Dynamic Precision Phenotyping Reveals Mechanism of Crop Tolerance to Root Herbivory. Issue 2 (12th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Qu, Wenchao; Robert, Christelle A.M.; Erb, Matthias; Hibbard, Bruce E.; Paven, Maxim; Gleede, Tassilo; Riehl, Barbara; Kersting, Lena; Cankaya, Aylin S.; Kunert, Anna T.; Xu, Youwen; Schueller, Michael J.; Shea, Colleen; Alexoff, David; Lee, So Jeong; Fowler, Joanna S.; Ferrieri, Richard A.
• Is Part Of: Plant physiology. Volume 172:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 776
• Page End: 788
• Publication Date: 2016-07-12
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; Botany -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1104/pp.16.00735
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-0889

Abstract

Abstract : Whole-plant glutamine mobilization aids local tissue, pathway-specific auxin biosynthesis in maize roots as a way to stimulate root regrowth after herbivory by the western corn rootworm. Abstract: The western corn rootworm (WCR ; Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is a major pest of maize ( Zea mays ) that is well adapted to most crop management strategies. Breeding for tolerance is a promising alternative to combat WCR but is currently constrained by a lack of physiological understanding and phenotyping tools. We developed dynamic precision phenotyping approaches using 11 C with positron emission tomography, root autoradiography, and radiometabolite flux analysis to understand maize tolerance to WCR . Our results reveal that WCR attack induces specific patterns of lateral root growth that are associated with a shift in auxin biosynthesis from indole-3-pyruvic acid to indole-3-acetonitrile. WCR attack also increases transport of newly synthesized amino acids to the roots, including the accumulation of Gln. Finally, the regrowth zones of WCR -attacked roots show an increase in Gln turnover, which strongly correlates with the induction of indole-3-acetonitrile-dependent auxin biosynthesis. In summary, our findings identify local changes in the auxin biosynthesis flux network as a promising marker for induced WCR tolerance.