Biochemical characterization of rapeseed-mustard calli tolerant to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum culture filtrates

Rapeseed-mustard calli formed on MS medium containing NAA 1 mg⁻1 + BAP 1 mg⁻1 and exposed to various concentrations of culture filtrate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were subjected to biochemical analysis. The results revealed that total soluble sugars and reducing sugars increased in the selected calli with an increase in the concentration of S. sclerotiorum culture filtrate in all genotypes. However, these were reduced with higher concentration of culture filtrate (20%) in B. napus cv. GSH-1 and B. carinata cv. HC-9002. These selected calli when exposed to culture filltrate (CF) up to 15%, the level of phenol and flavanol increased in all the genotypes but with further increase in concentration of CF, the amount of these biochemical constituents decreased. Studies revealed that changes in sugar content, phenolic compounds and flavonols in response to CF in calli from plants can serve as index of relative tolerance/susceptibility to the diseases.