Abstract
The activity of the four elicitors, a N-acetylchitopentaose [(GLNAc)5], a chitopentaose [(GLN)5], Ag+ ion and victorin, which induce phytoalexins in oats were compared using the following assays: i) electrolyte leakage, ii) effects of Ca2+ on the induction of phytoalexin and iii) difference in induced-metabolite profiles. The results suggest that at least two distinct mechanisms are involved in phytoalexin induction in oats. Among the tested elicitors, (GLNAc)5 appears to induce phytoalexin directly by binding to its putative receptor, while induction by other elicitors may be a secondary effect, presumably due to the damage of the plasma membrane caused by the elicitors.
