Characterization of strigolactones exuded by Asteraceae plants

Strigolactones (SLs), originally characterized as germination stimulants for root parasitic weeds, are now recognized as hyphal branching factors for symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and as a novel class of plant hormones inhibiting shoot branching. In the present study, SLs in root exudates of 13 Asteraceae plants including crops, a weed, and ornamental plants were characterized. High performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analyses revealed that all the Asteraceae plants examined exuded known SLs and, except for sunflower (Helianthus annuus), high germination stimulant activities at retention times corresponding to these SLs were confirmed. The two major SLs exuded by these Asteraceae plants were orobanchyl acetate and orobanchol. 5-Deoxystrigol and 7-hydroxyorobanchyl acetate were detected in root exudates from several Asteraceae species examined in this study.