ISHS Acta Horticulturae 343: Physiological Basis of Postharvest Technologies
A SUGGESTION FOR NEW MECHANISM OF CELERY RESISTANCE TO PATHOGENS |
| Authors: | U. Afek, S. Carmeli, N. Aharoni, L. Roizer |
| Abstract:
Furanocoumarins (psoralens) produced by celery and many other plants are considered a high risk to human health. When these compounds are exposed to long-wave UV light or sunlight the phototoxic furanocoumarins become carcinogenic agents; recognized as causally-related to skin cancer by the World Health Organization (IARC). Psoralens are believed to be phytoalexins associated with celery resistance to pathogens. However, our preliminary results indicated that psoralens have a weak antifungal activity in vitro. Therefore, we are proposing an alternative mechanism for celery resistance to pathogens during storage. This mechanism involves two newly isolated coumarins, marmesin and columbianetin. These precursors of psoralens in celery have at least 100 times greater antifungal activity in vitro than psoralens and may be associated with celery resistance to pathogens. This suggestion is based on the observation that increase susceptibility of celery to pathogens following storage of one month at OC was accompanied by an increase in psoralen concentration and a corresponding decrease in marmesin and columbianetin concentrations. | |
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