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Antifungal Volatile Organic Compounds from Talaromyces purpureogenus CEF642N: Insights from One Strain Many Compounds (OSMAC) Strategy for Controlling Verticillium dahliae in Cotton

Summary

Scientists discovered that a beneficial fungus called Talaromyces purpureogenus can produce powerful antifungal compounds that kill cotton wilt disease. By growing this fungus on different nutrient media, researchers identified two main antifungal compounds: 3-octanol and 2-octenal. These natural compounds completely or nearly completely stopped the growth of the cotton wilt pathogen in laboratory tests, offering a promising green alternative to chemical pesticides for protecting cotton crops.

Background

Verticillium wilt is a devastating soil-borne disease causing significant economic losses in cotton production. Fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have emerged as promising alternatives to chemical pesticides for biocontrol applications. The OSMAC strategy enables exploration of microbial secondary metabolites by systematically altering culture conditions.

Objective

This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of VOCs produced by Talaromyces purpureogenus CEF642N against Verticillium dahliae using the OSMAC strategy across three different media. The researchers aimed to identify specific antifungal compounds and characterize genes involved in their biosynthesis through comparative transcriptome analysis.

Results

CEF642N produced two primary antifungal VOCs: 3-octanol and 2-octenal (E)-, which showed inhibition rates of 73.29% and 100% on V. dahliae mycelial growth at 600 μL/L concentration. GYESA and YPDA media produced significantly higher levels of antifungal compounds compared to Czapek agar. Transcriptome analysis revealed differential expression of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism and eight-carbon volatile biosynthesis pathways.

Conclusion

This research demonstrates that T. purpureogenus CEF642N produces potent antifungal VOCs with potential applications as green pesticides or biofumigants for controlling cotton Verticillium wilt. The identified compounds 3-octanol and 2-octenal (E)- show significant promise for agricultural biocontrol. The transcriptome findings provide a foundation for future research on optimizing VOC production and identifying key biosynthetic genes.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40422667, DOI: 10.3390/jof11050332
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