Quantification of polyphenolic compounds and relative gene expression studies of phenylpropanoid pathway in apple (Malus domestica Borkh) in response to Venturia inaequalis infection

Abstract Apples (Malus domestica Borkh) are rich in phenolic compounds may enhance resistance to scab disease caused by Venturia inaequalis. In this study, golden delicious apple cultivar were used for estimation of total phenols, total flavonoids, six individual phenolic compounds were quantified, as well as the activities of some key enzymes of the phenylpropanoid pathway of control vs Venturia inaequalis inoculated apple cultivars at different pre-and post-inoculation was carried out. The relative gene expression of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase and flavanone 3 hydroxylase increased and polyphenolic compounds as well as genes were constitutively upregulated at different post-inoculation stages. Data suggest that production and accumulation of polyphenols is closely related with disease resistance to Venturia inaequalis. This study may play a vital role in understanding and finding out the governing mechanisms of resistance to Venturia inaequalis