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Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are beneficial microorganisms that colonize the rhizosphere of many plant species and confer beneficial effects, such as an increase in plant growth. PGPR are also well known as inducers of systemic resistance to pathogens in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms involved locally after direct perception of these bacteria by plant cells still remain largely unknown. Burkholderia phytofirmans strain PsJN is an endophytic PGPR that colonizes grapevine and protects the plant against the grey mould disease caused by Botrytis cinerea. This report focuses on local defence events induced by B. phytofirmans PsJN after perception by the grapevine cells. It is demonstrated that, after addition to cell suspension cultures, the bacteria were tightly attaching to plant cells in a way similar to the grapevine non-host bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi. B. phytofirmans PsJN perception led to a transient and monophasic extracellular alkalinization but no accumulation of reactive oxygen species or cell death were detected. By contrast, challenge with P. syringae pv. pisi induced a sustained and biphasic extracellular alkalinization, a two phases oxidative burst, and a HR-like response. Perception of the PGPR also led to the production of salicylic acid (SA) and the expression of a battery of defence genes that was, however, weaker in intensity compared with defence gene expression triggered by the non-host bacteria. Some defence genes up-regulated after B. phytofirmans PsJN challenge are specifically induced by exogenous treatment with SA or jasmonic acid, suggesting that both signalling pathways are activated by the PGPR in grapevine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this work, the capacity of the soil-applied herbicide flumioxazin (fmx) to trigger defence mechanisms was assessed using 6-week-old in vitro grown Vitis vinifera L. plantlets. Time-course studies demonstrated that the herbicide induced the expression of basic β-1,3-glucanase (Vvglu), basic chitinase (Vvchit1b) and PR10 (VvPR10.3) genes encoding three pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins involved in grapevine defence against pathogens. Thus, all transcripts accumulated in grapevine tissues to reach maximum values after 24–72 h of herbicide exposure, except for VvPR10.3 gene expression, which was induced in roots and stems but not in leaves. Induction of PR genes was observed to a greater extent in roots and leaves, and its intensity diminished in the stems although still remained noteworthy. The activities of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase enzymes significantly increased in the whole plant after herbicide exposure and were still stimulated 21 days after the beginning of treatments. Similarly, the most remarkable effect occurred in roots. However, all enzyme activities tested were stimulated in the upper aerial tissues as well, indicating that fmx or a derived product acts systemically, likely via root uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]