Peroxidase, Polyphenol Oxidase Activity, Protein Profile and Phenolic Content in Tomato Cultivars Tolerant and Susceptible to Fusarium Oxsyporum F.sp.lycopersici

The total phenol content, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activities and the total protein profile in tomato cultivars (Lycopersicon esculantum Mill.), tolerant and susceptible to Fusarium wilt disease was studied. The tolerant cultivars of tomato viz., FEB-2, FEB-4, FloraDade and NF-31 had significantly higher phenol content as well as peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities than the susceptible ones (Sel-7, Sel-18 and Punjab Chhuhara). The maximum peroxidase activity was recorded in the resistant cultivar, Flora Dade (02.073unit/ml) and minimum in the susceptible cultivar,Sel-18 (0.241unit/ml). Major differences in soluble protein banding pattern were observed in the susceptible and resistant cultivars. The hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using NTSYS-pc(V.1.8) software. The dendrogram using the average linkage between the groups, showed proximity of resistant cultivars viz., FEB-4,FEB-2, Flora Dade and NF-31 to the wild species with respect to similarity of banding patterns. The three susceptible cultivars viz., Sel-7, Punjab Chhuhara and Sel-18 were grouped separately.