Influence of seed priming with methyl-Jasmonic acid on expression of defense related transcription factors and tolerance to Alternaria blight disease in Brassica juncea plants
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Date
2023-07-01
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145
Abstract
Rapeseed
mustard ( Brassicajuncea ), an important oilseed crop, faces significant
challenges due to diseases such as Alternaria blight, which cause substantial yield losses. This
study aimed to investigate the effects of Methyl Jasmonic Acid (MeJA) seed priming on Alternaria
blight disease and role of WRKY, MYC, and NAC transcription factors in Brassica juncea in
enhancing tolerance against Alternaria blight disease. Jasmonic acid is of significant importance
as a signal molecule in triggering defence responses when plants enco unter wounds, herbivore
assaults, or pathogen infiltrations. Seeds were treated with different concentrations (1mM, 0.1mM,
and 0.01mM) of MeJA for various durations (2 hours, 4 hours, and 6 hours). The viability and
seedling growth of treated seeds were ev aluated alongside non primed/control plants. The lower
concentration of JA (0.1 mM and 0.01mM) enhanced seed germination percentage with increase
in shoot and root length. Following seed priming, plants were developed and subjected to
Alternaria blight dis ease by spraying with Alternaria brassicae spores, and disease indices were
recorded at different time points.The results indicated that MeJA seed priming significantly
inhibited the development of Alternaria blight disease. Treated plants exhibited lower disease
symptoms compared to the control plants. Depending on concentration and duration disease
percentages ranged from 22.4% to 34% in MeJA treated plants , whereass in non primed/control
plant disease percentages was observed 43% at 21 DPI. MeJA priming enhanced the expression of
WRKY, MYC, and NAC transcription factors, potentially contributing to disease tolerance. RT
PCR based analysis confirmed the 3 to 4 fold increase in expression levels of these genes in MeJA
primed plants, as compared to the cont rol non primed plants. In conclusion, MeJA seed priming
induced the expression of WRKY, MYC, and NAC transcription factors, enhancing tolerance
against Alternaria blight disease in Brassicajuncea . These findings highlight the potential of MeJA
seed priming as a management technique to improve Alternaria blight disease resistance in
economically important Brassica crops.
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