Abstract
Paenibacillus polymyxa SQR-21 has been identified as a potential agent for the biocontrol of Fusarium wilt in watermelon, which is caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum (FON). In the present study, the effects of root exudates from watermelon plants inoculated or non-inoculated with either SQR-21 or FON on conidial germination of FON were investigated. Compared to the control, conidial germination was decreased with root exudates from SQR-21-inoculated plants, but conidial germination was enhanced by root exudates from FON-inoculated plants. Maximal germination was found with root exudates from FON-inoculated plants after 30 d, which was 1.35 times more germination than the control. A split-root system was designed to verify that the alterations of the exudation pattern in SQR-21- inoculated or FON-inoculated watermelon roots were not only local, but also systemic. Cinnamic acid was found in the watermelon root exudates. An assay to test the effects of cinnamic acid on conidial germination of FON revealed that the stimulation of conidial germination was observed from cinnamic acid concentrations ranging from 0 to 30 μg/ml. In conclusion, both of SQR-21 and FON systemically affects watermelon root exudates. These results will help to the better understanding of the plant-microbe communication and will guide to improve the biocontrol strategies against Fusarium wilt of watermelon plants.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Badri DV, Vivanco JM (2009) Regulation and function of root exudates. Plant Cell Environ 32:666–681
Bais HP, Weir TL, Perry LG, Gilroy S, Vivanco JM (2006) The role of root exudates in rhizosphere interactions with plants and other organisms. Annu Rev Plant Biol 57:233–266
Banwart WL, Porter PM, Granato TC, Hassett JJ (1985) HPLC separation and wavelength area ratios of more than 50 phenolic acids and flavonoids. J Chem Ecol 11:383–395
Bertin C, Yang XH, Waston LA (2003) The role of root exudates and allelochemicals in the rhizosphere. Plant Soil 256:67–83
Broeckling CD, Broz AK, Bergelson J, Manter DK, Vivanco JM (2008) Root exudates regulate soil fungal community composition and diversity. Appl Environ Microbiol 74:738–744
De-la-Pena C, Lei Z, Watson BS, Sumner LW, Vivanco JM (2008) Root-microbe communication through protein secretion. J Biol Chem 283:25247–25255
Dijksterhuis J, Sanders M, Gorris LG, Smid EJ (1999) Antibiosis plays a role in the context of direct interaction during antagonism of Paenibacillus polymyxa towards Fusarium oxysporum. J Appl Microbiol 86:13–21
Dutta S, Mishra AK, Dileep Kumar BS (2008) Induction of systemic resistance against fusarial wilt in pigeon pea through interaction of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and rhizobia. Soil Biol Biochem 40:452–461
Gapillout I, Milat ML, Blein JR (1995) Effects of fusaric acid on cells from tomato cultivars resistant or susceptible to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Eur J Plant Pathol 102:127–132
Haggag WM, Timmusk S (2008) Colonization of peanut roots by biofilm-forming Paenibacillus polymyxa initiates biocontrol against crown rot disease. J Appl Microbiol 104:961–969
Hao WY, Ren LX, Ran W, Shen QR (2010) Allelopathic effects of root exudates from watermelon and rice plants on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. Plant Soil. doi:10.1007/s11104-11010-10505-11100
Joffe AZ (1986) Fusarium species: their biology and toxicology. Wiley, New York, 173
Khan Z, Kim SG, Jeon YH, Khan HU, Son SH, Kim YH (2008) A plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Paenibacillus polymyxa strain GBR-1, suppresses root-knot nematode. Bioresour Technol 99:3016–3023
Ling N, Xue C, Huang QW, Yang XM, Xu YC, Shen QR (2010) Development of a mode of application of bioorganic fertilizer for improving the biocontrol efficacy to Fusarium wilt. Biocontrol 55:673–683
Mandeel QA (2006) Influence of plant root exudates, germ tube orientation and passive conidia transport on biological control of fusarium wilt by strains of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum. Mycopathologia 161:173–182
Pueppke SG, Bolanos-Vasquez MC, Werner D, Bec-ferte MP, Prome JC, Krishnan HB (1998) Release of flavonoids by the soybean cultivars McCall and Peking and their perception as signals by the nitrogen-fixing symbiont Sinorhizobium fredii. Plant Physiol 117:599–606
Raza W, Wang Y, Shen QR (2008) Paenibacillus polymyxa: antibiotics hydrolytic enzymes and hazard assessment. J Plant Pathol 90:419–430
Raza W, Yang XM, Wu HS, Wang Y, Xu YC, Shen QR (2009) Isolation and characterisation of fusaricidin-type compound-producing strain of Paenibacillus polymyxa SQR-21 active against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp nevium. Eur J Plant Pathol 125:471–483
Scheffknecht S, Mammerler R, Steinkellner S, Vierheilig H (2006) Root exudates of mycorrhizal tomato plants exhibit a different effect on microconidia germination of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici than root exudates from non-mycorrhizal tomato plants. Mycorrhiza 16:365–370
Steinkellner S, Mammerler R, Vierheilig H (2008) Germination of Fusarium oxysporum in root exudates from tomato plants challenged with different Fusarium oxysporum strains. Eur J Plant Pathol 122:395–401
Tai LM, Xu YL (2006) Effects of Fusarium oxysporum toxin on the ultrastructure of soybean ridicule tissue. Acta Phytopathologica Sinica 36:512–516
Tang CS, Young CC (1982) Collection and identification of allelopathic components from the undisturbed root system of Bigalta Limpograss (Hemarthria altissinia). Plant Physiol 69:155–160
Timmusk S, Grantcharova N, Wagner EG (2005) Paenibacillus polymyxa invades plant roots and forms biofilms. Appl Environ Microbiol 71:7292–7300
Timmusk S, van West P, Gow NA, Paul Huffstutler R (2009) Paenibacillus polymyxa antagonizes oomycete plant pathogens Phytophthora palmivora and Pythium aphanidermatum. J Appl Microbiol 106:1473–1481
Vierheilig H, Lerat S, Piché Y (2003) Systemic inhibition of arbuscular mycorrhiza development by root exudates of cucumber plants colonized by Glomus mosseae. Mycorrhiza 13:167–170
Wu HS, Raza W, Fan JQ, Sun YG, Bao W, Shen QR (2008a) Cinnamic Acid Inhibits Growth but Stimulates Production of Pathogenesis Factors by in Vitro Cultures of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. J Agr Food Chem 56:1316–1321
Wu HS, Raza W, Liu DY, Wu CL, Mao ZS, Xu YC, Shen QR (2008b) Allelopathic impact of artificially applied coumarin on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 24:1297–1304
Wu HS, Yang XM, Fan JQ, Miao WG, Ling N, Shen QR (2008c) Suppression of Fusarium wilt of watermelon by a bio-organic fertilizer containing combinations of antagonistic microorganisms. Biocontrol 54:287–295
Ye SF, Yu JQ, Peng YH, Zheng JH, Zou LY (2004) Incidence of Fusarium wilt in Cucumis sativus L. is promoted by cinnamic acid, an autotoxin in root exudates. Plant Soil 263:143–150
Ye SF, Zhou YH, Sun Y, Zou LY, Yu JQ (2006) Cinnamic acid causes oxidative stress in cucumber roots, and promotes incidence of Fusarium wilt. Environ Exp Bot 56:255–262
Yu JQ, Matsui Y (1994) Phytotoxic substances in root exudates of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). J Chem Ecol 20:21–31
Zhang SS, Raza W, Yang XM, Hu J, Huang QW, Xu YC, Liu XH, Ran W, Shen QR (2008) Control of Fusarium wilt disease of cucumber plants with the application of a bio-organic fertilizer. Biol Fert Soils 44:1073–1080
Acknowledgement
This research was financially supported by Agricultural Ministry of China (201103004) and the Nature Science Foundation of China (31070462).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Jorge Vivanco.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ling, N., Huang, Q., Guo, S. et al. Paenibacillus polymyxa SQR-21 systemically affects root exudates of watermelon to decrease the conidial germination of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. Plant Soil 341, 485–493 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0660-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0660-3