Abscisic Acid—Defensive Player in Flax Response to <i>Fusarium culmorum</i> Infection
Aleksandra Boba,
Kamil Kostyn,
Yelyzaveta Kochneva,
Wioleta Wojtasik,
Justyna Mierziak,
Anna Prescha,
Beata Augustyniak,
Magdalena Grajzer,
Jan Szopa,
Anna Kulma
Affiliations
Aleksandra Boba
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Kamil Kostyn
Department of Genetics, Plant Breeding & Seed Production, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, pl. Grunwaldzki 24A, 50-363 Wroclaw, Poland
Yelyzaveta Kochneva
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Wioleta Wojtasik
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Justyna Mierziak
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Anna Prescha
Department of Food Science and Dietetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland
Beata Augustyniak
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Magdalena Grajzer
Department of Food Science and Dietetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Borowska 211, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland
Jan Szopa
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Anna Kulma
Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 63/77, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
Fusarium culmorum is a ubiquitous soil pathogen with a wide host range. In flax (Linum ussitatissimum), it causes foot and root rot and accumulation of mycotoxins in flax products. Fungal infections lead to huge losses in the flax industry. Moreover, due to mycotoxin accumulation, flax products constitute a potential threat to the consumers. We discovered that the defense against this pathogen in flax is based on early oxidative burst among others. In flax plants infected with F. culmorum, the most affected genes are connected with ROS production and processing, callose synthesis and ABA production. We hypothesize that ABA triggers defense mechanism in flax and is a significant player in a successful response to infection.
