Is the Tolerance of Commercial Peach Cultivars to Brown Rot Caused by Monilinia laxa Modulated by its Antioxidant Content?

Abstract

Brown rot, caused by Monilinia spp., provokes pre- and post-harvest damage in peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch), which causes an economic impact in the industry. With a view to breeding for increased tolerance to this disease, a screening test based upon artificial fruit inoculation was validated on several parental lines of a peach breeding program during the two-period harvest. In addition, cultivars with different total phenolic contents were included in the two-year study. All physicochemical fruit traits recorded at harvest showed differences among all cultivars. The antioxidant compound content determined using spectrophotometry (to measure ascorbic acid and antioxidant capacity) and UPLC-MS (to measure and identify phenolic compounds) also revealed important differences among all genotypes. The rate of brown rot lesion following fruit inoculation varied widely among cultivars, and it was possible to discriminate between highly and less susceptible cultivars. Cultivars with minimal development of damage were identified as germplasm with the desirable allele combination to increase brown rot tolerance in peach breeding programs. Finally, Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r) between pairs of variables were calculated, searching for any biochemical candidate conferring tolerance. The correlation of phytopathological traits with the antioxidant composition, concerning contents of ascorbic, neochlorogenic, and chlorogenic acids and total polyphenols in fruit, is discussed.

Biochemical Compounds From Apricot Leaves Involved in Resistance to Monilinia Spp.

“…Also, other researchers have shown a significantly higher content of total phenols, total flavonoids and tannins in asymptomatic leaves of persimmom (Dyospiros kaki) cultivars affected by Plurivorosphaerella nawae fungus, compared with symptomatic leaves (Hassan et al, 2020). However, Obi et al, 2020 supported that besides the phenolics, neither ascorbate nor glutathione or carotenoids have ever been considered in conferring tolerance to brown rot in peach.…”

“…Numerous scientific reports suggest involvement of phenolic compounds and assimilation pigments in plant defense against different pathogens (Ivascu et al, 2002;Arun et al, 2010;Petrisor et al, 2012;Rasoulnia et al, 2018;Almatwari et al, 2020;Del Cueto et al, 2021). Previous work on resistance mechanisms to apple scab Venturia inaequalis (Cke.)…”

“…Importance of antioxidant enzymes in resistance reactions have been reported for a range of crops and also in trees (Vanitha & Umesha, 2008;Debona et al, 2012;Khodadadi et al, 2016;Hassan et al, 2020;Obi et al, 2020). These enzymes participate not only in phenol metabolism but also the formation and accumulation of some metabolites such as lignin and phytoalexin.…”

Preventive and Curative Effects of Salicylic and Methyl Salicylic Acid Having Antifungal Potential against Monilinia laxa and the Development of Phenolic Response in Apple Peel

“…Chlorogenic acid, the most abundant representative, was in boundary tissue of infected apple peel up to 6.6-fold higher (INF_CUR_C) compared to healthy tissue. Increasing contents of chlorogenic acid and its derivatives have already been associated with a reduction in the susceptibility of fruit to brown rot infections [49][50][51][52]. Villarino et al [50] reported that chlorogenic acid concentrations, similar to those in peach fruit, does not inhibit spore germination or mycelial growth of fungus M. laxa in culture but inhibits the production of melanin-like pigments in the mycelia of M. laxa in culture (42% melanin reduction).…”

Taxonomy, distribution, epidemiology, disease cycle and management of brown rot disease of peach (Monilinia spp.)

“…Manuring can influence disease incidence, and applications of potassium have brought about a reduction in disease incidence on apricots [P. armeniaca] (Yin et al, 2017). High doses of nitrogen fertilizer are positively correlated with infection by M. fructigena (Obi et al, 2020).…”