Chemical defense of plants: phytoalexins - This review describes the concept of phytoalexins as a chemical defense of plants against microorganisms as well as a response of plants to chemical or physical agents. The current information on phytoalexins is presented, regarding the following aspects: occurrence in angiosperms; relation-snips between chemical composition and taxonomy; toxicity; factors affecting plant response; techniques for induction and detection of phytoalexins; role of elicitors and mechanisms of action. The latter includes the oligosaccharins-fragments of cell wall polysaccharides which seem to control the defense response as well as other physiological fenomena in plants.
Phytoalexin; defense; elicitors