Plant immunity under suboptimal conditions.

Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA) is recognized as a key plant hormone crucial for defending against pathogens, pests, and coping with various environmental stresses. Recent studies have demonstrated that heatwaves induced by climate change worsen plant diseases worldwide. Elevated temperatures pose a particular threat to SA production and signaling, indicating that rising temperatures could hinder plant immunity in future climates. This research reveals that reduced SA production and signaling at suboptimal temperatures are common across different plant species, leading to compromised immunity when temperatures rise. Our study highlights the transcription of CBP60g/SARD1 as critical steps in restoring SA-mediated immunity under higher temperatures. Elevated temperatures disrupt the transcriptional machinery, affecting the recruitment of defense-associated biomolecular condensates (GDAC) like GUANYLATE BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE 3 (GBPL3) and overall transcription at the CBP60g locus. Consequently, our findings shed light on how increased temperatures impact plant immunity and suggest strategies for developing temperature-resistant plant defenses in warming climates.