Jojoba's survival strategy: How jasmonate boosts cold acclimation

This study reveals how jasmonate enhances cold acclimation in jojoba by promoting flavonol synthesis. Through metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses, researchers found that cold acclimation leads to flavonol accumulation, crucial for increased cold tolerance. The jasmonate signaling pathway, which activates the flavonol biosynthesis pathway, plays a key role in this process. By elucidating these mechanisms, the study highlights the potential of using jasmonate pathways to develop cold-tolerant jojoba varieties, opening new avenues for expanding jojoba cultivation into temperate regions.

Jojoba, a valuable industrial oil crop, is limited to tropical regions due to its sensitivity to low temperatures. Cold acclimation, where plants are exposed to low non-lethal temperatures, has shown potential to improve cold tolerance in various species by triggering complex physiological and biochemical changes that enhance resilience to cold stress. Based on these challenges, it is essential to investigate the molecular mechanisms behind cold acclimation in jojoba to develop strategies for its growth in temperate regions, thereby expanding its agricultural and economic potential.

Researchers from Minzu University of China and Beijing Normal University conducted a study (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae125) published in Horticulture Research on May 3, 2024. The study investigates how jasmonate, a plant hormone, enhances cold tolerance in jojoba by promoting flavonol synthesis. The research findings offer insights into developing cold-tolerant jojoba varieties.

The study utilized metabolomic analysis to show that cold acclimation induces the accumulation of various flavonols in jojoba. Time-course transcriptomic and weighted correlation network analyses (WGCNA) revealed that flavonol biosynthesis and jasmonate signaling pathways are vital for this process. Biochemical and genetic tests identified ScMYB12 as a key transcription factor that activates the flavonol synthase gene (ScFLS). During cold acclimation, increased jasmonate levels lead to the degradation of the negative regulator ScJAZ13, enhancing the activity of the ScTT8 and ScMYB12 complex, and promoting flavonol accumulation. These findings indicate that the jasmonate pathway plays a significant role in cold acclimation, suggesting it as a potential target for breeding jojoba varieties with improved cold tolerance. This research provides valuable insights into developing strategies for expanding jojoba cultivation into temperate regions.

Dr. Fei Gao, the corresponding author of the study, stated, "Our research uncovers the pivotal role of jasmonates in enhancing cold tolerance in jojoba. By understanding the molecular mechanisms involved, we can develop strategies to improve the cold resilience of this valuable crop."

The insights from this study can be applied to breed cold-tolerant jojoba varieties, expanding its cultivation to temperate regions. This advancement not only enhances jojoba production but also contributes to preventing land desertification, offering both economic and ecological benefits.

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References

DOI

10.1093/hr/uhae125

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae125

Funding information

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 31770363 and 31670335), and Beijing Advanced Discipline for Mass Spectrometry Imaging and Metabolomics (No. 104-01900403).

About Horticulture Research

Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2022. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.