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Ornithine enhances common bean growth and defense against white mold disease via interfering with SsOAH and diminishing the biosynthesis of oxalic acid in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Summary

Researchers found that L-ornithine, a naturally occurring amino acid, can help common bean plants defend themselves against white mold disease caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. When applied to bean plants, ornithine boosted their antioxidant defenses and interfered with the fungus’s ability to produce oxalic acid, a toxic compound it uses to infect plants. This discovery offers farmers a potential eco-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides for protecting bean crops.

Background

White mold disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating fungal pathogen affecting common bean production worldwide. The pathogen employs oxalic acid as a virulence factor to manipulate plant cell walls and suppress host defense responses. Current chemical fungicide-based management strategies face limitations due to pathogen resistance development and environmental concerns.

Objective

This study investigated the potential of L-ornithine, a non-proteinogenic amino acid, as an eco-friendly alternative to enhance common bean defense mechanisms against white mold disease by examining its effects on plant physiology, biochemistry, and fungal virulence factors.

Results

L-ornithine significantly inhibited S. sclerotiorum mycelial growth dose-dependently and reduced white mold severity in greenhouse conditions. Treatment enhanced plant antioxidant responses including phenolics, flavonoids, and enzymatic antioxidants (CAT, POX, PPO), while upregulating antioxidant-associated genes. Notably, L-ornithine downregulated SsOAH gene expression in fungal mycelia and significantly diminished oxalic acid secretion.

Conclusion

L-ornithine represents a promising eco-friendly management strategy for white mold disease by maintaining plant redox status and boosting defense responses while interfering with fungal pathogenicity factors. This dual mechanism suggests potential for sustainable agricultural disease control strategies.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Plant Science,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 40256599
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