Total phenols and sugar content in wheat cultivars resistant and susceptible to Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostrup

Summary Total phenols, total and reducing sugars were determined at different stages of vegetative and ear emergence phases of growth in wheat cultivars, resistant and susceptible to loose smut disease. In general total phenols were higher in the resistant cultivar, CPAN 1.333 as compared to the susceptible cultivar, Sonalika. The resistant cv. also exhibited higher amounts of total soluble sugars in both the phases. Similar trend was observed for reducing sugar content except at 15 d and 30 d stages of vegetative and ear emergence phase, respectively.