Control of Sugarcane Smut Disease: Evaluation of the In vitro Fungitoxicity of Three Essential Oils

The sugarcane smut disease caused by Sporisorium scitamineum occurs in all production areas. In order to contribute to the management of this disease, a study was carried out in vitro conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal efficacy and to determine the inhibitory concentration of the essentials oils of Ocimum gratissimum, Zingiber officinale and Cymbopogon citratus upon two strains B and Z of Sporisorium scitamineum. These oils were tested on mycelial growth of colonies, spores’ production and teliospores germination. The results showed a variable fungitoxic effect of the oils according to doses. Mycelial growth and spores production were totally inhibited (100%) from 1000 ppm by all the oils. The 90% inhibitory concentrations (IC90) obtained were 880.37 ppm, 847.83 ppm and 805.75 ppm for Ocimum gratissimum, Zingiber officinale and Cymbopogon citratus, respectively. The germination of teliospores was completely reduced by the three essential oils from 500 ppm upwards. Propiconazole had strong inhibitory effects at 400 ppm with a very low IC50 and the IC90 ranged from 305 ppm to 323.36 ppm. Moreover, at the level of the strains, no difference in resistance was observed These oils could provide a good means of controlling sugarcane smut.

Screening and Evaluation of Essential Oils from Mediterranean Aromatic Plants against the Mushroom Cobweb Disease, Cladobotryum mycophilum

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the use of essential oils (EOs) as an alternative to synthetic fungicides used in the control of cobweb disease of button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) caused by Cladobotryum mycophilum. The EOs used were obtained by hydrodistillation from five Mediterranean aromatic species (Lavandula × intermedia, Salvia lavandulifolia, Satureja montana, Thymus mastichina, and Thymus vulgaris), analyzed by gas chromatography, and tested in vitro for their antifungal activity against C. mycophilum. In vitro bioassays showed that the EOs obtained from T. vulgaris and S. montana (ED50 = 35.5 and 42.8 mg L−1, respectively) were the most effective EOs for inhibiting the mycelial growth of C. mycophilum, and were also the most selective EOs between C. mycophilum and A. bisporus. The in vivo efficacy of T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs at two different concentrations (0.5 and 1%) were evaluated in two mushroom growing trials with C. mycophilum inoculation. The treatments involving T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs at the higher dose (1% concentration) were as effective as fungicide treatment. The effect of these EOs on mushroom productivity was tested in a mushroom cropping trial without inoculation. They had a strong fungitoxic effect at the first flush. However, a compensatory effect was observed by the end of the crop cycle and no differences were observed in biological efficiency between treatments. The main compounds found were carvacrol and p-cymene for S. montana, and p-cymene and thymol for T. vulgaris. These results suggest that T. vulgaris and S. montana EOs may be useful products to manage cobweb disease if used as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program.

Effect of Agrochemicals Used in the Cultivation of Soybean and Irrigated Rice on Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok

The objective of this work was to evaluate the fungitoxic effect of the agrochemicals used in the cultivation of soybean and irrigated rice on entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae by means of the mycelial growth, sporulation and spore germination. The isolates were inoculated in potato-dextrose-agar (PDA) medium containing the pesticides and exposed to spraying with the products. It was observed that chlorantraniliprole produced the best results regarding and was compatible with the two methods of contact of the product with the fungi. Flubendiamide it’s very toxic to fungi, producing 100% inhibition when incorporated into the medium, when by spraying, the fungus M. anisopliae got mycelial growth. Etofenprox and thiamethoxam changed their toxity classification according to the method of contact with product, was moderately compatible to B. bassiana and compatible to M. anisopliae and spinosad showed more compatibility with M. anisopliae than B. bassiana and was classified as compatible. Among fungicides the tricyclazole was the only compatible with the fungus by the spray method. The results showed that in vitro agrochemicals such as tricyclazole, thiamethoxam, flubendiamide and etofenprox are harmful to fungi. It was found that environmental interference could minimize the effects on organisms, especially when the chemicals are applied by spraying.

Detoxification Mechanism of 8,8-Dimethyl-3-[(R-phenyl)amino]-1,4,5(8H)-naphthalentrione Derivatives by Botrytis cinerea

The effect of 8,8-dimethyl-3-[(R-phenyl)amino]-1,4,5(8H)-naphthalentrione derivatives (compounds 1–13) on the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea was evaluated. The fungitoxic effect depended on the substituent and its position in the aromatic ring. Compounds substituted with halogens in meta and/or para positions (compounds 3, 4, 5 and 7), methyl (compounds 8 and 9), methoxyl (compounds 10 and 11), or ethoxy-carbonyl groups (compound 12) presented higher antifungal activity than compound 1, which had an unsubstituted aromatic ring. In addition, compounds with halogens in the ortho position, such as compounds 2 and 6, and a substitution with an acetyl group in the para position (compound 13) were less active. The role of the ABC efflux pump Bctr B-type as a defense mechanism of B. cinerea against these naphthalentrione derivatives was analyzed. This pump could be involved in the detoxification of compounds 2, 6, and 13. On the contrary, this mechanism would not participate in the detoxification of compounds 1, 7, 9 and 12. Finally, the biotransformation of compound 7 by B. cinerea was studied. A mixture of two biotransformed products was obtained. One of them was compound 7A, which is reduced at C1 and C4, compared to compound 7. The other product of biotransformation, 7B, is oxidized at C7.

Antimicrobial activity of Agaricus brasiliensis on Plasmopara viticola and its effect on the induction of resistance to the control of downy mildew on ‘Isabel Precoce’

ABSTRACT: Agaricus brasiliensis include bioactive compounds that can act as antibiotics, bacteriostatic, fungistatic and nematostatic substances. In this sense, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of a single application of aqueous mycelial suspension (AMS) of A. brasiliensis in control of downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) and resistance induction in ‘Isabel Precoce’ grapevines under greenhouse conditions. Treatments consisted of three doses of 1%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% AMS A. brasiliensis, as well as treatment with acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM). The variables analyzed were: sporangiospore germination, disease severity, represented by the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), catalase enzyme activity, peroxidase and polyphenol. The 10%, 15% and 20% doses of AMS caused approximately 80% reduction in germination of P. viticola sporangiospores. The treatments did not show significant effects in reducing both the AUDPC of mildew and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity. The A. brasiliensis aqueous mycelial suspension showed a fungitoxic effect on the germination of sporangiopores; however, it was not enough to reduce the severity of mildew in the ‘Isabel Precoce’ grapevines, even when acting on the catalase and peroxidase enzymes. Thus, experiments should be performed to verify the viability of the reproductive structures of the pathogen externalized in the vines when treated with A. brasiliensis AMS.

In vitro antifungal potential of plant extracts against Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina.

The antifungal activity of aqueous extracts of nine plants viz, Azadirachta indica, Parthenium hysterophorus, Momordica charantia, Allium sativum, Eucalyptus globules, Calotropis procera, Aloe vera, Beta vulgaris and Datura stramonium were assessed in vitro against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina, the soil borne phytopathogens. The assessment of fungitoxic effect was carried out by using three different concentrations i.e., 5, 10 and 20% against the test fungi, in terms of percentage of mycelial growth inhibition. The extract of A. sativum completely inhibited the mycelial growth of M. phaseolina at all the concentrations. The extracts of D. stramonium and E. globulus inhibited the mycelial growth of R. solani of 72%, and 70.7% respectively at 20% concentration, that of A. sativum, E. globulus and D. stramonium exhibited inhibition percentage of 63.3%, 61.8% and 61.1% respectively at 20% concentration on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae. The application of plant extracts for disease management could be less expensive, easily available, non-polluting and eco-friendly.

Antifungal activity of saponins originated from Medicago hybrida against some ornamental plant pathogens

Antifungal activity of total saponins originated from roots of <i>Medicago hybrida</i> (Pourret) Trautv. were evaluated <i>in vitro</i> against six pathogenic fungi and eight individual major saponin glycosides were tested against one of the most susceptible fungi. The total saponins showed fungitoxic effect at all investigated concentrations (0.01%, 0.05% and 0.1%) but their potency was different for individual fungi. The highest saponin concentration (0.1%) was the most effective and the inhibition of <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>callistephi</i>, <i>Botrytis cinerea</i>, <i>Botrytis tulipae</i>, <i>Phoma narcissi</i>, <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>narcissi</i> was 84.4%, 69.9%, 68.6%, 57.2%, 55.0%, respectively. While <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> Schlecht., a pathogen of <i>Muscari armeniacum</i>, was inhibited by 9.5% only. Eight major saponin glycosides isolated from the total saponins of <i>M. hybrida</i> roots were tested against the mycelium growth of <i>Botrytis tulipae</i>. The mycelium growth of the pathogen was greatly inhibited by hederagenin 3-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside and medicagenic acid 3-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside. Medicagenic acid 3-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside and oleanolic acid 3-O-[<i>β</i>-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1→2)-<i>α</i>-L-galactopyranosyl]-28-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside showed low fungitoxic activity. Medicagenic acid 3-O-a-D-glucopyranosyl- 28-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, hederagenin 3-O-[α-L- hamnopyranosyl(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranosyl]- 28-O-α-D-glucopyranoside and hederagenin 3-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-<i>β</i>-D- lucopyranoside did not limit or only slightly inhibited growth of the tested pathogen. While 2<i>β</i>, 3<i>β</i>-dihydroxyolean-12 ene-23-al-28-oic acid 3-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucuronopyranosyl-28-O-<i>β</i>-D-glucopyranoside slightly stimulated mycelium growth of <i>B. tulipae</i>.

Role of Zearalenone Lactonase in Protection of Gliocladium roseum from Fungitoxic Effects of the Mycotoxin Zearalenone

ABSTRACT Zearalenone is a mycotoxin with estrogenic effects on mammals that is produced by several species of Fusarium. We found that zearalenone and its derivatives inhibit the growth of filamentous fungi on solid media at concentrations of ≤10 μg/ml. The fungitoxic effect declined in the order zearalenone > α-zearalenol > β-zearalenol. The mycoparasitic fungus Gliocladium roseum produces a zearalenone-specific lactonase which catalyzes the hydrolysis of zearalenone, followed by a spontaneous decarboxylation. The growth of G. roseum was not inhibited by zearalenone, and the lactonase may protect G. roseum from the toxic effects of this mycotoxin. We inactivated zes2, the gene encoding zearalenone lactonase in G. roseum, by inserting a hygromycin resistance cassette into the coding sequence of the gene by means of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation. The zes2 disruption mutants could not hydrolyze the lactone bond of zearalenone and were more sensitive to zearalenone. These data are consistent with a hypothesis that resorcylic acid lactones exemplified by zearalenone act to reduce growth competition by preventing competing fungi from colonizing substrates occupied by zearalenone producers and suggest that they may play a role in fungal defense against mycoparasites.