Effect of apiforol and apigeninidin on growth of selected fungi.

Selected fungi were grown on agar plates in the presence of naringenin, apiforol, apiforol 7-O-rhamnoglucoside, or apigeninidin. Of the four compounds tested, only apigeninidin inhibited the growth ofFusarium oxysporum, Gibberella zeae, Gliocladium roseum, Altemaria solani, and Phytophthora infestons. In contrast, the growth ofRhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Rhizopus stolonifer (- and +) was not effected by any compound. Since apigeninidin is present in seeds ofSorghum sp., we hypothesize that apigeninidin may play a role in mold resistance and that apiforol accumulates as a biosynthetic precursor of apigeninidin, not as a fungal defense compound.