A synthetic jasmonate receptor agonist uncouples the growth–defense trade-off in rice
Junli Xiao, Yoko Nakamura, Zhixin Wu, Wenjie Fu, Yumeng Chen, Yonggen Lou, Ian T. Baldwin, Wilhelm Boland, Ran Li
Abstract
Herbivore attack elicits jasmonate (JA) signaling which in turn elicits both anti-herbivore plant defenses and growth inhibitions. The resulting growth-defense trade-offs constrain the utility of JA-based plant defense inducers to enhance endogenous pest resistance. Here, we designed and screened selective JA receptor agonists by synthesizing 6-substituted 1-oxoindanoyl isoleucine (In-Ile) conjugates and their free-acid forms, structural mimics of the bioactive hormone (+)-7-iso-jasmonoyl-L-Ile. These compounds differentially activate JA responses through selective binding of specific COI-JAZ coreceptor complexes. Notably, In-Ile treatments enhanced rice resistance to brown planthopper attack, a destructive rice pest, under both laboratory and field conditions, without compromising rice's growth or yield. Mechanistically, this agonist activates the OsMYB55-mediated lignin biosynthesis defense receptor module [OsCOI1a/2-OsJAZs (3,4,6,7,12)] without activating the growth-suppression receptor module (OsCOI1b-OsJAZs). These findings demonstrate that synthetic JA agonists can provide nuanced manipulations of endogenous plant defenses without yield penalties-a promising biorational strategy for pest control in rice.