title: Pectinolytic and Cellulolytic Enzymes Enhance Fusarium compactum Virulence on Tubercles Infection of Egyptian Broomrape.
abstract: The use of enzyme could facilitate pathogen penetration into plant host. Here the combination of cellulase and pectinase was ascertained on the pathogenicity of F. compactum (1.4 × 10(6)  propagules ml(-1)) on broomrape tubercles. F. compactum alone infected all the inoculated tubercles but did not kill any significant number. Infested tomato roots that were inoculated with mycelia plus pectinase (20 U ml(-1)) had over 50% tubercles dead one week after treatment. Those inoculated with mycelia plus cellulase (20 U ml(-1)) had above 60% mortality. Mixtures of mycelial plus the two enzymes (10 U ml(-1) of each enzyme) showed synergy. The activity catalyzed by an enzyme is a measure of the amount of enzyme present. It was shown that, in a 1 mg (10 U mg(-1)) cellulase used, 0.055 mg pectinase (1.1 U mg(-1)) is present. This explains why mycelial plus cellulase mix contends with mycelial plus the two enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa.
authors.forename: Olubukola O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Babalola