Fengycin Produced by <i>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i> FZB42 Inhibits <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> Growth and Mycotoxins Biosynthesis

• Main Authors: Alvina Hanif, Feng Zhang, Pingping Li, Chuchu Li, Yujiao Xu, Muhammad Zubair, Mengxuan Zhang, Dandan Jia, Xiaozhen Zhao, Jingang Liang, Taha Majid, Jingyuau Yan, Ayaz Farzand, Huijun Wu, Qin Gu, Xuewen Gao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-05-01
• Series: Toxins
• Subjects: fungal-bacterial interactions; <i>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i>; <i>Fusarium graminearum</i>; Fengycin; mycotoxins
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/11/5/295

<i>Fusarium graminearum</i> is a notorious pathogen that causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereal crops. It produces secondary metabolites, such as deoxynivalenol, diminishing grain quality and leading to lesser crop yield. Many strategies have been developed to combat this pathogenic fungus; however, considering the lack of resistant cultivars and likelihood of environmental hazards upon using chemical pesticides, efforts have shifted toward the biocontrol of plant diseases, which is a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Fengycin, derived from <i>Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</i> FZB42, was purified from the crude extract by HPLC and further analyzed by MALDI-TOF-MS. Its application resulted in structural deformations in fungal hyphae, as observed via scanning electron microscopy. In planta experiment revealed the ability of fengycin to suppress <i>F. graminearum</i> growth and highlighted its capacity to combat disease incidence. Fengycin significantly suppressed <i>F. graminearum</i>, and also reduced the deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), and zearalenone (ZEN) production in infected grains. To conclude, we report that fengycin produced by <i>B. amyloliquefaciens</i> FZB42 has potential as a biocontrol agent against <i>F. graminearum</i> and can also inhibit the mycotoxins produced by this fungus.