Analysing the expression of genes associated with induced resistance in potato plants treated with phosphites

MACHINANDIARENA MF; FELDMAN ML; DALEO GR; ANDREU AB

San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina

Congreso; XLV Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular. SAIB; 2009

Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones Bioquimicas-SAIB

ANALYSING THE EXPRESSION OF GENES ASSOCIATED WITH INDUCED RESISTANCE IN POTATO PLANTS TREATED WITH PHOSPHITES Machinandiarena MF, Feldman ML, Daleo GR, Andreu AB. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas, FCEyN, UNMdP, Mar del Plata, Argentina. E-mail: mfmachin@mdp.edu.ar Phosphites (Phi) have the ability to protect plants against different pathogens, both through a direct effect in oomycete metabolism and by an indirect effect stimulating the plant´s natural defence responses. We have previously shown that KPhi foliar application to potato plants resulted in different protection levels against Phytophthora infestans  depending on dose and plant age at application time. In order to identify genes that are involved in induced resistant in plants treated with KPhi, we analyzed by RT PCR, the time course of transcript levels of two genes that predicted encode transcription factors involved in pathogen perception and defence gene expression. Preliminary results showed that WRKY and NPR1 were differentially induced in plants both treated with Phi and infected with Phytophthora infestans, showing an earlier and highest induction than infected plants non treated with Phi. These results may allow us to hypothetized that Phi treatment might trigger a fast mechanism to protect potato plants to pathogen infections.