Author
Chambliss Bush, Lashawnda | |
Yates, Ida |
Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2007 Publication Date: 7/28/2007 Citation: Chambliss Bush, L.S., Yates, I.E. 2007. Determination of antifungal, biochemical and physiological features of Trichoderma koningiopsis. Phytopathology. 97:S19. Interpretive Summary: Abstract - no summary required. Technical Abstract: Trichoderma koningiopsis is a species that has been recently identified and has not yet been published, but is in press. Due to the absence of reported data on this species, antifungal, biochemical and physiological features were analyzed for the Trichoderma koningiopsis strain isolated from root segments of corn plants grown in Piedmont, Georgia. In previous studies, the isolate was shown to inhibit the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus in vitro and the production of fumonisins, demonstrating the isolate’s potential as a biocontrol agent. In the present study, it was found that T. koningiopsis has several characteristics which may contribute to its biocontrol ability. The isolate exhibited an optimal growth temperature range of 25-28ºC. It was able to utilize mannitol, dextrose and sucrose as the sole carbon source in culture media. Enzymatic assays indicated that T. koningiopsis exhibits alkaline phosphatase, C-4 esterase, C-8 esterase lipase, acid phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, Beta-galactosidase, Beta- glucosidase, N-acetyl-Beta-glucosaminidase, and Alpha-mannosidase enzymatic activities. These results may be useful in determining the mechanism by which T. koningiopsis exerts biological control over pathogens and inhibits mycotoxin production in corn. |