Fertilizer Rate-Associated Increase in Foliar Jasmonate Burst Observed in Wounded Arabidopsis thaliana Leaves is Attenuated at eCO(2)

The predicted future increase in tropospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) levels will have major effects on C(3) plants and their interactions with other organisms in the biosphere. In response to attack by chewing arthropod herbivores or nectrotrophic pathogens, many plants mount a rapid and intense increase in jasmonate-related phytohormones that results in a robust defense response; however, previous studies have shown that C(3) plants grown at elevated CO(2) may have lower induced jasmonate levels, particularly in well nitrate-fertilized plants. Given the relationship between atmospheric CO(2), photorespiration, cellular reductant and redox status, nitrogen assimilation and phytohormones, we compared wound-induced responses of the C(3) plant Arabidopsis thaliana. These plants were fertilized at two different rates (1 or 10 mM) with nitrate or ammonium and grown at ambient or elevated CO(2). In response to artificial wounding, an increase in cellular oxidative status leads to a strong increase in jasmonate phytohormones. At ambient CO(2), increased oxidative state of nitrate-fertilized plants leads to a robust 7-iso-jasmonyl-L-isoleucine increase; however, the strong fertilizer rate-associated increase is alleviated in plants grown at elevated CO(2). As well, the changes in ascorbate in response to wounding and wound-induced salicylic acid levels may also contribute to the suppression of the jasmonate burst. Understanding the mechanism underlying the attenuation of the jasmonate burst at elevated CO(2) has important implications for fertilization strategies under future predicted climatic conditions.