VIEW ARTICLE

Inhibition of Photosynthesis Diminishes Antibacterial Action of Pepper Plants. Myron Sasser, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Science, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19711; A. K. Andrews(2), and Z. U. Doganay(3). (2)(3)Graduate Research Assistants, respectively, Department of Plant Science, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19711, (3)Present address: Bostancibasi Sokak #15/2, Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey. Phytopathology 64:770-772. Accepted for publication 3 December 1973. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-770.

Populations of Xanthomonas phaseoli declined rapidly when inoculated pepper plants were maintained in the light. Populations of the bacterium increased when pepper plants were either maintained in the dark, or treated with 3-(p-chlorophenyl)-1, 1-dimethylurea (CMU) to inhibit photosynthesis. Occurrence of the hypersensitive response (HR) in peppers inoculated with X. phaseoli was noted in plants maintained in the light, in the dark, and in those treated with CMU. The HR does not seem to be the controlling factor in the resistance of pepper to X. phaseoli, but photosynthetic capacity does appear to influence resistance.