AUTHOR=Hou Jiae , Ai Mingtao , Li Jianbin , Cui Xiuming , Liu Yuan , Yang Qian 

TITLE=Exogenous salicylic acid treatment enhances the disease resistance of Panax vietnamensis by regulating secondary metabolite production

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1428272

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1428272

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Salicylic acid (SA) is a phenolic compound widely found in plants. It plays a key role in exerting plant disease resistance. <italic>Panax vietnamensis</italic> Ha &amp; Grushv., a valuable medicinal plant, contains high levels of phenolic compounds, which contribute significantly to the resilience of the plant against stress. However, the precise role of SA in regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites in <italic>P.vietnamensis</italic> remains elusive.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Two-year-old <italic>P. vietnamensis</italic> seedlings were treated with exogenous SA. We systematically assessed the changes in the physiological parameters of SA-treated <italic>P. vietnamensis</italic> leaves, employing transcriptome and metabolome analyses to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. </p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Our results revealed a significant improvement of the plant’s antioxidant capacity at 6 h post-treatment. Furthermore, exogenous SA treatment promoted the biosynthesis of lignin and flavonoids such as rutin, coumarin, and cyanidin. In addition, it increased the levels of endogenous SA and jasmonic acid (JA), promoting the disease resistance of the plants. Thus, SA pretreatment enhanced the defense of P. vietnamensis against pathogens. </p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Our study provided novel insights into the potential molecular mechanisms underlying SA-mediated biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Furthermore, our results provided a theoretical foundation for optimizing the  cultivation practices of <italic>P.vietnamensis</italic> and the application of SA as a plant immunomodulator.</p></sec>