Author(s):

Garima Bhardwaj, Indu Ravi, Arpita Sharma, Vinay Sharma and Nimmy MS

Abstract: Plants have developed defense mechanisms to defend themselves against most potential microbial pathogens and diseases. Phenolics (polyphenol, flavonoids) and PAL play an important role in the defense mechanism of the plants. So, this study is carried out to analyze the metabolic modifications in cumin plant after the infection with the pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum) by estimating the levels of total phenolic compounds and the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) in 15 days and one month old cumin plants. The PAL proved high activity in infected plants, edifying the active phase in the synthesis of secondary metabolites in the cumin plant post-infectionally. As a consequence, in infected plants the contents of polyphenols along with flavonoid considerably exceeded in contrast to control plants. Polyphenol, flavonoid content and PAL activity were determined in two varieties viz. GC-4 (resistant) and RZ-209 (susceptible) control and pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum; Wilt) inoculated Cuminumcyminum (cumin) plants. Polyphenol and flavonoid content were higher in pathogen inoculated plants as compared to control plants with an increase till 168 h. A similar pattern of higher PAL activity was observed after pathogen inoculation with a maximum at 2 h in 15 days and one month old plants of var. GC-4 and in var. RZ-209. The results indicate a role of polyphenol, flavonoid and PAL in the defense response of Cuminum cyminum, an economically important spice of arid and semi-arid regions. The obtained results give important information concerning the plant-pathogen interactions, in the defense response for cumin improvement programs seeking the adaptation to diverse range of fungal attack along with adverse environmental factors.

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