Resistance in pepper plants induced by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici involves different defence-related genes

Inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) protects pepper plants from subsequent infection with Phytophthora capsici . In the present paper, the level of local and systemic protection achieved by plants induced with FOL was evaluated by quantifying the pathogen biomass and using real-time PCR. Differences in the amount of pathogen were found in stems and roots between FOL-treated and untreated plants, while pathogen biomass could not be detected in leaves of induced plants. Five defence-related genes coding for a PR-1 protein, a β-1,3-glucanase, a chitinase, a peroxidase and a sesquiterpene cyclase were up-regulated 48 h after treatment in all the tissues studied, and maximal mRNAs levels were found in leaves.