植物种间和种内的化学作用

植物间相互作用是生态学基础科学问题之一,植物能感受和识别共存同种或异种植物,进而调整生长、繁殖和防御策略。植物种间和种内的感受和识别大多是由植物产生释放的次生物质所介导,这类化学识别通讯可以启动相应的植物化感作用机制。近年发现,植物亲属间也存在着化学识别、地下根系通讯调控地上开花繁殖等植物种间和种内的化学作用关系。目前植物通过地上挥发物介导的植物化学作用已基本澄清,但根分泌物介导的植物地下化学作用机制及其信号物质还所知甚少。地下化学作用不仅决定根系侵入(接近)和躲避(排斥)行为,也能调控地上开花时间和花期。这样,植物间的化学作用还涉及植物地下和地上的协调互作。本文以植物化感作用和植物化学识别通讯及相应的化感物质和信号物质为基点,从植物亲属识别、根系化学识别和行为模式、地下化学作用调控地上开花繁殖3个方面综述植物种间和种内化学作用的研究进展,为全面理解植物间相互作用提供新视野。

Inter-specific and intra-specific chemical interactions among plants

Plant-plant interactions is a fundamental issue in ecology. Plants are able to detect and perceive inter-specific and intra-specific neighbors and then adjust their growth, reproduction and defense strategies. Such inter-specific and intra-specific recognition and perception are mostly media-ted by secondary metabolites. Those chemical communications can initiate and activate the corresponding mechanism in allelopathy. In recent years, several novel plant-plant chemical interactions have been observed, such as kin recognition, and flowering and reproduction mediated by root communication. Till now, the inter-specific and intra-specific chemical interactions among plants mediated by volatiles have been substantially clarified. However, the mechanisms and soil-borne signaling chemicals involved in plant-plant chemical interactions mediated by root exudates remain poorly understood. Belowground chemical interactions not only determine the behavior of root invasion (approaching) and avoidance (repelling), but also regulate the flowering time and florescence. Accordingly, the chemical interactions involve the coordination between belowground and aboveground parts. On the basis of allelopathy and chemical recognition as well as corresponding allelochemicals and signaling chemicals, this review outlined recent research advances regarding plant-plant chemical interactions from kin recognition, root communication and behavior patterns, belowground chemical interactions to regulate flowering and reproduction. The efforts represented a mechanistically exhaustive view of plant-plant interactions.