Analele tiinifice ale Universitii Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Seciunea Genetic i Biologie Molecular, TOM XIII, 2012

INFLUENCE OF Polystigma rubrum (Pers.) DC FUNGUS ATTACK ON THE MINERAL ELEMENTS CONTENT OF DIFFERENT PLUM FRUITS CULTIVARS
ANA-VALENCIA LBUC*1, ALEXANDRU MANOLIU1, LCRMIOARA OPRIC1
Keywords: Polystigma rubrum, plum cultivars, mineral elements. Abstract: The present study evaluated the effect of Polystigma rubrum fungus attack (red leaf spot) on the mineral elements content in the plum cultivars, with different degrees of resistance to fungus attack: Poroabe and Vinete romneti (sensitive cultivars), Renclod violet and Grase romneti (middle-resistant cultivars) and Renclod verde (resistant cultivar), during the year 2008. The plum-trees taken as biological material were not treated with pesticides. Analyzing the results we observed that potassium, magnesium and calcium contents were higher in attacked fruits comparatively with the healthy fruits, in any phase of the fruits maturation. In generally, the level of some mineral elements was higher in attacked fruits, but we can not established a correlation between the content of the mineral elements and the degree of resistance of the plum cultivars to attack of Polystigma rubrum.

INTRODUCTION
Minerals found in fruits in general may not be fully nutritionally available (e.g. calcium, found as calcium oxalate in certain produce is not nutritionally available). Major minerals in fruits are base-forming elements (K, Ca, Mg, Na) and acid-forming elements (P, Cl, S). Minerals often present in microquantities are Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Co, Mo, and I. Potassium is the most abundant mineral in fruits, followedby calcium and magnesium. High potassium content is often associated with increased acidity and improved color, whereas high calcium content reduces the incidence of physiological disorders and improves the quality of fruits. Phosphorus is a constituent of several metabolites, and nucleic acids and plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and energy transfer (HuiY.H. et al. 2006). The plums are the fruits with the highest nutritional value of the cultivated trees. This is not based only on the high content of glucides (the plum fruits have a concentration ranging from 16-20% glucides, as with grapes, the fruits with the highest glucidic potential), but the content of biologically active substances, too, especially minerals and vitamins. The fresh plum fruits contain all the microelements necessary for the human development of the normal life. The most representative element is potassium (170 mg%) and with it are also found 12 mg% Ca, 10 mg% Mg, 18 mg% P, 10 mg% Na, 0,5 mg% Fe, 1,5 mg% Cl. In the constitution of plum fruits predominate the basic mineral elements (K, Ca, Mg), comparatively with the acidifiante mineral elements (P and Cl), which confers the status of alkalizing of the body. Florica Popescu et al. (1977) have studied the content of mineral elements - phosphorus, potassium and calcium - in the fruits of some cucumbers cultivars grown under glass. The researches showed that the mineral elements content is related closely on the water accumulated amount during on the period of vegetation. The induction of hydric stress leads to the decrease of the mineral elements. Maria Costescu (1978) undertook a series of researches on the biochemical and physiological changes which show in the disease process of the watermelons, due to the attack of the fungus Colletotrichum lagenarium. She has determined the content of mineral elements in the healthy plants and attacked plants. According of these researches in the infected plants by the fungus accumulates a lower amount of mineral elements. Antohe Anca et al. (1993) studied the mineral elements in the healthy and attacked leaves of the Polystigma rubrum fungus, on different plum cultivars. Of all analyzed mineral elements, the highest amount is in potassium, and the results showed the dynamism of this element on the across of the all researches. The dynamics of phosphorus in the two years analyzed in leaves and in branches is similar with the dynamics of potassium. In the attacked leaves observed that a decrease of the of potassium content comparatively with the healthy leaves. The amount of sodium and potassium fluctuates from one determination to another, the lowest values recording in the attacked leaves. Cria Rou (1999) has made researches regarding to the influence of the attack of the fungus Cercospora beticola on the content of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in sugar beet leaves. She observed that in the affected leaves by disease, especially in advanced stages, it produced a decrease of the concentration of phosphorus. Nicolae I. (2004) has made some researches regarding the physiological changes produced by Botrytis cinerea fungus, at a series of greenhouse tomatoes. The paper showed the undertaken researches in the attacked tomato plants comparatively with healthy tomato plants and the determinations were made on the leaves, petioles and fruits. The determination of the mineral elements showed that a decrease in the attacked fruits than in the healthy fruits. These

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Ana-Valencia Lbuc et al Influence of Polystigma rubrum (Pers.) DC fungus attack on the mineral elements content of different plum fruits cultivars changes are reflected by a reduced accumulation on organic substances, changes in the general metabolism of plant and the gradual deterioration of the plant. Also, Nicolae I. (2004) has studied the physiological and biochemical changes produced of the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on cucumber plants. He studied the mineral elements content in the healthy and attacked fruits. In the attacked fruits was recorded a smaller quantities of the mineral elements than in the healthy fruits. Felicia Bsu (2008) has studied the influence of Puccinia recondita fungus attack on some varieties of wheat from the Moldavian area. The studied it refers to sodium, potassium and calcium contents in the grains of wheat. The results showed that changes in sodium and potassium levels did not indicate a correlation between the content of these minerals and the degree of resistance of cultivars to the attack of the fungus Puccinia recondita; instead, calcium content, shows a difference between resistant, middle-resistant and sensitive cultivars, the first cultivars recording a higher content of this mineral element. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of fungus Polystigma rubrum (red leaf spot) attack of the mineral elements content in plum fruits cultivars, with different degrees of resistance to fungus attack.

MATERIALS AND METHODS The researches were made in different plum cultivars: Poroabe, Vinete romneti, Renclod violet, Grase romneti and Renclod verde, cultivated in a private orchard from Dracani-Sulia, the Botoani country. The plum-trees where it was taken the biological material were not treated with pesticides. The degree of resistance of the plum cultivars to attack of Polystigma rubrum was appreciated with notes from 1-6, system of scoring after the FAO scale, resulting the following classification of cultivars (Table 1). For the determination of mineral elements contents were used flame photometric methods. The plum fruits were mineralized with concentrated nitric acid, using a microwave digestion system Bergohof MWS-2. The content of magnesium and potassium was determinate using the flame-photometer atomic absorption M410 SHERWOOD SCIENTIFIC. The content of calcium was determined by the titrate methods with EDTA. Table 1. The degree of resistance of the plum cultivars to attack of Polystigma rubrum Cultivars 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Poroabe (Porumbele) Vinete romneti Renclod violet Grase romneti Renclod verde Classification of cultivars after the the degree of resistance at the Polystigma rubrum Sensitive cultivar - S Sensitive cultivar - S Middle-resistant cultivar - MR Middle-resistant cultivar - MR Resistant cultivar - R RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In figure 1 are shown the results on the variation of potassium content in the healthy and attacked fruits of Polystigma rubrum in the plum cultivars. The results obtained in the climatic conditions of the year 2008 illustrates that potassium level in the healthy fruits reaches a maximum value (2,565 mg/g), to the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar, than 2,36 mg/g to the Poroabe cultivar, sensitive cultivars and 2,283 mg/g to the Renclod violet, middle-resistant cultivar, in the initial stage of fruits maturation. In the intermediate stage of maturation, the maximum value of the potassium content has recorded at the Renclod verde cultivar - 2,756 mg/g, followed by the Poroabe cultivar - 2,4487 mg/g and in the final phase of the maturation the highest value on - 2,765 mg/g, determining in at the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar.

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Analele tiinifice ale Universitii Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Seciunea Genetic i Biologie Molecular, TOM XIII, 2012

The lowest potassium content in the attacked fruits - 2,18 mg/g, has recorded at the Vinete romneti cultivar in the initial attack phase of Polystigma rubrum. In the initial phase of maturation, the highest potassium content in the attacked fruits was determined at the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar - 3,363 mg/g. In the intermediate stage of maturation, the maximum value of potassium content was determined at the Renclod verde cultivar - 3,503 mg/g, followed by the middle-resistant cultivars Grase romneti - 2,705 mg/g and Renclod violet - 2,547 mg/g. There is an increase of potassium content at all plum cultivars, in the intermediate phase of maturation with increasing of the fungus attack. The extending of the attack at the final stage of maturation of fruits has led to an increase of potassium content to the all plum cultivars, in the attacked fruits comparatively with the previous phase. The lowest value of potassium level, in the final phase of maturation was determined at Vinete romneti cultivar - 2,406 mg/g and the highest value - 3,658 mg/g of the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar. Analyzing the results obtained for potassium level at the plum cultivars, both on the healthy fruits and in the attacked fruits, we can establish a clear correlation between potassium content and the degree of resistance of plum cultivars.

Figure 1. Variation of potassium content in healthy and attacked fruits by Polystigma rubrum at the plum cultivars during the year 2008 The highest values of potassium content in the healthy fruits were recorded at the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar and the Poroabe, sensitive cultivar. In the attacked fruits, the highest value of potassium content was determined to the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar and the Grase romneti, middle - resistant cultivar. The results show that regardless at the phase of fruits maturation, the potassium content is higher in the attacked fruits comparatively with the healthy ones, all five cultivars of plum. In figure 2 are shown the results on the variation of magnesium content in healthy and attacked fruits of Polystigma rubrum in the plum cultivars, during the year 2008. The

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Ana-Valencia Lbuc et al Influence of Polystigma rubrum (Pers.) DC fungus attack on the mineral elements content of different plum fruits cultivars

determination of magnesium content in the initial stage of maturation, in the healthy fruits, shows that the highest value has been to the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,1764 mg/g, followed by the Poroabe cultivar - 0,1751 mg/g and the Grase romneti cultivar - 0,1703 mg/g. In the intermediate phase of maturation, the highest potassium level has recorded at the Poroabe cultivar - 0,1838 mg/g, followed than of the Renclod violet cultivar - 0,1828 mg/g. The intensifying of the attack determines in the intermediate phase an increase of this indicator at all plum cultivars. In the final phase of maturation, the value of this indicator is minimal of the Vinete romneti cultivar - 0,1386 mg/g and is maximum of the Poroabe cultivar - 0,1899 mg/g.

Figure 2. Variation of magnesium content in healthy and attacked fruits by Polystigma rubrum at the plum cultivars during the year 2008 In the healthy fruits the highest magnesium content has recorded at the beginning phase of the maturation of fruits at the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,1998 mg/g, followed by the Vinete romneti cultivar - 0,1902 mg/g and the other cultivars which have recorded approximately equal values. From the researches shows that the lowest of magnesium content in the middle phase of the fruits ripening was recorded of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,2285 mg/g, followed by the Vinete romneti cultivar - 0,197 mg/g, as at the beginning stage, this increase of the parameter value taking place with the increase of the phytopathogenic attack. The extending of the fungus attack on the plant determinates in the final phase of the maturation of fruits, an increase of this biochemical indicator which had the maximum value of 0,277 mg/g at the Poroabe cultivar, followed than of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,2364 mg/g. The amount of magnesium derived from the attacked fruits is bigger than in the healthy fruits, which shows the influence of the Polystigma rubrum fungus attack on the mineral metabolism. Analyzing the dynamics of magnesium content in the healthy plum cultivars it observe that the lowest level of magnesium was of the Vinete romneti, sensitive cultivar and at the attacked cultivars by fungus. The highest magnesium content was recorded of the Poroabe sensitive cultivar and of the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar. The magnesium content coming

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Analele tiinifice ale Universitii Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Seciunea Genetic i Biologie Molecular, TOM XIII, 2012

from the healthy fruits is lower than in the attacked fruits, regardless on the stage of fruits maturation. Under the oxidative stress conditions induced by abiotic and biotic stresses, an increase in the cytosolic calcium concentration it is observed (Pauly et al. 2001). The variation of the calcium content in healthy and attacked fruits of Polystigma rubrum plum cultivars during the year 2008 is shown in figure 3. The dates obtained during the year 2008 on the calcium level at the plum cultivars evidenced the maximum level - 0,288 mg/g at the Poroabe cultivar, at the beginning of ripening, in the healthy fruits. The lowest value of calcium content in the initial phase of the maturation of the healthy fruits was determined of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,19 mg/g. In the intermediate stage of maturation, the content of calcium in the healthy fruits grows at all cultivars and the maximum value being recorded of the Poroabe cultivar - 0,29 mg/g. Intensifying of the attack of the fungus at the end, corresponding as the final stage of maturation of fruits, determined a further increase in calcium content at the all plum cultivars. Variation of calcium content in the initial phase of maturation in the attacked fruits has recorded the highest value of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,3983 mg/g, followed of the Poroabe cultivar - 0,39 mg/g. The attack of the fungus Polystigma rubrum begins to increase bringing an increase of this biochemical indicator, which recorded the highest value of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,523 mg/g, followed by the Poroabe cultivar - 0,40 mg/g. In this phase the lowest amount of calcium content was determined of the Renclod violet, middle-resistant cultivar - 0,19 mg/g. At all these cultivars, with the increasing of the attack of the fungus on the final phase it observed that a slight increase in calcium content. The highest value of calcium content in the terminal stage of fruits ripening was recorded of the Renclod verde cultivar - 0,62 mg/g.

Figure 3. Variation of calcium content in healthy and attacked fruits of Polystigma rubrum to the plum cultivars during the year 2008 Examining the dynamic of the content of calcium in the healthy fruits during the year 2008, can not established a correlation with the degree of resistance of the plum cultivars and the attack of fungus Polystigma rubrum. The increased level of calcium content was recorded of the Poroabe and Vinete romneti sensitive cultivars and the Renclod verde resistant cultivar

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Ana-Valencia Lbuc et al Influence of Polystigma rubrum (Pers.) DC fungus attack on the mineral elements content of different plum fruits cultivars

situation that is maintained on the entire period of maturation of fruits. In healthy fruits and in the attacked fruits, too, the highest calcium content was determined to the sensitive cultivars and the resistant cultivar. CONCLUSIONS The highest potassium content were determined during the year 2008 at the Poroabe, sensitive cultivar, the Renclod violet, middle-resistant cultivar and the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar, in the healthy fruits. In the attacked fruits the increased values of the potassium were determined of the Poroabe, sensitive cultivars and Renclod verde, resistant cultivar. The highest level of calcium content was determined at the Poroabe and the Vinete romneti, sensitive cultivars and the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar in the healthy fruits and in the attacked fruits, too. Analyzing the dynamics of magnesium content in the healthy fruits it observed the lowest level of this mineral element of the Vinete Romneti, sensitive cultivar; in the attacked fruits the highest magnesium content was determined at the Poroabe, sensitive cultivar and at the Renclod verde, resistant cultivar. The variation of the mineral elements level does not reveal a direct correlation with the degree of resistance of plum cultivars at the attack of fungus Polystigma rubrum. REFERENCES
Antohe Anca, Manoliu Al., Murariu Alexandrina, Pisic Donose Alice, 1993. Cercetri ecofiziologice la unele soiuri de prun n condiiile aplicrii tratamentelor cu pesticide i atacului de Polystigma rubrum (Pers.) D. C, Studii i cercetri de biologie, Seciunea Biologie vegetal, Bucureti, Vol. 45: 229 242. Bsu Felicia, 2010. Studiul ciupercii Puccinia recondita Dietel &Holw. (Rugina brun) parazit pe diferite soiuri i linii de gru cultivate n zona Moldovei, Tez de doctorat, Iai. Cichi Mihai, 2008. Prunul (biologie, fiziologie, tehnologie), Editura Arves, Iai. Costescu Maria, 1978. Modificri biochimice i fiziologice produse de ciuperca Colletotrichum lagenarium (Pass.) Ellis et Halst. n plantele de pepeni verzi, Analalele Universitii din Craiova, Seria biologie, agronomie i horticultur, vol. IX (XIX), Craiova, p. 215-218. Grdinariu Gic, Istrate Mihai, 2009. Pomicultur general i special, Tipografia Moldova, Iai. Hui Y. H., Nip W. K., Nollet L., Paliyanth G., Simpson B. K., 2006. Food Biochemistry and Food Processing, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford,. Nicolae I., 2004. Physiological and biochemical modifications produced by the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de By. Fungus at the hot house cucumbers plants, Analalele Universitii din Craiova, Seria biologie, horticultur, tehnologia prelucrrii produselor agricole, Ingineria mediului, vol. IX (XLV), Craiova, p. 23-28. Nicolae I., 2004. Research regarding some physiological and biochemical modifications produced by the fungus Botrytis cinerea Pers. in the host house tomatoes, Analalele Universitii din Craiova, Seria biologie, horticultur, tehnologia prelucrrii produselor agricole, Ingineria mediului, fasc. X, Craiova, p. 183-188. Popescu Florica, Nedelcu Polixenia, Piti Solange, Maga Eugenia, 1977. Cercetri fiziologice asupra unor soiuri de castravei din cultura de ser, Analalele Universitii din Craiova, Seria biologie, agronomie i horticultur, vol. VIII (XVIII), Craiova, p. 49-54. Rou Cria, 2007. Mecanisme biochimice si fiziologice ale rezistenei sfeclei de zahr la micoze, Ed. Tehnopress, Iai. Rou Cria, 2002. Modificri induse de atacul unor ciuperci fitopatogene la sfecla de zahr, Tez de doctorat, Iai.
1 Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi * reva_aqua_lady@yahoo.com

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