Shift in the carbohydrate spectrum of root exudates of wheat in relation to its root-rot disease

Summary The exudation pattern of carbohydrates by the roots of wheat in health and under the stress of its root-rot infection have been correlated. Qualitatively, greater number of sugars have been recorded in the healthy root exudate samples than in the inoculated series. Quantitatively, under the diseased condition of the plant, abundant release of ribose, maltose, raffinose and sucrose was recorded, while the release of glucose, fructose, galactose, xylose and rhamnose was found to be suppressed. Selective depletion of hexoses was found to be most pronounced. The liberation of total carbohydrates in the exudate medium got significantly diminished in the inoculated series. The possible explanation for these alterations in the carbohydrate levels in response to the pathogenesis byHelminthosporium sativum on its potential host have been discussed.