A Jasmonate-Induced Defense Elicitation in Mature Leaves Reduces Carbon Export and Alters Sink Priority in Grape (Vitis vinifera Chardonnay)

This work aims to understand how Vitis vinifera (Chardonnay) vines prioritise the export and distribution of recently fixed photoassimilate between root tissue, fruit, and defence, following the elicitation of a defence response. Jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl ester, MeJA, are endogenous plant hormones, known collectively as jasmonates, that have signalling roles in plant defence and consequently are often used to prime plant defence systems. Here, we use exogenous jasmonate application to mature source leaves of Chardonnay grapevines to elucidate the prioritisation strategy of carbon allocation between plant defence and growth. Our results demonstrate that jasmonate application to Chardonnay leaves can elicit a defence response to Botrytis cinerea, but the effect was localised to the jasmonate-treated area. We found no evidence of a systemic defence response in non-treated mature leaves or young growing tissue. JA application reduced the photosynthetic rate of the treated leaf and reduced the export rate of recently fixed carbon-11 from the leaf. Following JA application, a greater proportion of available recently fixed carbon was allocated to the roots, suggesting an increase in sink strength of the roots. Relative sink strength of the berries did not change; however, an increase in berry sugar was observed seven days after JA treatment. We conclude that the data provide evidence for a “high sugar resistance” model in the mature treated leaves of the vine, since the export of carbon was reduced to ensure an elevated defence response in the treated leaf. The increase in berry sugar concentration seven days after treatment can be explained by the initial prioritisation of a greater portion of the exported carbon to storage in the roots, making it available for remobilisation to the berries once the challenge to defence had passed.