Cotylenins and Fusicoccins Stimulate Seed Germination of Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth and Orobanche minor Smith

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 1583 - 1586
• Main Authors: Yoneyama, Koichi, Takeuchi, Yasutomo, Ogasawara, Masaru, Konnai, Makoto, Sugimoto, Yukihiro, Sassa, Takeshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 20.04.1998
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Parasitic plants; Parasitic plants. Weeds; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Metabolite; Germination; Glucoside; Mycotoxin; Ethylene; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Orobanchaceae; Scrophulariaceae; Plant growth substance; Spermatophyta; Parasitic plant; Chemical stimulus
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf970964i

Several fungal metabolites were examined for their effects on germination of the root parasitic weeds witchweed, Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth, and clover broomrape, Orobanche minor Smith. Among these metabolites cotylenins (CNs) and fusicoccins (FCs) at concentrations as low as 10-5 M induced high seed germination (>50%) of both parasites. Inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis [2-(2-aminoethoxyvinyl)glycine (AVG)] and action [silver thiosulfate (STS)] reduced CN- and FC-induced Striga germination but not that of Orobanche. This suggests that induction of Striga germination by CNs and FCs, as is the case with the true natural stimulant “strigol”, requires both ethylene biosynthesis and action, while that of Orobanche does not. Keywords: Cotylenin; fusicoccin; Orobanche minor; seed germination; Striga hermonthica