Elicitors: A Tool for Improving Fruit Phenolic Content

Abstract

Fruits are one of the most important sources of polyphenols for humans, whether they are consumed fresh or as processed products. To improve the phenolic content of fruits, a novel field of interest is based on results obtained using elicitors, agrochemicals which were primarily designed to improve resistance to plant pathogens. Although elicitors do not kill pathogens, they trigger plant defense mechanisms, one of which is to increase the levels of phenolic compounds. Therefore, their application not only allows us to control plant disease but also to increase the phenolic content of plant foodstuffs. Pre-or post-harvest application of the most commonly used elicitors to several fruits is discussed in this review.

Integrating Plant Nutrients and Elicitors for Production of Secondary Metabolites, Sustainable Crop Production and Human Health: A Review

“…For instance: methyl jasmonate (MeJ) (Heredia and Cisneros-Zevallos, 2009), JA (Saw et al, 2010), SA, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (Jeong and Park, 2005) act as elicitors. Elicitors mimic the action of plant signaling molecules (Ruiz-García and Gómez-Plaza, 2013) and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Yoshioka et al, 2011) that stimulate the plant to produce defense hormones and enzymatic or non-enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms to mitigate ROS effects. A similar effect is caused in the soil by NEEs.…”

Chitosan and oligochitosan enhance ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) resistance to rhizome rot caused by Fusarium oxysporum in storage

“…PAL is the first enzyme in the phenylpropanoid pathway and is involved in the biosynthesis of phenolics, phytoalexins, and lignins (Dixon et al, 2002). Phenolic compounds can also inhibit or restrict microbial development (Ruiz-García & Gómez-Plaza, 2013). Phenolic components in ginger have been reported to exhibit quorum sensing inhibitory activity against Chromobacterium violaceum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Kumar, Murthy, Manjunatha, & Bettadaiah, 2014).…”

Effect of elicitors on the evolution of grape phenolic compounds during the ripening period

“…Among different compounds that have been used as chemical elicitors are chitosan, benzothiadiazole (BTH), harpin, methyl jasmonate (MeJ) and 1‐methylcyclopropane. These are agrochemicals that can mimic the action of signalling molecules, such as salicylic acid and jasmonic acid and their derivates, or simulate the attack of a pathogen . These molecules may interact with receptors in the plant, activating defence responses and triggering, in some cases, a hypersensitive reaction.…”