Brazilian research advances understanding of lethal tanning in palm trees in the US

Published 2023년 6월 19일

Tridge summary

Researchers have discovered that palm trees infected with 'lethal tanning', a bacterial disease, release volatiles that alert nearby healthy plants to the potential threat. These volatiles, such as E-2-hexenal and hexanal, have antimicrobial properties and can be used in new, more environmentally friendly bioinputs to treat palm trees and enhance their defenses. This finding is significant as palm trees play a crucial role in South Florida's landscape, providing aesthetic, environmental, cultural, and economic benefits, and are currently combating the spread of the lethal tanning disease. The research could lead to the development of less expensive and effective treatments for the disease, replacing the current expensive synthetic antibiotic used in the US.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Lethal tanning is a bacterial disease that kills more than 20 species of palm trees in the southern United States and the Caribbean and has devastated Florida's green industries for nearly two decades. This disease has been causing a significant decline in palm trees. In a recent discovery made by postdoctoral fellow at Embrapa Environment Jordana Ferreira, funded by FAPESP, during her postdoctoral research at the University of Florida, under the supervision of researcher Sonia Queiroz, it was evaluated that palm trees infected with tanning release high concentrations of volatiles, which alert nearby healthy palms to a possible threat. According to Ferreira, the research results showed that infected, injured or stressed palms released volatile chemical compounds such as E-2-hexenal and hexanal, causing nearby healthy plants to activate the production of other compounds such as 3-hexenal and Z -3-hexen-1-ol to potentially ward off the pest responsible for the disease. “Plants that ...

Source: Embrapa