SPL13 together with SPL9 redundantly regulates wax biosynthesis upon drought stress.

Wax biosynthesis is strictly regulated by many regulators under different environmental conditions. Our previous study showed that the regulation module miR156/SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE9 (SPL9)/DEWAX is identified to be involved in the diurnal regulation of wax production, however, it was unknown if other SPLs are also involved in the wax synthesis. Here, we reported that SPL13 regulates drought-induced wax production as well. Moreover, its regulatory role directly or indirectly affects the expression of two wax biosynthesis genes CER1 and CER4. Further study showed that SPL13 together with SPL9 redundantly regulated the wax accumulation upon either normal conditions or drought stress, simultaneous mutation of both genes additively enhanced cuticle permeability and decreased the drought tolerance. However, different from SPL9, SPL13 seemed not to participate in the DEWAX-mediated diurnal regulation of wax production.