Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum（Rs） is a serious soil-borne disease and silicon can enhance tomato resistance against this disease. However, few studies have focused on the mechanisms of Si-mediated pathogen resistance from the rhizosphere perspective. In this study, two tomato genotypes, HYT（susceptible） and H7996（resistant）, were used to investigate the effects of silicon application on disease inhibition, root growth, and organic acid content in both roots and root exudates under R. solanacearum infection. The results showed that Si application significantly suppressed bacterial wilt in HYT, but had no effect in H7996. Silicon concentrations in roots, stems and leaves of tomato were significantly increased by Si treatment under R. solanacearum inoculation. In HYT, Si application increased root dry weight by 22.8-51.6% and leaf photosynthesis by 30.6-208.0%, and reduced the concentrations of citric acid in root exudates by 71.4% and in roots by 83.5%. However, organic acids did not influence R. solanacearum growth. Results also demonstrated that salicylic acid（SA） content in roots was significantly increased by silicon addition for H7996 and exogenous SA application could reduce bacterial wilt disease index. Collectively, these results suggest that Si-modulated phenolic compound metabolism in roots or root exudates, especially citric acid and SA, may be a potential mechanism in the amelioration of bacterial wilt disease by Si.
FAN Xue-yingLIN Wei-pengLIU RuiJIANG Ni-haoCAI Kun-zheng
Silicon(Si) can increase plant resistance against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and enhance plant immune response. However, whether Si alleviates soil-borne disease stress through altering soil microbial community component and diversity is not clear. In this study, effects of Si application under R. solanacearum inoculation with or without plant on soil bacterial and fungal communities were investigated through high-throughput pyrosequencing technique. The results showed that Si addition significantly reduced bacterial wilt incidence. However, Si did not reduce the amount of R. solanacearum in rhizosphere soil. Principal components analysis showed that soil microbial community composition was strongly influenced by Si addition. Total 63.7% bacterial operational taxonomic units(OTUs) and 43.8% fungal OTUs were regulated by Si addition regardless of the presence of tomato plants, indicating the independent effects of Si on soil microbial community. Si-added soil harbored a lower abundance of Fusarium, Pseudomonas, and Faecalibacterium. Our finding further demonstrated that exogenous Si could significantly influence soil microbial community component, and this may provide additional insight into the mechanism of Si-enhanced plant resistance against soil-borne pathogens.
LIN Wei-pengJIANG Ni-haoPENG LiFAN Xue-yingGAO YangWANG Guo-pingCAI Kun-zheng
