Accumulation of sorghum phytoalexins induced by Colletotrichum graminicola at the infection site

Abstract

Microspectrophotometry was performed on intact, pigmented vesicle-like inclusions within living sorghum cells that were accumulating phytoalexins as a response to attempted fungal infection. The results indicate that the deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins are present in inclusions. Moreover, the phytoalexin concentration within a single inclusion, based on luteolinidin, was calculated to be 0·15 m. The amounts of luteolinidin and apigeninidin in cells involved in the phytoalexin response at individual infection sites were also determined. The data showed that luteolinidin accumulated to levels of 0·48–1·20 ng/cell whereas apigeninidin accumulated to levels of 0·24–0·91 ng/cell. The results of both analyses confirmed that at the infection site the deoxyanthocyanidins accumulate to levels in substantial excess of those required for inhibition of the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola.