Leaf Exudates of Vicia faba and their Effects on Botrytis fabae and Some Associated Fungi

ABSTRACT

Analysis of leaf exudates of Vicia faba using paper chromatography to identify individual amino acids and sugars qualitatively was investigated. The results revealed that the number of identified amino acids detected in the leaf exudates of the susceptible plants was more than those of resistant plants. The results also showed an increase in the number of amino acids exuded by infected leaves, but no marked difference in sugars of infected and non infected plants. Lithium chloride application led to decrease in amino acid and sugar contents. The number of amino acids and sugars was also decreased with leaf age. Botrytis fabae and the selected fungal species (Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus niger) were used to show the effect of individual amino acid and sugar on their spore germination. It was observed that all amino acids stimulated the fungal spore germination except serine which inhibited its spore germination. In case of A. alternata, spore germination was stimulated by all amino acids except serine, alanine, glutamic acid, arginine and methionine which caused the inhibition. In case of F. oxysporum, aspartic and glutamic acids inhibited spore germination but the other amino acids stimulated its spore germination. Aspartic acid and phenyl alanine inhibited the spore germination of A. niger. All the identified sugars (galactose, glucose, fructose and rhamnose) stimulated spore germination of all tested fungi.