance, whereas the perforation of the cell wall may provide significant stimuli to plant cells. Here, we used microneedles or biolistic bombardment to mimic fungal penetration pegs and a micromanipulation transfer technique of the bio-probe, a germling of Blumeria graminis hordei, to the wounded cells to demonstrate that microwounds derived from fungal penetration attempts may trigger induced penetration resistance in plant cells. When preinoculated with the nonpathogenic fungi Erysiphe pisi and Colletotrichum orbiculare, which were unable to penetrate a barley cell, the penetration of a bio-probe that was transferred by micromanipulation onto the same cell was completely blocked. Fungal penetration was essential to the triggering of induced penetration resistance because a penetration-peg-defective mutant of C. orbiculare completely lacked the ability to trigger resistance. The artificial microwounds significantly, but not completely, blocked the penetration of the bio-probe. Treatment with the actin polymerization inhibitor cytochalasin A or expression of the actin depolymerizing protein HvPro1 caused complete ablation of the induced penetration resistance triggered by either failed fungal penetration or artificial microwounds. These results strongly suggest that microwounding may trigger actin-dependent induced penetration resistance. Manipulation of induced penetration resistance may be a promising target to improve basic disease resistance in plants.