Metabotyping: A New Approach to Investigate Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Genetic Diversity in the Metabolic Response to Clubroot Infection

Abstract

Clubroot disease affects all Brassicaceae spp. and is caused by the obligate biotroph pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae. The development of galls on the root system is associated with the establishment of a new carbon metabolic sink. Here, we aimed to deepen our knowledge of the involvement of primary metabolism in the Brassica napus response to clubroot infection. We studied the dynamics and the diversity of the metabolic responses to the infection. Root system metabotyping was carried out for 18 rapeseed genotypes displaying different degrees of symptom severity, under inoculated and noninoculated conditions at 42 days postinoculation (dpi). Clubroot susceptibility was positively correlated with clubroot-induced accumulation of several amino acids. Although glucose and fructose accumulated in some genotypes with minor symptoms, their levels were negatively correlated to the disease index across the whole set of genotypes. The dynamics of the metabolic response were studied for the susceptible genotype ‘Yudal,’ which allowed an “early” metabolic response (established from 14 to 28 dpi) to be differentiated from a “late” response (from 35 dpi). We discuss the early accumulation of amino acids in the context of the establishment of a nitrogen metabolic sink and the hypothetical biological role of the accumulation of glutathione and S-methylcysteine.