Exogenous salicylic acid treatment delays initial infection and counteracts alterations induced by Maize dwarf mosaic virus in the maize proteome

Abstract The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) was applied to healthy and Maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV)-infected maize plants, and differential proteomic analysis was simultaneously performed to evaluate the physiological effects and the SA-maize-virus interaction in the early pathogenesis cycle. MDMV infection reduced photosynthetic rates, while SA increased them, together with plant height and roots in healthy plants. In infected plants, SA increased RuBisCo and stabilized chlorophyll a-b binding protein expression, increased plant height and root volume, delayed symptom expression, and reduced infection rate. Results highlight biochemical pathways involved in the maize-MDMV pathosystem and signal SA as key to maize disease management programs.