Seaweed polysaccharides as bio-elicitors of natural defenses in olive trees against verticillium wilt of olive

Ulvan, carrageenan, alginate and laminarin were tested in olive trees’ twigs to elicit phenolic metabolism and control verticillium wilt of olive (VWO) caused by Verticillium dahliae. The elicitation effect was determined through phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, total polyphenol content and lignin content. VWO was assessed in twigs previously elicited (24 h) and maintained in a solution containing bio-elicitors (2 g/L) and conidial suspension (106 conidia/mL). Our results showed stimulation of the phenolic metabolism and the decline of wilt symptoms. Ulvan reduced significantly the area under the disease progress curve for severity to 39.9% and the final incidence to 28.9%. Ulvan and alginate produced significant inhibitory rates on mycelial growth of the fungus in vitro. Seaweed polysaccharides might help to overcome VWO by strengthening the host defense metabolism and restricting the pathogen’s growth.