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Trichoderma versus Fusarium—Inhibition of Pathogen Growth and Mycotoxin Biosynthesis
This study evaluated the ability of selected strains of Trichoderma viride, T. viridescens, and T. atroviride to inhibit mycelium growth and the biosynthesis of mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), zearalenone (ZEN), α-(α-ZOL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL) by selected strains of Fusarium culmorum and F. cerealis. For this purpose, an in vitro experiment was carried out on solid substrates (PDA and rice). After 5 days of co-culture, it was found that all Trichoderma strains used in the experiment significantly inhibited the growth of Fusarium mycelium. Qualitative assessment of pathogen–antagonist interactions showed that Trichoderma colonized 75% to 100% of the medium surface (depending on the species and strain of the antagonist and the pathogen) and was also able to grow over the mycelium of the pathogen and sporulate. The rate of inhibition of Fusarium mycelium growth by Trichoderma ranged from approximately 24% to 66%. When Fusarium and Trichoderma were co-cultured on rice, Trichoderma strains were found to inhibit DON biosynthesis by about 73% to 98%, NIV by about 87% to 100%, and ZEN by about 12% to 100%, depending on the pathogen and antagonist strain. A glycosylated form of DON was detected in the co-culture of F. culmorum and Trichoderma, whereas it was absent in cultures of the pathogen alone, thus suggesting that Trichoderma is able to glycosylate DON. The results also suggest that a strain of T. viride is able to convert ZEN into its hydroxylated derivative, β-ZOL.
Occurrence of tropane alkaloids - atropine and scopolamine - in corn, buckwheat, sorghum, and millet, and their processed food products
Pleurotus spp.—an effective way in degradation mycotoxins? A comprehensive review
Abstract Mycotoxins—secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungal species—occur as a global problem in agriculture due to the reduction in crop quality and the negative effects on human and animal health. There is a need to develop environment-friendly methods of detoxification. In recent years, a number of biological methods for the removal/degradation of mycotoxins have been described. One of them—particularly interesting due to its high effectiveness—is mycoremediation, which involves the ability of Pleurotus spp. mushrooms to remove toxic contaminants from the environment and food. Pleurotus spp. biosynthesizes ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccase and manganese peroxidase that are the main factors of enzymatic degradation of various pollutants, including mycotoxins. The degradation process of mycotoxins (especially aflatoxins) with the participation of isolated enzymes reaches approximately 30–100%, depending on the culture conditions, substrate, and mediators used. In the food industry, their application may include, among others, the detoxification of animal feed from mycotoxins or fermentation products (e.g., juices and wines). While these applications are promising, they require further research to expand toxicological knowledge and optimize their use. This review presents current research on this new and very promising topic related to the use of edible Pleurotus spp. mushrooms in the process of biological degradation of toxic fungal metabolites.
Field Assessment of Lamium album in Reducing Mycotoxin Biosynthesis in Winter Wheat Infected by Fusarium culmorum
Fungicides play a crucial role in conventional agriculture for disease control, but their prolonged use raises health and environmental concerns. Fusarium culmorum (F. culmorum), a major wheat pathogen causing Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Fusarium crown rot (FCR), poses significant mycotoxigenic threats. The application of natural plant extracts has been proven to fight against phytopathogenic fungi. This study aimed to a field experiment that was carried out at the Field Experimental Station of the Institute of Plant Protection—National Research Institute in Winna Góra, Poland, during the 2022/2023 season to evaluate the potential of Lamium album (L. album) flower extract as a foliar spray against mycotoxigenic fungi in two winter wheat varieties: Arkadia and Julius. The supercritical carbon dioxide extraction method (SC-CO2) was employed to obtain the L. album flower extract. Ergosterol (ERG) and mycotoxin accumulation in the harvested wheat grains were analyzed using chromatography-based methods. The results demonstrated a notable reduction in ERG content in the field plots treated with L. album flower extract, from 26.07 µg/g (control group) to 8.91 µg/g (extract-treated group) for Arkadia and from 70.02 µg/g (control group) to 30.20 µg/g (extract-treated group) for Julius. The treatment with L. album reduced mycotoxin biosynthesis in both varieties, with deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) production significantly decreased. Additionally, Arkadia exhibited greater resistance to Fusarium infection, and the antifungal effect of L. album was more pronounced than in the Julius variety, which proved to be more sensitive. In conclusion, L. album flower extract exhibited promising antifungal effects in field experiments to fight against F. culmorum in winter wheat varieties, suggesting a potential alternative to synthetic fungicides. However, as complete prevention of mycotoxin contamination was not achieved, further research is warranted to optimize extract concentrations and conduct long-term analyses to consider this plant extract as a sustainable control agent.
Dynamics of Deoxynivalenol and Nivalenol Glucosylation in Wheat Cultivars Infected with Fusarium culmorum in Field Conditions - A 3 Year Study (2018–2020)
Variation in Tocochromanols Level and Mycotoxins Content in Sweet Maize Cultivars after Inoculation with Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum
In Vitro Effects of Lemon Balm Extracts in Reducing the Growth and Mycotoxins Biosynthesis of Fusarium culmorum and F. proliferatum
The objectives of this research were to obtain the extracts of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) using supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) and methanol as co-solvent and evaluate the antifungal activity of those extracts against two selected strains of Fusarium species (Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium proliferatum). The extraction conditions were set at 40 and 60 °C and 250 bar. The obtained extracts were characterized in terms of antifungal activity on potato dextrose agar media (PDA). The results showed that the extraction parameters had different effects on mycelium growth and mycotoxins biosynthesis reduction. All studied lemon balm extracts (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%) inhibited the growth of F. proliferatum and F. culmorum mycelia compared to the control. The lemon balm extracts significantly reduced ergosterol content and synthesized mycotoxins in both tested strains. These findings support the antifungal activity of lemon balm extracts against F. proliferatum and F. culmorum. However, more research on other Fusarium species is needed, as well as in vivo applications, before considering lemon balm extracts as a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides.
Toxico-pathological effects of ochratoxin A and its diastereoisomer under in ovo conditions and in vitro evaluation of the toxicity of these toxins against the embryo Gallus gallus fibroblast cell line
Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity of Origanum vulgare Extracts Obtained by Supercritical Fluid Extraction Under Various Extraction Conditions
Sustainable management of agri-food product safety presents a major challenge requiring extensive action to ensure food safety and consumer health. The pursuit of environmentally friendly solutions that will constitute an alternative to the chemical compounds commonly used in agriculture and the food industries is one of the most important problems. One solution is plant extracts containing various biologically active compounds and exhibiting antimicrobial activity. This study aims to determine the biological activity of extracts obtained from Origanum vulgare L. (leaves) by supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2) extraction using different reaction conditions and compositions. In vitro studies revealed antimicrobial activity against selected bacteria (including Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Fusarium spp.), depending mainly on the microorganism species; however, extraction conditions also influenced these properties. The microscopic observations established by optical and fluorescence microscopy showed the changes in the fungal cell’s viability and morphology. There was no observed significant release of intracellular material as stated based on ICP-MS analysis of sodium and potassium concentration. Antibiofilm properties of extract obtained by extraction at 40 °C were also demonstrated against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and L. monocytogenes, with stronger properties observed against Gram-positive bacteria. Phytochemical characterization of the extracts was determined using a liquid chromatography system with an orbitrap mass spectrometer (LC/MS), identifying, i.e., phenolic acids: protocatechuic, hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, and rosmarinic; flavonoids: luteolin, naringenin, and kaempferol; and terpenoids: oleanolic and ursolic acids.
Interfungal antagonism between Trichoderma and Fusarium proliferatum — metabolomic and DNA-based analyses
Inhibitory Effect of Sorbus aucuparia Extracts on the Fusarium proliferatum and F. culmorum Growth and Mycotoxin Biosynthesis
Fungal infections are among the most common diseases of crop plants. Various species of the Fusarium spp. are naturally prevalent and globally cause the qualitative and quantitative losses of farming commodities, mainly cereals, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, Fusarium spp. can synthesize toxic secondary metabolites—mycotoxins under high temperature and humidity conditions. Among the strategies against Fusarium spp. incidence and mycotoxins biosynthesis, the application of biological control, specifically natural plant extracts, has proved to be one of the solutions as an alternative to chemical treatments. Notably, rowanberries taken from Sorbus aucuparia are a rich source of phytochemicals, such as vitamins, carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, as well as minerals, including iron, potassium, and magnesium, making them promising candidates for biological control strategies. The study aimed to investigate the effect of rowanberry extracts obtained by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under different conditions on the growth of Fusarium (F. culmorum and F. proliferatum) and mycotoxin biosynthesis. The results showed that various extracts had different effects on Fusarium growth as well as ergosterol content and mycotoxin biosynthesis. These findings suggest that rowanberry extracts obtained by the SFE method could be a natural alternative to synthetic fungicides for eradicating Fusarium pathogens in crops, particularly cereal grains. However, more research is necessary to evaluate their efficacy against other Fusarium species and in vivo applications.
Ochratoxin A and 2′R-Ochratoxin A in Selected Foodstuffs and Dietary Risk Assessment
The aim of this study was to estimate the contamination of grain coffee, roasted coffee, instant coffee, and cocoa purchased in local markets with ochratoxin A (OTA) and its isomerization product 2′R-ochratoxin A (2′R-OTA), and to assess risk of dietary exposure to the mycotoxins. OTA and 2′R-OTA content was determined using the HPLC chromatography with immunoaffinity columns dedicated to OTA. OTA levels found in all the tested samples were below the maximum limits specified in the European Commission Regulation EC 1881/2006. Average OTA concentrations calculated for positive samples of grain coffee/roasted coffee/instant coffee/cocoa were 0.94/0.79/3.00/0.95 µg/kg, with the concentration ranges: 0.57–1.97/0.44–2.29/0.40–5.15/0.48–1.97 µg/kg, respectively. Average 2′R-OTA concentrations calculated for positive samples of roasted coffee/instant coffee were 0.90/1.48 µg/kg, with concentration ranges: 0.40–1.26/1.00–2.12 µg/kg, respectively. In turn, diastereomer was not found in any of the tested cocoa samples. Daily intake of both mycotoxins with coffee/cocoa would be below the TDI value even if the consumed coffee/cocoa were contaminated with OTA/2′R-OTA at the highest levels found in this study. Up to now only a few papers on both OTA and 2′R-OTA in roasted food products are available in the literature, and this is the first study in Poland.