Physiological Characteristics and Resistance to Verticillium dahliae in Eggplant/Tomato Grafted Plants

The grafted eggplants with tomato as rootstock can significantly reduce disease severity of Vericillium dahliae of grafted eggplants. The grafted eggplants showed higher photosynthetic capacity and root vigor than the self seed plants at mid later growth stage. The increased ratio of bound water to free water and decreased water potential in the leaves were recorded in the grafted eggplants at mid later growth stage. The enhanced activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase and peroxidase were detected from the roots or both the roots and leaves of grafted eggplants respectively.