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Constitutive and Induced Activities of Defense-Related Enzymes in Aphid-Resistant and Aphid-Susceptible Cultivars of Wheat

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Abstract

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD) are considered important biochemical markers in host plant resistance against pest insects. Constitutive activity of these enzymes was analyzed in resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars against cereal aphid Sitobion avenae (F.) at various developmental stages, i.e., tillering, stem elongation, flag leaf, and ear. Following aphid infestation, the activity of these enzymes was determined at the flag leaf and ear stages. Resistant cultivars exhibited greater constitutive PAL activity than susceptible ones at the tillering, stem elongation, and flag leaf stages. Aphid infestation enhanced levels of PAL activity in the flag leaf and ear stages in both resistant and susceptible cultivars. Constitutive PPO activity was higher in the resistant cultivars at all developmental stages. Aphid infestation induced increases in PPO activity in the flag leaf and ear stages of one susceptible cultivar, whereas induction in resistant cultivars was weaker. Resistant cultivars showed greater constitutive POD activity in the tillering, stem elongation, and flag leaf stages, while aphid infestation induced POD activity in all cultivars, especially in susceptible ones. The potential role of PAL, PPO, and POD in wheat defense against aphid infestation is discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by the National Basic Research Program of China (“973” Program, 2006CB100206), National Support Program (2006BAD08A05), Ministry of Science and Technology of China, and the Initiation Research Project (2004050) of China Agricultural University. We thank Dr. Jinping Du (Beijing Ecoman Biotech Co. LTD) for the grammatical assistance and two anonymous reviewers for the helpful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Ying Han, Yu Wang, Xiao-Qin Yang, Xin Zhao, Yuan Hu & Qing-Nian Cai

  2. University of California Cooperative Extension, Salinas, CA, 93901, USA

    Jian-Long Bi

  3. Chengdu Tape S & T Development Pty Ltd., Chengdu, China

    Yong Huang

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  1. Ying Han
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  2. Yu Wang
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  8. Qing-Nian Cai
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Correspondence to Qing-Nian Cai.

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Han, Y., Wang, Y., Bi, JL. et al. Constitutive and Induced Activities of Defense-Related Enzymes in Aphid-Resistant and Aphid-Susceptible Cultivars of Wheat. J Chem Ecol 35, 176–182 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-009-9589-5

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