Induced systemic resistance in mung bean plant against root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica by DL-β-amino butyric acid

Abstract

The non-protein amino acid DL-β-amino butyric acid (BABA) has been used for inducing resistance against various pathogens in plants. In the present study, the potential of BABA as a resistance elicitor was assessed against an infestation of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica on plants of mung bean (Vigna radiata), cv. MN95. Pre-treatment with BABA were applied as a soil drenches of 50, 100 and 200 μg/ml aqueous solutions. Plants non-inoculated and not treated with BABA served as a positive control, while untreated plants inoculated with the nematode served as a negative control. Increasing concentrations of BABA were effective in providing resistance to mung bean plants against root-knot nematode. The aqueous solution of 200 μg/ml BABA significantly reduced the numbers of galls and egg masses of the nematode on the roots and numbers of eggs/egg mass. Growth of BABA-treated plants was enhanced compared to negative controls. Increased levels of chlorophylls and proteins were recorded after BABA treatments. The results suggest that the use of BABA has potential to control root-knot nematode infection in mung bean plants through induced systemic resistance.