Journal of Food Legumes

Infection due to any pathogen triggers a series of reaction in plant which alters the levels of various pathogenesis related (PR) proteins governing the degree of resistance of that plant. Amongst the various plant viruses infecting cowpea crop, Blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (BICMV) is one of the important and widespread one responsible for reduction in yield of the crop. Changes in the PR proteins viz.-1, 3 glucanase, Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were estimated from leaves of cowpea genotypes inoculated with BICMV. The results indicated that resistant varieties had higher levels of PR proteins than moderately resistant. In susceptible variety decreasing trend in PR proteins over the period was recorded indicating that more induction of PR proteins in cowpea is positively correlated with resistance to BICMV.