Abstract
Epidemics of coffee leaf rust (CLR) leads to great yield losses and huge depreciation of coffee marketing values, if no control measures are applied. Societal expectations of a more sustainable coffee production are increasingly imposing the replacement of fungicide treatments by alternative solutions. A protection strategy is to take advantage of the plant immune system by eliciting constitutive defenses. Based on such concept, plant resistance inducers (PRIs) have been developed. The Greenforce CuCa formulation, similarly to acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), shows promising results in the control of CLR (Hemileia vastatrix) in Coffea arabica cv. Mundo Novo. The molecular mechanisms of PRIs action are poorly understood. In order to contribute to its elucidation a proteomic, physiological (leaf gas-exchange) and biochemical (enzymatic) analyses were performed. Coffee leaves treated with Greenforce CuCa and ASM and inoculation with H. vastatrix were considered. Proteomics revealed that both PRIs lead to metabolic adjustments but, inducing distinct proteins. These proteins were related with photosynthesis, protein metabolism and stress responses. Greenforce CuCa increased photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, while ASM caused a decrease in these parameters. It was further observed that Greenforce CuCa reinforces the redox homeostasis of the leaf, while ASM seems to affect preferentially the secondary metabolism and the stress-related proteins. So, the PRIs prepare the plant to resist CLR but, inducing different defense mechanisms upon pathogen infection. The existence of a link between the primary metabolism and defense responses was evidenced. The identification of components of the plant primary metabolism, essential for plant growth and development that, simultaneously, participate in the plant defense responses can open new perspectives for plant breeding programs.
Highlights
Coffee, one of the most important beverage crops in the world, is cultivated across Africa, Asia, and the Americas (Läderach et al, 2017)
It was further observed that Greenforce CuCa reinforces the redox homeostasis of the leaf, while ASM seems to affect preferentially the secondary metabolism and the stress-related proteins
This biotrophic fungus, that is spread to all coffee growing regions causes coffee leaf rust (CLR), a devastating disease characterized by large orange colonies of urediniospores in the lower surface of the leaves (Bettencourt and Rodrigues, 1988; Várzea and Marques, 2005; Talhinhas et al, 2017)
Summary
One of the most important beverage crops in the world (with billions of cups consumed per day), is cultivated across Africa, Asia, and the Americas (Läderach et al, 2017). Coffea arabica has the best quality/aroma, but most of its commercial varieties are highly susceptible to several pathogens, namely Hemileia vastatrix. This biotrophic fungus, that is spread to all coffee growing regions causes coffee leaf rust (CLR), a devastating disease characterized by large orange colonies of urediniospores in the lower surface of the leaves (Bettencourt and Rodrigues, 1988; Várzea and Marques, 2005; Talhinhas et al, 2017). Increasing societal expectations for sustainable coffee production demands the replacement of fungicide treatments by alternative strategies of plant protection, such as the use of coffee resistant varieties and plant resistance inducers (PRIs) (Resende et al, 2002; Várzea and Marques, 2005; Avelino et al, 2015)
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