PHENOLIC-COMPOUNDS AND PLANT-RESISTANCE T O PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS

Plant defense responses against microorganisms require many mechanisms as constitutive phenolic compounds and phytoalexins, These secondary metabolic products can be accumulated and involved in plant defence. T heir activity was related to antimicrobial properties, involvement in cell wall reinforcement, modulation and induction of plant responses. Clonage of most genes coding for enzymes of phenolic metabolism give m any means for genetic manipulations aiming to improve the effectivenes s of plant defences. Recent results were very interesting but do not y et allow to define the real level of the involvement of phenolic compo unds in plant disease resistance.