Two antagonists selected for the biocontrol of cocoa witches' broom were investigated for their ability in triggering increases in the activity of enzymes associated to induced resistance. In a greenhouse, thirty days old cocoa seedlings were exposed t antagonists by spraying a propagule suspension of every antagonist or a mixture of them. At two, four 12 and 24 days exposing plants to the antagonists, the first leaf pair of every plant was excised and used for quantifying the activity of peroxidases, poly-phenol-oxidases, chitinases and beta-1,3-glucanases. There were increases in activity of peroxidases, poly-phenol-oxidases, mainly in the case of isolate Ac26. Additive or synergistic effects were not observed as a consequence of exposing plants to both antagonists together.
Streptomyces; peroxidases; induced resistance; litic enzymes; Theobroma cacao
