Differential elicitation of proteases and protease inhibitors in two different genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) by salicylic acid and spermine

SummaryElicitation of proteases and protease inhibitors (PIs) by salicylic acid (SA) and spermine (Spm) was investigated in roots and shoots of two different genotypes of chickpea cultivars ICCV10 and L550, which were resistant and susceptible to wilt disease, respectively. SA and Spm were found to suppress the elicitation of proteases in the resistant cv, whereas they induce it in susceptible cv. Elicitation of new trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitors was observed in the roots and shoots of resistant cv treated with SA and Spm. However, no such elicitation was observed in susceptible cv. These results show for the first time that SA and Spm could elicit synthesis of new PIs capable of inhibiting the proteases of insect Helicoverpa armigera and Fusarium oxysporum, wilt causing pathogen. Antifungal property of root extract of resistant cv increased following treatment of seedling with SA and Spm compared with susceptible cv.