Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>)
Late blight of potato caused by <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> is one of the most damaging diseases affecting potato production worldwide. We screened 357 root fungal endophytes isolated from four solanaceous plant species obtained from Kenya regarding their in vitro antagonistic activity...
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/12/1605 |
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| author | Abbas El-Hasan Grace Ngatia Tobias I. Link Ralf T. Voegele |
| author_facet | Abbas El-Hasan Grace Ngatia Tobias I. Link Ralf T. Voegele |
| author_sort | Abbas El-Hasan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Late blight of potato caused by <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> is one of the most damaging diseases affecting potato production worldwide. We screened 357 root fungal endophytes isolated from four solanaceous plant species obtained from Kenya regarding their in vitro antagonistic activity against the potato late blight pathogen and evaluated their performance in planta. Preliminary in vitro tests revealed that 46 of these isolates showed potential activity against the pathogen. Based on their ITS-sequences, 37 out of 46 endophytes were identified to species level, three isolates were connected to higher taxa (phylum or genus), while two remained unidentified. Confrontation assays, as well as assays for volatile or diffusible organic compounds, resulted in the selection of three endophytes (KB1S1-4, KA2S1-42, and KB2S2-15) with a pronounced inhibitory activity against <i>P. infestans</i>. All three isolates produce volatile organic compounds that inhibit mycelial growth of <i>P. infestans</i> by up to 48.9%. The addition of 5% extracts obtained from KB2S2-15 or KA2S1-42 to <i>P. infestans</i> sporangia entirely suppressed their germination. A slightly lower inhibition (69%) was achieved using extract from KB1S1-4. Moreover, late blight symptoms and the mycelial growth of <i>P. infestans</i> were completely suppressed when leaflets were pre-treated with a 5% extract from these endophytes. This might suggest the implementation of such biocontrol candidates or their fungicidal compounds in late blight control strategies. |
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| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:43:00Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-de1bb4eb3f324c8baa615b8bfc38be022023-11-23T18:35:16ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-06-011112160510.3390/plants11121605Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>)Abbas El-Hasan0Grace Ngatia1Tobias I. Link2Ralf T. Voegele3Department of Phytopathology, Institute of Phytomedicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, Otto-Sander-Str. 5, D-70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Phytopathology, Institute of Phytomedicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, Otto-Sander-Str. 5, D-70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Phytopathology, Institute of Phytomedicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, Otto-Sander-Str. 5, D-70599 Stuttgart, GermanyDepartment of Phytopathology, Institute of Phytomedicine, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Hohenheim, Otto-Sander-Str. 5, D-70599 Stuttgart, GermanyLate blight of potato caused by <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> is one of the most damaging diseases affecting potato production worldwide. We screened 357 root fungal endophytes isolated from four solanaceous plant species obtained from Kenya regarding their in vitro antagonistic activity against the potato late blight pathogen and evaluated their performance in planta. Preliminary in vitro tests revealed that 46 of these isolates showed potential activity against the pathogen. Based on their ITS-sequences, 37 out of 46 endophytes were identified to species level, three isolates were connected to higher taxa (phylum or genus), while two remained unidentified. Confrontation assays, as well as assays for volatile or diffusible organic compounds, resulted in the selection of three endophytes (KB1S1-4, KA2S1-42, and KB2S2-15) with a pronounced inhibitory activity against <i>P. infestans</i>. All three isolates produce volatile organic compounds that inhibit mycelial growth of <i>P. infestans</i> by up to 48.9%. The addition of 5% extracts obtained from KB2S2-15 or KA2S1-42 to <i>P. infestans</i> sporangia entirely suppressed their germination. A slightly lower inhibition (69%) was achieved using extract from KB1S1-4. Moreover, late blight symptoms and the mycelial growth of <i>P. infestans</i> were completely suppressed when leaflets were pre-treated with a 5% extract from these endophytes. This might suggest the implementation of such biocontrol candidates or their fungicidal compounds in late blight control strategies.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/12/1605antifungal endophytessecondary metabolitesbiological controlvolatile compoundsanti-oomycete<i>Phytophthora infestans</i> |
| spellingShingle | Abbas El-Hasan Grace Ngatia Tobias I. Link Ralf T. Voegele Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) Plants antifungal endophytes secondary metabolites biological control volatile compounds anti-oomycete <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> |
| title | Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) |
| title_full | Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) |
| title_fullStr | Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) |
| title_short | Isolation, Identification, and Biocontrol Potential of Root Fungal Endophytes Associated with Solanaceous Plants against Potato Late Blight (<i>Phytophthora infestans</i>) |
| title_sort | isolation identification and biocontrol potential of root fungal endophytes associated with solanaceous plants against potato late blight i phytophthora infestans i |
| topic | antifungal endophytes secondary metabolites biological control volatile compounds anti-oomycete <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/12/1605 |
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