Elicitation of Platanus x acerifolia cell-suspension cultures induces the synthesis of xanthoarnol, a dihydrofuranocoumarin phytoalexin

The treatment of cell-suspension cultures of Platanus x acerifolia with the GP66 elicitor produced by Ceratocystis fimbriata f. sp platani germlings t riggers the fast and intense synthesis of a secondary metabolite whose H-1 NMR and C-13 NMR analysis led to the identification of xanthoarnol. This di hydrofuranocoumarin is principally accumulated in the growth medium reachin g the maximum level 48 h after elicitor addition. Xanthoarnol was the major compound produced by elicited cells and showed an inhibitory effect on the germination of conidia of the parasitic fungus. Xanthoarnol is a new phyto alexin described in a plant-fungus interaction. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.