Monoterpenes in systemic acquired resistance within and between plants

Abstract: This work focuses on the role of volatile organic compounds in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We report that the monoterpenes α- and β-pinene are essential for SAR and also act as info-chemicals propagating SAR-like immunity between plants. This work underlines a possible ecological importance of SAR via air-borne signalling.