Crude enzyme extract (0.1 mL) was mixed with 2 mL of 8 mM guaiacol in 100 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 6.4) and incubated for 30 min at 30◦C and then 1 mL of 24 mM hydrogen peroxide was added. POD (EC 1.11.1.7) activity was assayed by measuring the conversion of guaiacol to tetraguaiacol as described by Liu et al. (2007). The increase in absorbance at 460 nm was recorded for 3 min using a spectrophotometer (Model: Biochrom Libra S12;Biochrom Ltd., Cambridge, UK). The POD activity was expressed as units (U) mL−1enzyme extract, where one unit of the enzyme activity is defined as the amount that causes a change of 0.001 in absorbance per minute.