Oxycom (TM) under field and laboratory conditions increases resistance responses in plants

Several different types of chemicals induce resistance in plants. Oxycom(TM ) that contains active oxygen species has under commercial field conditions improved the performance of a diversity of plant species exposed to a rang e of naturally-occurring pathogens, including Pythium, downy mildew and pow dery mildew. Oxycom(TM) had only weak antifungal activity when assayed in t he laboratory at the concentrations showing efficacy in the field. Northern hybridization using probes of genes involved in defense was performed on b ean, Phaseolus vulgaris, after sprays of Oxycom(TM) or water. The transcrip t abundance of genes encoding proteins concerned with phenolic metabolism a nd plant cell wall strengthening was increased by treatment with Oxycom(TM) compared with water treatment. Similar patterns of gene induction were obs erved when benzothiadiazone (BTH), a chemical known to trigger systemic res istance in plants, was used. These laboratory findings are consistent with the products in Oxycom(TM) being able to increase the resistance potential of the plant.