It is well known that many plant lectins produced in fruits have larvicidal effects as protective mechanisms. To fend off the impacts of herbivore insect assault, plants have a variety of morphological, biochemical, and molecular responses to herbivory. The defensive chemicals have an impact on herbivore eating, growth, and survival and are either generated constitutively or in reaction to plant harm. In order to understand the resistance and susceptibility against melon fly infestation, the current study compared the expression of lectin proteins in a few different cucurbit fruits. Fruit latex sap was made from both sensitive (cucumber, bitter gourd, and snake gourd) and resistant (chayote and bottle gourd) fruits, and lectin proteins were identified by hemo and leuco agglutination activity. Some have undergone partial purification to distinguish glycocode from N-acetyl glucosamine, and their stability to proteases, pH, and temperature was evaluated. After roughly 24 hours of incubation, the development of the larvae that were fed at low doses was hindered, and they were discovered dead at high concentrations. The histopathology demonstrates lectin-induced toxicity by showing damage to the larval gut area. By binding, causing digestive impairment in larval development, and resulting in death, the lectin protein causes toxicity. Comparative observations show that lectin protein produced from the chayote and bottle gourd fruit tissues secretes latex, protects against the infestation of melon fly larvae, and confers resistance. The current study describes the lignin content in the tissue of healthy and diseased cucurbit fruits, which may give evidence for their resistance to melon fly infestation and susceptibility to it. Due to elevated quantities of PPP (Phenylpropanoid Pathway) enzymes, large levels of monoolignol or polymerized lignin units would harden the cells and make it difficult for larvae to penetrate the cell wall and feed on those tissues.

Author(s) Details:

Madhusudana Somegowda,
Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticulture Sciences, Navile, Shivamogga, India.

Achur N. Rajeshwara,
Department of Biochemistry, Kuvempu University, Shivamogga, India.

S. Raghavendra,
Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticulture Sciences, Navile, Shivamogga, India.

Siddanakoppalu N. Pramod,
Department of Food Sciences and Technology in Davanagere University, Davangere, India.

R. Sagar,
Department of Soil chemistry Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, University of Agricultural and Horticulture Sciences, Navile, Shivamogga, India.

G. N. Thippeshappa,
Department of Soil chemistry Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, University of Agricultural and Horticulture Sciences, Navile, Shivamogga, India.

Shankarappa Shridhara,
Center For Climate Resilient Agriculture Keladi Shivappa Nayaka, University of Agricultural and Horticulture Sciences, Navile, Shivamogga, India.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CTCB-V3/article/view/7502

Keywords: Lignin, lectin, melon fly, latex, Phenylpropanoid, N-acetyl glucosamine.