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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Hard Winter Wheat Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305710
Title: Exogenous salicylic acid enhances the resistance of wheat seedlings to hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) infestation under heat stress

Author
item UNDERWOOD, JOSHUA - Fayetteville State University
item MOCH, JOHN - Fayetteville State University
item Chen, Ming-Shun
item ZHU, LIECENG - Fayetteville State University

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/5/2014
Publication Date: 10/1/2014
Publication URL: http://jee.oxfordjournals.org/content/107/5/2000
Citation: Underwood, J., Moch, J., Chen, M., Zhu, L. 2014. Exogenous salicylic acid enhances the resistance of wheat seedlings to hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) infestation under heat stress. Journal of Economic Entomology. 107(5): 2000-2004. doi:10.1603/EC14223.

Interpretive Summary: Hessian fly is one of the most destructive pests of wheat. The insect pest is mainly controlled by deploying resistant wheat. One of the challenges for the plant resistance strategy is that most, if not all, known resistance genes lose resistance under heat stress conditions. This challenge may become more serious under the scenario of climate change. To safeguard continuous success of the host plant resistance strategy in the future, we need to understand the mechanism for resistance genes to become ineffective under heat stress conditions. This research reports that exogenous application of salicylic acid on wheat seedlings right before heat stress can partially prevent the loss of wheat resistance to Hessian fly under heat conditions. The finding provides information that may eventually lead to mitigating the adverse impacts of heat stress on plant resistance.

Technical Abstract: Heat stress exerts significant impact on plant-parasite interactions. Phytohormones, such as salicylic acid (SA) play important roles in plant defense against parasite attacks. Here we studied the impact of a combination of heat stress and exogenous SA on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant resistance to the Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)]. We found that the wheat cultivar Molly, which contains the resistance gene H13, lost resistance to Hessian fly under heat stress (40°C for 3, 6, or 9 h). Exogenous application of SA on Molly seedlings right before heat stress can partially prevent the loss of resistance of Molly plants under heat conditions. Our results indicated that transient heat stress can compromise R gene mediated resistance of wheat to Hessian fly infestation, and that exogenous application of SA can reduce the effect of heat stress. Our findings provide information on mitigating the adverse impacts of heat stress on plant resistance.