Benzoxazinoids (BXs), such as 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), are secondary metabolites in grasses. The first step in BX biosynthesis converts indole-3-glycerol phosphate into indole. In maize (Zea mays), this reaction is catalyzed by either BENZOXAZINELESS1 (BX1) or INDOLE GLYCEROL PHOSPHATE LYASE (IGL). The Bx1 gene is under developmental control and is mainly re...

Epichloë endophytes are common symbionts living asymptomatically in pooid grasses and may provide chemical defences against herbivorous insects. While the mechanisms underlying these fungal defences have been well studied, it remains unknown whether endophyte presence affects the host's own defences. We addressed this issue by examining variation in the impact of Epichloë on constitutive and he...

Abstract Plants have developed numerous strategies for responding to abiotic and biotic stresses. In particular, the microbiota surrounding plants may a positive effect on plant stress responses. One is reaction rhizobacteria, which can lead induced systemic resistance. Gram-negative soil bacteria that produce N -acyl homoserine lactones (AHL), example, Ensifer meliloti , induce primed state in...

A systematic search for viral infection was performed in the isolated Kerguelen Islands, using a range of polyvalent genus-specific PCR assays. Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) was detected in both introduced and native grasses such as Poa cookii. The geographical distribution of BYDV and its prevalence in P. cookii were analyzed using samples collected from various sites of the archipelago. We...

Cereal aphids, including the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi, and grain Sitobion avenae, can transmit viruses that significantly reduce crop yields. To mitigate against yield losses, insecticides are routinely used to manage aphid populations. Aphids form relationships with endosymbionts confer fitness benefits or consequences aphid. Recent artificial inoculation experiments indicate ...