Salicylic acid and ethylene signaling pathways are involved in production of rice trypsin proteinase inhibitors induced by the leaf folder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis （Guenee）

The roles of signaling pathways in the production of trypsin proteinase inhibitors (TrypPIs) in rice infested by the leaf folder (LF) Cnaphalocrocis medinalis were studied. Infestation by LF increased TrypPI levels in the leaves of rice plants at the tillering, booting and flowering stages but decreased TrypPI levels at the ripening stage; TrypPI levels in rice stems did not increase at any developmental stage. Infestation by LF at the tillering stage systemically increased TrypPI levels in leaves but not in stems; it also enhanced salicylic acid (SA) levels in leaves and stems, and the ethylene level released from plants. However, LF infestation did not increase JA concentrations. Exogenous application of SA or ethylene enhanced TrypPI levels in the leaves and stems of plants at the tillering stage, whereas treatment with both SA and ethylene induced lower levels of TrypPIs than treatment with SA or ethylene alone, suggesting an antagonistic effect of SA and ethylene on TrypPIs induction. The results suggest that both SA and ethylene signaling pathways are involved in the production of TrypPIs in rice induced by LF; moreover, the antagonistic effect of SA and ethylene may explain the changes in TrypPI levels seen at different plant developmental stages and in different organs.