Effects of β-aminobutyric acid on control of postharvest blue mould of apple fruit and its possible mechanisms of action

doi:10.1016/j.postharvbio.2011.02.008

Postharvest Biology and Technology

Volume 61, Issues 2–3, August–September 2011, Pages 145-151

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2011.02.008 Get rights and content

Abstract

The effects of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on blue mould caused by Penicillium expansum in apple fruit stored at 25 °C were investigated. BABA provided an effective control, and strongly inhibited spore germination, germ and tube elongation of P. expansum in vitro. Using propidium iodide (PI) staining combined with fluorescent microscopy, it was found that the plasma membrane of BABA-treated P. expansum spores was damaged, and the leakage of protein and sugar was significantly higher in BABA-treated mycelia than in the control. BABA treatment induced a significant increase in the activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, and peroxidase in apple fruit. These findings suggest that the effects of BABA on blue mould in apple fruit may be associated with the direct fungitoxic property against the pathogens, and the elicitation of defense-related enzymes in fruit.

Highlights

► β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) provided an effective control of blue mould, Penicillium expansum, in apple fruit. ► BABA strongly inhibited spore germination and germ tube elongation of P. expansum in vitro. ► The plasma membrane of BABA-treated P. expansum spores was clearly damaged. ► Leakage of protein and sugar was significantly higher in BABA-treated mycelia than in the control. ► BABA treatment induced a significant increase in activities of chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, and peroxidase in apple fruit.

Introduction

Apple fruit can be infected by many fungal pathogens (Spadaro et al., 2002). Among them, Penicillium expansum Link is one of the most destructive pathogens that cause production losses during postharvest handling of the fruit (Sanzani et al., 2010). Although current control of this disease still relies mainly on the use of synthetic chemical fungicides, public concern over the potential impact of fungicides on human health and environment (Droby et al., 2009), and the development of pathogen resistance to fungicides (Rosenberger et al., 1991), have created interest in new strategies for disease control.

As a non-protein amino acid, β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) has become a promising alternative treatment due to its natural character (Zimmerli et al., 2000), elicitation of defense responses in plant tissue (Jakab et al., 2001) and antifungal activity (Tavallali et al., 2008). Some research has indicated that BABA could inhibit the growth of Penicillium digitatum Sacc. (Porat et al., 2003), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary (Marcucci et al., 2010), and Botrytis cinerea Pers. (Fischer et al., 2009), in a concentration-dependent manner. BABA treatment induced various defense responses, including chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and peroxidase activities in artichoke (Marcucci et al., 2010), phenylalanine ammononia lyase and chitinase gene expression in grapefruit (Porat et al., 2003), and phenols and phytoalexins (Andreu et al., 2006) in potato, thereby promoting protection from further fungal pathogen infection. However, there are few reports on resistance induction by BABA, or on its inhibitory effects against P. expansum in apple fruit during storage.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of BABA on the control of blue mould caused by P. expansum in apple fruit stored at 25 °C, as well as to evaluate antifungal activity of BABA against P. expansum in vitro, and elicitation of defense enzymes, including chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase and peroxidase by BABA in fruit.

Section snippets

Fruit

‘Golden Delicious’ apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.) were harvested at commercial maturity. Fruit without wounds or rots were selected based on uniformity of size, disinfected with 2% (v/v) sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, rinsed with tap water and dried in air according to the method of Yao et al. (2004). These fruit were used in a subsequent in vivo experiment.

Pathogen

P. expansum Link was isolated from infected apple fruit and maintained on potato dextrose agar (PDA) (Oxoid, UK) at 4 °C. The pathogen was

Effects of BABA on spore germination and germ tube elongation of P. expansum

BABA significantly inhibited spore germination of P. expansum at 5 mM and higher concentrations (P < 0.05), and the percentage of spore germination was less than 10% when BABA concentration reached 50 mM (Fig. 1). Moreover, BABA at the different concentrations used markedly inhibited germ tube elongation, with the greater inhibitory effects at the higher concentration (P < 0.05).

Effect of BABA on plasma membrane integrity of P. expansum

The plasma membranes of P. expansum were markedly damaged by BABA (P < 0.05) (Fig. 2). Membrane integrity of P. expansum

Discussion

In the present study, BABA had an effect on controlling blue mould caused P. expansum in apple fruit stored at 25 °C. The mechanism for the effect of BABA in controlling postharvest diseases of fruit appears to be complex. It may involve a direct fungitoxic property and elicitation effect on fruit hosts (Porat et al., 2003, Marcucci et al., 2010). We found that BABA was effective in inhibiting the growth of P. expansum in vitro, and the inhibitory effect was positively correlated with the

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Ph.D. Foundation of Shandong Institute of Commerce and Technology (2010.10) and National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (SQ2010AA1000764007).

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Effects of β-aminobutyric acid on control of postharvest blue mould of apple fruit and its possible mechanisms of action

Abstract

Highlights

Introduction

Section snippets

Fruit

Pathogen

Effects of BABA on spore germination and germ tube elongation of P. expansum

Effect of BABA on plasma membrane integrity of P. expansum

Discussion

Acknowledgements

Anal. Biochem.

Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol.

Postharvest Biol. Technol.

Crop Prot.

Postharvest Biol. Technol.

Plant Pathol. J.

Postharvest Biol. Technol.

J. Plant Physiol.

Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol.

Postharvest Biol. Technol.

Postharvest Biol. Technol.

J. Microbiol. Meth.

Int. J. Food Microbiol.

Agric. Sci. China

Enhancement of natural disease resistance in potatoes by chemicals

Pest Manag. Sci.