Mitochondrial peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities during the infection by Meloidogyne incognita of susceptible and resistant tomato plants

Abstract

It has been reported that attacks of Heterodera goettingiana and of Meloidogyne incognita induce changes in the peroxidase (PO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in pea and tomato roots. Such alterations involve various cellular components such as mitochondria, micro somes and soluble fractions (Zacheo et al., 1980; Arrigoni et al., 1981). Changes induced by the nematode in the roots of susceptible lines differ from those occurring in the resistant ones (Zacheo et al., 1980). The PO activity increases in the second and decreases in the first ones, while the SOD activity increases in the susceptible and decreases in the resistant lines. The aim of the present study was to ascertain when such changes in the activity of the two enzymes are initiated, their duration and whether the activities are synchronized.