title: Chemical basis of the resistance of barley seeds to pathogenic fungi.
abstract: The 5-(n)-alkylresorcinol fraction of the epicuticular waxes of Hordeum vulgare seeds appeared to be responsible for their in-born resistance to pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus niger and Penicillium crysogenum. The antifungal properties of this fraction were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively with a novel bioassay where the extreme lipophilicity of these compounds was taken into account. The minimum inhibitory concentration in the fungi tested ranged from 5.6 to 10 micrograms cm-2 for the alkyresorcinols. The behaviour of the different cultivars against these fungi could be predicted by measuring the natural amount of resorcinols of each variety by TLC-scanning densitometry. The ranking of cultivars thus established correlated well with the field behaviour of each cultivar, providing a useful and rapid method for predicting the behaviour against fungi of new varieties being developed.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Farmacognosia y Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heinzen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moyna
mesh_terms: D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D005658:Fungi / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D012118:Resorcinols