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Methyl Ester ofp-Coumaric Acid: A Phytoalexin-Like Compound from Long English Cucumber Leaves

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Abstract

Methanolic extracts from long English cucumber leaves were fractionated and tested for their fungitoxicity by direct bioassay againstCladosporium cucumerinum on TLC plates. After separation by several preparative TLCs and flash chromatography and purification through reverse-phase HPLC, a crystalline compound possessing antifungal properties was isolated and identified asp-coumaric acid methyl ester. This antifungal compound was found to increase following infection and treatment with Milsana®, which could explain in part the prophylactic properties of the natural inducer. As such,p-coumaric acid methyl ester is the first identified compound to be associated with phytoalexin-like behavior in cucumber.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Départment de phytologie, Centre de Recherche en Horticulture, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Québec, G1K 7P4, Canada

    Fouad Daayf, Rachid Bel-Rhlid & Richard R. Bélanger

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  1. Fouad Daayf
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  2. Rachid Bel-Rhlid
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  3. Richard R. Bélanger
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Daayf, F., Bel-Rhlid, R. & Bélanger, R.R. Methyl Ester ofp-Coumaric Acid: A Phytoalexin-Like Compound from Long English Cucumber Leaves. J Chem Ecol 23, 1517–1526 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006419.22408.65

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006419.22408.65

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