ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN PHYTOPARASITIC NEMATODES

Presence of different antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutas e (SOD), catalase, and ascorbate, p-phenilendiamine-pyrocathecol (PPD- PC), o-dianisidine, and guaiacol isoperoxidases, was shown in the phyt oparasitic nematode species Meloidogyne incognita, M. hapla, Globodera rostochiensis, G. pallida, Heterodera schachtii, H. carotae, and Xiph inema index. The activity of the enzymes tested differed among the lif e stages examined. SOD was present in cysts but was not detected in Me loidogyne egg masses. Catalase activity of Meloidogyne females was hig her than that of preparasitic stages and cyst-nematode females. For th e first time, ascorbate peroxidase was found to occur commonly in phyt oparasitic nematodes, with the highest activity in the invading life-s tages. In all the life stages examined, the antioxidant enzyme activit ies of M. hapla were markedly higher than those of M. incognita. Gluta thione peroxidase was not found in the species examined.