Metabolism and Plant Hormone Action During Clubroot Disease

Infection of Brassicaceae with the obligate biotrophic pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae results in the development of root galls (clubroots). During the transformation of a healthy root to a root gall a plethora of changes in primary and secondary metabolism occur. The upper part of an infected plant is retarded in growth due to redirection of assimilates from the shoot to the root. In addition, changes in the levels of plant growth regulators, especially auxins and cytokinins, contribute to the hypertrophy of infected roots. Also, defense reactions are manipulated after inoculation of suitable host plants with P. brassicae. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the changes in these parameters. A model is presented for how primary metabolism and secondary metabolism, including plant hormones, interact to induce clubroot formation.