1Department of Zoology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143 005, India.
2Department of Botanical & Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar 143 005, India.
3Department of Biology, School of Pure & Applied Sciences, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji.
The influence of isolated brassinosteroids (Iso BRs) was investigated at morphogenetic as well as biochemical level in Meloidogyne incognita. The egg masses J2 of M. incognita were exposed, in vitro to six concentrations (ranging from 10−10 to 10−5 M) of Iso BRs for 7 days and 48 hrs, respectively. Observations recorded revealed higher percentage of hatching in treated egg masses as compared to control whereas there was no effect on juvenile vigour. Hatched juveniles from treated egg masses and the treated juveniles were further allowed to develop on plants for 45 days. BRs treated juveniles resulted into more gall number of larger size of galls as compared to untreated ones. For biochemcial evaluation, the activity of four enzymes viz. catalase, esterases, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferases(GST) were assessed in the J2 of M. incognita after the treatment of egg masses with BRs. The activity of catalase and esterases increased with brassinosteroids treatments as compared to control whereas SOD and GSTs swhowed decreased activity.
Biochemical response, Brassinosteroids, Meloidogyne incognita, Mortality
