The isolation and identification of choline and betaine as the two major components in anthers and wheat germ that stimulate Fusarium graminearum in vitro

Abstract The basic and neutral fungal stimulants previously reported in anthers [ 25 ] were also found in wheat germ. Both materials yielded crystalline preparations of the two active factors on fractionation. The basic component was identified by mass spectrometry as choline and the neutral one as betaine. Activities of authentic choline chloride and betaine hydrochloride in the bioassay were recorded as 22 500 and 5600 units/mg respectively. A third minor component was separated from wheat germ extracts but not from anther extracts.