The Relationship Between Active Oxygen Metabolism and Resistance to Late Blight in Potato

The relationship between active oxygen metabolism and resistance to late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was studied for 72 h post-inoculation by comparing three resistant cultivars (low disease index) with three susceptible ones (high disease index). Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and the content of ascorbic acid (ASA), were higher in the resistant cultivars than in the susceptible ones. The production rate of the superoxide anion radical (O₂^?) was lower in the resistant cultivars than in the susceptible ones. These changes, which were associated with the potato plant’s response to infection with P. infestans, provide some insight into the physiological basis of resistance and may also provide a screening tool for resistance to late blight.