Differences in phytoalexin response among rice cultivars of different resistance to blast

The production of both flavonoid and diterpenoid phytoalexins after induction by UV irradiation was studied in five rice genotypes of different susceptibility to the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae. Consistent qualitative and quantitative differences were found between the rice cultivars in the phytoalexins produced, and there was a strong correlation between the accumulation of the phytoalexins, sakuranetin, momilactone A and oryzalexin S, and rice resistance to blast. Production of phytoalexins was also investigated in rice genotype Tetep after inoculation with an incompatible race of P. oryzae. Similar levels of sakuranetin and oryzalexin E were formed 3 days after both inoculation and UV irradiation of the leaves, but there were different levels of momilactone A and the other oryzalexins. Although a given rice genotype may respond quite differently in its production of phytoalexins depending on whether it has been irradiated or inoculated with a fungus, and in the latter case on whether a compatible race of the pathogen has been used, the present results indicate that genetic differences in phytoalexin response between rice cultivars are likely to play an important role among the many factors that determine differences in blast resistance between different rice genotypes. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.