1Department of Agricultural and Food Science, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy
2Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
3Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research Health Sciences and Technologies, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
4Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research Advanced Mechanical Engineering Applications and Materials Technology, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Italy
*Corresponding author e-mail: Nicoletta Contaldo (nicoletta.contaldo@ipsp.cnr.it)
Online published on 23 May, 2023.
Catharanthus roseus is used as model plant for studies on phytoplasmas. In the recent years it has been proved that PAW treatment activates the plant resistance, with an overexpression of genes involved in the phytoalexins pathway. In this work the interaction of PAW and phytoplasmas in the alkaloid pathway in phytoplasma-infected and healthy periwinkle micropropagated shoots was investigated by quantitative PCR (qPCR) to evaluate gene expression changes. The results indicated that PAW induced an overexpression of the investigated genes and in particular of CrDAT in infected shoots. More studies will allow to clarify the role of phytoplasmas infected PAW-treated plants for alkaloid production.
Periwinkles, Phytoplasmas, PAW, Induced resistance, Alkaloids, Gene expression
