Evaluation of the potential antagonist's potential use to regulate the growth and toxin formation of the fungus Fusarium graminearum

Abstract

Background and Aim. Fungi of the genus Fusarium are the most frequently isolated pathogens of major agricultural crops. Due to their high pathogenicity and toxigenicity, they cause significant economic losses. Fungi of the genus Fusarium have the ability to synthesize numerous toxic metabolites, including deokinivalenol. zearalenone et al. Toxins enter the human and animal food chains, causing serious human and animal diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using a potential antagonist to regulate the growth and toxin formation of the fungus Fusarium graminearum.
Materials and Methods. Fusarium graminearum, a producer of fusariotoxin deoxynivalenol, and Trichoderma Tr2 isolate,previously isolated from the soil of the Republic of Tatarstan were used in this study. The effect of in vitro interactions between Trichoderma Tr2 and F. graminearum on the growth rate of fungal mycelium was evaluated. And the effect of the in vitro interaction between Trichoderma Tr2 and F. graminearum on the amount of F. graminearum and deoxynivalenol production after 10 days of incubation at 25 °C on rice grain.
Results. Trichoderma Tr2 significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the growth of F. graminearum mycelium on potato agar by 74.3% compared to the control variant. Grain inoculation with Trichoderma Tr2 isolate significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the amount of F. graminearum on rice grains after 10 days of incubation, reducing the number of CFU fungi by 44% compared to control vials. A similar pattern was found in the analysis of mycotoxin. The detectable level of deoxynivalenol was also significantly reduced (p < 0.05) when grain was treated with Trichoderma Tr2 isolate, which reduced toxin accumulation by 68.7% compared to control vials, both the final concentration of deoxynivalenol and the concentration of deoxynivalenol per CFU by 44.1%.
Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that the soil fungus Trichoderma Tr2 isolate may be of biotechnological interest. In future studies, it will be possible to determine effective levels of application in the field, test on other species and strains, and develop an optimal strategy for using the future product.