Summary: | Because of significant yield losses caused by fungal pathogens, new efficient and environmentally safe methods of pest control are needed, and amphiphilic compounds (biosurfactants) produced by many microbes are considered a good alternative. In the present study, biosurfactants produced by the rhizosphere isolate <i>Bacillus mojavensis</i> P1709 were assessed for their ability to protect postharvest cherry tomatoes from decay and mycotoxin contamination caused by <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>lycopersici</i>. It was demonstrated that the genome of <i>B. mojavensis</i> P1709 contained the <i>fenD</i> and <i>srfAA</i> genes, which are responsible for the synthesis of compounds of the fengycin and surfactin families. APF (acid-precipitated fraction) of <i>B. mojavensis</i> P1709 culture medium at a concentration of 20 g L<sup>−1</sup> inhibited pathogen radial growth on agar plates by 93%, and T-2 and HT-2 mycotoxin production by 98%, after 5 days of cultivation. APF also suppressed fungal growth in the in vivo test on cherry tomato fruits by 93% and 25% on the 2nd and 7th days of incubation, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate that biosurfactants produced by <i>B. mojavensis</i> P1709 are an efficient tool for protecting postharvest cherry tomatoes from fungal mold decay and mycotoxin contamination.
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