title: Induction of antimicrobial 3-deoxyflavonoids in pome fruit trees controls fire blight.
abstract: Fire blight, a devastating bacterial disease in pome fruits, causes severe economic losses worldwide. Hitherto, an effective control could only be achieved by using antibiotics, but this implies potential risks for human health, livestock and environment. A new approach allows transient inhibition of a step in the flavonoid pathway, thereby inducing the formation of a novel antimicrobial 3-deoxyflavonoid controlling fire blight in apple and pear leaves. This compound is closely related to natural phytoalexins in sorghum. The approach does not only provide a safe method to control fire blight: Resistance against different pathogens is also induced in other crop plants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Technical BioScience, Technical University of Vienna, Getreidemarkt 9/173, A-1060 Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Halbwirth
authors.forename: Thilo C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roemmelt
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Spinelli
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schlangen
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peterek
authors.forename: Emidio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: John-Bryan
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Speakman
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andreotti
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rademacher
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzi
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Treutter
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Forkmann
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators