Pseudomonas fluorescens induces metabolic changes in grape plants

SALOMON M.V.; INZIRILLO G.; GIL M.; BERLI F.; BOTTINI R.; PICCOLI P.

San Juan

Otro; 2ª Reunión conjunta de las Sociedades de Biología de la República Argentina; 2011

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo, Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba, Sociedad Argentina de Biología

Pseudomonas spp. are plant growth promoting bacteria with beneficial effects on plants by production of phytohormones and induction of metabolic changes. We previously isolated Pseudomonas fluorescens from roots of grape cv. Malbec plants and characterized by GC-EIMS ABA, IAA and GA production in chemically-defined medium. The aim of this work was to evaluate metabolic changes in grape plants inoculated or not with P. fluorescens. Roots of 15 d-old grape plants grown in vitro were inoculated with 100 µl of microbial culture (2x107 CFUml-1). After 45 days plants were removed, and leaves were collected for ABA, terpenes and pigment analysis. Inoculation with P. fluorescens did not produce morphological changes as compared with control plants, but increased significantly ABA, carotenes and chlorophylls. Also enhanced the synthesis of the monoterpenes pinene, terpinolene and cineole, and the sesquiterpenes farnesol, trans-α bergamotene, α-farnesene and nerolidol, whereas in controls only pinene and nerolidol were detected in trace amounts. The results indicate that P. fluorescens promotes increases in ABA and pigment concentration and induced the synthesis of defense-related compounds against potential pathogens.