Levels of selected trace elements, phytohormones, and sugars in Pseudomonas-infected Lycopersicum esculantum mill plants.

The present study investigated the levels of trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, and Cd), major elements (Ca and K), phytohormones (trans-Zeatin [t-Z] and gibberellic acid [GA]), and sugars (sucrose and glucose) following inoculation with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain. The results of the trace elements analysis showed that Fe (in the first, fourth, eighth, and tenth study days), Cd (in the fourth, eighth, and tenth study days), Cu (in the fourth and eighth study days), and Zn (in the eighth and tenth study days) increased in bacterium-infected tomato plants, compared to healthy plants. The levels of Pb, Ca, and K did not meaningfully determine a change after inoculation with pathogen. In this vein, the increase accumulation rates of Cu, Zn, and Fe in the injured plants can be an important indicator for the plant defense processes towards pathogen attack. Furthermore, in the first, fourth, eighth, and tenth study days, the glucose and sucrose contents crucially decreased in bacterium-infected plants compared to the control groups. The lowest level of sucrose in bacterium-infected plants was observed on the first day. The findings displayed that, when endogenous t-Z levels did not change after inoculation with virulent bacterium strain, there was a reduction in the first, fourth, eighth, and tenth days in the level of GA when compared with the control group levels. Therefore, there may be a link between lower GA level and enhancement in the expression of defense-related genes. The results of this study showed that there are complex relationships among levels of sugar, trace element, and endogenous phytohormone in the regulation of defense mechanisms against bacterial pathogen attacks.

Phytohormone levels in germinating seeds of Zea mays L. exposed to selenium and aflatoxines.

Seeds of Zea mays L. were exposed to aflatoxine B1 (AFB1), aflatoxine G1 (AFG1) and selenium (Se) alone and in combination and allowed to germinate. Phytohormone levels of GA-like substances (GAs), trans-Zeatin (t-Z) and Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) when the roots of the germinating seeds reach 1.5-3.0 cm in length. The levels of endogenous hormones decreased in seeds treated with AFB1 and AFG1 compared to control; however an increase was noted in seeds exposed to AFG1 and Se together. AFB1 and Se treatment caused reduced hormone levels in most of the treatments. When plants were exposed to Se alone, the highest levels of GAs, t-Z and IAA were observed in the application of 800 ppm Se. The highest levels of GAs, t-Z and IAA were observed when seeds were treated with 0.2 ppm AFG1 + 8 ppm Se, 0.2 ppm AFG1 + 8 ppm Se and 0.2 ppm AFG1 + 0.08 ppm Se, respectively, whereas the lowest levels of the hormones were observed in 0.2 ppm AFB1 + 8 ppm Se, 0.2 ppm AFB1 + 0.08 ppm Se and 0.1 ppm AFB1, respectively. In conclusion, the levels of phytohormones were reduced by the treatment of AFB1 and AFG1 alone. However Se removed the negative effect of AFB1 on phytohormones, but not AFB1.