Induced defence responses and protective effects on tomato against Xanthomonas vesicatoria by an aqueous extract from Solanum lycocarpum infected with Crinipellis perniciosa

This study investigated the induced defence responses and protective effects on susceptible tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) against Xanthomonas vesicatoria (Doidge) by a heat-treated aqueous extract (VLA) from dry necrotic tissue of ‘Lobeira’ (Solanum lycocarpum St. Hil.) branches infected with the fungus Crinipellis perniciosa (Stahel) compared with acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a commercial inducer of resistance. Plantlets were sprayed with VLA and ASM and challenged 4 days later with a virulent strain of X. vesicatoria, under greenhouse conditions. The disease severity, fresh weight of shoots, the activities of phenol peroxidase (POX), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), chitinase (CHI), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), lignin deposition, and soluble phenolic contents were evaluated in the leaf tissues. Reduction of the bacterial spot severity was observed in plantlets treated with VLA which conferred 63% of the ASM protection. This protective effect and lesion reduction promoted by VLA were probably associated particularly with POX and PAL activities, lignin deposition on leaf tissues and, to a less extent, CHI activity.