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. 2024 Sep 27;20(1):2546465.
doi: 10.1080/15592324.2025.2546465. Epub 2025 Aug 20.

Green light modulates disease resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana against Pseudomonas syringae pv . tomato

Swarnalee Dutta  1 , Shamjetsabam Gangarani Devi  1 , Yong Hoon Lee  1   2
Affiliations

Green light modulates disease resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana against Pseudomonas syringae pv . tomato

Swarnalee Dutta et al. Plant Signal Behav. .

Abstract

Light plays a pivotal role in regulating plant physiological processes. However, the influence of specific light wavelengths on plant defense to pathogen infection remains insufficiently explored. We investigated the role of different light wavelengths, with a particular focus on green light (GL), in modulating disease responses and signaling in Arabidopsis. We pretreated Arabidopsis Col-0 plants with various light wavelengths before challenging them with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000). GL at an intensity of 100 µmol m-2 s-1 significantly suppressed disease incidence compared to white light (WL). GL upregulated the expression of key defense-related genes, including COI1, JAR1, PDF1.2, and PAD4, compared to WL. Furthermore, GL promoted callose deposition and reduced H2O2 production relative to the WL treatment. Jasmonic acid (JA)-deficient mutants (∆Jar1 and ∆Coi1) exhibited heightened disease severity under GL treatment compared with that of Col-0, underscoring the central role of the JA pathway in GL-mediated defense responses. These results indicate that GL functions as a crucial modulator of the defense response in Arabidopsis, offering new insights into the relationship between light quality and plant immunity. However, further research is required to elucidate the precise perception mechanisms and signaling networks involved in GL-mediated defense responses.

Keywords: Green light; jasmonic acid; light; photoreceptor; resistance.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Effect of different light wavelengths on disease severity in Arabidopsis infected by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Effect of green and white light intensities on disease severity in Arabidopsis infected by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.. Effect of green light on jasmonic acid signaling pathway gene expression.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.. Effect of green light on the expression of salicylic acid signaling pathway genes.
The leaves of Arabidopsis Col-0 were inoculated with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and incubated under the exposure of white light (WL) or green (GL) light at an intensity of 100 µmol m−2 s−1. (A) (H₂O₂) was quantified by measuring absorbance at 390 nm. Data represent the mean ± SD from three biological replicates per treatment, and * indicates significant difference between WL and GL. (B) The accumulation was analyzed by DAB staining.
Figure 5.. Effect of green light on H2O2 production and localization.
The leaves of Arabidopsis Col-0 were inoculated with Pseudomonas syringae pv.tomato DC3000 and incubated under the exposure of white light (WL) and green (GL). (A) Callose deposition was quantified by measuring the relative stained area (%). Data represent the mean ± SD from three biological replicates per treatment. Bars with the same letters are not significantly different according to Tukey's HSD test (P ˂ 0.05). The infected leaf samples were collected at (B) 12 h and (C) 24 h after inoculation, stained with methyl blue, and analyzed for callose deposition using a fluorescence microscope. The yellow bar indicates a scale bar of 20 µm.
Figure 6.. Effect of white and green light on callose deposition.
Wild-type Arabidopsis Col-0 and mutant lines (Δjar1, Δcoi1, Δsid2, and Δnpr1) were pretreated with white light (WL) and green light (GL) at an intensity of 100 µmol m−2 s−1 for 6 h and inoculated with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. (A) Disease severity was assessed 7 d after inoculation. Data represented as the mean ± SD from three biological replicates, each consisting of five leaves. The experiment was repeated at least three times with similar results. Bars with the same letters are not significantly different according to Tukey's HSD test (P ˂ 0.05). (B, C) Photos were taken 7 d after inoculation under the WL and GL illuminations, respectively.
Figure 7.. Effect of green light on disease severity in Arabidopsis Col-0 and mutants.
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