Epicatechin and catechin may prevent coffee berry disease by inhibition of appressorial melanization of Colletotrichum kahawae.
Colletotrichum kahawae is the causal agent of coffee berry disease. Appressorial melanization is essential for the fungal penetration of plant cuticle. Epicatechin is abundant in green coffee berry pericarp. Inoculation of C. kahawae conidial suspension containing 1.2 mg epicatechin or catechin/ml did not affect conidial germination or appressorial formation but appressorial melanization was completely inhibited and infection by the treated conidia was less than 30% of the untreated control. Epicatechin and catechin may, therefore, prevent coffee berry disease by inhibition of the appressorial melanization of C. kahawae.
Chen
Zhenjia
Z
Centro de Investigação das Ferrugens do Cafeeiro, IICT, Quinta do Marquês, 2784-505, Oeiras, Portugal. Chenzhenjia@yahoo.com
Liang
Jingsi
J
Zhang
Changhe
C
Rodrigues
Carlos J
CJ
D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003069:Coffee / Q000382:microbiology*; D020231:Colletotrichum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology
D003069:Coffee; D002392:Catechin