Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalay, Palampur-176062, India
Treatment of pea plants with two elicitors (salicylic acid and 4-aminobutyric acid) at 1, 3 and 5mM concentrations of these increase the activity of phenol metabolizing enzymes viz., peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonialyase. There was a corresponding change in total and orthodihydroxy phenolic contents. Inoculation of plants with the spores of fungus E. polygoni also resulted in increase in of there parameters. Treatment with salicylic acid was more effective as compared to 4-aminobutyric acid. Spray with 5mM salicylic acid caused large variations in enzyme activities and phenolic contents. The treatment of pea plants with elicitors could strengthen the defense mechanisms by influencing the activity of phenol metabolizing enzymes and increase in the phenolic contents, which are crucial for disease resistance mechanisms.
4-aminobutyric acid, disease resistance, pea, phenols, salicylic acid
