Regulation of root architecture by Pseudomonas oryzihabitans is mediated
by strigolactones and redox processes.
Abstract
Mechanisms that control of root system architecture are well
characterised but little is known about how these processes respond to
plant growth promoting rhizobacteria. We therefore studied how the
presence of Pseudomonas oryzihabitans PGP01 altered wild type RSA and
how these changes were modified in mutants that are defective
antioxidant capacity (vtc2-1, vtc2-2, pad2-1, cad2-1 and rax1-1) or
strigolactone (SL) synthesis (max3-9 and max4-1) or signalling (max2-3).
The presence of P. oryzihabitans PGP01 decreased the length of primary
and lateral roots but increased the number of lateral roots and lateral
root density in the wild type roots but not in the SL mutants. The
presence of synthetic SL, GR24 in combination with P. oryzihabitans
PGP01 significantly decreased the number and length of lateral roots in
the WT, max3-9 and max4-1 but not max2-3 seedlings. Lateral root density
was increased in all genotypes in the presence of bacterium, but this
effect was less pronounced in the ascorbate deficient vtc2-1 and vtc2-2
roots and absent from glutathione –deficient (pad2-1, cad2-1 and
rax1-1) seedlings. Taken together, these results demonstrate the
importance of SL-mediated signalling in root responses to growth
promoting rhizobacteria, as well roles of cellular redox controls in
these processes.