Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology

Abstract

Antifungal Potential of Extracellular Metabolites from Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. Naturally Associated to Potato against Fusarium species Causing Tuber Dry Rot

Mejdoub-Trabelsi Boutheina, Aydi Ben Abdallah Rania, Ammar Nawaim and Daami-Remadi Mejda

Culture filtrates and chloroform extracts of Aspergillus and Penicillium species isolated from disease-free potato tubers were screened for their ability to suppress four Fusarium species responsible for potato dry rot in Tunisia. Percent inhibition of Fusarium spp. mycelial growth, based on the sealed plate method, ranged between 4 and 53%. Cell-free culture filtrates of test fungi displayed interesting antifungal potential toward Fusarium spp. The highest inhibitions, up to 50%, were achieved using filtrates of A. flavus and P. chrysogenum. All chloroform extracts of the tested isolates had inhibited Fusarium spp. growth where those from P. chrysogenum and A. flavus had decreased their radial growth by 76% compared to their relative controls. Tested as tuber treatment prior inoculation, the rot lesion diameter was decreased by 37.61 and 38.58% using P. polonicum and of A. niger cell-free culture filtrates, respectively. The most effective chloroform extracts in suppressing rot penetration were those from A. flavus and A. niger leading to 46.25 and 50.62% decrease in this parameter, compared to control, respectively.