How plants sense wounds: damaged-self recognition is based on plant-derived elicitors and induces octadecanoid signaling.

Background: Animal-derived elicitors can be used by plants to detect herbivory but they function only in specific insect-plant interactions. How can plants generally perceive damage caused by herbivores? Damaged-self recognition occurs when plants perceive molecular signals of damage: degraded plant molecules or molecules localized outside their original compartment.

Methodology/principal Findings: Flame wounding or applying leaf extract or solutions of sucrose or ATP to slightly wounded lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) leaves induced the secretion of extrafloral nectar, an indirect defense mechanism.

Short signalling distances make plant communication a soliloquy.

Plants respond to attack by herbivores or pathogens with the release of volatile organic compounds. Neighbouring plants can receive these volatiles and consecutively induce their own defence arsenal. This 'plant communication', however, appears counterintuitive when it benefits independent and genetically unrelated receivers, which may compete with the emitter.

Glucanases and chitinases as causal agents in the protection of Acacia extrafloral nectar from infestation by phytopathogens.

Nectars are rich in primary metabolites and attract mutualistic animals, which serve as pollinators or as an indirect defense against herbivores. Their chemical composition makes nectars prone to microbial infestation. As protective strategy, floral nectar of ornamental tobacco (Nicotiana langsdorffii x Nicotiana sanderae) contains "nectarins," proteins producing reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide.

Airborne induction and priming of plant defenses against a bacterial pathogen.

Herbivore-induced plant volatiles affect the systemic response of plants to local damage and hence represent potential plant hormones. These signals can also lead to "plant-plant communication," a defense induction in yet undamaged plants growing close to damaged neighbors. We observed this phenomenon in the context of disease resistance.

Callus and suspension culture induction, maintenance, and characterization.

Callus and cell suspension can be used for long-term cell cultures maintenance. This chapter describes procedures for the induction of somatic embryos of garlic, keeping a regeneration capacity for more than 5 yr, as well as the maintenance of a tobacco suspension culture (NT-1 cells), for more than 10 yr. Methods for plant regeneration and growth kinetics of garlic cultures are described, as well as for cell viability of NT-1 cells stained with 2,3,5 triphenyltetrazolium chloride.