Light and plant defense

BALLARÉ CL

Conferencia; International Symposium on Plant Photobiology (ISPP); 2013

ISPP

Light and plant immunity Carlos L. Ballaré   IFEVA, CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Universidad Nacional de San Martín Ave. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE Buenos Aires, Argentina (ballare@ifeva.edu.ar)     Recent studies have demonstrated major effects of the light environment on plant immunity to pathogens and herbivorous insects. Convincing evidence for these effects has been obtained using model (Arabidopsis) and non-model plant species, and a wide range of experimental conditions, from Petri plates to the field.  Phytochrome B (phyB), a photoreceptor that plants use to detect the proximity of other plants, is emerging as a key regulator of defense signaling.  In particular, a growing body of evidence indicates that the expression of jasmonate (JA) -induced changes in the trascriptome and metabolome are tightly regulated by the R:FR ratio of canopy light.  This photo-regulation of JA responses appears to play an important ecological role, modulating the allocation of limited resources to different physiological functions, including growth and defense.  In this presentation, I will discuss recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms whereby phyB modulates defense responses, and address their implications for agronomy and the understanding of plant interactions with other organisms.