Phytohormones in botrytis-plant interactions

Several lines of evidence suggest that plant hormones are involved in mediating Botrytis interaction with plants. External treatments with some plant hormones such as auxins and gibberellins can suppress disease development, while ethylene and abscisic acid seem to enhance the disease. Increased ethylene levels by Botrytis infection are well documented. Not only the plant, but also the fungus is capable of producing different hormones and fungal development may be influenced by these hormones. Little direct evidence is available on the involvement of plant hormones in vegetative and pathogenic Botrytis development. Most of the data come from studies on the production of ethylene in infected plants, on its possible effect on the disease and on ethylene production by Botrytis. Production of other plant hormones by Botrytis and their possible role in disease and fungal development have hardly been studied. The production of various plant hormones in Botrytis, and the effect that they may have on disease and fungal development are reported.