Abstract
Induced resistance in plants is a systemic response to certain microorganisms or chemicals
that enhances basal defense responses during subsequent plant infection by pathogens.
Inoculation of chile pepper with zoospores of non-host Phytophthora nicotianae or the
chemical elicitor beta-aminobutyric acid (BABA) significantly inhibited foliar blight caused
by Phytophthora capsici. Tissue extract analyses by GC/MS identified conserved change in
certain metabolite concentrations following P. nicotianae or BABA treatment. Induced chile
pepper plants had reduced concentrations of sucrose and TCA cycle intermediates and increased
concentrations of specific hexose-phosphates, hexose-disaccharides and amino
acids. Galactose, which increased significantly in induced chile pepper plants, was shown
to inhibit growth of P. capsici in a plate assay.