Musa-pathogen interactions: Phenylphenalenones in bananas

The aim of this DFG-funded research project is to investigate the basic principles of the interaction between various banana cultivars from all over the world, including some plants from Oman, and their globally feared pathogens such as the banana weevil, root nematodes and the fungus-borne Black Sigatoka disease. In a first step, the phytochemical profiles of healthy and infested banana plants will be compared with regard to plant secondary compounds of the phenylphenalenone type.

Subsequent experiments will focus on the influence of different nutrients (especially N, K and P) on Musa-pathogen interactions. Investigations on the biosynthesis of the plant secondary metabolites of phenylphenalenones, their possible impairment of the activities of the various pathogens and their catabolic handling of these plant secondary metabolites, which are to be classified as phytoalexins, complete the topics to be dealt with in this project. A variety of modern analytical techniques are used to successfully complete the tasks set.