The relation between polyphenoloxidase activity and ability to produce indoleacetic acid in Fusarium-infected tomato plants

Different protein fractions precipitated with ammonium sulphate from extracts of healthy andFusarium-infected tomato plants showed a linear relationship between polyphenoloxidase activity and ability to form indoleacetic acid (IAA) from tryptophan in the presence of chlorogenic acid. Dialysis slightly reduced polyphenoloxidase activity of as well as IAA formation by crude and purified extracts.Polyphenoloxidase as well as IAA production were partially inhibited by DIECA, EDTA, cystein and ascorbic acid. The inhibition was shown to occur in crude and purified extracts and stem slices of both healthy and diseased plants, but was consistently higher in material from diseased plants.The reported results may be considered to further confirm the strict interdependence between polyphenoloxidase activity and ability to form IAA in tomato plants. The different sensitivity to some inhibitors shown by material from healthy and from diseased plants is emphasized.