Abstract
Chitin and chitosan are naturally-occurring compounds that have potential in agriculture with regard to controlling plant diseases. These molecules were shown to display toxicity and inhibit fungal growth and development. They were reported to be active against viruses, bacteria and other pests. Fragments from chitin and chitosan are known to have eliciting activities leading to a variety of defense responses in host plants in response to microbial infections, including the accumulation of phytoalexins, pathogen-related (PR) proteins and proteinase inhibitors, lignin synthesis, and callose formation. Based on these and other proprieties that help strengthen host plant defenses, interest has been growing in using them in agricultural systems to reduce the negative impact of diseases on yield and quality of crops. This review recapitulates the properties and uses of chitin, chitosan, and their derivatives, and will focus on their applications and mechanisms of action during plant-pathogen interactions.
Highlights
Both chitin and chitosan have demonstrated antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, and have been explored for many agricultural uses
Amborabé et al [82] reported on the early events that occur during the elicitation of plant defenses using chitosan
The defense responses relying on this pathway include chitinase and glucanase activities that have been shown to be induced by chitosan in Citrus and Fragaria species [112,113], lipoxygenase
Summary
Both chitin and chitosan have demonstrated antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, and have been explored for many agricultural uses. They have been utilized to control disease or reduce their spread, to chelate nutrient and minerals, preventing pathogens from accessing them, or to enhance plant innate defenses. When used to enhance plant defenses, chitin and chitosan induce host defense responses in both monocotyledons and dicotyledons. This review summarizes some of the uses of these natural products in agriculture and gives an overview of the mechanisms involved
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