Role of jasmonate signaling in rice resistance to the leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis

Key message Jasmonate-induced accumulation of anti-herbivore compounds mediates rice resistance to the leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis . The rice leaf folder (LF), Cnaphalocrocis medinalis , is one of the most destructive insect pests in the paddy field. LF larvae induces leaf folding and scrapes the upper epidermis and mesophyll tissues reducing photosynthesis and yield in rice. Identifying plant defense pathways and genes involved in LF resistance is essential to understand better this plant–insect interaction and develop new control strategies for this pest. Jasmonate (JA) signaling controls a plethora of plant defenses against herbivores. Using RNA-seq time series analysis, we characterized changes in the transcriptome of wild-type (WT) leaves in response to LF damage and measured the dynamics of accumulation of JA phytohormone pools in time-course experiments. Genes related to JA signaling and responses, known to mediate resistance responses to herbivores, were induced by LF and were accompanied by an increment in the levels of JA pools in damaged leaves. The accumulation of defense compounds such as phenolamides and trypsin proteinase inhibitor (TPI) also increased after LF infestation in WT but not in JA mutant plants impaired in JA biosynthesis ( aoc-2 ) and signaling ( myc2-5 ). Consistent with all these responses, we found that LF larvae performed better in the JA mutant backgrounds than in the WT plants. Our results show that JA signaling regulates LF-induced accumulation of TPI and phenolamides and that these compounds are likely an essential part of the defense arsenal of rice plants against this insect pest.