Resistance of Olive Tree to Spilocaea oleagina is Mediated by the Synthesis of Phenolic Compounds

To understand the resistance of the olive tree to the leaf-spot disease caused by Spilocaea oleagina, the constitutive and postinfectional synthesis phenolic compounds of the leaves were analyzed by HPLC in 110 genotypes F1 (susceptible cultivar "Picholine marocaine" x resistant cultivar "Picholine du Languedoc") presenting of the differential behaviours to this disease (highly resistant, resistant, intermediate, susceptible & highly susceptible genotypes). The HPLC analysis distinguished 15 majors phenolic compounds according to their chromatographic and spectral characteristics into five phenolic families (hydroxycinnamic derivatives, flavonoids, verbascoside derivatives, tyrosol derivatives, oleuropein derivatives). No qualitative difference was observed between cultivars. Principal components analysis (PCA) highlighted three multifactorial components distinguishing the various genotypes according to their behaviour to the disease. These components were determined by the postinfectional contents of oleuropein and rutin and by the constitutive contents of tyrosol and its derivatives. The tyrosol and its derivatives were associated with constitutive resistance, whereas the oleuropein and rutin were associated with induced resistance. These results suggest that the activity ratio of the enzymes implied in various biosynthesis ways of these phenolic compounds and/or the expression rate of the corresponding genes would be at the origin of the resistance degree of olive tree to S. oleagina. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers