Abstract

FALCON RODRIGUEZ, Alejandro; COSTALES MENENDEZ, Daimy; MARTINEZ TELLEZ, Miguel Á  and  GORDON, Trudy Ann. Enzymatic and growth responses in a commercial variety of tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum, L.) treated with a chitosan polymer by foliar spray. cultrop [online]. 2012, vol.33, n.1, pp. 65-70. ISSN 0258-5936.

Tobacco plants (Criollo 98) were sprayed with different concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2.5 g.L-1) of chitosan polymer at 30 days after planting (dap). At 14 days after treatments, variations caused by chitosan treatments on plant growth were measured, using the following variables: number of leaves, stem and roots length and dry mass. Polymer treatments caused stimulation and inhibition of the variables measured depending on the chitosan concentration tested. Changes in the protein and reducing carbohydrate contents were, also, obtain in tobacco leaves sprayed with chitosan, mainly increments above control at 37 dap, depending on the polymer concentration tested. Nitrato reductase activity was just induced above control at 37 dap with the highest concentration (2.5 g.L-1) tested. In turn, defense markers evaluated were just induced, above control, at 33 dap, again depending on polymer concentration. ß 1-3 glucanase activated at 1.0 g.L-1, while PAL activated with the three highest concentration (0.5-2.5 g.L-1) employed. According to results, there is no relation between defenses activated and the changes in protein and carbohydrate contents, however, due to the complexity in the induced resistance response, it is necessary to deepen in this study by including other presume markers and different modes of chitosan application.

Keywords : Chitosan; induced resistance; tobacco; enzymatic responses.

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