Expression analysis of defense response genes upon Sigatoka infection in Musa paradisiaca cultivar Kachkal

Abstract

The Sigatoka disease is an economically important disease of banana as it causes tremendous yield losses all over the world. In the present study, the defense related gene expression implicated in an incompatible interaction between a resistant banana cultivar Kachkal and the Sigatoka pathogen was analyzed. The initial changes in the expression of some selected defense related genes after infection by the invading pathogen Pseudocercospora musae were studied. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR studies indicated a basal level of expression of the selected genes prior to infection in the host plant, while upregulation of some of the important defense response genes coding for PR4, osmotin, LTP, UGPase and JAR1 was observed after the infection by P. musae. The findings of the study would be useful in designing a precise breeding strategy for genetic control of the disease in banana.