Physiological and Structural Changes in Tobacco Leaves Treated with Cryptogein, a Proteinaceous Elicitor fromPhytophthora cryptogea

Cryptogein was applied on the petiole section of excised tobacco leaves. It elicited necroses that can be correlated with histological alterations, such as rapid chloroplast breakdown and a collapse of cells leading to disorganization of the parenchyma tissue. In addition, it induced ethylene production and accumulation of capsidiol. In order to detect an early response, we analyzed the kinetics of chlorophyll fluorescence induction (...)