Phenolic compounds are involved in plant responses to various biotic and abiotic stress factors, with many studies suggesting their role in defense mechanisms against fungal pathogens. Soilborne vascular pathogen Verticillium nonalfalfae causes severe wilting and consequent dieback in a wide range of economically important crops, including hops (Humulus lupulus L.). In this study, we investigated the differential accumulation of phenolics in the susceptible "Celeia" and resistant "Wye Target" hop cultivars during the pathogenesis of Verticillium wilt. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that colonization in the roots of both cultivars was intensive, but decreased continuously throughout the experiment in the resistant cultivar, while the relative fungal amount continuously increased in the stems of the susceptible cultivar. In response to colonization in the roots of the resistant cultivar, a significant increase in total flavanols was detected at three days postinoculation (dpi), suggesting a possible role in preventing fungus spread into the stems. The accumulation of phenolic compounds was less pronounced in the stems of the resistant cultivar since, compared to the latter, significant increases in flavonols at 3 and 15 dpi and hydroxycinnamic acids at 6 dpi were observed in the stems of the susceptible cultivar.
Keywords: Humulus lupulus; Verticillium nonalfalfae; fungal infection; phenolic compounds; plant–pathogen interactions.