Linalool-triggered plant-soil feedback drives defense adaptation in dense maize plantings

TY - JOUR

T1 - Linalool-triggered plant-soil feedback drives defense adaptation in dense maize plantings

AU - Guo, Dongsheng

AU - Liu, Zilin

AU - Raaijmakers, Jos M.

AU - Xu, Yachun

AU - Yang, Jinghui

AU - Erb, Matthias

AU - Zhang, Jiabao

AU - Zhu, Yong Guan

AU - Xu, Jianming

AU - Hu, Lingfei

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 American Association for the Advancement of Science. All rights reserved.

PY - 2025/8/14

Y1 - 2025/8/14

N2 - High planting density boosts crop yields but also heightens pest and pathogen risks. How plants adapt their defenses under these conditions remains unclear. In this study, we reveal that maize enhances its defense in high-density conditions through a plant-soil feedback mechanism triggered by the leaf volatile linalool. Linalool activates jasmonate signaling in neighboring plants and promotes root exudation of benzoxazinoids, especially 2-(2-hydroxy-4,7-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one)-β-d-glucopyranose (HDMBOA-glc). these exudates in turn reshape the rhizosphere microbiome composition to favor growth of specific bacterial taxa that trigger broad-spectrum resistance, albeit at the cost of maize growth. this microbiome-driven feedback loop is governed by salicylic acid signaling. Our findings uncover intricate chemical signaling in high-density cropping, which is instrumental for improving soil health and designing sustainable strategies that balance the trade-off between plant growth and defense.

AB - High planting density boosts crop yields but also heightens pest and pathogen risks. How plants adapt their defenses under these conditions remains unclear. In this study, we reveal that maize enhances its defense in high-density conditions through a plant-soil feedback mechanism triggered by the leaf volatile linalool. Linalool activates jasmonate signaling in neighboring plants and promotes root exudation of benzoxazinoids, especially 2-(2-hydroxy-4,7-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one)-β-d-glucopyranose (HDMBOA-glc). these exudates in turn reshape the rhizosphere microbiome composition to favor growth of specific bacterial taxa that trigger broad-spectrum resistance, albeit at the cost of maize growth. this microbiome-driven feedback loop is governed by salicylic acid signaling. Our findings uncover intricate chemical signaling in high-density cropping, which is instrumental for improving soil health and designing sustainable strategies that balance the trade-off between plant growth and defense.

U2 - 10.1126/science.adv6675

DO - 10.1126/science.adv6675

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105014499008

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 389

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6761

M1 - adv6675

ER -