Grafting Enhances Bacterial Wilt Resistance in Peppers

Xi Duan, Fengjiao Liu, Huangai Bi and Xizhen Ai
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Xi Duan: College of Agricultural Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural and Engineering University, Jinan 250100, China
Fengjiao Liu: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Germplasm Innovation, College of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Huangai Bi: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Germplasm Innovation, College of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China
Xizhen Ai: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Crop Biology and Germplasm Innovation, College of Horticultural Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an 271018, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: Ralstonia solanacearum is a causative agent of bacterial wilt and therefore poses a serious threat to cultivated peppers ( Capsicum annuum L.). Although attempts have been made to control bacterial wilt by grafting, the disease resistance mechanisms that protect grafted peppers are poorly understood. Here, we grew grafted peppers composed of the rootstock Buyeding or Weishi and the scion Xinfeng 2. Following infection by R. solanacearum , we assessed the differences in lipid peroxidation, cellular structure, root secondary metabolism, and biomass, between grafted plants and controls. The grafted plants exhibited a greater root biomass than the control plants after infection. The root cell ultrastructure of the grafted plants showed only slight injury relative to that in the controls, and the roots of the grafted peppers were partially resistant to R. solanacearum. Grafted pepper plants showed lower levels of lipid peroxidation. Lignin content, salicylic acid levels, and the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), were also higher in grafted plants. All of these effects occurred concomitantly with increased R. solanacearum resistance. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that grafting can significantly improve the disease resistance of pepper. Moreover, our results suggest that the Weishi rootstock may be very useful for the prevention and control of bacterial wilt in cultivated peppers.

Keywords: Capsicum annuum L.; cell ultrastructure; bacterial wilt; lipid peroxidation; secondary metabolism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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