Biocontrol of strawberry Botrytis gray mold and prolong the fruit shelf-life by fumigant Trichoderma spp

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 751 - 766
• Main Authors: Fan, Q. S., Lin, H. J., Hu, Y. J., Jin, J., Yan, H. H., Zhang, R. Q.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-10-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alcohols; Alkenes; Applied Microbiology; Biochemistry; Biological control; Biological Control Agents - pharmacology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Botrytis - drug effects; Botrytis - growth & development; Cell membranes; Cytoplasm; Esters; Food Storage - methods; Fragaria - microbiology; Fruit - microbiology; Fruits; Fungi; Gas chromatography; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Germination; Grey mold; Life Sciences; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Membrane permeability; Metabolites; Microbiology; Mode of action; Molds; Mycelia; Mycelium - drug effects; Mycelium - growth & development; Organic compounds; Original Research Paper; Pathogens; Plant Diseases - microbiology; Plant Diseases - prevention & control; Shelf life; Spores, Fungal - drug effects; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Strawberries; Trichoderma; Trichoderma - physiology; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis; Volatile Organic Compounds - chemistry; Volatile Organic Compounds - metabolism; Volatile Organic Compounds - pharmacology; Volatile organic compounds; Antagonism; Trichoderma; Fragaria × ananassa; Botrytis cinerea
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1007/s10529-024-03498-9

Objectives To screen high active volatile organic compounds (VOCs)-producing
Trichoderma
isolates against strawberry gray mold caused by
Botrytis cinerea
, and to explore their antagonistic mode of action against the pathogen. VOCs produced by nine
Trichoderma
isolates (
Trichoderma atroviride
T1 and T3;
Trichoderma harzianum
T2, T4 and T5; T6, T7, T8 and T9 identified as
Trichoderma asperellum
in this work) significantly inhibited the mycelial growth (13.9−63.0% reduction) and conidial germination (17.6−96.3% reduction) of
B
.
cinerea
, the highest inhibition percentage belonged to VOCs of T7; in a closed space, VOCs of T7 shared 76.9% and 100% biocontrol efficacy against gray mold on strawberry fruits and detached leaves, respectively, prolonged the fruit shelf-life by 3 days in presence of
B
.
cinerea
, completely protected the leaves from
B
.
cinerea
infecting; volatile metabolites of T7 damaged the cell membrane permeability and integrity of
B
.
cinerea
, thereby inhibiting the mycelial growth and conidial germination. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis revealed the VOCs contain 23 potential compounds, and the majority of these compounds were categorised as alkenes, alcohols, and esters, including PEA and 6PP, which have been reported as substances produced by
Trichoderma
spp.
T
.
asperellum
T7 showed high biofumigant activity against mycelial growth especially conidial germination of
B
.
cinerea
and thus protected strawberry fruits and leaves from gray mold, which acted by damaging the pathogen’s plasma membrane and resulting in cytoplasm leakage, was a potential biofumigant for controlling pre- and post-harvest strawberry gray mold.