A fungal elicitor induces Sclerotium rolfsii sacc resistance in Atractylodis maceocephalae koidz

The enzymatic activities (POD, PPO, CAT, PAL), as protective enzymes in the leaves of Atractylodis maceocephalae koidz, were tested by treating different concentrations of polysaccharides isolated from Sclerotium rolfsii sacc (P. S. rolfsii) at 0 mg/l, 20 mg/l, 200 mg/l and 400 mg/l against S. rolfsii, and atractylenolides as a phytoalexin in the rhizome of A. maceocephalae were evaluated in compared with control. It was evident that the plant under stress by pathogen has instigated the significant synthesis and accumulation of atractylenolides and the higher enzymes activities were described on the eight day after fungal elicitor inoculation than the control group. Furthermore, the treatments of A. maceocephalae seedlings with P. S.rolfsii increased disease index development caused by S. rolfsii. The disease index is lowest when inoculated at a concentration as low as 20 mg/ml. In general, these results indicated that P. S. rolfsii may be useful as a fungal elicitor, which can enhance resistance and triggered innate immunity in A. maceocephalae, and had the potential to suppress the disease on A. maceocephalae when P. S. rolfsii at 20 mg/l, were used to inoculate the root of A. maceocephalae.