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Screening, Identification, and Fermentation Optimization of the Antagonistic Actinomycete Strain TCS21-117 Against Botrytis cinerea

Summary

Scientists isolated a beneficial bacterium called Streptomyces roietensis from soil that effectively fights gray mold, a serious fungal disease affecting crops worldwide. They identified the strain and optimized growing conditions to maximize production of antifungal compounds, achieving 93% effectiveness against gray mold. This discovery offers a natural, environmentally-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides for protecting agricultural crops, potentially reducing crop losses and environmental pollution.

Background

Botrytis cinerea causes gray mold disease, a major fungal pathogen affecting over 1400 plant species with annual losses exceeding USD 10 billion globally. Chemical control methods develop resistant strains and pose environmental risks. Actinomycetes represent promising biological control agents for sustainable agriculture.

Objective

To isolate, identify, and optimize fermentation conditions of antagonistic actinomycete strains with antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea. The study aimed to screen 132 actinomycete isolates and characterize the most promising strain for biocontrol applications.

Results

A total of 132 actinomycetes were isolated, predominantly Streptomyces species (95%). Strain TCS21-117 demonstrated superior antifungal activity against B. cinerea and nine other pathogenic fungi. Identified as Streptomyces roietensis, optimized fermentation conditions achieved 93.31% inhibition rate against B. cinerea. The antifungal compounds exhibited high stability across temperature, pH, storage, and UV exposure conditions.

Conclusion

Streptomyces roietensis strain TCS21-117 represents a promising biological control agent against gray mold with strong antagonistic activity and stable antifungal compounds. Optimized fermentation conditions using potato dextrose broth at pH 8.0 and 28°C significantly enhanced antifungal production. This strain enriches microbial resources for sustainable gray mold control alternatives to chemical fungicides.
  • Published in:Microorganisms,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research,
  • Source: PMID: 40005746, DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms13020379
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