Changes in Activities of Antioxidant-Related Enzymes in Leaves of Resistant and Susceptible Wheat Inoculated with Rhizoctonia cerealis

In this study, the changes in activities of peroxidase (POD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and superoxide distmuase (SOD) in leaves of four wheat cultivars, including resistant cultivars Shannong 0431 and Shanhongmai, a mild-susceptible cultivar Lumai 21, and a susceptible cultivar Wenmai 6, were investigated to explore if these antioxidant-related enzymes were involved in wheat defense response to Rhizoctonia cerealis attack. Results showed that the activities of these enzymes in different wheat cultivars varied greatly after challenging with R. cerealis. The POD activities in resistant cultivars Shannong 0431 and Shanhongmai increased much quicker after the inoculation and displayed much higher activity than that in susceptible cultivar Wenmai 6. In contrast, POD activity showed a slow accumulation and a delayed peak time. The activities of GST and CAT in Shannong 0431 and Lumai 21 increased obviously within 48 h post inoculation (hpi), whereas SOD activity decreased dramatically within 24 hpi in Shannong 0431 and 24–48 hpi in Lumai 21. In susceptible cultivar Wenmai 6, the SOD and CAT activities didn't change obviously, whereas the activity of GST was decreased. The activities of CAT and GST in Shanhongmai did not show significant difference compared with those in Wenmai 6. Results suggested that POD activity may be positively associated with wheat defense to R. cerealis.