The effect of flavones and flavonols on colonization of tomato plants by

JOSE M. SCERVINO, MARÍA A. PONCE, ROSA ERRA-BASSELLS, JOSEFINA BOMPADRE,

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY

NRC Research Press

Lugar: Canada; Año: 2007 vol. 53 p. 702 - 709

0008-4166

Abstract: No clear data are available on how flavonoids from different       chemical groups affect root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi       (AMF) and whether flavonoids affecting the presymbiotic growth of AMF also       affect root colonization by AMF. In the present work, we compared the       effect of flavones (chrysin and luteolin) and flavonols (kaempferol,       morin, isorhamnetin, and rutin) on root colonization (number of entry       points and degree of root colonization) of tomato plants (Lycopersicum       esculentum L.) with the effect of these flavonoids on the presymbiotic       growth of these AMF, which has been reported in a recent study. With all       tested AMF (Gigaspora rosea, Gigaspora margarita, Glomus mosseae, and       Glomus intraradices) a correlation between the number of entry points and       the percentage of root colonization was found. When the number of entry       points was high, root colonization was also enhanced. Application of the       flavones chrysin and luteolin and of the flavonol morin increased the       number of entry points and the degree of colonization,whereas the       flavonols kaempferol, isorhamnetin, and rutin showed no effect. These       results show that in contrast to their effect on the presymbiotic growth       of the AMF on the level of root colonization, the tested flavonoids do not       exhibit a genus- and species-specificity. Moreover, comparison of our data       with the data obtained by J.M. Scervino, M.A. Ponce, R. Erra-Bassells, H.       Vierheilig, J.A. Ocampo, and A. Godeas. (2005a. J. Plant Interact. 15:       22–30) indicates that a positive effect on the hyphal growth of AMF does       not necessarily result in an enhanced AM root colonization, further       indicating that the mode of action of flavonoids at the level of root       colonization is more complex.       Key words: arbuscular mycorrhiza, flavonoids, flavones, flavonols, signal       molecules, symbiosis.