In this work, we controlled grey mould post-harvest infection caused by Botrytis cinerea, one of the main cause of decay in harvested tomato, by inducing resistance with the plant activator benzothiadiazole (BTH, Bion TM). Ripened red tomato (cv. Ciliegino) of uniform size and colour were sprayed every other day with 0.3mM BTH for three times and then inoculated by injection of a conidial suspension (105 spores ml-1) deep into the pericarp. In BTH untreated controls, mycelium developed concentrically from the inoculation site 48 h after incubation at 20 °C, 99 % UR, and disease markedly increased from day 4 onward, with a maximum development at day 8, when most of the berry was infected. In BTH treated tomato the reduction of mycelium spreading was of 71 ± 7,5%, though in many cases fungal growth was completely inhibited. HPLC analysis showed an increase of lycopene content in treated vs. control tomatoes of 8.6 ± 0.8 %. Our results showed that post-harvest induced resistance, besides being successfully employed in crop protection, could be a valid tool to improve the health benefits of plant foodstuffs.
Chemical-induced resistance against post-harvest infection enhances tomato nutritional traits.
MAPELLI S;FAORO;
2007
Abstract
In this work, we controlled grey mould post-harvest infection caused by Botrytis cinerea, one of the main cause of decay in harvested tomato, by inducing resistance with the plant activator benzothiadiazole (BTH, Bion TM). Ripened red tomato (cv. Ciliegino) of uniform size and colour were sprayed every other day with 0.3mM BTH for three times and then inoculated by injection of a conidial suspension (105 spores ml-1) deep into the pericarp. In BTH untreated controls, mycelium developed concentrically from the inoculation site 48 h after incubation at 20 °C, 99 % UR, and disease markedly increased from day 4 onward, with a maximum development at day 8, when most of the berry was infected. In BTH treated tomato the reduction of mycelium spreading was of 71 ± 7,5%, though in many cases fungal growth was completely inhibited. HPLC analysis showed an increase of lycopene content in treated vs. control tomatoes of 8.6 ± 0.8 %. Our results showed that post-harvest induced resistance, besides being successfully employed in crop protection, could be a valid tool to improve the health benefits of plant foodstuffs.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
