Characterization of the Role of Salicylic Acid in Plant-Pathogen Interactions in Moss

Indianapolis, IN

The central objective of this project is to explore the correlation between the inoculations of the moss, Amblystegium serpensand Physcomitrella patenswith the fungus, Pythium irregulare through the systemic acquired response. I hypothesize that when the moss are treated exogenously with salicylic acid, the organisms will undergo an immune response, which will involve the induction of defense-related genes and greater resistance to future P. irregulare infection. If the role of salicylic acid in SAR in A. serpens and P. patens can be determined, then it may be possible to draw more definitive conclusions regarding when SAR arose in plants. Additionally, a better understanding of SAR in vascular plants may also be beneficial for our understanding of how to treat economically important crops, such as Zea mays (corn), and Glycine max (soybeans).