High doses of melatonin confer abiotic stress tolerance to phytopathogenic fungi grown in vitro

Melatonin enhances phytopathogenic fungal growth

  • Andrew Pio Madigan Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia and Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
  • Christopher Harris Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
  • Frank Bedon Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
  • Ashley E Franks Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia and Centre for Future Landscapes, La Trobe, University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
  • Kim M Plummer Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Sciences, La Trobe University, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBiosciences, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32794/mr11250056
Keywords: Melatonin, plant pathogen, abiotic stress, ethanol, cold, antioxidant, reactive oxygen species (ROS)

Abstract

Melatonin is a secondary metabolite produced in all domains of life. Exogenous melatonin triggers defence mechanisms in plants that enhance abiotic stress tolerance. However, knowledge regarding the role of melatonin as a signal or an antioxidant in microbes is lacking. We investigated the in vitro growth responses of three phytopathogenic fungi, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum, to abiotic stress (2.5% ethanol with/without cold priming) under varying concentrations of melatonin. Melatonin at high concentrations (1000 – 2000 µM) partially restored fungal growth under stress, compared to controls, suggesting a role for melatonin in alleviating the impacts of stress exposure. Understanding how melatonin impacts fungal growth during stress conditions will be important for future applications using melatonin as a tool for crop protection.


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Published
2020-06-01
How to Cite
[1]
Madigan, A., Harris, C., Bedon, F., Franks, A. and Plummer, K. 2020. High doses of melatonin confer abiotic stress tolerance to phytopathogenic fungi grown in vitro. Melatonin Research. 3, 2 (Jun. 2020), 187-193. DOI:https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.32794/mr11250056.
Issue
Vol 3 No 2 (2020): Melatonin Research
Section
Short Communication
DOI
https://doi.org/10.32794/mr11250056
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