Nitric oxide-induced modulation of physiological and molecular responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants infected with Xanthomonas perforans

Joolaei, Mahsa; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah; Dehestani, Ali; Babaizad, Valiolah; Mehraban, Pooyan

doi:10.22058/jpmb.2025.2053032.1334

Nitric oxide-induced modulation of physiological and molecular responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants infected with Xanthomonas perforans

Document Type : Original research paper

Authors

Mahsa Joolaei ¹

Hemmatollah Pirdashti ²

Ali Dehestani ³

Valiolah Babaizad ⁴

Pooyan Mehraban ⁵

¹ Department of agronomy, Genetic and Agricaltural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricaltural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

² Department of Agronomy, Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

³ Genetic and Agricaltural Biotechnology Institu of Tabarestan , Sari Agricaltural Sciences and Natural Resources University , Sari, Iran

⁴ Department of Plant Protection Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricaltural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

⁵ Department of Biology, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

10.22058/jpmb.2025.2053032.1334

Abstract

Bacterial spot, caused by Xanthomonas perforans, significantly threatens global tomato production. Traditional control methods have proven inadequate, necessitating innovative approaches. This study assessed nitric oxide (NO) pretreatment at 0.5, 1, and, 2 mM concentrations to induce abiotic resistance against X. perforans in greenhouse-grown tomatoes. Results indicated that NO pretreatment enhanced plant growth, biomass, and defense mechanisms under both normal and pathogen-stressed conditions. Specifically, NO regulated physiological processes such as lipid peroxidation, chlorophyll content, and fluorescence parameters. It also modulated key enzymes like NADPH oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), bolstering antioxidant defenses by scavenging reactive oxygen species, thereby reducing oxidative damage and improving stress tolerance. Additionally, NO induced sugar accumulation, increasing energy reserves during stress, and elevated amino acid content, facilitating defense protein synthesis. Notably, NO pretreatment significantly reduced disease severity by upregulating defense-related genes, including non-expressor of pathogenesis-related genes (NPR), PAL, and peroxidase (POD). Overall, NO pretreatment improved plant health, decreased pathogen proliferation, and increased biomass, highlighting its potential as an environmentally friendly strategy for managing bacterial diseases and activating specific resistance responses in tomato plants.

Keywords

Bacterial spot

Abiotic resistance

disease management

Systemic acquired resistance

Subjects