Piriformospora indica volatile organic compounds enhance Arabidopsis root growth by modulating iron deficiency responses via a NO-regulated pathway
Journal
Plant Stress
Journal Volume
20
Start Page
101259
ISSN
2667-064X
Date Issued
2026-03
Author(s)
Huang, Pin-Jie
Huang, Chiao-Wen
Cai, Zhen-Rong
Chen, Yu-Zhen
Lin, Yao-Cheng
Lin, Wei-Chao
Ohme-Takagi, Masaru
Sukma, Dewi
Yeh, Kai-Wun
Chan, Ming-Tsair
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by microbes can influence plant growth positively or negatively. This study investigated the mechanism by which Piriformospora indica VOCs promote root growth in Arabidopsis . Gene expression changes in Arabidopsis exposed to P. indica VOCs were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Additionally, nitric oxide (NO) and iron-deficiency mutants were employed to explore pathways involved in lateral root development, complemented by gas chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight (GC-QTOF) for VOC detection. P. indica VOCs significantly upregulated iron deficiency response genes, which are crucial for lateral root growth. Furthermore, two novel VOCs released by P. indica were identified within this system. The results thus showed that the observed root growth enhancement occurs through a nitric oxide-regulated pathway, emphasizing the interplay between microbial VOCs and plant physiological responses. In conclusion, P. indica VOCs promote lateral root development by activating iron deficiency responses via an NO-dependent mechanism. These findings provide valuable insights into plant-microbe interactions and suggest opportunities for improving crop growth and agricultural productivity through microbial applications.
Subjects
Arabidopsis
Iron deficiency
Lateral root
Nitric oxide
Piriformospora indica
Volatile organic compounds
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Type
journal article