Antagonism between acibenzolar-S-methyl-induced systemic acquired resistance and jasmonic acid-induced systemic acquired susceptibility to Colletotrichum orbiculare infection in cucumber

In cucumber, we show salicylic acid only induce local acquired resistance (LAR), whereas acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) can induce LAR and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to plant diseases. Jasmonic acid (JA) can induce local acquired susceptibility (LAS) and systemic acquired susceptibility (SAS). ASM treatment of lower first leaves leads to the accumulation of cucumber acidic class III chitinase (CHI2) in untreated upper leaves and effectively suppresses lesion formation on those leaves. In contrast, JA treatment completely suppresses CHI2 gene expression and causes plants to be more susceptible to Colletotrichum orbiculare. ASM-induced SAR can effectively antagonize the JA-induced SAS, providing a response that is midway between what would be expected with either JA or ASM by themselves.     

Systemic resistance induced in Arabidopsis thaliana by Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1, a microbial pesticide of seedborne diseases of rice

BACKGROUND: Trichoderma asperellum SKT-1 is a microbial pesticide of seedborne diseases of rice. To investigate the mechanisms of disease suppression in SKT-1, the ability to induce systemic resistance by SKT-1, or its cell-free culture filtrate (CF), was tested using Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 plants. RESULTS: Both SKT-1 and its CF elicit an induced systemic resistance against the bacterial leaf speck pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 in Col-0 plants. Involvement of plant hormones in the induced resistance by SKT-1 and CF was assessed using Arabidopsis genotypes such as the jasmonic acid (JA)-resistant mutant jar1, the ethylene (ET)-resistant mutant etr1, the plant impaired in salicylic acid (SA) signalling transgenic NahG and the mutant npr1 impaired in NPR1 activity. In soil experiments using SKT-1, no significant disease suppression effect was observed in NahG transgenic plants or npr1 mutant plants. Expression levels of SA-inducible genes such as PR-1, PR-2 and PR-5 increased substantially in the leaves of Col-0 plants. Expression levels of JA/ET-induced genes such as PDF1.2a, PR-3, PR-4 and AtVsp1 were also induced, but the levels were not as high as for SA-inducible genes. In a hydroponic experiment using CF from SKT-1, all Arabidopsis genotypes showed an induced systemic resistance by CF and increased expression levels of JA/ET- and SA-inducible genes in leaves of CF-treated plants. CONCLUSION: The SA signalling pathway is important in inducing systemic resistance to colonisation by SKT-1, and both SA and JA/ET signalling pathways combine in the signalling of induced resistance by CF. These results indicate that the response of A. thaliana is different from that found in root treatments with barley grain inoculum and CF from SKT-1. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Colonization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> roots by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoderma atroviride</Emphasis> promotes growth and enhances systemic disease resistance through jasmonic acid/ethylene and salicylic acid pathways

Trichoderma spp. are common soil fungi used as biocontrol agents due to their capacity to produce antibiotics, induce systemic resistance in plants and parasitize phytopathogenic fungi of major agricultural importance. The present study investigated whether colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings by Trichoderma atroviride affected plant growth and development. Here it is shown that T. atroviride promotes growth in Arabidopsis. Moreover, T. atroviride produced indole compounds in liquid cultures. These results suggest that indoleacetic acid-related indoles (IAA-related indoles) produced by T. atroviride may have a stimulatory effect on plant growth. In addition, whether colonization of Arabidopsis roots by T. atroviride can induce systemic protection against foliar pathogens was tested. Arabidopsis roots inoculation with T. atroviride provided systemic protection to the leaves inoculated with bacterial and fungal pathogens. To investigate the possible pathway involved in the systemic resistance induced by T. atroviride, the expression profile of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid/ethylene, oxidative burst and camalexin related genes was assessed in Arabidopsis. T. atroviride induced an overlapped expression of defence-related genes of SA and JA/ET pathways, and of the gene involved in the synthesis of the antimicrobial phytoalexin, camalexin, both locally and systemically. This is the first report where colonization of Arabidopsis roots by T. atroviride induces the expression of SA and JA/ET pathways simultaneously to confer resistance against hemibiotrophic and necrotrophic phytopathogens. The beneficial effects induced by the inoculation of Arabidopsis roots with T. atroviride and the induction of the plant defence system suggest a molecular dialogue between these organisms.     

Effects of jasmonic acid-induced resistance in rice on the plant brownhopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

It has been established that jasmonate and its pure derivative, Jasmonic Acid can induce the emission of volatiles similar to those induced by herbivory which fed on the plant. Although the effects of induced resistance on chewing insects have been extensively studied, relatively little is known about their potential effects on phloem-feeding insects such as brown planthoppers. We studied the pattern of within-plant preference in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (BPH) (Homoptera: Delphacidae) and its consequences for offspring performance on the host-plant Oryza sativa L. (Taebaegbyeo variety) regarding the role of induced resistance of rice plants to hopper feeding. The present study examined the effects of induced resistance on the feeding (food assimilation and digestion), development, egg hatchability and survival. In this study, induced resistance was activated in rice using a foliar application of synthetic jasmonic acid (JA) (low 2.5 mM and high 5 mM). Induced resistance significantly reduced the longevity and egg hatchability of the adult N. lugens, as well as the percentage of nymphs surviving to maturity (only at high dose). This study also observed N. lugens food utilization, in order to evaluate the potential influence of induced resistance on N. lugens feeding behavior. The quantity of food ingested and assimilated by N. lugens on JA treated rice plants was significantly affected at the high dose of JA. These results indicate that JA application induces systemic defenses in rice that have a direct negative impact on N. lugens survivorship. At high concentration (5 mM) several abnormalities possibly related to defective moulting, were observed along with malformed eggs. These findings expand our knowledge the effects of JA-dependent defenses on phloem-feeding insects.     

Systemic resistance to bacterial leaf speck pathogen in Arabidopsis thaliana induced by the culture filtrate of a plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF) Phoma sp. GS8-1

The culture filtrate (CF) from the plant growth-promoting fungus Phoma sp. GS8-1 was found to induce systemic resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana against the bacterial leaf speck pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst), and the underlying mechanism was studied. Roots of A. thaliana were treated with CF from GS8-1, and plants expressed a clear resistance to subsequent Pst infection; disease severity was reduced, and proliferation of pathogen was suppressed. Various mutants of A. thaliana were used to test whether the CF induced resistance through one of the known signaling pathways: salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET). The CF was fully protective against Pst in Arabidopsis mutants jar1 and ein2 similar to wild-type plants. However, its efficacy was reduced in plants containing transgene NahG. Examination of systemic gene expression revealed that CF modulates the expression of SA-inducible PR-1, PR-2 and PR-5 genes, the JA/ET-inducible ChitB gene, and the ET-inducible Hel gene. Moreover, the expression of these genes was further enhanced upon subsequent stimulation after attack by Pst. Our data suggest that in addition to a partial requirement for SA, the signals JA and ET may also play a role in defense signaling in Arabidopsis.     

Rhizobacteria-mediated Induced Systemic Resistance: Triggering, Signalling and Expression

Selected strains of rhizosphere bacteria reduce disease by activating a resistance mechanism in the plant named rhizobacteria-mediated induced systemic resistance (ISR). Rhizobacteria-mediated ISR resembles pathogen-induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in that both types of induced resistance render uninfected plant parts more resistant towards a broad spectrum of plant pathogens. Some rhizobacteria trigger the salicylic acid (SA)-dependent SAR pathway by producing SA at the root surface. In other cases, rhizobacteria trigger a different signalling pathway that does not require SA. The existence of a SA-independent ISR pathway has been demonstrated in Arabidopsis thaliana. In contrast to pathogen-induced SAR, ISR induced by Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS417r is independent of SA accumulation and pathogenesis-related (PR) gene activation but, instead, requires responsiveness to the plant hormones jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene. Mutant analyses showed that ISR follows a novel signalling pathway in which components from the JA and ethylene response are successively engaged to trigger a defensive state that, like SAR, is controlled by the regulatory factor NPR1. Interestingly, simultaneous activation of both the JA/ethylene-dependent ISR pathway and the SA-dependent SAR pathway results in an enhanced level of protection. Thus combining both types of induced resistance provides an attractive tool for the improvement of disease control. This review focuses on the current status of our research on triggering, signalling, and expression of rhizobacteria-mediated ISR in Arabidopsis.     

Induced resistance to foliar diseases by soil solarization and Trichoderma harzianum

The effect of soil solarization and Trichoderma harzianum on induced resistance to grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) and powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) was studied. Plants were grown in soils pretreated by solarization, T. harzianum T39 amendment or both, and then their leaves were inoculated with the pathogens. There was a significant reduction in grey mould in cucumber, strawberry, bean and tomato, and of powdery mildew in cucumber, with a stronger reduction when treatments were combined. Bacillus, pseudomonad and actinobacterial communities in the strawberry rhizosphere were affected by the treatments, as revealed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis fingerprinting. In tomato, treatments affected the expression of salicylic acid (SA)‐, ethylene (ET)‐ and jasmonic acid (JA)‐responsive genes. With both soil treatments, genes related to SA and ET – PR1a, GluB, CHI9 and Erf1 – were downregulated whereas the JA marker PI2 was upregulated. Following soil treatments and B. cinerea infection, SA‐, ET‐, and JA‐related genes were globally upregulated, except for the LOX genes which were downregulated. Upregulation of the PR genes PR1a, GluB and CHI9 in plants grown in solarized soil revealed a priming effect of this treatment on these genes' expression. The present study demonstrates the capacity of solarization and T. harzianum to systemically induce resistance to foliar diseases in various plants. This may be due to either a direct effect on the plant or an indirect one, via stimulation of beneficial microorganisms in the rhizosphere.     

野生甘蓝表皮毛对菜青虫的抗性机理

为明确一种全身覆盖表皮毛的野生甘蓝Brassica incana（编号C01）是否具有抗虫性,通过测定菜青虫Pieris rapae对野生甘蓝C01和无毛甘蓝B. alboglabra（编号C41）的拒食、取食和产卵行为进行抗虫性分析,同时通过测定两者的内源激素含量、表皮毛发育相关基因表达量和防御酶活性探讨野生甘蓝C01对菜青虫的抗性机理。结果显示,生长至8～10叶期,无毛甘蓝C41叶片被菜青虫啃食严重,但野生甘蓝C01叶片未被啃食;菜青虫对无毛甘蓝C41和剪除表皮毛的野生甘蓝C01叶片取食面积差异不显著,但均显著大于对野生甘蓝C01叶片的取食面积;着卵的无毛甘蓝C41植株显著多于野生甘蓝C01。野生甘蓝C01叶片中茉莉酸和茉莉酸甲酯含量都显著高于无毛甘蓝C41叶片,而两者中水杨酸和水杨酸甲酯的含量差异不显著。BolJAZ1基因在无毛甘蓝C41叶片中高表达,而BolGL3和BolGL2基因在野生甘蓝C01叶片中高表达;且野生甘蓝C01叶片中多酚氧化酶、过氧化物酶和苯丙氨酸解氨酶3种防御酶的活性均显著高于无毛甘蓝C41。表明野生甘蓝C01叶片的表皮毛会影响菜粉蝶产卵,对菜青虫表现出显著抗...     

The elicitor protein BcIEB1 and the derived peptide ieb35 provide long-term plant protection

BcIEB is a small protein secreted by the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea that is recognized as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) by plants. This activity is mapped to a highly conserved region of 35 amino acids, the peptide ieb35. Moreover, it has been shown that the protein and the peptide induce systemic resistance to B. cinerea after their infiltration into tobacco leaves. In this work, the possible use of BcIBE1 or ieb35 as plant protective agents has been tested. Tobacco plants were sprayed, infiltrated, or treated at the seedling stage with the protein or the peptide, and plant susceptibility to pathogens with different lifestyles was then studied at various times after treatment. The results showed that both BcIEB1 and ieb35 caused a similar reduction in the lesion sizes caused by B. cinerea and in colonization by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci (reduced by c. 30% and c. 40%, respectively), independently of the treatment type. In addition, the number of B. cinerea inoculations leading to successful infections was also reduced in plants infiltrated or sprayed with BcIEB1/ieb35. The defence-related genes PR1a, NPR1, and osmotin ap24 were all induced by the protein and the peptide. BcIEB1, and especially ieb35, may be considered as a potential environmentally friendly treatment to increase plant resistance to pathogens.     

Role of methyl jasmonate in the expression of mycorrhizal induced resistance against Fusarium oxysporum in tomato plants

Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) colonization led to a decrease in the severity of fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato plants. The involvement of two plant defense hormones, namely methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and salicylic acid (SA), in the expression of mycorrhiza induced resistance (MIR) against this vascular pathogen was studied in the AM colonized and non-colonized (controls) plants. Activity of lipoxygenase (LOX), which plays a role in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis, as well as levels of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) increased in AM colonized plants as compared to controls, but did not show any further changes in response to F. oxysporum inoculation. On the other hand, activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), which is an enzyme from salicylic acid (SA) biosynthetic pathway, as well as SA levels, increased in both controls and AM colonized plants in response to application of F. oxysporum spores. Hence the JA and not the SA signalling pathway appeared to play a role in the expression of MIR against this vascular pathogen. The resistance observed in AM colonized plants was completely compromised when plants were treated with the JA biosynthesis inhibitor salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM). This confirmed that the AM-induced increase in JA levels was involved in the expression of resistance toward F. oxysporum. The SA response gene pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1) showed an increased expression in response to F. oxysporum infection in SHAM treated AM colonized plants as compared to plants that were not treated with this JA inhibitor. This suggested the possibility that JA inhibited SA responses, at least in the roots. AM colonization therefore appeared to prime plants for improved tolerance against the vascular pathogen F. oxysporum, which was mediated through the JA signalling pathway.     

Involvement of jasmonic acid signalling in bacterial wilt disease resistance induced by biocontrol agent Pythium oligandrum in tomato

When the biocontrol agent Pythium oligandrum (PO) colonizes the rhizosphere, it suppresses bacterial wilt disease in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro‐Tom) caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, and a homogenate of its mycelia exhibits elicitor activity, inducing an ethylene (ET)‐dependent defence response in Micro‐Tom. Since salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) play an important role in plant defence responses to pathogens, the involvement of SA‐ and JA‐dependent signal transduction pathways in resistance to R. solanacearum was investigated in tomato roots treated with a mycelial homogenate of PO. Bacterial wilt disease was also suppressed in tomato cv. Moneymaker treated with the PO homogenate. However, the SA‐inducible PR‐1(P6) gene was not up‐regulated in either Micro‐Tom or Moneymaker. SA did not accumulate in homogenate‐treated roots in comparison with distilled water‐treated controls, even 24 h after inoculation. Induced resistance against R. solanacearum was not compromised in SA‐non‐accumulating NahG transgenic plants treated with the PO homogenate. On the other hand, the expression of the JA‐responsive gene for the basic PR‐6 protein was induced in both tomato cultivars treated with the PO homogenate. Furthermore, quantitative disease assays showed that the induced resistance against R. solanacearum was compromized in PO homogenate‐treated jai1‐1 mutant plants defective in JA signalling. These results indicated that the JA‐dependent signalling pathway is required for PO‐induced resistance against R. solanacearum in tomato.     

草地贪夜蛾取食诱导玉米叶片转录组分析

为阐明玉米响应草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda取食胁迫防御反应的分子机制,利用RNAseq技术对草地贪夜蛾取食的玉米叶片进行转录组测序分析,并对抗虫代谢产物生物合成途径中的基因进行筛选鉴定。结果显示,与未接虫对照相比,草地贪夜蛾取食18 h导致玉米叶片中有1 645个基因差异表达(log2|处理/对照|1且FDR0.05),其中上调表达基因有1 352个,下调表达基因有293个。茉莉酸、水杨酸、乙烯等植物激素生物合成与信号转导途径相关基因大多上调表达,其中44个茉莉酸途径相关基因全部上调表达,说明该途径在玉米响应草地贪夜蛾取食诱导的防御反应中发挥着核心作用,其它激素生物合成与信号转导途径发挥协同作用。玉米重要抗虫次生代谢物苯并噁唑嗪酮类生物合成相关基因中有9个基因上调表达;15个萜烯挥发物生物合成相关差异表达基因中有14个上调表达,包括8个萜烯合成酶基因和1个CYP基因CYP92C5。表明草地贪夜蛾取食会诱导玉米复杂的植物激素途径和基因调控机制,激活以次级抗虫代谢物合成为主的防御反应。     

Induction of systemic resistance to<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum lindemuthianum</Emphasis> in bean by a benzothiadiazole derivative and rhizobacteria

Plants have developed mechanisms to resist secondary infection upon inoculation with a necrotizing pathogen, chemical treatment as well as treatment with some non-pathogenic microorganisms such as rhizosphere bacteria. This phenomenon has been variously described as induced systemic resistance (ISR) or systemic acquired resistance. In the present study, the chemical benzo(1,2,3)thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid-S-methyl ester (BTH, acibenzolar-S-methyl), and the rhizobacteriaPseudomonas aeruginosa KMPCH andP. fluorescens WCS417 were tested for their ability to induce resistance toColletotrichum lindemuthianum in susceptible and moderately resistant bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). BTH induced local and systemic resistance when bean leaves were immersed in 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁷ M BTH 3 days before the challenge inoculation. At a high concentration (10⁻³ M), BTH induced resistance of the same order as resistance induced by the pathogenC. lindemuthianum, although at this high concentration BTH appeared to be phytotoxic. Soil and seed treatment with 1 mg kg⁻¹ BTH protected beans against anthracnose. BTH-mediated induced resistance was effective in susceptible and moderately resistant plants.P. aeruginosa KMPCH induced resistance in bean againstC. lindemuthianum only in a moderately resistant interaction. KMPCH-567, a salicylic acid mutant of KMPCH, failed to induce resistance, indicating that salicylic acid is important for KMPCH to induce resistance in the bean—C. lindemuthianum system.P.fluorescens WCS417 could induce resistance toC. lindemuthianum in a susceptible and in moderately resistant interactions. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 16, 2002.     

茉莉酸处理菜豆对美洲斑潜蝇抗性的影响

为明确外源茉莉酸(JA)处理菜豆对美洲斑潜蝇抗性的诱导作用,采用生物测定和生化分析方法,研究了4种浓度JA喷施菜豆幼苗后,菜豆对美洲斑潜蝇的抗性及菜豆叶片过氧化物酶(POD)、多酚氧化酶(PPO)和脂氧合酶(LOX)活性的变化.结果表明,JA处理可以提高菜豆对美洲斑潜蝇的抗性及菜豆叶片3种防御酶的活性,且其抗性和防御酶活性提高程度均与JA浓度有关.0.1、1 mmol/L JA可显著降低美洲斑潜蝇成虫对菜豆的取食和产卵选择性,使卵或幼虫发育历期延长、幼虫取食量降低、蛹重减轻,而0.001和0.01 mmol/L JA仅对幼虫发育历期有显著影响.0.1 mmol/L JA处理后,菜豆叶片POD、PPO和LOX活性均显著升高,分别较对照增加33％、39％和80％,而0.001 mmol/L JA对菜豆叶片防御酶诱导作用不明显.     

Prior Inoculation with Non-pathogenic Fungi Induces Systemic Resistance to Powdery Mildew On Cucumber Plants

A spray inoculation of the first leaf of 2-leaf stage cucumber plants with a non-pathogenic isolate of Alternaria cucumarina or Cladosporium fulvum before a challenge inoculation with the pathogen Sphaerotheca fuliginea induced systemic resistance to powdery mildew on leaves 2–5. Systemic resistance was expressed by a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on each leaf of the induced plants, as compared with water-sprayed plants. Systemic resistance was evident when a prior inoculation with each of the inducing fungi was administered 1, 3 or 6 days before the challenge inoculation with S. fuliginea. Increasing the inoculum concentration of A. cucumarina or C. fulvum enhanced the systemic protection and provided up to 71.6% or 80.0% reduction, respectively, in the number of colonies produced on upper leaves, relative to controls. Increasing the inoculum concentration of S. fuliginea used for challenge inoculation, increased the number of powdery mildew colonies produced on both induced and non-induced plants. Pre-treated plants, however, were still better protected than controls, indicating that the level of systemic protection was related to the S. fuliginea inoculum concentration. The induction of systemic resistance against powdery mildew by biotic agents, facilitates the development of a wide range of disease management tools.     

Induction of Systemic Resistance Against Bacterial Wilt in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eucalyptus urophylla</Emphasis> by Fluorescent <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas</Emphasis> spp

The ability of selected strains of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. to cause induced systemic resistance (ISR) in Eucalyptus urophylla against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum was investigated. Four of the five strains used can produce salicylic acid (SA) in vitro and, therefore, chemical SA, that is known to induce resistance in many plant species, was used as a reference treatment. Whereas a soil drench with SA did induce systemic resistance in E. urophylla, infiltration of SA into leaves did not. None of the fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. strains caused ISR against bacterial wilt when applied to the soil, but two strains, P. putida WCS358r and P. fluorescens WCS374r triggered ISR when infiltrated into two lower leaves 3–7 days before challenge inoculation. A mutant of strain WCS358r defective in the biosynthesis of the fluorescent siderophore pseudobactin, did not cause ISR, while the purified siderophore of WCS358r did, suggesting that pseudobactin358 is the ISR determinant of WCS358. A siderophore-minus mutant of WCS374r induced the same level of disease resistance as its parental strain, but the purified siderophore induced resistance as well, indicating that both the siderophore and another, unknown, inducing determinant(s) of WCS374r can trigger ISR in Eucalyptus. A possible role of WCS374r-produced SA remains uncertain. Transformation of a siderophore-minus mutant of WCS358 with the SA biosynthetic gene cluster from WCS374 did not enable this transformant to cause ISR in E. urophylla.     

Existing infection with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhynchosporium secalis</Emphasis> compromises the ability of barley to express induced resistance

It has been suggested that if plants in the field are already induced, their ability to further enhance induced resistance might be compromised. This was examined in barley by inoculating the first two leaves with Rhynchosporium secalis prior to treatment of leaves three and four with an elicitor combination, followed by inoculation with R. secalis. The elicitor combination used consisted of acibenzolar-S-methyl, β-aminobutyric acid, and cis-jasmone, which was shown previously to provide higher levels of disease control in barley than any of the components used individually. The elicitor combination reduced infection by R. secalis, and led to an up-regulation of PR1-b, a marker gene for systemic acquired resistance, and increased activities of the defence-related enzymes cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), peroxidase (POX), and β-1,3-glucanase. It also led to down-regulation of LOX2, a gene involved in biosynthesis of jasmonic acid. In plants where the first two leaves were inoculated with R. secalis prior to treatment of leaves three and four with elicitor, these increased defence responses did not occur, and control of R. secalis infection on leaves three and four was also reduced. These results suggest that, at least in young barley plants, prior infection with R. secalis compromises their ability to respond effectively to elicitors. The results might help to explain the relatively poor performance of induced resistance in the field, particularly in cereals, compared to plants grown under controlled conditions.