A different trend of antioxidant defence responses makes tomato plants less susceptible to beauvericin than to T-2 mycotoxin phytotoxicity

The response to the phytotoxicity of beauvericin (BEA) and T-2, two mycotoxins produced by various species of the Fusarium genus, was studied in tomato seedlings. The components of the ascorbate-glutathione system, as well as other antioxidant systems such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase enzymes were examined to evaluate their contribution to the defence strategies that the tomato plants employ to counteract attacks by the pathogens which produce these mycotoxins. This paper outlines that the simultaneous mobilization of different defence systems is necessary to overcome the phytotoxicity of BEA in tomato plants. Structural modifications of the cell wall, such as enhanced lignification, and metabolic rearrangements brought about by intracellular antioxidant systems to decrease the ionophore effect of BEA in tomato plants are suggested. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.