Changes in phenolic acid content during Alternaria alternata infection in tomato fruit

Phenolic acids are components of the plant defence system; however few studies had been done with fruits. The objective of this experiment was to elucidate the changes in phenolic acid content in tomato fruits in response to pathogenic attack. Tomato fruit 'Pinto' was inoculated with spores of Alternaria alternata and stored for 10 days at 25 degrees C and 90-92% of relative humidity. Sampling of epicarp and mesocarp tissues of control and infected tomato fruits were done every 2 days. Phenolic acids were extracted from each tissue and identified by HPLC coupled to a mass spectrometer. Quantification was done based in standard curves. In vitro evaluation of the phenolic acid effect either one-by-one and in a mixture of phenolic acids (MPA) over A. alternata spore germination was done with 25, 50, 100, 200 and 500 mM. It was found caffeic, chlorogenic and vanillic acids in both epicarp and mesocarp tomato tissues before the beginning of the experiment. Infected tomato fruits showed significantly higher concentrations of vanillic acid in the epicarp, only. Chlorogenic acid and the MPA inhibit spore germination by 30%, whereas caffeic acid and vanillic acid inhibit 16% at 500 mM. It was concluded that chlorogenic, vanillic and caffeic acids are phytoanticipins in tomato fruit. The concentration of vanillic acid also increases in tomato fruit epicarp as part of the defence system during a pathogenic attack.