ARS | Publication request: TOXICITY OF HIBISCANONE AND DESOXYHEMIGOSSYPOL UNDER AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS AGAINST VERTICILLIUM DAHLIAE

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 2, 1996
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Desoxyhemigossypol (dHG) and hibiscanone appear to be the most important phytoalexins in cotton and kenaf, respectively. Hibiscanone is approximately ten times more active against Verticillium dahliae than dHG. Since hibiscanone appears to be derived from the same biosynthetic pathway as dHG, it may be possible to introduce the appropriate genes in cotton to produce this potent phytoalexin and thus increase resistance. Hibiscanone has been synthesized and labelled with carbon-13. 13C-NMR studies show that V. dahliae converts hibiscanone to its hydroquinone. Under anaerobic conditions the hydroquinone is stable and the toxicity of the test solution decreases. Therefore, this conversion may represent a detoxification step. Under similar anaerobic conditions, the toxicity of dHG is little changed indicating that dHG retains its effectiveness in the anaerobic or partial anaerobic conditions of plugged xylem vessels.