Gibberellin antagonizing the nematicidal effects on two hydrolyzing enzymes, protease and invertase, and related chemical metabolites in Lycopersicon esculentum and Solanum melongena

Abstract

The paper reports the effects of two nematicides, oxamyl and ethylene dibromide (EDB), alone and with gibberellic acid (GA 3), on the activity of two important hydrolyzing enzymes of the seed germination stage, protease and invertase, and their related chemical metabolites in the seedlings of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum) and eggplant ( Solanum melongena). Both the nematicides substantially inhibited the activity of the two enzymes whereas GA 3 alone tended to promote it. When used together, GA 3 antagonized the nematicidal effects to an appreciable extent. Of the two nematicides, EDB was the most inhibitory. The contents of proteins and nonreducing sugars were lowered with simultaneous increases in amino acids and reducing sugars in GA 3-treated seedlings. However, there was little decrease in the level of proteins and reducing sugars but a substantial increase in amino acids and nonreducing sugars after the application of the nematicides. Gibberellin A 3, when administered with nematicides, brought back the proteins and reducing sugars to a level similar to that of the control and tended to counteract the effect of the nematicides on free amino acids.