Biochemical responses in wheat due to Puccinia triticina infection

Wheat is one of the important and highest produced grain in the world after corn and rice. It stands next to rice in terms of area and production in India. Like most of the agricultural crops, wheat is also attacked by several diseases. Among them, wheat leaf rust poses threat to wheat productivity and it is necessary to understand and analyse the disease in terms of pathological and biochemical responses. Three resistant cultivars viz., GW 451, GW 496 and GDW 1255 as well as three susceptible varieties viz., A-9-30-1, Kharachia and Agra local were assessed for phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity in both inoculated and uninoculated plants. There was a significant increase in the average phenol, flavonoid content and antioxidant activity in both uninoculated and leaf rust inoculated plants just before inoculation and at 15, 30 and 45 days after inoculation. The average phenol, flavonoid content along antioxidant activity was limited in both uninoculated and infected plants post 45 days of inoculation. At every 15 day interval of assay, total phenol content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activity was found to be higher in case of leaf rust inoculated plants than uninoculated ones, hinting at the involvement of biochemicals in host defence. Notable increase in the phenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity was observed in leaf rust inoculated plants of resistant varieties compared to that of susceptible varieties up to 30 days post inoculation. © 2023, Indian Phytopathological Society.