Abstract
Polygalacturonate trans-eliminase (PGTE) activity was found in dialyzed filtrates from cultures of three virulent (M, N, D) and one moderately virulent (G) isolates of Sclerotium bataticola, but not from two avirulent isolates (E and R). Activity of PGTE, presumably exo-PGTE, was found in dialyzed extracts from sunflower plants 42 h after unwounded stem base inoculation (USBI) with the two most virulent isolates (M and N). None was found in extracts from plants inoculated by the toothpick method (TPI). Cellulase activity was present in dialyzed filtrates from cultures of all six isolates. Dialyzed extracts from plants showed cellulase activity 42 h after USBI with isolates N, M, and D, but not G, E, and R. Extracts from plants in the TPI series showed cellulase activity 18 h and higher activity 36 h after inoculation with isolates N, D, and G, but not M, E, and R. No pectin trans-eliminase activity was found either in culture filtrates or in extracts from inoculated sunflower stems. None of the enzymes was detected in extracts from uninoculated stems.