Sunflower reaction to combined broomrape – downy mildew attack, Preliminary study

Abstract

During the evolution plants have developed a large set af defense mechanisms aerinetpashogens, Defense responses have been sudlein dealin model lant speces such as Arabidopsis. However, to complete our itis i to study defense in del plants, Suhoe In our experiment we aimed to study expression of defense-related genes in the sunflower host plant during combined Infection with downy mildew and broomrape and elucidate thelr role in sunflower reaction to attack of different pathogens. Downey-mildew-resistant genotype was inoculated with the pathogen and planted Into the broomrape inoculated soll. Far gene expression analysis, leaf samples were taken at different stages from planis with combined broomrape-downy mildew infection, plants only infected with broomrape, and control plants, Expression of defense related genes is analyzed using RT-PCR, with special focus on defensin.