R. Lindigcisneros et al., PHYTOALEXINS, RESISTANCE TRAITS, AND DOMESTICATION STATUS IN PHASEOLUS-COCCINEUS AND PHASEOLUS-LUNATUS, Journal of chemical ecology, 23(8), 1997, pp. 1997-2011
Resistance to pathogenic fungi and the isoflavonoids that confer such
resistance capabilities were studied in two systems of wild and cultiv
ated Phaseolus spp, seedlings. Results for P. coccineus show a gradien
t in isoflavonoid diversity with pathogen resistance high in wild vari
eties and low in cultivated ones. P. lunatus varieties showed the same
trend in resistance and cyanogenic capacity, but not in isoflavonoid
diversity. It is suggested that the effectiveness of the phytoalexin n
atural mixture depends more on its diversity than its total levels in
seedlings.