Abstract
Among the many types of plant stressors, pathogen attack, mainly fungi and bacteria can cause particularly severe damage both to individual plants and, on a wider scale, to agricultural productivity. The magnitude of these pathogen-induced problems has stimulated rapid progress in green biotechnology research into plant defense mechanisms. Plants can develop local and systemic wide-spectrum resistance induced by their exposure to virulent (systemic acquired resistance—SAR) or non-pathogenic microbes and various chemical elicitors (induced systemic resistance—ISR). β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA), non-protein amino acid, is though to be important component of the signaling pathway regulating ISR response in plants. After treatment with BABA or various chemicals, after infection by a necrotizing pathogen, colonization of the roots by beneficial microbes many plants establish a unique physiological state that is called the “primed” state of the plant. This review will focus on the recent knowledge about the role of BABA in the induction of ISR against pathogens mainly against fungi.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altamiranda EAG, Andreu AB, Daleo GR, Olivieri FP (2008) Effect of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on protection against Phytophthora infestans throughout the potato crop cycle. Aust Plant Pathol 37:421–427
Amzalek E, Cohen Y (2007) Comparative efficacy of systemic acquired resistance-inducing compounds against rust infection in sunflower plants. Phytopathology 97:179–186
Andreu AB, Guevara MG, Daleo GR, Caldiz DO (2006) Enhancement of natural disease resistance in potatoes by chemicals. Pest Manag Sci 62:162–170
Baider A, Cohen Y (2003) Synergistic interaction between BABA and mancozeb in controlling Phytophthora infestans in potato and tomato and Pseudoperonospora cubensis in cucumber. Phytoparasite 31:399–409
Barilli E, Sillero JC, Rubiales D (2010a) Induction of systemic acquired resistance in pea against rust (Uromyces pisi) by exogenous application of biotic and abiotic inducers. J Phytopathol 158:30–34
Barilli E, Prats E, Rubiales D (2010b) Benzothiadiazole and BABA improve resistance to Uromyces pisi (Pers.) Wint. in Pisum sativum L. with an enhancement of enzymatic activities and total phenolic content. Eur J Plant Pathol 128:483–493
Baysal Ö, Gürsoy YZ, Örnek H, Duru A (2005) Induction of oxidants in tomato leaves treated with dl-β-amino butyric acid (BABA) and infected with Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis. Eur J Plant Pathol 112:361–369
Baysal Ö, Gürsoy YZ, Örnek H, Cetinel B, Da Silva JAT (2007) Enhanced systemic resistance to bacterial speck disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato by dl-β-aminobutyric acid under salt stress. Physiol Plant 129:493–506
Cao S, Jiang L, Yuan H, Jian H, Ren G, Bian X, Zou J, Chen Z (2008) β-Amino-butyric acid protects Arabidopsis against low potassium stress. Acta Physiol Plant 30:309–314
Cao SQ, Ren G, Jiang L, Yuan HB, Ma GH (2009) The role of β-aminobutyric acid in enhancing cadmium tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Rus J Plant Physiol 56:575–579
Chamsai J, Siegrist J, Buchenauer H (2004) Mode of action of the resistance-inducing 3-aminobutyric acid in tomato roots against Fusarium wilt. J Plant Dis Prot 111:273–291
Chinnasri B, Sipes BS, Schmitt DP (2006) Effects of inducers of systemic acquired resistance on reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica and Rotylenchulus reniformis in pineapple. J Nematol 38:319–325
Cohen Y (1994a) Local and systemic control of Phytophthora infestans in tomato plants by dl-3-amino-n-butanoic acids. Phytopathol 84:55–59
Cohen Y (1994b) 3-Aminobutyric acid induces systemic resistance against Peronospora tabacina. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 44:273–288
Cohen Y (2002) β-Aminobutyric acid induced resistance against plant pathogens. Plant Dis 86:448–457
Cohen Y, Gisi U (1994) Systemic translocation of 14C-dl-3-aminobutyric acid in tomato plants in relation to induced resistance against Phytophthora infestans. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 45:441–456
Cohen Y, Niderman T, Mösinger E, Fluhr R (1994) β-Aminobutyric acid induces the accumulation of pathogenesis-related proteins in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) plants and resistance to late blight infection caused by Phytophthora infestans. Plant Physiol 104:59–66
Cohen Y, Reuveni M, Baider A (1999) Local and systemic activity of BABA (dl-3-aminobutyric acid) against Plasmopara viticola in grapevines. Eur J Plant Pathol 105:351–361
Cohen Y, Baider A, Gotlieb D, Rubin AE (2007) Control of Bremia lactucae in field-grown lettuce by dl-3-amino-n-butanoic acid (BABA). In: Niggli U, Leifert C, Alfoldi T, Luck L, Willer H (eds) Improving sustainability in organic and low input food production systems. University of Hohenheim, Germany: Proc. 3rd Intn Cong European integrated project ‘Quality Low Input Food’ (QLIF)
Cohen Y, Rubin AE, Kilfin G (2010) Mechanisms of induced resistance in lettuce against Bremia lactucae by dl-β-amino-butyric acid (BABA). Eur J Plant Pathol 126:553–573
Cohen Y, Rubin AE, Vaknin M (2011) Post infection application of DL-3-amino-butyric acid (BABA) induces multiple forms of resistance against Bremia lactucae in lettuce. Eur J Plant Pathol 130:13–27
Conrath U (2006) Systemic acquired resistance. Plant Sig Behav 1:179–184
Conrath U, Pieterse CMJ, Mauch-Mani B (2002) Priming in plant-pathogen interactions. Trends Plant Sci 7:210–216
Conrath U et al (2006) Priming: getting ready for battle. Mol Plant-Microbe Interact 19:1062–1071
Durrant WE, Dong X (2004) Systemic acquired resistance. Annu Rev Phytopathol 42:185–209
Fatemy S, Moslemi F, Bernard F (2012) Seed treatment and soil drench with dl-b-amino butyric acid for the suppression of Meloidogyne javanica on tomato Acta Physiol Plant. doi:10.1007/s11738-012-1032-9
Fischer MJC, Farine S, Chong J, Guerlain P, Bertsch C (2009) The direct toxicity of BABA against grapevine ecosystem organisms. Crop Protect 28:710–712
Flors V, Ton J, van Doorn R, Jakab G, Garcia-Agustin P, Mauch-Mani B (2008) Interplay between JA, SA and ABA signalling during basal and induced resistance against Pseudomonas syringae and Alternaria brassicicola. Plant J 54:81–92
Gamliel A, Katan J (1992) Influence of seed and root exudates on fluorescent pseudomonas and fungi in solarized soil. Phytopathology 82:320–327
Hamiduzzaman MM, Jakab G, Barnavon L, Neuhaus J-M, Mauch-Mani B (2005) β-Aminobutyric acid-induced resistance against downy mildew in grapevine acts through the potentiation of callose formation and jasmonic acid signaling. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 18:819–829
Hassan MAE, Buchenauer H (2007) Induction of resistance to fire blight in apple by acibenzolar-S-methyl and dl-3-aminobutyric acid. J Plant Dis Protect 114:151–158
Hassan MAE, Buchenauer H (2008) Enhanced control of bacterial wilt of tomato by dl-3-aminobutyric acid and the fluorescent Pseudomonas isolate CW2. J Plant Dis Protect 115:199–207
Hayat Q, Hayat S, Irfan M, Ahmad A (2010) Effect of exogenous salicylic acid under changing environment: a review. Envir Exp Bot 68:14–25
Hodge S, Thompson GA, Powell G (2005) Application of dl-β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) as a root drench to legumes inhibits the growth and reproduction of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Bull Entomol Res 95:449–455
Hodge S, Pope TW, Holaschke M, Powell G (2006) The effect of β-aminobutyric acid on the growth of herbivorous insects feeding on Brassicaceae. Ann Appl Biol 148:223–229
Hodge S, Ward JL, Galster AM, Beale MH, Powell G (2011) The effects of a plant defence priming compound, β-aminobutyric acid, on multitrophic interactions with an insect herbivore and a hymenopterous parasitoid. Biocontrol 56:699–711
Hofgaard IS, Ergon A, Henriksen B, Tronsmo AM (2010) The effect of potential resistance inducers on development of Microdochium majus and Fusarium culmorum in winter wheat. Eur J Plant Pathol 128:269–281
Hong JK, Hwang BK, Kim CH (1999) Induction of local and systemic resistance to Colletotrichum coccodes in pepper plants by dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid. J Phytopathol 147:193–198
Hwang BK, Sunwoo JY, Kim YJ, Kim BS (1997) Accumulation of β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase isoforms, and salicylic acid in the dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid-induced resistance response of pepper stems to Phytophthora capsici. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 51:305–322
Jakab G, Cottier V, Toquin V, Rigoli G, Zimmerli L, Metraux JP, Mauch-Mani B (2001) β-Aminobutyric acid-induced resistance in plants. Eur J Plant Pathol 107:29–37
Jakab G, Ton J, Flors V, Zimmerli L, Metraux JP, Mauch-Mani B (2005) Enhancing Arabidopsis salt and drought stress tolerance by chemical priming for its abscisic acid responses. Plant Physiol 139:267–274
Jeun YC, Buchenauer H (2001) Infection structures and localization of the pathogenesis-related protein AP24 in leaves of tomato plants exhibiting systemic acquired resistance against Phytophthora infestans after pre-treatment with 3-aminobutyric acid or tobacco necrosis virus. J Phytopathol 149:141–153
Jeun YC, Park EW (2003) Ultrastructures of the leaves of cucumber plants treated with dl-3-aminobutyric acid at the vascular bundle and the penetration sites after inoculation with Colletotrichum orbiculare. Plant Pathol J 19:85–91
Jeun YC, Park EW, Kim CH, Fowler WD, Kloepperc JW (2004) Cytological observations of cucumber plants during induced resistance elicited by rhizobacteria. Biol Contr 29:34–42
Kamble A, Bhargava S (2007) β-Aminobutyric acid-induced resistance in Brassica juncea against the necrotrophic pathogen Alternaria brassicae. J Phytopathol 155:152–158
Karmakar NC, Ghosh R, Purkayastha RP (2003) Plant defence activators inducing systemic resistance in Zingiber officinale Rosc. against Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitz. Indian J Biotech 2:591–595
Kępczyńska E, Kępczyński J (2005) Inhibitory effect of methyl jasmonate on development of phytopathogen Aletrnaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl and its reversal by ethephon and ACC. Acta Physiol Plant 27:491–496
Kępczyńska E, Król P (2011) The phytohormone methyl jasmonate as an activator of induced resistance against the necrotroph Alternaria porri f. sp. solani in tomato plants. J Plant Interact doi:10.1080/17429145.2011.645169
Kocsis M, Jakab G (2008) Analysis of BABA (β-aminobutyric acid)-induced female sterility in Arabidopsis flowers. Acta Biol Szeged 52:247–249
Kone D, Cosisns AS, Jackson KL, Ji P (2009) Evaluation of systemic acquired resistance inducers for control of Phytophthora capsici on squash. Crop Prot 28:533–538
Kuć J (2001) Concepts and direction of induced systemic resistance in plants and its application. Eur J Plant Pathol 107:7–12
Lazzarato L, Trebbi G, Pagnucco C, Franchin C, Torrigiani P, Betti L (2009) Exogenous spermidine, arsenic and β-aminobutyric acid modulate tobacco resistance to tobacco mosaic virus, and affect local and systemic glucosylsalicylic acid levels and arginine decarboxylase gene expression in tobacco leaves. J Plant Physiol 166:90–100
Lee YK, Hong JK, Hippe-Sanwald S, Hwang BK (2000) Histological and ultrastructural comparisons of compatible, incompatible and dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid-induced resistance responses of pepper stems to Phytophthora capsici. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 57:269–280
Liljeroth E, Bengtsson T, Wiik L, Andreasson E (2010) Induced resistance in potato to Phytphthora infestans—effects of BABA in greenhouse and field tests with different potato varieties. Eur J Plant Pathol 127:171–183
Macarisin D, Wisniewski ME, Bassett C, Thannhauser TW (2009) Proteomic analysis of β-aminobutyric acid priming and abscisic acid—induction of drought resistance in crabapple (Malus pumila): effect on general metabolism, the phenylpropanoid pathway and cell wall enzymes. Plant Cell Envir 32:1612–1631
Marcucci E, Aleandri MP, Chilosi G, Magro P (2010) Induced resistance by β-aminobutyric acid in artichoke against white mould caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. J Phytopathol 158:659–667
Nandeeshkumar P, Sarosh BR, Ramachandra Kini K, Prakash HS, Shekar Shetty H (2009) Elicitation of resistance and defense related proteins by β-amino butyric acid in sunflower against downy mildew pathogen Plasmopara halstedii. Arch Phytopath Prot 42:1020–1032
Oka Y, Cohen Y, Spiegel Y (1999) Local and systemic induced resistance to the root-knot nematode in tomato by dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid. Phytopathol 89:1138–1143
Olivieri FP, Lobato MC, Altamiranda EG, Daleo GR, Huarte M, Guevara MG, Andreu AB (2009) BABA effects on the behaviour of potato cultivars infected by Phytophthora infestans and Fusarium solani. Eur J Plant Pathol 123:47–56
Pajot E, Silue D (2005) Evidence that dl-3-aminobutyric acid and acibenzolar-S-methyl induce resistance against bacterial head rot disease of broccoli. Pest Manag Sci 61:1110–1114
Pajot E, Le Corre D, Silue D (2001) Phytogard® and dl-β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) induce resistance in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) against downy mildew (Bremia lactucae). Eur J Plant Pathol 107:861–869
Pfautsch S, Gessler A, Adams MA, Rennenberg H (2009) Using amino-nitrogen pools and fluxes to identify contributions of understory Acacia spp. to overstory Eucalyptus regnans and stand nitrogen uptake in temperate Australia. New Phytol 183:1097–1113
Polyakovskii SA, Kravchuk ZhN, Dmitriev AP (2008) Mechanism of action of the plant resistance inducer β-aminobutyric acid in Allium cepa. Cyt Genet 42:369–372
Porat R, Vinokur V, Weiss B, Cohen L, Daus A, Goldschmidt EE, Droby S (2003) Induction of resistance to Penicillium digitatum in grapefruit by β-aminobutyric acid. Eur J Plant Pathol 109:901–907
Reuveni M, Zahavi T, Cohen Y (2001) Controlling downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) in field-grown grapevine with β-aminobutyric acid (BABA). Phytoparasite 29:125–133
Reuveni M, Sheglov D, Cohen Y (2003) Control of moldy-core decay in apple fruits by β-aminobutyric acid and potassium phosphites. Plant Dis 87:933–936
Sahebani N, Hadavi N (2009) Induction of H2O2 and related enzymes in tomato roots infected with root knot nematode (M. javanica) by several chemical and microbial elicitors. Biocontr Sci Tech 19:301–313
Sahebani N, Hadavi NS, Zade FO (2011) The effects of β-amino-butyric acid on resistance of cucumber against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica. Acta Physiol Plant 33:443–450
Šašek V, Nováková M, Dobrev PI, Valentová O, Burketová L (2011) β-Aminobutyric acid protects Brassica napus plants from infection by Leptosphaeria maculans. Resistance induction or a direct antifungal effect? Eur J Plant Pathol. doi:10.1007/s10658-011-9897-9
Shailasree S, Sarosh BR, Vasanthi NS, Shetty HS (2001) Seed treatment with β-aminobutyric acid protects Pennisetum glaucum systemically from Sclerospora graminicola. Pest Manag Sci 57:721–728
Sharifi-Sirchi GR, Beheshti B, Hosseinipour A, Mansouri M (2011) Priming against Asiatic citrus canker and monitoring of PR genes expression during resistance induction. Afric J Biotech 10:3818–3823
Shelp BJ, Bown AW, McLean MD (1999) Metabolism and functions of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Trends Plant Sci 4:446–452
Siegrist J, Orober M, Buchenauer H (2000) β-Aminobutyric acid-mediated enhancement of resistance in tobacco to tobacco mosaic virus depends on the accumulation of salicylic acid. Physiol Mol Plant Pathol 56:95–106
Silue D, Pajot E, Cohen Y (2002) Induction of resistance to downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) in cauliflower by dl-β-amino-n-butanoic acid (BABA). Plant Pathol 51:97–102
Singh P, Wu C-C, Zimmerli L (2010) Beta-aminobutyric acid priming by stress imprinting. Plant Signal Behav 5:878–880
Slaughter AR, Hamiduzzaman MM, Gindro K, Neuhaus J-M, Mauch-Mani B (2008) Beta-aminobutyric acid-induced resistance in grapevine against downy mildew: involvement of pterostilbene. Eur J Plant Pathol 122:185–195
Sunwoo JY, Lee YK, Hwang BK (1996) Induced resistance against Phytophthora capsici in pepper plants in response to dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid. Eur J Plant Pathol 102:663–670
Tavallali V, Karimi S, Mohammadi S, Hojati S (2008) Effects of β-aminobutyric acid on the induction of resistance to Penicillium italicum. World Appl Sci J 5:345–351
Ton J, Mauch-Mani B (2004) β-Amino-butyric acid-induced resistance against necrotrophic pathogens is based on ABA-dependent priming for callose. Plant J 38:119–130
Ton J, Jakab G, Toquin V, Flors V, Iavicoli A, Maeder MN, Métraux JP, Mauch-Mani B (2005) Dissecting the β-aminobutyric acid-induced priming phenomenon in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 17:987–999
Tosi L, Luigetti R, Zazzerini A (1998) Induced resistance against Palsmopara helianthi in sunflower plants by dl-β-amino-n-butyric acid. J Phytopathol 146:295–299
Vallard GE, Goodman RM (2004) Systemic acquired resistance and induced systemic resistance in conventional agriculture. Crop Sci 44:1920–1934
Walz A, Simon O (2009) β-Aminobutyric acid-induced resistance in cucumber against biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. J Phytopathol 157:356–361
Wu C-C, Singh P, Chen M-C, Zimmerli L (2010) l-Glutamine inhibits beta-aminobutyric acid-induced stress resistance and priming in Arabidopsis. J Exp Bot 61:995–1002
Yin Y, Li YC, Bi Y, Chen SI, Li YC, Yuan L, Wang Y, Wang D (2010) Postharvest treatment with β-aminobutyric acid induces resistance against dry rot caused by Fusarium sulphureum in potato tuber. Agric Sci Chin 9:1372–1380
Zhang S, Reddy MS, Kokalis-Burelle N, Wells LW, Nightengale SP, Kloepper JW (2001) Lack of induced systemic resistance in peanut to late leaf spot disease by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and chemical elicitors. Plant Dis 85:879–884
Zhang S, Schisler DA, Boehm MJ, Slininger PJ (2007) Utilization of chemical inducers of resistance and Cryptococcus flavescens OH 182.9 to reduce Fusarium head blight under greenhouse conditions. Biol Contr 42:308–315
Zhang C, Wang J, Zhang J, Hou C, Wang G (2011) Effects of β-aminobutyric acid on control of postharvest blue mould of apple fruit and its possible mechanisms of action. Postharv Biol Tech 61:145–151
Zimmerli L, Jakab C, Métraux JP, Mauch-Mani B (2000) Potentiation of pathogen-specific defense mechanisms in Arabidopsis by β-aminobutyric acid. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 97:12920–12925
Zimmerli L, Métraux JP, Mauch-Mani B (2001) β-Aminobutyric acid-induced protection of Arabidopsis against the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea. Plant Physiol 126:517–523
Zimmerli L, Hou BH, Tsai CH, Jakab G, Mauch-Mani B, Somerville S (2008) The xenobiotic β-aminobutyric acid enhances Arabidopsis thermotolerance. Plant J 53:144–156
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by A. K. Kononowicz.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Justyna, PG., Ewa, K. Induction of resistance against pathogens by β-aminobutyric acid. Acta Physiol Plant 35, 1735–1748 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1215-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1215-z