We used two fungal strains of Botrytis cinerea differing in their
virulence. This pathogen has a necrotrophic lifestyle that promotes
host cell death in order to acquire C and nutrients. The main
component of plant defense against necrotrophic pathogens is the
elicitation of the jasmonic acid-based (JA) pathway, which results in
the production of JA and a subsequent increase in the expression of
defense effector genes. This response is also elicited by other forms of
stresses such as wounding or insect herbivory (Glazebrook, 2005).
The strains of B.