The role of phenolic compounds in the defense of sooty mold of olive leaves (Olea europea L.)

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the role of phenolic compounds in the olive leaves infected by sooty mold. The results show that the presence of sooty mold induces a high production of polyphenols in infected leaves of olive compared to the uninfected ones. The high concentrations of flavonoids and alkaloids in the infected trees suggest that they make the olive tree resistant to this fungi disease. Analyses by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed the presence of verbascoside acid, oleuropeinacid, caffeic acid and for the first time, tannic acid. These substances are good resistance markers and should help to make efficient strategies for the bio-control of this kind of fungal disease. Key words: Olea europea L., fungi, phenolic compounds, defense, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).