VIEW ARTICLE

Physiology and Biochemistry

Isolation and Evaluation of a Plant-Virus-Inhibiting Quinone from Sporophores of Agaricus bisporus. S. M. Tavantzis, Former graduate assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, Present address of senior author: Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, University of Maine, Orono 04469; S. H. Smith, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802. Phytopathology 72:619-621. Accepted for publication 26 August 1981. Copyright 1982 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-619.

A pink quinone, tentatively identified as γ -l-glutaminyl-3,4-benzoquinone, present in the sporophores of Agaricus bisporus is a potent systemic inhibitor of plant virus infection. A high level of resistance (98.5 or 81.5% reduction in numbers of lesions) is observed when cowpea or pinto bean plants are mechanically inoculated with tobacco ringspot or tobacco mosaic virus, respectively, 8 days after treatment.