Spatial and temporal variation of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant enzymes in o‐hydroxyethylorutin‐treated tomato leaves inoculated with Botrytis cinerea

Abstract

Pretreatment of detached tomato leaves with o‐hydroxyethylorutin reduced the percentage leaf area affected, and delayed the appearance of necrosis, following inoculation with conidial suspensions in droplets of the grey mould fungus Botrytis cinerea. o‐Hydroxyethylorutin delayed, but did not inhibit, in vitro germination of conidia, although overall percentage germination was reduced compared with water controls. Both the reactive oxygen species (ROS) – superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide – increased twice as much in o‐hydroxyethylorutin‐treated leaf tissue 2 and 6 h postinoculation with B. cinerea conidia in tissues under inoculation drops, as well as in surrounding tissues, whereas in plants not pretreated with the compound ROS generation was noticed later, and only in tissues under inoculation drops. Compared with these compounds, changes in the levels of hydroxyl radicals, lipid peroxidation and the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and catalase were largely unchanged. In stimulating ROS in inoculated tomato tissue, B. cinerea appeared to be affected directly pre‐ and postinfection, but indirect effects increasing host resistance cannot be excluded.